#the reasons i like this show lie in the early seasons and not the later ones | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

kristinamae093 · 8 months

Text

Ghosted

Ghosted - Always Watching (Chapter 8)

Series Summary - Prince Liam fell for Riley Brooks hard and fast. A marriage filled with love and devotion was within his reach. But everything changed when she vanished just before the end of the social season. As everyone voices their concerns regarding her scandalous departure, a confession from an unlikely source turns Liam's world upside down and makes him question everything around him.

Book/Pairing - TRR - Liam x MC (Riley Brooks)

A/N1 - This AU starts right before the beginning of the engagement tour. There is a two-month lapse between the coronation and where we pick up, but we will stray from canon. Please excuse any errors found.

Characters belong to Pixelberry.

The morning after the discovery of the maid’s body, Liam sat with Olivia, Drake, and Maxwell inside the study at the Applewood estate. Liam canceled the barn raising scheduled for the day early that morning. He told the press it was because of inclement weather, which was not necessarily a lie, although it wasn’t the entire truth.

Liam realized they could not keep the murder under wraps forever. Only a few people knew the real reason for the cancellation, including those in the safe room, Drake, Olivia, Maxwell, and the guards. He planned to keep it that way until they knew who was responsible, and then he would happily release that information to the public. He visited with Rhonda’s family briefly and told her husband they would receive a stipend from the crown, as well as college funds for her children.

They all believed that the incidents shared a relation; the only steady lead they had regarding Riley wound up dead days later, and that was no coincidence for anyone. Olivia explained to Liam in great detail her observations at the crime scene; after hearing her retelling, he too believed the area was staged, but he couldn’t make too many conclusions until Bastien presented him with the evidence.

The bloodied dress put a sense of urgency on things, but the murder really made everything more critical. Whoever was behind this was clearly not playing a game and didn’t want their plan to be uncovered. He was growing restless, not knowing the extent to which this treachery ran.

It appalled him that all of this happened right under his nose. The doubts about the narrative against Riley were always there, but this runs deeper than just wanting a particular woman to sit on the throne as Queen. Whoever orchestrated all of this was an enemy of the Crown, and Liam was determined to rid that negativity of his court.

Another part of his impatience was purely the need to see with his own eyes that Riley was safe. The guilt he felt for turning his back on her crept up on him at random times throughout the day, but he was trying to push that aside and focus on locating her at any cost. He hoped that whoever was responsible hadn’t been able to locate her either; he prayed with everything in him that after she arrived in New York, she found a safe place to retreat, far away from the turmoil that was unraveling around him.

“OH! What about this one?” Maxwell exclaimed, as he sat next to Drake and scrolled through an online catalog of outfits for an upcoming gala.

Drake rolled his eyes. “Please stop showing me this crap. S’long as you wear something, I don’t really give a shit what you show up in.”

“What are you going to wear?”

“Clothes, most likely.”

“Clothes, most likely.” Maxwell mocked under his breath.

“What was that?” Drake snapped.

“Nothing! Oh, this has a matching one! Look! Ohmygosh we could match! Twins!” Maxwell exclaimed as he once again shoved his phone in Drake’s face.

Drake grimaced at the sight before him. It was a set of bright blue ocean wave suits, complete with a bright orange squid bow tie. “God, no. Not even if you paid me.” He replied as he shook his head.

“Oh, come on, Walker. You can be a sea creature instead of one who drags his knuckles on the ground.” Olivia added with a smirk.

Drake flipped her off. “Fuck. You.”

Olivia snickered. “I’d rather take a lava bath, but thanks.”

“I’ll see if Bertrand will match me,” Maxwell said with a mischievous grin.

“Good luck with that, Beaumont,” Drake answered.

“It could go better than you think, honestly. He’s been super nice to me ever since we told him about all this stuff with Riley. I miiiiight be able to get him to do it.”

“I’m taking pictures if it happens, hands down,” Drake chuckled.

Olivia subtly rolled her eyes. “Stay away from me, regardless of what you wear. You too, Walker.”

“Way ahead of you there, Ice Duchess.”

Liam stayed quiet; although he still held rage with Bertrand and his tasteless actions, he hadn’t given his status as Duke much thought. Although it had not left his mind, for now, especially for Maxwell’s sake, he was keeping his inner thoughts to himself.

A knock interrupted them from their uplifted moment. Liam stood and granted them entrance, and Bastien appeared with a bow. “Your Majesty, I was hoping to give you an update on the homicide.”

“Of course.”

“We have no clear suspects. However, we discovered a murder weapon.”

Olivia’s ears perked up from her seat, and Liam’s eyes widened. “You did?”

“Yes, sir. We found it in the woods near the area, and I sent it off for analysis. It was a black knife with gold trimmings; I believe it to be the same one used in the earlier ceremony that night.” Bastien held out a folder to Liam, who accepted it and started looking through it immediately.

The picture at the start revealed the murder weapon, which was the same knife used to cut the apple with Madeleine, but covered in blood from the tip to the hilt. He flipped further and felt his stomach churn at the images of the crime scene. The first few photos were of the maid’s face and he could recognize her, but barely. As he proceeded, he suddenly pulled the file away from his face with a grimace as he saw the cause of death photographed.

“I apologize, sir. I should have given you a warning beforehand.”

Liam swallowed thickly and with a deep breath resumed, but a tad more prepared for the sight this time. “My God…” He gasped. “What – How – I –” He stammered before closing his mouth with a shake of his head.

“We still don’t know a lot, sir, as it’s still the early stages of investigating. But we are working around the clock to ensure we receive a solution promptly. Obviously, we’re certain the cause of death was the wound in the jugular, however, we have sent the body for analysis as well. When I spoke with the other staff, they recalled seeing her earlier in the day, but her whereabouts past three p.m. are unknown.”

“Is that everything?”

“For now, yes. I will let you know something else as soon as I know.”

Liam resumed his venture through the folder and furrowed his brows at some of the random items photographed as evidence; the things Olivia noted were present, as well as what appeared to be a cap for a tube of lipstick with a clear set of fingerprints. Of course, the suspect could have dropped the item, but it seemed conveniently placed within the other markers. The only thing that implied relevance was a bloodied shoe print. He could tell it was a woman’s, as the base was short and narrow, not to mention the pinpoint of a heel. However, it was still an odd discovery given that there appeared to be no other signs of blood anywhere else except on the body itself. “Bastien, are you questioning the legitimacy of this crime scene? At all? I see multiple red flags here just at first glance.”

“We found a few things out of the ordinary, but I have sent everything for analysis. I’m confident either way, the forensics will produce some kind of answer.”

Liam nodded, sufficed by his response. “Have you looked for Riley? Or Tariq?”

“I have attempted but have found no new leads. However, I am still continuing even with arrangements for the tour and the homicide investigation. I am doing everything in my power to provide you with some answers.”

“Thank you, Bastien. Just… keep me updated…” Bastien nodded and bowed before he exited. As he did, Liam stood staring blankly at the door behind him, his mind a jumbled mess of chaos that seemed to only get worse by the day.

Drake cautiously approached Liam. “You alright, man?”

Liam laughed sardonically. “No, Drake, I’m not… How am I just supposed to wait? How long is it going to take Bastien to find something?”

“I’m not sure, but what else can we do?”

Liam ran a hand down his face and let out a frustrated sigh. “I don’t know. If I did, we’d be doing it.” He snapped, but immediately caught himself and retracted. “Sorry, Drake. I’m just…”

“Na, it’s cool. I get it. I wish there was something we could do, but… it sounds like we’re just waiting until Bastien can get those reports back.”

“Goddamnit,” Liam growled as he slammed his fist down on the desk he stood beside. “I– I can’t just sit here and wait. I need to do something now."

“Perhaps we should seek outside help,” Olivia interjected.

“What do you mean?”

“I have an acquaintance who is somewhat of a… ‘private investigator’. He’s not cheap, but he’s worth every penny. He can look into Riley and Tariq’s locations, for sure, as well as whatever else you may see fit…”

“I’m not against the idea… but how would that even work?”

“We can figure out the details later, but I have somewhat of a cover already thought of. I can easily say he’s my driver, or bodyguard, or anything, really. Who’s going to question me? Honestly?”

“Much as I hate to admit it, maybe she’s onto something, Li,” Drake interjected with a sour face. “Bas clearly has his hands full, and I know you wanna get some kind of answer.”

“See? Even the cave dweller agrees!” Olivia exclaimed, earning her a middle finger from Drake. “Plus, perhaps having another set of capable eyes around will do us some good.”

“I want to agree, I really do. It’s just… the last person to get involved with this was… well, you know. Do we really want to put someone else in danger like that?”

Olivia snickered. “It’s cute of you to worry, but he’s more than capable of defending himself.”

“I don’t know…”

“Do it, Liam! DO IT! Or I will myself!” Maxwell exclaimed.

“No offense, but how are you gonna pay him?” Drake asked.

“Perhaps he would be interested in a one-on-one interpretive dance class; we could trade one service for another.”

“Hate to break it to you, but your dance class ain’t worth shit.”

Olivia rolled her eyes but approached Liam and blocked Maxwell and Drake from view, forcing him to focus on her. Of course, her top priority was ensuring Riley’s safety, but in addition, she had her own questions regarding her blackmail. She would help Liam with anything, but this was more than merely a favor; it was personal. However, Bastien’s competency was undoubtedly questionable in Olivia’s mind. She couldn’t rule him out as a suspect, but she didn’t exactly have something concrete to tie him to anything. For the time being, she needed a second set of capable hands.

“Liam, we have to act on this now. Whoever did this is actively covering their tracks. If we don’t do something, we may never figure this out.” Olivia pleaded.

Liam swallowed thickly and kept his gaze trained on the floor. “I know…”

“So, let my associate come and assist us. If he doesn’t provide answers, I’ll pay his service fees out of pocket. But of course, I’ll be working alongside him.”

“I trust you, Olivia, I do. However, I’m worried that putting another person into the equation may end up biting us in the ass in the long run.”

“I understand, but again, he’s highly trained and knows what he’s doing. All we have to do is keep his cover intact until we can locate one of them. We can’t tip the mastermind off and give them an opportunity to bury this deeper. As long as everyone in this room keeps their mouth shut about his true purpose, we should have no issues.”

Liam looked away with a heavy sigh; although he remained hesitant to add another person to this mess, the thought of getting any kind of answer outweighed any con he could think of. And, he trusted Olivia to steer him correctly. He finally said, “Okay, do it...”

“I already did, Liam. He’ll be in the country this evening, hopefully,” Olivia smirked. “Now, we need to address the next order of business…” she trailed off as she approached the window and stared out. “Whoever did this killed that maid to send us a message; I think we need to send one back.”

Liam’s jaw fell open. “What?! Why would you think that, Olivia? We–”

Olivia held her hand up to stop him. “Let me finish; we need to send a message while doing ourselves a favor. The tour leaves for Italy in four days, but that can not happen, Liam.”

Liam furrowed his brows. “You want me to cancel the tour?”

“No, I want you to rebuild it to stay in the country. Think about it; you’re technically still going along with their plans, but perhaps throwing a wrench into them. You’re showing that you’re willing to play along for now, but you won’t back down entirely like they assume you’ll do.”

Liam shook his head. “I don’t think that’s smart, Olivia. We don’t know what they’re capable of or what lengths they’ll go to.”

“I’m aware of that, but it’s not like you’re canceling everything; you’re simply rerouting, so to speak. The results will still be the same; you’ll ‘marry Madeleine.’ How you get there shouldn’t matter.”

“Isn’t that suspicious? To suddenly keep the tour within the country?”

“It would be, but I thought ahead and I think I have a decent proposal laid out.” Olivia produced a file and handed it to Liam. “How are we going to figure this out internationally? We have to stay here…”

Liam opened the folder and saw a detailed explanation for the sudden changes, as well as a list of future events to be held within the duchies. “Wow,” He responded with wide eyes. “This – this is convincing, and you’ve practically already planned everything… When did you have time for all this?”

“Last night. I wanted to come and find you right after Walker and I left the crime scene, but I assumed my plan would get a stronger reaction if I laid it out for you. All you have to do is make the calls…”

“I think it’s a solid move, Li,” Drake interjected. “You’re standing your ground but yet still giving the appearance that you’re moving forward for the ‘greater good of Cordonia.’ I’ll help you take care of anything you need help with, or try to at least. But she’s right; we won’t find any more information about what happened to Brooks globe-trotting.”

“Trust me, I don’t want to leave, but we already set these events! What am I supposed to do to–”

“You need to pull your head out of your ass, Liam.” Olivia interrupted. “You’re the King and I think this would be a lot easier if you’d start acting like it.” She saw Liam contemplating her statement and stepped closer to him with narrowed eyes. “It’s time you put your fucking Crown on and show these assholes that you won’t back down. What’s really important to you here, Liam? Do you want to figure this out, or are you going to let them use your duty to control you – again? I lay the plan out for you and when my associate joins us, we are that much more prepared if they were to strike back, but we can’t pussyfoot around anymore. You wanted to do something now, so do it.”

Liam stared at her for a long moment as her words echoed in his mind and a newfound determination took over him. His nostrils flared as his hands balled into fists at his sides. The bright blue orbs that were previously dimmed seemed to darken even further. Olivia was right; this was his country, his call, and the ball was now in his court.

Liam never said a word, but soon marched over to the desk and picked up the phone. He listened intently until someone answered the other end of the line. “Buonasera, Francesco. I’m afraid I’m going to have to cancel our pre-scheduled festivities...”

Liam, Drake, and Maxwell worked the rest of the day and into the evening to cancel all the tour’s events, and were well on their way to planning what Olivia had mapped out. With the newly produced schedule, they would have much more time to focus on their investigation while still keeping the same number of events as before.

Liam’s determination in his decision stood firm, however, he couldn’t deny feeling apprehensive as well. He was sure there would be retaliation in some form and was unsure as to just how far they would go. However, the power he felt at that moment was something he wasn’t used to. Since his ascension, he’d signed treaties and other small documents, but this was the first time he was going to assert his authority in such a large capacity. Adrenaline ran through his veins and for the first time, he felt like a King.

The door to the study was suddenly flung open without warning, startling everyone inside. Madeleine marched into the room with a red face. “What the hell, Liam?!” Constantine trailed not far behind her, although his expression was one more of confusion than anger.

“Ah, I take it you’ve learned of our changes?”

“There will be no changes! We’ve had this planned for weeks! We’re not canceling within a few days–”

“I already did.”

The color drained from Madeleine’s face. “No, you didn’t.”

Liam indignantly laughed. “Oh, I sure did.”

Madeleine’s cheeks heated further, nearly purple. “What the fuck is wrong with you?!”

Constantine put a gentle hand on Madeleine’s shoulder. “Language.” He scolded. Madeleine stepped back with her arms crossed over her chest. “Liam, I want to believe you’re not doing all of this for an irrational reason.”

“I’m simply doing what’s best for Cordonia.” Liam shrugged.

Madeleine scoffed and shook her head. "Unbelievable! Have you completely lost your mind? How is this what’s best for anyone?!”

Constantine turned and gave her a warning glance. “Although I do not agree with her delivery, I echo Countess Madeleine’s question.”

“First off, explain to me how an international tour is beneficial to Cordonia at this current moment. The only event that even made a difference was the charity banquet in Paris; the rest of it was just a bunch of bullshit. This way, we can rally our people behind us.”

“It was for publicity, Liam!” Madeleine exasperated. “We need to worry about our international standings, which are going to be shit now that you’ve–”

“Our key priority is the Cordonian people. My father pointed out to me that the citizens doubt our union already, and I can’t say I blame them. It isn’t a secret that you weren't my first choice, not even the second.” Liam had to hide his smile as he stood from his seat and crossed the room to stand in front of Madeleine.

He forced the softest tone he could when he spoke again. “I want to do everything I can to ensure this works. I know I haven’t done my part, but this is my first step in making amends. Although the international publicity would be good, we need our homeland’s support more. We can enlist in media coverage so we can still get the word out, but Madeleine, we need to stay here. Cordonia needs us right now; Cordonia needs to see its future leaders united. We have to show them we are going to lead them together.” He swallowed down the lump of bile in his throat.

Constantine observed Liam’s body language during their interaction. Never had he seen him so confident about a decision; he looked regal, authoritative, not a hint of doubt to be present. Liam made undeniable points, and he had preached to both of them to do more to keep the people's faith in their union. However, he couldn’t help but feel like Liam could have ulterior motives for the sudden change.

Constantine arched his brow. “That’s why you’re doing this?”

“Yes, father. I just want to ensure the right people are supporting us. We need strength internally. I’ve adapted all the best traditions into our stops along the tour to honor those who have come before us. And, well–” Liam sighed and looked away. “I need to show the Cordonian people I am in the right mind to lead them. They’ve questioned me since my coronation. I have to show them I can do this… I can’t do that from Italy or Paris...”

Constantine eyed Liam sternly for a long moment. Throughout his life, he could force Liam to break with only a glance. It never worked on Leo, but Liam always cracked under the pressure if he was hiding something. However, Liam showed no signs of hesitation and there were no slips in his facade. He looked regal, poised, composed, calm, and firm, with just a hint of vulnerability. Since he passed the signet ring to Liam, he was practically begging him to get his head together, and the man standing in front of him appeared to be doing just that.

Liam knew exactly what Constantine was doing as soon as his brow arched. It’s the same glare that had gotten him into trouble multiple times growing up and he expected to endure the stare as soon as he told his father the news. It took all of his restraint, but he never let his carefully placed expression stray from his features. He silently prayed Constantine couldn’t notice the sweat profusely forming in his palms, though.

After a long moment, Constantine’s face broke out into a small smile. He stepped forward and patted Liam on the shoulder. “I believe this is an excellent idea, son. You have my full support.”

Liam had to fight hard to hide his surprise. He expected more of a fight from Constantine, but perhaps Olivia provided the perfect excuse. He slightly bowed and said, “Thank you, father.”

“Let me know if you require any support in the plans.”

“Thank you, but we’re nearly finished.” Liam turned to Madeleine, who stood with her arms still crossed over her chest. “What do you say, Madeleine? You’re free to look over the arrangements if you’d like. We’ve left your bachelorette party on the same day as before, but the location is open to the entire country… Just say the word and I'll have the jet prepared...”

Madeleine rolled her eyes. “I don’t get why you want to cancel an international tour so we can go to the same old duchies–”

“Countess, your King made his wishes known and his reasons are relevant. Do you wish for the people to doubt your reign as Queen?” Constantine asked with his hands clasped behind his back. “Perhaps after the coronation fiasco this would have been the best solution, anyway.”

“Fine, we can proceed with your new plans.” Madeleine finally relented. “But there had better be media coverage, Liam.”

Liam fought the urge to roll his eyes. Instead, he nodded. “You have my word.”

Constantine smiled and put a hand on both of their shoulders. “I’m proud of both of you. You’re going to change the course of Cordonian history, the two of you. Have you prepared a statement, son?”

“I’m working on it,” Liam answered. “Would you like to be present with me, Madeleine? Perhaps it would be better if we announce the changes together.”

Before Madeleine could respond, Constantine did so for her. “Yes, that’s a splendid plan. Do use urgency so we may stay on track. Be sure to extend invitations to our international counterparts who we expected to see along the tour, though.”

Liam nodded, and Constantine exited with Madeleine at his side, who trampled away with heavy footsteps. Drake audibly gagged as soon as the door closed behind them. “That was hard to watch.”

Liam shuddered. “Tell me about it. Do you think they bought it?”

“I think so,” Maxwell answered. “Your dad seemed really into the idea, honestly… and as long as it’s heavily publicized, Madeleine will be happy.”

Liam rubbed his hands together. “Right… Right… You’re right…”

“Calm down, Li. You did good.” Drake patted him on the back. “They bought it and I think you made a smart move by enlisting Maddy to make the statement with you.”

“I agree. It’s showing the mastermind that although I’m changing things up, Madeleine is on board. That’s who they’re concerned about, anyway... I’m hoping that having her support on this will work to our advantage.”

“Damn straight. Now, we gotta hurry and throw all this bullshit together so you can get your statement out there.”

A few hours later, Olivia was on her way to meet with her contact on the outskirts of the city limits. Her acquaintance was someone she worked with in the past and trusted to assist them. He helped her look into the source of her own blackmail after she hit a wall. Olivia only traced it back to three different middlemen; had it not been for her associate’s aid, she never would’ve found the others. He didn't classify himself as an investigator, spy, or hacker; simply a jack of all trades. His skill set and knowledge were insurmountable, and Olivia knew he would be a worthy asset.

Olivia pulled up to an empty parking lot aside from one other vehicle. A tall man in a black leather jacket stepped out and adjusted his shirt underneath as he did so. He took off his sunglasses and leaned against the side of the car. She exited her own SUV and made her way over, all the while looking around to ensure they were alone.

“Thank you for meeting with me, Ray. I have a job for you.” Olivia cautiously spoke as she reached him.

Ray smiled and bowed to her. “What can I do for you, Duchess?”

“I need you to look into the whereabouts of two people. The first is Tariq, second Riley Brooks.”

Ray nodded. “I was wondering if you were going to seek help there.” Olivia’s brows furrowed, causing Ray to chuckle. “Please, anyone could tell those photos were fakes or set up. It seems likely that the one who leaked the story is the same person who blackmailed you.”

“It’s not just the story, Ray. We think someone removed her from the situation. We found this–” Olivia produced the trash bag with Riley’s contaminated dress and held it out to Ray, who took it and glanced at the contents. “–inside a shed, along with all of Riley’s other belongings.”

“A shed?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Your guess is as good as mine.”

Ray gave her an unsure expression. “I don’t like that, Olivia. That instantly gave me an unsettled feeling. There’s a reason her stuff is there.”

“Trust me, I know...”

Ray once again looked inside the bag. “You haven’t sent this off anywhere? To check the DNA?”

“I intended to, but then I was called to a homicide for the only solid lead we’ve had regarding Riley.” Ray didn’t even try to hide his shock, which caused Olivia to chuckle. “Yeah, tell me about it. Obviously, we’re thinking it’s all connected, but…”

Ray noticed Olivia’s hesitant expression and inquired, “What?”

Olivia sighed and explained to Ray all the things she observed the night of the maid’s murder. When she finished, she added, “I was going to have Bastien send that dress off to forensics, but after his futile behavior, I don’t think I want him near it. He’d probably fuck around and lose it or something.” She rolled her eyes.

“I can have it sent to the lab I use if you’d like. If I tell them it’s a stat order, I should only have to wait a few days.”

Olivia nodded. “Yes, do that.”

“You got it. Now, have there been any leads into either of your missing persons?”

“All Bastien has found is that Riley landed in New York the morning after the jamboree.”

“Nothing on Tariq?” Olivia shook her head. “Hmm… I find it odd that there would be no trace of him.”

“I can confirm on my end I found the same result when I searched.”

“I’ll begin at once. And you want me to travel with you?”

“Just for now. If we’re correct once the news breaks of the tour’s new destinations, there may be retaliation. I’m not sure what that could look like at this point and I need more people around who can properly assess situations. Honestly, finding Riley’s dress and leaving it opened my eyes to the fact that we’re all emotionally involved in this. There’s no reason for it to have sat in there a second longer once we found it, but we were all so stunned nobody was thinking. I hate to admit it, but even myself included.”

“I can see why; it’s a lot of information to learn at once and not a lot of it makes any sense from where I’m standing. But I agree that having someone with a firm and clear mindset could benefit you.”

“I’m counting on it.” Olivia handed him a thick folder. “Here is your dossier to cover you throughout the tour. You are now Harold Marshowitz, my new bodyguard. Alternative forms of identifications are in there as well as any security clearance you may need.”

“Got it.”

“Great, let’s get moving.”

“Wait–” Ray stopped her. “While we’re free to speak openly, I wanted to bring forth another potential lead I see…”

Olivia arched her brow. “I’m listening…”

“Have you looked into that article? At all?”

“What do you mean?”

“It had to come from somewhere; it didn’t just appear. Not only did someone have to take those photos, but there was a story attached to it. Someone concocted that; I’m unsure if it’ll be the same person, or…”

Olivia shook her head as frustration washed over her. “No, I hadn’t even thought about that…”

“As you said, you’re all emotionally involved in this. I’m not, so I can see things a little more clearly…” Ray trailed off, then hesitantly spoke. “I’m, uh – a little surprised that the guard didn’t think of that.”

“Bastien is an idiot, but something about his demeanor lately has struck me as off… I don’t know if he’s developing dementia, or if it’s something deeper…”

“All the more reason to have me around,” Ray smirked.

“Is that something you can look into? The article?”

Ray flashed her a cocky smile and straightened his jacket. “Who do you think you’re talking to?”

Olivia rolled her eyes. “I’m trusting you, Ray. I need you to come through for me.”

Ray placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “All jokes aside, this is what I live for, Olivia. I love sinking my teeth into a juicy mystery. I will find them, you have my word.”

Out of sight, a figure was lurking in the shadows not far away, intently watching and listening to the meeting. As Olivia and Ray vacated the area together, the peeper clenched their jaw and repetitively punched the tree they stood beside. After removing their surveillance equipment and slamming it to the ground, they started vigorously pacing.

Everyone assumed Liam could start asking questions, but his duty and broken heart were supposed to keep him blinded. The expected time for his inquiries was long after the wedding when the job would be fully completed. However, Liam and his collective group of friends were making progress in their search and had uncovered too much in a short period; not everything, but it wouldn’t be that hard to find the rest of those answers, especially now that he brought on a competent professional to help. Considering how early it was in the tour, the possibility of him figuring it out suddenly skyrocketed.

As a result, the entire operation was in more danger than ever before; that was not an option for anyone involved. They served the deception all around; if the mission was uncovered, multiple people would go down for it, and they would face the wrath of more than the current monarch.

It wasn’t hard to guess where their investigation would lead them next, and that meant another loose end just identified itself. The unknown person brought out their phone to make a call, which was answered on the first ring. “We have a tremendous problem…”

Tags (let me know if you'd like added or removed): @choicesficwriterscreations @ao719 @txemrn @imashybish @queenrileyrose

@kingliam2019 @riseandshinelittleblossom @dcbbw @tessa-liam @twinkleallnight

@amandablink @cordonia-gothqueen @sfb123 @jared2612 @harleybeaumont

@bebepac @charlotteg234 @busywoman

@malblk21 @angelasscribbles

@bascmve01 @iaminlovewithtrr @hopelessromanticmonie

@mysticalfangirl @umccall71 @fuckitweball0000 @differenttyphoonwerewolf

@lovingchoices14 @emersyn-in-cordonia

@aussiegurl1234 @karahalloway @the0afnan @nestledonthaveone

#the royal romance #choices the royal romance #king liam #liam rys #trr #choices trr #trr au #choices #liam x riley #ghosted #trr fanfic #trr fandom #drake walker #maxwell beaumont #olivia nevrakis #choices fic writers creations

77 notes · View notes

rickgrimeswifey · 2 years

Note

Ok hi! I was thinking of like a carl x reader situation where the reader and carl have had very clear feelings for each other and were together at the prison, but once they got to Alexandria he slowly drifted towards Enid and away from reader (that was so badly explained omg)

—————————————————————————————

A/n: Ahh oh my god, I really went all in for this one. This one is really sad so just be ready for that.

Category: Angst, angst and angst. Little fluff here and there.

Pairing: Carl Grimes x fem!reader

Season: 3-5

Warnings: Mother passing while giving birth, violence, just a little kiss, cursing, verbal argument

Word count: 3.7k

—————————————————————————————

She had arrived at the prison with her mother and she was only thirteen. Her mother was pregnant, she guessed that was the reason why the leader here decided to take them in. They were about to send them away when his gaze landed on the quite large baby bump, the guy had a look Y/n had never seen before on his face. It was terrifying but when he saw that her mother was expecting his eyes softened and Y/n could swear she saw him tear up. She later found out it was because Rick's wife had died while giving birth the day before.

The first time she saw him, he was freshly heartbroken. His mind wasn't in the right place. His mother had just died, he needed someone but refused to reach out to anyone. Carl was convinced he could make it out here himself, he was mad at his father for killing Shane, who was like an uncle for Carl. He was a huge part of his life even before the outbreak. Back at the farm Rick had just shot him and now his mother was dead. He was just feeling so many different things at once and didn't know how to cope.

She found him very interesting and wanted to be able to give him comfort that he refused to be given. It was clear that he didn't just let anyone in, or was just some kind of facade he put up? In her eyes he seemed so tough and brave, Carl seemed like he wasn't afraid of anything or anyone. Still he wouldn't have a full conversation with her, he just talked to her when it was necessary or when his father ordered him to. Y/n tried to get him to befriend her and understand him but Carl wouldn’t let her in. She just never found the right time.

She hadn't had the time when they were at war with the governor because Carl was determined to protect and help this place at all cost. She saw when he shot that boy from Woodbury who was surrendering. It would be a lie if she said that it didn't scare her. From that moment on she feared him, not to the point where she couldn't talk to him but enough that she would watch her mouth.

Y/n succeeded with getting on good terms with Carl when the people from Woodbury were getting settled at the prison. The energy around the place changed a lot when they won and offered a place to stay for the remaining people of Woodbury. It wasn't their fault that their leader was sick. Carl also changed, maybe he felt like he could finally relax.

The two of them bonded, exchanging stories about school before the outbreak, telling other stories about trips with their families and secrets. They became close friends who could talk about anything. It was around the time that people started getting sick that Y/n realized she was developing a crush on Carl. Though she didn't have much of a chance to talk with him during this time when people were dying here and there. She was more worried about her mother who was pregnant furthermore was due in three weeks or so.

Everything was going fine until her mother started showing symptoms of the flu, everything in Y/n's mind started spinning. This meant that both her mother and the baby were at high risk of passing away. Hershel was always by her side explaining how this would pass and that her mom would survive this. Y/n had already lost her father a couple months ago, her mom couldn't leave as well. She just couldn't.

He was wrong though, her mom went into early labor while being extremely sick. Almost too tired to push, she gave it all she had. When the newborn human came out of her screaming and crying, the others noticed she wasn't moving anymore. Hershel put his index and middle finger on her wrist where he was supposed to feel her pulse, but nothing from her was heard or felt. Her breathing had stopped and her face was pale. Y/n had been sitting outside all this time listening to her mothers cries of pain as the child was pushed out of her body, how she gathered all the strength she had while being sick and continued on pushing. She had Carl beside her who saw how hard this was for her so he decided to grab her hand hoping to provide some comfort, she looked his way and smiled softly. When Rick came out of there with tears in his eyes she didn't want to believe it.

"I'm sorry..." he said as he tried his best not to cry.

She let go of Carl's hand then slowly stood up and looked into the cell, seeing her mothers dead body on the bed. That image was going to haunt her forever. Y/n didn't even think twice before she turned around and sprinted out of the prison. She got out in a matter of seconds, she ran onto the grass and fell down, too weak to keep going. She screamed out in agony while crying her eyes out, her mother was now gone, forever.

The next week went by slowly, the group wanted her to name the baby. It was a boy, but Y/n didn't want to see him yet. She wasn't ready. That was until Carl came into her cell where she was laying on her bed just like she had been all week. She didn't turn her head to him, she didn't move or do anything. She was just simply too tired.

"I know how you feel," Carl confessed softly. "I promise you it'll get better..."

"No, it won't." She mumbled shortly, before squeezing her eyes shut to avoid the tears starting to flow at the thought of her mother.

"Yes it will, I know it may not feel like it now." Carl said. "You made me feel better, I shut you out when you tried to talk to me because I was feeling just as you are right now. But I promise you it gets easier."

She sat up at his words, so she had succeeded with getting him to let her in early on? Y/n never thought he was listening to her at that time but turns out he was.

"It felt better when I first saw Judith... after I lost my mother." He sighed looking down at his shoes. "Let's go so that you can say hi to your baby brother." Carl reached out his hand for her to grab but she just stared at him. "Please?”.

Y/n took it, she would never make it out of this cell alone anyway. When she walked down the stairs to where the baby was on a table she felt an ache in her heart. It hurt a lot when she saw his face, he looked exactly like their mother. Everyone had always said that Y/n looked more like her father but this little fella was the exact image of their mother.

"He's sweet isn't he?" Beth asked, smiling sweetly at the infant.

"Mhm..." Y/n hummed quietly in agreement, unsure of what to do next.

After a minute of silence from her side she picks him up. Instantly supporting his neck, careful not to hurt his tiny fragile body. Y/n begins bouncing him a little looking into his eyes. She smiles at how he wriggles in her arms and doesn't even notice the tears forming in her eyes.

“Dimitri...” she blurted out.

Beth, Carl, Rick, Hershel and Maggie all looked at her since they were the ones standing around the baby.

“That’s his name?” Rick wondered, with a soft tone careful not to upset Y/n even more.

“Yeah...” she breathed while staring at the tiny man in her arms. “We had this thing about Greek mythology in school, Dimitri means follower of Demeter. And it was believed that Demeter, one of the twelve Olympians, was the goddess of agriculture. Who had the power to control harvest and fertility.” Y/n explained.

The others looked at her in awe and confusion. She had picked it since it was a miracle that the baby had even survived, if he could survive that then maybe he could bring some extra luck to the food growing outside. Considering that they weren’t doing the best at the moment, besides in this world you’d always need extra luck with agriculture and harvest.

“My mom always had many problems with getting pregnant, she always wanted me to have siblings but her and dad had so many problems getting me into this world that they gave up. He’s a miracle, meant to be here. Maybe he’ll bring more luck to the seeds we are planting outside.”

Rick smiled at her, grabbing his belt. “I’m sure he will, Y/n.”

Over the next weeks she bonded with her baby brother, she wore she would protect him forever and never leave his side since she was the only family related by blood he had left. That lasted until the governor came back and the prison fell. Y/n was placed on the bus where Maggie, Sasha and Bob also were, meanwhile Dimitri was with Tyrese, Mika, Judith, Lizzie and Carol. She freaked out when she realized he wasn’t on the bus, thinking she’d never see him again. Carl, Rick, Daryl, Glenn, Beth and all the others were nowhere to be found either. Hershel was dead, the governor had killed him. That fucking bastard always had to ruin everything. He was dead now though, so he couldn’t hurt them again.

Chaos broke out on the bus, people died, dead people rose and the only ones who got out of there were Y/n, Maggie, Sasha and Bob. They were now left to fend for themselves. Finding food, shelter, water and everything else. Maggie was barely hanging on, not knowing if Glenn or Beth were alive. Bob was trying to see the bright side of things meanwhile Y/n and Sasha were worried for their own sibling. A couple days passed and Maggie and Glenn found each other in a long tunnel. Glenn had found some new people and their names were Tara, Rosita, Eugene and Abraham. Now that they were reunited the group was focused on finding the rest.

The group had found a map where something named ‘terminus’ was supposed to be ahead of them. A sanctuary for all, as it said on the sign. Eventually they arrived, at first it seemed fine then out of nowhere everyone was forced into a type of container that you’d have on boats. Not knowing what was going to happen to them, they just waited and tried to come up with a plan to break out. After a while a miracle happened, the door opened and more people stepped in. Glenn went forward to get a good look.

“Rick?” he asked.

“You’re here.” Rick said relieved.

He tensed up when he got a good look at Tara, sending her a look of confusion and a death glare. Maggie noticed and spoke up.

“They’re our friends, and helped us along the way.” She explained, pointing out the four new faces.

Y/n didn’t hear Daryl and Abrahams chat since she was way too focused on something else, it was him. It was Carl, he was back. She grinned at him and he returned a smile back. She quickly took some steps forward and wrapped her arms around him.

“I thought you were dead.” He whispered in her ear, voice full of relief.

She put her head on his shoulder and sighed, now she just needed to find the rest of the people she loves. The group made up a plan to get the hell out of here and it worked. They left terminus a burning mess. While they were at the other side of the fence watching the tank that had just exploded, burn, admiring their win, Carol stepped out from behind some trees. Her face was full of mud and she was carrying Daryl's crossbow, Rick's revolver and MIchonne's sword that she had found inside. Daryl immediately ran and threw himself into her arms.

After that Carol led the group to a small cabin in the middle of the woods, Carl and Y/n walked hand in hand not wanting to risk getting away from each other again. They were reunited, the best person in the world Y/n knew was with her again. Carol and the rest of the group reached the cabin where Tyrese was found with Judith on one arm and Dimitri on the other.

Y/n let go of Carl's hand and ran to her baby brother. She took him ever so gently from Tyrese, immediately kissing his forehead and holding him securely in her arms. Now she could breathe again, having all of her loved ones at the same spot, knowing they were okay, Well, everyone expect Beth.

The group soon found a priest in the middle of the woods, he’d screamed for help and Carl insisted on helping him. His name was Gabriel and it turned out he had a church filled with food and supplies. The group was happy that they had shelter and celebrated this with a large dinner of plenty of different canned goods. The church echoed with happy laughter and smiles beamed on everyone's faces.

Abraham had revealed that he wanted a group to come with him to Washington where Eugene was going to save the world. When they asked him how he’d always say it was classified. But the group was still willing to help and Tara, Glenn and Maggie agreed to come with them. They would together work as a team to escort Eugene safely.

Everything was going great until the terminus people kidnapped Bob and ate a part of his body, Carol and Daryl went missing. Everything was chaotic. After getting Bob back he revealed that he was bit, this broke Sasha. Soon enough though the group managed to make up a plan to trick the people there. Those people were killed by some members of the group, then Daryl and Carol came back. They knew where Beth was and that’s where the group was headed next. A hospital that was still running in the middle of the city, it was quite an impressive achievement. Anyhow, Beth died, when Y/n, Carl, Maggie, Abraham, Glenn and some other people got to the hospital Rick came out and behind came Daryl with Beth laying dead in his arms. Maggie screamed and cried out, losing her last blood related family. Out of the hospital Noah came, he was a young boy who was a friend of Beth. He was a very kind kid.

Noah talked about this little place he had stayed at with his family when this thing started so the group went to check it out. They wanted to see if it was still up and running. It wasn’t. In that little neighborhood, they lost Tyrese. The group was so tired, everyone was passing and they weren’t getting anywhere. Carl and Y/n hadn’t been talking as much, no one was talking a lot. Everyone was feeling hopeless and frustrated.

They were on the road a long time before Aaron welcomed them to Alexandria. That’s where it happened, from the moment Carl saw her, Y/n knew he wasn’t hers anymore. She tried to talk and hang out with him but his eyes were glued to Enid. He’d probably gotten bored of Y/n, found a new more exciting girl. It hurt a lot, the person she loved the most was treating her as if she never existed. If he could just leave her this easy... did he ever even love her? Ron was in a relationship with Enid but Carl didn’t see that, the only thing he saw was right through it. It had been a week and Carl constantly talked about Enid and how he wanted to get to know her more and how amazing she was every time he was around Y/n. One day she was so fed up she snapped at him;

"You do know she has a boyfriend, right?"

"What?" Carl chuckles out of confusion.

"Enid, you do know she's got a boyfriend?" She asks again, rolling her eyes.

"Who?" He scoffs.

"Ron? He is your friend too, right?” She looked at him with wide eyes, he couldn’t possibly be this blind. “My god, you are such an asshole.” Y/n groaned.

“Me?” Carl scoffed again. “I haven’t done anything?”

“Seriously?” Y/n provoked. “You’ve been a giant douchebag ever since we fucking got here!” She raised her voice at him.

He looked at her like he was lost, mouth agape and eyes filled with confusion. Y/n crossed her arms over her chest that was rising up and down rapidly.

“Why do you even care?” he asked sincerely but you could tell he was getting irritated.

“Because you’re being a dick to Ron” Y/n yelled just earning an eye roll. “He’s your friend and you’re just fucking him over!”

“What do you know about mine and Ron’s relationship?” Carl stepped into her face.

“I know well enough to not be completely oblivious to the fact that he won’t like this when he finds out!” She screamed into his face. “You know what? Go fuck yourself Carl...” Y/n mumbled before going towards the door to his bedroom.

She was about to turn the doorknob but turned to look at him. “It’s so fucking tiring to hear you talk about that chick Enid all the fucking time.” She growled at him through gritted teeth. “Enid is so cool! Enid is amazing! Do you know what me and Enid did today? Enid this, Enid that!” Y/n mimicked him angrily.

Carl crossed his arms and looked at her daringly. “So what? Can’t I talk about people with you now?”

Y/n scoffed at his response, she couldn’t emotionally do this right now.

“Don’t you get it?” She yelled and went towards him, throwing her arms out furiously. “You have been a complete ass to me ever since we got here! Goddammit Carl!”

“What do you have to do with any of this?” Carl barked at her.

“You’ve just been complete ignoring me and thinking about Enid since you first saw her!” Y/n barked back. “I’m your girlfriend and I love you, more than she ever will.” She admitted hearing her voice and heartbreak saying it out loud.

His eyes immediately changed, looking at her with regret and pity. Carl wanted to reach his hand out to her as he saw her tear up. Y/n’s heart painfully twisted in her chest.

“You don’t even love me do you...?” She whispered.

Carl reached his hand out to touch her but she backed away immediately. “Of course I do Y/n.” He said softly.

“No, you don’t...” she cried. “Say it out loud then...” Y/n sniffled.

Carl sighed before breaking his gaze off and looking down onto the floor, putting his hands in his front pockets.

“Oh my god...” her hand shook as he brought it up to cover her mouth. “You don’t love me.”

He didn’t say anything, just stared at the floor, listening to her short sobs.

“Did you ever love me?” Y/n mumbled.

When Carl didn’t answer and just stared down onto the floor ashamed she felt a pit of anger rising in her stomach.

“Say something asshole!” She yelled before she shoved him backwards by his shoulders.

Y/n felt her heart shatter into a million pieces when Carl looked up at her and saw the look on his face. He didn’t love her, by the looks of it he never did. What the fuck was happening... this couldn’t be happening, this was a nightmare and Y/n needed to wake up. She slowly backed to his door and when she felt the door knob in her hand she ran out of there sobbing violently while she ran down the stairs. Michonne caught her in the door wondering what was wrong but Y/n just pushed past her.

“Carl!” Y/n heard her yell as she ran down the streets of Alexandria, until she entered the house where she lived with Glenn and Maggie.

She ran up to her room and slammed the door. Y/n heard footsteps come up the stairs before a knock on her door was heard.

“Y/n...? Everything okay?” Maggie stood outside the door, wondering softly.

“Go away!” Y/n sobbed.

“Honey...” she said with pity. “Please talk to me-”

“No!” She snapped. “I don’t need your pity or your sympathy!”

The few weeks after that Y/n just stayed in the house, not wanting to go outside and face the world. She hadn’t told anyone what was wrong, just shut everyone out. Carl just told Michonne that they had a fight, not what it was about. Therefore when Maggie came into the kitchen one afternoon and asked if Y/n thought it was a good idea if Enid moved in with them, she just looked at her getting incredibly upset again.

“No.” She answered shortly despite the anger growing furiously fast in her.

“What do you mean, no?” Maggie asked, confused.

“I meant no. I don’t want her here.” Y/n just growled at her.

“You know what?” Maggie snapped. “I’m losing my patience with you, you’re gonna tell me right now what the hell happened!”

“Why don’t you ask Carl?”

“He won’t tell anyone, just said you guys had a fight but it was clearly something more than that.” Maggie explained.

Y/n scoffed. “Yeah well he’s good at not telling one things.” She stormed out of the house, knowing if she went to her room Maggie would just have followed her.

She heard Maggie call angrily after her but didn’t care, she hated this place. At least at the moment, she hated everyone and everything. It felt hopeless, like no one understood what she was going through. Y/n walked to the little sitting area in Alexandria where she saw Carl and Enid giggling, kissing and playing around. She felt sick to her stomach and also like her whole world fell apart right in front of her. He never looked that happy with her. What was it she did wrong? What did Enid have that she didn’t?

—————————————————————————————

Tag list: (click here to be apart of it!)

@simplyparker // @thewalkerwhobitcarl // @666ting666 // @DwellingCaller // @Enternalxfanfic // @whenmypartysover // @carlwifeyy // @thedeadwalkingdixon // @misaruswrld // @Leletyis // @daboismine // @yummybaespost // @Abbys-slave // @kaitieskidmore1 // @natesjacob // @Pietschalexis21 // @kozumewhore // @thatonejurdanshipper // @Slut-for-smut-shii // @Rosadelacruz // @star017 // @zealousdefendorwolf // @terresuraimu // @williamjzanders // @reidsog // @boobielover2800 // @esposadomd // @demonicpansexual

—————————————————————————————

#The Walking Dead #twd #twd carl #carl twd #carl grimes #carl grimes one shot #carl grimes angst #carl grimes twd #carl grimes fluff #carl grimes x y/n #carl grimes x reader #carl grimes x you #carl grimes x fem!reader #carl grimes imagine #carl grimes image #carl grimes the walking dead

475 notes · View notes

cryingalexanders · 5 months

Text

frankly I don't understand why clark continues to think lex would react badly to his secret after shattered/asylum and works against him so he won't remember it. because the show never gives us a valid reason for his fears which isn't directly contradicted by something shown to the audience.

does he think that lex will hate him for failing to rescue him? except that clark tells him that later and lex forgives him right away

does he think lex will tell the world about his powers? his dream in "slumber" seems to indicate so, except that lex kept his secret while rotting in belle reve in a month, even when offered the opportunity to escape, and never has the inclination to tell anyone else even when he discovers it and tries to kill clark at the end of s7. even evil!lex in onyx didn’t threaten to tell anyone, just cursed his own blindness and wanted to use clark for his own ends.

does he think that lex will react badly to him being an alien? except that lex only started growing fearful of alien threats after being possessed by zod in s5. before that he was simply driven by obsessive curiosity about the meter showers and connections to the kryptonian symbols, he never displayed any fear or prejudice. he told clark he's always wanted to meet an alien back in s2 and clark just scowls like he thinks he's being facetious? I can understand that because there's a difference between being able to accept something in theory and in reality, but it reminded me of the scene where lana tells clark she finds the idea of him being bulletproof comforting and clark still chooses to keep lying to her. he ignores even the most blatant signals of 'it's okay you can trust me' and to an extent the breakdown of his relationships is his fault because of this

does he think that lex will sell him out, especially to his father? except that lex warned clark about lionel after dr walden raved about clark being the key to the caves in front of them. and after nixon, lex was always protective and actively tried to direct people's attention away from clark. and he rescued clark from lionel/summerholt's clutches in memoria even having no idea why he was there. and clark not only worked with lionel in memoria (which resulted in him being betrayed and captured at summerholt) but worked with lionel again after he told him he reformed in bound, so it's not that.

does he think lex will hate him forever for lying to him? this one is more valid, I admit, because we do see lex getting more and more bitter over this as it goes on. and there is a scene in s2 where he tells clark that he never forgives people who lie to him or something of that nature. but there's also a lot of scenes in the early seasons where lex can clearly tell that clark is blatantly lying to him about something and lets it slide. I don't know if this is clark's inobservation and paranoia popping up again, or if he's deluded about how good he is at keeping his abilities from lex's notice and genuinely believes he has no idea clark isn't normal (chloe even points out his denial of this with lana in "lockdown", so I think this is actually pretty likely).

but then the way the show treats lex knowing about clark's abilities in s5 onwards is just so weird. they try to backpedal and write lex as more clueless whenever they're writing him eviler, and it treats him having suspicions like it's immoral and a threat to clark regardless of what he does with them. haven't the writers ever heard the phrase "the cat's out of the bag"?

it's a good character flaw for clark to have, and the idea that it's all a misunderstanding is actually really interesting! but the thing is the show doesn't commit to that. it never has clark learn his lesson or accept that his lying and refusing to trust lex hurt him, even when tess tries to call him out on it later (and considering that she was the one behind the memory-wipe in the finale, she clearly came to believe that lex knowing anything was too dangerous as well). it's all so aggravating for the waste. why write the main characters like this if you're never going to acknowledge that you did so?

#smallville

19 notes · View notes

cringengl · 9 months

Text

So in the tags in this poll I put my reasonings for why I believe Will mainly fell for Mike in s2. While yes, it's possible that Will had a small crush on Mike pre s1, I think most, if not all of his romantic feelings came from s2 and why I think so is all because of the van scene.

One of the most important lines in the van scene, especially when explaining why Will loves Mike, is this:

Much of Will and Mike's scenes in s2 is Mike making Will feel better for being different. This is established pretty early on when Will has his talk with Jonathan where he berates Jonathan for treating him "like there's something wrong with me", just like "Mom, Dustin, Lucas. Everyone", clearly leaving out Mike. Mike isn't like the others, who make Will feel even more different.

The crazy together and superspy scene are also good examples of Mike making Will feel better for being different. In the crazy together scene, Will says how Mike can't tell the others how he's feeling because "they won't understand" and in that scene, instead of Mike making Will feel more different, he promises to be there for him and to understand him- to go crazy together. In the superspy scene Will is upset as he feels like as the mindflayer takes over more of Hawkins he also takes over more of Will, but instead Mike makes him feel better by saying that Will can use this to his advantage and spy back. Both of these scenes have a clear pattern of Will feeling different and Mike making him feel better for it.

These scene obviously give Will the courage to fight on- it's one of the reasons why Will tries to spy back and even though that strategy ultimately fails, it keeps Will from initially completely giving up. However, the biggest example of "and that gives her (me) the courage to fight on" is the shed scene. Mike once again uses an example of where Will or both of them feel different (alone on the first day of kindergarten) and uses it to help Will get the courage to fight on against the mindflayer and tap out the morsecode to close the gate.

Due to the emphasis on this line in the van scene, I just think it makes more sense to show the specific times when Will fell for Mike onscreen, when Mike made him feel better for being different, instead of leaving it up to pre s1 speculation. Although there's the argument that Mike stood up for Troy when he was making fun of Will in the gym, but it was heavily implied by the expressions of suprise on everyone's face that Mike has never done something like that before and that it was likely fueled by anger due to Will's disappearance as well as the fact that not only was Will not there for it, but it doesn't happen pre s1.

Furthermore, I also see people say how Will's love for Mike is hinted from s1 and although it's possible that he did unknowingly have a small crush on Mike, I think most of the season 1 stuff that David Harbour said that is supposed to make sense later on is mostly Will's queercoding, as it's just done through people calling Will homophobic slurs (which was kinda messed up of Stranger Things ngl). Like yeah there's the whole part where Will doesn't lie to Mike about the roll, but that's probably due to either a subconscious small crush, or Will just being his honest self (even if he does cheat Dustin out of his X-men #134- it's not like he lies about it and he's probably going to have more integrity with DnD over a bike race with Dustin).

So yeah, TL;DR: Will fell in love with Mike in s2 because that's when Mike spent the entire season making Will feel better for being different and giving him the courage to fight on.

#ik from the results in the poll i kinda am in the minority here but i don't want to start an argument just a friendly debate #try and convince me otherwise in the tags if u disagree i wanna hear peoples perspective on this #the van scene is so important as it outlines why will is in love with mike and idk i just think it makes sense to show examples of what will #is on about onscreen #idk maybe it's one of the reasons the st twt account told everyone to rewatch s2 #byler #stranger things #will byers #mike wheeler #stranger things analysis

33 notes · View notes

novasillies · 2 months

Text

no bcz wtf is wrong w the teen wolf timeline. none of them have actual ages and if they mention their age in the show it either contradicts something that happened before or will be disproven later on and I ????? it is NOT that hard to plan something like this out, jeffrey.

like Derek didn't even have a canon age yet in the pilot, and it was meant to be after winter break, right (even tho they retconned that in s5, which I will IGNORE)??? so scott is sixteen and stiles is fifteen (according to the multiple DIFFERENT birth dates jeff gave him in april and june), then lydia has her birthday in season 2 and they are STILL SOPHOMORES so she is turning SIXTEEN. IN MARCH. RIGHT??? RIGHTT?????

SO HOW. IN SEASON 5. SET IN THEIR SENIOR YEAR. IS SHE EIGHTEEN BEFORE WINTER EVEN STARTS??????? also for some reason the ghost riders come when they're doing yearbook photos but it's like autumn?? and yet it's after the several months that season 5 took????? and they use her being eighteen to excuse her and parrish but she's NOT. shes seventeen. and that man is an army veteran and an established sheriff's deputy, he is OLD. also they had her graduate early to make it even less weird but then she just?? kept going to high school??? through season 6???????

also also i could excuse jeff not knowing the timeline entirely in the first episode but come on. how do you not even know how long ago the main source of conflict for the season (the hale fire) happened??? fym 'like ten years ago' AND 'he's only a few years older than us' and then he was a senior when it happened?? or a junior??? 'ten years ago'????? give me strength

also, jeffrey, where the fuck did eli come from! riddle me that!! you too, tyler & tyler, explain yourselves.

(also also jackson whittemore was fifteen the entire time he was in the show (save for his return for the finale). he was a literal baby. before liam showed up, he was the youngest character in the entire thing. WHY WERE THEY ALL SO SEXUALISED?? AND PLAYED BY PEOPLE IN THEIR MID-TWENTIES (except for stiles ik ik ik))

it was WEIRD to have sixteen-year-old lydia having that much rebound sex pre-s3, it was WEIRD to pair her up with a fully grown man and LIE ABOUT HER BEING AN ADULT, it was WEIRD to have her be naked that much AT FIFTEEN, it was weird to have a joke about stiles getting preyed on by drag queens ALSO at fifteen, and it was stupid to not have a canon timeline even to its barest bones before the show started.

jeff davis is a nonce and he is dumb and I want to hit him

#anti jeff davis #teen wolf #anti marrish #lydia martin is a VICTIM #icb holland roden was okay with playing a literal child and doing that shit #this show is the bane of my existence #why is it my favourite

7 notes · View notes

look-how-they-massacred-them · 9 months

Text

Preliminary Poll

Aoi Zaizen/Blue Angel

Submission reason:

TL;DR: Despite being the shows heroine, her and her story is repeatedly shoved to the side in favor of the protagonists, and her motivations and determination is consistently mocked and punished by the plot despite her goals being noble. Long read: I have a lot of thoughts about Aoi. In concept, shes a compelling character with a lot of room for exploration. She the sister of the head of a tech brand, whose overly protective of her due to the two of them struggling financially and being orphaned in the past. Because of her brother spending his time working to sustain them growing up, she spent most of her time alone, and is hinted to being homeless during that time as well. She threw herself into her favorite children’s books growing up: the story of the blue Angel. A super hero who suffered from loneliness, wishing to outpour love to those around her. It’s what caused her to take on the identity of ‘blue Angel’ an idol in the dueling scene to give others hope like the book had for her. As the story goes on, she learns about the cyber terrorists wracking havoc on the duel scene, and wants to step in to help as one of the top duelists against her brothers wishes. Time and time again she has to find herself and reconnect with old friends and make new ones in order to prove herself to people that never really wanted her there in the first place. Her story is tragic, and gives her more than enough motivation to want to protect the ‘vrains’ (a project of her brothers: virtual card game world) because she both wants to help her brother, and recognizes the struggles of the main protagonist, yusaku, who was also an orphan that had to grow up on his own. But the story and characters treat her like she’s some spoiled rich girl, a random nobody who doesn’t understand what she’s getting herself into, and doesn’t understand what’s being fought for and why, when she really, genuinely does. She’s beaten down time and time again, with people making fun of her ‘identity’ ‘ideals’ and even her desire to just help. There’s a scene early on where Aoi confronts the protagonist with his plans on defeating the cyber terrorists and Aoi, surprisingly, turns against her brother in this moment, telling the protagonist, yusaku, that she wants to help him defeat the cyber terrorists (her brother isn’t siding with the cyber terrorists, he just doesn’t like yusaku stopping the cyber terrorists) because she knows about his past and as someone who struggled in her past as well, feels for him and wants to do good by him. This is met with the protagonist going on a near two episode rant about how she doesn’t understand his trauma and no one ever will(he is currently being aided by not one but two people he is good friends with who understand his trauma) and rather than try to understand her own trauma (as, in response to this, aoi opens up to him about her past in hopes the two can find common ground) he insists her trauma is less bad/important than his, dismissing both her help and trauma before defeating her in battle. The show then proceeds to treat these two like best friends. Something important to note is that Vrains is technically a magical girl show, with Aoi and yusaku both having ‘identities’ that they use when fighting terrorists/dueling in the ‘vrains’ (Aoi is Blue Angel, Yusaku is Playmaker) and the two of them, despite going to school together, never know of each others identities(that’s a lie actually, yusaku knows Aoi is blue Angel, but he never bothers to tell her this despite them supposedly being ‘allies’ and later on telling his identity to another character who also goes to school with them, who he also tells aois identity to, who then both don’t tell Aoi who they are.) It takes till the last season for the two of them to finally reveal their identities, and by that point any possible intrigue of the two of them being able to meet outside of their superhero identities has been lost, with Aoi being a non character at that point in the story and yusaku having never meaningfully cared about her in the first place.

Their meeting is completely anticlimactic and hollow, the two doing an awkward and stilted handshake and then never meeting up again. I wish I could talk more about the two main characters dynamics from here but there’s nothing else I can really say when they don’t actually interact meaningfully outside of yusaku stealing her spotlight in duels, because the story decided it was more important he fights the big bad rather than give anyone else a spotlight.

I know I’ve been talking for a while, but I want to point out her missed potential when it comes to her duels too. Yugioh is a card game anime, so all the fights are decided through cards. Aoi is supposed to be one of the top duelsist in canon, but she never actually wins any of her duels, usually having her fail because in Vrains, all duels are life and death, and if Aoi defeats the important antagonists then yusaku won’t be able to duel them later. This becomes a huge issue when they try to give her character development in these duel, only to have her fail pathetically at the very last minute every time. There isn’t a single moment in the three seasons and 100+ episodes of this show where Aoi actually wins against any moderately important villain. Her two wins are from two side characters, one of which never duels again and the other is a child. They barely count for development, when Aoi has no connection to either and both leave as soon as they came, the child duel barely even lasting a minute.

And her duels against actual antagonists don’t even have the audacity to just be mediocre, they have to be upsetting to watch every time. There’s only one duel off the top of my head where they let the character die with dignity, but it certainly doesn’t make it up for the several others that don’t. It’s almost torture porn, the way she’s written consistently to be mocked and tainted by her opponents, even the ones she’s supposed to be friends with. One of the worst with with her duel against specter, a lackey for the main antagonist of season one. It starts out well, with Aoi learning that specter was a victim too, who was a fan of the same blue Angel books she read. As the duel goes on shes more determined to defeat him, hoping this will allow him to free himself from the role he’s been playing, and maybe get like therapy or smth. As it would happen, specter had been lying about being a tragic victim the whole time to appeal to aois sympathy (he is TECHNICALLY a victim, but it’s this weird Stockholm syndrome thing that I don’t want to get into at all) and mocks both her ideals and the stories that helped her as a child to her face as he defeats her in their duel. Theirs a lot of weird imagery that feels way too mean for the situation given, and overall feels kind of wrong. I get they probably wanted this to be the thing that kickstarts aois ‘character arc’ in season 2, but the character arc never goes anywhere and it certainly didn’t need that duel to do it either. It’s not like she ever meets specter again, so it’s not like she can show off her growth in any way by a rematch, and even then, there’s nothing to show for it. The show tries HARD to convince you she has this big deep character arc going on through the seasons, but it’s all talk and no proof. You can say a character has changed and grown stronger all you want, but if the only people she can beat are 10 year old side characters then it’s hard for me to believe shes even got a reason to be here at all.

There’s so much more I haven’t even gotten to like her best friend from childhood that they randomly added to give Aoi a reason to be connected to the main tragedy despite already being connected to the main tragedy, and how even then all the duels that feel like they were set up for her because she just had a big character growth moment and the antagonist in question is directly tied to that are given to the protagonist for no real reason other than that he’s the protagonist, but it’s almost midnight here and I’m getting tired. So s for blowing up your asks like this, but I’ve got a lot of feelings about this character which I don’t get much of an opportunity to talk about otherwise. "

Propaganda:

Her Blue Girl look is her best outfit despite it having the most uncreative name. https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/yugioh-vrains/images/3/3e/Blue_Girl_Ep_53.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/250?cb=20180523135947 Also she is. A very charming little lass very cute wish she appeared more or did literally anything. I like her trickstar deck too, it’s very cute and it’s gimmicks are fun to annoy ppl with pls I wish she was done right

#look how they massacred them poll #look how they massacred my girl #yu gi oh #yugioh #yugioh vrains #aoi zaizen #blue girl

23 notes · View notes

coraniaid · 23 days

Text

Do we see anybody that we knew as a human turned into a vampire after The Harsh Light of Day? Do we see how the others react to that?

(I know we see Sandy from Doppelgangland as a vampire later, but that's not what I have in mind: I'm talking about characters that Buffy or the rest of the Scooby Gang actually knew as people.)

I've complained about this before at least a couple of times (although Tumblr's search feature wants me to believe otherwise), but the way the gang react to finding out that Harmony is a vampire in that episode just feels iike such an abrupt tonal shift. And I'm wondering whether it marks a genuine change in how the show deals with newly sired vampires completely, or if it's just the last time the issue ever comes up.

Yes, Buffy's vampire lore isn't particularly well-developed, but prior to this point the show had been pretty consistent. You don't 'become' a vampire, there is no true continuity of self. You die, and a vampire with your memories takes over your corpse. Yes, that vampire's personality is often based on yours -- even if the show isn't explicit about it until Season 3, that's obvious from the first time we see Jesse become a vampire in The Harvest and continue his obsession with Cordelia, and it's the only reason that can explain why Giles keeps telling people that various vampires were hardened killers even "before" becoming vampires, which he does as early as Season 1's Never Kill A Boy On The First Date -- but the show maintains a clear distinction between the vampire's victim and the newly risen vampire. You do not become a vampire. You are not them, however similar they are to you in appearance and behaviour and desires. You are dead.

So we have Giles talking to Xander about Jesse in Season 1's The Harvest:

"Listen to me. Jesse is dead! You have to remember that when you see him, you're not looking at your friend. You're looking at the thing that killed him."

And Buffy talking to Ford in Season 2's Lie To Me about his plan to "become immortal":

"That's not how it works. You die, and a demon sets up shop in your old house, and it walks, and it talks, and it remembers your life, but it's not you."

Even in Season 3's Doppelgangland [which has the gang treating Willow's vampire alter ago very oddly at the end] everyone's reaction to seeing Willow as a vampire is still to be shocked and saddened and speak about Willow in the past tense.

Here's Angel breaking the bad news:

"Something's happened ... Willow's dead."

And earlier, Buffy blaming herself for her friend's death:

"I-it's [my fault]. She must have gone out and gotten attacked [...] And now my best friend is..."

Or Willow when she walks in on them mourning:

"Jeez, who died?"

As late as the Season 4 opener The Freshman we have Buffy's reaction to finding out what happened to her new friend Eddie:

"I was worried that something had happened to you ... and of course it has, 'cause you're a vampire. I'm sorry."

Not explicitly saying that Eddie's dead, sure, but certainly acknowledging that something bad happened to him (and completely consistent with the take on vampires that goes all the way back to the beginning of Season 1).

Then we get to The Harsh Light Of Day, just a couple of episodes later, and the collective reaction to finding out that Harmony is a vampire -- Harmony, who Buffy's known for years and the others have known for longer, who it's at least strongly implied was killed during the battle against the Mayor in Graduation Day, meaning that unlike Eddie or Theresa or Jesse or whoever else Harmony's death actually is Buffy's fault, at least a little bit -- and how does Buffy react?

She laughs.

"Harmony's a vampire? She must be dying without a reflection."

And I know none of the gang like Harmony -- I know Harmony was very hard to like -- but isn't this just remarkably callous? Harmony isn't "dying" -- she died months ago, helping them all fight against the Mayor's Ascension. She didn't decide to "become" a vampire on some fickle whim. She died saving the world. The Gang could at least pretend to be sad about that for five seconds.

#btvs #of course nobody ever shows any sign of being sad that Larry died either #(the way Harmony is treated within the episode itself is also repellent but that's a different conversation)

23 notes · View notes

fromtheseventhhell · 1 year

Note

did people actually hate sahnsa or they just didn’t like her as much as arya and her stans and s*phiet took that personally?! her character is the worst written character in the show is unbelievable. a recycled cersei 2.0 and it’s all her and her ego’s fault. give dumb people some attention and they will never stop being annoying . i don’t know how but the writers were the whitest most cliched writers ever. they saw that cersei and sahnsa are dumb and get called dumb by everyone and said: yea that’s realism, that’s complex, guys they wear dresses and work through the system, they are politicians and no one hears them GUYS COMPLEXITY. meanwhile dany and arya just bc they are smart and bold and angry and do more then cersei or sahnsa ever did for ANYONE in their privileged lives in the books, were reduced to girl bosses of the show, one died bc no one loved her in contrast to amaZIng qitn, and the other didn’t care abt anything, not even being a hero who saved humanity, the connection to jon that they have in the books, pure and full of love, nonexistent obviously, and fucked away to god knows where. these two are the main female characters, the pillars on whom this story even had the grounds on when grrm started writing ?!?! how did they do this to these two??? I am glad dany stans took the show down. DESERVED. I don’t want Arya’s actress near the jonsnowshow, let them have their weird j*nsa show together with kit. s*phiet already trashed on arya and maisie..let s*phie and kit have their porn together they are so weird fr with each other. I can’t take anything seriously past s4. putting sahnsa on the center was thedowngrade. and I am glad the fans dragged it to filth. and they should drag it to filth till the books are out and u all get proved wrong. can’t believe they did this to emilia too!! arya and dany deserved better

What's funny is, that's exactly it. It's not that Sansa receives some super special, "feminine" only hatred from fandom it's just that she's not as popular as her stans (and Sophie) wanted her to be. The show did a lot to boost her importance and popularity BUT that also happened around the same time to quality of the writing started to go down. D&D were making changes as early as the first season of course, but when they decided to give Jeyne's plotline to Sansa they were officially done with adapting the books. And you know what? People noticed. They were, rightfully, calling out the poor writing of the entire show but Stansas (and Sophie 💀) took it personally because they liked the importance she was being handed. It wasn't even the writing itself that they liked because despite the increased emphasis on her character, she wasn't actually doing much in the later seasons. Along with that there were plenty of reasons to dislike how she was written. And it still didn't give her the popularity people wanted. Daenerys and Arya were, and are, still fan favorites despite how much they were flattened and warped. Stansa's just thought that she was so great that everyone would start hating Dany and Arya and fawn over their fave instead.

As for the actors, my sympathy's solely lie with Emilia. She was the one who cared the most about her character and having her accurately adapted from the books but the writer's went out of their way to destroy Dany. One of the reasons I want the books to be finished, besides the obvious, is because I want her to experience Dany getting the writing she deserves in some form at least. Arya's character was done dirty but at the time Maisie was fully on board with it (though to her credit she has since admitted that the ending was bad). You can tell Sophie was very invested in Sansa's perception (she was very much projecting on her and liked the favoritism), and she's probably the only cast member actually happy about the show ending. Kit's feelings towards the ending feel artificial and more rooted in him wanting to get his spin-off off the ground.

Tbh I do think that Sophie coming back for the spin-off is more unlikely then Maisie, just from the fact that Kit doesn't personally like Sanas's character which is pretty funny. If there's one thing we don't have to worry about it's Jonsa happening with him being involved in the writing. Not even having George on board would make me interested in whatever story they have to tell though because it has to follow that horrible show. I do love that D&D shot themselves in the foot with their writing; they got fired from the project they rushed to finish GOT for and the show is universally considered one of the worst series finales of all time 😂

#ask #anon #anti got #arya stark #daenerys targaryen #anti sansa stans #anti jonsa stans #long post #this was longer then expected but oh well 😭

51 notes · View notes

raayllum · 11 months

Note

I have a question, in good faith. I just answered a question about my opinion of Season 4, and a big reason I give it a 7.5 out of 10 is that they broke the main couple up off screening a graphic novel.

Now I didn’t go into detail, but this probably takes off a whole point for me, because I don’t feel like we should have to read extra material to understand what’s happening in the main plot line. Is this the first time we’ve ever had to read extra material not for bonus information but an understanding of the main story?

Hello, yes, I love answering questions in good faith. Can't promise that I'll have a satisfactory answer, but hopefully I can provide a not overly long one, for once!

Through the Moon (the graphic novel of which you speak) is the only supplementary material (thus far) that's been released that isn't a prequel, so in that vein, I'd say yes. The graphic novel does explain that Rayla left (and shows her leaving) before the 'reveal' drop at the end of 4x01. She left approximately a month and a half after S3, so right around / on Callum's birthday (which, we didn't know it was his birthday in the graphic novel itself, so that's almost undoubtedly something that got added to S4 for Callum&Viren foils and general heartbreak reasons).

However, to me, and this also due to having friends who watch the show casually, or have not read the graphic novel Through The Moon (TTM)... I genuinely do not think you need to read it unless you don't want Rayla leaving to have been a 'surprise' (which some people like to know spoilers ahead of time, which is fair). Given that there's a timeskip and an arc wrap up (and that we actually got to see them be a cute couple in S3, not just at the last minute) some sort of shift was probably to be expected. All the plot context TTM is given pretty early on in S4, but there are also fun little connections to make as you go on rewatches, for example:

4x01 reveals that Rayla is not only not at the castle, but MIA, and that the boys don't know if she's alive/okay. The context from TTM is that her risk taking decisions were already a concern for him, which can probably be deduced from the show's canon anyway, given that he jumped off a mountain for her.

4x01 and 4x02 also show that rather than being mostly curious about unknown things like before, they actively make him agitated/anxious (Soren's secret keeping, the blank book, trying to decipher the mirror). TTM adds context to this in that Rayla told him she would let him come with her, and then went back on that promise, but canon already makes this clear in 4x01 with "I don't even know if she's alive"; he has no answers about Rayla. That is also undoubtedly one of the reasons he's agitated. However, while her lie is insult to injury, the show never brings it up as a reason he's mad at her; it was always her extended absence: "So you disappeared for two years for no reason at all?" / "Well, maybe you might know that if you'd been here the last two years." Again: the lie isn't an actual thorn in his side (seemingly) so it's a thing from TTM that is omitted, because it isn't emotionally relevant.

Then she shows up and we learn, specifically, that she went to hunt down Viren. Rayla has always been a paranoid ("Sooner or later, we're going to run into someone from 1x06, "There's danger coming, I know it" from 2x01) person with an independent streak. Rayla leaving to kill Viren because she doubts her own abilities, when she spends most of the first few seasons doubting them (particularly in S1 and S3) and fearing failure ("You let him live but killed us all") is also very in character. One of my favourite little details is that Callum struggles to say Viren's name at all ("It's something Lord -- the previous high mage left behind") until Rayla shows up ("So you must have found Viren, huh? Was he dead after all?") because that trauma - Rayla was so sure that she failed that she couldn't trust they were safe - is so intertwined.

A lot of S2, as well, spent hammering in the fact she didn't want to lose Callum (to Soren and Claudia, to his pursuit of magic, to dark magic, to death). Her leaving him behind to protect him is not something that's a big logic leap to make, I think. After all: "It's okay, Callum. I'm not asking you to come with me. Protecting that dragon doesn't just feel like the right thing to do, it feels like the right thing for me to do" (2x07) and "But... I'm not going with you. You and Ezran should take Zym. But I can't leave" (3x08) and her almost confession last but not least: "Callum please, come back! You've got to stay with me [...] I can't lose you like this, you mean too much to me" (2x09).

TTM adds context - the nightmares about Viren ruining the life she still had, and her and Callum's increasing mutual fear of losing each other. They quite honestly don't even break up. Now, I don't think things would've gone well if Callum had gone with her (relationship wise) given their differing priorities in TTM and also how they show love (for Rayla it's protection, for Callum it's togetherness), but the last conversation they actually have in TTM is

Now, I'm not exactly expecting a casual reviewer to remember and notice all the tiny things, but I am expecting them to remember major plot points, specifically that Rayla really struggles with letting people help her (1x06 and 3x04 both leading to disasters with Zym being in danger because of it) because she doesn't feel like she deserves it, and that she has a tendency to be overly self sacrificial (too many episodes to count).

Her trying to save the dragon in S2 was heroic, yes, but also stood out to me specifically as "This tendency of risking herself is going to be something that she and Callum have to confront and work through, because it is diametrically opposed to them functioning as a long term couple/team". When she wants to stay behind and die for her parents mistakes in S3, the only reason she doesn't stick with that is because she learns that they didn't run, not that she didn't have to die even if they had. So something like this, even if not in so dramatic a way was something that I'd been expecting for a few years now. S4 and Callum's anger at her abandonment is the first time we've seen this tendency be solely in a negative light, in a lot of ways, which is really exciting, and I don't know how much they'll get back together until Rayla has had the epiphanies she needs to.

The biggest thing to me that TTM adds to S4 is that Callum isn't just upset at Rayla for leaving him, but that he's mad at her for leaving without him, specifically. He wanted to go with her, he didn't totally believe in the mission but he wanted to keep her safe, citing "I let you go into the Moon Nexus alone" (earlier in the graphic novel, and not without protest) "and I knew right away I made the biggest mistake of my life. I could have lost you." But again, I expect this sentiment to be something that is far more readily explored in S5, and is also something you can kinda piece together given how often he runs after her in the first three seasons, and him reading what's implied in show and confirmed through TTM to be her goodbye letter because she didn't think she was coming back (4x01 credits):

TDP official also in the lead up to S4 released the goodbye letter, which we'd never read before, and it broke all of our hearts.

TLDR; to me, TTM isn't necessary unless you want a deeper read on the characters. I expect S5 to give them more of a chance to talk and perhaps explain their own actions in S4 more (again, reaffirming that fear of losing each other, which was the root of his anger and of her leaving) but I don't think TTM is necessary unless you want the specifics. All you need to know is that Rayla left to hunt down Viren and Callum has been very sad about it since. You get all of that within the first couple of episodes. The biggest question that TTM raises that S4 doesn't answer is, if she was so dead set on her mission, how and why did she convince herself it was okay to come back at all, but again: I think S5/S6 will have the answers on that.

#baatarthefirst #i wanted this to be three paragraphs. why do i ever think it'll just be three paragraphs #through the moon #thanks for asking #requests #arc 2

21 notes · View notes

beybladefanboy · 10 months

Text

A brief(ish) review of every Beyblade Metal Fury episode

Well, this was a long time coming. Let me be absolutely clear: I did not put this off or abandon this rewatch because I dislike Fury. Not at all. Fury is actually my favourite of the three seasons. The reason I stopped this rewatch was two main factors: 1: it was around this time that I got really sucked into Yugioh VRAINS and with how chaotic my life had been during that time, I decided I would rather spend my free time watching new content than rewatch a show I’d rewatched many times at that point. And 2: I didn’t want to rewatch Ryuga’s death. Yeah… I mean I’m not gonna lie about it.

So after a certain episode, which I will say, the reviews are mostly from memory/rewatching specified scenes/skimming the YouTube uploads and episode descriptions. (Most of these however were written at the time I finished rewatching each episode.) Trust me that I’ve seen this show enough for me to be able to do that and I just didn’t have the time to rewatch all these episodes. However, it bothered me leaving this incomplete so today, I had some time and was thinking of Beyblade so I figured I could finally do it. Now, without further ado, my at first brief, but later not so brief at all because I have so many thoughts on and defenses of Fury, reviews of every Fury episode.

Episode 1: Star Fragment 8.5/10

The best first episode of a season. I love Kyoya and Gingka’s battles in general and seeing them go all out against each other, using the environment itself as weapons against each other is really damn fun. It also sets up the star fragment thing beautifully, instantly showing off their power and hinting at the greater story very early.

Episode 2: Legendary Bladers 7/10

A lot of this episode is exposition but it’s at least interesting. I can’t get over the fact that Beyblade took a real life end of the world prediction and made it part of their plot. The battle portion of this episode is also fine. I can’t tell if I like or hate Johannes based on this episode.

Episode 3: Lynx, The Monster Cat 8/10

Okay, I like Johannes now. He’s funny. And he miraculously gave Gingka a good fight, establishing him early on as a competent blader. Still a little silly that Gingka followed Johannes to a place where he should’ve known his bey would’ve been weaker though.

Episode 4: L-Drago Destructor 8.5/10

I don’t really have much to say on this episode outside of “I like it.” I like the scenes of them play-battling with the little kid, it’s the most light-hearted the show has been in a while, and I love Ryuga so obviously I love his presence in this episode.

Episode 5: Awaken, Anubius! 9.5/10

Ryuga slays three fools in a row and roasts people non-stop in this episode. Well, Yuki’s not a fool, he’s kind of a boss actually: shedding his anxious demeanour in a fit of rage to stand up for his friends. These characters are both amazing, they really shine in this episode.

Episode 6: Requirements of a Warrior 9/10

Having Gingka, Kyoya, and Yuki acknowledge that they need to actually master their beys and working to do so is really good and needed to be brought up. Also, that fire escape scene is really intense. The idea of being trapped in a fire really freaks me out so this could just be a me thing but it’s legitimately a well crafted scene. And Yuki, Kyoya, and Gingka fighting a volcano is the silly yet epic fun I expect from this show.

Episode 7: Kenta’s Determination 7/10

Oh boy, this episode. I both love and hate this episode. Well, not hate. I hate one scene of it that lasts a minute and really doesn’t affect the episode. The stalking though… I don’t know, it could just be me but it bugs me. Not as much as it used to, I’m willing to give this episode a fair score because it is really cute. Ryuga is a boss like usual and he shows a hint of his softer side for the first time in his scenes with Kenta. It’s pretty subtle, and easy to miss if you don’t know Ryuga all that well, which I like. This episode trusts that the audience knows Ryuga well enough at this point to know that him waiting on Kenta in the desert and later giving him food and letting him stick with him isn’t something he would do for just anyone. They’re small hints, which is all they needed to be, and they make the second half of this episode for me. It’s honestly one of my favourites to talk about and analyse, even if I feel that there are some… unwanted implications.

Episode 8: The Crimson Flash 7.5/10

The first half of the episode is pretty typical but still fun. Then we get to the second half and the moment they said that someone challenged the entire school to a battle, I was already dying of laughter and the rest of this episode straight up killed me. Johannes is so funny, I can’t take it.

Episode 9: The Greatest Tag-Team Tournament 9/10

The first half of this episode had me cry-laughing, between Johannes’s utter ridiculousness and the absurdity of some of these other opponents. Then the second half of this episode is Yuki depicting an accurate representation of one of my anxiety episodes which makes me instinctively want to shield him from all harm. Great episode overall.

Episode 10: A New Roar! 8/10

I love Kyoya, and this is a Kyoya episode. A Kyoya episode where he slays a fool and creates a new special move. His opponent is Johannes, who I've grown to love on this rewatch and find to be really entertaining. So why didn’t I give this episode a higher rating? Easy: the Motti stuff makes me uncomfortable. Johannes snapping at her and knocking both her and Benkei out (in the most cat-like way he could) was a good pay-off but that entire stretch of them kinda sexualizing (or at least romanticising) this underaged girl was really uncomfortable. It wasn’t as bad as I remembered (for some reason I remembered Johannes acting creepy during this and was exceedingly relieved and glad that he actually didn’t), but it does detract from an otherwise great episode.

Episode 11: Cosmic Tornado 8/10

This episode is ten times worse than the Gingka vs Ryuga Fusion battle for people with a fear of heights (me). At least in that one you could see the bottom. This is a bottomless pit full of mist that two teenagers are constantly dangling over. Like jeez, do you wanna give me a heart attack?!

Other than that, it’s fine, I like most of the characters and the ending is chilling but man does this episode give me anxiety.

Episode 12: The God of Saturn, Kronos 8.5/10

The title of this episode is so dumb, but the episode itself is good. The Beylin Fist are an interesting group and this battle is so back and forth I genuinely wasn’t sure who would win. Cool ass episode.

Episode 13: Showdown at the Tower of Babel 10/10

Ryuga, Kenta, and Tsubasa all in one episode battling in and eventually destroying a historical building? This should be my favourite episode ever! :D And I do love it, definitely the most out of the Fury episodes so far. It’s got a hint of Johannes toward the beginning, a nice treat, shows that Kenta has already grown a ton since he started following Ryuga (despite his loss he still gave Tsubasa a hard fight), has Tsubasa as basically the main character we follow throughout the tower, and has Ryuga make a new ultimate move, kick Tsubasa’s ass, and knock over the Tower of Babel (the symbol of humanity’s arrogance and pride from what I understand) like the total badass he is. I love everything about this episode.

Episode 14: New Team Dungeon! 7.5/10

The opening of this episode is a bit spooky. I forgot how much of a cult the followers of Nemesis really are. I actually 100% see how these characters fell for this stuff. “The world is a constant cycle of destruction and rebirth, only through great darkness will a new dawn occur.” Does actually sound legit. Villains are far scarier to me when you can see their reasoning and how people can fall prey to it…

The rest of this episode is mainly set up and exposition but it’s interesting stuff that brings Masamune, Toby, Zeo, and Tsubasa into the main plot, giving Toby and Zeo new beys, and even giving Team Excalibur a bit of screen time. Good stuff.

Episode 15: Destroyer Dome 8/10

This is my favourite stadium in all of Beyblade. That seems like a weird thing to draw attention to, but the Destroyer Dome itself is so damn cool. The way the beys circle around the whole thing like comets, sticking to the ceiling and walls and looping around in every possible direction. It’s a stadium Captain Capri would’ve loved- OH MY GOD THEY BROUGHT HIM BACK JUST TO BATTLE IN THIS COOL ASS STADIUM?! HELL YEAH! I love this episode.

I do have one major gripe with this episode though: the Garcias faking a fight was… well, kind of a waste of both time and potential. It would’ve been so much more interesting both as a story and for them as characters if the fighting was genuine.

Episode 16: The New Striker is Complete! 8.5/10

JACK MY BELOVED MAKES A CAMEO! AND KING THE FUNNY ADORABLE LITTLE SHIT IS INTRODUCED. OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD!

Oh yeah and the Russian team and Masamune and some other people are there I guess. It’s a fun battle royale. I really like the part where Lera reveals she has a special move and it makes Jigsaw visible again. Good stuff, even if it ends too quickly.

Episode 17: I Am the Champion! 9.5/10

DESTROYER DOME AT NIGHT, DESTROYER DOME AT NIGHT, DESTROYER DOME AT NIGHT, OH MY GOD IT’S SO PRETTY. THE BEYS LOOK LIKE FIREWORKS AS THEY CLASH OH MY GOD-

Also, the destroyer dome becomes a giant hamster ball and King and Masamune run with it like they’re on a treadmill. I dunno how the others got out when it was made clear by Blader DJ last episode that there’s no way to get out of the stadium once you get in but it’s cool so I’ll let it pass. But yeah anyways, King’s backstory gives him an honestly really uplifting reason that he’s so arrogant and reckless, which does lower the annoyingness of his previous and future actions a lot. He’s excited to be battling and not thinking of anything else in that excitement. He acknowledges that Masamune is someone he can use his full strength against and he respects him as an opponent. It’s nice and very sweet and all that mushy stuff. I love it.

Episode 18: The Maze of Mist Mountain 7/10

Half of this episode is just the main characters, and returning side characters Nile and Demure (nice to see them again) wandering around some mist. … okay then. The other half is a decent battle between Gingka and Ryuto. It’s a decent introduction to this story arc. I like the new character, Ryuto, even if he doesn’t really add much.

Episode 19: The Lion’s Pride 9/10

The travelling segments of this one are a lot more interesting than last time, being more than the characters just wandering around in some mist. And the battle portion is just really damn good. Team Wild Fang is back! Heck yeah! And Kyoya vs Aguma is a constant explosion match (both literally and figuratively) and Nile, Demure, and Benkei taking on Johannes, Bao, and the Beylin Fist bladers is also a fun side battle.

Also, while I was disappointed with how this character arc was resolved and the way it starts is a little weird (I’ll get to that later), it was still a really interesting idea to have Kyoya basing his self-worth on his independence, and seeing it as a weakness to rely on others. It’s a very toxic mindset that fits his character and would’ve been great had it been properly addressed. But I’ll get to that when I get to that.

Episode 20: Guardian of the Temple, Dynamis 8/10

Dynamis has probably the best introduction out of all the legendary bladers. All the others just kinda walk in like “hey I’m so and so and this is my goal.” Dynamis though? He speaks to the group when they’re lost in the mist as if he’s speaking from the sky like a god or something, then when they finally get into his temple he challenges them to a battle, smirking like a sassy little shit as he wins. Also, he literally can hear the stars talk, I forgot this detail. My point is Dynamis is hecking cool.

Episode 21: The Legend of Nemesis’ Revival 8/10

Gingka vs Dynamis is a good battle but then it gets cut off without an outcome and then the rest of this episode is exposition. Out of all the exposition dump episodes in this show, I do think this one is the best as it’s the most interesting and action-packed but there is too much information in this spiel. If there’s any part of Fury that I can agree is rushed, it’s this. I wish the exposition in this episode had been shortened and maybe some of it spread out to other episodes so it’s not all dumped on the audience at once. The main things we really needed going forward from this episode was the origin of Nemesis, the way they were defeated long ago, and the fact one of the remaining legendary bladers is the Venus blader with a Quetzalcoatl.

So while this episode wasn’t the best way to convey most of its information, it’s still interesting and important information for the story, which I do think is a good story. So I’m giving this episode a somewhat higher score than what it probably deserves. I just enjoy Fury’s lore and Dynamis and the commentary on humanity and its history that much. I can see how this episode could bore and there were times the over-explaining bogged me down while watching but overall it was still a delight.

Episode 22: The Four Season Bladers 8.5/10

Okay, this exposition is a lot simpler and easier to follow. It takes up far less of the episode and cuts to the chase much quicker. Then the rest of this episode is the craziest battle royale of the entire show so far, ending when Kyoya reaches his breaking point which has been building over the past few episodes. He allowed what may have been just a small feeling at first to fester on the inside since he refused to tell anyone what he was going through until he eventually just snapped, which is pretty relatable to me personally. Kyoya’s arc in these episodes is well done. I understand the criticism that it’s strange he took Aguma’s words to heart so much when Kyoya doesn’t really know him and normally wouldn’t care about taunts like that. I want to argue it wasn’t specifically Aguma, or even what he said, it was Kyoya’s own internal realisation that he wasn’t living up to his own standards of strength. He internalised the idea that relying on others was showing weakness, an idea he carried yet simultaneously seemed to have been contradicting even before the start of the show. That kind of life shattering realisation is going to cause a huge reaction, no matter what prompted it. If Kyoya’s character arc this season had been resolved better (which again I’ll get to), it would be one of my favourite arcs of the show. I cannot stress enough how good of a setup this really was and how much potential this had.

Episode 23: The Battle of Beyster Island 8.5/10

“tHaT gUy lOoKs iNtErEsTiNg.”

I love King, oh my god. He is so freaking excited and happy to be battling that even when Aguma reveals a move that could defeat him, King just goes “that is so awesome!” I love his energy so much, he’s basically an excited fanboy and I love it. This episode was fun overall but King is the one who shines the brightest in my opinion.

Episode 24: Two Big, Fierce Battles! 9.5/10

I can totally understand how the back and forth switching between two unrelated battles might be off-putting… but I don’t have that issue. I love all these characters. I love seeing Kenta’s growth and Gingka acknowledging him. I love getting more of those subtle hints that Ryuga has grown to care about Kenta, and of course, the banter between Ryuga and King. There’s a reason I created a ship between these two. Even though they only met once in this battle, King not knowing who he is and just being excited to battle a strong opponent and Ryuga being confused/annoyed with him is really fun. Kenta and Gingka’s battle is definitely the more plot relevant one (and oh my gosh I love that scene on the beach) while Ryuga vs King could definitely be called fan service, but it’s great fan service that fits right in perfectly dammit! It’s something kid-me wanted to see ever since King’s reverse rotation was introduced and it’s great!

Episode 25: The Unseen Opponent 7.5/10

Chris’s introduction episode. It still annoys me how insistent the characters are that Masamune has to be the Legendary Blader and ignore Chris entirely and Chris’s bey’s physics are impossible but the battle in this episode is still good. And my god do I love Chris. He’s already a huge mood with the way he talks about his job. “I’ve dealt with much worse than this!” “If I lose, I will not be able to survive in this world!”

Episode 26: Orion’s Whereabouts 8.5/10

This episode is so chaotic, I love it. Everyone is just in a mosh pit of madness, with King defending his friend, Gingka trying to get him to chill, Chris instantly sucking up to his new boss, Ryuga showing up to wreak havoc, it’s all so damn fun. Stand out moments from this episode definitely include Kenta hugging the evil out of Ryuga, King cheering Masamune up, and that chilling ending. It’s great fun, and could be the last really fun episode of Fury as soon we get into the emotionally intense stuff…

Episode 27: The Lion in the Wilderness 7/10

Yu is such a brat but in a charming way. I can’t stay mad at the little guy, especially when he’s the one to call out Kyoya for not knowing shit about lions. Haha if only that weren’t the closest thing to resolving this character arc. Overall, fine episode. I like Tithi just fine and Kyoya and Yu are at least funny. Next episode though…

Episode 28: The God of Venus: Quetzalcoatl! 5/10

Yu and Tithi’s battle is pretty fun, it’s a good official introduction to Tithi. The first half of this episode is fine, fairly enjoyable if a bit standard. The second half though… ugh. I wrote a whole fanfiction rewriting this which… should explain how I feel about it. What Kyoya does here feels so out of character at this point and even if it’s not, it’s just irritating and the destiny moral is really fumbled here. Every other episode says the choices of the legendary bladers will decide the fate of the world and the narrative of this very episode even supports that: Kyoya chose to leave the heroes and then chose to return. Destiny didn’t actually force him to do anything. Kyoya just claims it’s his destiny out of nowhere. It fumbles the “destiny is a choice” idea and feels like an excuse to get him to return quickly without acknowledging the reason he left in the first place. Yu saying lions hunt in groups isn’t good enough because Kyoya doesn’t even acknowledge that or think about it… at all. So yeah it’s lazy writing and really disappointing considering how much potential Kyoya’s arc had. The final scene is pretty cool though, good setup for the next episode.

Episode 29: The God of Destruction’s Revival! 10/10

(This is the point where I start reviewing the episodes based on memory/episode descriptions.)

I’ll be honest, most of the episodes that were originally two 11 minute episodes flow pretty seamlessly as one put together episode. This is the only one where I can tell this was originally two episodes, as the two halves follow two completely different sets of characters. The first half is the revival of Nemesis, a chilling, tense spectacle, while the first half almost exclusively, and a little out of nowhere, is a battle between Kenta and Ryuga. That being said, while I definitely prefer the second half, both halves are fantastic. A little odd when put together, but tonally they mesh well enough and I love how much Kenta has grown in this episode and his plan to beat Ryuga is so good that even though I knew it wouldn’t work, I see how it could have worked. Plus, y’all know I love their friendship, it’s just so damn wholesome, I can’t-

Episode 30: The Child of Nemesis 7/10

Hello, obviously Doji in a top hat and trench coat. Why are you here exactly? Yeah I know his first appearance was in the last episode but I have less to say about this episode than I did that one so I’m gonna talk about the Doji thing here. Bringing Doji back was almost completely unnecessary and weird but honestly, after seeing how much more poor and ill-fitting his presence in Shogun Steel was, his appearance in Fury feels pretty inoffensive and just… whatever. He’s pointless but not unbearable.

Otherwise, cool ass raid episode, I like evil Dynamis and Kyoya showing up at the end. Nothing else really sticks out about this episode but it’s not bad. It’s just… not one that I can instantly point to and go “ah yes, the episode where this happened!” The main battle is Gingka vs Evil Dynamis. We’ve already seen Gingka vs Dynamis and they don’t even get to finish their battle. The episode is still fun but… feels like it could’ve been trimmed back to tighten the pacing.

Episode 31: Four Hearts 8/10

Okay, this episode is much more memorable. Kyoya vs Dynamis and Aguma vs Tithi are both fun battles (even if I don’t get why the Planet bladers were descendants rather than reincarnations when the latter makes way more sense with what’s presented in this episode, is that just a dub thing?) and the bulk of Gingka vs Chris actually happens in this episode. I could’ve sworn that happened in its own episode but… yeah this episode and the previous and following one kind of blend together in my mind because all of them take place in this temple and flow directly into each other. That’s not a knock against the episodes, it’s just how my memory works. This one moves the plot along more than the last one and I love Chris so most of the episode being focused on his battle with Gingka is good in my books.

Episode 32: Come Together, Legendary Bladers! 9/10

Also known as the episode where Ryuga fucks everything up. And every battle from the last episode also ends. A lot of Ls were taken in this episode. By the characters, the episode itself is damn fun. This episode also has two halves that feel a bit pasted together, with the first half focusing on the fallout of the three battles and the second half being the part everyone remembers where all the Legendary Bladers attempt to join together only for the aforementioned Ryuga hecking up everything but these halves mesh much better as it focuses on all the same characters as the first half so there’s no random sudden shift in focus, it’s just the next logical event in the plot.

This episode also features the scene where King and Masamune pose like magical girls. I’m just bringing that up because it’s cute not because it’s relevant.

Episode 33: Diablo Nemesis 8.5/10

The temple getting wrecked took up more time than I remembered but oh well, the first half of this episode is a good display of Rago’s power and while the second half is tonally different, it’s the most logical direction for the plot to go. Plus it’s a nice chance to see the Legendary Bladers interact, in some cases meet, in a way that’s more low-key. As much as I love Fury, I do wish it had more scenes like that, more chances for the characters to just breathe or establish bonds.

Episode 34: To The Final Battle Ground 7.5/10

So for some reason, the official source for Beyblade on YouTube incorrectly titled this and the next episode and also put them out of order. Episode 136 is titled “To The Final Battle Ground” and has that episode’s description but the episode is actually “Episode 137 The Lost Kingdom” and vice versa for the next episode. While I’m not fully rewatching these last eleven episodes due to time constraints, I did check my DVD for Metal Fury (which is an official release) and it didn’t make that mistake, the episodes are titled correctly and in the correct order so this was a mistake the YouTube channel made and I don’t know why it happened or why they haven’t fixed it even 7 years later. For anyone watching Fury, be sure to get the correct order! The show didn’t skip over Aguma’s redemption, the channel just put the episodes in the wrong order!

Anyways, the episode itself. Yeah, it has Aguma’s big redemption moment and… I actually do think it works pretty well. It’s nothing super deep, but he comes to the logical conclusion that saving the world comes before the Beylin Fist’s feud with Beylin and shows his commitment to the group by helping them fight off Johannes and his goons and save their helicopter. The rest of this episode before the battle is just the characters training to prepare for the final confrontation as they don’t know the whereabouts of Nemesis before they get a clue to said whereabouts and decide to go there. Not the most eventful episode but it works well enough. Besides… the next episode is… more eventful to say the least.

Episode 35: The Lost Kingdom 8.5/10

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to have pure pain directly injected into your heart? I don’t have to, I watched this episode.

Try as I might, I cannot get through this episode, or the following one, without crying. Some movies or shows that try to depict a character fighting to their very last breath with every ounce of their strength before ultimately fighting to their last breath, cannot convince me that the character gave it their all. This is not one of those moments. This battle is as long as it needs to be and every moment is there to further the struggle, the slow fall of the once invincible-seeming Dragon Emperor, and I feel every bit of it. It’s the reason I… couldn’t bring myself to rewatch these episodes again at the point in my life I was at when this rewatch occurred. I was already getting my heart violently ripped out by a new show (and general life events that I won’t go into) and didn’t want my comfort show also causing me pain. So while this episode is great, phenomenal even, it’s… the second hardest episode for me to revisit. Entrusted Emotions only barely edges it out because that episode literally traumatised me to the point of developing a phobia. This one… is just a really sad episode that I always grab tissues before.

Doji’s also in this episode and while I don’t feel like his presence in this season was necessary (and in retrospect, it may have just been there to set up Shogun Steel, which I overall didn’t care for), I will say having him specifically there to mock and enrage Ryuga makes it more painful, at least to me.

Episode 36: The Missing Star of the Four Seasons 10/10

Most of the episode, after the gang reacts to the death of Ryuga which is… also… really damn painful… is them struggling against Nemesis, unable to form the barrier to seal him away due to the passing of Ryuga and… yeah it captures that struggle well. The weight of the world is on the group’s shoulders and it is a hopeless impossible battle and you can feel that in the way they get knocked around despite their teamwork and despite them fighting at their hardest. Maybe it goes on a little too long but this is essentially the final battle and the feels are all there throughout and… the scene everyone remembers from this episode…

I did rewatch that scene (and a couple other scenes in the next episode), and my god is it still just as impactful all this time later. The build up, the atmosphere, the feels, the ANIMATION, holy fuck the animation. And the sound design, Ryuga’s harsh breathing, those final words. I don’t even know what to say, this moment is just phenomenal, my favourite in the entire series without question. Really, when I put Flash Sagittario in my top five Fury episodes all that time ago, it included this episode. Both are such a tense fantastic emotional spectacle that flow into each other beautifully.

Episode 37: Flash Sagittario 10/10

Everything I said about last episode applies to this episode, only now the tides have turned in the heroes’ favour with Kenta’s evolution into a legendary blader, with his new Flash Sagittario, which the episode shows off very well. That moment where he defeats Pluto with Diving Arrow gives me all the feels. If I have one gripe in this episode, it’s that there are more flashback sequences than they probably needed but it’s a final battle and the flashbacks don’t take away from or affect the pacing in any major way for me.

Episode 38: Hades’ Persistence 7/10

Oh, right, the last two episodes weren't the final battle. Honestly, could’ve fooled me, with a proper epilogue afterwards, that battle would’ve worked perfectly as the final battle, it shows the Legendary Bladers all working together and while it excludes a few older characters, the setup is cool and unique and fits the teamwork themes even better than Masters’ ending did and the battle itself is entertaining enough for me to forgive its shortcomings.

This… is just the fate of the world coming down to Gingka again. And everyone giving him their power. Again. Fusion did this first and did this better. Because that coming down to Gingka made sense, he was the one with the greatest connection to the villain, Fusion was very much his story and while he’s still the protagonist, he isn’t more important than anyone else in Masters’ final battle of the previous battle of Fury. This… ruins that, it feels really generic and phoned in. It’s not bad though, I do love Kyoya’s speech to Gingka before he and the others give Gingka their power. That does bring everything together really well and makes this otherwise pointless battle more forgivable for me. It’s a slip up for sure but it’s still entertaining.

Episode 39: A Ray of Hope 8/10

“Every bey has a Star Fragment in it so we can all contribute”… okay…? Well, that’s not incorrect or anything, it does fit the lore of the series and brings everyone together for the final climax in a way that episodes 36 and 37 didn’t but… eh, this never did much for me.

Now the epilogue post battle though? That’s some nice stuff. The gang have been through hell but now that it’s over, they pick themselves back up and start to heal. Enough so that Gingka and Kyoya are even willing to have a battle, a no stakes fun battle to see who the true victor between them is, just like old times. A great final note to a great show.

#beyblade #beyblade metal fight #beyblade metal saga #beyblade metal fury #metal fury #metal fury is underrated

19 notes · View notes