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stillness-in-green · 1 year

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in the new chapter afo says /he/ lived a dark life, so his feelings for the friend who accepted him are strong and it shows eraserhead but isn’t afo talking about spinner? do you think there’s a connection or parallel between the two

For a start, yes, I definitely do think AFO is talking about Spinner in that stretch of dialogue. He diverts briefly onto Kurogiri, but then returns immediately to talking about Spinner, with an affirming “Yes” that this whole tangent has been about Iguchi and how his feelings led to his success. The only other possibility for who AFO could be talking about there is Kurogiri/Shirakumo Oboro, but that requires a pretty tortured read of the emotions AFO talks about putting his faith in (see my chapter post on 374 for more), so I’m inclined to take Occam’s Razor here and assume Spinner’s the “he” in question.

As to whether Horikoshi is specifically paralleling Spinner and Aizawa,[1] that I’m less clear on. The most pertinent line speaks of a dark life, but has Aizawa’s life been particularly dark?

(I put just enough paragraph breaks in this that I feel it needs a cut. Hit the jump!)

Well, it’s hardly been all sunshine and roses—he lost a close friend in high school, he had wretchedly low self-confidence as a teenager, he threw himself into the decidedly unglamorous underground hero life, and he rarely seems to make much time for socializing or hobbies. His relationship with Mic is clearly close—I don’t want to knock that—but even accounting for the fact that Aizawa’s comfort zone is low-energy grouchiness, it’s striking that Mic never seems to make Aizawa smile, at least not post-Oboro.[2] He clearly derives satisfaction from teaching, so he’s found a niche that provides him some positive brain chemicals, but his personal life seems pretty barren.

Comparing this over to Spinner, the self-confidence issue is the one that jumps out at me as the biggest thing he has in common with Aizawa, though obviously they expressed those issues pretty differently. Likewise, as Oboro and Mic were capable of pulling Aizawa out of his pessimist rut, Spinner found a group that offered him a place to belong in the League, particularly with Shigaraki.

Then, of course, you get to the quirk issue. Per Vigilantes, teen Aizawa had at least one person telling him Erasure would never make for a hero worth a damn, plus the voice in his own head, but we’ve never seen any hint that he faced the kind of naked bigotry Spinner did.

That’s a big reason I have trouble thinking they make good parallels: AFO’s line about a dark life being why “his” feelings for his accepting friend are so strong implies that the darkness precedes the acceptance. Aizawa was, as noted, a gloomy teen, but there’s no question that his life was much, much darker after Oboro’s death than it was before. Spinner, by contrast, endured a lifetime of discrimination before he found his way to the League.

In that regard, if Horikoshi intended any parallels there, I’m inclined to think that they're with Kurogiri, and that Aizawa in that panel is not a parallel for the he-who-lived-a-dark-life, but rather for the friend-who-accepted. Oboro post-mortem has lived quite the dark life, and his feelings for Aizawa and Mic obviously linger very strongly; Aizawa can be read as accepting in how he was ready to put aside all the crimes done as Kurogiri and tell Oboro they could still be heroes together.

Now, I would contend that Aizawa’s acceptance chops leave much to be desired, seeing as they seem entirely conditional on Oboro disavowing his ward of fifteen years. I’m not at all sure I’m on the same page as Horikoshi about Kurogiri and the validity of his existence, however, so I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

Thanks for the ask, and sorry for the wait on the answer!

--------- 1: He’s used that parallel technique before: see e.g. AFO talking about the right way to be a teacher—letting students work things out for themselves rather than handing them the answer—overlaid with Deku muttering his way through the train of thought that will lead him to Full Cowling.

2: Take this with a grain of salt. I am not a dedicated Aizawa watcher. My recollection, however, is that most if not all of the smiles we get out of him in the main canon are related to his students.

#bnha #bnha 374 #iguchi shuuichi #bnha spinner #aizawa shouta #kurogiri #shirakumo oboro #stillness answers

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maxwell-grant · 3 years

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You have done an (excelent) post on how to reinvent Batman as a Pulp Hero. Do you think you could do one to Superman as well? Or do you think it is impossible to do this with the progenitor of the Super Hero genre without transforming him in a totaly diferent character?

Well, you saying it as impossible only makes it seem ever more tempting of a challenge, but yes, it is a bit harder. I'm gonna link my Batman post here as a reference point.

Partially because Batman's a franchise I've thought extensively about for a long time in regards to what I like about it or how I'd like to approach if given the opportunity, which is not something I can really say for Superman until more recently the Big Blue to start orbiting my brain. I don't have years worth of redesigns or fan concepts saved on my galleries and files to comb through to pick and choose here, and my experience with Superman as a character is considerably different, in some aspects more deeply personal, and not really something I'd like to go into in this blog, at least not now.

Part of the reason why it's harder is also because Batman and Superman have very different relationships with their pulp inspirations. Batman was, ostensibly, a pulp character adapted to comics, a dime-a-dozen Shadow knock-off who picked up and played up diverging traits from other characters and gradually ran with them to gradually forge a unique identity. Superman right from the start was rooted in a much stronger conceptual underpinning: the Sci-Fi Superman and Alien Menace who, instead of being a tragic monster or a tyrannical villain, becomes a costumed adventurer and social crusader. Even the name Super-Man was taken from an early story of Siegel and Shuster about a telepathic villain who ends the story lamenting that he should have used his powers for the good of mankind instead of selfishness. I hesitate to call what Siegel and Shuster were doing “subversive” because that term's picked up a real negative connotation, and it's not like Siegel and Shuster were out to upend their influences (they were pulp aficionados themselves), but rather putting a more positive, new spin on them.

Which is why it also becomes a bit harder to do what I did with Batman and align Superman with some of his pulp-esque inspirations, like John Carter, Flash Gordon or Hugo Danner, without just making it "Superman but he's John Carter", "Superman but it's Flash Gordon", and "Iron Munro / Superman but everything sucks" respectively. It's harder to create a character that wouldn't feel reduntant and derivative at best, and actively contradictory to Superman at worst.

I guess if I had to come up with a "Pulp Hero Superman" take I liked, well first of all I'd have to take steps to distance it from the likes of Tom Strong or Al Ewing's Doc Thunder, those two are as good as it gets in regards to Pulp Supermen. I stipulated for Batman a "No Guns, No Murder, No Service" policy partially to distance my takes on Batman from all the "Pulp Batmen" that just add guns and murder and take Batman back to the barest of basics. Likewise, I'm adding a "No Depowered Science Hero" rule here, which means it's a take that's likely going to veer off a lot more into fantasy and probably enough tampering with Clark's character that it does risk becoming a different character.

Frankly I don't think I'm gonna succeed at doing these without just making it a new character entirely, because with Batman you can get away with just upending the character's aesthetic and setting and even origin and still keep it recognizably Bruce Wayne (in fact Batman does that all the time), which isn't really the case with Superman, who needs those to remain recognizably Superman as he goes through internal changes and character shifts. I guess what I'm gonna do here is more taking the building blocks of Superman/Clark Kent and see a couple new ways I can rearrange them to create a Pulp Superman

Perhaps something we can do is to scale back or recontextualize the "superhero" parts without diminishing Superman's role as a superpowered fantasy character.

One way we can start is by picking on that connection between Superman and the sci-fi supermen/alien monsters of pulps I mentioned earlier and play it up further, to create a Superman who's deeply, deeply alien in a way that no mild-mannered disguise or colorful outfit can really disguise, something so dramatically powerful and alien, that instead you could get tales about the kinds of ensuing changes and ripple effects this has on the world upon the The Super-Man's arrival. And for that I'm gonna have to quote @davidmann95's concept for Joshua Viers' absolutely stunning Superman redesign on the left side of the image above

The red, the goldish-orange and white, the alienness, the angelic, sculpted feeling, the halo, that innocently curious expression: it’s genuinely beautiful. Superman as a redeeming science-angel from beyond our understanding, as much past the uncanny valley of limited human comprehension as a Lovecraftian monster but tuned to the opposite key - you could spend an endless procession of human lifetimes trying and failing to understand this being, but all you’ll ever know for sure is that it is beyond you, and it knows you, and it loves you.

Superdoomsday from Earth 45, healed and transformed into the savior it was originally envisioned as? Some descendant of his, or a future of the man himself? An alien who picked up on a broadcast of Superman from Earth, and so inspired reshaped itself in his image to spread his ‘gospel’ to the stars?

Alternatively, to come back to Earth a little, many, many pulp characters and series were built off the antics and personalities of real people, celebrities getting their own magazines or serials or fictionalized takes on them, so perhaps one way to make a "pulp" take on Superman would be to emphasize a bit more of Superman's real-world roots, trends that inspired his creation directly or indirectly at the time. The Jewish strongman Sigmund Breibart and Shuster's interest in fitness culture, Harold Lloyd's comic persona, the rising "strongman" film genre in the early 20th century, actors Clark Gable and Kent Taylor that supposedly named his secret identity, Clark Kent being a socially-awkward journalist based of Siegel's own school experiences.

Maybe one start to an authentic Pulp Superman, who would still be Superman, would be to just ask the question "What if Superman was a real person and/or a celebrity, and they started making pulp magazines and serials dedicated to him? What would those look like?". You wouldn't even have to restrict it to just a story set in the 1930s, in fact you could even play around with the rise of new mediums over the decades.

This third one is a little closer to some plans I have for my own take on a Superman character, not necessarily what I would do with Superman proper but one of my ideas for a Superman analogue. Superman's a character I'll always associate strongly with childhood and childhood fantasy, and to tap into that I would emphasize the other end of the fiction that influenced Siegel and Shuster: comic strips, in their case specifically Little Nemo and Popeye.

In my case I would bring additional influences from some of the comic strips I personally grew up reading like Monica's Gang and Calvin and Hobbes, and I already talked a bit about Captain Fray in terms of how he’s a Superman character despite being a villain. I guess you could call this one "What if Superman was a public domain comic strip character, stripped of the importance of being the founding figure of a super popular genre or extended universe, and also was kind of ugly?".

He's not "Sloth from the Goonies" ugly, I swear I didn't actually have Sloth in mind when typing out this idea, I've never watched that film nor did I know until now that he actually spends the film in a Superman shirt. That's not really what I'm going for. Visually I was thinking of modeling my take on Superman heavily after Hugo from Street Fighter and his inspiration Andre the Giant, to really emphasize the “circus strongman / freak wrestler” aspect of Superman’s inspiration, particularly in regards to how Hugo’s SFIII version strikes a really great balance in making Hugo ugly and both comedic and fearsome in battle, as well as lovable and even a little dopey (without being outright stupid, like his IV self) in his victory animations and endings.

He's still Superman, he still goes on fantastical adventures to help people, he's still a deeply loving and compassionate soul whose face beams with joy and affection and who's got wonderful eyes and a great smile. It's just that this smile has a couple of mismatched stick-out teeth or some missing ones, and he's got a crooked smile some people take as smug or malicious, he’s got a strongman’s gut instead of a bodybuilder’s abs, his nose is a little busted (maybe he’s had too many crash landings), and his hair is a little wild or greasy, and he doesn't exactly have very good people skills because of how others usually react to him and, y'know, he doesn't get the kind of publicity Superman would get despite doing ostensibly the same things. He’s not deformed, he’s incredibly intelligent and capable, but in comparison to how superheroes are usually allowed to look, he might as well be Bizarro in the public eye.

It becomes a running gag that people tend to assume some nearby fireman or cop was the one who rescued the hundred orphans out of a burning building single-handedly, meanwhile he's getting accosted off-panel by police officers who think he set the building on fire, or think they can bully this weird man dressed funny. He goes to rescue old people in peril and occasionally they yell at him that they don't have any money. He doesn't get asked to lead superhero meetings or teams even though many in the community advocate for just how much he does for the world, he gets censored out of tv broadcasts or group shots (even his face is sometimes pixelated when they do show him), people invite him on talk shows and don't really let him talk or assume they got the wrong guy. He goes to rescue a woman dangling off a building, and then he gets attacked by like three different superhero teams who assume he must have kidnapped the poor damsel. He was the first superhero, he is the strongest of them all still, but he never really gets credit for it, it nor does he even want to. None of this at all stops him or deters him, except for some occasionally funny reactions.

This never really changes for him, he doesn't really earn people's approval nor does he have to, instead the stories, outside of the gags and adventures you’d expect from a comic strip, veer more towards others learning to be less judgmental and him learning ways to better approach people. He isn't any lesser than Superman just because he doesn't look like most people would want him to look and he doesn't have to look like Superman. Really I think we could use more superheroes that don’t look all so uniformly pretty.

Again, probably not a take that would work for Clark proper, but it’s one way I would take a shot at doing Superman with my own

I have other stuff in the works for this character but I'd like to keep them to better work on them for now, but yeah, these are three of my shots at developing a Pulp Superman.

Alternatively here's a fourth idea that's more pulp than all of these: Join up Nicholas Cage with Panos Cosmatos again, or whatever weird indie director he decides to pair up with next, and let them do whatever the hell they want with Superman. Give us Mandy Superman. Superman vs The Color Out of Space. Superman vs Five Nights at Freddy's. Superman’s quest to find THE LAST PIG OF KRYPTON. Anything goes.

#replies tag #dc comics #superman #clark kent #superheroes #comic books #nicholas cage

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dahniwitchoflight · 3 years

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Homesquared Chapter 14 part b

Alright time for more reactions to Homesqaured- oh jeezus

the last one of these I did was from october last year, hoo boy alright brain time to get back on the time train things are happening fast

we last left off with me thinking they just fucking hilled Harry but I remembered the wrong house so Harrys fine, John not so much

Yeah, John sad but ooh Karkat shows up!

They seem to have a mutual conversation about lost youth and stuff, really makes these characters feel oold

“JOHN: jeez, i'm sorry karkat.

JOHN: i had no idea how much time had passed.

JOHN: i must have gotten a bit distracted by my house being blown up.“

Oh man, John thats a whole ass MOOD

lol at sburb allocated blow job

yeah Karkats right tho, John does kind of need a kick in the pants to see how he might have been useful here, but Johns still stuck in this rut of not seeing anything around him as Real real, so hes blind to all of the consequences of inaction

John its called derealization and depersonalization, you can get help for that yknow

But I mean, cant really blame him, hes being smothered by the fires of Doom all around him

Its interesting to see that Karkat, a Blood player, is more comfortable navigating through things that constrain them and tie them down, since constraint is something Blood and Doom have in common, Chains and Barriers and Laws and etc

Whereas John the Breath player, just gets bogged down, hes totally out of his element

so it ends up being like John: “Id like to cling to some funny moments of my youth pls and try to lighten the situation up a bit because I cant do anything when so heavy”

versus Karkat being like: “BUCKLE UP FUCK TITS THIS SHIT IS YOUR LIFE NOW GETS USED TO WADING KNEE DEEP IN THE SHIT LIKE THE REST OF US GROWN ASS ADULTS”

John: ):

Hmm, both Vriskas have been captured, but Annie basically rescued herself, knowing Vriska Prime she probably has a plan or an idea about that, see well see how that goes

“KARKAT: JANE'S PLAN FOR THIS CONFLICT HAS THUS FAR CONSISTED ALMOST ENTIRELY OF KIDNAPPING VARIOUS HIGH PROFILE CHILDREN.

KARKAT: IT'S BIZARRE.

KARKAT: AS THOUGH WE ARE FIGHTING A WAR OF ATTRITION, WHERE THE MAIN RESOURCE BEING UTILIZED IS THE OFFSPRING OF THE MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE ON THE PLANET.KARKAT: IF IT WASN'T ONE OF THE CORE TENETS OF HER FASCISTIC PHILOSOPHY, I'D BE TEMPTED TO SAY THAT CURBING REPRODUCTION MIGHT HAVE BEEN A GOOD IDEA, IF ONLY TO PREVENT THIS KIND OF FUCKSHIT NONSENSE FROM HAPPENING.

Oh. Well I guess that was Dirk’s “plans” for Jane all along. Obviously he was using Jane as a vehicle to gather “players” for his eventually next session, interesting

But who has Jane kidnapped in total thus far?

Does Tavros count? he was certainly trapped with her for some amount of his life, but I dont know if that counts as a kidnapping, John certainly tried to kidnap HIM though from the epilogues

Annie certainly counts as being kidnapped

Vrissy has JUST been captured so that counts, and Harry so far is still fine

Which bodes so well for Harry’s future Im sure

Yeah, Vriska should have been able to not outwit any capture attempts, but my guess is either Vrissy got capture and Vriska dove in, OR, Vriska’s doing an inside job so to speak and got caught on purpose, dragging Vrissy along as well

I guess we’ll see when we see their “prison”

Anyway John, don’t get so down on yourself, you’re just ignorant to everythiong around you! thats why nothing makes sense and you can’t connect to anything, easy fix! Just try to learn more and care more about stuff lol

Man does this feel like a strong metaphor between people who are into/care about politics and people who feel like they can’t get into it though

Crossing that hurdle from one side to the other is rough

“KARKAT: BUT NOTICING THE PROBLEM AND MAKING MEANINGFUL PROGRESS TOWARDS SOLVING IT ARE TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THINGS.”

yup

man, this is all feeling startlingly relevant to the current times, I should have read this sooner

“ KARKAT: PLEASE DO NOT TELL ME YOU JUST HAD ANOTHER EMOTION THAT WE NEED TO DROP EVERYTHING IN ORDER TO DISSECT. “

hah, oh wow, Karkat when you phrase it like that, it’s almost as if you’ve become self aware of your tendencies to Moirail people out of their problems

Not really that out of character for a Blood player to end up being the Therapy Friend though lol

Just don’t burn yourself out on that though

JOHN: karkat, we still haven't spoken about *you*!

KARKAT: ABOUT ME?

JOHN: yes.

KARKAT: ABOUT *ME*?

JOHN: about you.

KARKAT: WHAT THE FUCK ABOUT ME.

JOHN: well...

JOHN: you know, how you feel!

KARKAT: HOW I FEEL.

I know Karkat has probably matured past misunderstandings like this now given he’s really come into a great understanding of his Blood aspect, but by golly do I wish Karkat would misunderstand this as John’s attempts to be Moirail-reciprocal sdkjfhwlijebr

What a perfect way to continue their relationship, on top of more misconstrued romance quadrants XD

Spades is old Hat, Diamonds are in now babey

this started out funny, but Karkat’s emotional rant just ended up being depressing not funny ):

I have to say though, it is REALLY interesting to see John’s depression manifesting in a very breathy sort of way

Karkat in these panels was more closer together, connected, but as John gets more and more depressed over the course of Karkat’s rant when he realizes Karkat doesn’t know dave died, the panels get seperated by lines of blue, and slowly drift off away from John and from eachother

but thats basically been hows its been manifesting all along

the more John feels Disconnected and Seperate from the reality he finds himself in, the more he finds his will untethered, the more depressed and unable to act he gets

and right now its so much so that even a fuller fledged Blood player is having trouble grounding him back down

I don’t know, I always viewed the depression metaphor as a dark watery void to sink into and feels heavy and encapsulating (but probably thats just my Light-y interpretation of it)

so its interesting to see the depression metaphor as this floating disconnection instead, so much that it leans towards derelaization/depersonalistion/dissociation as well

I wonder if John will start dealing with bouts of actual full blown dissociation as this gets worse?

I mean, Breath aspect has given the literal ability to ghost around wherever he pleases in all other ways, why not literally and physcologically as well?

So John seems to be fully overembracing his aspect here, to a very unhealthy degree here, which I see you asking “aha Dahni, but hes doesn’t have overblown self esteem here, quite the opposite, is this not an inverted state instead? or something else because hes acting like hes inverting to Breath?”

and I say not so! reader, for overembracing is the idea that through your aspect, your will is overwriting the wills of others, and in someone like Vriska, this manifests in a very selfish and over self esteemed way

but is not John’s will overwriting Karkat’s here? Through Breath? And isnt John also being a little selfish here? Considering how he feels about things, more important than how anyone else feels? How Karkat feels?

John is too dissociated to understand that this reality is Real and has Consequences he needs to care about, and Karkat is trying to fight against that, trying to instill his belief that no, this shit is real and it Matters Why Don’t You Care, trying to ground him, trying to give him that dose of Blood he needs

but John’s overembracing Breath is just, blowing that all away, its becoming too strong

Roxy in the epilogues dealt with this as well, when John was really in the shits with it and started to believe Roxy’s whole personality was somehow fake and his own construction, because he convinced himself Roxy would never choose to do the things she did, but Roxy was able to snap him out of it and make him understand and respect it was her own choices that led down his path, not the idea that John’s choices are somehow overriding everyones

But man, John sure is riding that Breath train way too hard, and he keeps snapping back into it as well

Further and Further

#Homesquared #Homestuck^2 #Homestuck #John Egbert #Karkat Vantas #dissociation

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a-dorin · 4 years

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mine | the mandalorian

word count: 1,941

warnings: smut, daddy kink, slight bdsm(?), a tiny bit of angst

summary: after a rough day, you refuse any help from the mandalorian. he slings you over his shoulder, carrying you to your quarters, where he helps ease your stress.

the sky stretched onward for miles, a dark navy void dotted with stars. you let out a sigh, fiddling with some buttons on the control panel. it was well past midnight, but the time was hard to tell. every hour of the day looked the same when in space.

"i wouldn't play around with those," a voice snapped you out of your trance, startling you.

you jumped in the seat, placing a hand on your chest, "don't scare me like that."

beskar gleamed in the moonlight, "i'm sorry doll, should i warn you next time?"

"fuck off," you scoffed, spinning in the chair.

"you're in my seat," the mandalorian shrugged, "and you're messing around with things you shouldn't be messing around with."

"i'm sorry doll," you rolled your eyes, scoffing, "should i move seats?"

the mandalorian let out a huff of annoyance, placing his hands on your shoulders, "what's wrong?"

you scowled, attempting to hold up a tough exterior. yet, once his gloved hands began to knead your shoulders, soothing your sore muscles, you crumbled, "i just had a bad day. that's all."

"what went wrong?" din inquired, his tone curious.

as the partner of the famed mandalorian, you were the brains of the duo. your lover, the mandalorian, was the brawn. for the past six months, you were woven into an intricate relationship with the mysterious and complex warrior. the two of you met on nevarro, where you were a bounty hunter for the guild. your first encounter with din was when the two of you accidentally collided. you were on the hunt for your next target. apparently, lando sent din out for the same bounty as well. at first, the two of you got into a heated argument, but worked it out, splitting the bounty.

it wasn't long till din asked if you wanted to travel the galaxy with him. it helped that he was on the run, with a precious bounty in his possession. he had encountered a foundling, which was supposed to be a target. din cared for the child, eventually claiming it as his own for the time being. the two of you were co-parenting, traveling the universe in search for the child's true home.

without a doubt, you loved din. even if it meant not being able to see his face. you understood the creed completely, as you did not want to disrespect din. so, the two of you found compromises. whenever you ached for touch, din would find a way to fulfill your needs.

din returned the same affection, giving you more love than you deserved. the mandalorian adored you endlessly, providing you with constant care, wisdom, and protection. you were his soul mate, without a doubt. he admired your quick qit and perseverance, as you never abandoned a mission or left anyone behind. as much as he longed for you to see his face, he knew that this was the way of life.

realizing you never answered din's question, you shrugged slightly, "things just didn't go as plan today. when the child and i went to the marketplace, he wouldn't listen to me. he was the reason why some of my trading deals fell through. he wouldn't go to bed right away either."

"welcome to raising a child baby," din chuckled, the noise echoing through the empty ship, "c'mon, let's get some sleep. maybe you'll feel better after some rest."

"i'm fine," you pouted, folding your arms over your chest.

"babygirl," the nickname made you stiffen, a slight blush spreading through your cheeks, "why don't we go to bed?"

"you're extremely convincing," you snorted, remaining still.

din tsked, a loud yelp escaping your lips, as he lifted you from the seat, slinging you over his shoulder. you squirmed, your struggle dismal against din's iron grip. you were silent as din carried you to your shared quarters, laying you down on the bed. there was not a single word exchanged between the two of you as din removed a layer of his armor. you bit your lip, the tension in the room like static electricity.

"stay put," din commanded, his voice low.

you obeyed, fiddling with a string on the comforter. din placed a clean handkerchief beside you, "here, you know what to do."

eagerly, you slipped off your tunic, casting it to the floor. you shimmied out of your pants, throwing those to the side as well. adrenaline pumped through your veins as you wrapped the handkerchief around your head, darkness filling your vision. excitement buzzed through you, as you were fully aware of what was to come next.

the clanging of armor as it fell to the floor bounced off the walls, your ears ringing. wetness pooled between your thighs. din hadn't even touched you yet but you ached for his touch. to relieve your stress. to ease all of your worries. you laid back down, the silence in the room almost unbearable.

din's voice flooded your left ear, "relax babygirl, let daddy take care you."

din's soft lips met with your collarbone, his kisses hungry as he nipped at the skin. his hands roamed your body, palms cupping your breasts as he squeezed them. you moaned softly, fueling din's desire to fuck you senseless.

sex was a rare occasion, as often times both of you were either too exhausted or handling the child. so, whenever din saw opportunity, he seized it. throughout the day, the mandalorian thoughts wandered. filthy images poured into his mind, his cock hardening, strained against the fabric of his pants. now, you were beneath him, desperate for his next move. din was in full control of you, orchestrating it all. a rush of satisfaction filled him to the brim. he loved when you were submissive. especially when he didn't have to assert his dominance.

"din," you groaned, music to the warrior's ears, "please, just fuck me."

"so eager," din purred, fingers toying with the hook of your bra, "do you want this off?"

you nodded slightly, din grasping your chin in your hands, "you know i can't see the want in your eyes baby. you have to tell daddy what you want."

"i want you to take the rest of my clothes off," your voice was quiet, almost timid.

din softened, "baby, does this intimidate you?"

"no," your response was immediate, "i love it."

"you know the safe word," din murmured, "if this gets to be too much just let me know, okay?"

"okay din," you whispered, desperate to feel his lips on your skin once more.

the feeling of din's lips on your skin was enough to make you cum. since one of your senses was taken away, the others were heightened. the way he touched you was almost like sheer ectasy. the pleasure was immense but it just felt so fucking good. you drank in every moment like this with din, savoring the feeling. din knew how to fuck you good. how to fuck you so good that your thighs shook, toes curled, your orgasm crashing into you, showering you with intense pleasure. your inability to watch it all was a small price to pay for how the mandalorian made you feel.

din's fingertips brushed your back as he took off your bra, sending a shiver down your spine. his touch was so gentle that you almost didn't feel him sliding your underwear down your legs. his palms were warm as he ran them along your thighs. his thumb connected with your clit, circling it. you arched your back, crumpling under his touch.

"such a good girl," din cooed, "your pussy is so wet for me. you're dripping."

din wasted no time, his cock filling up your tight pussy without warning. you screamed out his name, the mandalorian groaning as your walls enveloped his hard cock. he adjusted so that you could take it all, his length taking in every inch of your walls. his hands gripped your hips, your arms looped around his neck.

his lips met yours, kissing you hungrily. you reciprocated, allowing his tongue to explore your mouth. din sucked on your lower lip, growling his cock pounded into you. you moaned into his mouth, the cries desperate for more. begging for more. skin met with heated skin, a dull slapping sound filling the room.

this time, din was ruthless with you, fucking you senseless. tears brimmed your eyes, but it just felt so damn good. too fucking good. your juices dripped down din's cock, flowing onto the bed. din's mouth left yours, connecting with your neck.

you threw your head back, as din hit your g-spot. stars popped like fireworks, filling your vision. you came undone, moaning as din's cock pumped in and out of you. your cum all over din's cock sent him over the edge, him pulling out. he came all over your stomach, making a mess.

"i'll be back," din promised, placing a chaste kiss on your temple.

you remained still, awaiting for the mandalorian's return. he came back merely seconds later, a warm towel gently caressing your heated skin. beneath you, cum soaked the blanket, din's strong hands rolling you over.

"here," he murmured, his hands guiding you, "stand up for a second."

you obeyed, rustling flooding your hearing. din must have replaced the blanket. he left the room once more, giving you the signal to get dressed. sighing, you discarded the handkerchief, the moonlight bright in your vision. you blinked, plucking your tunic from the floor. slipping it over your head, you curled up in the bed, a feeling of despair washing over you.

closing your eyes, you drifted off, pondering if din was going to return. sometimes he did. sometimes he didn't. your ears caught the sound of the door, the comforter rustling as din slid in bed next to you.

"i love you (y/n)," he whispered, his tone gentle.

"i love you too," a smile formed on your lips.

"i might let you get a peek," din's throat vibrated on your shoulder blade, "only if you're good tomorrow."

"wouldn't that be disobeying the creed?"

"not if it's a peek," din kissed your head, wrapping you into his arms, "i hope i ended your day on a good note."

"you always do," you sighed with content.

din began to run his fingers through your hair, the action lulling you to sleep. you dozed off, your light snores filling the quiet room. din felt exhaustion overwhelm him, eventually falling asleep himself. hours passed, and you stirred, blinking. the child's cries were almost deafening, but you could still feel a presence next to you in bed.

you rolled over, hoping that din was asleep. your breath hitched in your throat as you saw your lover for the very first time.

his hair was a light brunette mess, his skin a fairer complexion. a mustache was just below his strong nose, his lips a soft pink. without a doubt, you were in love with the most handsome man in the galaxy. his eyelashes fluttered as he slept, light snores coming from his lips. you ached to reach out, to feel his features. yet, you knew you couldn't. it would wake him.

you rose from the bed, a warm feeling seeping into your chest. your love for the mandalorian was intensified, as you finally got a glimpse at last. din djarin was beautiful soul. a compassionate, loving soul who wanted nothing more but to protect those who needed it. not only was he a beautiful soul, he was a gorgeous being. the most beautiful being in the galaxy.

and the best part is, that he is yours.

all yours.

#the mandalorian #the mandalorian x reader #the mandalorian smut #din x reader #din djarin #star wars x reader #star wars #mandalorian x reader

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zachsgamejournal · 3 years

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COMPLETED: Breath of Fire 3

It is done. God is dead. Well...a self-proclaimed god. While we cheated, my son and I did beat the game...and, despite this being one of my favorite RPGs, it's uh...my first time "beating" it.

So! We crossed the desert into the futuristic city that now lies in ruins and took the elevator up to the Myria Orbital station. It's, uh, a space station connected to the earth by an elevator shaft...I guess. Concept Art

After all the wandering about, I was pretty ready to meet "God" and get this over with--but it's the finale, so they had to make it count. We wandered about, trying to feel our way around the "space station". Eventually, we found a room I had forgotten about...it had electrified floors. To un-electrify them, there are three consoles. Each console has a pattern of negative and positive signs on a grid. You have to get the three patterns to over-lap so that the postive-negative charges cancel each other out. But with three panels, you run into issues of two positives and one negative occupying the same space: thus it stays electrified.

Clever idea: yes. Fun idea: no.

One console is in the room with the floor, and the other two consoles are in a completely different room, separated by a 30 second walk not counting the one or two random battles you're likely to get. I got really frustrated, and my son went and told my wife: "That game is making daddy nuts!"

Anyway, I figured it out and moved on. This required a boss fight (easy enough cause we're cheating), which got us a keycard and special plant-killing shells for Momo. Going back to the other wing of the station, Momo uses the special shells to blow up plant vines blocking the door (not unlike a puzzle in Resident Evil 2...).

I think beyond this, we find a labyrinth of utility hallways. I had to back track a few times. Eventually we get to an indoor garden.

FLASHBACK: (not in the game, but mine)

Back when I first tried to play this game, I defeated every challenge thrown at me. I think I did have the guide to the game, but it was mostly used to help me through some sticky parts (and look at the cool art!). I made it to the final dungeon (Myria Station) but struggled to beat the final boss.

As a matter of fact. I never beat the final boss.

I needed to be a higher level. To reach that level, I did some grinding in the garden area. Mostly, you fight Plant 42s, which I loved since it was a reference to the mutated Resident Evil plant. But it shocked me to see that the exp was about 800, when there are fights elsewhere in the station that land closer to the 2k range. Surely that would have been more effective leveling?

Either way--I just never got strong enough to win the final boss.

BACK TO PRESENT:

We find Teepo here. Jack and Rei are surprised as hell! My son was excited, cause we all thought Teepo was dead. Turns out, Teepo is also a dragon, just like Jack. But instead of wandering the world with Garr and Nina, he joined the Goddess Myria who convinced him that his powers were dangerous. So he surrendered himself to her and is now her brain-washed lapdog, more or less.

Teepo causes Ryu to go into a weird dream (which we had to play twice due to game-freeze). Here, Ryu is exposed to the thoughts and anxieties of his party members. This is supposed to convince him to surrender his power like Teepo, but it doesn't.

Nina apparently struggles to please her mother by being a good, respectable princess while also trying to be herself and pursue her own sense of justice: such as helping Ryu and saving Rei!

Rei...I guess is concerned about his own power as Weretiger. Mostly, he just seems to want to help his old friend?

Garr wants to reconcile why he was ordered to kill hundreds of dragons, especially then they easily could have defended themselves--but they didn't.

Momo wants to understand all the advanced tech here, and how it could be used to better the world.

Peco is apparently the fucking tree of Yggdrassil in mobile form, and wanders about with thousands of years worth of world-knowledge, but can't communicate it to the team cause he doesn't speak English.

So anyway, Ryu doesn't relent and Teepo must be defeated. He dies and turns into a purple dragon. Rei and Ryu are sad, but yo--dick move.

Next, we have to find our way to Myria. First, there's this confusing 3 level maze of boss rooms that have you fighting past bosses, sometimes several at a time. It was annoying, and my son was done with it. WE JUST WANT TO MEET GOD!

Once through, we find a super sci-fi, futuristic room with holograms explaining Myria's intentions. The advanced world was being consumed by sand. My guess is that pollution made that world self destructive. Myria led her people to a greener, more flourishing land and then built a giant ocean between them to stop the sands. She also made the ocean very dangerous so the humans wouldn't return. Some how, she feared the power of the dragons would bring about another sand-issue, so she had them killed to save humans.

Now, this seems like a Lost scenario where Myria is no God, and likely didn't actually build any oceans. Instead, she helped people escape their self-destructive technology, and then controlled people's knowledge of tech so they wouldn't repeat past mistakes. So basically, she kept building machines and letting them fall in the ocean so they'd wash up on shore (Steel Beach). This allowed people to use machines a little, but not "make" machines.

I think she really feared dragon power as a threat to her own power, and wanted them out of the equation since they didn't submit to her rule. Since she martyred herself as a savior of humans, she felt justified in her genocide.

Ryu chooses whether to help her or fight her. But she warns that fighting her would mean facing the desert without her protection. Warning that holds little merit in my mind, cause she's a liar.

So we fought her. We defeated her.

The space station starts to crumble. Garr decides he's completed his journey and turns to stone like the other guardians. Everyone else escapes. Myria prays to God, asking, "If there is a God..." revealing that she was playing a part and did not actually know shit (like Jacob in Lost).

Afterwards, Ryu is seen joining his friends at a cliff overlooking a desert: fade to black.

Despite the many deviations the story takes for the sake of taking up time, I really enjoy this game. The world is well defined and the characters are good. Even the villains often have empathetic motivations, or perspectives that make you doubt your first conclusions. The game also tackles a variety of concepts that are morally challenging and deals with death and sacrifice in meaningful ways. It led to great conversations between my son and I. The last leg of the game is a bit tedious and shallow. I understand why they felt compelled to make it "bigger", but they used up most of their plot early on.

We cheated. We had infinite health and all that. Basically, we just killed all the grinding and retries. The game has a great story and fun mini games (and the sound track is fucking amazing!) so I don't think much is lost by skipping the tedious random battles and leveling up. If that's something you want as part of your experience, go for it.

It's just, for RPGs like this, the best things about them are story, characters, mini-games, puzzles, and exploring. The fighting is fine, and expected, but it shouldn't take up 70% of your play time when it's really only about 10% of the fun (if that).

So I feel no shame in cheating.

My son wants to play Breath of Fire 4 now. I'm excited to revisit this one (I actually beat it before (no cheating))!

#Zach's Game Journal #PLAYING #Breath of Fire 3 #Breath of Fire III #PlayStation #DuckStation #PS1 #Emulators #God is Dead #JK: she might be fine

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ks-caster · 3 years

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Beth Liveblogs Black Widow

Bought that premium access on Disney+ so I can have the privilege of pausing for snacks and using subtitles as needed - so let’s go!

Beth’s Spoiler-Free Review: Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the movie - the plot was compelling, the characters were likable, and the stunts were really excellent. I felt like hair and makeup dropped the ball on realism multiple times which I was sad about, because how she looks seems to be pretty important to Nat so I expected it to be done well in her movie.

I did not like the way they framed the tail end (denouement - obviously because this movie is mid-series we know how it ends to an extent) - I felt like the connect-up to Infinity War was lackluster, especially compared to how enjoyable and dynamic the rest of the film was.

Spoilery live-reactions are under the cut. Click at own risk! Feel free to rebagel with your own impressions, thoughts, jokes and rebuttals!

The movie begins with a young Nat with blue dyed hair and visible roots, showing her natural red. Do you know how hard it is to get natural red out of hair, enough to make it blue and not green? And I’m supposed to believe that a middle-school age girl in 1995 Ohio had access to these chemicals? I’ll give her the white hair in IW/Endgame because she’s an adult with a lot of experience as a spy altering her appearance. But as a child? In the 90s? While her family is apparently in hiding? Sus.

The scene with Alexei laying on the on the wing while Nat learns to fly? AMAZING stunts. Amazing. AND someone in an action movie is finally smart enough to shoot the tires.

Nice skills on young Nat, getting the gun. Since we know from Endgame that Nat’s father is named Ivan, we know that Alexei isn’t really her dad. She also refers to presumably the red room as going “back.” Was she lent out to these agents to legitimize their family?

-0-

Nice knife moves, Yelena - I love the hand switch.

Ooooh so she was being mind controlled and the red stuff freed her? Interesting.

-0-

Nat is in Norway - visit Thor! He’d love to have you. (I’m mixing up my timeline, aren’t I?)

Supplies Dude whose name I didn’t catch refers to the Avengers breakup as a divorce - I kinda love it. It’s accurate!

BUDAPEST omg are we finally going to get the story?? Are we??

Box dye? I’m supposed to believe she got all that red out of her hair with flippin’ Loreal? Really? And that toner isn’t even the color she ultimately went - it’s too yellow. Sus.

-0-

Oop, looks like Nat got caught up in Yelena’s desertion.

Do not give Nat your metal frisbee, robocop - she’s been around Steve long enough that she knows how to use it.

I laughed out loud when she did the string him up thing with the cables - literal spider move, I love it!

Mystery box is empty - classic bait and switch.

-0-

BUDAPEST - WE ARE IN BUDAPEST - IT’S HAPPENING PEOPLE

Nat closing the door behind her is a small thing but I appreciate it - no sneaking up behind her.

When Yelena throws Nat in the kitchen and her feet hit the door and she spins before she hits the ground? That was a helluva stunt.

Oooooh honey. No body left to check is ALWAYS movie code for they lived.

Dreykov’s daughter? Another hint from Avengers 2012? C’mon, movie.

Riding the chimney down? Another incredible stunt.

Dreykov can scan his soldiers’ bodies and terminate them if they’re too damaged to keep fighting? Big yikes. With Nat where she is character development wise, the stakes are now much higher because if she injures an opponent they may be killed remotely.

“Do you want me to chase him down and un-steal it?”

The car door under the bike was an excellent stunt - as was the car going into the subway. Though I’ve never seen a subway entrance big enough to admit a car.

Who hasn’t wanted to slide down the middle to avoid the crowded escalators lol.

Yelena making fun of Nat’s sexy poses I am LIVING omg.

Running water for wounds. RUNNING WATER. NOT ALCOHOL. The vodka goes on the INSIDE for the pain - the running water cleans the OUTSIDE. If there’s a convenience store then there’s a bathroom, with running water. Cleansing with something like alcohol is a LAST RESORT and you do not look like you’re at that point resource-wise. I thought these ladies were supposed to be highly trained in all of the things?

“Could be fun though.” “I saw where he put the keys” “Top drawer green cabinet.” I love their chaos.

Yelena’s vest and its pockets and the resulting conversation are positively majestic.

“You are sensitive.” “You’re a very annoying person.”

-0-

Do! Not! Move! Around! Like! That! While! Getting! A! Tattoo!!!! That poor artist was trying his best and Alexei just...

Ooooh was Red Guardian like Captain Russia? Interesting.

“Just don’t make a scene.” “You made a scene didn’t you.”

David Harbor running up that wall and then wiping out after the guard shocks him... I really loved that stunt, especially since they don’t show him being all super cut - he’s a big guy! He’s allowed to have fat over his muscles and still be a strong dude! I love it.

“Such a poser.” Girl, you need to meet Loki - he does a lot of hair flips too lol.

The sibling energy between the girls during the rescue!!!

“Whooooooa... this would be a cool way to die.” Yelena, I’m not necessarily disagreeing with you but get your head in the game girl.

Poor Alexei - he never gets to do the dramatic escape from *inside* of the aircraft.

Hang on, no ovaries? So all of these women are now in immediate, surgically-induced menopause? The uterus part makes sense if the intent was to prevent them from getting pregnant if they have sex during a mission, but, what, they gotta be on estrogen supplements for the rest of their lives? That’s just really poor planning. Like it was hilarious the way Yelena went into the biology of it to make Alexei uncomfortable, but that really doesn’t make sense to do to your superhero kids. It’s just bad science.

Love that Yelena keeps her vest even after she changes into her matching white flight suit. That vest better make it to the end of the movie.

-0-

“Honey, we’re home.” I 100% expected her to shoot him on sight tbh. it would have been funny.

Alexei squeezing into the uniform is such a post-pandemic feel. Also all of the fancy braids at that table; I see where Natasha got her propensity for them.

Animal cruelty warning, ugh. Poor piggy Alexei.

Oooh the photo album and Natasha remembered staging the pictures; they’re emotional for her but in a different way.

I wonder if robocop’s shield is actually Alexei’s.

The singing between Alexei and Yelena was a really beautiful moment because it was neither auto-tuned-good nor hilariously bad - it felt really real, especially the way Yelena’s so choked up she can barely make sounds come out.

Uh-oh, mama has one of those monitor your vitals and kill your ass suits. The suits I understand - the eyeliner though... when and why did she do her makeup?? That’s not really the thing that comes to mind for me when I’m getting ready to do something athletic, like say kidnapping my supersoldier fake family.

“This is a much less cool way to die.” Also WTF why would they do that. Wouldn’t it be easier to get the information out of her while her brain is still attached to, y’know, her mouth??

CLEVER CLEVER CLEVER they switched outfits and faces ooooooh like mother like daughter.

The door opening as Alexei is leaning against it dramatically bahahahaha

I love the plan. I’m thoroughly weirded out that Melina has a red wig just lying around that perfectly immitates Natasha though.

“Yelena, it’s mama. You have a two-inch blade in your belt.”

Oh. My. God.

Antonia.

A pheromone lock preventing them from hurting them if they’re close enough to smell him - I like it. It’s clever and new.

Bahahaha poser! You posed I saw you! Still love the vest.

Natasha is really good at manipulating people’s emotions to get what she wants - I mean, scary good. So if she’s provoking Dreykov into beating her up, there’s a reason.

“Using the only resource the world has too much of - girls.” Kill him.

-0-

When I say I whooped out loud... SEVERING THE NERVE. Thank you for your cooperation. YAAAAAAS QUEEN.

-0-

“Slight change of plans - we are going into a controlled crash.” The way she said that was just so mom-like omg!

-0-

The grenade as a delivery system was super smart - but yikes what if she’d mistimed it and blew Natasha up? Also, after the beating she took and how hard she had to wack her own face into the desk to sever her olfactory nerve and the amout of blood we saw her leave behind from doing that, her face should be a LOT more messed up, come on makeup department.

“Get as far away from here as possible.” And then keep going because General I-Collect-Supersoldiers-Like-Stamps Ross is about to turn up at your location looking for trouble and he’d snap you ladies up like there’s a fire sale and you’re going out of stock.

This crash doesn’t look all that controlled, Melina. I’m starting to suspect that most of the widows won’t live long enough to make their own decisions...

All of the aerial stunts were amaaaaaazing - the way Nat slowed herself by sliding down the panels so Antonia could catch up with her and she could deploy her parachute...

The vest survived the movie!!!

Fuuuuuck Ross is showing up and he sucks and I hate him and I’m super worried that he’s gonna take the vest from Nat if he takes her into custody. Please don’t let her lose the vest.

Okay, there is now zero reason for Nat to stay behind. They have an aircraft. She had plenty of time to just board it and leave?

-0-

Okay okay okay Ross did not get her and did not take the vest. But am I supposed to believe she bleached her hair, toned it blonde, and then re-bleached and re-toned it to silver? Who does that? That would be terrible for her hair. Her scalp would be burned all to hell from the amount of chemicals needed to not only get all that red out but THEN get the blonde toner out. Y’know what color silver toner is? Blue/purple. Y’know what happens when you mix that with yellow? Green. And not a nice green either (I speak from experience). No. Her hair at the end of the movie? Cancelled.

-0-

SHE GOT THE DOG!!!

Oh, ouch. Big ouch. I hurt like a lot now. This is so not an okay way to end the -

...

Countess I-Forgot-Your-Name-Already?

Oh no. Oh no. That’s worse. That’s a lot worse. We are now setting up the Hawkeye series and I while I’m horrified that this was how they ended the film, I gotta say that’s going to make for some wonderful angst in that series on both Clint and Yelena’s parts and I am here for it!

OVERALL IMPRESSION

I really, really enjoyed this movie, I thought the story was compelling, the stunts were really excellent, and I liked the character dynamics and the twist

I did not like the ending - it just sort of fell off quickly and didn’t feel satisfying after an otherwise really fun movie. I also take issue with the hair and makeup as shown among the characters, as seen in my several rants to that effect.

I would have liked to have seen a few more childhood/training flashbacks, and absolutely would have loved a cameo from Jeremy Renner (not just his voice) and to see him and Nat meeting and him giving her the whole dad speech that he does so well - bonus points if she could have then quoted him to Yelena or Antonia, showing the way that multiple people had a formative effect on her (an answer to the “The Avengers aren’t really your family either” comment).

#BlackWidowSpoilers #Black Widow Spoilers #Beth Liveblogs Black Widow

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victorusolano · 3 years

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FYD Series

It was one evening of summer. Anyone's skin can be steamed when exposed to the open air of the night. There, perched like a bird on his writing desk, contemplating seriously in a small dimly lit room was - Xenon. His family was all disturbed by the climate condition, so they went out of town to some nearby beach resorts. Xenon on his volition stayed alone, in which he likely enjoyed making love with the old typewriter resting in a great silence. He thought that this is what he needs to write a story tonight and the deadline of his paper is tomorrow before the sunset.

Two weeks ago, the writing task was assigned to him, by the chief editor of the literary magazine he is working with; and till this night it had remained untouched, and unmarked, though the time left was enough to say generously to finish one short story. However, catching up the race between him, and the ongoing moments is now useless. Words and meanings ran away and went to a place nowhere to be found. I should eat a dictionary, He murmured to himself. He took a glance at the old wall clock and looked away at the open window, stared blankly across the survey of height and to the dark space outside.

When he reconciled his thoughts; he gave a sweeping look at the old pictures of the family photos and old framed certificates of academic achievements of writing contests. He nailed his attention to a class picture of his college.

It was before the day of graduation; like a dreamy shot, his recollections swirled in a throwback changing a milieu; a trance to a memory. He can even smell the old odor of the room where he was in the picture: the blackboard with the doodle half-erased drawings of impish boyhood, girls prepping up in a rush as the bell rang when the class was announced dismissed. “Wait for me at the powder room, just need to fix this” the president of the class pointed at the board trying so hard to erase the drawings. “Come on here now Xenon!” The tall pale boy invited him to take his place for picture taking along the corridor. The boys, in a disorganized choreography, set themselves like a tableau; rowdy as they were. They were teasing, joking, thumping in harsh horseplay. “It's the last day!” Declared joyfully of one of the boys.

His consciousness lurched back into reality like a warp of time; he put his palm on his face. Now, he began carelessly to at least write something. The editor will kill him flat tomorrow; I need to finish at least one tonight.

He took a glance at the old wall clock which struck exactly twelve-thirty midnight. He returned to his writing desk, wiped out apple cores and peels, and decided to transcribe anything that comes first into his mind, a short story must be short and should have a story, he said to himself. But what story should I write? desperate he was, hope suddenly became absent; tomorrow I'm dead! Misfortune has taken its form now: all he accomplished about writing have flown away, he began to think that all structures of narratives are bogus, workshops and seminars he attended are all hoaxes. No formula could teach someone how to write. He then remembered a book called Under The… What? It’s something ahm… He tried it with difficulty to remember. Suddenly, he remembered Tree - then he told himself, all writing may be divided into two groups, good writing, and bad writing; good books come out of good writing while bad writing produces failures, again and again, he scanned the line like an X-ray of that passage from a book which was a foreword by RK. A failure He exclaimed silently; not even of Montes’ Of Fish… and etcetera, What would I be writing about dogs or flies? Then he recalled Peter's Touch Move. I am no longer a kid! That conviction made him more worried there, he is now sure that a block along the streamlines of thoughts is hampering him to be productive and creative. No is now a strong resistance, to be Noel’s Games is something, and to finish a writing task today is a different thing. He remembered it all well; call me Tina or Fanny – No one calls me! He snorted.

It was almost three in the morning and no matter how hard he tried to have an idea and flood an ink in the paper, it just equated to frustration. A scrap of papers had been spilling off the bin and onto the floor, so he decided to take a walk outside for a while and jog. The objective of his motivation was like a plan, he thought that maybe he needed to activate an endorphin from his brain, in a matter of two minutes he got changed his clothes, he wore that unlaundered navy blue jersey shorts, he wore the other day; he paired it with a billowy old white cotton shirt, and put on his ash-colored rubber shoes which was a birthday gift, and went to the plaza.

He went on jogging around the track field. Quickly, it made him asphyxiated on the sixth round, but he decided to run two more and two rounds of walk to complete the set; good enough for an hour jog today he thought. Thirsty as he was, he wanted to look for water, so he went to an all-day convenience store to quench his dried throat. “Good morning!” a sweet greeting of the store staff, he smiled back and padded to the panel doors of chillers; grabbed a bottle of water, he opened it right away and in a spur-of-the-moment, he drank it all without thinking that he hadn't paid it yet; he remembered, so he went to the counter, and scanned the bottle, he grabbed some chips, and instant coffee, pay the total, and left.

At the park, He again tried to process what was going on with him. The situation of being a writer seemed to change from what he has believed for the past years; beginning from his aspiration to be a writer someday which now has been achieved. Now is a challenge against himself, am I just being lazy? He rebuked the thought hastily, laziness is a big word, he would like to think that he is more of a selective participant rather than being the word lazy… these thoughts wire loomed in his mind. He walked toward a wooden bench at the park but at that moment, an answer did not come; he decided to sit for a moment while looking at the cadastral and being engulfed by the tranquility. When suddenly an old man spoke, “What are you looking at?” the old man asked, breaking the silence. Astounded Xenon was; as he did not realize the presence of the old man sitting next to him at all before. Xenon tried to find a complete grasp of how it could happen?

“Nothing sir” he answered back at an instant without an inch of hesitation.

“Thinking?”

“No, sir”

“What exactly do you have in your mind and how would you like to describe it, before you sit here beside me?” The old man asked. “Well I am thinking of so many things, I am thinking of my article, a short story of some sort, it’s my deadline today, and I need to submit it this afternoon” Xenon responded as if caught in a corner with the question.

“Excuse me, sir - you've been here all the while?”

“Yes”

“I… did not see you’re here, I am sure of that!”

“Well I am exactly”

“Exactly? like how? I’m sorry sir!”

The old man gave him an artificial laugh before he uttered another word. “There so many things we trouble so much in this life – we don’t see now details of why we’re here or how did we get there, time runs too fast, we don’t see that - I like this place,” An eminent pause before Xenon was able to respond, “I'm sorry for the intrusion, sir!” What he wanted to mean in that is like a stop.

“Are you alone or waiting for someone? I'll just then look at another bench around.”

“No,” the old man said.

Without a second the old man said, “You can sit here, I don't own it anyway - I am the same, like you…” he turned a look to Xenon “I as well wanted to take a walk and free the mind of so many things.”

Xenon did not believe the words, like the same he tried to process the thought, it cannot be possible for two people to do something the same or thinking completely parallel at the same point of time at exactitude, and meet. He’d like to dismiss the idea with a general conviction. “Yes, I am thinking if this is appropriate to have your autograph?” The old man said, Xenon wondered very oddly. The old man was very well informed, he thought as if he was under surveillance. “Hold on a second, sir - How did you know that...? I am… ahm” He can’t find the words again. “Writer?” The old man responded so very quickly to help him grasp the words. “Yes! You've already told me, I think no less than a minute before the whole sentence that I have calculated.” - “What?” He was surprised by the old man’s precision of thoughts. “You see now my friend, It seems that you're not paying much attention to the details, you’ve just told me that; this day is your deadline of a narrative to some sort that you needed to submit later this afternoon.” He repeated it like a backmasked vinyl recording to him.

He did not answer back and noticed something which he cannot sham his feeling. he thought it was talking to some kind of a prophet; an oracle, the old man gave him a creep but it was never of fear he felt that time, when the old man said, you're not paying much attention to the details: and it provided him a connection, an impulse releasing the secret of his lingering dilemma. It seemed that the old man had known him before and was reading his mind in silence. And before he could say another word, the old man got on to his feet and walked slowly in the distance. “Where are you going, sir? I thought you wanted my autograph?” He replied instantly. “I was about to do that” he slipped his hand on the pocket of his shirt and brought out a pen. The man moved close to him and said, “maybe after you finish the story you are about to submit today – I want surprises, I love that. It sounded more of a challenge to him. “I'll just wait for it once it’s out,” the old man continued, “I'm expecting that one will be good too, like the others.” Xenon felt being seized. Then in no time delay, he asked, “Sir, may I know your name please” The old man looked away and replied with a serious note. “I never had one.”

“I grew up in a home,” the old man continued, Xenon did not understand what he meant by the word home.

“I never knew who my parents are”

“You mean you're an orphan, sir?”

He sounded that question as an inquiry, not a statement or a report; he could not completely believe when the old man said, never had one. He assumed, while the slightest of what he can accept, that someone in his infancy had given him any name at least any among the common names, like Peter or Jeff.

“Yes, may I?” The old man was demonstrating to take a seat, he snatched the opportunity, and released a deep sigh before Xenon could make his reply.

“Yes! Surely, sir”

“I would like to tell you a story – may I?” Without averseness he agreed — this is what precisely he doesn’t have at this very moment — He felt a pity to himself that the old man at least has something to tell a story. He thought resentfully. “Now, what is your nearest happy memory? – something that may be a remarkable one?” The old man asked. “Well, I can still remember my days when I was in college, you know a scholar of some sort, a nerdy bookworm student and sometimes nasty. I enjoyed the friends and their all varieties of personal attitude, the mentorship and all; that experience gave me a feeling of a second home too,” he ended his recollection with a ruminating smile.

The old man started after his last word and said, “home Oh yes! I grew up in a home too, you know. But it was different, — there are all sorts of people from all diversities you know? minor age killers, thieves, abandoned children, and those who escape from their hostile relatives and parents — there is one thing that is common among all of us resident mates. We are all looking for someone who could give us genuine love; so to every opportunity of adoption; though we don’t want to go away from home, we grab it in hope for a foster parent. On the contrary, after a week or so; most of us go back and never want to go out. The result rather turned worse, trust became more absent.”

“That must be interesting – go on please” Xenon eagerly butt in. “We didn’t have a good foundation of education there.” Xenon in his skeptics let the old man claim his privilege of a good start of his story, “though a mother staff is there to attend the everyday needs of the operation of a foster home, there is always a lacking that only a real parent could provide the never-ending emptiness lingers every day. When you were being born and grew up in a home you’ll never find a name in your birth identity, the space in the paper reads either baby boy or baby girl, or at least a consolation part is you have your last name written on your birth certificate, then at your legal age, you will then be advised and go on a series of counseling to condition your mind that you are now ready to be set free and join the outside world. On the other meaning, you will now look for your own. All years of staying there, all favors of your daily needs are all in the form of a plea and request, it’s like a nauseated chick being asked to walk or run.” Xenon, unconsciously now conceded and pondering deep to the part brimming inside him, the visual in his mind provided a still picture that speaks a thousand and more ideas to write.

He felt like hanging on a cliff and wanting more. “Go on, please!” He said. “Very well,” the old man continued. “Overwhelmed you are now huh? - There was an incident that night when everybody was all sleeping in our respective quarters; the boy’s place was on the east of a pavilion near the high walls while the girls’ was just near the lobby entrance. I never got an interest of why is that because I never asked, I am always like that timid among other orphans, I was very young then, not even that I know what an introvert means but I enjoyed my solitude; they often think that I am weird, but I have my way of covering, a defense mechanism, mostly I pretend; which always sets me in a situation turned more difficult at the end. It was an unforgettable experience that everybody there will never forget. A fire, a huge one that killed one group of orphans in quarter D at the corner pavilion, maybe fifteen or twenty souls in there burnt alive.” Xenon’s shoulders twitched at the mention of being burnt alive! But he remained silent, leaving the old man to continue.

“How did it all happen, sir?” he went on curiously. “I expected that would be your most obvious next question” As the old man continued - “The mother staff on duty that night left the door locked and she brought the keys with her and stride past for a moment to meet someone outside, but she never calculated it right that a kettle in the kitchen was also left on a stove, she enjoyed the romantic rendezvous with the guy she has been seeing for the past weeks, the next series of event happened so fast as the fire spread all the rest of the quarters, I happened to escape quickly and help the young ones to get out, well I would like to say thank you for my insomniac.” The old man paused there for a while. “Investigations went on afterward but of course, the subject of the incident died just like that; an isolated one. But the tremor lives like a resurrection and even to this moment whenever I recall the experience I can still feel the trauma.”

His feelings were automatically snatched. “Pitiful souls,” Xenon added, “true, indeed!” The old man replied. “Well just like other closed call stories, the ending was still unknown and then life just went on, I finally said goodbye to the orphanage and faced a life of my own.” The old man got up on his feet and walked away slowly. “Where are you going, sir?” xenon asked. “Home,” the word gave him a sensation like a blank white paper inked with lots of things and images of a scene scribbled in no exact direction; he imagined an abstract picture that was difficult to understand from that story.

Unexpectedly, it gave him a feeling of freedom. A unit of work that he is required to finish a story from that conversation. And the task is waiting for him now at home. “Sir, could I just at least have your name?” The sun had shone its glimpse in the sky. The illumination gave a picture of cucoloris lighting patterns of shadows of the old man’s face, like a mirror from afar. “Could you please tell me your name?” Xenon asked garishly. The old man stopped, and said, “You should fix the ending.” He tried to catch the sounds from afar. “Will you?” The picture of him was already filtered out of the blinding lights.

THE END

This is a work of FICTION. Names, characters, business, events and incidents are the products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Copyright Statement This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced material. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written from the author.

#xenon

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lovemissmini · 3 years

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I Found you

Synopsis: We all need a friend. Sometimes you have to find one to gain one. Especially in this post-apocalyptic world.

Pairing: Taehyung X Reader

Warnings: Post-apocalypse, reader might not be 100% sane, hints of death, not much action. PG13

Length: ~2k

A/N: I would go crazy if I was all alone for 6 months, no questions asked.

All works here are purely fiction. Everything I write is my intellectual property and therefore belongs to me. Lovemissmini © . Do not copy, rewrite, repost without my permission. That is illegal and you are stealing no matter if you give credit or not.

“If it weren’t for you, Tae, I would have gone crazy a loooong time ago. Hmm?” You spare a glance towards your companion before you continued your babbling. “It’s just, six year, who wouldn’t go insane in that amount of time. All alone. No one to talk to.”

You nod to yourself, sinking deeper into the worn-out armchair, letting the cheap cushioning quickly engulfing your thin form. Human interaction had become a strange topic for you, just like the concept of keeping track of time. Did it really matter what day of the week it was? It’s not like you had a job or anything. So, what did it matter if you woke up at 1 in the afternoon or ate during the deadly hours of dawn? Hell, why do you even care about the number of times the sun rose before it ultimately set to make the end of the day. One day or six years, tomato tomato.

You should stop. Your mind was wandering off on a tangent even whilst you continued to hold a conversation on a separate matter, yet again. Your thoughts always did that, wander off, that is, into an incoherent multitude of ideas. That’s just how your brain worked. Or maybe that’s your insanity talking.

“But I’m lucky to have found you, yeah?”

You look out of the window of your new living room, into the streets and the cars that haphazardly littered the cracked roads and pavement. Room, that’s quite an interesting word choice. It might be too generous a word for the space where you were seated as of now. A room would imply an enclosed area with a roof above your head and at least three connected walls and some form of a door or partition. Right?

But your choice of temporary lodging was, to be honest, not quite the conventional image you would associate with that word. The best you could truly say about said room was that it was once a room. All that was left was remnants of a living room; the lone standing section of the street facing wall decorated with a broken window frame, piles of brick from the other less fortunate walls scattering the surrounding chaos, broken scraps of furniture thrown around you in a disordered arrangement.

At least it had a mostly intact armchair and couch. Right? Yeah, so who care. Life is good.

“I mean, you’re lucky I found you. Hella lucky at that.”

The lack of a roof let the evening sun beamed down on you from the sky, heating up your skin and leaving a warm tingle as your fingers played with the loose threads of the chair, twirling them around your finger absentmindedly.

“Hey, are you just gonna keep ignoring me? I said I was sorry for nearly leaving you behind last time. I even got you a new shirt to make up for it.” You huff in frustration, glaring at said shirt that fitted around your partner; a black and white abstract collage of spikey leaves artistically decorating the thin material, beautifully trimmed into what was now button up shirt that sported a deliciously deep v neckline. It was slightly revealing but not quite, just enough to give a hint of what was underneath but leave you wanting more.

“That shirt is in so much better condition than anything I’m wearing right now.” A scowl pulled at your lips as you regard the tattered t-shirt that clung to your skin, dirt discolouring the once yellow fabric into a murky brown and the pair of barely held together ripped jeans, denim threatened to fall off your thin waist even after being tied tightly by a belt.

You abruptly get up, palms slamming down on the arms of your chair, sudden movement causing ancient dusk to explode from deep within the fibres and into a thick cloud that surrounded you. You push past the brown haze of floating particles- ignoring the need to cough from the putrid smell- and close the distance between you and your companion.

“Listen here you ungrateful piece of shit! You don’t get to ignore me. I found you so I make the rules. I can leave you when and if I want. Capish?” Your voice breaks through the otherwise silent atmosphere before dissipating into the distance. Your eyes were hard with anger, veins bulging in your neck from the strain, as you glared at the unseeing eyes of your companion.

You blink, veins running cold as you realise your sudden outburst. It was uncalled for. Regret slowly filtered into your system, weighing you down like lead. You take deep slow breaths, trying to calm your racing heart and the roar pulsing in your ears.

“I’m sorry.” You voice is barely a whisper when you come through, a slight quiver at the last syllable and thick with guilt. The crimson in your cheeks fading as you settle down next to your companion on the couch, eyes shifting to gauge their reaction- or lack of one in this case.

“I’ll forgive you if you forgive me.” You joke, a small chuckle trying to defuse the tension that hung heavy in the air. Your hands betray the cheerfulness mask you donned, thumb rubbing the barcode inked into the skin of your left wrist, in a nervous habit that first formed in the lab. “I- uh- well, I forgive you too. Just because I like how handsome you and your stupidly symmetrical face are.”

There was no response. At least none out loud. In fact, there never was a reply out loud from your companion since you found them five years ago, and never would be. The only replies you earned were ones spoken to back of your mind, a deep voice echoing your subliminal thoughts back to you, answering your conscious questions. You companion, the top half of a male mannequin, would never grow a set of vocal cords to voice the replies you longed to actually hear.

If someone were to ever talk to you, question who it was you were talking to, you would have simply stated it was to yourself. Because that would mean you were never alone to begin with, never needing to talk to a humanoid piece of plastic. Right?

But there was no one else.

There no one left, no one ever since that happened six years ago.

“Anyway, let’s go. I want to see what that blinking light was from last night.” You announce as you get up from the two-seater, tossing on your backpack as you stand waiting for your partner to get up with you. You roll your eyes at the lack of movement in your peripheral view, head turning to throw a glare at its plastic form still seated on the couch. “Get up you lazy ass. Get up or I’ll carry you.”

You stand there for a moment longer, waiting for its plastic muscles to twitch under the heavy weight of your gaze. But your effects are yet again fruitless, the only signs of motion par your breathing was the dust dancing weightlessly in the air, illuminated by the setting sun as the specks float carelessly around you.

You sigh, giving up your side of the stalemate and pick up the oversized plastic excuse of a friend. The weak muscles of your arms ache under the burden, straining to produce a strong grip as you walk out onto the streets.

As you venture further into the deserted mass of torn buildings, further into the what could barely be recognised as Seoul, you reach the glass doors of a seemingly intact corporate building. The name of the facility standing tall and proud on the metal door frame, as if in celebration of its survival, almost unscathed par from the broken glass and a missing letter, the skyscraper was rather untouched.

“B-um-Bigit. HA. Sounds a lot like bigot, doesn’t it, Tae?” You muse, as you shift the plastic deadweight in your arms to a more comfortable position.

After exploring the bottom floors of building, going through countless office draws and lab cabinets, you filled up the most of your backpack with expired food items and multiple water bottles. Still, you had yet to find the source of the blinking lights you had seen last night.

“Maybe its further up?” You question out loud.

“Yeah, you’re right Tae, it must be one of the top floors. How else would I have seen it amongst the other buildings?” A grin splits your dry lips, tongue darting out to wet the cracked skin- ignoring the lingering taste of dirt.

“You’re so smart, bud, what would I do without you?”

You continue your journey up, scavenging through every nook and cranny of each floor before arriving at the top landing. A gasp leaves you lips, eyes widening as you look out from the doorway of the staircase and into the concrete floorplan. A glint of excitement sparked in your eyes, much like it did when you found a can of peaches.

The 16th floor was so different to the lower levels, barren like a construction site but shielded under large planes of glass and metal frames in a greenhouse-like roof. Moonlight filtered through the clear glass, illuminating the area in a milky wash of pale white and harsh shadows.

The grey concrete floor was littered with giant solar panels, all scattered methodically around three capsules that laid in the middle of everything. Walking forward, you trotted down the empty path that connected the doorway directly to the capsules, careful not to touch the electronics barricading you on either side.

The capsules were large, large enough to fit a person, you note to yourself as you walk past the first two. Or maybe a giant alligator, you never know.

You don’t bother inspecting two pods, both dark and most likely damaged as a large piece of metal beam speared the centre of one, a thick layer of dried green mould covered the cracked glass panels of the other, obscuring the view of what you assumed was the face of whoever it coffined. Not that you cared.

They were not of interest to you. Especially not when the last capsule vibrating with a low electronic hum. Small lights that were attached to the surface of pod pulsing, bright reds and whites flickers in the darkness as if demanding attention. And attention if caught.

You place Tae on the floor, hands steadying its plastic frame whilst your eyes were still glued to the flashing lights. “Wait here, Tae.” You tiptoed closer to the pod like a moth to fire, neck shifting as you crane you head to see above the capsule before you carefully approached it.

A yellow screen blinked on and off at the centre of the capsule. Bold black lettering fizzing from sparking pixels. You narrow your eyes, brows furrowing in concentration as you focused on trying to decipher the message. After a handful of seconds, you make out the warning.

Emergency- press red button for capsule ejection. Subject -

A hand moves to lift a clear plastic cap, hovering over the large obnoxiously red button, hesitant to push it as instructed.

Instead, you hand reaches to swipe off the sheet of debris covering the glass face panel. Eyes sweeping the sleeping form of the person trapped in the metal pod. The moonlight casting soft lighting against their prominent features. Their eyes were closed, long eyelashes fanning high cheekbones, thick brows tucked under gently tousled hair. Corking your head to the side, you continued to admire the pillowy shape of their plush lips, imagining the way the heart shaped flesh would move as it talked.

“Kim Taehyung.” The name from the screen rolling off your tongue seamlessly. Your lips twitching into a soft smile, your friend of five years long forgotten in the mass of solar panels. “I found you. Will you be my friend?”

#kim taehyung #taehyung x reader #btsfanfic #bts #taehyung imagine #taehyung scenarios #taehyung fanfic #kpop fanfic

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currentlyreadingmanga · 4 years

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Toilet-bound Hanako-kun Chapter 20: Mitsuba (Part 3)

Previously: the feels came and hit me like a train. Mitsuba’s story was heartbreaking and I wanted nothing more than give him all the nice things he deserves and never got to experience ;; We also had another chapter of Kou being a Very Good Boy ™ and their friendship made me smile so much…...well, until he arrived…...and that happened…….and the angst also hit me like a train. Oh yeah, we also had some great exposition regarding plot-related stuff which made me ask a lot of question (but that’s not new with me lol). Hanako is coming to the scene right now and I’m :)) scared :))))

Now onto the next chapter!

Guess who’s really late again??? I really have no excuse other than me having a really bad attention span (also A3! has taken over my life pls send help)

Anyway!

Oh wow, this cover page has A Lot to disect.. The main thing my eyes were drawn to is Hanako’s expression and the fact that he’s holding the bloodied knife. He looks shocked and sad, and he’s gonna go face his brother (that he killed) and I’m terrified ahhhhh Another thing! The ropes that are tying them together: now, from what I see, the ropes are tying all of them up except for Kou; like, the main connection I always associate with Yashiro and Hanako is their bond, but then the connection between Hanako and Mitsuba is that they’re both dead. It looks like all the ropes are interconnected though and I...I don’t like the implications that my brain is coming up with right now………...Yashiro baby please be safe, okay? Like, it could also mean that Mitsuba is gonna form some sort of bond with Hanako, but let’s be real, what would bring the biggest amount of angst? Exactly. From what I’ve seen so far, the covers have elements that are relevant to the plot and I feel like there’s a lot of things here that could be concerning :))))

Ahhhh okay let’s keep going

So we’re back with Not-Hanako and Kou after Sakura changed Mitsuba’s rumor and turned him into THAT. And you guys remember how I mentioned that it unsettles me when Hanako smiles creepily and his eyes turn dark? Well

I’m incredibly unsettled right now.

Okay so Mitsuba’s wish was too vague for Not-Hanako to turn him into something more than a “half-done supernatural”. He didn’t know what he wanted to do but he knew that he wanted people to remember him. But thanks to Kou, now he knows his actual wish: friends. Mitsuba just wants to stay with his friends and oh, can you hear that???? that’s the sound of my heart breaking (again).

Kou is understadably pissed but Not-Hanako is ignoring him, and he mentions that the more people Mitsuba gets to remember him, the longer he will be able to stay there. And yeah, it checks out with what we know about supernaturals since Tsuchigomori mentioned that it’s easier for him since he can spread his own rumors.

Oh………...oh no………...Mitsuba baby no pls (;;⚆_⚆)

Yeah, this ties to what he said before about “if that’s enought to break the world then it’s better off broken”. It seems like he just wants everyone to let go of their morals and see where that lead them. Also “the price of this wish is your mind”, does he mean like, his conciousness? his ability to discern right from wrong? Because if he can strip him from that with just his touch (and the rumors) then that’s horrible. Well, I guess that’s what happened with Yako and the Mokke, right? They started killing/stealing/kidnapping people after their rumors changed.

(ﾟдﾟ；) Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||) OMFG THAT’S TERRIFYING MAKE IT STOP

oh no, oh no, he’s grabbing Kou and it seems like he’s choking him oh no Mitsuba baby please, I know you’re still there, come on, the power of friendship ™ can bring you back pls

Aw, Kou, sweetie, you weren’t wrong. You gave Mitsuba a good memory and the friend he had always wanted, it’s not your fault that this little shit fucked everything up.

Ahhhhh Hanako is finally here! Oh geez, he cut Mitsuba clean in half ;; But like, he should be fine, right? He also stabbed Yako and she was okay. So Mitsuba should return to his previous form…….right? Please? (;;⚆.⚆)

I really need Not-Hanako to stop being cute, I’m trying to be mad and he unsettles me

!!!!! We finally have a name!!!! I can’t stop calling him Not-Hanako, bless

Awww baby, Hanako is shaking so much :cccc This looks like it’s so hard for him, oh dear

“Back when you killed me” ………………………...ok so that makes it sound like he pushed Hanako to do it, at least in some way………….those wounds and bruises and…..rope marks…….little Amane had when he was alive really aren’t looking good under this lense, I don’t li k e t h i s

(ﾟдﾟ；) (ﾟдﾟ；) (ﾟдﾟ；) fucking hell, that’s just. yikes. Like, Amane seemed like such a sweet kid, you really have to wonder what was it that made him finally snap, especially in such a way

It really looks like he’s just teasing him even though Amane clearly finds the whole event (and even his brother’s mere presence) traumatizing. It’s weird, Tsukasa seems like he’s doing all this on purpose but he also doesn’t realize that it doesn’t make his brother happy. It has the complete opposite effect, in fact. Even the way he’s standing on his tiptoes, it can just be a cute habit but it also makes him tower slightly over Amane.

Sigh okay, he’s gone, thank you. But!!! Kou is calling out to Mitsuba!! Is he okay??

…………………….oh no. His face says it all, he can’t, he wants to but he can’t

(TдT)(TдT)(TдT) this is so fucking sad. This poor child just wanted a happy (after)life with his friends and he tried, he tried so hard, but every time his chances was snuffed out.

“...we have have no future”

Hmmm…...the way that he’s wording this and what he said during the young exorcist arc gives me the idea that he actually doesn’t like being a supernatural, he thinks there’s really no point to existing after death since he doesn’t grow old nor he can pursue his old dreams. But he HAS to do it; he hates it, but he has a mission so that he can repent for his sins, and his sense of obligation is strong enough that he pleaded for his “life” to Teru, knowing that, in his own eyes, he shouldn’t be here in the first place, And he really did thought that Kou could help Mitsuba in a kinder way so that the ghost would be able to pass on happy but it backfired spectacularly. Living on after you die seems like a truly heart-rending existence.

And there’s only the camera left behind…...No, this-this is fine, I’m fine, this is……. (ಥ﹏ಥ)

Oh dear, and now Kou is blaming himself for not being stronger, strong like his brother, strong enough to save Mitsuba. I should have seen it coming, considering we know very well how Kou views his brother as a kind of ideal and, in turn, views himself as not good enough, but it still hurts. And I know it’s because he’s grieving, but he really shouldn’t do this to himself right now.

“I’m pretty sure destruction is the only salvation for the dead.” At first I thought this was a contradiction to what he had said before (about himself) but it really isn’t. He thinks it’s best when the dead are able to disappear from this world, but he doesn’t want salvation for himself, he wants an opportunity to atone. And I wonder if because of that, he sees himself as someone who’s past salvation.

I’m glad that Kou immediately cuts him off and says that’s ridiculous. Because even if Kou is saying it for Mitsuba, I’m pretty sure Hanako also needed to hear that.

Also, it looks like this is the beginning of a very strong grudge against Tsukasa on Kou’s part and I get it but also I’m :))) scared :)))

I mean, I think he’s got a point there. Yeah, the world has rules that the average people can’t change but he has a power not many others (?) have, so him being able to change things in regards to supernaturals doesn’t seem out of the question.

AHHHHHHHHHHH HE FOUND HIS PICTURE

(ಥ﹏ಥ) (ಥ﹏ಥ) (ಥ﹏ಥ) take a shot every time I wanted to cry during this chapter

Oh!!! we’re at sea with the mermaid and her people! Mr pufferfish died but the other fish survived so he reported back to her.

Oh. So she really did have good intentions by trying to kidnap Yashiro. Not the best method, but her heart was in the right place. BUT ALSO!!! I’m now even more worried about my girl :)))))))) please don’t let anything happen to her ;;

PFFFFFFFFFFFFT why is this me with A3! omfg Yashiro sweetie we could totally bond over mobile games

Yashiro was summoned by an upperclassman?? Who-oh, wait

Of course, of-fucking-course, hi Natsuhiko, please don’t endanger my daughter, she’s done nothing wrong.

And that was the end of the chapter. It felt shorter than usual but also incredibly long because it was emotionally taxing ;; that was such a rollercoaster, oh dear

Ohhhhh there’s extras this time around!!

Awwwwwww the ten-times game panels are so precious ;u; especially the parallel between Kou-Teru and Kou-Hanako. The character sheets with the little bits of info are pretty cute as well!

Judging by the preview of the next volume, it seems like Yashiro is gonna have a tea party with the chaotic trio (Sakura doesn’t seem chaotic so far but the other two do so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ sorry not sorry). If they hurt my child istg….

Awwwwwwwwww the middle school entrance pictures are so cute! (Amane’s and Tsukasa’s not so much in context but…...yeah)

#toilet bound hanako kun #jibaku shounen hanako kun #jshk spoilers #tbhk #jshk #live blogging

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thattimdrakeguy · 4 years

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Robin - The FIRST Miniseries - Issue #5 (The LAST Issue) Review - (R.I.P Tom Lyle)

This is the big movie styled climax of the miniseries. So its mostly just endings, and action from here, but that doesn’t mean there’s not fantastic character work in here either.

There’s a LOT in this issue I didn’t remember, since normally I don’t pay attention to this one simply because I didn’t remember as much character stuff in it, but to my slight surprise (and bigger surprise in one or two moments) there’s some stuff in here I didn’t quite remember.

The weirdo trio finally breaks up in a way that reminds me of a divorce of some kind.

In a way Clyde and Lady Shiva played the roles of Tim’s parental figures in this miniseries. So that is fitting in it’s own way.

Clyde argues that Timmy shouldn’t be a part of this. Partially for his own want to kill King Snake (Dorrance) himself, but also because he wants to protect Tim’s innocence given the gruesome nature of what’s about to go down.

While Lady Shiva is absolutely numb to violence, and if anything wants Tim to be like her and revel in it.

Some of the word usage and Tim’s reaction to Clyde running off really set this up to a bizarre version of a divorce. It’s a slight soul cracker seeing Tim so worried that Clyde’s leaving to the point he yells out “CLYDE! WAIT!”. In the panel were Lady Shiva holds him back, he looks like such a helpless kid.

It’s a wee bit more emotional then it has any right to be given this trio only lasted 3 issues or so.

But, the climatic action must begin.

Tim uses his established cleverness to give the team some kind of advantage against what’s more or less an armed militia of men ready to protect King Snake and his drug empire.

With some small, but still tense moments.

And Timmy, of course, being on sneaky time.

This is one babyfaced boy that loves his sneaky time.

There’s even a good page that’s a good reminder that Tim isn’t the best fighter on the planet, but that he does his best given any opportunity he can.

A good chunk of this issue though, and deserving enough too. Is Clyde trying to get his revenge against King Snake for all he’s done.

It’s genuinely tense even if it is just a one time side character in this fight.

Because this has been building up between him and the bad guy since issue two. He is the emotional connection between the heroes and the main big villain. It’s for the best he’s the one that gets to take him on first compared to if Lady Shiva or Tim did it.

He’s the one that deserves this fight the most. Even if King Snake is too much.

While Tim’s too preoccupied stopping the plague from spreading and making sure he doesn’t get killed himself. Tim isn’t skilled enough to get out of the situation fast enough. He’s helpless to help his own friend.

Tim has no idea whats even happening to Clyde as he keeps having to run to his own safety.

All Tim can do, is his best. He sticks to the rafters to be sneaky. Uses the tools he knows he can use like his sling, and that’s just about it. Which continues to use his established skill-set instead of giving him sudden Gary Stu moment were he’s suddenly good at everything.

He’s lucky he’s small enough to even hide up there.

I know I been talking spoilers this whole time, but after this part. This contains-

MAJOR SPOILERS.

So read at your own risk, because this is the climatic issue and stuff happens.

So the big crushing part about this issue. Is that the last time Timmy Drake ever got to see Clyde Rawlings still alive, breathing, and blood pumping through his body was when Clyde ran to come to this fight.

The last thing Tim ever heard Clyde said was “RIGHT NOW!” and the last thing Clyde ever got hear Timmy’s voice say is “CLYDE! WAIT!” that’s the last they ever got to hear each other, because the next time Tim finds Clyde’s body it shows he’s already been killed by King Snake.

At this point it’s literally just this tiny little boy in red and green spandex vs a tanking man (with a freaking mullet) that’s supposedly one of the most dangerous men.

There isn’t a Lady Shiva in sight to save him, and Clyde’s not around anymore. Tim’s all alone, and the two people that have been protecting them this whole time are either gone in one way or gone in another way.

It’s all up to Timmy now.

And for the most part he doesn’t do good, because of course he doesn’t. He’s not a good fighter. He’s a tricky scamp with a sling and staff. Against the One of World’s Most Dangerous Men.

King Snake mocks Tim’s notable innocence.

Luckily though, Tim’s a clever boy, and finds a way to distract King Snake, before he can kill him or destroys him too badly. Thanks to Lady Shiva teaching Tim to his enemies underrating him to his own advantage.

Also right before Timmy absolutely wrecks him with one big, hit, that’s the biggest Tim can get out of his very teeny body.

This is when Lady Shiva shows up, and we get another scene representing Tim’s morals, because it’s a spot were King Snake should be knocked off the building, but he managed to get one solid grip on the scaffolding.

Even to the very last issue the character’s remain strong as ever. With constant reminders during their fights of who they are.

Clyde was so stuck on vengeance and anger, even if he wanted to try his best to protect Tim.

Lady Shiva, while calmer, doesn’t care about other people. She’s empathetic to her own fault.

Tim’s just the Boy Scout doing his best to stand up for what he was taught as right.

So what does Tim do in this Emperor Palpatine “DEW IT” moment?

What do you think? He’s such a good boy. He’s no Anakin Skywalker. This is a Luke Skywalker (Original Trilogy anyways), baby.

There’s some hard to watch panels though. Some stuff that actually made me a bit emotional reading this stuff.

Where Tim carries Clyde’s corpse because he’s not leaving him behind. Even when it causes Tim physical pain given he has a busted rib as he does it.

Tim could’ve easily left Clyde’s body behind for the police to find but he didn’t.

Clyde’s still on his mind and who can blame him. This is the dude that protected him this whole time even when he jumped in to protect him.

Tim tries to figure out what this all was for, because it starts to drag on him.

There’s even a surprisingly dark moment were Tim goes into the mindset of getting some payback, but of course, because he’s Timmy. He backs off of it because he realizes it was wrong. Showing that even when stuff goes wrong, Tim still has a sense of morality in him.

It’s stuff that really weighs down on Tim as the issue closes, because this was Tim’s first real adventure, and as it ends there was a lot of stuff he probably never wanted to be a witness too.

Probably some regrets carrying in his brain.

He starts to wonder what it’s all about as the miniseries and his adventure comes to an end.

So this was honestly a pretty good climatic issue even if it gets massively grim towards the end to a degree I wasn’t expecting.

Tim’s ongoing series touched grimness in the 90s, but it never went to this level or had such soul crushing visuals like Tim carrying the man who protected him on his back even with a busted rib.

Or contemplating physical payback against the person who caused him being dragged into all of this but backing off.

Like his ongoing series (where I fell in love with him) was a lot more lighthearted after this. So this isn’t the typical tone Tim carries. Even before this, it was just a soft action romp with character moments.

A lot of this caught me by surprise, because since I skip to Tim’s parts and the action didn’t take me away like other scenes, I didn’t even realize Clyde freaking died in this issue.

How did I not realize that?

I don’t even have a clue how, but in a way, it made it better for this review, because I’m more in tune with how a first time reader might react to it.

It’s a grim ending to a good miniseries.

The miniseries biggest flaws is having creepy girl characters who’s creepiness either feels out of character or not expanded upon to make it feel like it has a point, and moments that don’t go anywhere, with a really lame villain. Such a super lame villain.

However it’s character moments, character work for Tim, pacing, art, and sense of adventure still makes it a really good read. Even if compared to others it’s still a low-key adventure.

If you really wanna learn about Tim’s character. It’s a definitive recommend, because it’s a great character study for him. Through his goodie two shoes boyscout moments, his geeky moments, his awkward moments, to even his immature moments, and a rare dark moment from early Tim, but even that dark moment showed that in the end, Tim’s still gonna do what’s right, and not go too far.

I love reading the miniseries when I’m bored, because even if it’s typically just the first issue or two I read. I just love Tim, and I like to be reminded why.

He’s such a bean that’s trying his best to be heroic. You get a real sense of depth with the character that wasn’t seen by a Robin that was still Batman’s sidekick till this.

Dick had depth, but it wasn’t till he split with Batman that he got it.

With Tim he was the first Robin that was still Batman’s sidekick that could carry depth, and this is were you get it.

It’s the full show of Tim as a character from all sides.

It’s great that way.

I’m thinking of reviewing his next miniseries next just because reading this captured my spark for Tim in a brighter way then it has been after all the dullness of his current life as a character being misused time and time again sort of dragged on me.

With this, I get what I want even if there’s a bit of dirt on it. It’s a good read for a Tim fan, or someone that wants to learn about who he is just to include him in a fan fiction.

It’s a great feeling to remember just how fantastic Tim used to be.

I still hope DC brings back the old Tim eventually.

#Tim Drake #Robin #Clyde Rawlins #Lady Shiva #King Snake #DC Comics #Bat-Family #Batfamily #Bat-Fam #Batfam

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unsureavenger · 5 years

Text

Take Me By Surprise

a short Stony/Avengers 2012 fanfic by @unsure-avenger

WARNING: Includes soft Avenger family moments because frankly, we’ve been deprived. Rated PG for vulgar language, but mostly just pure love and friendships.

“Okay, wait no! Hawkeye counts as two players! You can’t have him and Thor!” Natasha protested. “And Bruce is practically useless at shooting games—”

“Hey!” Bruce complained, his features rearranging themselves into a hurt expression.

Natasha sent him a pointed look.

“Yeah, okay,” Bruce admitted.

Tony rolled his eyes. “Okay, we’re clearly not capable of dealing with this like mature adults. So, how’re we going to organise the laser tag teams?”

“We can draw straws!” Steve shouted. He flushed a dark red when his teammates leave doff their seats at his outburst. “Sorry, I think I’m getting a little too excited.”

Tony clenched a fist under the table to control himself.

Steve’s incessant blushing was the tip of the iceberg of the things he did that made Tony want to leap off his chair and do unspeakable things to him.

“Alright, I believe we should go with the honourable captain’s plan!” Thor boomed, slamming his fist on the booth that left a crack in the plastic.

Natasha grabbed a handful of six straws from the bar, and proceeded to cut three of them short with a dagger hidden neatly in the side of her combat boot.

Tony stared at her. “You had that there the whole time?”

She pointedly ignored him and started shuffling around the straws.

“Am I the only person here who’s slightly concerned?” Tony demanded.

Natasha rolled her eyes. “It’s a security precaution.” She held out the array of straw from one side. “Choose, Stark.”

Tony eyed them carefully, and made a mental prayer that Clint would be on his team.

Eventually, when all the straws were chosen, the Avengers has been split into two teams; Tony, Clint, and Bruce on one, and the others on the next.

“We’re going to win,” Tony declared. “Want to save some time and just announce it?”

Steve snorted. “In your dreams, Tony.”

“Enough of the trash talk,” Bruce interjected. “Seriously, guys. It’s embarrassing.”

“Yes, let’s get real,” Clint agreed. “What are we playing for? The Avengers Tower? Stark’s Ferrari?”

Tony wheeled round on Clint with a glare. “Why is it all my stuff?”

“Pride,” Steve said firmly. “Gloating rights.”

Natasha laughed and patted him on the back. “Okay, Steve. You can do that. I’d like a more material prize, please?”

“Movie night rights for the next month,” Bruce offered.

Tony clenched his fist so tight his knuckles went white.

Ever since they’d moved into the tower, movie night had become a weekly tradition. For at least one night, they’d gather in the living room, and according to the rotor (organised by Pepper), and watch a movie chosen by someone.

Since all his friends had disastrous tastes in cinema...

“Team huddle!” Clint yelled, and Tony shuffled over to join him and Bruce by the bar.

“This is serious, guys,” Tony said urgently. “If I have to watch another 40s show with no colour and plots that can only be labelled ‘what were they thinking?’, I think I might actually die.”

Bruce nodded vigorously. “Okay, so what’s the plan?”

“I was thinking you could Hulk out,” Clint suggested. “Smash their laser guns so we can’t lose any points.”

Tony’s eyebrows shot skyward as he held up a hand. “What the actual fuck, Clint?”

Bruce tapped his chin thoughtfully. “I’m considering it.”

Tony smacked Clint round the head. “Absolutely not. I was thinking more team strategies? Who takes which flank?”

Clint snorted. “Stark, you’ve clearly never been on a team with S.H.I.E.L.D. spies. Natasha’s going to be playing the dirtiest you’ll have ever seen. They’ll be using ever play in the black book.”

Bruce slammed his hands on the table. “Okay, you have got to stop making up sayings, Clint.”

“What I mean,” Clint said disappointedly. “Is that we have to be prepared to play dirty too. Any ideas, Stark?”

***

Next scene, Tony was in the arena, with red lights flashing madly in the darkness.

He squinted to see Clint swinging into one of the air conditioning vents and a soft tapping as he crawled along to the blue team’s — Natasha’s team’s — base.

Tony had his laser gun strapped to his back, and his gaze darted left and right, searching for the control panels.

Since he wasn’t that great with a gun, Tony’s job was to find the control panels, and figure out a way to change the points so that their team was far, far in the lead.

Bruce was in charge of protecting the red base — if their base was shot, the blue team instantly won twenty points — which was terrible because he had worse aim than Tony and zero battle tactics.

Clint was their offensive, and would take the others by surprise at the blue base — which was probably being protected by Steve, since he was their most defensive player.

“Don’t you think we’re taking this a bit seriously?” Tony had asked Clint, who was the most serious he’d ever seen him. “I mean, it’s a laser tag game. We’re acting like the Nazis are launching another invasion.”

Clint had simply stared at him. “Tony, do you not remember Cap’s last movie?”

After that horrific reminder, Tony was ready to charge into the game with his wits on and his mind ready.

“Game starting,” a robotic voice projected. “I’m 3, 2, 1...Go!”

As soon as the countdown finished, music started blasting out the speakers, which only increased the adrenaline flowing through Tony’s veins.

He ducked low and started forward, keeping an eye out for any blinking lights. Nothing so far.

Then, from afar, he heard a high shriek that he recognised as Bruce’s, and figured that Natasha must’ve found their base.

The sound of laser fire resonated nearby, and Tony slammed his back against an obstacle, making sure no one was around him.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the familiar blue lights of an electric circuit.

The control panel.

Tony pulled Clint’s penknife out of his pocket — the number of blades his friends kept were quite disturbing — and started unscrewing the corners of the board.

As he threw the board to the floor with a clatter, Tony leaned down to observe the controls. There was a small screen, about the size of his palm that displayed the scores of both teams, accuracies, and the number of hits on each player and base.

His fingers ran over the buttons, familiarity washing over him.

However, his luck had run out. The circuit board began to spark, and Tony leaped back just split seconds before the control panel exploded into dark smoke and sparks.

Tony coughed and waved the smoke away from his face. The control panel was completely fried by a surge of electricity — probably from Thor.

Natasha must’ve anticipated their moves and found a wire that connected to the panel.

Tony cursed under his breath, a new plan to signal Clint starting to formulate in his brain.

Someone shoved him against the wall, knocking the breath out of him and making his heart jump out of his chest.

Before Tony could fully comprehend what was happening, lips were pressed against his, hot and heavy, strong arms holding him up as he was slammed against the side of the arena.

“Oh god,” he whimpered.

The kisses ran from his lips to the side of his jaw, pressing and sucking ensuing. Tony let out an uncontrolled moan and reached out to tug his lover’s hair.

His fingers entangled in rough, short hair, tugging as Tony felt himself descend into a bliss-filled heaven.

“Natasha told me to distract you,” Steve said breathlessly.

Tony panted as he stared into the blue eyes of none other than the super soldier. Had he known that Steve kissed so well...

Let’s just say he would’ve made a move a long time ago.

“But I didn’t really decide to...” Steve trailed of frustratedly. “God, Tony, you just make me feel these-these things. And you never say anything — and I was sick and tired of waiting—”

Tony smashed his lips against Steve’s again so they were stuck in a love-locked embrace. He’d never made out with someone strong enough to hold him up against a wall before.

Tony liked it.

“Wait, wait,” Steve stammered, trying to catch his breath. Tony impatiently made a whining sound.

“I’m supposed to stop you from getting to the control panel,” Steve said, sort of half-dazed, half-bewildered.

Tony ground his hips against Steve’s, and the other man’s control seemed to slip for a split second where a groan escaped his lips.

“So stop me,” he breathed.

And Steve did.

***

“This is unbelievable! We’re off fighting for our team, and you’re off-off—” Natasha spluttered, at a loss for words.

“Fucking,” Tony offered.

He had never seen Steve blush so furiously in the months he’d known him.

Steve stammered, “We didn’t-we were just—”

“Fucking,” Clint finished.

They were seated around the table outside the laser tag arena while Natasha paced around and reprimanded Steve and Tony like kids in detention.

“No!” Steve protested. “Not in a public place!”

“Yet,” Tony murmured to himself.

Thor stared at Steve’s red cheeks, Tony’s dishevelled hair and marks down the side of his neck. “Most definitely not.”

“We just kissed,” Steve promised them.

Tony grinned. “That would be putting it lightly.”

“You’re not helping,” Steve murmured under his breath. “Natasha’s going to kill me.”

Tony stood up off his chair and spread his hands. “I don’t see what the issue is. Okay, so Thor discovers Steve and I bumping uglies in a dark corner — what’s the big deal?”

“Firstly,” Natasha answered firmly. “Never say ‘bumping uglies’. Ever.”

“Secondly, you’ve traumatised Bruce.” She pointed at their friend who was sitting stiffly by a table.

Tony gave him an apologetic look. “Sorry, Banner.”

There hadn’t been many boundaries between him and Steve by the time Bruce discovered them.

“Secondly, this is a team,” Natasha told him seriously. “If you two are just banging against every wall for no apparent reason—”

“There is,” Steve interrupted loudly. “A reason, I mean,” he said in a lower tone. “I’m not—I don’t do this with just anyone, I swear.”

Natasha’s gaze slid to Tony, and she cocked her head.

“I don’t do that anymore, Romanoff. You know I don’t.”

Natasha eyed him warily. “I know. But you’re the team leaders, if anything—”

“If anything happens,” Steve insisted. “We’ll still work together fine on the field. Even when we didn’t get along, we had a good dynamic. This won’t get in the way of that.”

Natasha sat down with a sigh. “Okay, good. This team is...I don’t want anything to ruin it.”

“Nothing will,” Tony promised. He made a mental note to hug Natasha more. Even if she might stab him, she needed some affection — he frequently forgot that she was brought up an assassin against her will.

“Shawarma.”

The others turned to Bruce, who still looked slightly ill.

“I feel like shawarma,” he repeated hoarsely, blushing when he caught Tony’s eye.

Tony chuckled and pulled him up from his chair. “Okay, Bruce. Shawarma it is.”

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vortexofentertainment · 5 years

Note

How about a spider Beca bechloe fic?

This was SUPER fun to write! Thank you for the prompt :)

———

“I’m a little…” Beca spun and kicked the masked man in the chest. “…busy right now…” She grabbed one of the other men by the wrist and swung him around with all her might. “…Stacie.” The man collided with two others, sending them tumbling to the ground.

“I’m aware of that, but I just need to know if you can get some milk on your way home,” Stacie said. Sometimes Beca got really tired of her best friend always being in her ear. It wasn’t exactly ideal during these types of situations.

“Fine, yes, whatever,” Beca answered.

She jumped, extended her arms, and shot her web to pull herself up just in time to avoid a trashcan hurtling towards her.

“Now, tell me where the control room is.”

She caught the trashcan with her webs before it hit the ground and tossed it back at the unexpected attacker. It smacked him in the face, knocking him unconscious.

Beca fell back to the floor, landing in a low squat with one hand on the ground.

“It’s in the basement. Once you step out of the elevator shaft, it’ll be the third door to your right,” Stacie told her. “What about almond milk?”

“No fucking way,” Beca replied.

“Oh, come on, Beca,” Stacie protested. “You’ve never even tried it.”

“I would like to keep it that way, thank you very much. There is nothing wrong with regular milk.”

“Tell that to the cows,” Stacie mumbled.

Beca ignored her best friend and jogged to the elevators. She really, really hated that she was ‘SpiderWoman’ as the media dubbed her. Before she became this ‘hero’, she was rarely physically active. It just wasn’t up her alley. Cardio was never high on her ‘to do’ list.

She hit the button to the elevator, but nothing happened. She rolled her eyes and jammed it five or six more times.

“Did you really think that was going to work?”

“A girl can dream.” Beca mumbled. She took a deep breath and shook her arms out beside her. “Here we go.”

She placed her fingers between the doors of the elevator and pulled as hard as she could. The door opened just enough for her to wedge her foot in the crack. She held it open there while she took a breath.

“Stace, do you think you could maybe modify a crowbar in the suit somehow?”

“Or you could just start going to the gym with me like I’ve been asking you to and maybe this wouldn’t be such a challenge.”

“Fuck off,” Beca grunted as she started to pull again.

She managed to wedge her body through the door and into the elevator shaft. She jumped, sticking to the opposite wall as the doors slammed shut again.

“Ha! See? I’m strong.”

“No, you’re just tiny,” Stacie shot back.

Beca started to crawl down the wall. It was still surreal that she could do something like this.

“Do you have eyes in the control room?”

“Yes, the idiots didn’t turn off the security cameras,” Stacie answered. Beca could practically hear her roll her eyes. “Looks like they have three hostages. Three girls. Two blondes and a redhead.”

“Wait, a redhead?” Beca asked, flashing back to the reporter that had bugged the shit out of her after one of her saves last week, and multiple other missions before that.

Beca just wanted to leave after taking down the scientist that thought he could turn your everyday appliances into androids. Turns out he just ended up making a lot of explosives. But the reported grabbed her after she had managed to wrap one of the explosives enough to muffle the blow. It wasn’t her hardest mission, but maybe one of the most annoying.

When she got the call from Stacie, she was listening to a popular DJ at a very exclusive club. She tried to weasel her way out of it, as she did with many of her missions, but as always she failed to do so. The better part of her won and she always ended up pulling on that stupid mask and risking her life for people that wouldn’t give her a second look without her SpiderWoman get up.

The reporter, though inconvenient and pushy, seemed genuinely interested. She had asked personal questions. Well, besides the usual “Who are you?” She wanted to know why Beca did what she did, what it took to do so, and how it affected her everyday life.

“The very same one,” Stacie answered. “Are you going to get her number this time?”

“Why would I do that?” Beca asked as she perched outside of the next set of doors she had to force her way through.

She remembered mentioning, without realizing, that the redhead was cute. Anyone with eyes could see that. Her blue eyes were so beautiful and mesmerizing that Beca found herself literally dreaming about them looking back at her. The reporter had definitely caught Beca’s eye.

She shook her head slightly and tried to focus. She grabbed the doors once more and pulled.

“Because you have a crush on her,” Stacie pointed out.

“Can we talk about this…” Beca grunted as she wedged herself between the small opening she had created. She turned quickly, pressing her back against one door as she put her feet up on the other. “…when I’m not about to be crushed?”

“Okay, that’s fair, but don’t think you’re getting out of this.”

Beca straightened her body with all her might, causing the doors to open all the way this time. She relaxed a bit and fell to the ground with a thug.

“Got it,” she exhaled as she pushed herself up. “Second door to the right?”

“Third. Do you ever listen?”

Beca didn’t respond. She looked around to make sure there weren’t any more guards waiting for her.

She noticed only two outside the door. Both were sitting in chairs, heads tilted to the side, clearly asleep.

“These guys are truly idiots, aren’t they?” Beca whispered as she jumped and shot her webs towards the ceiling.

“They’re not the brightest.”

She crawled slowly and quietly towards the still asleep guards. Once she was positioned over them, she shot her webs down to encircle the one on the right. She pulled up, making the man fly out of his chair. She stuck him to the ceiling, shooting another web over his mouth before he could even scream.

She put a finger over her lips to signal for him to be quiet as she did the same to the other guy. Now, they were both struggling against her trap to no avail, shouting curses that were muffled by the web.

“How many guys are inside?” she asked Stacie as crawled down onto the wall until she was perched just above the door.

“Four,” Stacie answered. “They’re all armed.”

“Great,” Beca mumbled. “Is there another way in?”

“Afraid the front door is your only option, captain.”

Beca took a deep breath. She really hated the fact that the reporter, or the other two hostages, could easily be hurt in all of this.

“Where exactly are the civilians?”

“Is that what we’re calling her now?”

“Stacie,” Beca warned.

“They’re in the back left corner,” Stacie told her. “Looks like red is up to something, so you might want to hurry.”

“Fucking red,” Beca mumbled as she reached down and knocked on the door.

She heard Stacie laugh. “You should see their faces right now! Oh my god, they’re so confused.”

Beca reached down and knocked again.

Finally, the door creaked open. She watched one of the masked men poked his head out and then stepped outside of the room to see who had knocked. He looked down the empty hallway.

Beca did a high then low whistle to get his attention. He slowly looked up. Beca loved the terrified look some of the bad guys gave her.

“Hi there,” she said before pouncing fist first towards his face.

She felt the impact that more than likely broke his jaw as he fell to the ground unconscious. She shot webs out of each wrist back towards the ceiling to swing herself into the room. She extended both legs to kick two of the other guards in the chest and back into the control panel. Sparks flew everywhere. Beca couldn’t imagine the shock those two had just received.

“Don’t move!” the fourth and last guy yelled as Beca landed in a crouch.

The man was holding the reporter by the arm with a gun to her head. She looked terrified. Those blue orbs that Beca dreamed about were looking to her for any kind of help.

Beca slowly stood, holding both hands up in surrender.

“You don’t want to do that, big guy,” Beca said as she shifted her weight slowly.

“Beca, I don’t think the gun is even loaded,” Stacie said quietly in her ear. “He was about to reload it when you knocked. There might be one in the chamber, though.”

Beca kept her stare glued onto the girl’s eyes. She tried to stay calm, but those eyes had her heart racing. She couldn’t mess this up.

“If you take one step I will blow her brains out,” the man growled at Beca.

“You have my word. Not another step,” she said smoothly.

She shifted her gaze to the man. She watched as he looked around and then down at the other two hostages.

Before she had time to second guess herself, she flung her wrist forward. One web wrapped around the gun and the other clung onto the man’s face.

She yanked the gun away from the man and into her own clutches as he stumbled back.

The reporter turned quickly once he released her and landed a knockout blow to the guy’s nose. He doubled forward in pain. Beca watched as the report brought her knee up, hard, connecting to the man’s face once again.

The force brought his feet off the ground. Beca took the chance to shoot more of her webs towards him. They wrapped around his feet and she flung him across the room. He hit the other wall with so much force that it dented in as he crumbled to the ground.

“Nice,” Stacie chuckled. “I’ve notified the police that the problem is handled.”

“The building is clear,” Beca said to the women. She dropped the gun to the ground. “It’s safe to leave. The police are outside sweeping the area. The elevator is broken though. You’ll have to use the steps.”

The two girls still on the floor got up and ran out.

Beca looked back at the redhead who hadn’t moved.

“I don’t think I caught your name last time,” she said.

The girl smirked and arched an eyebrow. “Chloe.”

“Well, Chloe, you seem to find yourself in the midst of a lot of trouble.”

“You’re one to talk,” Chloe answered as she took a step closer to Beca.

“Touché,” Beca smirked, even though Chloe couldn’t see it. She was still moving closer.

“Ask her for coffee, you baffoon,” Stacie hissed.

Beca hesitated. There was definitely an… attraction to the reporter. She wasn’t sure, however, that it was safe to reveal her true identity. No matter how magnetic the girl’s smile was.

“I have a theory,” the redhead said as she finally stopped moving towards Beca. They were just a couple of steps apart now.

“About?”

“Who you really are.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah,” Chloe took a half step closer. “See, I was at this club last week with a friend from college.”

Beca’s heart plummeted.

“And I had my eye on this cute brunette that was just really enjoying the music.” Chloe took another half step closer. The crooked grin on her face set Beca’s cheeks on fire beneath her mask. “She was wearing a leather vest over a grey t-shirt and these really tight skinny jeans. I was just about to make my move on her when she got a phone call.”

“What does this have to do with me?” Beca managed to get out. The crack in her voice definitely gave her away.

“Real smooth,” Stacie mumbled.

“About ten minutes after she left, I got a call to go and cover a story about you. Remember that?”

“The explosive dude that was just a really bad scientist.”

“That’s the one. But, I noticed something.” Chloe reached up and captured Beca’s chin between her pointer finger and thumb. “One, your voice is very similar, and two, when you left the scene last week I heard you humming the same song that was playing when you got the call at the club.”

Beca was frozen. Every part of her was itching to reach out and grab Chloe. Her fingers twitched by her side.

“That’s a… um… interesting theory,” Beca struggled to say.

“I’m very rarely wrong. It’s kind of what I do for a living,” Chloe told her as she released Beca’s chin. “So, am I right?”

“Off the record?” Beca asked as she searched those blue orbs. She didn’t want to fall prey to just another hungry reporter desperate for a story.

“Completely off the record,” Chloe answered with a nod.

“Why don’t you show up at the coffee shop tomorrow at noon to find out?” Beca asked. “The one by campus,” she specified as she backed out of the room.

“It’s a date!” she heard Chloe yell after her as she sprinted down the hallway and back into the empty elevator shaft.

#bechloe #beca mitchell #chloe beale #spider beca #bechloe fanfic #Pitch Perfect

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bluboothalassophile · 5 years

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I honestly don't understand DC always trying to undermine Raven's powers. I read the current comics that she's in and it is so poorly written and boring. They suck at character development and its so fucked up that she's always brushed aside. And also I'll never forgive them for killing Roy and they keep fucking up Jason. These guys went through a lot and I just wanna see them be happy and I want to see more batfamily moments and team ups like in Batman and Robin Eternal.

Hello,

Reasons I am mad about Canon Raven:

She’s ALWAYS depowered; always, and she is literally the very definition of an over powered character.

When they attempt to over power her again they fuck it up; like in Titans with Raven’s ‘telepathy’; she’s a fucking empath! NEVER has she been a telepath!

She has never been utilized outside of the Titans; which is infuriating on many levels. Because she needs to go solo; with a big comic or go to JL Dark or hell, team her up with Lucifer! I don’t know, but something outside of the fucking Titans!

Her solo series, while hold much promise are always cut short, or tie into nothing about her canon life.

They just severed her connection with her aunt and cousins, further isolating her again.

I am royally pissed that her connection with Victor Stone, a.k.a. Cyborg, (which I think is canonly her BEST familiar relationship EVER, their dynamic is amazing; it’s also an amazing dynamic for Victor too! So why was it cut!?) has been severed, was briefly rekindled only to be discarded again.

She’s always de-aged; sorry @chromium7sky, but I really hate that because I really think she should be about Jason and Tim’s age, hell, I’d even settle her being Dick’s age, just enough de-aging her! At this rate; and I’m sorry @impulse-goblin, she’ll be a RobRae with Carrie Kelley or Matt McGinnis! Which is so not okay because DC is screwing her over royally.

Marv, her creator, can no longer write her well to be engaging; which is sad.

She’s been royally dumbed down; which really fucking pisses me off, because even though N52 SUCKED BALLS, Raven, while bitchy, was always eager to learn; it’s one of her defining traits! She’s super smart, she’s engaging, she’s empathetic and kind, and rebirth has made it so she struggles with school. -.- Explain that to me, please, she’s never been stupid or struggled learning before. And I get trying to connect with modern readers, and making characters relateable, but that was just plain fucking stupid. There are other characters you can do that with, using Raven does not help in anyway.

I will not get into my issues with N52, there’s many, but mainly: WTF is up with Raven’s Entire Personality!? I mean don’t get me wrong, I loved the design she had, and I loved her on Tim’s team, also their entire friendship was amazing, but WTF, what a Bitch. I wanted to smack her.

They either forget she is a magic user, or they forget she’s a demon with demon abilities or something, but it always seems like one or the other is missing with her.

Off side key irritation too: How come her father doesn’t play a larger part of the DC universe and getting heroes to fear him? I mean come on! Titans plays him up to be like Darksied or Lucifer level of terrifying, and the DC universe: Who’s Trigon? WTF is that about!? You want the Only Daughter Of Trigon to have meaning, to show her power, then why the fuck isn’t Trigon more widely known and feared!? Come On People! We have Darksied’s ENTIRE Family feared, but you want to play Trigon off as eviler than Darksied but the entire DC universe outside Titans is like: Who the Fuck is Trigon!?

Kay, Metal hinted at her connection and importance to the Multiverse, but the DC, I don’t know… Forgot? And somehow the entire reason for her being captured, isolated and singled out by the Batman Who Laughed was forgotten. Granted my favorite panel of her and Victor happened because of that, but seriously; MAJOR PLOT HOLE DC! Come on, we aren’t Marvel, cease these plot holes in your big labels! Be grown ups!

Mainstream Raven hurts my Raven loving heart. But her counterparts are pretty cool, like on Earth 1 or Bombshells or the recent Titans movies, definitely liked her in the Titans live action show, and obviously I loved her in the cartoon; not Titan’s Go as that has helped in destroy her and the Titans.

Now, my issues with Heroes Crisis:

King. Fucking cock teasing bastard tormented us with BatCat for over a year, getting them to the fucking alter then he did that fucking stunt; hell yes I am pissed still, and I am no less angry going into Heroes Crisis.

Kay, now for real.

I have major issues with the plot, thus far, because there doesn’t seem to be one.

Killing Roy and Wally did nothing to further a plot, or even engage in the plot and has just furthered to hurting surrounding characters.

Killing Roy was fucked up and senseless; as a writer I find that appalling.

Killing Wally was unnecessary; especially after all the fucking trouble we had gone through to get that speedster back! I mean COME ON! It’s like you brought him back solely to kill him off, and if that’s the case, someone smack a brain into King’s fucking head.

While the premise of Heroes Crisis was engaging and interesting to read the idea for it, it has been a dismal affair.

Why the fuck are your only suspects Harley Quinn and Micheal Carter, a.k.a. Booster Gold? No seriously want to explain that!?

There is NO WAY Harley would ever hurt or kill Ivy, just no, and DC I don’t care about trying to cater to people and convincing all of Harley and Ivy are straight, it just wouldn’t happen. Ivy and Harley are in love, and I sincerely doubt, that despite EVERYTHING Harley has done in her life, that she would ever kill the woman she loved.

Also, Micheal Carter has selflessly saved the timeline multiple times, and done so without recognition. Yes, he can be full of himself, but where the hell did King come to the conclusion that Carter was a sociopathic narcissist? Someone please explain the basics of human nature to King; PLEASE! For the love of God, someone! I expect this crap from Lobell!

Now to my fury with the Batfamily in it’s current state:

Rebirth presented us with fairly healthy dynamics between the Batfamily members; which was refreshing as all get out, but now… I’d like to rip DC’s heart out and shove it up their ass for what they’ve done.

First, they allowed King to be the ultimate cock tease! Bastard built up the fucking BatCat wedding to be the wedding of the goddamn century; going to make comic history! And he fucks us over like we’re a two cent whore whilst simultaneously destroying the Batfamily.

Second: who the fuck even ALLOWED Lobdell into DC again to write!? I mean really!? Did you asshole not learn your lesson the first time!?

Third, wtf is up with Ric Grayson; I get it, we’re all exceedingly immature for taking an actually socially acceptable nickname from the 1930′s and perverting it into penis jokes. But news flash, Dick’s character has evolved with taking that in stride and laughing it off. Changing his name only pisses us off and furthers our desires to make dick jokes.

Fourth: What the fuck are you guys even doing allowing Lobdell near Jason? I get it Lobdell is some ‘big shot’ good ‘big name to have on a comic’ but his writing is shit, I’ve read better stories from Kindergartners. Lobdell is like the Russo brothers of DC, please remove him from our premise, and I petition for us, the fans, to take custody of Jason from Lobdell for the sake of global comic peace. The Dude Can Not For The Love Of God Write. I’m surprised he even knows how to arrange letters on a piece of paper to form words honestly.

Why aren’t Duke and Cass B’s kids? No seriously? Why!? We all know those are his favorite two kids, so wtf are they doing… anywhere else but with the Bats?

Why is Babs Batgirl? Don’t go with that female empowering crap answer, just don’t, she was a better icon as Oracle than as Batgirl. She’s long since outgrown the role, and she had grown beautifully into the role of Oracle, so run this by me again: Why did we take a beautiful survivor, who created empowerment for people with disabilities while remaining a strong female lead and turn her back into Batgirl? Seriously? Someone explain that to me!?

Thank God DC hasn’t fucked up Tim yet, but Can We Please Stop With Evil Batman Tim!? Tim doesn’t even want to be Batman! He Never Has Wanted To Be Batman!

WTF did you do with Damian’s character development? He is not this baby raging Bat anymore who seeks to kill everyone who crosses him. Also what the hell was up with the whole Dami’s got a secret prison thing? That lead to nothing and has since been dropped, but seriously people, who is the lead brain in DC right now allowing this shit!?

Again, I must ask, what’s up with evil Bat futures; have we NO HOPE that these boys can grow up and actually be decent people!? Really. I want to know. I don’t get the options you’ve given these heroes.

Why does B have a double standard when it comes to Kate and Jason; and don’t say it’s because Jason’s killed, Damian’s killed and B is trying to be a good dad to him, so what’s up with this shit!? Is it really so much easier to have the rift between B and Jay than attempt to amend it!? If B has a problem with Jason using guns then the same problem should be applied to Kate; I don’t care about her likability, she’s a bitch and the double standard should cease.

And why is Jason trying to connect with Willis Todd? Willis was an abuse fucker or did Lobdell for get his own canon material again? Someone please remove Lobdell from DC premises! PLEASE! Send him to Marvel or something, I don’t care, but stop allowing him to fuck over Jason because he wants to!

Now, again, I’m brought to the double standards B has and his own reckless behavior. DC please, either find a ethics and morals person to join your writing team, or grow a fucking brain because you are precariously close to having Batman become the killer and the villain.

Why are we isolating the Bats again, when they were so connected at the start of Rebirth? I want to read about the Batfamily BEING A Family! Not this divide and pit against each other crap.

The worst part of all this is, Rebirth actually started off great! Now it’s a flaming pile of wreckage and I almost wish we’d go back to N52 if only to stop watching the same trainwreck over and over happen.

#bluboothalassophile #hello reader

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darkmindsthinktwistedthoughts · 5 years

Text

Devil’s Temptation pt4

Warnings: Mob Styling warlords, strong language.

Masterlist

---

Chapter 4 – Missing information

The hotel room they were taken too was grand and everything they came to expect from their father and his unwillingness to compromise on anything. For all the time they had spent running away and hiding from the family it was surprising how quickly they felt they could relax back inside the inner circle again. I thought I’d done it right this time. Average housing, low radar life, hell I even took a job doing drone work to get some cash to stay off the family radar.

Perhaps it was the knowledge that they were not likely to be killed as long as there was something wanted from them. They held that card close to their chest like a get out of jail free card in monopoly. If there was one thing you learnt early in cartel life it was leverage was key. I suppose I could try to slip away again but after last time I doubt Father would have been stupid enough not to put guards outside the room.

Just as their brain had worked through that possibility the main door clicked and a tall man entered the room. His short brown hair was greyer than when they last spoke, but there was no doubt who it was.

“Father?”

“You have no idea the trouble you have put me through just to find you, child.” His voice held an edge of sharp annoyance to it but his eyes betrayed him. He was happy to see them safe. Even so, the fact that he had maintained his hunt meant that the marked and loaded deck they ran from was still in play at the table.

---

Azuchi Corp. HQ

– Crash –

The loud sound of a sudden impact rang out through the underground parking lot. Mitsuhide had been on his way to his car and stopped in the doorway from the main building to see the fender bender that had just happened in front of him. Masa got out of his car and made his way to the back of it to look at the damage, all the while rubbing his head. Ieyasu who now resembled a blonde-haired beetroot shot out of his own vehicle and rounded on the Chef.

“What the fuck!?” Ieyasu exclaimed.

“Sorry Yasu, didn’t see you pulling in as I was reversing.” Masa replied apologetically, blinking his one good eye slowly as if trying to focus.

“Did you even look?” Ieyasu bent down to look at his smashed front light. “Great I’m going to have to phone the garage now to get this fixed.”

“I’ll pay for the damage.” Masa fumbled around his jacket looking for his wallet and phone.

“Too right you’ll pay it was your fault. Seriously were you born this stupid or did you have to take special lessons to achieve it?” Ieyasu was still furious but he was also now watching Masa with a frown.

“I said I was sorry. I was going to a meeting about that new location…” Masa explained feebly as he gave up searching his pockets and returned to the front seat where he at least found his cell phone.

“Well, that isn’t happening now.” Ieyasu grabbed Masa by the arm pulling him free of the car and began to tug him towards the access to the main building. “Come on, I’ll get that crash helmet you call a head seen too.”

Mitsuhide chuckled as he made his way to the other side of the parking lot to his own black salon. Looks like our little contrarian is still the same.

“You going out?” Masa called out to him as he reached his space.

“So, it would appear.” Mitsuhide waved his keys towards them before unlocking the car. “Did either of you need something?”

“From you?” Ieyasu quipped. “I’ve just had a car crash, the last thing I need is a random dead body!!”

Mitsuhide smirked slightly at the reply.

“Could you swing past my office and grab some files from my secretary? You can’t miss her, a cute little redhead with the biggest green eyes you’ve ever seen and…” Masa had a smile drift over his face as he described the employee. Well clearly someone has ideas on that one outside of work.

“I swear you are a good example of why the gene pool needs a lifeguard and contraception.” Ieyasu rolled his eyes, looking disgusted.

“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?” Masa frowned.

“Exactly what I said.” Ieyasu snapped back.

“Well, I’ll leave you two to play doctor and patient.” Mitsuhide chuckled as he climbed in his car. “Petite redheaded secretary? No random dead bodies? Got it. See you both later.” He pulled his door shut and drove away.

“Where do you think he’s going?” Masa asked watching the car leave the underground space.

“Don’t know, don’t care. Come on I’ll get that skull of yours wrapped before what little brains you have leak out.” Ieyasu said as he gave Masa a shove to get him to move.

---

Nobunaga was still awake. So many things needed to be done and there were never enough hours in the day. All of the emails had been answered, he had a few names listed to remind him that he would have to make personal visits to them in order to make sure they are aware that he is still the main power to stay behind during this new game.

“Sir, I’ve informed all the local media that we would usually use and they will be setting up outside awaiting the company announcement.” Hideyoshi called from the hallway and as the door was already open, he walked right in.

“Good, I knew I could rely on you to make the arrangements.” Nobunaga smiled at his right-hand man. Always so supportive and reliable. Hideyoshi was staring at him. “What is it?”

“It’s nothing, Sir. I’m glad that you shall be returning.” Hideyoshi stated honestly a broad smile on his face. He looks like a dog happy to see his master has returned home. All he would be missing was a wagging tail and my slippers in his mouth.

“Given the current circumstances, I could hardly avoid taking such action.” Nobunaga motioned towards the city behind him framed in the glass panels of the windows. “You are a man for peace Hideyoshi, you always were. You have a great ability in maintaining harmony but when…”

“When the shit hits the fan I’m not as good as you are Sir.” Hideyoshi nodded in agreement. His face looked a little crestfallen with the idea that he did not do enough.

“Crude phrasing but accurate.” Nobu stood up and moved towards his friend. Placing a hand firmly on his shoulder. “Come now Hideyoshi you know I value your abilities but I also didn’t get where I am today by ignoring that sometimes someone’s talents place them as being better service to me in a different position.” None of this was your fault. If anything it was mine. Quick fixes that backfire... well no point in dwelling on it.

“Of course, Sir.” Hideyoshi nodded. The look on his face melted as he looked at his boss. “Speaking of people being of service. Where is Mitsuhide?”

“I would imagine he is exactly where he needs to be even if he says he isn’t.” Nobunaga shrugged and laughed. These two are always so entertaining when working together. I shall never be bored.

---

Uptown

The smell of freshly ground coffee filled the air in the loft space. It was a peaceful moment where he felt like he was caught between a dream and responsibility. The repetitive tick of the wall clock, and the soft chatter of the TV filled the air that was once filled with words of love and appreciation. When was the last time we could be alone like this? The schedule has been so busy lately. Absentmindedly he ran his fingertips over his collar bone to his shoulder and felt the telling sting of a bruise developing. Thank god for shirts with high collars.

He reached up to the cupboards to retrieve a couple of cups only to find himself enveloped from behind by a set of strong arms drawing his back into the warmth of his lover. They covered his hands with theirs caressing his fingers one by one, their breath against his bare skin sent shivers through his body.

“Let me help you with that.” He could feel the smile of the other in the playful tone they used. In the next instant, he found himself spun around facing the naked torso the man who he had left in bed to go in search of refreshments. Trapped between the cold countertop and the radiating heat of the man before him.

“Remind me how this is supposed to be helping?” He asked his blue eyes searching for an answer from the eyes hidden behind the mess of dark hair in front of him. I love you but god do you need to brush your hair right now.

“It’s not, but…” Just as his lover was about to connect his lips back to the mark on his shoulder the TV switched to a local news broadcast, and a familiar voice distracted him. Their dark hair danced across his exposed skin causing him to shudder at the sensation.

The warmth of the other left him standing near the coffee machine and he let out a small sigh. I guess we had to return to reality at some point. He took out two cups from the cupboard and washed them in the sink before using a new hand towel to dry them and placed them both in perfect alignment facing front so he could pour out the coffee for them. His habits were once a great source of teasing but now it was just a quirk that apparently made his partner love him even more.

He found the other man in the Livingroom perched on the edge of the of the cream designer couch staring at the tv with a grin plastered on his face.

“… and so, I would like to formally announce the return of Mr Oda to the Azuchi Corp.” Hideyoshi Toyotomi, who was the current CEO of the corporation smiled for the cameras and then stepped down from the podium.

The man standing behind came forward and he was every bit the intimidating man they had been told he was. His hair was slicked back and his dark suit, which was clearly made to measure all aided in heightening the feeling that he was a force to be reckoned with. I wonder what his hair would be like if we slicked it back like that? Wait, what am I thinking? He looked again at the man sitting glued to the screen.

“Thank you, Mr Toyotomi. Ladies and Gentlemen, we are all busy people and I would like to make this as concise as possible.” Nobunaga Oda played the crowd beautifully. He knew it was the trademark of ‘The Devil King of the upper east side’ but he had never actually seen it for himself. “I intend to take a temporary hiatus from my political career at present and return to my roots. I believe it is all too easy for a man to rise in power and position and forget where they came from. I have no intention of being that man.”

“Mr Oda? Do you have anything else you would like to say by way of introduction back into the business world?” The clear voice of a reporter carried over the huddled media. It was obviously a plugged question. They themselves used it all the time in mass media releases, it helped to lead the written press into the chosen angles you wanted to secure business further down the line. Plugged question or not it had his lover leaning forward even more in his seat. The excitement etched on his face and mirrored in his nearly black eyes was breath-taking.

“Only this. This city and its people are mine. I dedicated my life to achieving what was dubbed the impossible. I did it once and I shall do it again. And nothing is going to prevent me from that goal.” The tv broadcast rolled off into other news after a brief audio cut of the buzz of questions that sprung up as a result of Mr Oda’s declaration.

“You ok?” He asked as he handed the coffee over. Their fingers touched for a moment and the other man smiled back at him full of excitement.

“Of course. After that little display, I can say that this is the most fun I’ve had in ages.” The smile turned into an infuriating smirk. One that years ago he wanted to smack right off that porcelain skin, now… now it made him want to smother it with his lips.

“I’m not sure how I feel about that remark.” He gave a small pout as he drank from his own cup sinking into the couch to sit as well. The other man chuckled deeply and after gulping down his coffee so fast it gained a look of worry from the blue-eyed blonde next to him.

“Hush now don’t pout.” He said as he adjusted himself. How can someone do something so small and look so good doing it? “You really do worry too much you know that?”

“One of us has to, and it clearly isn’t going to be you.” His tone was icy but the heat in his eyes as he looked at his love was hardly something he could fake.

“You might be right. But we now have our missing piece so things are going to get easier from here on out.” With a chuckle and a stretch, the other man carried his now empty cup back to the kitchen placing it in the empty sink and returned to the bedroom, no doubt to get dressed.

“I hope you’re right. I thought my years in ‘dispatch’ were long gone.” He called out from the couch as he finished his coffee and straightened the cushions. Before washing up the cups placing them back in their original positions in the cupboard and returning to the Livingroom to wipe down the remote control and table.

---

It was a very long day and after locating that secretary of Masa’s he now had the files he requested as well as some more information on the new company, or more specifically the CEO.

Takahiro Yasui. A bright star in the business world in his former location and credited with becoming one of the youngest successful CEO’s. Naturally, he had a full list of awards and his education was top notch too boot. To the outside world, he looked like the perfect businessman. Mitsuhide smelled a rat. If something is too good to be true, it nearly always is.

The young man seemed to bolt out of nowhere and get somewhere far to quickly to say it was without aid. From what Mitsuhide had found out Yasui was the younger son of a cartel but that in itself was strange. His family supported his older brother not him. It was common enough clearly the older brother was supposed to be the new head of the family, and yet the younger sibling this time was proving to be the better candidate. If he has chosen to relocate perhaps there is a threat from his brother to remove competition.

The idea was plaguing his mind as he drove along heading back to base. If it's not his family supporting him then who the hell is? He stopped at a set of lights rapping his fingers against the leather on his steering wheel and looked around him. There was a large black luxury car pulled up outside a grand hotel. Nothing unusual in that but the thing that caught his attention was the group of men leaving the hotel to get into it. Holsters visible for a fleeting moment, the handles of their concealed weapons visible.

“And who pray tell are you?” He spoke aloud as he made a mental note of the license plate and continued to follow the flow of traffic. I do so hate lack of information.

---

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sparda3g · 5 years

Text

Kingdom Chapter 583 Review

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It’s the thirteenth day. It could be the day that will lead to a game-changer. The last chapter had Shin and his Unit celebrating their awakened fighting spirit with good progress. Their morale is all-time high and Shin is gunning for Riboku’s head. Can they keep the momentum strong or will Riboku’s plan destroy it? This chapter resumed the calm before storm sensation with plenty of possible decided fates and concerns.

The last chapter focused on Qin and their last night of rations. This chapter’s beginning focuses on Zhao’s side on the twelfth night with Kaine delivering the message from Riboku. Unfortunately, she already delivered it, so the fans have no idea. It’s abundantly clear the plan is meant to be unspoken until action speaks for it. In other words, it’s the element of surprise and that’s bad news. We can hope the damage is minimum. Chougaryuu apparently has a similar idea, so this pleases him even more. He’s also confident that he and Zhao’s Left Wing will not fall. How nice of him to set up Riboku’s disappointment.

As the plan remains hidden for shock value, the real interesting piece is strangely enough, the exchange between Kaine and Gyou’un. It’s an odd matchup, but the context is even odder. He recalls his master, Rinshoujo, having bizarre dreams every now and then. After his passing, Gyou’un ends up receiving those dreams; rarely, but still happen. For whatever reason, Kaine was in his dream. I laughed how Bananji thought Gyou’un was having lewd dream about her. I wouldn’t blame him. But seriously, that would have been hysterical.

The actual content of Gyou’un’s dream reflects a person, who is very loyal to his/her beloved master. It sounds rather nice until he concludes it with a nightmare. The person will suffer the loss of the master, just like him and Chougaryuu. Translation: Riboku will die. Once she catches on the meaning, she flips out heavily, like she’s about to challenge them. She thought he said this to jinx them to defeat and she’s incredibly pissed about it. It’s not certain, but she won’t accept the possibility.

Whether she loves Riboku romantically or not, she is undoubtedly loyal to the heart. She proclaims that she will die for him and even if he somehow does die, she will follow him to the next life. Damn. Take it easy; it was only a story. I can understand more or less why she flipped out, but insulting the two was uncalled for. She practically told them, “Your master died and you couldn’t even follow him. Worthless.” It makes me wonder if Riboku will die here. I don’t know much of history, but I wonder if this is Hara’s hint for a drastic development for Kaine. If he does die, where will she go next? Hi Shin Unit sounds nice to me.

Gyou’un has been a pretty good enemy. Not only he’s pretty strong, but he’s also wise about life. He’s not arrogant or cocky about the situation, like some villains would portray. He understands his environment and a possibility of fate repeats itself through another. He even admits his mistake and should have kept his thoughts to himself. Even so, he is thankful to his master for many things, feeling enlightened. More importantly, he is thankful for Qin to be awakened for they see them as worthy foes and they will show them their prime strength. It’s the past era generals versus the uprising generals. That’s hype.

It’s the Thirteenth Day and the battle begins off-paneled. It instead focuses on Ousen Army, still in mint condition and waiting. It’s only the beginning, so no need to worry. Besides, the following scene offers a few important yet concerning notes. In case they thought the awakened Hi Shin Unit and Gyoku Hou Unit was a one-time moment, it is said that they are pulling off the same momentum as yesterday. For the record, there’s a back shot of Ousen’s helmet that I thought it’s a new character with a mask. It’s really Ousen, but damn, the detail is astonishing.

Speaking of new character, the third commander, Den Ri is introduced to channel the fans’ thoughts on Ousen’s plan, and by thoughts, I mean wondering if he really plan this ahead. Everything Den Ri mentioned is more or less similar to my thoughts, including if Ousen truly knew the two would go awakening mode. That itself was a gamble. Imagine if Shin and Ouhon did fail. I thought Den Ri will go fanboy, but instead, kept asking what’s certain or not. This must be Hara’s way to poke fun at us, knowing how confused we (or I am at least) are with Ousen. Seriously, what does he have in mind?

We have a new character that is confused as much as we are; then we have another new guy that has kintama to speak with Ousen. His name is Sou Ou, the fourth commander, and he has the same thought process as Den Ri. The only difference is he says it out loud, like he’s acting so surprise. What’s really surprising however is Ousen’s response. Sou Ou thought Hi Shin Unit pulling off awakening status was a surprise. To Ousen, he expected that to happen; it is Gyoku Hou Unit’s awakening that wasn’t in his expectations. Hate much?

Normally, the protagonist is the one to receive the underdog story, whereas the higher-ups don’t see anything special until a surprise happens. In this case, it’s Ouhon that gets this very treatment. That’s an interesting twist. This is why we had that backstory earlier. If there wasn’t any seed or ground of Ouhon’s character, this would have looked somewhat random. Instead, all I’m thinking about how badly Ousen hates his “son.” Why downplay him like he’s a rookie, practically calling him inferior? I guess Ousen saved himself by saying it’s not about whose better or worse, but it’s very coincidence coming from him.

It’s about time that we receive his thoughts on the matter with Qin’s Right Wing. It’s basically his critique and although he has expectations, not everything went properly according to him. He thought the Right Wing should have aimed for Chougaryuu, the brain of Zhao, after they lost Akou, dead or injured. If so, the challenge would have been lowered significantly. Well, all of that happened in one day, so it’s not like he can tell them to go for Chougaryuu instead. What’s done is done. I wonder if that’s one of the reason for his silent treatment. Either way, he moves up because he knows he can win. Confidence as always. I seriously hope to see him in action soon.

Now we go back to the battlefield and things are looking fine like yesterday. That is until the plan reveals itself. Kaine is still pissed off from last night. Scary. Futei asks her about the plan and she declines to tell him; but then she tells the plan anyway without realizing it. Well okay then. The plan itself isn’t much of a shocker as it basically says, “Aim for one of the two wheels (Shin and Ouhon) and make the cart (Qin) collapse.” It’s simple, though not said how to do so; that part remains a surprise. The real shocker is the target. It’s not Shin they will go after; it’s Ouhon.

Once again, I’m surprised how much Ouhon is being treated like the weaker of the two. It connects to Ousen’s words about gambling on him. There has to be something wrong with Ouhon for being treated like this. There must be a weakness that is easier to detect than Shin’s. Shin’s instinct notices a disturbance and it ends with the narrator leaving a haunting message that Ouhon would be defeated. It doesn’t say death, so I won’t count on that; but I fear that he will suffer a major loss. How severe? I don’t know, but the tension runs through him. It’s up to Shin to minimize the damage.

This was an interesting chapter. The thirteenth day is set to be a turning event, for better or worse. There were interesting possible foreshadows, including Riboku’s death is near. Ouhon is treated as a weakness, essentially portrayed as the underdog. The narrator did say the awakening was about to happen and it did. Now, we have this eerie message. If we take the narrator’s words seriously, we are about to witness the fall of Gyouku Hou Unit. Thirteenth Day, huh. What a cursed number…

#kingdom #chapter 583 #review #spoilers

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