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meepispeepis · 4 months

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The Storm Before the Calm

~Ok, I'm finally getting on that MK1 cringe! Got ALOT of inspiration from these lovely creators and their combined arts of "oops, Kung Lao's dead again" works. And the brainworm is demanding that I finally put this into writing so, here we are! Once again, huge shoutout to these lovely artists who gave me the inspiration and please do check them out!~

@helsensm // @novicedraws // @randyzorra // @d3rpydoods

~Before we continue just wanted to put some mild context to ensure this makes sense. This isn't part of some long-winded series, so you might as well think you've flipped open a book and started reading in the middle of the story. Fire God Liu Kang starts getting deja vu as certain coincidences and events start playing out that are too eerily similar to how things played out during the MK9 game (Raiden getting a message from his future self and trying to interpret in time what that message meant to save the future - long story short: nearly everyone died and no one came out alright :D). All roads were seemingly leading to Kung Lao dying in his timeline and Liu Kang struggled on how to cope and deal with this. On one hand, he did not want his friend-…His new teacher…To die, especially since he tried so hard to tailor make this timeline to ensure everyone got a happy ending.

Yet, at the same time, he refused to stoop down to Kronika's level and start altering the timeline until it was his "perfect" utopia. However, his fears and suspicion about the situation become even more realized when Raiden gets gravely injured and the only thing that prevented him from kneeling over was the thunder amulet infused with his person (and some other magical shit, idk). From this, Raiden gains his iconic white hair, and this gives Liu Kang a heart attack. To make a long story short, Kung Lao ends up dying at the hands of the villains (In this short story, it's assumed that Shang Tsung is wholly responsible or had a hand in his death), Raiden is going through the stages of grief, but he's going down the same dark path as the previous Raiden, now becoming Dark Raiden. And Liu Kang has to finally interfere.~

Still confused? Too late, now on to the story! Next Characters: Raiden, Kenshi, Johnny Cage, Liu Kang, Shang Tsung, Mentions Kung Lao, Raiden's Sister (named her Fuji :D)

Word Count - 6,094 Ships: Raiden/Kung Lao - Hints of Kenshi/Johnny Cage

Warnings: Canon Typical Violence (but with less blood), Character Death

It was over.

It was done.

They stopped Shang Tsung and his nefarious plot; it was over. This was the part where everyone patted each other on the back, did a whole hoopla about "the power of friendship saved the day," locked up the villain, and went home. But maybe that time was lost a long time ago. Ever since…

Ever since Kung Lao died.

Aside from Johnny, Kung Lao always knew how to lift everyone's spirits, that didn't involve excessive Hollywood references that most of them didn't get. His self-confidence and pride always seemed to ooze onto everyone else. If Lao says he can do it, then so can we! It hurt everyone when he was unceremoniously slain by General Shao and Shang Tsung, a clean cut to his neck with his own weapon. And you know, it wasn't until that day that Liu Kang was gravely reminded that these men never had to experience death in such a manner. Each of them knew how to fight, added to the additional training they got with the monks at the Wu Shi Academy. But Liu Kang never taught them how to kill, to maim, to perform the one act no ordinary person should ever have to do.

When Kung Lao died, it shocked everyone. The only one seemingly keeping themselves together was Kenshi. Coming from his Yakuza background, he has done plenty of dirty that he wasn't proud of. But Johnny? Liu Kang still remembers the reviving actor's disbelief, trying his damndest to do all he could for Kung Lao, even pleading with Liu Kang on what to do. But perhaps the one person who was hurt the most that day was Raiden. They were friends, childhood friends…lovers, even…Liu Kang can never scrub away the scene of Raiden being the first to notice his friend wasn't getting up (he was the closest to the body) and slowly descending to hold his boyfriend tightly. Raiden blocked out the world at that moment; the rest of the crew had to step in and finish the fight while Raiden grieved over his friend.

And things were never the same after that.

It was over.

It was done.

Kenshi and Johnny already shackled the unconscious Shang Tsung and started tending to their wounds. There was silence between them as they repaired themselves, barely making glances to the other. It wasn't until Kenshi spoke up, pointing out that Johnny was wrapping the bandage wrong and took the reigns in patching the star up. Johnny didn't put up a fuss. In a small way, he's kinda glad Kenshi said something. To break the silence and bring back that camaraderie they once had before. Feeling Kenshi touch him again, a wave of memories started flooding back to Johnny. The days when the 4 of them (Johnny, Kenshi, Kung Lao, Raiden) were always in each other's spaces. Arms thrown over each other's shoulders, whenever they were in a goofy mood; they were always leaning against the one nearest to them. That intimacy, he misses it.

"There," Kenshi softly says, completing the last patch on Johnny to ensure it wouldn't get infected.

Johnny couldn't help but return a sad smile and nod, "Thanks, Kenshi."

Then the silence began again as they both sat in silence, waiting for Raiden and Liu Kang to return once they were done with what Johnny called "the super laser beam like in that one Marvel™ movie." When they heard the sound of roiling thunder, that was their cue that the other pair had returned. Kenshi was the first to look up to see Raiden floating high above them, with black clouds shadowing him. It was a near-terrifying sight. His glowing eyes and hair, the crackles of lightning sparking off him, and the foreign look of godly contempt that was plastered on his face. Doesn't help too, that they each learned some time ago who Raiden was before Liu Kang altered the timeline. With this display of power, Raiden might as well be a god.

"Hey, Raiden, no need to worry! We had this one in the bag." Johnny gestures over to Shang Tsung, still enjoying his dirt nap. "He'll be going away for good once we figure out what our version of Arkham Asylum should be for the bastard."

Kenshi scoffs and shakes his head slightly, but it wasn't one out of annoyance. He knows what Johnny is trying to do, lightening the mood.

Raiden, however, does not reciprocate; remaining still as a statue in the air. Kenshi stares back at Raiden, anxious about what the thunder go-his friend, was thinking.

"…Hey, Raid-bro, we were told there was a chance of blue sunny skies when coming out here. Care to move the dark clouds out the way?" Johnny tries again with being jovial, but Kenshi can hear the hint of anxious tension in his tone.

After another long silence, Raiden finally descends, but where he was going was toward Shang Tsung. Johnny and Kenshi rise from their seated area as they closely watch Raiden slowly meeting the ground. By the time Raiden reached the surface, almost as if on cue, Shang Tsung started to stir awake, perhaps thanks to the constant thunder cracking in the area. Shang Tsung was already a beaten mess, with dried blood and dirt caked on his freckled face. His brown eyes meet with Raiden's glowing white eyes, and he has the gall to smirk at him. The prisoner readjusts himself, sitting straight up as he leaned against a tree.

"Love what you did with your hair, Raiden." Of fucking course, Shang had to go there.

Kenshi and Johnny both do their best to not flinch and cringe upon hearing that, knowing full well that it struck a nerve with Raiden, even if the farm boy wasn't showing it.

And as if Shang was further egg-ing Raiden on, he starts looking around, as if he's expecting someone to be here, but they happened to be missing. "Now, where is that pompous, hat-throwing circus act you often dragged along with you? Called in sick?"

"That's enough, Shang Tsung. Don't let us muffle you too." Johnny was the first to speak on everyone's behalf, his rising anger apparent as he growled.

Shang ignored Johnny, his eyes still trained on Raiden, meeting him eye-to-eye. "Oh~, don't beat yourself up for his departure, Raiden. You can rest easy that he died a prideful fool who didn't know when too much was enough."

"Hey, shut the fuck up!"

There was a one-sided back & forth, Shang Tsung constantly taunting the quiet Raiden while Johnny was trying to get Shang Tsung to stop talking. Eventually, Johnny starts grabbing the sorcerer by his ruffed-up shirt and tries intimidating him into keeping his mouth shut.

There are benefits to being half-blind and wearing a blindfold. Kenshi has been looking head, seemingly staring into nothing and nowhere, but the sight that Sento gave him allowed him to keep his peripherals on Raiden. Watching him closely to ensure that he doesn't do anything stupid. And Kenshi would be right to watch Raiden because the younger man started to approach the arguing pair.

Kenshi steps in front of Raiden, "Whatever you're thinking, don't."

"Get out of my way, Kenshi," Raiden's voice was like a coming storm, eager to wreak havoc on anyone and anything that stood in its way.

Kenshi had to choose his words wisely, one wrong move or phrase and he will erupt. They've seen it happen more than once. "Please, at least let us wait for Liu Kang before-"

"Ha! Still letting that proclaimed Fire God lead you around on a leash, Raiden?"

Kenshi now physically cringes before making a sharp turn toward Johnny, "Shut him up!" Kenshi can see sparks crackling of Raiden and he further obscures his view of Shang Tsung. "Raiden, he's trying to get into your head. Don't let him!"

"He knew, you know? Liu Kang? For someone who altered the timeline to fit his "perfect vision," a lot of strange coincidences have been happening as of late. I mean, I became a sorcerer when I was supposed to be a beggar. And you were a simple farm boy. But look at you now, a master of the storms and the skies," Shang Tsung side-eyes Raiden deviously, "He must've known that Kung Lao was going to die."

"Get out of my way!" the air starts to pick up, his hair and clothes ruffling in the wind, and more lightning static bounces off Raiden.

"Ok, time for your muzzle, dog," Johnny approaches with a mask-like device meant to silence individuals who wear it. As he tries to place the mask on Shang Tsung, the sorcerer hits him square in the dick (a technique he has learned to adopt later down the line thanks to the foolish actor), causing Johnny to have the wind knocked out of him as he backs away a couple steps. "N-not cool, man! Not cool!"

But this landed Shang Tsung a couple more minutes. "He could've prevented it, Raiden. Kung Lao may have died at the General's hands, but you know who truly caused his demise? Liu Kang could've stopped it all from happening. He went through all the effort to neuter you and me. Because of his biases over a timeline that no longer exists! He claims that he "doesn't interfere with affairs" because he wants us to become masters of our own fates, but we were never in control of it to begin with. Liu Kang decided for himself what we should be; all I did was defy his logic and plan."

"JOHNNY!" Kenshi shouts as he tries to hold Raiden back, the young man now struggling to get past the blind swordsman.

"I'm working on it!" Johnny replies as he hurries back to Shang Tsung with the mask.

"I SAID GET OUT OF MY WAY!!!" Raiden screams.

He can feel it. He can feel the amulet infused into his body responding to his anger, his grief, and his drive for vengeance. The condensed storms locked away in that amulet desire to give Raiden that release. Kenshi grunts as he starts feeling shocks ripple through him while holding tight onto Raiden.

"RAIDEN DON'T LISTEN TO HIM; YOU'RE BETTER THAN THIS!"

"Liu Kang could've saved your friend, Raiden. You know this as much as I do. He has the power to do so; he simply didn't use it. All under the idea of restraint. That's what makes you and I so powerful. We're not afraid to take the power we're given and use it to its nigh limits. The one who you should be angry at is the man who calls himself a friend to you."

Finally, Johnny wraps the mask around Shang Tsung, silencing him until it's eventually removed. But the damage was done. It wasn't until now that Johnny noticed that Liu Kang still hadn't arrived.

"Where's Liu? Kenshi, where's Liu!" Johnny says as he anxiously watches the struggle between Raiden and Kenshi.

Kenshi doesn't get a moment to entertain an answer as Raiden yells at the top of his lungs, a bust of electrifying energy emitting from him, from the amulet, knocking both Earthrealm warriors back a considerable distance. The pair lang roughly on the soil in an audible groan as they jerk and hiss at the shocking ripples still assaulting their bodies. Kenshi was the first to slightly recover, but it must've been some time before he regained his senses because when Kenshi frantically looked for where Raiden had gone, he saw the thunder wielder punching Shang Tsung to a bloody pulp.

"Raiden, ugh! Raiden, stop!" It hurts for Kenshi to get up, but he ushers all the strength he still has and rushes over to Raiden.

Kenshi rips Raiden off of Shang Tsung and doesn't bother to look the sorcerer over (that's what he gets for running his mouth), keeping his attention wholly on his friend (and his hand on the hilt of Sento).

"Raiden, we've been over this. Please, don-"

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!!!!"

Kenshi isn't given a moment to calm the man down as bolts of lightning come arcing towards the swordsman. Kenshi dodges out of the way, unsheathing Sento in the process; the line of shocking energy completely decimates a nearby tree. The time for words was over; now it's time to, in Johnny's words, bring out the "Hulk Buster."

Raiden raises his hand to the grey skies above, capturing lightning in his hand before hurling various sparks at Kenshi. The swordsman goes on the defensive, dodging and ducking behind cover, trying to avoid actively harming Raiden. But the more he placed distance between him and Raiden, the more Kenshi was bobbing and weaving past his thunderous attacks. Kenshi would be mildly saved as Johnny surprises Raiden by grabbing him from behind and trying to restrain him.

"Raiden, pull it together, man! We don't want to hurt you!" Johnny struggles to say, the shocks of lightning constantly snapping at him.

Kenshi rushes out of hiding and builds up momentum, hoping to get one good, non-lethal, strike in to knock Raiden out.

"Where the hell are you, Liu Kang..." Kenshi muttered to himself, slightly out of breath as he was exerting all his power into running and reaching Raiden as soon as possible. "Johnny! Hold him down, just a bit longer!"

"I'm-ACK, FUCK!" Johnny shouts as he feels another shock of electricity course through him, "I'M FUCKING TRYING!"

Raiden was howling like an animal, trying to shock Johnny off him. Lightning bolts were falling out of the sky as it struck the grounds around them, destroying everything it touched. It was almost like the lightning strikes were even chasing Kenshi as every bolt of lightning was always some inches away from hitting the swordsman.

He was close, almost there, just a bit more.

Raiden finally throws Johnny off him, elbowing him sharply in his face. Conjuring every bit of power of the storm, Raiden fried Johnny. The pained screams from the actor nearly shake Kenshi to his core.

"JOHNNY!!" Kenshi screams.

Raiden notices the swordsman approaching and disrupts his abuse of his friend to focus on Kenshi, redirecting the powerful blast and hurling it at the blind swordsman. Guided by Sento, Kenshi locks himself in a blocked battle with Raiden's powerful lightning attack, locked in a Harry Potter wand duel as Sento protects Kenshi from the attack. The mystical powers of Sento was able to withstand the ever-present assault, but Raiden was unhinged, not withholding the full potential of the thunder amulet. Then the impossible happens.

Sento cracks.

Kenshi quickly rolls out of the way and tries to get to safety before Raiden completely breaks Sento. But Raiden saw this coming, using his other hand to conjure a whip-like lightning bolt at Kenshi, lassoing him and dragging him to the ground, before giving the swordsman a devastating shock.

"Raiden!"

For once, the farm boy actually stops his assault. Leaving Kenshi and Johnny unconscious after constantly being shocked to near death. Raiden looked behind him, and there he was.

Liu Kang.

The Fire God stares at the scene in utter shock, eyes darting between the sizzling Johnny and equally as cooked Kenshi. Raiden, eyes & hair slowly dimming in brightness, keeps his eyes trained on Liu Kang.

'He could've prevented it, Raiden - Liu Kang could've stopped it all from happening - Liu Kang could've saved your friend, Raiden. You know this as much as I do.'

Shang Tsung's words echo in Raiden's head.

"...Did you know he was going to die?" Raiden, for the first time, speaks coherently. Possessing the soft voice that he's known for.

"What? Raiden, what hap-"

"ANSWER THE DAMN QUESTION!" In that same instance, Raiden's voice booms like thunder (even the skies above respond, crackling thunder in the distance with his anger), his white hair and eyes glowing brightly. "YOU KNEW KUNG LAO WAS GOING TO DIE, DIDN'T YOU!!" Raiden points his electrifying finger at Liu Kang accusingly.

Liu Kang's mouth opens and shuts before he finally answers Raiden. "...Certain circumstances and events that transpired hinted that Kung Lao could die. But not once did I know for certain that Kung Lao would meet his untimely death."

There's a long, silent pause between the two; only the roaring wind breaks the stillness. Liu Kang dares to break his eyes away from Raiden, looking for the one Kenshi and Johnny were supposed to contain, Shang Tsung. It looked like in the scuffle, he used that opportunity to get away, his hairpin lying on the ground dirtied with blood and dirt. Whatever Shang Tsung said to Raiden, it riled the former thunder god. Liu Kang kicks himself for being unconscious for so long. The device he and Raiden went to disable knocked the wind out of him and rendered Liu Kang out of commission for a moment. When he awakened on the vacant platform the device was on, Raiden was gone.

Liu Kang looks back at Raiden, the man's head now facing the ground, fists balled. The next thing that comes out of Raiden's mouth breaks the Fire Gods' heart.

"Why did you let him die," his voice cracks, and Liu can hear the tears Raiden shed.

"Raiden...I..."

"Even if you didn't know fully that Kung Lao would die, why didn't you tell us! Why didn't you save him? Or let us help you save him!" Raiden sobs, his knees feeling weak.

"...I did all I could, Raiden. I tried to protect him...But I couldn't shelter him. I had to trust that Kung Lao would make the choices necessary to follow his own path. I wasn't going to take that choice from him."

"How would he know what path to take if YOU NEVER TELL HIM WHERE IT WILL LEAD HIM!!!" Another sound of roiling thunder, lighting sparking off Raiden as he snaps his head toward Liu Kang. "You could've told him, us, what could've happened! You could've stopped this!"

"I did not want to burden you with the knowledge I knew and felt!" Liu Kang raises his voice, not to match his anger, but because the winds were picking up and the thunder was practically deafening him. "I didn't want you or him to spend every waking moment; questioning each move you took, each decision you made! I wanted both of you to become masters of your own fate!"

'He claims that he "doesn't interfere with affairs" because he wants us to become masters of our own fates, but we were never in control of it to begin with. Liu Kang decided for himself what we should be.'

"No...NO!!" Raiden shouts as he slings a lightning bolt at Liu Kang. A shot the Fire God effortlessly dodges.

"Raiden, please!"

"YOU CREATED THIS TIMELINE. THIS NEW UNIVERSE! YOU COULD'VE PREVENTED THIS! YOU HAVE THE POWER TO, I KNOW YOU DO!"

Another reckless throw of a lightning bolt, scorching a nearby tree as Liu Kang steps out of the line of fire. "Raiden, please, you have to understa-"

"I LOVED HIM, LIU KANG! WITH ALL MY HEART, I LOVED HIM!!! AND YOU TOOK HIM FROM ME! YOU DID THIS TO ME!!"

Raiden rips open his shirt, revealing the amulet fused with his person, a permanent reminder of the trauma everyone endured...That he endured...

"BRING HIM BACK! BRING HIM BACK TO ME!" Raiden's feet crackle with electrifying power as he lunges towards him, performing a move Liu Kang knows far too well as Raiden flies at him like a speeding torpedo, locking Liu Kang as they both collide into various trees.

Liu Kang grunts as their movement is halted by a large rock, but he's not given a moment of reprieve as Raiden starts socking him in the face multiple times. Screaming phrases that Liu Kang could not focus enough to bear their meaning. He's then thrown about in a large circle, and when Raiden releases his grip, Liu Kang goes flying again.

Liu Kang crash lands into a nearby lake. It takes him some time to gather his strength to swim out of the waters. He coughs and spits out blood, Raiden isn't holding back, the powers of the amulet having provided him with strength and vigor. But he was still mortal. Liu Kang can take a beating, but one wrong move and a bit of force; and Liu could kill Raiden. Liu Kang assesses his surroundings, mainly looking for where Raiden has gone or where Raiden could potentially come from.

Fortunately, Raiden's rageful cries gave him away as he came crashing down like a speeding bullet from the sky toward Liu Kang. Hoping to catch him in a flying kick maneuver. Liu Kang was able to block the attack, the force of the kick skidding them both further from the lake that Kang emerged from. There is a back-and-forth between the skilled fighters as each attack is swiftly blocked by the other. Well, more like Liu Kang was the one being swift. Raiden was filled with hatred and rage, his attacks were more akin to a wild animal attacking and defending itself.

Liu Kang had to hold back. Unlike Kenshi, who somewhat matched his power level, one wrong flaming fist and Raiden could be K.O-ed to his grave.

"Raiden, I am not your enemy. Everything I did for Kung Lao, I've always had you in mind! Whatever Shang Tsung told you-"

"Oh yeah, go ahead!" Raiden opened his palms and bent his fingers, colliding his hands on each opposite side of Liu Kang's head, sending shocks of electricity to his head and disorienting the Fire God as his ears started to ring. "Blame it all on Shang Tsung! Blame every single problem and inconvenience on the fucking sorcerer! Because gods forbid you take any responsibility for yourself and own up to the fuck up THAT YOU MADE!"

Raiden grabs Liu Kang in a crushing hug and sends both of them flying in the sky, high enough for Raiden to send a highly concentrated bolt of lighting onto Liu Kang; Raiden being able to withstand such powerful energies. Liu Kang screams in anguish as he's tased ten times over, and then thrown back to the earth below. Liu Kang leaves a crater where he landed and for a moment, doesn't move from his spot.

It took every fiber of his being and willpower to slowly get himself back on his feet. Liu Kang didn't even have to look to know that Raiden was behind him. Between gasps, coughs, and hacking up blood, Liu Kang tries to plead with Raiden.

"...Raiden...I don't want to hurt you...I know you're...Grieving. He meant everything to you as you did to him...But Kung Lao wouldn't want us to fight. Not like this..."

There was a long pause, yet again.

"Don't you dare tell me what Kung Lao would've wanted. You don't get to speak for him or anyone, like you always do!"

"Raiden-"

"You think you know what Kung Lao would've wanted when you knew nothing about him. Not like I did. Do you want to know what Kung Lao would've wanted? You want to hear it from someone WHO ACTUALLY FUCKING KNOWS HIM!?! Let me tell you!"

Raiden forcefully turns Liu Kang to face him before clocking him in the face.

"Kung Lao would've wanted to know how he was going to die so that he could prevent it!"

Another crack.

"He would've thanked you for trusting him with this knowledge so that he could come back home with me in peace!"

Another crack, blood staining his knuckles.

"HE WOULD'VE WANTED TO LIVE WITH ME. SPEND THE REST OF HIS LIFE WITH ME! HIS FUCKING BOYFRIEND!"

Another crack after Liu Kang weakly tries to block his other fist attack.

"HE WOULD'VE WANTED TO DIE PEACEFULLY. WITH ME BY HIS SIDE! NOT IN A FUCKING REALM THAT HE DOESN'T BELONG TO, FACING DOWN A HORNED-FACED FUCKER AND THAT DAMNABLE SORCERER! TO ONLY DIE BECAUSE THEY USED HIS WEAPON AGAINST HIM! LEAVING HIM TO BLEED ON THE DIRT!"

Another crack, an uppercut that sends Liu Kang stumbling back some feet.

Liu Kang spits out another glob of blood mixed with saliva. "We all can't choose how we die, Raiden."

"Yet, you chose for him to die there."

Something within Liu Kang snaps, anger was boiling. "Kung Lao chose to not listen to me when I asked him to not interfere, Raiden!" Liu Kang tries to hold back the poison he truly wanted to emit.

One too many times has he heard this. How Liu Kang was the reason Tarkat exists. How it's his fault that Kitana and Mileena's mother was dead. How it was his fault that Shang Tsung and Quan Chi were in deplorable working and living conditions. How it's his fault that Reptile and Smoke lost their loved ones. How it's his fault that events and circumstances that did not go in their favor, even if it was out of everyone's hands, was HIS FAULT.

He was tired of it. Tired of explaining his reason for not keeping the position as the Keeper of Time. Tired of defending himself against the actions and motives that others have. Tired of expressing how while he may have remade this timeline and altered events, he never once had it planned to control the lives of mortals; leaving their motives and fates in their own hands and suffering the consequences of doing so.

Red and blue flames start to erupt from his arms where his draconic tattoos were printed, his eyes giving off a godly glow.

"I already told you why I withheld that information from him. I wanted him to have peace. Both of you, to have peace." Liu Kang tries his best to keep his calmly attitude as he picks himself up.

"And how do you know he wouldn't be at peace if he at least knew what was coming!?!" Raiden spits back at him

"And how would you?"

Even with his soothing voice, he definitely struck a cord with Raiden as he goes for a swing at Liu Kang. This time, Liu Kang grabs his fist and twists it, not enough to break the bone, but to cause painful strain.

Raiden shouted in mild pain as he tried to swing his other free hand at Liu Kang. Similarly, Liu blocks the attack, grabbing his wrist and unintentionally burning him slightly.

"Raiden, I'm not going to say this again. Stop this." Liu Kang looks Raiden dead in the eyes. Despite his calm face, there was a silent roaring flame behind his features. The kind of look that screams "I don't want to hurt you, but I will if you give me reason to."

Yet, Raiden did not listen. He headbutts Liu Kang successfully, forcing Liu Kang back with a bleeding nose. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. In a fit of rage, Liu Kang yells as he punches Raiden square in the face. He didn't use his full godly strength, but it sent Raiden flying through multiple trees before slamming against one tree trunk. Liu Kang huffs and puffs, the anger slowly dying down and the realization of what he did quickly coming to him.

"Raiden!" Liu cries as he rushes as fast as he can to the former thunder god.

When he found his body, Liu Kang feared the worst. It happened as the old Raiden said. They were always destined to fight, to kill each other, and Liu Kang couldn't avoid it in this timeline. But the moment he heard Raiden's labored breaths, Liu Kang felt an overwhelming relief wash over him.

"Raiden! Raiden, I'm so sorry! I didn't- I didn't mean to," Liu Kang was stumbling over his words as he held Raiden upright, unsure of how serious his wounds were.

Raiden was going through the shock of it, breathing not only labored but in quick succession. Liu Kang tried to help Raiden match his breathing, to calm him down from the pain and shock.

"Are you," Raiden swallows between shaking breaths and stuttering speech, "Are you going to l-let me die? Like you did Lao?"

Liu Kang meets Raiden eye to eye. Raiden was bleeding from his head, streams of red running down his face with twigs and sticks entangled in his white hair. He's never going to let this go. Whatever Shang Tsung told him, it infected him like a parasite. As long as Raiden lived and breathed, Kung Lao's death will always be Liu's fault.

...Unless...

Liu Kang huffs, he never thought he would have to do this again, not since Shujinko. Liu Kang positions Raiden as comfortably as possible as one would be leaning against a tree with multiple broken bones and aching muscles.

"No, I want to grant you peace. I know that you don't want to hear this...But Kung Lao would've wanted you to find peace with his departure."

Liu Kang starts building up flames that run up his arms, performing the many monastic dances he learned from the previous timeline and the current. As the flames roared, they soon floated to Raiden and encompassed him. They never burned him. Raiden tries to crawl away from the dancing flames, believing them to char him to a crisp.

"Kung Lao would've wanted you to look fondly on your friendship and love, and seek to replicate that love with others. He would've wanted you to live happily, even if he wasn't there to provide you with that happiness."

"L-Liu Kang, what are you-wait...No!" Raiden's eyes start to water as he can feel his memories slipping. Not just the ones with Kung Lao, but everything before Liu Kang found him. His previous adventures in Outworld, in the Netherealm, in Chaosrealm, his ventures with his closest friends...The first time Kung Lao told him the three words, "I love you." Everything. "Liu Kang, no! Don't, please don't!"

Liu Kang, almost coldly, ignores Raiden's pleas as he takes it all away. Reverting Raiden back to the simple farm boy from Fengjian who simply wanted to protect and guide his village.

"...You are right, Raiden," Liu Kang says between paused breaths, trying to hold back tears as he committed the deed. "It is my fault. I shouldn't have thought that I could groom you or Kung Lao to become protectors of Earthrealm like you were before. I shouldn't have taken you away from your family, your friends, and your home in hopes of raising you to become grand warriors. I have placed your loved ones and you in so much danger...All because I clung onto a life that no longer exists...I'm sorry."

With that said, Raiden passes out from his injuries as Liu Kang finished the last of the memory wipe. Liu Kang stares at Raiden's slumbering body, and he can't help but scream and cry.

Finally allowing himself to grieve ever since that fateful day.

Fuji finished up the last of the clothes just in time when dinner was ready. She was having a hot pot this night, filled with various greens, potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, radishes, and various mushrooms. All placed into a chicken broth seasoned further with a tomato and pork bone soup base. Fuji sits at the table with a bowl full of the soup and she does her best to not look across the table...Where her brother Raiden would be...

Raiden told her a long time ago that he was placed in a very powerful position and hard at work with Mr. Kang. He brings back money and unique souvenirs with questionable origins. And he always makes sure to visit her occasionally when he's coming back to Fengjian.

But this was one of the many occasions where the house felt too big, even with their elderly mother and father sleeping in the other room. She missed having her older brother around, for the longest time, he was her only friend. Her closest friend. I mean, sure, they were siblings, and they had their "sibling moments," but with him gone, she never felt more alone. But her being alone wasn't the main problem for Fuji, it was Raiden's sudden silence.

Ever since Kung Lao's passing, Raiden hasn't been returning her calls, answering her letters, or even visiting the family. Doesn't help, too, that none of his friends live in Fengjian, and aside from Kung Lao and Johnny's number (she's never calling that man, btw), she can't even reach them to know what's up with her brother. It's gotten to the point where she has saved up some money to take a week's vacation to the U.S. where her brother is currently working (or so Raiden told her).

Before Fuji knew it, she was already done with her bowl (2 bowls actually) and she saved the leftovers for her parents when they awaken. As she was washing up the dishes, she hears a knock at the door. Hmm? Who could be visiting her at this hour?

…Could it be!

"Give me a moment!" Fuji says hurriedly as she dries her hands; making her way to the front door. A tiny bit of hope fills the young woman. Could this be Raiden? After so long!

She swings open the door, hope and glee plastered on her face, but it quickly turns to confusion and worry. "…Liu Kang…Raiden!?!"

Outside was Liu Kang carrying a bandaged and mostly healed Raiden. "I'm sorry to come at such a late hour, Fuji. May I come in."

"What happened to my brother!?! Did someone mug him? Was he attacked?" Fuji ushers Liu Kang to enter the home and shows him to Raiden's old room, still possessing his old belongings even before he left.

Despite her questions, Liu Kang did not answer her. She asks again and again about her brother's condition, who did this to him, and why, but she is met with silence. She watches Liu Kang gently place Raiden on his old bed, and just as he came unexpectedly, Liu proceeded to walk back outside.

"W-wait! Liu Kang, please, tell me what happened! Who hurt my brother! Why did this happen-" Fuji tries to stop Liu Kang by grabbing at his wrist, but she saw something that shocked him.

Liu Kang's eyes were red as if he was crying not too long ago.

"…What happened…"

There's a long pause between them. All that Liu Kang does is slightly tilt his head toward her, his white eyes meeting hers, before saying, "I'm sorry, Fuji. Your brother has been relieved from his service…And this will be the last time we will see each other."

And just like that, Liu Kang left. Fuji watched Liu Kang leave, fading away in the horizon, with more questions than answers.

"Ugh…My head."

Fuji nearly scares herself when she hears Raiden in the other room and moving about. She rushes back to him and helps support her brother when she sees that he is still unsteady.

"Raiden! Liu Kang, your boss from the States dropped you off, and you're bandaged, and unconscious, and Liu wouldn't tell me why you were like this and-"

"whoa, whoa, Fuji, slow down! Start over, who's Liu Kang again?"

Fuji pauses. "…Liu Kang…Your boss…"

"Fuji, I have no idea who that man is," Raiden hisses in pain as his muscles start to ache again. It's only now that he realizes that he was bandaged badly. "Did he do this?"

"I-I don't know. I thought…I thought you would tell me…"

"Well, I don't know who I angered to get this treatment, but if this Liu Kang fellow helped me back home, I'm surely appreciative. I'll have to lay back down. Can you get me a hot towel, please?"

Fuji helped her brother back to bed and gave him his requested towel, but she found herself staying in his room for the entire night as if she were a child again. She couldn't sleep as she was plagued with questions about what happened to Raiden. Better yet, the line of work that he was in that he got this terrible treatment. And unfortunately, she might never get those answers again. Raiden doesn't remember anything in the past couple of years, even seemingly forgotten about Kung Lao's death and funeral. His memories were missing and he couldn't give a reliable answer to what happened in his life past the day that he went into Madam Bo's restaurant after a bet with Kung Lao.

Even worse, she can't ask Liu Kang. Because just as he promised and foretold, they never saw Liu Kang again. - ~Holy shit this was longer than I anticipated. Also, I do not like Liu Kang's memories loss powers, but will I use it for the sake of angst? You fucking know I will bby! This is my pseudo-first fan work for an official fandom and I hope everyone liked it. Once again, a lot of this was inspired thanks to the lovely artists who contributed to the "oops, Kung Lao dies again" AU and I want to thank them for jumpstarting this silly little AU in this silly little game about beheading people with your bare hands. Sorry if there were some grammatical and spelling errors, was working on this throughout the evening and past midnight (quite literally 4:26 where I'm at lmao). I might make a sequel to this because I'm getting ideas of Kung Lao returning, but not as he used to be (Revenants in MK1, ayo?)~ UPDATE! I have now officially made a writer's blog so that this doesn't get lost in my clustered main blog! Any future installments about this and other writing pieces will go to this blog! @420thewritersroom

#Mortal Kombat #Mortal Kombat 1 #MK1 #Raiden #Liu Kang #Kung Lao

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velvet-vox · 18 days

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The paradoxical nature of Qilby: part 2

Going back to the end of the previous part where I declared Qilby an autism icon, it came to me the realisation that autism is really the only way to justify some of Qilby's actions and odd behaviour; as a big brother and autistic person myself I also would force the people I care about to engage in my interests, I understand on a subconscious level that what I am doing is wrong, but I just care about it so much that I need to share it with them at all costs.

(Even though I would never go as far as starting a war with another species just to force my race to go on a family trip with me).

And like, no offence to Yugo or the Elatrope council but it is my theory that all the Yugo haters have begun popping up due to some people head cannon that him and his family is inadvertently ableist, which (although I might agree considering their dynamic and who their mother is) I don't think it's completely warranted; as someone else pointed out if mental health and psycho analysis existed in the Krosmoz then Nox would have never come to be; if somebody explained what autism is to Yugo then maybe he would be more lenient on Qilby (or maybe not, after all he is his brother), Nora also doesn't know about autism but she is more accepting of Qilby's oddities even if she doesn't like them, and Qilby SURE AS HECK DOESN'T KNOW WHAT AUTISM IS.

Side note: Shinonome is not necessarily autistic, since my sister understands me perfectly and she isn't on the autism spectrum herself, but she clearly has inherited her more passive personality from her mother while Qilby has probably taken more from his father meaning that even if she was she probably wouldn't go about it in the boisterous manner of his twin.

However all of this is just a head canon and not the focus of this post. What I instead want to point out and analyse is the list-like approach of Qilby to anything and how that reflects the way many autistic people approach mostly every conflict in their life. Let me explain:

The way this list-like methodology works is entirely centered around a priority system, so basically Qilby schematizes in his head what he needs to do and say in which order and he has to follow it religiously in order to get anything done, so like on his to do list there is:

First: Confront Adamai and Grougal. Second: Get Rushu's army and alliance. Third: Confront Yugo and Phaeris and take them out. Fourth (interchangeable with third): Get the Dofus. Fifth: Go the Emrumb to get the children. And Sixth: Leave the planet.

And he has to do them in this order because this is the way that he has envisioned them.

This is also reflected in the way that he goes about science and space travel: he reaches a planet, discovers his species, analyses them, classifies them, compartmentalizes them, collects some, rinse and repeat in the next world.

And finally, I want to bring up his two most famous sentences of season 4 to showcase how this priority based thought process carries on to his speech pattern and family view.

"My dear Yugo, we are brothers, before being enemies"

See?

Qilby realises on his relationship list that Yugo is its enemy, but that before that he is its brother, that's what has the biggest priority for him in this moment and in general. But that's not even the most interesting part:

"Farewell Yugo. My brother, my king."

This phrase of course has been plastered all over the fanbase, but like.... did anybody ever think about how weird this sentence is? You would expect Qilby to say brother as his last word, as a final acceptance nod to the fact that deep down he does care about Yugo. But no. Instead he says:

"Good luck"(the situation's dramatic, so he's giving Yugo an encouragement as the first thing)

"My brother,"(Yugo is his demigod brother born from another Dofus)

"My king."(lastly, Yugo is also his king, as sentenced by Chibi in a previous life)

Qilby could have just called Yugo brother as his last word to show that he cares, but instead he decides to call him king, a title that means very little to him on their relationship chart, to show that he values him so much that he is going to use a term that means very little to him just to let Yugo know that he is willing to acknowledge the part of their brotherhood that he doesn't care about as a substitute acceptance nod to the aspect of their dynamic that he values the most.

<<<<Previous part

#wakfu yugo #wakfu season 2 #wakfu qilby #wakfu season 4 #wakfu adamai #wakfu grougaloragran #wakfu phaeris #wakfu shinonome #krosmoz #ankama #autism #autistic traits #autistic trauma #wakfu nora #wakfu nox #wakfu eliatrope #wakfu chibi #wakfu

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chromateclipse · 14 days

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Okay, so you like Velvet and Veneer? Well, if you get the chance, I want you to speak! TELL ME EVERYTHING!! I want you to give me headcannons please, as many as you can think of :)

pls and thx!!

AHHH! OK so I've never done anything like this but I put as many as I could think of. If I come up with anything else, I'll edit this and add it (or just make a new post)

(lots of words ahead 💀)

General headcanons :

- They one hundred percent had the Barbie mugshot but with Velvet's deadly stare instead

- and Veneer made sure he looked good; they are taking a picture after all

- I think Velvet might be a little taller than Veneer but they're both taller than average

- never leaves the house without heels or platforms or both

- Veneer has must-be-wearing-a-crop-top syndrome. Can't be cured 😔

- I'm sorry but they totally sang Circus by Britney Spears. That song is so V&V coded and has female and male vocals too 😩

- The sass is too hard to contain for this duo. Once a sly thought appears in their mind, they have to voice it (but I'm not complaining. They're iconic)

- Veneer can be a little blunt or rude sometimes. I know ppl like to imagine him as just the caring and silly sibling but he did everything Velvet did. He just had morals that started to kick in once the threat of being a killer was thrown at him.

(I mean did you see him nearly just toss Floyd down the toilet 💀)

- of course, I still think he is silly and kind and chooses to do so for a fair portion of the time but he's no stranger to being ignorant to most of his wrongdoings as well

- and I think they both have some trauma from practically killing Floyd. GET THEM THERAPYYY

- I think Velvet would like decorating and making things ✨Aesthetic✨

- like a little journal that she'd write her feelings in and then fill with beautiful stickers and photos (totally not a burn book....)

- I think Poppy would love love looove to see Velvet's journal filled with beautiful stationary. She'd probably get her into scrapbooking and they'd make the cutest little displays or books just brimming with photos, cutouts, diagrams, and more.

-Poppy and Viva can be a little overwhelming for Velvet at first but they'd totally become great gal pals and just chat all day.

- and at first, Bergen features might be a little....alarming to Velvet but she'd learn to love Bridget just like Poppy does

-also both are invited to the broppy wedding... 👀

- she also of course become friends with the BroZone brothers but I get more into that below ⬇️

"Story" headcanons :

- So for Velvet, I think in the movie she was so blinded by her need for fame and luxury that she didn't notice how her family (Veneer) helped her and stuck around through all the things she said and did. This would separate her from being just a complete villain because I do believe that she can reform herself into something better

- In Jail, I think Velvet would really hate it and everyone around her. She probably wouldn't want to talk to Veneer at all at first but being alone might give her time to reflect on herself

- over a little time, I think she'd realize how Veneer was always there for her and understood her ways. She'd definitely come back around and they'd be back to being as close as they were before, maybe even more

-It would take some time for both Velvet and Veneer to adjust.

- Veneer would dislike jail very much. He's so used to his life of luxury that I'm sure he'd be surprised by how little you get behind bars

- and with Velvet wanting to be alone, he would probably feel more alone than ever

- but he knows he did the right thing and even though prison sucks, he'd get through it

- Veneer would probably try to make friends with some of the people there but it is prison soo.... I'm not sure how well that would go.

- if anyone came to visit him, he'd be so happy cuz jail is sooo boring and he'd finally get to yap away to somebody who knows him.

- you just know they'd be styling that prison jumpsuit the best the can

- can you sneak heels into jail??

- Velvet and Veneer are kinda "eye candy" for the criminals in jail and they might get targeted by those who are jealous or looking for a fight

-Velvet's not the only one with an attitude problem, Veneer can very well relay a comment or two that can easily get them into some trouble. He'll have to work on that along with his sister, learn how to correctly treat the people around them

- After they become besties again, they'd have each other's backs like never before. I think Velvet really really does care about Veneer and if anything ever happened to him, she'd be devastated. This time, she'd really like to treat him how he deserves and nurture that sibling bond.

- and you know once anyone throws hands with one sibling, the other comes swinging

- 💥KNOCKOUT💥

- not the best thing to do if you want to get out of jail fast but hey, nobody messes with twins and gets away with it

- Due to other more serious situations being forgiven in the past, I think Velvet & Veneer wouldn't be in prison for too long. I can easily see BroZone forgiving them and offering to help the twins with whatever they'd need

- Veneer would definitely become great friends with Floyd and even Bruce. After all, he knows what it's like to be sensitive and a heartthrob 😌

- and I can see Velvet relating to Branch and J. D. She's probably a control freak (or was) and always wants everything to be perfect, just like John Dory. That's something they'd both have to work on. And I think Velvet and Branch can relate to one another's sassy sarcastic comments and occasional snide remarks.

- I can also see them joining Clay's sad book club. I need to see a scene of Veneer just balling his eyes out after finishing a book while all the others just pat him on the back 😆

- @horrorartist23 did a couple of drawings of Velvet & Veneer(or maybe just Ven idk) working at Bruce's Beachside Bar and I LOVE THAT IDEA SO MUCH.

- ESPECIALLY since Bruce said his family was a total Veneer household. I think it would be so cute for not only his kids getting the chance to meet Vel&Ven but also for Vel&Ven to get a little bit of real work experience.

- it would be so good for them to work at a place like that to learn about themselves and a work environment.

- plus the whole island is gorgeous and pretty luxury, which would fit into they're ideal environment. AND everything is Rageon sized so they don't have to worry about being too big!!

- They'd literally be working hard and making it look easy 💀

- I think it's perfect and I love it

-after jail and therapy, I think Velvet would really love the life she has. She'd of course still make mistakes sometimes and her sass will never leave. That's just who she is and none of us would want to change that . But she'd have a way healthier mind and so would the people around her.

- I think both of them might want to actually learn how to sing and dance like real performers

- Velvet hates making mistakes or not being perfect at a skill immediately. I know how that is and it's really difficult to get past but with more encouragement from Veneer and even the Brozone brothers, she'd become the star she always knew she was.

- And Veneer would take initiative for himself and practice performing like a real idol. I feel Veneer would also struggle with wanting perfection immediately but I think he'd really fall in love with dancing and this would help him keep up the determination. And he'd be really good at it too after some practice

- Knowing how good they can be if they put in the work would be a huge motivator too. Cuz they only stole Floyd's talent, not his voice. And because of this Velvet knows that she sounds good when she's at her peak in skill. They know that they can be amazing, they just have to work for it this time

-Trying to become famous again for the right things would definitely be hard. They're reputation is awful

- BUT, I think Mount Rageous would give them a chance to prove themselves. Considering how all Rageons are obsessed with media, fame, and celebrities, I think they couldn't resist the bait of former popstars Velvet & Veneer coming back to the stage, this time with their own talent that they've truly worked hard to perfect.

- And they'd deserve it for how much work they put into reforming their lives.

- Plus, nobody can take away their love for the stage and performing. They're too iconic to forget 💅

- and you know I'd be keepin' my eye out for that V&V/BroZone collab 🌟

- First live performance with BroZone, Velvet and Veneer are getting their Perfect Family Harmony. And you can bet it will be the most amazing thing to ever grace the planet

- I'd die 💀

That's all that I can think of right now 🤔 I hope you enjoyed reading my thoughts on these two. I really really love them and getting to write this down was really fun. If you have any ideas you'd like to expand upon or thoughts you'd like to share, let me knooww! And of course, Thank you sweetgirl15161819 for sending this ask!! 💖 💖

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mostlylurkinbarelypostin · 1 year

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Mike the Surfer Boy 🏄🏻‍♂️🌊

Surfer Boy plays a massive role in season 4, and I believe that it's all about authenticity. As we see with Argyle and Argyle 2.0, surfer boys are unique individuals. They dress how they want to and they don't try to be anyone they're not. We're also told that everything is made fresh at Surfer Boy (except for the pineapple that comes from a can… lol), nothing is artificial or fake. When Mike shows up in California in his iconic outfit, it’s clear that he’s trying to be someone else. He’s being phoney. His shirt says “Surf,” and it’s got little surf boards and hang loose symbols, the whole works, but he’s more of a boy surfer than a true “Surfer Boy”. More Pacific Ocean than authentic “Ocean Pacific,” if you know what I’m saying. Mike is trying to convince everyone that he’s someone that he’s not, that this is who he truly is. See, his shirt says surf. That makes him a surfer boy right?

Wrong.

You can’t just say you’re a surfer boy, you gotta act like one. You gotta be authentic. That’s why Argyle, who is a real surfer boy, calls him out immediately for being a “shitty knock off”. He’s being a knock off surfer boy. He’s not being himself AT ALL. This is also shown through the color of his clothing. Orange and purple is definitely not his normal color palette, which is confirmed by the costume designer.

His outfit also lacks any of the fun and originality of a true Surfer Boy outfit. Just look at his outfit compared to Argyle’s.

Argyle's is bright and unique. It's a reflection of how authentic and unapologetically himself he is. It makes the blandness of Mike's outfit all the more obvious. Just like Mike, his outfit is toned down - muted. It's void of any spunk or originality. His internal struggle to suppress who is is bleeding into his clothing choices.

2 days after the airport fiasco, El is gone and Mike is dressing a lot more like himself. He’s also BEING more himself. He starts to open up to Will again in Jonathan’s room and it becomes clear that these two are rapidly finding their way back to each other. Right after this conversation, Mike and Will ask the agents to order them pizza so they can get a cheap ride back to Hawkins. Mike and Will go downstairs together, of course, and Will holds up the surfer boy pizza flyer that boldly (and kinda hilariously) states “Delivered… HOT to your door” and “30 minutes or less”.

And guess who shows up at Will's door a little under 30 minutes later? Mike lol. And he delivers Will exactly what he wants as he recreates the best thing he’s ever done and reaffirms to Will that he is still very much committed to their relationship and wants to be back by his side moving forward, no matter what happens.

We're even reminded that this is all connected to surfer boy pizza when they get interrupted and Mike says "That was fast," to which Will responds, "30 minutes or less."

Through the next few episodes, there are several scenes, shots, and details that further associate Mike with surfer boy. The most obvious is probably the fact that Mike is often placed in front of the “Surfer” written on the back window of the pizza van, as well as the “Surfer Boy” that’s on the doors. I've added just a few examples below.

We also have the frog riding a surfboard on the van’s dash, which is probably a reference to Mike’s unfortunate nickname “frog face” (☹️).

Finally, and this might be delusional, Mike almost looks like he’s surfing when he closes the van doors, which we’re shown him doing twice. I could only find a clip of the first time, which is unfortunate cause the second time at the gas station, you also see that Mike switches places with Will so that he can get in the van first. Just a cute detail. It also looks a lot more like surfing than in the example that I've attached below but oh well.

They finally make it to Surfer Boy Pizza in episode 9 and Argyle interrupts El and Mike's conversation, dropping the pizza in front of them and telling Mike, “Surf's up, Romeo”. Once again referring to him as a surfer boy. We then get the incredible fruity pizza scene and the iconic “try before you deny” line. In order for Mike to finally be a true surfer boy, he needs to ride the waves, and for Mike, those waves are fruity. Argyle and El just want Mike to be himself. It’s time for him to be authentic and accept himself for who he is. We know that he wants this as well given what he says after trying the pineapple pizza.

"No, you're right. It's good."

Of course, Will kinda goes and makes this a bit challenging when he unknowingly tries to force Mike in the complete opposite direction, but it’s clear by the end of the season that Mike is way more himself. He’s finally got the “good threads” as Argyle says. He's no longer trying to hide behind some elaborate facade. He's a lot less of a boy surfer, and a lot more of a surfer boy.

I think the whole idea of surfer boy is especially cute cause it’s a bit of a callback to Lucas and Max in season 2. On Halloween, Lucas and Dustin are doing surfer impressions to make Max laugh. Lucas then brings this back later when he tells Max that she’s “cool and different” and “totally tubular” when they have their heart to heart on the bus. It’s a sweet moment and connects also to the whole idea of being different, and how that is not something that is inherently negative. Just Like Lucas and Max, Mike loves Will because he’s different, not in spite of it. The return of surfing references could be a coincidence, but the fact that they used the same song ("On the Bus") that played during that Max and Lucas scene for Mike and Will’s season 4 bedroom conversation, makes me think that all of this is connected.

Overall, the Surfer Boy motif is all about Mike's journey towards self-acceptance and being his true, authentic self, and he's definitely making progress!

Sorry this was so long! I hope this makes sense.

Let me know your thoughts 😄

#byler #mike wheeler #stranger things #surfer boy

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plainbageltoastedwithbutter · 4 months

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caerus (god of opportunity and luck) headcanons since my oc is his kid

youngest child of zeus

I imagine him as a mix of apollo and loki

not a good father, he's there but disappears quickly just as opportunity does

If his kids ever try to reason with him he'll probably just say "not the right time, not convinent" as an excuse

in his more modern form he has a curly mullet

wears leather clothing with wings on the back (daryl dixon who?)

caerus cabin hcs

surprisingly most caerus children get along with tyche along with her kids (caerus and tyche are together)

caerus kids don't have any real powers like demeter or hades kids, they're more like athena kids where they have an affinity for knowing when to do the right thing at the right time.

almost like a bell goes off in their heads, they can 'sense' an opportunity coming along and willingly take it

caerus kids are good with ranged weapons, like archery, throwing knives, slingshots, etc

caerus will sometimes gift his kids an object that helps with luck or the ability of flight. for example, my oc has a magical mini balance scale ⚖️ one side means no, the other yes. when asked a question it will weigh to the best possible decision.

caerus kids unfortunately experience a lot of near death experiences, they somehow survive when they shouldn't have

whether it was their father secretly helping them or just their luck, who knows

even before getting claimed, it is common for a caerus kid to have survived a car or airplane accident

others might encounter a monster and make it out last minute or even killing it

but when a caerus child does end up dying, it is very tragic for all involved.

caerus is secretly devastated, knowing that there was nothing he could have done because their luck has worn out

...moving on, this might make caerus cabin with the highest surviving half-blood children

when claimed, a mini winged balance scale icon appears above their head, for a couple of hours they have imaginary wings and flowing hair. like how water makes your hair kinda float

caerus kids are known to have "wise eyes", flowing hair, curious birthmarks that form shape of wings

caerus kids get along with, tyche cabin, athena cabin (they share a common thirst of knowledge), apollo cabin (their affinity for archery), hermes cabin

cabin headcanons

their cabin is painted white with windows and shutters on each side. on the door there is two wings and a scale carved in.

for the interior, it is mostly spacious with a few living spaces for campers to play chess, cards, etc in

in the center there is a massive pillar that is designed to look like a scale which holds up the ceiling.

the cabin basically looks like a white styled casino along with some grandma country vibes

they have a mini library and storage to keep any weapons or magical items

since caerus doesn't have too many kids, campers sleep in large twin beds while the counselors sleep in queen beds. each bed has their own bedside drawer, a small closet along with retractable curtains for privacy and such.

there is also neon white lights on the wall directing to the bathroom or mini kitchen, etc

that's it!! this was rlly fun, if I should do more comment down a god(goddess) I should do next (preferably a minor god)

#percy jackson headcanons #pjo headcanon #pjo #percy jackson #caerus #greek gods #minor gods #headcanons #camphalfblood

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apocalypticavolition · 11 days

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Let's (re)Read The Dragon Reborn! Chapter 1: Waiting

Only way to get back into my groove is to post as often as possible so let's do this! As always, people who hate spoilers (for this book, for this series, for everything that has ever or will ever exist) should not Keep Reading.

This chapter begins with the ravens icon because it features gratuitous abuse of corvids.

The land seemed to be waiting. Waiting for something to burst.

The land and Rand being one and all, presumably it's waiting for Rand himself to snap and go on a solo adventure.

He sniffed the wind without thinking. The smell of horse predominated, and of men and men’s sweat. A rabbit had gone through those trees not long since, fear powering its run, but the fox on its trail had not killed there. He realized what he was doing, and stopped it.

I really "enjoy" how we jump from Perrin whining about Moiraine holding things up and having a tight grip to Perrin holding up his own character arc with a vicegrip. I do feel like our boy will be making subtle progress this book, at least.

They were not as tall as he, nor as big—years as a blacksmith’s apprentice had given him arms and shoulders to make two of most men’s—but he had begun shaving every day to stop their jokes about his youth. Friendly jokes, but still jokes. He would not have them start again because he spoke of a feeling.

I would think the best way to avoid accusations of youth would be to keep your facial hair but maybe Perrin's still in that patchy phase. You can really see just how tightly strung he is that even friendly jokes from dudes he's been traveling with for months get to him.

“It has to report. To a Halfman, usually.” In the Borderlands there was a bounty on ravens; no one there ever dared assume any raven was just a bird. “Light, if Heartsbane saw what the ravens saw, we would all have been dead before we reached the mountains.”

Of course, if the Halfmen were at all clever about their shadow jumping then they'd be able to significantly narrow the delay in response times. That said,

“Too long for horseback,” Masema sneered. The triangular scar on his dark cheek twisted his contemptuous grin even more. “A good breastplate will stop even a pile arrow except at close range, and if your first shot fails, the man you’re shooting at will carve your guts out.”

It's good to see that months of hanging out have done absolutely nothing to make Masema more likable. Fain's handiwork is alarming with how well it sticks.

The Shienarans knew how far he could see, but they seemed to take it as a matter of course, that and the color of his eyes, as well. They did not know everything, not by half, but they accepted him as he was. As they thought he was. They seemed to accept everything and anything.

Their open acceptance of Perrin and his talents really only makes his reticence all the more frustrating. It's not like he's among the Aes Sedai who might try to gentle him or among the Whitecloaks who'd try to kill him. Dude has possibly the best support network in the world and he still tries to bury everything.

Ragan’s topknot waved as he shook his head. “A Tinker wouldn’t be mixed in this. Either she’s not a Tinker, or she is not the one we are supposed to meet.”

Okay I guess the Shienarians aren't completely perfect, since even the nicer ones are a bit biased against the Traveling People. As Uno points out though, it's very impressive that she's come all this way.

The raven, Perrin thought. Stop looking at that bird and come on, woman. Maybe you’ve brought the word that finally takes us out of here. If Moiraine means to let us leave before spring. Burn her! For a moment he was not sure whether he meant the Aes Sedai, or the Tinker woman who seemed to be taking her own time.

I can't help but feel that despite everything, Perrin might actually be the least patient and even-headed of the boys. He plays a good stoic on the outside - usually - but it's difficult to see early!Rand having this kind of thought process.

She was not young—gray showed thick in her hair where it was not hidden by her cowl—but her face had few lines, other than the disapproving frown she ran over their weapons. If she was alarmed at meeting armed men in the heart of mountain wilderness, though, she gave no sign. Her hands rested easily on the high pommel of her worn but well-kept saddle. And she did not smell afraid.

She's not long for this book, but I do respect Leya quite a bit. This should be quite terrifying.

Leya shrugged and answered hesitantly. “I . . . knew that if I came this way, someone would find me and take me to her. I . . . just . . . knew. I have news for her.”

One wonders what Moiraine is doing to pull off this effect. It might just be that her eyes-and-ears are entirely mundane and simply under instruction to play things up as magical influence; I certainly can't think of any magic in the series that Moiraine would have access to at present that could do this... but it's still early enough in the series that this might be the remnant of some idea of Jordan's that never came to fruition.

“It is possible to oppose evil without doing violence.” Her voice held the simplicity of someone stating an obvious truth.

This feels like a lesson Perrin was meant to learn along the way but of course he never quite does, does he? Even at the end, when his dreamwalking could open him up to non-violent courses of action, he's still pretty much just locked in battle with Slayer and Lanfear. I can't even fully blame Sanderson for this because it's not like Jordan had any better ideas.

She gave him a penetrating look. “And yet you are not happy with your weapons.” How did she know that? He shook his head irritably, shaggy hair swaying. “The Creator made the world,” he muttered, “not I. I must live the best I can in the world the way it is.” “So sad for one so young,” she said softly. “Why so sad?”

For such a peaceful people, they sure do love annihilating their opponents with words. Perrin's got no argument... and again, he won't ever find that better way.

In the distance, the side of a mountain had been carved into the semblance of two towering forms. A man and a woman, Perrin thought they might be, though wind and rain had long since made that uncertain. Even Moiraine claimed to be unsure who they were supposed to be, or when the granite had been cut.

Perhaps King Eawynd of Safer and his queen - or perhaps even him and Mabriam, to celebrate the Compact of the Ten Nations. Perhaps King Aedomon to celebrate his battles against Manetheren. Probably no one we've heard of though.

When he looked over his shoulder, she was casting worried glances up the steep slopes to either side. Scattered trees perched precariously above them. It appeared impossible they would not fall. The Shienarans rode easily, at last beginning to relax.

Maybe it's just that I've been taking a break for a month, maybe it's changing the program I'm using for the ebooks, but I feel like this book has a bit more environmental description than the last one did. It makes it a bit harder to comment - Jordan's descriptions are all quite good so what is there to say - but it really builds up the isolation of this strange mountain camp.

A four-legged serpent scaled in gold and scarlet, golden maned like a lion, and its feet each tipped with five golden claws. A banner of legend. A banner most men would not know if they saw it, but would fear when they learned its name.

The Pattern really made some interesting choices when it decided that the calling card of the Dragon shouldn't be immediately recognizable, didn't it?

#let's read #wheel of time #wot #robert jordan #wheel of time spoilers #wot spoilers #perrin aybara #leya #masema dagar #ragan #uno nomesta #loial #min farshaw

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absolutely-wretched · 4 months

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the twilight reveal (my dissertation)

I'm back on the Buffy comics train and just finished the second to last volume of season 8 for the first time since 2020 and here we goooooo (read more so if you want to hurt yourself physically and emotionally with spoilers you can, but you have an out.)

Twilight's mask comes off. I remember this. I don't remember it in detail, but my head instinctively goes into my hands. The trauma. The pain. The cringe. I've never felt so betrayed by Joss until I read the single worst thing he's ever written. and it hurts, just like in 2020. except not i'm reading it with my fiance and it compounds the cringe.

Spike got his SOUL BACK FOR YOU. He died for YOUR CAUSE. And just like when Angel comes back to give her the amulet, it all goes out the window for captain fucking forehead and I'M PISSED. Not to mention the most painful sex I've ever had to witness. Painful in the sense of cringey. Also, is Buffy possessed by Twilight too? Because why in all fuck would she be superpower fucking her ex just because he says "don't you want to be happy?". He's not acting normal at all, and all of this is bombastically weird and makes very little sense and Buffy just does it without questioning it? Let's live in our own microuniverse? WHY?????? Help? Why? Joss what were you going through when you wrote this??? I couldn't have come up with something worse when I was writing fanfiction at 14. I know that's the worst hurdle in the comics but damn. At least there's swearing in the comics, though, I'm not complaining that, it's very realistic.

Okay and why is NO ONE concerned about angel losing his soul??? Everyone knows it's happening and no one asks. Buffy doesn't ask. I'm screaming at the pages for someone to ask bc I'm asking and it makes no sense. the chill days of me defending the writing choices of buffy and satsu and taking mecha dawn in comedy stride are over. what in the absolute fuck. I hate it so much.

so then we get to buffy rejecting this INSANITY finally and that's cool. fuck destiny and all that. there's my girl. my selfishly driven girl (and no, that's not a chracter trait the comics invented, i could write a dissertation on buffy's character flaws from the show, they just seem to be amplified in the comics). dawn is actually the only one who seems to be questioning everything so i'm now team dawn. and xander rejecting buffy. i like xander a lot in the comics.

The best thing about this volume is this:

But I fear, since it's the end before the last volume, that i will be SO FURIOUS about a lot of things said and done in the issues cooming up, since we will have Spike and Angel and Buffy all in the same room together, and I really hope they don't do to Spike what they did in s5 of Angel which is downplay how great he is to make captain boredom look better in comparison.

and GOD i miss lynch so much. i'm not sure if it's the people writing joss's ideas or writing with joss, because I know lynch wrote after the fall but it was joss's story, so I'm thinking maybe the people writing the comics might have made it worse (even if joss's story BEATS for this was already bad). I at least know whoever storyboarded made a god damn mess of it, because half the time i couldn't figure what was going on based on the drawings in the panels.

ALSO I had this rant in the tags once about how much it bothered me that they took away Spike's black nail polish after he got his soul, genuinely annoying me that something so iconic was ripped from his design. so YAY for the return of the nail polish! Keep it!

#btvs #angel #buffy #buffy the vampire slayer #buffy season 8 #btvs s8 #buffy s8 #buffy comics #btvs comics #spike btvs #dark horse comics

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kaiwewi · 1 year

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Romanticide

tw: blood, gore, dead body, serial killer Synopsis: Crime Scene Photographer explores the villain's latest murder scene.

Crime Scene Photographer froze before they’d so much as crossed the doorstep.

They’d kindly been told in advance just how unsettling the villain’s latest murder scene was by a traumatised-looking, young police officer whom Crime scene photographer had met outside the hotel. The poor thing had been white as a sheet, slouching on the side walk with a bottle of water, and hadn’t managed a sentence longer than five words in that shaky voice of his.

He was probably new, barely looked a day older than 20. But he had neither been overly sensitive nor grossly exaggerating. A scene like this surely could shake even the most senior officer.

Hair-raising might be a fitting word to describe it.

Then again, in a way, one murder was like any other murder, irrespective of the circumstances. In the end, they were all the same in that one crucial aspect – some unfortunate soul had lost their life. And death didn’t know nuances, didn’t come in different shades of dead. Regardless of how the deceased had died, they could never be any more or less dead than any other dead person.

At least to the victims it would probably make no difference anymore what their respective killers decided to do with their earthly remains once the deed was done. – An observation Crime Scene Photographer deemed in equal measure upsetting and comforting.

Today’s victim – a white, middle-aged male by the looks of him – had been put on display on the floor, arranged in a way that guaranteed an unobstructed view to whomever would open the door. The discovery would stop the person in their tracks before they’d even had the chance to set foot in the room.

The body was a piece of art, meant to be seen yet not disturbed.

In the hand of his outstretched arm the dead man held a flower, apparently a red rose, as if he was presenting it to whomever would walk in on the scene. Empty eyes stared up at Crime Scene Photographer, unwavering, daring them to come and take a closer look at his offering.

With a small shake of the head, Crime Scene Photographer wrenched their gaze away from the victim’s face and focused their attention on the surroundings instead.

The air was thick with a sweet floral scent, almost completely masking the faint odour of death lurking underneath. Had Crime Scene Photographer closed their eyes, they could have easily dreamed themself away to that adorable flower boutique Lover had taken them to only days ago. A charming store filled with the aroma of what must have been hundreds of different plants.

This scent, however, seemed somewhat less fresh, slightly unnatural in its pleasantness. Possibly a floral fragrance or some kind of flowery perfume. Otherwise, it would have been highly unlikely that a hotel room containing merely a handful of flowers would smell so strongly as to conjure the image of a whole garden centre.

Though that kind of impression may well be the purpose of the entire arrangement.

Flower petals in various vibrant shades of blue and yellow painted a stark contrast against the lush green carpet covering the floor and, with the dead body laid out in the midst of it, the scene transformed into one of a person sleeping on a spring meadow.

Goosebumps formed along the back of Crime Scene Photographer’s neck.

Taking a nap in a flower field was what they’d done on their first date with Lover, five years ago. It had been the best date Crime Scene Photographer had ever been on. Lover had prepared that adorable little picnic for them, with one of those iconic picnic baskets one often saw in old picture books. So much more romantic and aesthetically pleasing than any of the dates their previous partners had ever suggested. Lover had even brought a picnic rug matching the fabric lining the inside of the basket. Absolutely everything had been perfect.

There was no basket here, and the dead man on the carpet in front of them didn’t have a picnic rug either. Although with his blood pooling around his body, dyeing the carpet a dark greyish brown, it almost appeared like he did.

Crime Scene Photographer swallowed against the feeling of something thick stuck in their throat.

If they took a photograph and just blurred it enough, one might even be able to innocently assume the bloody mess of spilt guts all over the man’s midsection to be nothing more than a string of cocktail sausages, arranged in the shape of a heart. And while that still wouldn’t explain away the arrow protruding from the dead man’s chest, perhaps something so thin might not even be visible at all on that blurred a picture.

“Oh, you gotta be kidding.” Crime Scene Photographer said, the words merely a breath, barely audible through the fingers of the gloved hand they’d pressed to their mouth. Even though they weren’t usually one to go weak in the knees over a crime scene, they allowed themself to lean against the door frame for support nonetheless, just in case.

After all, this wasn’t just any regular murder.

A heart, a red rose, a golden arrow.

Such a high amount of romantic imagery found at a single murder scene. No wonder the investigating officers and the media had so aptly, if sarcastically, dubbed this serial killer The Romantic.

Admittedly, a rather catchy title. Hardly surprising it had so quickly caught on, especially with how often that name was all over the news nowadays.

Taking a deep shuddering breath, Crime Scene Photographer forced themself to return to the matter at hand. They had an important job to do here and those pictures were not going to miraculously take themselves.

They took a step forward, finally crossing that damn doorstep, and placed their bag down onto the floor, leaving it leaning against the wall. Their fingers curled around their camera with a giddy twitch as Crime Scene Photographer made their way over to the dead body.

They’d take their pictures, doing a bloody fantastic job at it (no pun intended), and the moment they were done, they’d come up with some excuse to take the rest of the day off. Nothing was going to keep them from running straight home and jumping into Lover’s arms. Not today.

“Okay,” they mumbled, willing their hands to cease their trembling. They licked their lips. “Here we go.”

The camera came alive with the touch of their fingers, the click of a few buttons, the expert manipulations of its settings. The moment Crime Scene Photographer peered through the viewfinder, their hands were entirely steady again, like they’d never been shaking in the first place.

After all, they were a professional and prided themself on being perfectly capable of the same kind of emotional detachment surgeons and physicians practised in their own lines of work.

Viewed through the lens, a scene was both closer and further away at the same time, both far more and far less personal a matter. There was a certain sense of entitlement, too, like they owned everything they captured with their camera. Like they were a higher being observing the world from the outside, rather than a participant living inside of it and thus subject to its rules and limitations.

To all intents and purposes, taking pictures wasn’t just some job. It was a passion.

Crime Scene Photographer was an artist.

Just like the villain.

The Romantic was so many things all at once: A painter, a sculptor, a visual artist with a fondness for details and a penchant for melodramatic displays. A poet, composing their odes and poems in blood and gore and romantic imagery – each of their victims an ardent confession, each murder scene another extravagant love letter.

Crime Scene Photographer had never before known such a devoted lover.

The two of them were kindred spirits.

The current crime scene was but another monument to their secret love, a thoughtful gift laid before Crime Scene Photographer in an act of adoration. Yet another milestone, immortalised through photographs and newspaper articles.

They had finally vowed to worship each other, one murder at a time, for as long as they both shall live.

———

For my other stories, visit my [MASTERLIST] ♥

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cometrose · 1 year

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let me try to get all of my hunger game feelings down as quickly as possible

first of all, what a series it was so much better than i remember and i don't like 10 year olds should've been allowed to read this but i think for the most part all of the traumatic shit went over their heads

peeta my son, he has been reduced to a soft spoken bread boy over the years and i did not remember or realize how charming he was in the book gosh he is my babygirl and so sweet

in the first book he was an absolute treasure like the way he flirts with katniss the way he moves a crowd im in awe like i fucking love the interview scene in the first book and the movies do it such a disservice because his crush confession is so shocking that everybody kind of gasps like he has stolen this crowd at the show (im kind of sad cause caesar and peeta duo was so iconic naturally stars)

god katniss my dear i don't know where to start with her

i had no idea she was such a shitty narrator like if i didn't already know the entire plot i might have believed her crazy ass. Especially in the first book the girl is insane. peeta is living his terrible life with a crush while katniss is having a one sided enemies to lovers moment all in her fucking head. It is not until the train home that its like oh he was serious ofc you fucking walnut.

katniss is the star but everyone with eyes knows that if you take peeta away from her she'll breakdown and thats the cruelest part. I think if I was Snow i would've left katpee alone idk why put the spark back in the spotlight ya know?

the second book peeta was another beam of light god the baby line is so iconic and he deserved it malewife manslaughter manipulate he has done it all and did it flawlessly

and he’s still so sweet like trying to get katniss to leave him or backing off when he thinks she's with gale he always so respectful of her space

the fucking locket and pearl are very special to me like he knows and SHE KNOWS there is nothing left for him in 12 but she doesn't listen

there is so much warmth in him from painting rue's portrait for the gamemakers or offering gifts to district 11 like he didnt know thresh and rue but he knew how much it meant to katniss and how awful it was for them to die. Even him talking the morphling as they died just gently describing his paintings and rainbows was so precious

And I think about katniss and peeta were labeled as rebels for simply showing acts of kindness I like how he gets mad and that gentleness disappears but there is always a reason behind it, and him taking care of haymitch is just the sweetest he has attitude but so much warmth

then in MJ goodness its a lot first the torture and then risking it all to warn the rebels and then later like yes he tried to kill katniss but she overlooked it and so will i and hes so mean and cruel when he's out of his mind but can you blame him its not like he's lying??

the moments where that gentleness comes out again are so precious to me when he bakes annie and finnick's wedding cake when he talks sweet to delly its the little moments and how like every single book before he still wants katniss to live and he's crying and begging for death and digging his arms into his wrists to hold himself together

in the end he still wont let katniss die and the first thing he fucking does after getting out of wherever the fuck they stored him was to plant primroses in front of her house and i love him so much

he's really smart its just that no one tells him the fucking plan ever even though they all agree he's a great fucking actor

He knows he hold katniss back and he wants her to let him go but she wont and he wont let her go either and he gives her space to sort out her feelings like yes he loves her he always has and he has never tried to push her and he's just a kind person and i really really really that

At the end of the day i will always treasure a character who is simply a good person

Katniss has her moments of frustration but I don't think I can ever get mad at her because like peeta she is a genuinely good person.

Don't listen to her shitty inner monologue she doesn't have a fucking clue she is so empathetic and compassionate and caring she might not be outwardly sweet but she shows it with her actions, with rue, prim, peeta, everyone and everybody her kindness knows no bounds and she does it because she desperately wants to protect the people she loves

I think so much is lost from katniss' character into shitty ya dystopias of the 10s is that compassionate. She did not become a symbol of rebellion because she really wanted to she did it to protect the people she loves every act of rebellion was a show of love and compassion whether it is burying a little girl and singing her to her death or risking it all to help as many people as she can

peeta says it the best that she has no idea the affect she has on people and her crappy elder sister inner monologue shows that she thinks so little of herself and her ability that she undermines her skills and talents and natural charisma.

So much of her is survival “I want to the people i love to survive” and when innocent people die because of her when her friends fall to save her it hurts and hurts and she is buried under the weight of it all, burying the burden of a rebellion is not something that should be thrust upon a young girl trying to live

she's moody she's feisty but damn does she love deeply and passionately it just looks different.

THG is a very gross book there is no other way to describe everything is far uglier then you remember. The wolf mutts that look like tributes the tears the blood and pain its all so awful. Reading through the pain and the suffering and it does this really odd thing of making you smile in between the moments of terror. I love katniss' flashbacks through the book and how they reveal more and more of the story.

Katniss could have abandoned peeta and left him like he told her too multiple times but she wanted him to live she wanted that boy who gave her bread to survive and she knew if he died she would never recover it may not be the love we are thinking about but it was everything.

I don't think i will forget how awful cato's death is and how my eyes watered reading rue die again. THG is so good and making us despair you come out of that silly book hating nobody there is no tribute that i can afford to hate. The first book has a very unique vibe to it and i like it's style.

CF, catching fire is probably my favorite cause its the least traumatizing. I blame katniss and peeta for that because they are the cutest fucking thing in that stupid book. I argue that it might be a mix of love and codependency thrown in there but the cutest shit.

I totally forgot about the gale katniss love stint at the beginning so that was a total surprise.

I love the cast of catching fire i love them all i love finnick and mags and johanna and beetee and wiress and morphling 6 ( i dont like calling her that) i love the stylists and cinna and effie and i like themmmm. i like them all i love how the city and nation cries for their tributes and you see all of their friends and allies come together before the end begins.

That fucking force field has me smiling every time because its the moment where everybody but katniss realizes how much peeta means to her. The stupid pearl and the stupid locket make my heart hurt because peeta loves her so much and wants her to live and she doesn't care because she'll do anything and everything to keep him alive.

Watching them hold each other in the train, cry over force fields, drag each other through fog and water, hold each other in their arms after terrible jabberjays, even before when she was watching him bring her bread and paint in her home and katniss would stare at his eyelashes. Like she says it would be easy to let peeta go but she will never do that and she can't. Calling out for each other before she blows up the damn force field like fuck you all even if they didn't fall in love i know damn well they should've stayed together.

MJ is such a hollow book you just come out of it with emptiness like im not sad i wont cry but i feel a bit empty because you look at all the things you had and then its all gone, what was katniss fighting for? her sister, her mother, gale? and its all gone in and instant nothing remains, her friends her home the companions she made along the way and it hurts and hurts. You close the book and take a deep sign and just feel whatever is left to feel. Madge's death kind of hurt me she was the symbol behind the symbol and she is just gone. everybody is gone

Like there is nowhere to begin its falling in love even more with finnick and watching him disappear its falling in love with katniss' little camera crew and watching them disappear

its prim the light that started this just disappear and whats left NOTHING

there are so many moments where katniss wants to rip her head off but she can't because she doesn't have time there is no space there is no room its not until she if shipped back to her home all alone that she truly breaks down because she can. there is no more rebellion she has to be strong for there is no prim or mother she has to lead and she is stuck with all the weight all alone.

MJ just left me hollow like maybe if i read this years ago after CF came out i would’ve hand the sticky stuffy feeling i get in chest when i read bittersweet stories but i don’t know if this is sweet enough and it’s not bitter? it’s nothing just nothing is left

i love the parallels the book has with modern society like this is a death game where children have to fight to the death and everyone only paid attention to the love triangle and romance like they did in the games of the fact nobody cared a 16 year old girl would die in senseless violence until they realized she was pregnant like the baby suddenly makes her life valuable

simple acts of kindness labeled as rebellious and innocent children are forced to shoulder the weight of the world when they have no one left. there are so many moments where death would be the kindest thing to any of these characters because they had no hope but hope enters so when they die their death hurts like nothing else.

it tells a story of war and survival that seems so far away but so close. Katniss just wanted to live and the people she loved to live she never asked to become the face of a war but she does it and she stands strong until she can’t anymore i love her and i think her love and empathy has been lost over the years

if i were to talk about the romance okay it’s been years i knew peeta was going to win but seeing him again was so refreshing cause he is so charming and sweet and it makes my heart flutter. if katniss didn’t want him i’ll take him

i don’t hate gale, like his anger and rage caused prim’s death and you can argue having Coin in his ear and having to raise his family all by himself traumatized him so he believes it’s okay to sacrifice innocent lives (children and doctors mind you) for the greater good.

Both boys are rebels and they are good people deep down but peeta is motivated by kindness he does these things because it is the kind thing to do gale does these things because he’s angry for all he has to suffer. Both sides are justified in their feelings but it’s about katniss at the end of the day

there are many moments where katniss is taken back my gale’s cruelness and flame. She doesn’t need him to appeal to her anger to the rebellious aspect of her being. Peeta however appeals to the softer side of her soul the one that nurtures little girls who sings people to sleep he opens up the sweet side of katniss that she is positive doesn’t exist. She can be painfully romantic and she can tell everyone she doesn’t see the beauty in the world but she does she sees it every time.

There is more to katniss that fighting and hunting and i don’t think gale knew that. At the end of the day the only option was Peeta because he complimented the side of her that was buried by the weight of the world and i think that adds more meaning to her life than anything else

there are so many characters to talk about j loved ever second with haymitch and how he acts like he doesn’t care but every single tribute that has come after him has left a hole in his heart. My district 12 tributes are disasters but they truly care about each other probably every only people left in the world who would risk it all

#thg #the hunger games #this is so long im sorry #i have emotions GIVE ME A SECOND #katniss everdeen #peeta mellark #i have even more to say trust #cometrose documents her hunger games revist

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milesonthenet · 6 months

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So Goosebumps is actually good, huh?

Good evening, you ghouls and girls! I know that I am about a week late for Halloween references. I have been going through a creative block in coming up with reviews.

For example? I was supposed to do something with Earthspark a few posts back. That still might happen, but I would rather focus on other stuff. In fact? There are some good topics that I have been thinking up for you guys.

Something wicked this way comes... and what is its name? Goosebumps! It's the children's horror that everyone seems familiar with to some capacity. From the books to the movies, to the old TV series that helped perfectly adapt those books to the small screen.

This year? Saw the release of Goosebumps' latest media installment. A Disney+ exclusive released in October that helped light up our imagination. I remember seeing the trailer, and you know what I thought?

First Thoughts:

"They are about to pull a Riverdale",

Honestly, seeing the trailer made me think that it was going to be bad. I mean, the hip rap music and some of the acting just bothered me. Everything looked so needlessly gritty, in a way that felt the opposite of the movie's first trailer.

When the series finally landed, I decided to watch it. The episodes themselves were pretty well-structured. They did a good job of translating the antagonists of the prior books into the stories. The way some of them were even recontextualized felt new.

The character work was a little shoddy at times, but I felt like it was okay. It shined when it needed to most, and that was what helped it. The series has just wrapped up its first season.

So without further ado? Let's take a closer example, and look into some of the things Goosebumps has done. We will review both the good and the bad.

The 'Good'

Slappy (He's not a dummy, he's just plain scary)

Now, anyone who is at least vaguely aware of the series knows Slappy. He's the 'breakout star' of the Goosebumps franchise. Also? He was played by Jack Black, and that's just plain funny.

Our second-mos iconic doll (That title goes to Chuck!) is the overarching villain. He poisons Biddle's mind and turns him against his friends. Also, he teaches him a spell that basically makes everyone turn into dummies. Which, weirdly enough, starts with them gaining more wooden cheeks.

As much as Slappy is not able to move, he is just as threatening as ever. That accent that they give him is actually awesome. It helps underline his more sinister, bargaining nature.

My only 'problem' with Slappy is his lack of movement, overall. I feel like it takes away from the fantasy. However, I suppose Slappy's power to worm his way into other people's hearts is perfect compensation.

An attempt to reframe the stories

The series takes Goosebumps' iconic books and puts them through a blender. Because of this, we end up with vague strokes and loose ideas derived from the books. However, there are some strong points to take from this.

The way they adapted Say Cheese and Die! for example, was pretty useful. It felt natural for the episode and offered a good opener for the season. I also enjoy how they chose to adapt Go Eat Worms, in spite of how absolutely disgusting that episode is.

Our monsters are better:

The monsters you see in Goosebumps are actually very well-designed in my opinion. Harold's flaming 'ghost' form, for example, is pretty freaky. The series understands its roots, and it is not afraid to embrace them.

The design of Slappy is faithful enough to how he would normally look. There are a few notable differences, but it still draws a good enough example of what he looks like.

The actual design of the 'worm' monster got me. It sufficiently creeped me out seeing how it moved. The way that the creature is animated is nothing short of impressive.

The 'Bad'

The group's 'connection'

Yeah, this is where things get more critical of the series' nature. The main protagonists are good, but I feel like they function better when paired off. It is easy to see how they function more as pairs than as an actual group. If the series gets a second season, then I hope they improve the group dynamic.

Goosebumps was given ten episodes for its first season. There was a lot to cram into the series. Between Hary Biddle, the various monsters, and the character's own struggles? You had a lot to deal with right off the bat.

Harold Biddle (And he's just not interesting enough)

Harold Biddle just does not interest me. I get it however, he is more or less the thing that 'ties' everything together. However, he just does not interest me in any way.

I'm sorry, but he is one of the weaker parts of the Goosebumps series. He's your typical normal 'outsider' kid whose life is unexpectedly ruined. When he gains Slappy, he becomes a monster, and a tragic incident (that was also the fault of the main cast's parents - GREAT work by the way!) results in him burning alive.

Now that he's back, he's swearing vengeance on the children of those who wronged him. However, I just feel like he's an unnecessary element in the series. His role could be given to someone else, and it would be better.

More monsters could have been appreciated,

The monster selection for the series is not bad, but it is limited. In just a few episodes were introduced to some interesting antagonist elements. The Cuckoo Clock of Doom, the Haunted Mask, Slappy, and the Worms, for example, were all used in the series.

However, I feel like there are other monsters that we could have seen employed. The Garden Gnomes, for example, feel like they are a natural fit for this series. You could also have employed an episode with the Mummy, or The Creeps.

Honestly, the ones I am surprised did not somehow make it in are the Abominable Snowman and the Monster Blood Can. I think that they would have been easy plots to implement into the series.

Overall? I hope for more antagonists in a potential second season!

Overall, what makes Goosebumps worth while?

Goosebumps is an attempt to try and adapt a beloved children's horror series. That attempt is well-rewarded with its modernized blends of old Goosebumps stories. The story of Port Lawrence is only just beginning, and it can only go further from here.

I do genuinely hope that the series gets a second season because it deserves that option. There are so many stories and elements that could be adapted for the series. You have so many more layers to pull from with the books.

For people who have yet to check out the series? I would wholeheartedly recommend it if you are looking for a scary good time. I just think you should go in with the mentality that it is not the Goosebumps that you grew up with. It's the start of someone else's Goosebumps, for a newer, edgier series.

I hope you enjoyed this review. Next time? We're gonna tackle something spectacular. See ya and viewers beware? You're in for a good scare.

#milesverse #goosebumps #goosebumps 2023 #slappy the dummy

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basedkikuenjoyer · 5 months

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I hit 100 followers a while ago. It's not the biggest thing ever I know, but I also didn't really expect anything like that when I started this silly little blog about a mysterious lady and her goofy samurai gang. For 50 we did 27 favorites. People seemed to like it. Main cast taking up a bunch of spots is boring, though I do think a few of these could potentially end up in the main one. For now though that's Nami, Brook, & Jinbei. This time is more measured, I actually thought about a Sweet 16 and why. It's fun to see how it changes over time:

Cabbage: I love pretty idiots in anime. This one was necessary to keep me invested in Dressrosa. But there is a real amount of nobility there and the story of actually being a fallen prince obsessed with stardom is a good one! Most little guy Leo is surging but Cavendish is still my favorite of the Grand Fleet captains.

Queen Otohime: I've already said a lot about her with our Seafloor Sidestory. Such a great examination of a political leader, a civil rights icon. I've flirted with that role myself at times and always been around it as a quirk of fate...so it's cool to see someone who gets the nuances like Oda did with this story. How it plays off of Tiger's, influences someone like Jinbei. I rate Fishman Island very high and Otohime is a huge part of that.

Pudding: Pudding is such a two-faced little snot but young enough and cartoonish enough about it I think she's funny. Whole Cake is a great arc, love how she plays off of Sanji, the "Doll" element hits a little close to home.

Crocodile: He's got style, he's got grace. He'll throw sand in your face. Cool villain, loved him in Impel Down/Marineford, epitome of T-Boy swag.

Miss Goldenweek: Marianne, Goldie...such a treasure. Girl makes me laugh so much. Comically lazy but the secret weapon that was a nightmare for Luffy. Cover story that made her shine as a capable operative and Rainbow of Dreams rocks. Please come back to Cross Guild you little weirdo. I need you and Buggy playing off each other, I need Crocodile hyping up one of his superstar agents to Mihawk only for her to doze off/ask for snacks in the middle of it.

Nekomamushi: He is a massive yellow cat man. This is a great start. Had a nice theme song too. He loves lasagna but isn't an asshole like Garfield. Rising love. Samurai cat man. Then he's Kiku's lil bro and I enjoy pondering that dynamic. Goro nya nya.

Kin'emon: He was pretty funny before, making the chauvinist a simp for his classy af wife and the confused, but caring father figure to a sweetheart trans girl is hilarious. I love his devil fruit and impersonating Doffy was classic. His supernatural luck forced his way deeply into my heart.

Conis: Conis is lovely. Sweet angel girl...with a big ol bazooka she is not afraid to use. People forget Conis but I still love her. Sky Island was fun.

Jewelry Bonney: Being an angry child makes her so much more fun. Always thought she was a solid Supernova. Being such a glutton is funny. Egghead has elevated her. Interesting devil fruit, it's the one my sweetie would want to eat himself which is neat.

Izo: Izo is very, very pretty. He is also good at shooty but have you seen how pretty he is? He is also the dashing elder brother of #1 blorbo...

Kiku: I know this inclusion will surprise some of you. She's a total sweetie with hidden narrative weirdness. What's not to love and obsess over? Plus she's really tall and forgets that when hiding behind things. Imagine if we saw her trying to hide behind Chopper sticking most of his body out from behind a hiding place. That would tick us back at least one minute from midnight.

Cindry: The other Okiku and subject of our Spooky Sidestory. Maliciously compliant zombie with a showgirl vibe. Far out. Hucking plates rules as a combat style.

Ginny: Some might say she's too new. Some Might Say is a pretty good early Oasis song. Neither of those are relevant right now. I love Ginny. She's wonderful. She got done dirty because flashback characters always get done dirty.

Hina: Hina pleased to be included. Hina pleased. She was our Shackled Sidestory and I love her. The cool vibe mixed with a couple of childish traits. One of our truly good Marines who probably hasn't gotten high enough up the ladder to really know how depraved the World Government is. Cool fruit too, perfect for a Marine.

Monet: Punk Hazard came out right before I went into grad school. I love thinking of her as the beleaguered, far more talented assistant to Caesar Clown who I hate and should just die. Harpies are also classic cool and I will not accept statements to the contrary. I love her snow power too.

Gecko Moria: Touched on this in a post about him for Halloween. He's grown on me a lot as a villain as I've gotten old enough to understand him. There's a realism in his motivations that makes him more of a unique villain. I actually believe if he was serious from the start Luffy would never have stood a chance. Shadow fruit is cool and Thriller Bark is an excellent arc.

Bellemere, Kawamatsu, Denjiro, and Hancock would be the honorable mentions. But these are my true One Piece loves.

#one piece #100 sub spectacular

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nyxqueenofshadows · 4 months

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yakuza 3 (sort of) done! thoughts under the cut cos they got quite long. they're a lot more coherent than my kiwami 2 ones cos i made them along the way rather than in a feverish mess at the end, though ofc they contain spoilers for 3 and ig gaiden??

overall thoughts, it's messy and weird and makes some Choices, but it's not a bad game, and the people who write it off as being shit are, imho, wrong. once i got into it i liked it, it introduced some great characters, had some really fun moments, and i'm gonna miss the morning glory kids (yes even riona).

if you're looking at this like when did you change the difficulty??? the bit where you have to run away from the police at millenium tower, fuck that bit so hard, none of the other chases gave me trouble but that one ughhhhh

also i neglected haruka i'm sorry

the combat is harder and more tedious, and i can see why it puts people off, but i find pulling off the combos and counters way more satisfying as a result. like, i tiger dropped lau ka long to finish that fight and it felt *so* good, way more than ending fights with heat actions or whatever has done in previous games. having said that the blocking oh jesus christ the BLOCKING

it’s the place we get the most on kashiwagi pre-y0 especially kiryu’s opinion of him (including the iconic lines about reimen) so you can’t knock it for that.

rikiya buddy i love you but wtf was that substory with natsumi. actually why is he suddenly a dick in all of his side content???? (i know he’s confrontational and that’s just how he is but idk, smth about how he is in the side content feels different). he’s rude to utabori to his face (despite kiryu repeatedly telling him not to), when he meets natsumi again he’s like yo i kept this necklace why are you in tokyo you don’t fit in here come back to okinawa with me, like ????? she clearly has a life she’s built up there (not a good one, i don’t think, but still) and they might have known each other when they were kids but we never get her side of the story on that, only rikiya’s. idk. it’s one of the first things he says to her, that’s a neon red flag if ever i’ve seen one.

also also during that entire scene in asia, kiryu watches rikiya’s reaction to the dancing the *entire* time. is that a bug of how conversations work or was that a deliberate choice or what

MACK buddy why aren't you in this game more

we had a second majima-no-nii-san! from hamazaki of all people! tho having said that i think he was being sardonic. like, he never says it again, and is generally kind of like that. he’ll use polite forms but he’s never being *polite*. lowkey obsessed with his hand on majima’s shoulder in that scene and what it says about his character and their relationship up to that point and how majima has ended up in this kind of position *again*. kiryu leaving - as it always does - fucked so many people over it’s not even funny.

some of the translations bother me. as an english script it’s for the most part pretty coherent and works well enough on its own, but in combination with the japanese it sometimes deviates in ways that change character moments or even just feel weird. like the addition of the puns in the seven mysteries substories is fun, very ace attorney, but sometimes it feels like they step too far (‘getting tight in your britches!’ for ビビった like ???? even ignoring the japanese what is that supposed to meannnnn)

specific moments i was thinking of were the really early line where taichi is like 晩ごはんまだぁ？ and they add in an unnecessary ‘i thought curry was supposed to be easy!’ in the english which then undermines later when they all sit down to eat and are like カレーだ！ like they didn’t actually know what was for dinner. another one is when kiryu leaves rikiya behind in okinawa and tells haruka that he can’t let him come (in various ways, three times). in the english they shake it up a bit by adding ‘it’s my burden to bear’ WHICH i’ll fully admit flows better and is a very kiryu thing to say but i think it shifts the tone of that scene from worry to responsibility? in a way that doesn’t feel quite right in context of the story as a whole. last one where mine calls kiryu a coward when he’s leaving after showing whatever was left of kanda in that box. again, it flows better and lines up with kiryu’s behaviour in later games but doesn’t feel quite right and i think it changes the point mine was trying to make there. there's also the minefield about how mine expresses his feelings about daigo right at the end. BUT i’m a learner this isn’t my job what do i know. they worked hard and faults aside it’s a fun read and they also had to deal with that fuck-awful section of exposition from the politician so no blame here. it’s not like the other games don’t have this, it just feels especially weird in this one to me.

i loved the little wrestling bit. it’s not perfect but it has the kind of heart and good intentions that makes those sections (and yakuza 3 as a whole) really enjoyable for me.

objectively very funny that the text you get congratulating you on all the revelations is from kaoru, and that she’s like hey your blog was very funny, go see my friend bob utsunomiya for your reward. i know it’s mostly game mechanics to make it make sense but is it not the funniest thing to imagine a. that kaoru knows a bob utsunomiya (how did they meet??? why???) and b. that on her breaks between Mystery Police Stuff she’s refreshing kiryu’s blog like what dumb shit is this idiot up to now asdfghjkl tbf his blog can’t be hard to find, it’s literally ‘day in the life of the dragon of dojima’ it’s a miracle he gets anything done ever with how bad he is at being on the downlow

standing on the morning glory beach, especially in the evening/at night and looking up at the sky while listening to the waves roll in is so calming, the first time i got to do it i stayed there for like ten minutes just chilling

some of the animation is genuinely really really good, like saki’s eyes shaking in fear or kiryu’s cheek twitch when he finds out about morning glory, or mine on finding out daigo's alive. idk how much is the work of the remaster and how much was originally there but i really like it

the last three chapters are such whiplash cos it’s like sad, sad, very sad, bulls! sad, very very sad, sad, jet! thumbs up! sad, sad, ANGRY, there is no change in the plan, sad, sad, on the roof, sad, sad, MACHO, things are gonna be fine! oh wait sad sa- please mr richardson they’re trying to have a moment -d sad sad surprise! murder! surprise! alive! done. you know?

idk if i was just hormonal or emotional but saki calling out to nakahara really got to me for some reason. her first word after years of silence was ‘dad’, and that hit me in a way i wasn’t expecting even tho i knew it was coming.

show us the akimoto/mizuki kiss, cowards

that last section was really fun to play for me (aside from that first little bit going up the first couple of floors of the hospital), the music’s great, the combat had (mostly) good pacing, the fights felt challenging in a good way, yeah i was all for it! reinforced for me how much i like mine as a character and wish we’d got to see more of him (but hey, look, if andre richardson survived the fall...?). like, the moment he realises daigo is still alive - and that he was about to kill the man he love- ahem sorry admired, so much - is seared into my brain.

#text #me #ryu ga gotoku #yakuza 3 #probably my lowest completion percentage on finishing the main story in an rgg game #but i've honestly not done a whole lot of the side content so that makes sense #i've not done any coliseum matches at all #plus there's the hostesses and the reapers (i've done most of those tho) and some substories i missed #am i doing all of that no absolutely not #but i won't be moving onto 4 for a bit yet #also sorry the picture isn't straight that's just how it is #not queued

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