#I'm debating whether to put it up or not thou | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

thebibliomancer · 2 months

Text

Essential Avengers: Avengers West Coast #55: THE BREAKING STRAIN

February, 1990

"Let there be an ENDING!"

Yes, please, let there!

Actually, by skipping everything not Avengers, Acts of Vengeance has been fairly bearable.

But still. Let's get this over with.

Last times in Wanda's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Month: Vision was kidnapped by every world government, disassembled, rebuilt wrong, and has decided to join the East Coast Avengers, while leaving Wanda in the West. Wanda was also kidnapped by a Texas college and pumped full of racism goo. And had her children kidnapped and eaten by a Satanist who then exploded because they were actually not babies but chunks of Mephisto. Then, her mentor Agatha Harkness erased Wanda's memories of ever having children. On top of all that, a Deviant kidnapped Wanda to try to force her to marry a snake god.

I'm not surprised she's gone catatonic from all that. I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner.

In Acts of Vengeance: Doctor Doom's robots sank Avengers Island. The U-Foes burned down the Avengers West Coast Mansion. Freedom Force smashed up Avengers Park and then the Mandarin and Wizard show up to smash it up some more. And Magneto sends Wanda's house into orbit, with Wanda inside.

I swear. The Avengers just aren't allowed any nice things.

Also, they caught the Wizard when the Mandarin ditched him.

And now, house in orbit.

Magneto muses on how Wanda is so catatonic that even getting thrown into orbit didn't get a reaction from her.

Magneto: "Clearly the time has come for a more direct approach."

Call me suspicious but I don't think Magneto's idea of mental health care is going to be very good.

But this is Acts of Vengeance. Which Magneto has ditched in order to go see Wanda.

There's an ending to let there be happening.

Thor announces to the assembled Avengers that all the trouble they've been doing through is definitely the act of Loki.

He doesn't know how Loki organized this but he's definitely sure of that.

Wasp is confused because Cloak and Dagger told her that Doctor Doom was behind things, based on their own Acts of Vengeance tie-ins.

And the Avengers have the Wizard locked up in a holding cell, loudly insisting to anyone that will listen that he's the mastermind of everything.

Speaking of the Wizard, he decides he doesn't want to be in Avengers jail anymore.

And he just leaves.

He has a miniature teleportation device built under a false fingernail and he uses it to make a portal directly to Acts of Vengeance headquarters.

Where, to his annoyance, he finds that his fellow Prime Movers don't really give a shit he was in Avengers jail. Because they're too busy debating whether Doctor Doom was ever hanging out with them or whether he was always a Doombot.

The Wizard immediately starts shit by yelling at the Mandarin for abandoning him.

The Mandarin: "Do not blame me for your own shortcomings, Wizard. When the tide of battle turned against us, I withdrew. you should have done the same."

Owned.

The Wizard shoots back that he did withdraw, once he felt like it! So there! But he had to put up with an Avengers interrogation before he could teleport from his cell.

Which Definitely Loki is very annoyed to hear about.

Definitely Loki: "Ignorant mortal! Say thou hast not done this thing!!" Wizard: "?!? Unhand me, lackey! How dare you raise hand or voice to your better?!"

And Loki takes exception to that. And reveals that he's Loki. Duh.

Kingpin just peacing out while everyone is gawking kills me.

He's the third smartest villain involved. After Doom, who may not have ever been involved, and Magneto, who only got involved to handle some personal business.

Meanwhile, another weird timeline thingy.

President Lincoln is attending the theater, as Presidents Lincoln are wont to do, but when John Wilkes Booth tries to shoot him, as Johns Wilkes Booths are wont to do, it aggros the full force of Kentucky woodsman in Lincoln and he jumps up and slaps Booth's aim astray.

Amazing.

So amazing that Immortus (sitting in on the divergence as a general) wishes he could just leave this timeline alone.

But in order to accomplish his vague goal of becoming master of time again, he has to snuff out all alternate timelines. For some reason.

He returns to Limbo (the time one) and discovers to his annoyance that his Wanda-stalking scanner has lost Wanda due to a "massive disruption of the Earth's electromagnetic field."

My dude.

You can't spy on her in hell. You can't spy on her if there are magnets.

You're being made to look like a chump by people who don't even know you're involved.

Wonder Man returns to the Avengers West Coast Compound from the Mole Man thing last time to find one entire missing cottage which should have a Wanda.

He asks Agatha Harkness, what the shit, you had one job!

Agatha says that the house was thrown into orbit faster than she could cast a spell to do anything about it.

US Agent shows up and says that the cottage is about thirty miles up and ten miles off from where it launched.

Wonder Man yells at US Agent for not doing anything to stop a cottage from launching into space.

... C'mon, dude. He has the powers of Captain America plus the power of being a jerk nobody likes. How is he supposed to stop a house launch?

Anyway, he wasn't even at the compound when the cottage launched. He was at the Mole Man thing too.

He got back just in time to see the house blast-off and then checked the tracking system to find where it had gone.

Wonder Man just wants to fly off after Wanda. Even though his belt jets don't work in space.

US Agent suggests using one of the space-capable Quinjets instead.

Wonder Man: "Well, this is a first! You being the calming influence in a situation, Agent!" US Agent: "Belay the jabber, Wonder Man.

The two find the house just floating in space.

Houses don't just launch themselves, usually, so US Agent suspects some supervillain plot. And since Wonder Man is near indestructible, he gets to go poke around while US Agent watches the ship.

And for some reason, Wonder Man puts on a space helmet. Guy doesn't need to breath but constantly wears space helmets or lets people grow gills on him.

Maybe he just wants to feel like one of the cool people. Maybe that's where Vision got it from.

Anyway, when Wonder Man approaches the orbiting house, it explodes in his face.

Geez. The Avengers just can't keep a headquarters unexploded, unsunk, or unburned down in this event.

But not time to follow up on exploding space houses. There's Acts of Vengeancing to wrap up.

Loki has the villains too stupid to have peaced out (Wizard, Red Skull, the Mandarin) magically levitated so he has a captive audience to rant at.

Loki: "FOOLS! Stupid, mortal imbeciles! And all the greater fool is Loki, that ever I did trust the petty egos of mortals with the consummation of my plan! I didst think that by directing so-called super-villains into attacking champions unaccustomed with their powers I could rid this world of super heroes... And in the process once and for all destroy those who have so long vexed me by their very existence!"

Loki singles out Wizard to yell at. Because teleporting directly from the Avengers' holding cell to Acts of Vengeance HQ means that if Thor uses Mjolnir, he could track the energy trace and just show up!

Thor: "Say thee not 'if', beloved sibling... Say thee rather WHEN!"

You have such a good sense of timing, Thor.

Also, he brought Dr Pym, Hawkeye, Mockingbird, Captain America, Wasp, Iron Man, Vision, and Falcon with him to kick Loki's ass.

Loki responds to imminent booty thrashing by dismantling the Acts of Vengeance HQ to reveal it was located on the Isle of Silence this whole time!

The very place Loki was exiled when he tried to get Hulk and Thor to fight, which caused the Avengers to form.

So now Thor understands the why.

And despite being a place of exile, Loki has spent so much time here (a lot of it voluntary) that he has mastered the dimension.

He brings forth Silent Ones from below the ground to fight Captain America. He tangles Hawkeye and Mockingbird in roots. He buffets Falcon and Wasp with winds. He creates a plume of fire that engulfs Iron Man.

Cap tells Thor to go beat up Loki since he's the best one to do that. Not bogged down in some mischief currently and also very experienced at punching Loki in his Loki face.

Thor chases after Loki and Loki scampers away saying he'll only fight in a time and place of his choosing when he thinks he'll win! He creates a wall of ice between him and Thor.

Focused on the Avengers, Loki loses his hold on the Wizard, the Mandarin, and the Red Skull.

Red Skull argues this is their best chance to strike at the heroes, while they're distracted.

The Mandarin calls him a stupid dumbass. This whole thing has been Loki's scheme and Mandarin isn't going down for it. He's leaving Loki to his own failure (like he did the Wizard. Consistent.)

When Loki dismantled the meeting place, he left the walls lying on the ground. And the dimensional portals built into each door is still active so the three villains not smart enough to fuck off until now now fuck off.

Wasp and Cap notice the villains getting away but, eh, they're busy right now. They'll get them next time.

Thor just smashes through the wall of ice because it's ice.

Thor: "Show thyself to have at least some fragment of our father in thee! Some small spirit of the godhood! Of the nobility which is our birthright!" Loki: "Speak to me not of nobility, Thor! Thou dost speak of music to one born deaf! There is but one Lord Loki serves, and that is power!"

Funny to think that in recent years, Thor gets along much better with Loki than he does with Odin.

Loki creates a giant rock hand to crush Thor but Thor crushes the hand instead. And hits the ground so hard that it makes a fissure that Loki falls down.

Which Thor then seals up so he can't escape.

Pretty perfunctory conclusion to this ENORMOUS company wide event.

Cap is like geez did you just kill him but no, "gods do not perish thus" not even Loki.

Loki is just trapped under millions of tons of Earth. But alive.

Thor explains that Loki was Big Mad that his actions created the Avengers so he wanted to destroy them with this big villain team-up. But he only strengthened the resolve of the heroes.

Thor: "Let the evil minds of the world beware! Ever and always shall the Avengers prevail!"

Yeah, Old Man Logan's backstory set-up IS dumb, Thor.

Anyway. Everything is solved forever.

The West Coast situated Avengers return there.

Iron Man flies off in one direction, Hank and Jan in another direction in a Quinjet.

Janet and Hank re-explain the plot and how Loki was Big Mad at creating the Avengers.

... This is really a lot more explaining than is needed.

I do like how Jan puts it.

Wasp: "So... that's that! Another threat ended, and this time it all started because Loki got tired of the other villains poking fun at him at the annual bad guys' picnic!"

Hank lands the Quinjet in the hanger. He goes off to check on Tiny Tigra and Wasp goes to change.

Another day, another new Wasp outfit.

But after changing into the blue and white number, Jan goes to check on Wanda.

The cottage seems to be back in place but Wasp finds US Agent sprawled on the floor and warning her to get away while she can.

Wasp: "Get away? From what... ? Who... ? What's going on here? Where's Wanda? Where's Wonder Man?" US Agent: "Dead! Blown to bits out in space! Get away... Get away..." Wasp: "Wonder Man... killed?? But... by who??"

Scarlet Witch: "By me, Janet! I dealt with him as I shall deal with all the Avengers, now that my power has been finally unleashed!" Wasp: "W-Wanda...??" US Agent: "Tried to warn you... Now... Too late... too late for everyone!"

Ahh, knew we'd get here eventually.

If there's three things everyone knows about John Byrne's Avengers run, it's Vision being disassembled, Wanda's children turning out to be devil chunks, and Wanda having a heel turn.

So whatever happened in space between Catatonic Wanda and Magneto, Wanda is Evil now and also had an Evil Costume Change and Haircut.

Honestly, this isn't a bad look for her. Shame about the whole evil thing, she looks stylish af.

But next week I'm alternating over to Avengers. I'd consider doing the Evil Wanda plot before switching back over except there's a weird interruption in the middle of the arc where Byrne quits the book in a huff.

So best to stick to alternating. Besides, the Avengers got stuff going on too. Remember all that stuff with Real Nebula and that one old man who blew up his own house? Yeah, that stuff is popping off!

Follow at @essential-avengers for all the best vowels. You like A's? I got tons. Buy them in bulk because this is an Avengers blog. Like, reblog, comment, whatever.

4 notes · View notes

humming-pokemon-helpers · 11 months

Note

🎤 - An audio transcript from a recording

Recording Date: 7/26/2023

Recording Location: Nimbasa City Central Hospital

Parties: Vanilla & Tula (@plasmaapologist)

Thump, thump, thump... [There's a feeble knocking at the door of Vanilla's hospital room.]

[Vanilla sits up a little, glancing at Cross before responding.]

"Hey, Cross, any idea... oh, it's probably just the nurses, right? Yeah it's probably just the nurses. Come in!"

[Tula opens the door, shuffling into the doorway, but refusing to enter the room fully.]

"Vanilla...?"

"Oh, um, wow, Tula! I'm really glad to see you, um."

[Vanilla glances at Tula's stitched-up calf, before quickly looking away.]

"Is your leg...?"

"Huh? Leg? It's still there. I think?"

"... Yeah, it's still there... How's your... uhm... everything?"

"That's not... um, if it wasn't there that'd be pretty bad!"

"I just, ah... ...I'm... doing pretty good! Yeah, better than I figured! Probably not going to feel as great tomorrow because they don't want to keep me on this medicine, but hey, I'm at least otherwise healthy! Or, uh, going to be healthy? Oh, and I'm finally getting this cast off!"

"Ah, well... Human grade medicine probably isn't great for your, well, Zoroark half..."

[Tula turns, careful to still hide her splinted wrist behind her.]

"Yeah, I can't even have ibuprofen, or uhhh... fuck, what's the other one. But yeah, none of that normal shit and of course they don't just have Pokémon pain relievers lying around, so you have nurses standing there and debating whether they're supposed to use a fucking spray potion... sorry. Sorry. This stupid medicine..."

"Is this your chart here? Uhm... Okay, wow, I didn't understand half of that. Heh..."

[If this girl's conversation gets any more stilted, she'll be guaranteed a spot in the circus.]

"I guess no one really knew what being uh. Turned into colours does to you. Before this. That's what Rune said happened."

[Vanilla watches Tula try and flip through their chart, a slight smile crossing their face.]

"Yeah. Nobody's really... put a human into a Pokéball before? Since they're really really incompatible. Except I'm not, because I'm half-compatible, and half..."

[He gestures vaguely with jagged hand movements.]

"Not. But uh, really, I'm fine, just a few weird after-effects at first... I don't think I'm... you know... glitched."

"I'm just... happy I didn't have to really see that. Y'know, when the Masterball broke, I didn't even realize-"

[Tula pauses for a moment, looking as if she had an epiphany.]

"Oh, shit. Fuck. I should have taken it with me. What if that thing still has your data somehow?"

"Oh, arc, I wasn't even thinking about that-- fuck, that Master Ball..."

[Vanilla freezes up a few moments, before processing what she's heard and taking a few deep breaths.]

"Okay, no, it's broken. Okay. Thank Arc. That explains why I felt more... human again, fuck. Pokéballs are fucking wild, I swear... But if it's broken... I think you can't really fix that. It's fine. It's fine."

"That doesn't... I'll have to go back for it. There's no way we can just. Risk leaving it there, especially since he's..."

[She's shaking again.]

"He got away. I'm sorry. I-I was supposed to stop him.... I was supposed to fix this. I don't fucking... maybe it's a cruel fucking trick from Arceus. Or karma, or some woowoo ghost bullshit."

[The quivering woman attempts to hold back tears. She's not very good at this.]

"I was the one that said he wouldn't hurt you. I didn't think he would do... ANY of that shit! I thou- I really thought, maybe, it's innocent curiosity. He turned a lead. He's a weird guy. He was always like that. If I had just- just told you what he had done in the past, then this; none of this..."

"I don't-- Tula, you don't have to--"

[They look away, though their distress is palpable.]

"None of this was ever your fault, Tula, you were just... Just because you were in Plasma doesn't mean you're responsible for everything he does, fuck. If that's the case then I..."

[She takes a breath, like she's about to say something important, then cuts herself off.]

"I'm the one who followed him there! I should've known what I was getting into, and instead I just... I just hurt people who weren't even involved in this, I got you hurt, look at yourself! You're hurt, why are you acting like you needed to do more for me? I never wanted him dead! I never wanted anyone dead! I'm sure he's done shit. Fucking all of those higher-ups have. But... it's not your responsibility. I brought this on myself."

[The foxperson lays back in their bed with a dull thump, rubbing their hands into their face.]

[Slowly, barely noticeably even, Tula approaches the hybrid's bedside, an uncharacteristically serious look on her face.]

"Vanilla..."

[She leans in close, no longer caring to hide her hand, or perhaps forgetting to. A few seconds of stagnation pass before she begins to whisper, barely audible over the humdrum of the hospital.]

"I chose to go out there. I didn't expect anyone else to."

"You may not have wanted him dead. But I did. If he comes back, he's going to be upset. Very, very upset. At you, and at me. This is our problem now. I- I put myself here, Vanilla."

[At the sound of Tula’s whispered voice, Vanilla turns his head, lowering his hands from over his eyes. There’s the huff of a held breath he didn’t even realize he was holding before the hybrid whispers back.]

"I… you’re right, you’re right. We’re both stuck if he comes back. There’s nothing else to do for that. …Hopefully you don’t mind being stuck with me, Tula."

[There’s the slightest of smiles on Vanilla’s face as they place their own hand over Tula’s splinted wrist. She avoids the temptation to pick up the nurse’s hand and look at the injury for herself, but her gaze is fixed on it.]

"…I guess my question is… why? It’s stupid, I know, we’re already here, but I still… it’s still not your fault. You didn’t have to."

"Ah. Uhm... Well..."

[Tula turns her head, partially to think, partially to hide the subtle flush that had come to her face.]

"I guess. Two reasons? People tend to just... tolerate me? I mean, when they learn about my past. And probably also because I'm loud, but uh, mostly the first one. And y'know, I'm used to it, I brought that upon myself. Any close acquaintances I made were also ex-team members. But- There was a handful of people that just... never seemed to hesitate when speaking to me. Which I'm not... used to...? And you were one of them, so. The thought of my- my friend being hurt by, of all people, that bastard-"

[She stopped, clearly sensing herself getting worked up again.]

"I owe you, in particular, a lot of explanations, I think. Things I can't just... discuss in a hospital. No, things that I don't want to. But when I..."

[Her voice fell low again, words sputtering out between her heavy breaths.]

"I wasn't just attacking him, Vanilla. I was attacking all of Plasma. It was my retribution."

...

"...Oh, Fuck. I made it about me, didn't I?"

"I'm sorry. I'm not really good at this sort of thing."

"Hey, no, Tula, I asked you, so of course it's about you! I wanted to hear about it. I mean, you're, ah, you've done a lot more for me than I could ever repay anyways... I mean I could repay you, but that's kind of beside the point--shit. What was I..."

[He shakes his head briefly to clear it, ear twitching.]

"...Right. I'm... really glad to have you as a friend. Plasma history or not, I can tell you really care about the people close to you. And Pokémon! I mean, I'm not exactly normal either, ha. Not that you're not normal, I just... we're two outsiders, you know? And I've... probably got a lot to say too. ...Also probably not here."

[Vanilla laughed nervously, before lowering her own voice in turn.]

"Honestly, I get it. Wanting to get back at Plasma like that. They've pulled so much shit. Hurt so many people. Who wouldn't...?"

[Tula, who had by now sat herself at the end of the hospital bed, listened silently as her friend(?)s speech trailed off. And there she sat; 10, 20, 30 seconds. Until suddenly, she whipped her head around; the first time she had dared to make eye contact.]

"The laptop. I sto-ahem, borrowed his laptop. I don't know what's on it, if anything. It could be his fucking Minecraft machine for all I know. And I- I certainly wont be able to get into it but. I know people that can. Well, a person. Probably. I imagine he's got insane security on that thing."

[The nurse dropped her head, her anxiety clearly catching back up to her.]

"Well, y'know. If you want me to. I don't want to cause more trouble for you..."

"Oh."

[The thought sinks in, and the injured hybrid nearly leaps down the length of their hospital bed before they remember their arm's still tethered to an IV and there's a monitor clipped on their finger. They settle, instead, for sitting up.]

"Oh, wait, you actually got his laptop? Tula, that could be huge! I mean, at least I figure if he brought it to some run-down lab in the Dreamyard, there's got to be some reason for that, right? I don't really know exactly what yet, but I'm sure there's something. Is it really okay if... it wouldn't be too much trouble to try and get into it, right?"

"Wh- Easy, Vanilla. You do not want to accidentally rip out that IV. Shit hurts."

[Tula sighs, placing her chin in her hand.]

"Honestly, I don't know. Calli could probably get into it. She's a whizz with that kind of stuff. Like, it's slightly scary. But it's a matter if you trust her, I guess. That's your data, after all. And, now that I think about it, I'm definitely going back for that Masterball. We have no idea if it's still readable or not. Once I get it, I can take it to the Center and check it. That way if there's anything on it, I can wipe it."

"Yeah, yeah, okay... sorry. Think I was just a little too excited--that might be some of the best news I've gotten today. That might be the only thing that made me charging in like a fucking idiot worth something. Even that's a 'maybe', but... what's it, think positive? Something like that. Shit, I'm the therapist here."

"But I think... ugh, it's far too high-value to not. If you want, tell Callisto I'll pay her more than enough to keep it confidential. Seriously though, Tula..."

[She trails off, watching Tula again. The nurse looks exhausted, not to mention their wrist and leg. Was she limping earlier...? Does that still hurt? After about a 15-second pause, though, their eyes meet, and Vanilla freezes, forcing her gaze to the floor. Fuck, they definitely looked like they were staring.]

"Y-you should really take a break, first. Long day, and... you're hurt too, right? Besides, it's a long trip without flying. ...What am I saying, you obviously didn't mean now. But... thanks for looking out for me."

"Of course I'm looking out for you, Vanilla. I-"

[She never finishes that thought.]

"...You don't know Callisto well, but I do, and I have full faith that you wouldn't need to pay her for that. I mean, I stayed about it, but, you saw how she was with that Team Calm or whatever garbage. She's got an odd moral compass, but it's a strong one."

[For a few minutes, the two sit in slightly tense silence. The tiny TV hanging on the wall is playing some sort of scripted tournament battle. The round ends, and Tula once again turns towards the hybrid.]

"Vanilla... Are you still going on your Gym Challenge? Uh, when you're better, I mean."

"Alright. I'll trust you on that, Tula. Though... um... isn't she kind of unemployed right now? Maybe I should send something anyways... She really is doing me... us? a favor, at least."

...

"I... probably am. I figure that not much else can go wrong at this point, right? And besides, I really love battling with all of my teammates. I think Dolly and Shuu would be really upset if I just stopped, ha."

[For the second time today, Tula raised her head, locking gaze with her friend(?).]

"I want to go with you."

"...Uh, if you're okay with it, that is. I don't want you to be going anywhere alone. Especially some of the more isolated towns."

[Her face turns red again as she takes a sudden interest in whatever is outside the window.]

"...Oh, and don't worry about Calli. She's been holding back something. Nudge-nudge wink-wink, y'know?"

"Go... with me."

[The blank look in their eyes is pretty quickly blinked away, ears standing tall. He must have missed something.]

"...Wait, Tula, do you mean the whole way? To every last gym? Are you sure? That could be months! These aren't all day trips like Driftveil, not to mention all the training time in between... I couldn't ask you to do all of that! I-I mean, you'd probably get bored... Or, uh, did you mean doing that together...?"

[She holds her head a moment, covering her own face's redness. Now's not the time to catch a fever... Or at least, to look like it...]

"I, um, sorry, I just wasn't expecting you to follow up with that... I'm not saying it wouldn't be nice... or, ah, helpful! Not to sound like a broken record, but, is that okay? Seriously? I'm sure you've got stuff going on too, right?"

"I'm a trauma nurse, Vanilla. It's already an unpopular field with people, but with Pokémon? I can get work at damn near any Pokémon Center in this region. Or any other regions. I'm used to being on the road, so..."

[She shifts a bit, trying to think before speaking for once in her life.]

"It wouldn't really be anything different for me, is what I'm saying. Actually, it would be nice to, y'know, have some... company..."

"Ahem. I'm saying, yes, it's okay. Actually, I wasn't even expecting you to agree. I mean, when you said you wanted to talk, I thought for sure you were gonna be pissed at me... Not that I was planning this or anything! That would, uh, probably be weird, yeah? I mean, this is really our first time meeting in person. Wanting to travel with you would be like, suuuuper creepy. Haha."

"…Tula. You know… you can just stop talking. I mean, I know I’m talking waaaaay too much too but maybe we can both take a moment? I mean, gosh…"

"Also, what was that about me…? I didn’t say anything like that. I think? Arc, I hope I’m not that overmedicated. That I’m texting you without thinking. I mean I’m happy to talk! I’m also really happy to meet you and all! It was nice to talk online, after all, and I mean, I wanted to ask about that book you found anyways, and, well… wow, I should take my own advice! But… I have no idea what happened there? I thought you came over on your own, honest! Even though I was happy to see you."

[Finally, the foxperson manages to shut themself up, stopping just short of slapping their hands over their mouth.]

"But, if you say it’s fine… I guess I’m not opposed. I mean… yes! Yeah! That sounds great."

[For the first time, Tula smiled, giggling a little at the others rambling.]

"Hehe... I can show you the messsge later, maybe that'll jog your memory a bit, eh? Buy anyways... I'll have to sort some things out, and we have to find something to do with Kli-"

[She stops mid-word, her face turning pale.]

"Oh, fuck. I left that Klinklang alone with Motom."

"Klinklang."

"Wait, did that motherfucker seriously leave behind one of his Pokémon??? Arceus above, it keeps getting worse."

[She shakes her head in disbelief.]

"So, um, I guess... you probably need to go handle that? I'm sure Motom's great, but who knows how Colress trained that poor thing."

"I guess he was actively bleeding out. But yeah, sure as shit he left it. Things been following me like a lost puppy."

[She stands to leave, wincing a bit as she puts weight on her leg, talking as she walks to the door.]

"Though honestly, its the Klinklang I'm worried about. I do not need Motom teaching that thing crimes... It's actually quite well trained, from what I can tell so far."

[She places her hand on the doorknob, hesitating for a second.]

"Uhm. Message me when you get out, alright? So uh. So we can work out our plans. Obviously."

"...I have to go figure out what you feed a steel type with no real mouth. And probably get yelled at by a nurse for leaving my room. It was... nice. Talking to you, I mean. Not getting hospitalized."

"Oh... poor little thing. ...The Klinklang. To be clear. Absolutely not Colress."

"...Just go before I say something stupid, okay?"

[He chuckles a little to himself.]

"Alright. Stay safe out there. ...On the... walk down the hallway."

#pkmn irl #pokeblogging #long post #//this is actually a text transcript of a discord convo! didn't feel like cutting out only the visual cues so... it's video now.#//anyways it's long. but it *does* have some important notes. that i will try to get the point of across elsewhere #//as always kudos to cassini for their writing of tula; i love tula sm & can't wait to do more with her & vanilla ^^#//italics used here to indicate tula speaking!#tw injury #tw hospital

7 notes · View notes

aerialsquid · 2 years

Text

FFXIVWrite: Day 10

Day 10: Channel

Thancred cannot say he's…comfortable with this new assignment. He's used to doing the bulk of his spycraft alone, or with some extremely trusted ally. But Urianger is the only one who will know the runes in question on sight, and the only one who is available, so Thancred's dressed him up in ragged robes and cheap gaudy jewelry and dragged him out on assignment

The man's smart, sure, no one ever says he's not smart, but there's smart and then there's smart. It's a separate smart that keeps you from being stabbed for a spy than lets you discern the meanings of the stars. As long as he keeps his damned mouth shut, hopefully they can maintain the charade, but the minute anyone in this bar hears a ten-gil word from a ragged pirate the entire jig is up.

But then the unwitting informant he's trying to get drunk enough to show him the new amulet he stole from the Nymian ruins finds himself just a hint of intelligence at the bottom of his glass. "And who's your friend, huh?"

"Come on, Estelluax. You know me," Thancred wheedles, but Estellaux refuses to be swayed.

"I know you. I don't know him." And he thrusts his stubby-nailed finger in the air toward Urianger.

"He's not said a word. Just sits there like a damn tonberry, staring at me. And you know what tonberries do, right?"

"I–yes, I'm aware."

"They stab you!"

"Yes, I know they stab you, you've mentioned the stabbing, but my friend here is not a tonberry."

"Okay, then who is he?" Estellaux leans in, snarling as if the tonberry theory is actually up for debate. Thancred swiftly holds a mental debate on whether he wants to claim his dear non-tonberry friend had his tongue cut out by the Amal'jaa or was rendered near-insensate by a horrific trauma.

Urianger leans forward and Thancred feels his stomach clench. Time seems to slow down as the man's lips part and.

And someone else speaks from Urianger's mouth.

"If'n you'd be wanting to know me ye'd either best be paying coin I know ye ain't got, or best be a lot prettier," the alien entity snarls in a perfect Lhimsa Lominsan drawl. "Me sainted mother, of blessed memory these twenty years past, named me Seren, and Seren's all the name ye need to know." He turned and spat on the floor, then settled back against his chair. "Now stop wasting me time."

—

"What in the seven hells was that?" Thancred asks later, when Urianger is transcribing the runes in their tiny inn room.

"Didst thou mean the provincial demeanor I adopted for the purposes of our shared ruse?"

"Yes!"

Urianger chuckles. "For all that thou doth jest that mine father was cuckolded by a library, I did not emerge from the womb speaking in such a manner as I doth do now. All language is learned, and I do not even speak merely of the verbal tongues."

He continues writing as he spoke, but his free hand gestured about in the air. "Body language, accent, how to speak and when to stay silent, when thine eyes must capture the gaze of another and when one must look away. All these things a child must understand from a young age, but some come to it naturally and others must learn it by rote. I myself have no natural affinity for the matter at all. I learned how to act in society step by step, as carefully practiced as a Kugane geisha's movements but performed just as naturally. It is a trifling matter to simply learn to perform the same act with a new language, once the gargantuan matter of learning it once is put aside."

Thancred chews his lips as he perches on the edge of the innroom bed, watching Urianger blow on the drying ink of his journal.

"Okay, but can you do it again? Because it was a little hot."

#ffxivwrite2022 #thancred waters #urianger augurelt #just an autistic elezen doing his best

21 notes · View notes

the-pen-is-mighty-and-so-are-you · 9 months

Text

Finding what you need, and getting it - pt. 1, from wp blog, 05/04/2020

Good day, dear visitor, how doest thou fare? I finally collected my ideas together enough that calling you seemed worthwhile. Arrangements for this video chat were kind of last minute so, by any chance, do you have your own tea and biscuits prepared? Yes? If not, I'll give you a moment to go grab them - we have all the time in the world these days, so may as well get comfortable.

Ready? Then let's DO this, let's have a CONVERSATION, by which I mean of course a monologue performed by me with you listening.

Right. So. Quarantine life, eh? For some of you, it's a time to prosper and pick up that new hobby you always had your eye on, to get into a healthy yoga routine, to FINISH THAT GODDAMN STORY-

Ahem. Apologies. I projected myself too much there.

On the other hand, for many, it's a confused period of recovery and adaptation, in which most hours are spent quite unproductively feeling useless, or watching Netflix, or generally not doing much of anything. In fact, I think it's safe to say, that's probably most people, though we don't like to admit it. We just share around videos of other people being productive, as if somehow their productiveness will magically seep into our drastically changed lives and boost morale. You could call this period "The Age of Potato", in which there is a danger of everyone melting into the fabric of their bed or sofa and turning into a vegetable.

Okay, let me rephrase that - because there is no 'danger' in that happening. The danger is that that happens and then we feel bad. I think it's fine to spend hours on Netflix that you otherwise might not have, I think it's great especially for those normally hectically busy to experience what it's like to not do much of anything. I think it's not okay to feel useless. There is a difference - but for some people one immediately comes with the other, which is why being a 'couch potato' is seen so negatively. For some, lying around doing nothing makes you feel bad - doing that then gets translated as being in itself 'bad' too. But what if, shock horror, doing nothing isn't bad at all? Just because you're not actively contributing anything to society does not make you a bad person, it just means you're a human being making the most of the time given.

I just wanted to remind everyone of that, as a sort of esteem-boosting motivation to support what I'm about to say. Although, before I move on, I must take a moment and acknowledge that having to confirm whether or not doing nothing productive is negative is a hugely privileged concept to have to debate. Some people, even in a time when societal activity is at a low, still have an essential job to attend to, or cannot afford much besides literally doing nothing. Let's take a moment and consider, appreciate those people.

Moment taken? Good. Now, to continue my monologue to the demographic of the lucky potato people... No offense, visitor.

In my last post, I gave an account of the sudden change experienced in that first week or so, and how I mentally began processing and learning from it. This post is much the same - just a little later in the process.

It has taken me what feels like a long time to pull myself together and put together my thoughts. I've been living in a beautiful bubble, spending luxuriously relaxed days spooning or being spooned by my boyfriend, enjoying the lovely temperament of our bedroom and the natural light that floods in each day, and taking many, many naps in our very snuggly bed. I speak to you as someone with ultimate experience of spending their quarantine being a potato.

This endless leisure time has put somewhat of a haze on my mind - making everything kind of enjoyable and warm, so time passes at a bearable speed, while not being mentally forced into facing emotions or internal conflict (wow, that phrase takes me back to studying Hamlet in Higher English). Everything has been happening in that laid-back holiday way, doing menial tasks day by day mixed in with little mental engagement, filling our heads with Jonathan Creek and Firefly. Anything that takes too much thought and reflection would be filed away in a vague "Meh, I'll get to it" section of my brain. I have loads of studying I could be getting on with? I have until August to look at that, let's just play video games for now. I just had a dark thought that briefly transported me back to my days of mental illness? I'll cuddle my boyfriend and ignore it.

So it took me a long time to get out of a zombified mental state and begin having actively creative thoughts - but, thanks to my experiences in the past few years, especially when it came to mental health and learning to live independently, I'm pretty darn good at taking care of myself. In theory, anyway. I hypothetically know some steps I should take that will prevent mental deterioration - I'm even beginning to know how to, you know, live 'fully', pushing beyond the safe zone I've been protecting myself in and finding what more there is to being me besides the layers of 'coping'.

If that sounded saddening to you, please don't take it that way - I am enormously grateful for all my experiences, because they have made me who I am today. And they prepared me for how to deal with quarantine, because I'd already experienced dealing with drastic changes before - only most of them had been in my head.

I knew I needed to:

- Get in some form of exercise, something to make me feel connected to my body. If I do that, I feel more grounded, things feel more real, and as an added bonus I can release any pent-up energy. So far, I have been doing one session of yoga a day, some twenty minutes, some fifty, depending on how I feel. It's that one thing I do as a signal that I've got out of bed and done something. Though, if there came a day where I don't feel like doing it at all, then I'll respond accordingly and adopt full potato mode. This leads nicely to knowing I needed to...

- Listen to myself and build my day around that. The most important core of my self-care is not feeling guilt, not feeling bad, and being kind to myself. I can't say it's easy, and I'm not sure entirely when or how or why it happened, but back in semester one at some point I had a revelation: so many of my problems came from not being forgiving enough to myself. Once you alleviate that pressure from yourself, even if you mess up, you're in a much more stable position to practically deal with that without the mess of literally being beaten up by yourself. Which is why I also knew I needed to...

- Set realistic goals. This is still something I struggle with. I'm a huge sucker for spider diagrams, and making massive lists, and imagining everything I have to accomplish by the end of this year. But I've found a method that takes place in my beloved 'Fuck it Diary' (Check out 'CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT' for how that came about). I've made a grid, with five areas colour coded - Exercise, Creative, Social, Languages and Uni Work, and Quality Time. When I do something in that category, I write it down and then - the fun part - colour it in. So long as I do something in at least two areas, I count that as a satisfying day. If I do twenty minutes of yoga, and video call my mum, that counts as a good day. If I play video games and write some of my story, that counts too. This way, I make sure I do a little bit everyday, so that in the long run, I know I made the most of my time. I've already mentioned it, but I definitely knew I needed to...

- Call my mums, regularly. They are the people who keep me grounded, who guide me, who reassure me, so I know that if I keep in touch with them, anything that I am dealing with disproportionately will be levelled out. Everything becomes reasonable and manageable once I've spoken with them. I especially enjoy video-calling them, because then they show me the dogs. I mainly call because of the dogs, to be honest.

#covid #lockdown #again this is so interesting to read #what a timecapsule #couch potato

0 notes

nightswithkookmin · 3 years

Text

From Jimin: To the hyungs Jungkook is just my little brother...

I have no idea what that says. But if this is what he said, then definitely it leaves room for interpretation because it's an incomplete statement. You don't need to know the nuances of the language to understand that that statement is a sentence fragment that expresses an incomplete thought on the surface of it.

The omission of a second clause implies the opposite of what was said in the first. It's as simple as that.

The question anyone would ask upon hearing that is, so... he's more? Or, so he's not your little brother?

Makes sense...

But I've seen other translations such as, to the hyungs JK is like my little brother and in other instance, Jk is our little brother etc.

Makes you wonder if these interpretations took the context of the conversation into consideration or even why Jimin would make such a statement in the first place in their attempts to provide nuance.

"SUGA: Jungkook is good at everything

J-hope: Jungkook always surprises us. he changed his style recently!

Jimin: The hyungs all think he's like my actual little brother.

V: Jungkook is good at keeping his focus

JK: Everything about Jungkook is pretty!"

It's Jungkook from the members' lens.

When you interpret Jimin's bit within this context then it's more likely he is trying to highlight his dynamic with Jungkook more than anything, mainly to the effect that Jungkook is perhaps obedient, likeable, sweet, puppy etc.

Comparing Jungkook to his actual little brother is a compliment and perhaps has a much deeper meaning than mere friendships in my opinion. It shows just how close, more than co workers they are, how more than friends they are, how really close they are.

I don't know why shippers shy away from comparisons to family bond when in fact the bond of family is the greatest bond one could ever have.

BTS do have a habit of liking their bond to that of family- and they love to show that bond off.

It's interesting seeing Jikook through the lens of the members when most times the bond of those two are invalidated, watered down and downplayed.

Everyone would have us believe Jikook are sworn enemies from rival states. So however you wanna interpret what he said, there's value in taking things at face value. You don't need to do too too much with it to try to get its meaning across because then that would be analysis and analysis are always subjective and subject to our own confirmation biases.

To the hyungs, he's like my little brother, he is just my little brother, he's like our little brother- all have the same sentiment if taken from the perspective of that whatever JM said was intended as a compliment to Jungkook.

Perhaps Jungkook treats JM just like a younger brother would a Hyung- given the culture of respect between hyung/dongsaengs, given the way hyungs are expected to take care of their dongsaengs, given the emphasis BTS places on their bond, honorifics culture...

Perhaps he means, Jungkook treats me in such a way you'd think he were my actual younger brother- a theme which to me is in line with that whole Jimin treats me better than my own brother does or the numerous times he's compared him to his own brother or something along those lines.

They love eachother very much. Whether that is platonic or romantic is up for debate but I don't think after this anyone can invalidate their bond or gaslight is into thinking those two aren't close at all.

If the members see them as this close then it really puts an end to this whole Jungkook is uncomfortable with Jimin nonsense.

The busan bros, the busans, the sun and moon duo, the exceptionally close pair, the hyungs all think Jungkook is like my actual little brother etc

They all have a similar vibe to me.

I guess what I'm saying is, I don't care much about the nuances of the language in this context or in any context to be honest as the intention behind the text is pretty obvious💀

To me he is either providing the hyungs' perspective to affirm his dynamic with Jungkook or to affirm all that he's been saying of his dynamic with JK which is that JK is like a little brother to him just as he repeated in Festa.

To highlight and affirm their bond or to compliment Jungkook like the other's were in this instance.

This is the diagram some Karny drew to explain the nuances of the text.

And here I thought I was extra chilee.

I'm not mad at this. Love when a moment brings out the delulu in yall's eyes😭🤣🤣

I don't know why we are hung on Jimin's words out of all the statements that were made trying to dissect and over analyse it.

On one hand I feel some people are over sensationalizing while others are just plain invalidating Jikook's bonds- especially over something Jimin of all people would say.

He slick slick. I'll give him that. And he loves him some double entendres. But he's also usually the one to use dictum that makes it easier for his words and meaning to be translated- if they get translated. So it's fascinating to see the confusion his words are creating out in these streets. It really ain't that deep if you ask me chilee.

Alas, we are all adults and we all have different perspectives on these things. I'd say, find a source you trust based on their track record and stick with it. Do your own analysis or seek out others' perspectives on it. This is mine and how I take it- regardless of what any Karmy says😊

My delusions are mine and mine alone. No disrespect to Karmy. In fact, yall great people doing great holding it down for the gays🤭

Also disclaimer, I'm not a translator and any translation used here isn't mine.

In conclusion,

Hyuna screws her dongsaeng and Rain fucks his Noona. Dead that whole Jikook womb mates shit before I lay my paws on ya.

youtube

Please pls Jikook is louder than this��

youtube

Jeonlous counts. Keep your wokeness yo yourself please. You must be in the wrong industry if you think you have to live by a code of ethic in these ship streets.

There is no ethical nor moderate consumption of ships under shipping. There is nothing like ethical or moderate shipping for the holier than thou shippers in the back.

We all ghetto ma'am. You might as well go all out😴

My favorite line from their song though is when Hyuna sings, "I'm finna tell my father about us and pledge eternity to you. You have to be careful always though, there are lots of pretty girls out there. We have to tell the world, I can't share you with another girl."

Eventually they told the world🤭

Their careers suffered but they did it anyway.

Please no nondelusional, fake woke, moderate shipper person should tell it to me when I talk about Jungkook's frustration to come out with their relationship and come act like it's illogical hence implausible for him to want to come out etc😒

I like my delulu perspective better😌

Peace.

GOLDY

#Youtube

77 notes · View notes