so that's a number
May. 7th, 2026 09:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
senmut5300 works on AO3.
Can anyone imagine how high it would be if I hadn't grouped ficlets and drabbles back when I archived all my old fic?
Can anyone imagine how high it would be if I hadn't grouped ficlets and drabbles back when I archived all my old fic?
Podfic!
May. 6th, 2026 05:26 pmsenmutDo It Again? [Podfic] (48 words) by blackglass
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Legends: Thrawn Trilogy - Timothy Zahn
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Leia Organa, Luke Skywalker
Additional Tags: Drabble, Podfic, Podfic Length: 0-10 Minutes, Audio Format: MP3, Audio Format: Streaming
Summary:
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Legends: Thrawn Trilogy - Timothy Zahn
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Leia Organa, Luke Skywalker
Additional Tags: Drabble, Podfic, Podfic Length: 0-10 Minutes, Audio Format: MP3, Audio Format: Streaming
Summary:
A podfic of Do It Again? by Merfilly.
"Leia asks a question."
May the 4th be with you (and you as well)
May. 4th, 2026 06:12 pmsenmutAO3 Link | Do It Again? (100 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars: Thrawn Trilogy
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa
Additional Tags: Drabble
Summary:
"Would you follow him again?" Leia asked as she watched Luke working on a servo for Artoo. Luke paused, looking up at the woman he'd been infatuated with by a clip of a recording, one that he now knew was his very own twin.
He thought about all the ups and downs they had seen, the fall of the Emperor, the more shadowy war against Thrawn's Imperial Remnant, and he smiled brightly.
"Over and over again, Leia. That little adventure might have had a lot of tragedy for all of us, but… we're here, we're family, and we are together."
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars: Thrawn Trilogy
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa
Additional Tags: Drabble
Summary:
Leia asks a question.
"Would you follow him again?" Leia asked as she watched Luke working on a servo for Artoo. Luke paused, looking up at the woman he'd been infatuated with by a clip of a recording, one that he now knew was his very own twin.
He thought about all the ups and downs they had seen, the fall of the Emperor, the more shadowy war against Thrawn's Imperial Remnant, and he smiled brightly.
"Over and over again, Leia. That little adventure might have had a lot of tragedy for all of us, but… we're here, we're family, and we are together."
May the 4th be with you, etcetera.
May. 4th, 2026 03:15 pmgoodbyebirdIt's May 4th, how about an impromptu icon pass it on?
+ Reply to a comment that has an image with the icon made from that image plus a new image for the next person to work with.
+ You can also start your own comment thread, supplying your own starter image.
+ Only one starter thread per person, but you can answer as many image prompts as you want (you leave an image yourself every time you post an icon).
+ It doesn't matter if someone else has already made an icon for an image, make your own, let's create a sprawling comments section of pretties! (want to icon an image you supplied? Once again, go for it!)
+ All Star Wars canon welcome, be it movies, shows, comics, games.
+ We'll keep it going for a week, until end of Sunday May 10th.
You can find various images here.
I'll post the first image in the comments below to get us going ♥
+ Reply to a comment that has an image with the icon made from that image plus a new image for the next person to work with.
+ You can also start your own comment thread, supplying your own starter image.
+ Only one starter thread per person, but you can answer as many image prompts as you want (you leave an image yourself every time you post an icon).
+ It doesn't matter if someone else has already made an icon for an image, make your own, let's create a sprawling comments section of pretties! (want to icon an image you supplied? Once again, go for it!)
+ All Star Wars canon welcome, be it movies, shows, comics, games.
+ We'll keep it going for a week, until end of Sunday May 10th.
You can find various images here.
I'll post the first image in the comments below to get us going ♥
FTH 3.1: DC Comics (JLI)
May. 7th, 2026 06:52 pmsenmutAO3 Link | Humanity Sampler (1771 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: DCU [Comics], Justice League International [Comics]
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: J'onn J'onzz | Martian Manhunter, Michael Jon Carter | Booster Gold, Ted Kord | Blue Beetle, Beatriz "Bea" Bonilla da Costa|Fire, Dinah Laurel Lance | Black Canary, Ensemble
Additional Tags: Slice of Life, Charity Auction
Summary:
"Follow the itinerary," Batman said in his gravel-laden voice, and J'onn peered at him, trying to fathom just what this was all about. "Follow it."
"I will," J'onn agreed gravely, before opening the envelope. A very precise schedule, movie tickets, annotations on where the theater was, as well as mention of which restaurants were near and when to go were printed out for him. After those items, there was simply the word 'club' with no ending time next to it.
Each activity had a different member of the team listed, and that they knew when to meet him.
All in all, this might be the strangest day of cultural education J'onn had ever attempted, drafted out by their resident tactical genius, who happened to be the most taciturn and standoffish member of the team.
Still, J'onn had to admit that he was very curious. He adjusted his human appearance to be less noir detective and more Joe-on-the-street, before walking out into the common room.
Ted and Michael were waiting for him. Michael looked like the models in the fashion magazines, while Ted looked more like he'd just strolled off campus to enjoy a night out.
"So the first question I have," Ted said as they strolled down from the embassy via the stairs, "is have you seen Star Wars, any of them?"
"Yes," J'onn told him. "All three. I was babysitting for my partner's nephews while she was supporting their mother having a sister for them."
Michael blinked at him. "Whoa. You have a life with normal people in it?"
J'onn arched an eyebrow at him. "Several, actually," he deadpanned, getting both of them to laugh in that way they did when uncertain if he was making a joke.
"Good. Because we're taking you to see Spaceballs, which is a Mel Brooks parody of that set of movies," Ted told him after a moment to get his laughter under control.
"Ahh," J'onn said and he relaxed fully into the idea of a movie out. Generally, he had taken in cinema by himself, but it had come up that movie-going was different with friends. "I have enjoyed other films from Brooks, but only saw Blazing Saddles in theater."
"Jonny boy, I am learning so much about you," Michael said, and it wasn't mocking, only sincere warmth for finding new facets.
"Knew you loved Looney Tunes, so figured Brooks might work," Ted said happily. "Glad to know I was right."
The ground rules were simple. Ted and Michael both would let J'onn snoop their public minds for their reactions to the jokes.
Neither one expected J'onn to pick up the jokes so fully that he offered them a few moments to help them catch the more subtle ones.
And then! The humans got treated to J'onn, with his extensive memory, pulling up the movie clips that Spaceballs was parodying, sharing it with them.
J'onn had had more questions about the previews than the movie itself, and all three of them walked out lighter in spirit for the shared camaraderie.
"The experience of sharing a movie is different," J'onn admitted, carefully throwing away the trash of their rather extensive snacking.
"Maybe we can slot a movie night in for team-bonding? Rent a couple and share the experience with the team?" Ted suggested.
"A good idea… but everyone will have to be given a chance to choose, and the rest of us must give fair consideration," J'onn agreed.
"Score!" Michael crowed. "I'm pretty sure I can hammer out some basic guidelines to keep the movie choices from offending too much? I do know what triggers bad P.R. and can use that to start."
J'onn rested a hand on Michael's shoulder, nodding. "Pass the rules to Black Canary for a second set of eyes, then bring it to me, so I can set it up on the team calendar."
They stepped out onto the street… and Bea was there in a pretty as well as demure dress.
"You look lovely tonight," J'onn said honestly, knowing the style of clothing was different from what she was known for modeling.
"You look sharper than your friends," she said, but it was with a smile at both of them. "Go on; he's mine for the next part of the night."
"Dude, I thought for sure you would be handling the clubbing," Michael said, getting a playful swat from Ted, before both men turned off to got their own ways. J'onn wanted to offer his arm to Bea, like in the older movies he enjoyed, but knew that wasn't as common nowadays. She must have caught a whiff of his thoughts, because she moved to his side, and laced her fingers with his like they were on a real date.
"This way; I decided we're doing Greek food," she said, before guiding him to the restaurant she had picked.
"Why Greek?" J'onn asked as they were taken to a table to sit.
"Why not?" Bea asked in turn, before grinning. "This is a family-owned place. I think for the purpose of today's mission," and her eyes sparkled a little, "you will enjoy seeing how such a place handles people."
J'onn considered the hearty greeting as they had come in, the compliment thrown to Bea without being abrasive, and nodded. He cast an eye over the crowd gathered, seeing people he could recognize from all aspects of city life… each absorbed in their own lives, but responding the solicitous questions of the wait staff.
Even as they ordered for themselves, that friendliness — yes it was a practiced skill but it still felt sincere — bolstered J'onn away from his morose feelings about humanity. One table was surrounded by young people celebrating an academic achievement. The staff brought them a dessert to share and congratulated them loudly.
Another young man eating alone was reading as he ate, but seemed to be content at the noise level around him, as if it was part of his evening relaxation. A mother was dividing out food for her three children, and a waiter stopped to place an extra plate of fries there, unasked.
This was a community of food and connections. He turned to look at Bea, and she had a knowing smile on her face. There were others, all unique, and yet all connected by their choice to be here, now, sharing food with people who might be strangers, but were friendly.
"This? Is a good feeling," J'onn told her. "Thank you."
"Any time, my friend."
J'onn gave Bea a kiss on the cheek as they exited, getting her into a taxi after, and walked to the club that had been the capstone of the night. He didn't know if this part was actually all that necessary, and while he was thinking about how to get out of this, a slim woman slipped up and put her arm through his.
"Hey handsome," Dinah said up to him, before raising on tip-toes to kiss his cheek. "Duck over here with me," she added, guiding him down a narrow blind alley, before pushing an image of him as he was but dressed slightly different, something that would match her leggings and big-shouldered blazer over a tank top.
"Your mind pictures are sharp," he said, adjusting his appearance, including the different style haircut.
"I have appearances to maintain, J'onn; can't be seen with a mild-mannered reporter type," she said, laughter in her words and eyes.
"He's not here to defend himself, you know."
"He's also happily ensconced in a deeply loving relationship, making him a safe target to pick on," she retorted. she guided him back out and over to the line forming at the club's entrance, draped on his arm and playing up the girlfriend role. "Dial your hearing down; it will be loud. But let yourself feel the music and the people."
Those words were for his ears only, and he did the best he could to make loud noises less a detriment to his senses. For him, son of a telepathic species that controlled their bodies as much as their environments, it was doable.
"I'm surprised you were in town to handle this," J'onn said as they waited.
"B specifically asked me, and promised to get resources against the latest drug ring I've been working on cracking."
"That would do it." He smiled at her, knowing she was as dedicated to protecting others as he was. When it was there turn at the door, they showed I.D. and were waved in after Dinah paid the cover fee. Once past the entry, the music did flood over J'onn, and she kept a hand on him, dragging him into the crowd right away.
Her mind was open, offering the chance to go sit or to dance… and he took a look at the people, took in what he knew of his longtime friend, and opted for the dancing. It was not that hard to mimic the movements around him, to find that he could match the rhythm of the beat with her to lead him.
The energy of the crowd was a mixed thing. He 'tasted' desperation to escape normal lives against the sincere wish to just exist in the crowd and music. He could easily guess why Dinah had told him to let himself feel the people.
This was humanity at play and escape both, driven to release energy that found little expression in the day in, day out humdrum of normalcy.
Guy called out his order, last one to arrive at the diner, and plunked himself in the chair beside Tora. "So how'd your night out go? Sorry you got stuck with the dweebs. I'd've taken you to a real movie."
J'onn merely smiled at the man they considered abrasive, knowing that under it all was a man dedicated to protecting others. He caught the flash of amusement from the waitress, who had been utterly unshakable to have the Justice League show up for a late night meal.
"I enjoyed myself. And… it helped me see why we band together to make it possible for everyone to just live their lives."
Wally chuckled. "We did something like that with Wondergirl and Aqualad back in the day."
"Max took us out on the town," Barda volunteered, "but I believe he was, what is the word?"
"Schmoozing ya," Oberon supplied. "And yeah, but it was a helluva night!"
Scott laughed, and then they all fell into talking about Earth customs, with the natives providing insights, and the aliens adding how it seemed to them.
All in all, J'onn thought it was yet another successful bat-plan.
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: DCU [Comics], Justice League International [Comics]
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: J'onn J'onzz | Martian Manhunter, Michael Jon Carter | Booster Gold, Ted Kord | Blue Beetle, Beatriz "Bea" Bonilla da Costa|Fire, Dinah Laurel Lance | Black Canary, Ensemble
Additional Tags: Slice of Life, Charity Auction
Summary:
J'onn is encouraged to work to a plan with his teammates for seeing more of humanity.
Humanity Sampler
"Follow the itinerary," Batman said in his gravel-laden voice, and J'onn peered at him, trying to fathom just what this was all about. "Follow it."
"I will," J'onn agreed gravely, before opening the envelope. A very precise schedule, movie tickets, annotations on where the theater was, as well as mention of which restaurants were near and when to go were printed out for him. After those items, there was simply the word 'club' with no ending time next to it.
Each activity had a different member of the team listed, and that they knew when to meet him.
All in all, this might be the strangest day of cultural education J'onn had ever attempted, drafted out by their resident tactical genius, who happened to be the most taciturn and standoffish member of the team.
Still, J'onn had to admit that he was very curious. He adjusted his human appearance to be less noir detective and more Joe-on-the-street, before walking out into the common room.
Ted and Michael were waiting for him. Michael looked like the models in the fashion magazines, while Ted looked more like he'd just strolled off campus to enjoy a night out.
"So the first question I have," Ted said as they strolled down from the embassy via the stairs, "is have you seen Star Wars, any of them?"
"Yes," J'onn told him. "All three. I was babysitting for my partner's nephews while she was supporting their mother having a sister for them."
Michael blinked at him. "Whoa. You have a life with normal people in it?"
J'onn arched an eyebrow at him. "Several, actually," he deadpanned, getting both of them to laugh in that way they did when uncertain if he was making a joke.
"Good. Because we're taking you to see Spaceballs, which is a Mel Brooks parody of that set of movies," Ted told him after a moment to get his laughter under control.
"Ahh," J'onn said and he relaxed fully into the idea of a movie out. Generally, he had taken in cinema by himself, but it had come up that movie-going was different with friends. "I have enjoyed other films from Brooks, but only saw Blazing Saddles in theater."
"Jonny boy, I am learning so much about you," Michael said, and it wasn't mocking, only sincere warmth for finding new facets.
"Knew you loved Looney Tunes, so figured Brooks might work," Ted said happily. "Glad to know I was right."
The ground rules were simple. Ted and Michael both would let J'onn snoop their public minds for their reactions to the jokes.
Neither one expected J'onn to pick up the jokes so fully that he offered them a few moments to help them catch the more subtle ones.
And then! The humans got treated to J'onn, with his extensive memory, pulling up the movie clips that Spaceballs was parodying, sharing it with them.
J'onn had had more questions about the previews than the movie itself, and all three of them walked out lighter in spirit for the shared camaraderie.
"The experience of sharing a movie is different," J'onn admitted, carefully throwing away the trash of their rather extensive snacking.
"Maybe we can slot a movie night in for team-bonding? Rent a couple and share the experience with the team?" Ted suggested.
"A good idea… but everyone will have to be given a chance to choose, and the rest of us must give fair consideration," J'onn agreed.
"Score!" Michael crowed. "I'm pretty sure I can hammer out some basic guidelines to keep the movie choices from offending too much? I do know what triggers bad P.R. and can use that to start."
J'onn rested a hand on Michael's shoulder, nodding. "Pass the rules to Black Canary for a second set of eyes, then bring it to me, so I can set it up on the team calendar."
They stepped out onto the street… and Bea was there in a pretty as well as demure dress.
"You look lovely tonight," J'onn said honestly, knowing the style of clothing was different from what she was known for modeling.
"You look sharper than your friends," she said, but it was with a smile at both of them. "Go on; he's mine for the next part of the night."
"Dude, I thought for sure you would be handling the clubbing," Michael said, getting a playful swat from Ted, before both men turned off to got their own ways. J'onn wanted to offer his arm to Bea, like in the older movies he enjoyed, but knew that wasn't as common nowadays. She must have caught a whiff of his thoughts, because she moved to his side, and laced her fingers with his like they were on a real date.
"This way; I decided we're doing Greek food," she said, before guiding him to the restaurant she had picked.
"Why Greek?" J'onn asked as they were taken to a table to sit.
"Why not?" Bea asked in turn, before grinning. "This is a family-owned place. I think for the purpose of today's mission," and her eyes sparkled a little, "you will enjoy seeing how such a place handles people."
J'onn considered the hearty greeting as they had come in, the compliment thrown to Bea without being abrasive, and nodded. He cast an eye over the crowd gathered, seeing people he could recognize from all aspects of city life… each absorbed in their own lives, but responding the solicitous questions of the wait staff.
Even as they ordered for themselves, that friendliness — yes it was a practiced skill but it still felt sincere — bolstered J'onn away from his morose feelings about humanity. One table was surrounded by young people celebrating an academic achievement. The staff brought them a dessert to share and congratulated them loudly.
Another young man eating alone was reading as he ate, but seemed to be content at the noise level around him, as if it was part of his evening relaxation. A mother was dividing out food for her three children, and a waiter stopped to place an extra plate of fries there, unasked.
This was a community of food and connections. He turned to look at Bea, and she had a knowing smile on her face. There were others, all unique, and yet all connected by their choice to be here, now, sharing food with people who might be strangers, but were friendly.
"This? Is a good feeling," J'onn told her. "Thank you."
"Any time, my friend."
J'onn gave Bea a kiss on the cheek as they exited, getting her into a taxi after, and walked to the club that had been the capstone of the night. He didn't know if this part was actually all that necessary, and while he was thinking about how to get out of this, a slim woman slipped up and put her arm through his.
"Hey handsome," Dinah said up to him, before raising on tip-toes to kiss his cheek. "Duck over here with me," she added, guiding him down a narrow blind alley, before pushing an image of him as he was but dressed slightly different, something that would match her leggings and big-shouldered blazer over a tank top.
"Your mind pictures are sharp," he said, adjusting his appearance, including the different style haircut.
"I have appearances to maintain, J'onn; can't be seen with a mild-mannered reporter type," she said, laughter in her words and eyes.
"He's not here to defend himself, you know."
"He's also happily ensconced in a deeply loving relationship, making him a safe target to pick on," she retorted. she guided him back out and over to the line forming at the club's entrance, draped on his arm and playing up the girlfriend role. "Dial your hearing down; it will be loud. But let yourself feel the music and the people."
Those words were for his ears only, and he did the best he could to make loud noises less a detriment to his senses. For him, son of a telepathic species that controlled their bodies as much as their environments, it was doable.
"I'm surprised you were in town to handle this," J'onn said as they waited.
"B specifically asked me, and promised to get resources against the latest drug ring I've been working on cracking."
"That would do it." He smiled at her, knowing she was as dedicated to protecting others as he was. When it was there turn at the door, they showed I.D. and were waved in after Dinah paid the cover fee. Once past the entry, the music did flood over J'onn, and she kept a hand on him, dragging him into the crowd right away.
Her mind was open, offering the chance to go sit or to dance… and he took a look at the people, took in what he knew of his longtime friend, and opted for the dancing. It was not that hard to mimic the movements around him, to find that he could match the rhythm of the beat with her to lead him.
The energy of the crowd was a mixed thing. He 'tasted' desperation to escape normal lives against the sincere wish to just exist in the crowd and music. He could easily guess why Dinah had told him to let himself feel the people.
This was humanity at play and escape both, driven to release energy that found little expression in the day in, day out humdrum of normalcy.
Guy called out his order, last one to arrive at the diner, and plunked himself in the chair beside Tora. "So how'd your night out go? Sorry you got stuck with the dweebs. I'd've taken you to a real movie."
J'onn merely smiled at the man they considered abrasive, knowing that under it all was a man dedicated to protecting others. He caught the flash of amusement from the waitress, who had been utterly unshakable to have the Justice League show up for a late night meal.
"I enjoyed myself. And… it helped me see why we band together to make it possible for everyone to just live their lives."
Wally chuckled. "We did something like that with Wondergirl and Aqualad back in the day."
"Max took us out on the town," Barda volunteered, "but I believe he was, what is the word?"
"Schmoozing ya," Oberon supplied. "And yeah, but it was a helluva night!"
Scott laughed, and then they all fell into talking about Earth customs, with the natives providing insights, and the aliens adding how it seemed to them.
All in all, J'onn thought it was yet another successful bat-plan.
FTH 2.1: Highlander
May. 6th, 2026 08:09 pmsenmutAO3 Link | Solving a Mystery (2332 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Highlander The Series
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Joe Dawson [Highlander the Series], Methos [Highlander]
Additional Tags: Canon Typical Violence, Charity Auction, Road Trips
Summary:
Methos eyed the Peugeot 405, estate body-style, with a dubious air.
"Whatever you are thinking, keep it behind your lips," Joe told him firmly. "A friend of mine had it worked over so I can actually drive it. You did actually bother learning how to drive my old one, so you can still trade off driving."
"I suppose I am grateful for the cargo space," Methos decided to say, refusing to be silent, but not wanting to start this trip on a sour note with his friend. "And it will be smoother than bouncing on a braying mule's back," he added at Joe's considering look his way.
"Rome?"
"Anatolia," Methos said. "I nearly was executed for making off with a prized one."
"Of course you were."
Joe picked up his bag, braced on his cane in a way that actually made Methos concerned about their plans. Then he noted the bag was heavier than it appeared to be, and the bracing made sense.
"What are you carrying?" Methos asked in his nosiest fashion. He followed Joe to the car with his own single bag, as what he cared to not lose was on his person. He'd have to shift the sword when they got in the car, but it was a registered and licensed antiquity in case of traffic stops.
"A few books that I promised Amanda I'd see returned to the abbey when we touch base there," Joe told him.
"Imagine her returning things…" Methos commented, even as he found a memory welling up.
the past
Methos slipped inside the small kitchen, well-aware that his hostess knew he was there, and that she was calm enough to leave her back to him. Sometimes it shocked him, the way alliances among their kind were able to remain steady through centuries.
"I just saw your latest waif slipping out into the night; should we be concerned?"
Rebecca looked over her shoulder and smiled, shaking her head. "Her fingers acquired something I told her to return."
"Still can't resist such impulses?" he questioned, investigating the choice of drinks before securing a pair of mugs for them to pour.
"It's part of her nature… cider, my friend. Ale would make the stew sit heavy."
"And we can't have that," Methos agreed, considering the immortal thief a longer moment, before settling to conversation and games with Rebecca, one of the few he almost called friend in this age.
"Earth to Adam," Joe said, purposefully using his modern name to drag his attention back. "Let's get this trip off to a start, okay? Then you can tell me stories and keep me awake."
"Of course."
As much as Methos preferred to leave the past dead and buried, this trip was designed specifically to dig up pieces of it… and sharing his memories with Joe was at least somewhat more acceptable than having Duncan or Amanda along for it.
Eventually, Joe would take those stories to his grave, rather than have them live on in another immortal's mind for centuries. It made as much difference to him as that fact that it was Joe, the only mortal he trusted himself to grow closer to.
Joe came alert from his nap because the car had stopped. He looked ahead, the headlamps — before Methos killed them — giving him a glimpse of stone cot and well in disrepair. He didn't remember this on the map they had discussed, but then again, Methos sometimes didn't share, or remember, all the steps. He realized the car must have been crawling over an unpaved path to get them here, and decided he needed to get some caffeine tablets if he hadn't noticed that earlier.
He noticed Methos reached for his sword before getting out, and made himself sit still for a long moment.
If there was an Immortal here, the last thing Methos needed was for Joe to be in potential hostage range. Not, Joe reminded himself, that it would make much of a difference in Methos's decisions. Practical and methodical, too inured to losses, would mean Joe would just wind up dead.
After several tense moments of waiting, Joe found himself relaxing as the other Immortal did step out into the dim light of the moon. Rifling his mental catalog of Immortals, Joe placed this one as Robert de Valicourt, dimly remembering a story about a faked duel and touching reunions.
Things seemed peaceful, as the men embraced, and when Methos looked back to the car, Joe made his way out of it and up the slight incline to the pair.
"Joe, Robert; Robert, Joe." After that bit of an introduction, Methos focused on the other Immortal. "Tell me again, so Joe knows it as well?"
"Gina became aware of writings that she are certain belong to Darius. She was his guest for a time, when we gave way to reason and separated for a time while Silas had it in his head to come for both of ours.
"I thought you would better be able to retrieve them, as you are connected to that society." Robert flicked his eyes at Joe, but less with suspicion and more with hope. "You know it would be written in his code, but some names… do not change."
"How did your wife," and Joe said that deliberately to show he was aware of who he was dealing with, "come to know of them, and which of 'that society' is involved, if you know?"
"An Italian man called Emile Momorrella."
"You think these supposed writings may well tie into the memories of yours we're trying to jog," Joe said, once they were back on the road.
"I was actually in contact with him during the period I've been trying to remember," Methos agreed.
"Emile would have known Gina was an Immortal. She, nor her husband, are particularly known for disguising themselves well," Joe pointed out.
"Yes. This is very much a trap. But better I spring it than it — and the ramifications of our problem we need to solve — takes on a wider spiral that nets the rest of our friends."
Joe bit back any other words as Methos said that. The ancient Immortal was not the most proactive at keeping ties to other Immortals, but that had sounded sincere. He contemplated the reasoning behind the road trip, which had been a rash of new Immortals cropping up in the last year, all of them killed within weeks of their first Quickening.
It had sparked a memory, but not the details, of an event like that happening centuries prior, one that Methos had investigated as possibly being connected to his former comrades in arms.
"What if it's another Immortal working with Emile? A new attempt at what Horton tried, using an Immortal to catch out others, and destroy them first?"
Methos's smile was sharp and dangerous. "Then two people will die before it is done with, at minimum. This former Watcher and whomever they have leashed.
"But I don't think so. This… I think it has something to do with Cassandra."
"Or someone like her?" Joe prompted, after flicking through Duncan's version of that woman's history.
"Yes. She's not a preemptive murderess, but if someone was able to control her — ha! — or a person like her, they might be able to predict where we will be found," Methos reasoned.
"Alright, so it's a trap, they may or may not have one of your kind helping them, and they may or may not have someone who defies science even more than your people by showing them things they shouldn't know." Joe sighed. "So we're turning south?"
"Yes. Robert said he was going to rendezvous with Gina, and make certain they both went to ground elsewhere. With Emile in Milan, he may have an advantage, but I might just have an ace up my sleeve there as well," Methos said, smirking.
"This should be good," Joe said, even as he wondered why in hell he was still doing field work.
He knew, though. Methos mattered enough to make him put aside safety, and he also felt a responsibility to the ones like Duncan, just living their lives and trying to do right.
Methos surveyed the building that had likely begun life as an insula, steadily rebuilt through the ages until it was both what it had been and not.
That, he decided, was something of an apt thought for any Immortal who survived the ages. The constant need to adapt, learn, discard old habits… they lived as Ships of Theseus.
"Can you tell if an Immortal is in there yet?"
"No. I am not that gifted." Methos looked at Joe. "What are you thinking?"
"Honestly? Considering finding out what Watchers are nearby and just waltzing in to capture Emile.
"But I know that's the stupid plan. What's yours?"
"Waltzing in and starting a fight, but after I disable the power and phone lines," Methos said confidently.
"That's worse than mine."
Methos deflated slightly. "We need those writings. And, if we're right, taking Emile and his accomplices down will actually give the newer Immortals a chance to prove themselves rotten to the core for Duncan and others to rightfully remove from the Game."
Joe rolled his eyes. "I've known a lot of you now, and I think you sell them short by seeing them all as potential Slans and Kalases."
"Less debating philosophy and more coming up with a working plan? We don't have access to our thief to encourage her to swipe the writings. Emile is likely just as prepared for a bloodbath as Horton's people ever were. The insula sits in a mostly business district, so there will be many potential witnesses.
"It's unlikely the writings will be moved from here, or that there are not severe traps in place for trying to get to them. And all we really have to go on is Robert's words of what Gina told him."
Joe nodded, considering for a long moment. "We use both plans. You get yourself into the building, unseen, and I call in backup to go confront him. We handle it all inside their part of the building… but all of this hinges on there not being an Immortal who can feel you."
"Or having had visions, if I am right and they have someone like Cassandra."
"Or that."
The pair sat in silence a long moment, considering, before they shared a look.
"Reverse it," Methos said firmly. "I'm the distraction, you're the cleanup."
Joe nodded, having seen the shape of it, and turned to get back to a phone, so he could get everything in motion.
Joe winced as the gunfire erupted, but he stayed on task, the three Watchers with him ready with tasers designed to tackle bears with. Emile was meant to face their justice, and if another Immortal was on premises, they would need to be evaluated for psychosis.
Methos needed to keep himself alive and, if possible, get the hell out of dodge as soon as the Watchers were on top of it.
Joe trusted in Methos to find a way, even as he pushed into one of the offices that had resisted his lock-picking skills, forcing him to resort to a small bit of plastic explosives.
"Go down, deal with anyone attacking the man by himself, but don't… don't impede that one getting away. He took a helluva risk to get us a chance to clean up our mess."
"Si," the leader of the three said. "This ends today, the disgrace they were," that one continued, before beckoning his partners to follow him down to the fighting.
Another strip of plastic explosive was needed for the safe, but Joe's awareness of Emilie's habits were paying off. The vellum was of the right look and smell, the inks he could see matched historic use to the eye. It would take time in a lab to verify, but the writings in pinched, cramped archaic Latin looked like the very thing Gina had reported being asked to establish the age of.
The sound of a gun cocking behind him made Joe stand up slowly — not that he could do otherwise given his condition — and turn to see Emile there. More worryingly, the sounds below had come to a standstill.
"Finally," Emile said, opening his mouth to say something else.
The words choked as he convulsed, electricity pouring through his body. Joe looked past him to see Methos holding the taser, smiling, if a bit bloody.
"Nice toy," he said, before tossing it to the side. "Your people need medical aid, and there is an Immortal here, who is in very poor shape. Clean things up, and meet me at the fall-back?"
"I can do that," Joe said, before holding out the folio. Methos stepped over the still jerking Emile, and accepted it, before doing his swift vanishing act.
Joe eased down onto the bed, saw to ridding himself of the prosthetics, then laid back. He turned his head and found Methos already looking at him.
"Rodrigo looked the other way as I took Cashton to a monastery."
"So that's his name. And what did you learn?"
"He can predict where your kind will be found, sees it in dreams. Emile started using him, convincing him that he was meant to be an angel on the side of God, to end the abominations. He'd never met another of his kind." Joe sighed. "He promised to stay, and to listen to Raines when he shows up."
"Cory Raines?" Methos asked in disbelief.
"He owed me a favor and he needs a change of scene," Joe admitted. "Now, the writings?"
Methos grinned. "How do you feel about us taking an actual vacation to a little shrine I recall, and spending time translating them?"
"I think that sounds better than this last week has been," Joe admitted, before shifting to get comfortable, not even minding when Methos wound up more on his side of the bed than not.
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Highlander The Series
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Joe Dawson [Highlander the Series], Methos [Highlander]
Additional Tags: Canon Typical Violence, Charity Auction, Road Trips
Summary:
Joe and Methos set out on a road trip, and eventually get a more solid clue for why they are traveling.
Solving a Mystery
Methos eyed the Peugeot 405, estate body-style, with a dubious air.
"Whatever you are thinking, keep it behind your lips," Joe told him firmly. "A friend of mine had it worked over so I can actually drive it. You did actually bother learning how to drive my old one, so you can still trade off driving."
"I suppose I am grateful for the cargo space," Methos decided to say, refusing to be silent, but not wanting to start this trip on a sour note with his friend. "And it will be smoother than bouncing on a braying mule's back," he added at Joe's considering look his way.
"Rome?"
"Anatolia," Methos said. "I nearly was executed for making off with a prized one."
"Of course you were."
Joe picked up his bag, braced on his cane in a way that actually made Methos concerned about their plans. Then he noted the bag was heavier than it appeared to be, and the bracing made sense.
"What are you carrying?" Methos asked in his nosiest fashion. He followed Joe to the car with his own single bag, as what he cared to not lose was on his person. He'd have to shift the sword when they got in the car, but it was a registered and licensed antiquity in case of traffic stops.
"A few books that I promised Amanda I'd see returned to the abbey when we touch base there," Joe told him.
"Imagine her returning things…" Methos commented, even as he found a memory welling up.
the past
Methos slipped inside the small kitchen, well-aware that his hostess knew he was there, and that she was calm enough to leave her back to him. Sometimes it shocked him, the way alliances among their kind were able to remain steady through centuries.
"I just saw your latest waif slipping out into the night; should we be concerned?"
Rebecca looked over her shoulder and smiled, shaking her head. "Her fingers acquired something I told her to return."
"Still can't resist such impulses?" he questioned, investigating the choice of drinks before securing a pair of mugs for them to pour.
"It's part of her nature… cider, my friend. Ale would make the stew sit heavy."
"And we can't have that," Methos agreed, considering the immortal thief a longer moment, before settling to conversation and games with Rebecca, one of the few he almost called friend in this age.
"Earth to Adam," Joe said, purposefully using his modern name to drag his attention back. "Let's get this trip off to a start, okay? Then you can tell me stories and keep me awake."
"Of course."
As much as Methos preferred to leave the past dead and buried, this trip was designed specifically to dig up pieces of it… and sharing his memories with Joe was at least somewhat more acceptable than having Duncan or Amanda along for it.
Eventually, Joe would take those stories to his grave, rather than have them live on in another immortal's mind for centuries. It made as much difference to him as that fact that it was Joe, the only mortal he trusted himself to grow closer to.
Joe came alert from his nap because the car had stopped. He looked ahead, the headlamps — before Methos killed them — giving him a glimpse of stone cot and well in disrepair. He didn't remember this on the map they had discussed, but then again, Methos sometimes didn't share, or remember, all the steps. He realized the car must have been crawling over an unpaved path to get them here, and decided he needed to get some caffeine tablets if he hadn't noticed that earlier.
He noticed Methos reached for his sword before getting out, and made himself sit still for a long moment.
If there was an Immortal here, the last thing Methos needed was for Joe to be in potential hostage range. Not, Joe reminded himself, that it would make much of a difference in Methos's decisions. Practical and methodical, too inured to losses, would mean Joe would just wind up dead.
After several tense moments of waiting, Joe found himself relaxing as the other Immortal did step out into the dim light of the moon. Rifling his mental catalog of Immortals, Joe placed this one as Robert de Valicourt, dimly remembering a story about a faked duel and touching reunions.
Things seemed peaceful, as the men embraced, and when Methos looked back to the car, Joe made his way out of it and up the slight incline to the pair.
"Joe, Robert; Robert, Joe." After that bit of an introduction, Methos focused on the other Immortal. "Tell me again, so Joe knows it as well?"
"Gina became aware of writings that she are certain belong to Darius. She was his guest for a time, when we gave way to reason and separated for a time while Silas had it in his head to come for both of ours.
"I thought you would better be able to retrieve them, as you are connected to that society." Robert flicked his eyes at Joe, but less with suspicion and more with hope. "You know it would be written in his code, but some names… do not change."
"How did your wife," and Joe said that deliberately to show he was aware of who he was dealing with, "come to know of them, and which of 'that society' is involved, if you know?"
"An Italian man called Emile Momorrella."
"You think these supposed writings may well tie into the memories of yours we're trying to jog," Joe said, once they were back on the road.
"I was actually in contact with him during the period I've been trying to remember," Methos agreed.
"Emile would have known Gina was an Immortal. She, nor her husband, are particularly known for disguising themselves well," Joe pointed out.
"Yes. This is very much a trap. But better I spring it than it — and the ramifications of our problem we need to solve — takes on a wider spiral that nets the rest of our friends."
Joe bit back any other words as Methos said that. The ancient Immortal was not the most proactive at keeping ties to other Immortals, but that had sounded sincere. He contemplated the reasoning behind the road trip, which had been a rash of new Immortals cropping up in the last year, all of them killed within weeks of their first Quickening.
It had sparked a memory, but not the details, of an event like that happening centuries prior, one that Methos had investigated as possibly being connected to his former comrades in arms.
"What if it's another Immortal working with Emile? A new attempt at what Horton tried, using an Immortal to catch out others, and destroy them first?"
Methos's smile was sharp and dangerous. "Then two people will die before it is done with, at minimum. This former Watcher and whomever they have leashed.
"But I don't think so. This… I think it has something to do with Cassandra."
"Or someone like her?" Joe prompted, after flicking through Duncan's version of that woman's history.
"Yes. She's not a preemptive murderess, but if someone was able to control her — ha! — or a person like her, they might be able to predict where we will be found," Methos reasoned.
"Alright, so it's a trap, they may or may not have one of your kind helping them, and they may or may not have someone who defies science even more than your people by showing them things they shouldn't know." Joe sighed. "So we're turning south?"
"Yes. Robert said he was going to rendezvous with Gina, and make certain they both went to ground elsewhere. With Emile in Milan, he may have an advantage, but I might just have an ace up my sleeve there as well," Methos said, smirking.
"This should be good," Joe said, even as he wondered why in hell he was still doing field work.
He knew, though. Methos mattered enough to make him put aside safety, and he also felt a responsibility to the ones like Duncan, just living their lives and trying to do right.
Methos surveyed the building that had likely begun life as an insula, steadily rebuilt through the ages until it was both what it had been and not.
That, he decided, was something of an apt thought for any Immortal who survived the ages. The constant need to adapt, learn, discard old habits… they lived as Ships of Theseus.
"Can you tell if an Immortal is in there yet?"
"No. I am not that gifted." Methos looked at Joe. "What are you thinking?"
"Honestly? Considering finding out what Watchers are nearby and just waltzing in to capture Emile.
"But I know that's the stupid plan. What's yours?"
"Waltzing in and starting a fight, but after I disable the power and phone lines," Methos said confidently.
"That's worse than mine."
Methos deflated slightly. "We need those writings. And, if we're right, taking Emile and his accomplices down will actually give the newer Immortals a chance to prove themselves rotten to the core for Duncan and others to rightfully remove from the Game."
Joe rolled his eyes. "I've known a lot of you now, and I think you sell them short by seeing them all as potential Slans and Kalases."
"Less debating philosophy and more coming up with a working plan? We don't have access to our thief to encourage her to swipe the writings. Emile is likely just as prepared for a bloodbath as Horton's people ever were. The insula sits in a mostly business district, so there will be many potential witnesses.
"It's unlikely the writings will be moved from here, or that there are not severe traps in place for trying to get to them. And all we really have to go on is Robert's words of what Gina told him."
Joe nodded, considering for a long moment. "We use both plans. You get yourself into the building, unseen, and I call in backup to go confront him. We handle it all inside their part of the building… but all of this hinges on there not being an Immortal who can feel you."
"Or having had visions, if I am right and they have someone like Cassandra."
"Or that."
The pair sat in silence a long moment, considering, before they shared a look.
"Reverse it," Methos said firmly. "I'm the distraction, you're the cleanup."
Joe nodded, having seen the shape of it, and turned to get back to a phone, so he could get everything in motion.
Joe winced as the gunfire erupted, but he stayed on task, the three Watchers with him ready with tasers designed to tackle bears with. Emile was meant to face their justice, and if another Immortal was on premises, they would need to be evaluated for psychosis.
Methos needed to keep himself alive and, if possible, get the hell out of dodge as soon as the Watchers were on top of it.
Joe trusted in Methos to find a way, even as he pushed into one of the offices that had resisted his lock-picking skills, forcing him to resort to a small bit of plastic explosives.
"Go down, deal with anyone attacking the man by himself, but don't… don't impede that one getting away. He took a helluva risk to get us a chance to clean up our mess."
"Si," the leader of the three said. "This ends today, the disgrace they were," that one continued, before beckoning his partners to follow him down to the fighting.
Another strip of plastic explosive was needed for the safe, but Joe's awareness of Emilie's habits were paying off. The vellum was of the right look and smell, the inks he could see matched historic use to the eye. It would take time in a lab to verify, but the writings in pinched, cramped archaic Latin looked like the very thing Gina had reported being asked to establish the age of.
The sound of a gun cocking behind him made Joe stand up slowly — not that he could do otherwise given his condition — and turn to see Emile there. More worryingly, the sounds below had come to a standstill.
"Finally," Emile said, opening his mouth to say something else.
The words choked as he convulsed, electricity pouring through his body. Joe looked past him to see Methos holding the taser, smiling, if a bit bloody.
"Nice toy," he said, before tossing it to the side. "Your people need medical aid, and there is an Immortal here, who is in very poor shape. Clean things up, and meet me at the fall-back?"
"I can do that," Joe said, before holding out the folio. Methos stepped over the still jerking Emile, and accepted it, before doing his swift vanishing act.
Joe eased down onto the bed, saw to ridding himself of the prosthetics, then laid back. He turned his head and found Methos already looking at him.
"Rodrigo looked the other way as I took Cashton to a monastery."
"So that's his name. And what did you learn?"
"He can predict where your kind will be found, sees it in dreams. Emile started using him, convincing him that he was meant to be an angel on the side of God, to end the abominations. He'd never met another of his kind." Joe sighed. "He promised to stay, and to listen to Raines when he shows up."
"Cory Raines?" Methos asked in disbelief.
"He owed me a favor and he needs a change of scene," Joe admitted. "Now, the writings?"
Methos grinned. "How do you feel about us taking an actual vacation to a little shrine I recall, and spending time translating them?"
"I think that sounds better than this last week has been," Joe admitted, before shifting to get comfortable, not even minding when Methos wound up more on his side of the bed than not.
Fannish April
May. 3rd, 2026 12:36 pmtinnyMovies
I went to see a German movie ("Ach diese Lücke, diese entsetzliche Lücke") at the theatre this month, which was good, I can recommend. (Although it is a lot about death, so CW for that. ymmv. I thought it strikes a wonderful balance between sad and funny.) It's an adaptation of the second book of Joachim Meyerhoff's autobiographical novel series. The first one is about him growing up in a mental asylum because his father works there, and I've neither read the book nor seen the movie. This second movie is about him deciding to study acting in Munich. All the roles are excellently cast, especially Senta Berger as his eccentric grandmother. Since it's all set in the 90s, everything looks wonderfully retro (and everyone's smoking everywhere omg). There's not a lot of plot, it's all about him growing into his own, and about dealing with death. I really enjoyed the movie, and I could watch it in its entirety for once without it making me nauseous. Yay!
TV finished
The Company
All done! I really loved this 30-episode show about a time traveller whose time machine is an antique shop. It started out a bit weird in ep 1, but found its pace quickly after that. Watch it on viki here. I'll put the ending under a spoiler cut:
The Company ending spoilers here
I did not like the ending. I mean, they tried to soften it, and it could have been worse, but... I expected something happier. They had all the cards, they could have given them their happy ending - they could even have resurrected his original lover if they'd tweaked it right - any of these would have been possible. Instead, they took one of the ML's memories away, and the other's time machine.
To not make it all that depressing, I guess, they meet again for the first time at the very end. ...How? It's bittersweet at best, and it makes no sense! How did he get there without a time machine?
The whole thing reminded me of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and like with everything you've seen done before, the impact just lessens. It worked for me back then, it is still one of my favorite movies!, but here I was disappointed. Pity, because the rest of the show was very sweet and much better than I'd expected.
People tell me that it's supposed to be a happy ending, sending them into a time loop, but imho there are a few points that contradict that. If they wanted to do that, they could have done it more cleanly and elegantly. But maybe I really just misunderstood? Who knows.
Anyway, that dampened my enjoyment of the show just a little bit. I would still recommend it. It's par for the course for cdrama, bittersweet is all you can hope for. At least it's not outright tragic.
Cinderella Closet
I watched this Japanese drama on Netflix - all 12 short episodes of it - within a week. It's about a young woman with little self-esteem meeting a crossdressing man who helps make her more confident by giving her fashion advice and doing her makeup. Uhhh, okay? Of course then they fall in love. It's a bit tropey in places, but it repeatedly does the right things where it counts, like affirm that it's okay to be genderfluid, that he can wear what he wants, that being confident is what makes you beautiful, not what you're wearing, etc. I also really liked both their parents and how they reacted to seeing them together. It packs a lot into its short running time, and I think it got all the important points across well. I liked it overall. He is very pretty in female clothing, too. <3 Watch it on Netflix here.
I watched the almost hour-long cut of the milk endorsement live stream Wu Lei did last week, and thoroughly enjoyed that. It's the usual annoying product endorsement, but I enoyed watching my blorbo. Also, Migaku now supports bilibili, such a game changer! It means I got Chinese and English subs with it, and learned some idioms and the word "volleyball". \o/ (I got Zhu Yilong "oh noes everybody's taller than me" flashbacks when he stood next to the women's volleyball team. :D) I watched it on bilibili here.
TV new (ongoing)
I finally started Wu Lei's Ride Now vlog (the season from 2022, where he goes to a snow field near Ulan Bator and celebrates his 22nd birthday by sleeping in a tent at -25C). The English title has nothing to do with the original title, except for the fact that it's a pun with the word "ride" in it? (The original title 岂有此理 is an idiom, meaning "unreasonable" or "absurd" or "this makes no sense", and replacing the first character with the word "ride" gives you 骑有此理, and I don't know what exactly that means, but maybe something like "biking makes sense"? Idk.) There's no biking in the season I watched (up to ep4) at all, anyway, but there's horse riding, so I guess that counts. It confused me at first. In any case, it's very cute, and Wu Lei's enthusiasm for sleeping in a tent at -25C against the advice of his team is just so very him. Also, I keep thinking about the poor guides who have to lead him through the wilderness while he juggles his selfie stick and doesn't wear his goggles. Lack of self-confidence is not one of his traits, for sure. Unfortunately, the camera movements made me nauseous eventually, so I had to stop after four eps. I'll pick it up again once I feel up to it. I watched it through this youtube playlist of his fanclub, which has engsubs.
TV continued
One more ep of Our Times, the retro Wu Lei show, now on 6/36. He's still cringe in some ways (omg he bought himself a mink coat, what a douche), and I don't quite understand Hou Minghao's character's decisions, but hey. I'm mostly watching for the leads (Wu Lei and Hou Minghao), but I also like the setting. I haven't seen a show this focused on opening up of the business sector in China, and it's actually a period I know a bit about already, so that's interesting to see. It's on wetv and youtube.
I'm finally making headway on finishing my half-finished shows from months ago. First up: A Moment But Forever. I had to rewatch/skim 27 and 28 until I remembered where I had left off, but then got back into it quickly and am now on episode 33/36. It's getting really interesting with people still wanting to kill the ML and the FL trying to save him again and again without giving away her secrets (which the gods have specifically forbidden her from divulging). The evil players have revealed themselves openly now, and it's heading towards the final confrontation. The main draw of this still is how philosophical it is, and how much they're talking about what's right or wrong, about the power of love, and how to shape the kind of world you want to live in. It's quite thoughtful and deep (and the reason AvenueX recced it and I like it (although of course I'm also in it for the romance)). Looking forward to how they're going to wrap this one up. It's on iqiyi.
( the rest - some first impressions and youtube channel recs - under the cut )
