Remember When I Wasn’t Sick & Twisted? Also, Valentine's Day

[redbrunja]

Do you know what not to read for ‘just for a few minutes’ before going  to bed, especially when you should be asleep already?

Godchild.

Man, Godchild is twisted. Talk about a wacked-out creepy manga. Drugging a father so he kills his daughter? He was already a psycho, but that’s pushing it. And Cain, were you really that annoyed that she was coming on to you?

Mainly I feel sorry for Mary- can you imagine going from living on the streets telling fortunes to being locked up in a mansion having deportment lessons? At least Leonie got to fence. Mary has a great name, though.

I feel dirty even saying this, but am I the only one picking up incesty vibes between her and Cain? His possessiveness, the fact that a lolita complex was mentioned in the third panel after we first met her, and the, frankly, really disturbing conversation that ended the chapter....

 “My feelings might something that could engulf you in flames” and “I don’t mind if I have to be a bird trapped in cage, I want to be trapped inside your love.”

 I'm like.... I haven’t seen a brother so attached to his sister since Hakkai and we all know how that turned out. Adding in that Cain is a child of incest himself, and I’m forcibly restraining myself from making a ‘keeping it in the family’ joke.

And now, in a complete change of tone,

Valentine’s Day Meme!

Pick a couple and a prompt from behind the cut, and I’ll write you a drabble.

(My fandoms are are Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Supernatural, Battlestar Galactica, Dark Angel, Gilmore Girls, Veronica Mars, Harry Potter, Global Frequency, The 10th Kingdom, Fullmetal Alchemist, Girl Genius, Ghost in the Shell and Saiyuki.)

1. Gift
2. Flowers/Roses (specify if you wish)
3. Ribbon
4. Heart
5. Candy/Chocolate (again, specify if you want)
6. First Kiss
7. Attraction
8. Shy
9. Passing notes in class (or equivalent)
10. First date
11. Jewelry
12. Dance
13. Secret
14. Arrow

Comments

Re: China-Red Silk

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

So watching the sun set by the light of a burning town, holding hands and sitting on top of a well-armed clank . . . so romantic!

Nothing says love like a decimated village plus mad science. ^_^ And since they do have crazy adventures, I bet it gets to the point that they're like- let go something really unusal- have a nice diner!

Yeah, she's not a shy girl, our Agatha. I think she discovers she likes both adventures and other things. *giggle*

Re: China-Red Silk

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

But Agatha would have to tell the Jagers that they weren't to be disturbed under any circumstances until they were finished eating or hats WOULD be lost. Anything short of armageddon would quietly be stopped, and the dining room would be left alone.

She's still shy in other ways -- like when Lars said he'd stop acting so much when they kissed on stage, she told Zeetha in confusion about the event as she didn't know what he meant by that. But when adventure boils the blood, she will respond. Passionately. *grin*

Re: China-Red Silk

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

I know, I love that scene. Two women completly perplexed by something that is so obvious to the reader.

Passionately is definatly a good descriptor for Agatha.

Re: China-Red Silk

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

Zeetha's grin indicated she knew, but wasn't about to tell Agatha.

And I get the feeling that Agatha never felt love for Lars. Or even like-liked him. Possibly momentary lust, one scene indicated, but she does have teenage hormones even if she hasn't had much chance to use them. She saw him as a friend, and it's possible they'd have gone on a date or two, had he survived, but reading over her scenes with him, and after his death, she kept saying how he liked her, but not a word about how she had felt about him. There was obligation to avenge the death of someone who died to save her, fury from realizing that a Heterodyne heir can't have friends since they'd just keep dying on her, but not rage over the death of someone she loved. I think he might be revived as a Jager; that better fits the way she cared for him.

Indeed. Have you seen the way she looks at her gun?

Re: China-Red Silk

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

I think Agatha really liked Lars; she just didn't love him, or have that Sparkage that she has with Gil. Maybe, over time, she could have grown to love him, but at 18 (isn't she 18?) she doesn't.

I liked Lars, and am sorry he's dead.

I love the way she looks at her guns.

Re: China-Red Silk

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

Liked, definately, and there's no question she's sorry he's dead. But speaking from personal experiance(I am, at times, as socially oblivious as Agatha), if a friend has to point out to you after the fact that a guy was trying to flirt with you, odds are not good that he was one you had interest in.

That said, they got along well enough, and overall I think it had as much potential as any relationship that forms around 18-20(I recall, somewhere, it was stated that Agatha was around college age, so about 18-20). It wouldn't have lasted, but not because she was a Heterodyne and he was 'ordinary', and probably not because she's a Spark. It's like my main reason for staying out of the HP 'shipping wars: They're kids. Even if they hook up now, odds are that it won't be a 'forever' kind of relationship, unless they demonstrate solid chemestry together.

Re: China-Red Silk

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Good point about the HP-shipping wars. I was talking to my friends recently about how I'm not rabidly one way or another about Hr/Ron vs Hr/H and how it's so easy to get ride of Ron without screwing up the characterization if you want to write Harry/Hermione: Ron and her dated and it didn't work out.

I actually read that one as Agatha just having no experience with flirting at all, so she doesn't get what he's trying to say.

Re: China-Red Silk

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

*nod* I read a good one where Harry and Ginny and Hermione and Ron had stayed couples for a few years after school, then parted ways amicably -- no horrible betrayals, they just grew apart. All remained friends, and when they met up again in their mid-20s after spending some time focusing on their careers, Harry and Hermione hooked up.

That, too, but note the scene with the mechanical orchestra and Gil -- yes, it's a more obvious and showy effort at flirting, but you can tell by her reaction that she recognizes it as flirting.

Re: China-Red Silk

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Wow, no horrible angsty betrayals? What a nice change. ^_^

Yeah, she does get the Gil is flirting with her, that's a good point. I love that shot of them dancing. More reasons to ♥ Gil.

Re: China-Red Silk

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I really liked it -- after all, if they went through all the shit canon threw at them and stuck together through it all, an amicable breakup is believable.

Oh yes indeedy. And he even promised to show her how it worked -- sparky flirting at its finest. It would have been interesting to see them go through day-to-day lab work like they'd intended. She was technically his assistaint, but I can see him approaching it more as "This project I'm working on is sparkily awesome. Want to help?" than "Igor, fetch me a brain! And drink this."

Re: China-Red Silk

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

What I loved about Gil was actually how he acted like her assistant and didn't seem bothered at all. That made me think that they might have a future together.

And promising to show how it works is totally sparky flirting at it's best.

Re: China-Red Silk

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

Yep. They'd probably be on more of an even ground once they settled down, given how they worked in a way that was more bouncing ideas off each other, and assisting each other, when they were digging into the flyer. Sparks are supposed to get along like wet cats, especially when it comes to things like who's in charge, but Gil can defer to her without giving it a second thought.

Come to think of it, the only time he asserted his position over her, it indirectly caused the hive engine to be set off and left Agatha thinking Othar was a good guy. He's probably learned his lesson.

Especially given the oh-so-adorable rant scene. He fought by her side, he knows that she's no weak damsel, easily distressed, who would allow anyone to rescue her. He made it clear that she was to be unharmed and FREE. The choice to come with him -- or not, but he'd rather not think about that option -- would be entirely her own, and she wouldn't feel any obligation or gratitude toward him for showing up.

And, eep. Rereading the wasp battle just left me with an angsty, angsty plotbunny. *shakes fist at brain* When facing the hive engine, Agatha and Gil promised to kill each other if they became infected -- both would rather die than become servants of the Other. That in mind, if Adam and Lilith had been stable enough for Gil to head off in the flyer himself, and he encountered Agatha and found out enough to realize that the Other had taken control of her body . . .

He'd exhaust all other options to bring Agatha back into control. But that could be incredibly OW as far as angst goes.

Write it!

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Yeah, what makes me love Agatha/Gil so much is the egalitarianness between them. That's what makes their relationship so awesome.

Write it! Write it! God, that would be so awesome! I actually have my own angsty plotbunny, where the Baron brings Lucrezia-in-Agatha's-body (hereafter refered to as L/A) back to Castle Wulfenbach. Klaus and L/A resume their affair and Gil has to deal with his dad macking on the body of his fiancee as well as L/A being all Mrs. Robinson twords him, while he plots to kill Lucrezia/save Agatha.

Re: Write it!

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

*nodnod* The traditional romance -- extending to the modern day -- tended to be more "Yes, fine, I respect you as an equal and all that. Now since we're married, quit your job and make with the babies."

Whereas Gil would be more like "If we're sharing a lab, I won't mind if you're working on your own projects . . . and if you don't make me bear any children we might have, I promise to build a nanny to take care of them."

It's added to the list. We're going to wind up forming the 'creepy yet romantic' corner of the fandom, aren't we?

Re: Write it!

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Whereas Gil would be more like "If we're sharing a lab, I won't mind if you're working on your own projects . . . and if you don't make me bear any children we might have, I promise to build a nanny to take care of them."

Hee! This could be a fandom where mpreg works. I can just see Agatha creating a machine to gestate the babies. Have you read any Lois McMaster Bujold? She writes sci-fi and there's a decent focus on ovarian replicaters and population control with archic versus modern methods.

I'll make the buttons.

Re: Write it!

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

Bujold is awesome, though I liked 'Shards of Honor' and 'Barrayar' better than the stuff with Miles.

And yep, mad science definately helps out with mpreg. Over in Narbonic, it's even . . . wait, no, don't want to spoil you if you wind up checking it out.

Hard to say what approach Agatha might take. She might attempt experiments on herself while pregnant, for various things.

Re: Write it!

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

You too? I though I was the only person who liked Cordelia best. Have you read her newest, "The Sharing Knife?" It's awesome.

Thanks for being wary of the spoilers- I really appreciate it.

I would hope that Gil would keep Agatha from experimenting on herself- because that doesn't seem like it would end well.

Re: Write it!

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

I can't believe that Cordelia isn't a universal favourite. The shopping trip alone, fercryinoutloud . . .

Haven't picked up the Sharing Knife, but I intend to. My 'to read' pile threatens to collapse on me, so it might be a while.

No problem. I'm trying, but still afraid I might slip up somewhere.

The survival rate for Sparks overall would be higher if they had someone to step in and stop them from going through with an experiment that would be a Bad Idea. Hooking up will increase both their life spans.

Re: Write it!

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

I love Cordelia- I think she and Aral had one of the awesomest courtships ever, and she's such a perfect foil for Barrayar with her Betan sensibilities.

Yeah, with Spark, I'm remined of a Calvin & Hobbes quote: "how can something be so plausible at the time and so idodic in retrospect?" I bet it helps to have someone else around who's at your mental level and will say, 'hey, maybe that's a TERRIBLE IDEA!'

Re: Write it!

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

It was a sweet romance. Odd, crazy, but perfect for them.

Though Hobbes tended to go along with Calvin's schemes just to see the chaos that would result . . . and given Sparks, maybe it'd just be smaller-scale. Like "Well, I don't see why the attack dogs need to shoot bees from their mouths . . . "

Re: Write it!

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Oh, I really like that icon, by the way- the compromise is you're gonna go what she tells you and like it. ^_^

Attack dogs with bees does not sound smaller scale to me.

Re: Write it!

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

*grin* Yep, one of the better scenes. Snow is awesome.

Sorry, badly phrased -- advising her that the attack dogs don't NEED bees.

Also, I've been getting into Veronica Mars lately -- borrowing DVDs from a friend, I'm about halfway through the second season -- and recalling your Lazy Sunday meme featured VM went back and read. A++, totally agree. I'm somewhat baffled as to why some see Duncan or Logan as more likely romantic interests.

Re: Write it!

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Snow is win.

That would make more sense.

Well, I refuse to admit that the second season of VM exists, but I'm glad you're liking Veronica. In the first season I was very interested in how they developed Logan, as with the reveal of who killed Lilly I think that I think is was nicely bitter for him. However, I've been a fan of Weevil/Veronica since the begining. The reason that I think that they'd be great together (besides the obvious chemistry) is that Weevil is the only one of the men around Veronica how has never gotten mad at her for how hard she searches for the truth, as well as the lines she's willing to cross.

Re: Write it!

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

The first season was much better, no question, but the second season is still awesome if I focus on the "Veronica is an awesome detective" aspects.

Weevil gets Veronica. He's always been willing to step forward and kick ass on her behalf. And more importaintly, she's always trusted him. She's been more inclined to see him as innocent until proven guilty, whereas she's inherently suspicious of anyone else she knows until she's dug up enough to know they're innocent.

Re: Write it!

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

I don't know if I'd say that she's more willing to see Weevil as innocent as she knows the kinds of thing's he'd be guilty of and doesn't mind, whereas the other people around him have dirtywrong secrets that hurt other people.