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roninkairi · 1 year

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And now for something, completely different...

The Persona 5 Cast Goes To See "The Super Mario Bros. Movie"

(At LeBlanc)

Zenkichi: Hey Ren, thanks for getting tickets for me and Akane! I've been swamped with work, so I hadn't had time to get some.

Akane: Wow, I can't wait! I heard it almost made a billion bucks before it came to Japan!

Ren: No problem. It was Sojiro's idea actually.

Sojiro: Think of it as a thank you for helping out Ren and Futaba last summer. But man...never thought I'd see them try to make a movie out of that game again.

Zenkichi: Yeah tell me about it. If you told the teenage me this was going to happen, I'd thought you were bonkers.

Ryuji: Wait, you guys know about Mario Bros?

Sojiro: Of course we do.

Zenkichi: I still have my original Famicom and a copy of the game stashed in my attic. I used to play the hell out of it after I had finished my studies.

Akane: So that's what's in that box. I thought it was old festival decorations or something. How far can you go in one life?

Zenkichi: Well, I suppose I could go as far as 8-3 now if I tried today...

Sojiro: First or 2nd run?

Zenkichi: Second, definitely second.

Akane: No fair, I barely could make it to World 6 on my first!

Ryuji: I'm kinda lost here, what do you mean 'first run'?

Sojiro: Let me explain...(sips coffee) When you first play the game, your basic enemies are Goombas. After you save the Princess though, the game gets harder. All the Goombas are replaced with Buzzy Beetles.

Ryuji: Buzzy Beetles don't sound so bad.

Zenkichi: No, but they are fireproof and they work in the same way that Koopa Troopas work.

Akane: Plus platforms get shorter and in certain areas, new obstacles are added.

Ren: In short, the game gets harder.

Sojiro: I remember watching Wakaba play that game on her days off. She could clear the game within 45 minutes if she felt inclined.

Zenkichi: Wow. That just kills my own personal record.

Ryuji: Hey, where is Futaba? She would be going nuts talking all about this video game trivia.

Ren: She's been in line with Haru and Morgana since last night for the premiere.

Sojiro: And she brought a tent and everything with her.

Zenkichi: That doesn't sound so bad.

Ren: Uh...

Ryuji: This is FUTABA we're talking about. And knowing her...

Zenkichi: Uh oh.

(At the movie theater, Yusuke and Makoto look at a tent pitched outside the movie theater...which is in the shape of a Toad House. Futaba is sitting in a chair dressed as Mario next to it)

Makoto: I am NOT surprised she is doing this.

Futaba: Hey, glad you made it! Please tell me you brought my camera from Sojiro!

Makoto: I did but I thought it was going to be for entirely different purposes.

Futaba: Yeah, but after the premiere of "Neo Featherman x Masqueraider Ouga", I had to get prepared for a cosplay bonanza!

Yusuke: She's not wrong. There are a lot of dedicated fans on line here dressed as other characters. Some of these are indeed most sketchworthy. By the way, Ren told us Ann and Haru were with you.

Ann's Voice: I'm right here. (Ann steps out of the Toad House tent wearing the Princess Peach riding suit. In her arms is Morgana dressed as Luigi)

Morgana: (staring a hole into Yusuke) NOT. ONE. WORD.

Ann: Oh come on Morgana, you look TOTALLY adorable!

Futaba: (whispering to herself) I'm fairly certain that may actually have killed kitty's ego there. (Haru arrives, dressed in a very accurately detailed Princess Peach dress)

Haru: Oh, you're here! How do I look?

Yusuke: O_O

Makoto: o_O

Morgana: WHOA!!!

Every Other Customer In Line: O_O

Futaba: And if you look to your right, you will see that once again Beauty Thief has stolen the hearts of the fanboys in attendance today. (Instinctively, Haru does her pose upon hearing the words "Beauty Thief")

Ann: ...we're so getting our pictures posted on the internet for this, I just know it.

Makoto: At least your riding suit does not come with spikes.

Yusuke: Such elegance! (pulls out sketchbook and begins to sketch with much passion)

BONUS SCENE-

(As the audience watches the movie, Iwai who is with his son, looks and sees Ren sitting with Haru on his left side. On his right side...is Lavenza, dressed in a blue version of Princess Peach's dress, happily eating popcorn.)

Iwai: Somehow, that kid attracts all types.

#persona 5 #persona 5 strikers #ren amamiya #sojiro sakura #futaba sakura #morgana #ryuji sakamoto #ann takamaki #yusuke kitagawa #makoto niijima #haru okumura #zenkichi hasegawa #akane hasegawa #munehisa iwai #lavenza #lavenza p5 #the super mario bros. movie #and now for something completely different

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jessadamsdraws · 1 year

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Luigi's Mansion Chapter one

!!!!!!!!!!!!!SPOLIERS FOR THE SUPER MARIO BROS MOIVE!!!!!!!!!!

The Bro's have officially moved from the small apartment in Brooklyn to a still small house in the Mushroom Kingdom. Okay it wasn't small per say it was a massive upgrade from what they left behind but it wasn't a mansion. Luigi has been having a harder time adjusting to the strange Kingdom and it doesn't help that all the residents keep pushing them apart both kind of literally but also metaphorically. He wanted to make sure that he was at least useful to his brother. That all changes when he get a letter in the mail stating he won a mansion.

---------------------------

This is a kinda pitch for the super Mario bro's movie sequel to be for the first Luigi's mansion movie. Which I'm all for!!!

@jellyfishinc

It should be stated for the record that Mario wasn’t the one to take Peach’s offer to live permanently in the Mushroom Kingdom, it was Luigi. I know, shocking right? His twin thought so at the very least. But, it was his.

After the final showdown with Bowser a lot happened all at once. The bros were very overwhelmed and were very much on an adrenaline high. The bros Mama saw this and invited everyone to have dinner at their place. She knew this would give her sons a moment to catch their breaths and relax for a moment.

“Hey mustaches. Can I talk to you two for a moment?” Their whole family plus the new addictions decided to make festivities to share the communal roof as their apartment was too small to fit all of them.

“What’s up Princess?” Mario replied, setting his end of the plastic fold table down while Luigi did the same joining in the conversation.

“I was wondering, do you all live together? In that tiny space?” She asked in a concerned voice.

“Eh, it fits his size perfectly.” Dk laughed as he helped carrying like three plastic folded tables with one arm. Clearly trying to one-up Mario… again.

Mario took a large deep breath through his nose, clearly trying not to start a shouting match with the ape (as much as he reeeaaalllllyyyy wanted to).

“Yeah it’s been home for as long as me and Lu can remember. Money’s been tight for a while so we can’t afford anything else.” Mario attempted.

“Yeah, we still share the same room too.” Luigi added.

“Also that commercial and quitting ya jobs didn’t help.” Their father shouted from a far. Causing Mario to wipe his head around and give an angry glare.

“What’s a commercial?” Peach asked, turning to Luigi for answers. He was about to replay but Mario cut him off with a small ‘it’s not important’.

“Anyway, the thing is. You two saved not just my kingdom but the well worlds. Truth be told you should be rewarded for that. But I don’t hold much power here and with today's events proves that I’m not as well equipped to handle tragedies like I thought I was.” She said fidgeting with her hands. Clearly scared to ask whatever she was going to ask.

“What are ya getting at Princess?” Mario asked, now suspicious of what she was going to ask of them.

“Would you like to live in the Mushroom Kingdom?” She asked in one breath. Like if she kept it in any longer she would explode.

“What?!” The twins said at the same time.

“Not like permanently or anything. The warp pipe is already repaired thanks to the Star’s power you two unleashed. So you can come here and back anytime to visit. It’s just, I can have Toad constructed you, your own houses. Or you can share a house if you’d like. I know how attached you two are.” Mario raised a hand to cut the princess off.

“Princess thanks for the offer but I’d half ta…” but Mario couldn’t finish his sentence for it was Luigi’s turn to cut him off.

“Except yar offer.” Luigi said, smiling, swinging his arms in a can-do-attitude he’d always do.

“What?” Mario turned to his brother in surprise.

“Oh perfect, I'll have the toads prepare your house right away.” She said clearly ignoring that elephant in the room of Mario about to reject her offer.

“Wha? No, wait, Lu?” Mario turned to his brother, clearly confused. “Why’d ya accept? That place could have roasted ya alive.” Mario said, grabbing his shoulder giving it a little shake hoping whatever came over Lu would snap him back to reality.

“Mario, you’ve been saying you wanted out of the apartment for ages. Hell, the whole reason we started the ‘Super Mario Bros Plumbing’ business was to get away. On top of that the big turtle guy is a small turtle guy now so no threat anymore.” Luigi said using exaggerated hand gestures to get his point across. Though convincing Mario of anything that Mario considered dangerous was something both bros were not used to.

However, that wasn’t the real reason Luigi accepted the Princesses offer. The real reason was because seeing Mario soaring like a hero and saving the day, the way others finally saw his brother they he did for so many years. He couldn’t let his bro pass up this opportunity even if that meant he’d go too. He knew his brother, he knew that if Luigi said he didn’t want to go then he wasn’t gonna go. He couldn’t hold his brother back again. He’d just have to toughen up. I mean how hard could that be, right?

#the super mario bros movie #super mario movie spoilers #super mario #mario #luigi #fanfic #luigi's mansion #luigi's mansion movie au

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racfoam · 2 years

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More nynn AU they grow up together Voldemort kidnapped the Potter Kid. It shall be henceforth known as the technically, it's not kidnapping

Here is Harrison’s POV after he meets his soulmate Hermione Granger and makes a fool of himself. In Harrison’s defence, he has his father’s record of unknown misdemeanors to beat and it’s better to start early, on the first step he takes on Hogwarts Express.

(Shush, I always wanted to write Harmony. My 9-year-old-self would be over the moon.)

Harrison was starting to think that maybe kidnapping a toad and holding him hostage wasn’t such a bright idea.

Then again, the words written in a neat loopy cursive Have you seen a toad? on his wrist made Harrison go into do-what-father-would-do mode.

That is, manipulate and manslaughter. Harrison would not do the latter, of course. That was illegal. But manipulate the situation to his advantage? He could do that. He learned from the best.

It was not his proudest moment, Harrison admits, when he just grabbed the toad and held onto it for dear life and went into an empty compartment, his heart racing in his chest.

Then again, he was eleven, he just needed to do something, and it was hardly his knowledge the toad another boy’s and that the boy in question was in a mild panic trying to find him.

Harrison simply thought some seventh year had conjured it and left it to rot. It didn’t stop him from grabbing it like it was a matter of life and death before he knew what he was doing. By now, his heart was racing inside his stomach. How it got transported there, Harrison didn’t know.

All he knew was that he held the toad very tightly to the point its eyes were popping out and that it and Harrison both was sweating buckets.

Maybe this wasn’t The Toad, as mum liked to call it. What if the toad in his hands was his soulmate, transfigured?! What if he's squeezing the air out of his soulmate without knowing it?

Immediately, Harrison loosened the hold. It seemed like he sat there forever, waiting.

Then, the doors of the compartment opened.

It was a girl, with bushy brown hair and brown eyes. She was wearing black robes, no coloured tie or hood. A first year, like him.

“Have you seen a toad?” the girl asked him.

The world halted to a stop. Harrison’s heart stopped beating. Fear overwhelmed him, rendered him speechless at the time he required his voice most.

“A toad?” he echoed. You know, like an idiot.

“Yes, a —” the girl cut herself off, her brown eyes widening.

She stared at Harrison like she was seeing him for the first time, like he was a new discovery nobody ever made. Until now.

“Do you —" she started hesitantly, stuttering all over herself. “— are you —”

“Yes,” breathed Harrison, feeling like he’d ran a marathon. “I do. I am."

He unfolded his ribbon, and turned over his wrist. The girl gasped.

“That’s my handwriting...”

“It's very pretty,” said Harrison, offering a smile.

The girl's eyes were welling with tears. A big smile lit her face, making it glow brighter than anything Harrison has seen in his life.

“When you meet them, the world won't matter. All that will matter is them.”

Harrison understood now. The entire world faded into obscurity and insignificance, only leaving the girl in crystal clear clarity.

The girl approached Harrison and sat down beside him — he did not realize he was holding his breath, did not realize his lungs were tight, he was just looking at her, taking her in, unable to believe she was here.

The girl unfastened her ribbon, and there, in Harrison’s handwriting: A toad?

Harrison's lips twitched into a smile. He looked back at the girl, finding her smile mirrored his own, awe, excitement, joy and disbelief.

The girl reached forward, and hugged him.

He wasn’t expecting a hug. Somehow, his hands — one still holding The Toad — knew what to do (thanks to all the hugs mum gave him, otherwise he’d be taken completely unawares because most people in his surroundings don’t hug). It was a very tight hug. The girl was squeezing him. It was a hug that Harrison immediately loved.

The girl let him go, and they parted. There was a froggy croak.

They both looked down at the toad Harrison was holding— The Toad — then up at each other, tearful with joy, and shared a giggle.

“I’m Hermione Granger,” she said.

Hermione Granger.

“Bow, Harrison. Manners make a wizard.”

Harrison inched his chin down, bowing his back, folding his left arm behind his back, placing his right over the center of his ribcage.

“I'm Harrison Potter. Nice to meet you.” he said.

#snippets

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doomandgloomfromthetomb · 2 years

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Guided By Voices - Toad's Place, New Haven, Connecticut, October 30, 1995

Back to the Alex Butterfield Archives. This terrific tape captures Guided By Voices opening for Urge Overkill back in the Alien Lanes era — kind of an odd matchup, in hindsight. It was the 1990s, I guess. The tour was fraught with difficulties; in fact, a few days after this Toad's Place gig, GBV was unceremoniously booted by UO. What happened?! Well, fortunately, MTV News was on the case all those years ago:

When we last left Guided By Voices, they had either: 1) Been kicked off the Urge Overkill tour; or 2) Left the tour because things were going so bad for the group. Yesterday, we got the band's side of the story from the one and only Deborah Orr, publicist for Matador Records. "GBV has nothing against Urge Overkill," said Orr, insisting that GBV was not kicked off the Urge tour. "It was completely their own decision to leave the tour. The two bands got along together fine, (Editor: Is that a euphemism?) and leaving the tour had to do with [GBV singer Robert] Pollard's injuries. The most important injury being to Pollard's voice." Being restrained in a choke hold tends to do something nasty to the vocal cords. According to Orr, the whole dispute in Toronto, in which a security guard got violent with the singer, occurred after Pollard walked back out on stage to explain to an insistent audience that, given time constraints, they would not be able to deliver an encore. Pollard, who had been drinking (as usual) believed that he needed to personally explain the circumstances to one fan, but unfortunately the security guards didn't agree, and overreacted. Orr also informed us that GBV will be off the road until March, when they go out to promote their next album, The World Series Of Psychic Phenomena.

So there you have it ... all things considered, Pollard and co. sound magnificent here despite the indie rock drama, parallel lines on a slow decline. Their opening act status means that it's a truncated set — only 18 songs in 41 minutes! With fill-in drummer Craig-O in the lineup, GBV wastes no time, playing plenty of the hits, plus a few previews of Under the Bushes, Under the Stars, which (as the MTV News report shows) was not called that yet. There were a lot of different names for that album: The Power of Suck, The Flying Party Is Here, Mustard Man & Mother Monkey ... There are also a few rarities, like "Delayed Reaction Brats," "The Worryin' Song" and "Uprooted Before Seeding." Thank you once again for the tape, Alex!

PS - You can check out Alex’s own tunes over here and here, too …

#guided by voices #alex butterfield archives

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kingdomoftyto · 2 years

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IwtV movie script '92 early draft, liveblog, part 5

Lestat has just bled out in the parlor.

In the script, Claudia is standing triumphant, having drained some of his blood herself, while Louis crouches uncertainly beside the body. In the final cut of the film, she and Louis are both standing in shock beside a spreading pool of blood, Claudia still holding the knife.

🥺

Film!Claudia tries to crack some jokes but Louis shuts her down with a look. They wonder how to dispose of the body and decide on the swamp.

OH, the voiceovers are referencing the earlier scene when they slept under the church! Lestat said he hated the dirty tomb. And apparently in this version, Louis is ACTIVELY GRIEVING HIM, trying to find someplace to lay him to rest that Lestat would have liked 🥺🥺🥺

🥺😭💀

Holy shit

God, I can't wait for episode 6 of the AMC series lmfao

... Claudia actually starts sobbing in the script, and Louis can't help but go to her. Her face is covered in bloody tears, and she says she only wanted to free the both of them from Lestat's control, that she'd undo it if it would please Louis. He comforts her and agrees to go to Europe to seek others of their kind.

MEANWHILE, the final cut jumps back briefly to the interview with Daniel. "You missed him?" / "He was all I knew." There's then a mention of Claudia researching vampires, because they don't have Lestat's backstory to go off of in this version lmao

... OH, interesting!

So the confrontation with swamp!Lestat goes a little differently between the two. The early draft:

Meanwhile in the final cut, Lestat sits at the piano and plays ominously while giving a whole goddamn villain speech. "Listen, Louis. There's life in these old hands still." He describes living off of reptiles and toads, then addresses Claudia before lunging at her. Not exactly "without reason" as originally intended!!

Their escape plays out essentially the same in both versions.

That's a lot to unpack.

... The script cuts away to Daniel for a sec so Louis can explain the alligators and snakes thing, and that only fire could have stopped Lestat from coming back. He says they had no way of knowing if he was really dead this time.

Ooughf, this shit is gonna hurt so bad in the AMC version

... The script then skips straight ahead to their arrival in Paris (since they didn't have to search everywhere on their own--they had Lestat's stories to start from!). The film on the other hand takes some more bits from the books and sums up their fruitless travels. "I began to believe we were the only ones. There was a strange comfort in that thought."

Both versions go through a montage of them thoroughly enjoying themselves in Paris.

So weird for them to be here already knowing about the Paris coven

The entire rest of this section of the script/movie is just going to be one long string of me going 🥺

can almost hear Lestat's smug disembodied voice crying "I told you so!"

Another night, Claudia walks into their rooms with a new doll that looks just like her. She says the dollmaker, Madeline, made it for her. Before Louis' eyes, she snaps, breaking the doll and throwing it in the fire.

not enough time in the world to unpack all that

Interesting

Pfft. Louis actually gets to fistfight Santiago in the script before Armand interrupts. Good.

Armand's gonna beat the shit out of Lestat when he sees him

...The vampire show at the theater goes similarly in both versions, though the final cut is longer and I think more convincing.

😬Claudia. Girl.

Then, yeah, the performance plays out the same. Even Claudia is put off by the end of it.

Armand surprisingly hospitable in the script. One of the vampires gets too close to Claudia and he telekinetically throws them into a wall.

My god, man. Keep it in your pants!

(That's true of book!Louis' reaction to Armand as well, for the record lmao)

This is so weird

... So they have an entirely different conversation here in the script than they do in the final movie. Hits a lot of the same beats, but it's different since Louis already knows about the Satanist stuff and it's no secret that they both know Lestat.

Very direct and to the point, here.

Get dunked on, philosophy boi

Yeah no kidding

Claudia, btw, is watching this entire conversation, silently

Whoa whoa, would Armand agree with him so easily here? I'm not so sure. Armand is nothing if not a stubborn little bastard, and if I recall correctly he was not super on board with Lestat's hedonism at this point in time. He still wanted to cling to his arbitrary rules and hierarchies to give his life "purpose".

So pretty much the same as the final cut, plus mentions of Lestat.

Cruel bastard >:(

The final cut has a small scene where Santiago tells them that killing another vampire is the greatest crime they can commit. It doesn't appear in the script.

Okay her calling them "bourgeois Parisians" is VERY funny

Louis: "There is no danger."

Louis, two seconds later: "Okay maybe there is some danger, but--"

I'd have to look at it again to be sure, but I think this may be a better buildup to Claudia wanting to leave him than even happened in the book lmao.

The final cut of this scene has a lot more of Claudia insisting Louis and Armand want each other desperately. She claims Armand told her to "Let him go"

... Grghk, post limit reached. Onto the next-!

#Tyto reads IwtV92 #was really afraid for a second there that we were going to get Armand's entire detailed backstory too

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44gamez · 7 months

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Mario vs Donkey Kong Review

The Change remake of Mario vs Donkey Kong demonstrates that the puzzle-platforming formulation from the 2004 unique hasn’t fairly misplaced its spark. Somersaulting throughout puzzle rooms to rescue the Mini-Marios was enjoyable then and is much more enjoyable now. The newly recorded audio and enhanced HD graphics current Mario vs Donkey Kong to a contemporary viewers whereas including new content material for returning gamers. However is the added polish sufficient to attract in these outdoors the puzzle-platforming style? Whereas it might be laborious to suggest Mario vs Donkey Kong to these averse to puzzles and platforming, these even barely within the style will discover lots of enjoyment right here. Picture Supply: Nintendo by way of Twinfinite The core gameplay loop of Mario vs Donkey Kong hasn’t modified since its 2004 GBA days. The fundamental premise of fixing pocket-sized puzzle rooms to take again the stolen Mini-Mario toys from DK stays the identical. Just about all of the content material from the 2004 unique is included right here with a contemporary coat of HD paint. The one side of the unique that might be missed is a piece of charming voice traces from the GBA model, however extra on that in a minute. All in all, the Mario vs Donkey Kong remake manages so as to add way more than it takes away from the compressed GBA unique. Maybe probably the most important addition is Mario vs Donkey Kong ’s new co-op mode. Two gamers can now resolve puzzles collectively concurrently on any of the levels. Better of all, the second participant controls Toad, a brand-new playable character with distinctive voice traces and animations. However even in case you don’t have anybody to play with, there are nonetheless loads of different additions added to this remake. For instance, there are two new Worlds to play via, every with their very own Plus ranges. There’s additionally a brand new Time Assault mode with set occasions to clear on every stage.

Picture Supply: Nintendo by way of Twinfinite Lastly, the remake introduces a Informal Mode which removes the restrictive time restrict, provides checkpoints for every stage, and will increase the variety of occasions you will get hit. These are strong additions that inject new content material and trendy comfort to the 2004 GBA traditional. However that doesn’t imply nothing has been misplaced from the unique on GBA. The extremely compressed sound and voicework from the GBA haven’t made it unscathed within the remake. Charles Martinet did a bang-up job voicing Mario within the unique, however he solely does a fraction of the voicework for this remake, with lots of the extra memorable traces being excluded totally. Shy Man and Donkey Kong have been utterly recast, however no less than Martinet nonetheless voices Mario for this remake, even when there are fewer memorable traces this time round. My favourite enhancement must be the reworked soundtrack in Mario vs Donkey Kong. The jazzy music from the unique has been spruced up with actual devices and dwell performances. The preparations are all exceptionally nicely finished, making it sound like there’s a top-tier jazz band groovin’ out within the background of the levels. In the event you’re not keen on jazz music, there are some ambient tracks and laid-back piano to calm down to, akin to these accompanying the brand new Slippery Summit World.

Picture Supply: Nintendo by way of Twinfinite However music and sound aren’t the one issues to get a contemporary coat of paint, graphics are as much as trendy requirements on this Change remake. Each Shy Man, Piranha Plant, and Barrel is touched up with new HD fashions. Animations are additionally improved throughout the board. Now let’s briefly go over the side that hasn’t modified all these years. Mario vs Donkey Kong’s core gameplay loop consists of puzzles first and platforming second. You may carry out handstands and the traditional Mario 64 somersault, however these strikes actually solely serve to accommodate fixing the puzzles. Every World has its personal distinctive gimmicks, such because the wind petals of Merry Mini-Land or the Shy Man ghosts within the Spooky Home World. The Mini-Mario escort levels are a singular deal with that adjustments up the same old formulation properly and will get you pondering in novel methods. And sure, there are boss fights awaiting you on the finish of every world. These DK battle levels are enjoyable and have attention-grabbing mechanics, additional switching up the purely puzzle-oriented gameplay. I admire the graceful problem stability as every World’s puzzles ramp up in complexity. This remake’s two new Worlds nearly appear to be minimize content material from the 2004 unique; that’s how natural and seamlessly they mesh with the opposite levels. These two new Worlds add distinctive gimmicks akin to wind currents and ice platforms, in order that they’re not simply repeating content material from the unique, which is sweet.

Picture Supply: Nintendo by way of Twinfinite I significantly benefit from the Knowledgeable ranges that get unlocked after finishing the sport and gathering over 100 Stars. The remake provides extra Plus and Knowledgeable levels to the unique, with a stage rely of over 130 this time round. Even with so many levels, each acquainted and new, I by no means bought uninterested in fixing the puzzles and guiding Mini-Marios via hazard. Nevertheless, whereas I by no means bought bored or fatigued by the fixed puzzle-solving, I did get annoyed sometimes. The motion on this devoted remake is strong, although understandably much less snappy and fluid than conventional Mario video games. The sluggish methodical pacing of fixing the puzzle rooms fits the extra stop-and-go motion nicely sufficient, but it surely isn’t excellent. One gripe I've is the hit detection when leaping on or avoiding enemies. For instance, Shy Guys and Thwomps kill you in case you don’t do a pixel-perfect leap on the tip of their propeller or keep away from their massive hitbox. There have been moments after I ought to have landed safely on a platform, but the sport acknowledged me hitting a spike adjoining to it as a substitute; these hit detection issues are usually by no means a difficulty in trendy Mario video games.

Picture Supply: Nintendo by way of Twinfinite One other slight criticism I've is menu navigation. The stage choice menu is cumbersome to navigate between worlds, particularly once you begin unlocking the plus and further worlds and have a dozen tags to manually comb via. Likewise, the cursor for stage choice is just not distinct and my colorblindness made it very troublesome to inform what I used to be choosing within the menu. Apart from some occasional hit detection points and menu gripes, Mario VS Donkey Kong gives a brilliant strong and enjoyable puzzle-platforming expertise with little or no to complain about. With the remake’s added Worlds and new Time Assault mode, there’s a shocking quantity of content material right here for the puzzle-platformer fanatic to be satiated for a while. And whilst you don’t have to be a diehard fan of the style to get pleasure from what Mario vs Donkey Kong has to supply, you do want to like puzzles to proceed enjoying the wealth of Plus and Knowledgeable ranges. It is a recreation targeted on puzzles, with platforming taking extra of a supporting function. So in case you’re simply after a platforming recreation, this may not scratch that itch.

Picture Supply: Nintendo by way of Twinfinite Somersaulting via bite-sized puzzle rooms seeking Mini-Marios is much more of a deal with than it was again on the GBA. Whereas I’ll miss the dialogue that didn’t make it into the remake, I absolutely welcome the added levels and reworked music. I loved my HD revisit of Mario vs Donkey Kong fairly a bit, even to the purpose of incomes each Star within the recreation. Whereas there��s not lots right here that may attraction to those that weren’t attracted by the unique recreation, it’s nonetheless a strong remake that provides enjoyable new levels and HD polish. Mario vs Donkey Kong Reviewer: Matthew Carmosino Award: Editor’s Selection Professionals Properly-crafted puzzles that proceed to entertain and problem even after the credit roll. Enjoyable Mini-Mario levels and DK boss battles. Good replayability as a result of new Time Assault mode and co-op performance. The brand new music preparations and graphical enhancements are strong. Cons Hit detection is questionable on uncommon events and navigating the rows of menu tabs isn’t handy. A lot of the charming voicework from the unique didn’t make it for the remake. Read the full article

#Donkey #Kong #Mario #Review

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brookston · 1 year

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Holidays 7.17

Holidays

Air Conditioner Day

Constitution Day (South Korea)

Crank Call Day

Disneyland Day

Ethnographer’s Day (Russia)

Feast of the Clockless NowEver

Flag Day (Norway)

Guelaguetza (Primer Lunes; Mexico)

International Firgun Day

International HIV Prevention Day

International Tim Brooke-Taylor Day (UK)

King’s Day (Lesotho)

National Air Conditioner Day

National Asshole Awareness Day

National Cory Day

National Heart-Brain Disorders Awareness Day

National Lottery Day

National Physiatry Day (Philippines)

National Tattoo Day

National Voice Actor Day

President’s Day (Botswana)

717 Day (Pennsylvania)

Sewing Machine Day

TWA Flight 800 Crash Anniversary Day

U Tirot Sing Day (Meghalaya, India)

Victims of Baton Rouge, Louisiana Attack Day

Wear Crazy Socks to Work Day

Wheat Day (French Republic)

World Day for International Justice

World Emoji Day

Wrong Way Corrigan Day

Yellow Pig Day (Celebrating the Number 17)

Yellow Submarine Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Indie Beer Shop Day (UK)

National Peach Ice Cream Day

3rd Monday in July

Global Hug For Your Kids Day [3rd Monday]

Guelaguetza (a.k.a. Festival of Lunes del Cerro; Oaxaca, Mexico) [Monday after 16th]

Marine Day (Japan) [3rd Monday]

Munoz-Rivera Day (f.k.a. Birthday of Don Luis Muñoz Rivera; Puerto Rico Day) [3rd Monday]

National Get Out of the Doghouse Day [3rd Monday]

National Prosecco Week begins [3rd Monday]

Perseids Meteor Shower begins [Varies; thru 8.24]

Umi No Hi (Ocean Day/Marine Day; Japan) [3rd Monday]

Independence Days

Negaunee Republic (Declared; 2016) [unrecognized]

Slovakia (Remembrance Day; from Czechoslovakia, 1992)

Feast Days

Alexius of Rome (Western Church)

Andrew Zorard (Christian; Saint)

Ba-Maguje's Day (Hausa; on Eid al-Fitr)

Boccaccio (Positivist; Saint)

Caligula Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Cynehelm (Christian; Saint)

Cynllo (Christian; Saint)

Ennodius (Christian; Saint)

Feast of the Carmelite Martyrs of Compiegne

Feast of the Holy Royal Martyrs of Russia

Festival for Victoria and Virtus (Goddess of Victory & God of Bravery in Warfare; Ancient Rome)

Furgus Fuzz (Muppetism)

Gion Matsuri (Japan)

Inácio de Azevedo (Christian; Saint)

Jadwiga of Poland (Christian; Saint)

Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot (Artology)

Jowls (Muppetism)

Kenelm (Nun’s Priest Tale; Canterbury Tales)

Kurman Ait Day (Kyrgyzstan)

Magnus Felix Ennodius (Christian; Saint)

Marcellina (Christian; Saint)

Martyrs of Compiègne (Christian; Saint)

Pavel Peter Gojdič, Blessed (Greek Catholic Church)

Piatus of Tournai (Christian; Saint)

Leo IV, Pope (Christian; Saint)

Romanov sainthood (Russian Orthodox Church)

Skinny Dipping Day (Pastafarian)

Solstitium XII (Pagan)

Speratus and companions (Christian; Martyrs)

Turninus (Christian; Saint)

Why Not? Day (Pastafarian)

William White (Episcopal Church))

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]

Tycho Brahe Unlucky Day (Scandinavia) [26 of 37]

Unfortunate Day (Pagan) [40 of 57]

Unglückstage (Unlucky Day; Pennsylvania Dutch) [19 of 30]

Premieres

All You Need Is Love, by The Beatles (US Song; 1967)

Ant-Man (Film; 2015)

Arthur (Film; 1981)

The Case of the Velvet Claws, by Erle Stanley Gardner (Novel; 1933) [Perry Mason #1]

Cherokee, recorded by Charlie Barnet (Song; 1939)

The Dark Knight Rises, by Hans Zimmer (Soundtrack Album; 2012)

Disneyland, in Anaheim, California (Theme Park; 1955)

Egghead Rides Again (WB MM Cartoon; 1937)

Endless Love (Film; 1981)

(500) Days of Summer (Film; 2009)

From Up on Poppy Hill (Studio Ghibli Animated Film; 2011)

Greyfriars Bobby (Film; 1961)

James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl (Novel; 1961)

Jungle Cruise (Disneyland Ride; 1955)

The Mask of Zorro (Film; 1998)

Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride (Disneyland Ride; 1955)

Multiplicity (Film; 1996)

My Neighbors the Yamahas (Studio Ghibli Animated Film; 1999)

North by Northwest (Film; 1959)

Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag, by James Brown (Song; 1965)

RoboCop (Film; 1987)

The Secret World of Arietty (Studio Ghibli Animated Film; 2010)

Splash Mountain (Disneyland Ride; 1989)

Trainwreck (Film; 2015)

Turbo (Animated Film; 2013)

Victory Through Air Power (Documentary Film; 1943)

Water Music, by George Frederic Handel (Orchestral Movements; 1717)

Who Goes There? (a.k.a. The Thing), by John W. Campbell Jr. (Novel; 1938)

Yellow Submarine (UK Animated Film; 1968)

You’re the Worst (TV Series; 2014)

Today’s Name Days

Alexius, Charlotte, Donata, Gabriella (Austria)

Marin, Marina (Bulgaria)

Aleksije, Branimir, Leo, Nadan, Rufina (Croatia)

Martina (Czech Republic)

Alecius (Denmark)

Meeme, Meemo (Estonia)

Ossi, Ossian (Finland)

Arlette, Charlotte, Marcelline (France)

Alexis, Charlotte, Gabriella (Germany)

Alexandra, Aliki, Marina (Greece)

Elek, Endre (Hungary)

Alessio, Marina (Italy)

Ainārs, Aleksejs, Aleksis (Latvia)

Aleksas, Darius, Girėnas, Vaiga (Lithuania)

Gorm, Guttorm (Norway)

Aleksander, Aleksy, Andrzej, Bogdan, Dzierżykraj, Januaria, Julietta, Leon, Marceli, Marcelina, Maria Magdalena (Poland)

Bohuslav (Slovakia)

Alejo, Alexis, Jacinto, Marcelina (Spain)

Bruno (Sweden)

Codie, Codey, Cody, Dakota, Dakotah, Ismael, Kody, Vesta (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 198 of 2024; 167 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 1 of week 29 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Tinne (Holly) [Day 8 of 28]

Chinese: Month 5 (Wu-Wu), Day 30 (Bing-Zi)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 28 Tammuz 5783

Islamic: 28 Dhu al-Hijjah 1444

J Cal: 18 Lux; Foursday [18 of 30]

Julian: 4 July 2023

Moon: 0%: New Moon

Positivist: 2 Dante (8th Month) [Boccaccio]

Runic Half Month: Ur (Primal Strength) [Day 4 of 15]

Season: Summer (Day 27 of 94)

Zodiac: Cancer (Day 27 of 31)

#calendar #Holidays

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brookstonalmanac · 1 year

Text

Holidays 7.17

Holidays

Air Conditioner Day

Constitution Day (South Korea)

Crank Call Day

Disneyland Day

Ethnographer’s Day (Russia)

Feast of the Clockless NowEver

Flag Day (Norway)

Guelaguetza (Primer Lunes; Mexico)

International Firgun Day

International HIV Prevention Day

International Tim Brooke-Taylor Day (UK)

King’s Day (Lesotho)

National Air Conditioner Day

National Asshole Awareness Day

National Cory Day

National Heart-Brain Disorders Awareness Day

National Lottery Day

National Physiatry Day (Philippines)

National Tattoo Day

National Voice Actor Day

President’s Day (Botswana)

717 Day (Pennsylvania)

Sewing Machine Day

TWA Flight 800 Crash Anniversary Day

U Tirot Sing Day (Meghalaya, India)

Victims of Baton Rouge, Louisiana Attack Day

Wear Crazy Socks to Work Day

Wheat Day (French Republic)

World Day for International Justice

World Emoji Day

Wrong Way Corrigan Day

Yellow Pig Day (Celebrating the Number 17)

Yellow Submarine Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Indie Beer Shop Day (UK)

National Peach Ice Cream Day

3rd Monday in July

Global Hug For Your Kids Day [3rd Monday]

Guelaguetza (a.k.a. Festival of Lunes del Cerro; Oaxaca, Mexico) [Monday after 16th]

Marine Day (Japan) [3rd Monday]

Munoz-Rivera Day (f.k.a. Birthday of Don Luis Muñoz Rivera; Puerto Rico Day) [3rd Monday]

National Get Out of the Doghouse Day [3rd Monday]

National Prosecco Week begins [3rd Monday]

Perseids Meteor Shower begins [Varies; thru 8.24]

Umi No Hi (Ocean Day/Marine Day; Japan) [3rd Monday]

Independence Days

Negaunee Republic (Declared; 2016) [unrecognized]

Slovakia (Remembrance Day; from Czechoslovakia, 1992)

Feast Days

Alexius of Rome (Western Church)

Andrew Zorard (Christian; Saint)

Ba-Maguje's Day (Hausa; on Eid al-Fitr)

Boccaccio (Positivist; Saint)

Caligula Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Cynehelm (Christian; Saint)

Cynllo (Christian; Saint)

Ennodius (Christian; Saint)

Feast of the Carmelite Martyrs of Compiegne

Feast of the Holy Royal Martyrs of Russia

Festival for Victoria and Virtus (Goddess of Victory & God of Bravery in Warfare; Ancient Rome)

Furgus Fuzz (Muppetism)

Gion Matsuri (Japan)

Inácio de Azevedo (Christian; Saint)

Jadwiga of Poland (Christian; Saint)

Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot (Artology)

Jowls (Muppetism)

Kenelm (Nun’s Priest Tale; Canterbury Tales)

Kurman Ait Day (Kyrgyzstan)

Magnus Felix Ennodius (Christian; Saint)

Marcellina (Christian; Saint)

Martyrs of Compiègne (Christian; Saint)

Pavel Peter Gojdič, Blessed (Greek Catholic Church)

Piatus of Tournai (Christian; Saint)

Leo IV, Pope (Christian; Saint)

Romanov sainthood (Russian Orthodox Church)

Skinny Dipping Day (Pastafarian)

Solstitium XII (Pagan)

Speratus and companions (Christian; Martyrs)

Turninus (Christian; Saint)

Why Not? Day (Pastafarian)

William White (Episcopal Church))

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]

Tycho Brahe Unlucky Day (Scandinavia) [26 of 37]

Unfortunate Day (Pagan) [40 of 57]

Unglückstage (Unlucky Day; Pennsylvania Dutch) [19 of 30]

Premieres

All You Need Is Love, by The Beatles (US Song; 1967)

Ant-Man (Film; 2015)

Arthur (Film; 1981)

The Case of the Velvet Claws, by Erle Stanley Gardner (Novel; 1933) [Perry Mason #1]

Cherokee, recorded by Charlie Barnet (Song; 1939)

The Dark Knight Rises, by Hans Zimmer (Soundtrack Album; 2012)

Disneyland, in Anaheim, California (Theme Park; 1955)

Egghead Rides Again (WB MM Cartoon; 1937)

Endless Love (Film; 1981)

(500) Days of Summer (Film; 2009)

From Up on Poppy Hill (Studio Ghibli Animated Film; 2011)

Greyfriars Bobby (Film; 1961)

James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl (Novel; 1961)

Jungle Cruise (Disneyland Ride; 1955)

The Mask of Zorro (Film; 1998)

Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride (Disneyland Ride; 1955)

Multiplicity (Film; 1996)

My Neighbors the Yamahas (Studio Ghibli Animated Film; 1999)

North by Northwest (Film; 1959)

Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag, by James Brown (Song; 1965)

RoboCop (Film; 1987)

The Secret World of Arietty (Studio Ghibli Animated Film; 2010)

Splash Mountain (Disneyland Ride; 1989)

Trainwreck (Film; 2015)

Turbo (Animated Film; 2013)

Victory Through Air Power (Documentary Film; 1943)

Water Music, by George Frederic Handel (Orchestral Movements; 1717)

Who Goes There? (a.k.a. The Thing), by John W. Campbell Jr. (Novel; 1938)

Yellow Submarine (UK Animated Film; 1968)

You’re the Worst (TV Series; 2014)

Today’s Name Days

Alexius, Charlotte, Donata, Gabriella (Austria)

Marin, Marina (Bulgaria)

Aleksije, Branimir, Leo, Nadan, Rufina (Croatia)

Martina (Czech Republic)

Alecius (Denmark)

Meeme, Meemo (Estonia)

Ossi, Ossian (Finland)

Arlette, Charlotte, Marcelline (France)

Alexis, Charlotte, Gabriella (Germany)

Alexandra, Aliki, Marina (Greece)

Elek, Endre (Hungary)

Alessio, Marina (Italy)

Ainārs, Aleksejs, Aleksis (Latvia)

Aleksas, Darius, Girėnas, Vaiga (Lithuania)

Gorm, Guttorm (Norway)

Aleksander, Aleksy, Andrzej, Bogdan, Dzierżykraj, Januaria, Julietta, Leon, Marceli, Marcelina, Maria Magdalena (Poland)

Bohuslav (Slovakia)

Alejo, Alexis, Jacinto, Marcelina (Spain)

Bruno (Sweden)

Codie, Codey, Cody, Dakota, Dakotah, Ismael, Kody, Vesta (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 198 of 2024; 167 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 1 of week 29 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Tinne (Holly) [Day 8 of 28]

Chinese: Month 5 (Wu-Wu), Day 30 (Bing-Zi)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 28 Tammuz 5783

Islamic: 28 Dhu al-Hijjah 1444

J Cal: 18 Lux; Foursday [18 of 30]

Julian: 4 July 2023

Moon: 0%: New Moon

Positivist: 2 Dante (8th Month) [Boccaccio]

Runic Half Month: Ur (Primal Strength) [Day 4 of 15]

Season: Summer (Day 27 of 94)

Zodiac: Cancer (Day 27 of 31)

#Holidays

0 notes

hangovercurse · 4 years

Text

Bad High

An innocent weed baking session turns into a nightmare

Reader x Colson Baker

Warnings: Drug use, anxiety attack, language

A/N: Consume responsibly kiddos.

Word Count: 1597

masterlist

Colson knew it wasn’t your first time taking weed. In fact, he’d taken it with you before. But something in his gut told him that maybe this was a bad idea. It was weird, he had never thought weed would be a bad idea.

Maybe he should have listened to his gut.

It was a pretty normal day in the MGK house. You and him were sprawled out on either side of his couch, your laptop laying on your lap and his guitar in his.

“Okay, play it again and tell me if this works.” He looked up from his guitar, which he had been strumming for the past five minutes.

You pressed play on the pre-recorded beats that you had stored on your laptop. As the sound started, Colson began strumming his guitar. The melody he played was nice, but didn’t quite match the beat that you’d already picked out.

Once the beats stopped, he let out a sigh and threw his head back. “Why isn’t anything working.” He whined and you smiled sadly at him. You and Colson had been working together for years since Slim brought you to write and mix on Bloom. You’d seen each other at your bests and worsts, and this was one of those worsts.

“Maybe its not the melody, maybe we need to adjust the rhythm. I can mix a new beat and we can start over.”

“Y/N, we’ve tried 3 beats already, I don’t think its your rhythms, I think I’m just off today.”

“Then lets take a break, Col. We can come back to it later. Besides, we’ve been sitting on this couch for hours and my ass hurts.” You chuckled, swinging your legs off of his and to the floor, pushing your laptop to the coffee table. “And I’m hungry.”

He frowned before leaning his guitar against the side of the couch and standing up. “Fine. I need to smoke anyways. “

You smiled slyly, an idea coming to you. “Or...” You started suggestively, “We could bake something.” Colson raised an eyebrow at you. “It would fix both our problems. We get food and we get high.”

Colson chuckled, shaking his head. “And people say I’m a bad influence on you.” You smiled, getting to your feet. “But you have a point so, let’s do it Miss Badass.” He made his way to his kitchen, you trailing behind him.

When you made the suggestion to make edibles, you forgot how much of a pain they were to actually make. But, an hour later you and Colson took a pan of brownies out of the oven. “I think we may have put a little too much in there.” He comments as the smell hits your nose.

“I don’t think I can even smell the brownies.” You laughed as he took out a knife, cutting a small piece for you.

You scrunched your nose at the size he handed you. “Look, Y/N, there’s a lot in here. I don’t want you taking too much. You’re literally tiny. If I give you more than this you’ll die.” He laughed as you took it from his hands.

“Have I ever had trouble holding my substances before?” You questioned, biting into the treat. The taste was just as bad as the smell, overwhelmingly weedy.

“I’m not even taking that much, ok?” He said, shoving a piece in his mouth as you rolled your eyes.

“Fine, but if this doesn’t hit I’m gonna hold it against you forever.” You chuckled, heading back to the couch and flopping down.

Colson came in after you, switching on the TV and grabbing one of the Switch controllers, tossing you the other one. “Mario Kart?”

“I will crush you.” You joke, facing the screen.

The first few races went by faster than you realized, and Colson had beaten you in every single one.

“Okay, that was totally unfair. Who blue-shells a person in the last five seconds of the lap?” You pout as he laughs, still celebrating his fourth win.

“Literally anyone who’s in second and has a blue shell in the last five seconds of the game.” You rolled your eyes as he played the next track.

You were both siting up at this point, very intensely focused on the race. The countdown started and you pressed the A button to go. As your car started racing down the track next to Colson’s toad character, the colors got brighter than normal.

You started squinting, but kept playing. “Damn this shit hits hard.” You muttered as the world around you started getting hazy. You kept playing, but as you started your second round, your heart started to race. Your hands were pretty sweaty and the lights were getting too bright.

What started as a pretty normal high was quickly turning into something you’d never experienced. Your chest felt heavy, like you were breathing under water. You felt like you couldn’t get enough air into your lungs. Your vision unfocused from the TV and your concern for the game disappeared as you let the controller drop to the coffee table. You could vaguely hear Colson’s voice, but the noise from the game was too loud, and only getting louder.

You could feel your body shaking, but you couldn’t move enough to raise your hand and see yourself.

fuck. What the fuck is wrong with me. What’s going on.

Your thoughts swarmed a mile a minute, and every inch of your being was overwhelmed with light and sound. You tried to turn your head to find Colson, but found that your movements were much slower than expected, too slow.

Eventually, your teary eyes made contact with Colson’s blue ones, and the joy in his face turned to concern in an instant.

He rushed over to your side, remote forgotten. His hand made its way around you, pulling your body into his side. You buried your head in his chest as everything blurred and spun.

“Hey Y/N. Hey it’s alright. You’re alright. I’m right here, okay? I got you.” You nod into his chest, tears falling from your eyes as you tried to breathe in.

“It’s just a bad high, I promise. I’m not gonna let anything happen to you. Okay. Can you let me know what’s going on? Can I help you?”

You had rarely seen him so concerned like this except when Casie was involved. You coughed lightly into him, trying to get some form of air into your throat. “Can’t breathe.” You muttered as you wheezed.

“Shit.” He muttered under his breath, so soft you almost couldn’t hear it. Everything sounded like it was coming through a thick pane of glass. “Ok baby,” he grabbed one of your hands that was lazily wrapped around him and brought it to rest on his chest. He breathed in slowly and heavily, and then out. “Breathe with me babe. In.” He breathed in, and you tried to follow him, only to choke and cough.

“Y/N, it’s ok. C’mon, try again.” He breathed in again but you couldn’t stop your labored breathing. Your chest was too tight to breathe in, so your body settled on hyperventilating. You shook your head as he touched your jaw, lifting your head to look at him.

“Breathe with me, c’mon. In,” He breathed in again, and you followed, “and out.” You let out a short breath before sniffling. The light in the room got too bright, and you had to close your eyes to keep it blocked out, your head ducking back down but his strong hand held you in place, his thumb rubbing soft circles into your cheek.

“I’m sorry.” You choked out, feeling guilty that you were ruining his high.

“No, nope. You don’t have anything to be sorry for sweet girl.” His voice was soft, and you could feel his breath hitting your face. You opened your eyes slightly only to find his face mere inches from yours. “Keep breathing with me.”

The hand that was still resting on his chest rose and fell with his chest. You tried your best to mimic his breaths which fell on the bridge of your nose. You could feel your chest start to loosen up and your the buzzing in your head started to fade. Your eyes focused on Colson’s face, his eyes filled with concern watching your every move, his lips slightly parted as he continued to breathe heavily enough for you to feel.

When you finally felt calm enough to speak, you whispered, “thank you. I- I don’t know wh-”

“You don’t have to thank me for anything, ok? I just wanna make sure you’re okay.” His thumb continued to rub circles into your cheek and you leaned into his touch.

“I’m okay. I’m sorry.” You sniffled.

“Don’t say you’re sorry. Please. You have nothing to be sorry for.” His breath was still landing softly on your face.

“Okay. I’m okay. Just a little tired now.”

He let out a light chuckle, “I’m sure you are.” He pulled you into his chest, his head resting atop yours and his arms enclosing you. “Let’s take a nap, yeah?” You nodded as you wrapped your arms around him, smiling softly.

He leaned back onto the couch, pulling you down with him. It didn’t take long for you to fall asleep with your head laying on his chest and your arms wrapped around him. Colson stayed awake longer, watching you breathe with a small smile on his face. Occasionally he would lean down to press soft kisses to your hair before he finally fell asleep.

#Colson baker #mgk #machine gun kelly #mgk imagine #mgk angst #mgk fluff #colson x reader #colson baker imagine #colson baker fluff #colson baker angst

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amphxtrite · 4 years

Text

fred weasley x fem!reader

This is for @feetoffthetable ‘s 500 follower writing challenge. Congratulations again on 500!!

hope you like it.

prompts:

“What happened to their happily ever after?”

“Not all love stories get a happily ever after, sometimes it’s just once upon a time.”

warnings: angst, spelling/ grammar mistakes.

word count: 3.1k

tag list: @cupidpoison @marvelhoesworld @wonderful-writer

enjoy<3

__________________________________________

Almost every girl can remember the days where they’d dream of their fairytale romance. Dancing, a prince charming and a kiss in the moonlight as every problem faded away; A thrilling fight between the lovers and the evil villain ending with the two wrapped in each other’s arms. Despite being muggle tales, the wizarding world had also grown to adore these stories, smiles widening on even grown witches' faces with each ‘once upon a time.’

You’d grown up reading about maidens being swept off their feet into the arms of their knight in shining armor, fate seemed to encompass every story you laid your eyes on, so when Fred Weasley entered your life, with a charming smile and a playfulness that had you wanting more, you couldn’t help but fall.

And so began the pining. Stares across the classroom at the wave of red hair, crossing your fingers when group projects were announced, peeking down corridors to see if you could catch the prankster twins in action, and daydreaming from dawn till dusk. You could barely get words past your lips if he ever smiled in your direction. You found yourself wondering what it would feel like to run your hand through his hair. Doodling his name on parchment became common, and dreams of dancing with him plagued your mind. You were young, and in love. You could almost feel your fairy godmother pushing you towards him, fairy tale magic coursing through your veins whenever your eyes would meet.

It took a couple years, but you found your voice. Starting small with congratulations after quidditch games, an occasional joke during classes, a couple more smiles here and there.

The unrequited love, became returned. Fred Weasley thought you were just the shy girl from his transfiguration class, quiet and meek. When you built up the confidence to strike up conversations and joke about Snape’s hair, he found himself hanging onto your every word.

The older twin went from not knowing your name to looking forward to even his most boring classes just to catch a glimpse of your face. Making you smile became his mission, and Godric did he love it when your face would completely light up. Not just a small smirk, but when your eyes sparkle, your lips pull up far enough to see your teeth and your cheeks go a bit pink, that was most definitely his favourite sight.

Even the most enchanting storybook couples would stare amazed at the adoration Fred Weasley and Y/n L/n shared for each other. Two best friends pining for the other without realizing the mutual warmth that had grown. Spending countless hours together, hiding their flushed cheeks, sweaty palms and loving eyes to enjoy every moment spent together.

When the Yule ball was announced Fred had fallen flat on his face running up to ask you. He’d spotted you in the clock tower courtyard with one of your friends and he knew immediately, you were the only person he’d want to go with. He sprinted up to you intending to drop to his knee and ask, but his foot got caught in the stone and he fell for you the second time. Now any other person may have lost hope and ran away, but Fred Weasley was determined to make the most of it, rebounding it with a cheesy pick up line, In true Fred fashion.

Cinderella would’ve glared in jealousy when the two of you waltzed across the dance floor. Not only was the night magical, but it was awkward, nervous, and fun. It didn’t seem like the far fetched dance at the end of a film, it felt real. You’d step on his toes and he’d shuffle his hand around your waist, but when it came down to it, you didn’t care. You really did feel like a princess dancing in the arms of her lover, swaying to the beautiful music as other students starred in awe at the two gryffindors gliding around the room, laughing happily while moving their feet in a mesmerizing waltz.

That night Fred Weasley finally asked you to be his girlfriend, he got down on his knee in the middle of the dance floor, pouring his heart out to you, his confession wiping even the soliloquies of Romeo Montague out of the water.

“Y/n, from the moment you started to talk to me in our third year, I fell. You make me smile, laugh, blush and always know how to cheer me up. Honestly, why didn’t you start talking to me sooner? I never knew how much I needed you, but my eyes have been cleared, my feelings in tune and now I’m asking you on the dance floor to maybe take this foolish man to be your prince?”

Droplets emerged from your eyes as you shook your head up and down, happy tears flowing free as you pulled the red-head up again.

The entire student body had paused to take in the scene before them, watching in surprise as Fred Weasley stood to his feet to dip the girl with tear stained cheeks into a low kiss, only standing again to catch his breath before stealing you away out the door.

You’d give anything to go back to that night. The seed of young adoration finally blossoming into a flower of love. Love so true, beautiful and pure you’d probably blind anyone who saw. You ran through the halls to Black Lake, dancing to the beats of your hearts in the embrace of your love, swaying in the moonlight as puzzle pieces of your life finally seemed to fall into place and stars aligned.

Holding your love in your arms is a feeling so surreal and fantastic, something that has an addicting property that you couldn’t help but crave. When Fred’s arms surrounded you, you didn’t feel trapped, enclosed, barricaded. You felt free, as though you could fly.

It is hard to define love, but what was between the redhead prankster and gryffindor dreamer painted a clear picture for anyone to see. Love opens the best in us, it reveals pieces of us never seen before and unlocks emotions never known. Fred grew more in love with you with each passing day and his desire to see the smile upon your face never faded.

Your love for your prince charming was something that would never be taken away from you. Everyday took your breath away and every time Fred smiled at you, your brain seemed to turn to mush, the childhood pining never seemed to leave.

Your last year at Hogwarts brought about some problems, with the monstrous pink toad and Fred’s tendencies for trouble, you could say difficulties were inevitable. Nights where Fred snuck into your dorm broken down, tired, and ready to collapse became frequent, especially after he was banned from the quidditch team. Fred was hesitant to reveal his sensitivity, but with cuts across his hands and the loss of his favourite activity, he was willing to lose it all just to rest in your arms again. Many nights he’d run to you, exhausted and restless. You’d hold him close, soothe him the best you could and heal his wounds to the best of your abilities. You didn’t know what to say, but you didn’t need to talk. Fred was content laying on your chest as you fussed over him, pressing kisses across his freckled face and mumbling rather choice words under your breath about the pink devil as you gently caressed his injured hand as light as a butterfly.

You were the first person he’d told his scheme to leave Hogwarts to, begging you to go with him and start a new life in a place he’d dreamt of since he was a child. He honestly wasn’t expecting you to agree, but how could you not? It’s not like you had much planned. Anyways, you were tired of the pain Fred had to endure during the past year, so if he was ready to leave, so were you.

You’d compare flying a broom into the sky as fireworks flashed behind you, to riding into the sunset on the back of a stallion, but yours was so much cooler. Fred had grabbed you from the floor and pulled you onto his broom, you clutched onto him for dear life as he and George flew their last victory lap and destroyed every last horrid plaque of rules that hung on the walls of the school of magic. Another feeling of freedom was evident throughout the entire building as victorious cheers sound from every window.

This was definitely better than a ride into the sunset.

Life with the twins in Weasleys’ Wizards Wheezes couldn’t be defined by just one word. It was exciting, chaotic and the most fun you’ve had in your life. Designing product boxes and using charms was more of your strong suit while the boys caused explosion after explosion, perfecting their concoctions. As weeks turned into months, you and Fred felt as though you were really living a couple’s life. Waking up wrapped in each other’s arm without the worry of being caught, making and eating breakfast to tunes on the radio, dancing to a record player as day bled into night and your feet finally got sore.

This is how fairy tale characters must feel after their story ends, you’d think every day, happy and so deeply in love, relishing every moment together and at peace.

You’d finally been introduced to Mrs. Weasley that coming Christmas, her tender love really made you feel welcome and almost moved you to tears.

“It’s nice to see Freddie finally found someone who loves him as much as you do, I can see it in your eyes darling, you’re perfect for him.”

Fred never understood why they said ‘fall’ in love, sure you may feel your senses fade at times but it was never like a fall. If it made sense he’d say he rose into love for you. You brought him to cloud nine, you raised his spirits whenever you joked with him when he was down. You raised the corners of his lips into a smile by just existing. You raised him further towards his dreams and supported him no matter what. Ironically, he dropped to his knee to propose to you, just like he had in your sixth year at the Yule Ball, once again pouring his heart out to you, this time to truly make you his.

“Here we are again, love.” He laughed as he fell to his knee behind you in a muggle park not too far from Diagon Alley.

“Darling, I love you. I love you so much and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You push me towards my dreams, comfort me when I’m upset, and make me smile every single day. I realized how much I needed you back in our sixth year, but today I ask you to seal the deal and become, y/n Weasley?”

It is hard to define love, so many forms of it, so many ways to express it and spread it to the people around you, but when Fred Weasley proposed to you, people looked over and felt the unconditional love between two people that brought tears to their eyes. When Fred Weasley looked at you, you were his everything. His past, present and future, his calm during a storm, his brightest star.

When Y/n said yes, you could hear the love of the purest of heart. The love of a best friend and a partner.

Love opens the best in us, it reveals pieces of us never seen before and unlocks emotions never known. Fred could now ensure a smile on your face for the rest of your days, and the childhood pining could finally rest knowing you would be with this man forever.

When the war finally pulled the wizarding world into the dark, the prankster and the dreamer knew they wouldn’t be able to stand to the side. They needed to help bring back the peace, and they would fight beside the people they cared about. The wedding was postponed until further notice, but it was sworn on a pinky promise that as soon as the chaos was over, you’d pick up where you left off and walk down the aisle in your white dress.

As you stood on the Hogwarts school ground, death eaters on every side and Voldemort cackling maniacally, you reached out for your prince’s hand. Closing your eyes to regain your calm before you had to charge into the incoming fight. Fred had squeezed your hand before pressing his lips to yours in the most passionate kiss the two of you had ever shared.

Looking back, you should’ve held Fred there with you, by your side throughout the entire fight. You should have kept your hands interlocked, standing tall by each other’s side, an unbreakable force to be reckoned with.

Instead the two of you charged forward separated, fighting close, but by your friends’ sides, throwing spell after spell to inch closer to a brighter future. Pain didn’t matter, each wave of your wand could be a step closer to a happy tomorrow.

It was almost thrilling fighting by your classmate, protecting them brought a new sense of purpose to your being and drowned out everything else to focus on the task at hand. Things were turning your way, Neville slayed that dreaded snake, Harry returned, Voldemort would never win now right? Everything would turn out fine. Right?

How wrong you were.

Victory was within reach, death eaters were filtering into smaller numbers and your friends were still alive. Your head was swivelling for your love, the only thought on your mind being to find your prince, your knight, the love of your life. The flash of red hair was just ahead, the light at the end of the tunnel was right there. You called out his name and his head whipped to meet yours. Your eyes met and you could see your future, your wedding, a family, growing old with this man.

Then the rubble fell, and in a flash, everything was taken away from you.

It is hard to define love, but when witches and wizards heard the shrill cry of a heart being torn in half, they could feel the love y/n l/n held for Fred Weasley. The pure, unconditional love that would’ve withstanded the test of time and any problem life could throw her way. The love that had so much hope many people turned away, it was too much to bear. The love that had you digging even though your hands were scabbed and bleeding.

Now when you ask how Fred Weasley showed his love in this scenario, the only thing to say was he died with a smile on his face. He died knowing his last sight was the love of his life running towards him, ready to turn to the next chapter of their lives.

You dug through the rock frantically, grasping onto the hope that for some divine reason Fred could be alive.

This isn’t how the story is supposed to end, your prince was supposed to wrap you into your arms and every problem was supposed to melt away, you were supposed to marry, kiss in front of all your family and friends and live the rest of your days together.

Realization hit you like a speeding train, you were never going to walk down the aisle to see Fred’s reaction to you in a white dress, you were never going to hold your child in your arms and see Fred become the amazing father you knew he would become. You were never going to see him grey and old, still a prankster and still deeply in love. You were never going to feel his lips against yours ever again. Hear his whispers in your ear about how much he loved you, or his melodic laugh that brought butterflies to your stomach every time.

Turns out, the villain of your story wasn’t unrequited love, it wasn’t Umbridge or even Voldemort. It was something even more cruel and insufferable. Death is not something humans really understand, even the most powerful witches and wizards cannot deny that death will come upon you, it is inevitable. There is so much about death we do not understand. All we know is one minute they’re here, the next they’re gone. But you might say, this is a fairy tale, there’s bound to be a happy solution and our lovers will get their happy ending. No, this is reality and our lovers were not that lucky, and the loss of half a heart is not something to be taken lightly.

“No.”

When Fred’s body was retrieved, you were joined by the rest of the Weasley family in their grieving, and while you could never understand what it would be like to lose a brother and a son, you’d lost the man you were going to spend the rest of your days with, and that left a hole in your heart never to be repaired, never to heal.

To lose a lover, but to hold their lifeless body in your arms is a surreal feeling you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy, it’s something that has the power to break even the strongest people and make the most positive lose hope. Every ounce of love in your being spilt through tears that held every wish and hope you’ve ever had. That day you lost your feeling of freedom, and a sick sense of being trapped plagued your every move.

This isn’t how the story was supposed to end.

“What happened to their ‘happily ever after?” A young girl asks her father.

“Well young y/n, as you may know you were named after the very girl who fell in love with my brother and lost everything. Some say she died of a broken heart, others say Freddie came back and took her away to paradise.” An older George Weasley smiles down at his young daughter, snuggled in blankets, clutching a picture frame in her small hands.

“But why couldn’t uncle Fred come back? I thought every fairy tale ends with a happily ever after, those were aunt y/n’s favourite stories right?” Young y/n’s brown eyes flash in confusion and hurt as she lowers the photo of you to her lap.

“Yes, they were her favourite. There was no doubt her and Fred had a love greater than any fairy tale, but not all love stories get a ‘happily ever after.’ Sometimes it’s just a ‘once upon a time.”

#fred weasley #fred weasley imagine #fred weasly x reader #fred weasley angst #fred weasley x gryffindor!reader #fred weasley x you #fred weasley x y/n #harry potter imagine #weasley twins #angst #weasley family #once upon a time #fairy tales #fred weasley fic #fred weasley fanfiction #writing challenge

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lumiereswig · 4 years

Note

What about when the staff/Belle/Adam were all kids?

belle had her nose in a book half the time/all the time and maurice was seriously concerned about having to get her glasses until one day she looked up with a thousand-mile stare and said “i’m going to invent contacts” and she did. as a 9-year old

adam..well, we all know how his childhood went down. T R A U MA. but trauma (while it feels like it can fill up a whole lot) doesn’t fill up the whole of it; adam’s joy and hope and life kept springing up, like sprouts through concrete, little odd wonders like the cloth-bound books in the library and puppet shows that came through town and wondering, ever just wondering, if anything truly miraculous would ever happen to him

lumiere was a harum-scarum young brat on the dirty streets of paris, scaring the poor wits out of his parents and yodeling songs to the never-caring moon while perched on the roof of a bakery. (but a lady in one of the houses nearby did care for his singing and always wondered forever after what became of him, earning her the world-record of the only lady who remembered lumiere during the curse for no reason beyond loving a young boy’s singing)

cogsworth was one of those boys who Collected Things. stamps, toads, rocks, coins, all carefully delineated on little neatly labeled shelves; a little room, a little museum, all his own. in his own little wonderful world where he didn’t have to hear children screaming or roads bumping or his dreadful aunt hortense going on about what she had for breakfast, again, her screechy voice coursing over horrible things

garderobe was incredibly focused as a child, knowing from the start just what she wanted to do, and she regrets it sometimes because wouldn’t it have been fun to dabble as a scientist? to have a little horse-girl phase? but no from the beginning when she saw a ballerina to the very moment she was on that stage herself, and on and on forever after, all she ever wanted was a polished stage and the flood of lights turned her way and people, wonderful people, hanging on her every note

cadenza never felt safe as a little boy, he was always looking over one shoulder, he never felt he had that person he could lock his entire self into, who would accept all of him—the neuroses, the long rambling spools of thought, the hyper obsession and the vaulting, babbling ecstasy of a great composition—and feeling unsafe like that eats away at you, it becomes a kind of prison in its way, and he always felt a little safer with keys beneath his fingertips but it wasn’t until he met garderobe that he found another person can really be a new doorway into happiness

plumette had a childhood surrounded by love, her soft mama with the perfume that smelled like snowdrops, her soft lovely aunts, the grandmama with the crystal, cut-glass animals dotting her window ledge; the view of beautiful labyrinths stretching out away from the palace, her brothers running down the halls yelling, paper cranes in their hands, sending the birds flying down the banisters. and then dark plague—creeping silence—a run, alone, out of paris, through the woods, brambles scratching at her feet. finding that new homes can be built, with new families in new places, even while old ones are treasured.

chapeau found that everything, as a child, was too LOUD. too much shrieking about ribbons. too much squawking about hats. his mother was kind and she tried to hallow out quiet places for him in the millinery, but he found more joy in making those quiet spaces for himself—making himself a quiet temple, in the end, a silent song all to himself.

cuisinier dipped himself into everything as a child—he tried different languages, different lives, as if they were soups, and could warm him up from the blood out. it was only while chopping radishes at a back-alley bar that he found out how alive being the warmth could make you feel—not just waiting for something to raise you up, but raising up everything around you by being a pOWERHOUSE (at chopping radishes)

mrs potts grew up surrounded by lavender fields, always feeling like she could be a little better than this, see a little farther than just the sheep pasture and the back meadow. she loved her family, so, so much—but always felt like she wanted to explore the world, just a little, and find a corner of it to make entirely her own. her hands were always busy, a little something tucked away just for her—embroidering her aprons in spots no one could see, knitting little handwarmers as she waits for the kettle to boil. making the world a little brighter, just by the work of her two small hands.

#batb headcanon #beauty and the beast #asks #batb #batb 2017 #beauty and the beast 2017 #belle #adam #cuisinier #cogsworth #mrs. potts #plumette #cadenza #garderobe #lumiere

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iguanodonwildman · 4 years

Text

Rambling, Unorganized Naruto Band AU

Minato is a former teen idol turned manager for a band composed of Rin, Obito, and Kakashi. They’re on their way to the top when Obito is injured in a stage accident that ultimately ends his music career. Rin leaves the music industry as a result and starts working in sea turtle conservation. (Obito resurfaces years later as an EDM musician with a mask under the pseudonym Tobi.)

Kakashi dicks around as a solo artist for a few years and eventually starts managing an up and coming band composed of Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto.

Sasuke’s older brother, Itachi, was a rising star. Under pressure from his manager, Danzo, he teamed up with a band called the Akatsuki to toughen up his image. The Akatsuki were a rock band with a reputation for partying hard. While Itachi does gain new fans, he falls into the world of drugs and eventually OD’s.

Sasuke is determined to avenge the Uchiha name, so he has to make it to the top. Unfortunately, his band mates aren’t as dedicated. He’s eventually lured away by producer, Orochimaru, who promises to make Sasuke famous, and goes solo. (Sasuke plays all his own instruments in the recording studio, but team taka are his touring band.)

Sasuke and Taka eventually part ways with Orochimaru to start their own indie label.

Sasuke is replaced in Team 7 by alternative musician Sai. His older brother, Tenzou, is a bit overprotective because Sai is autistic, so he sticks around to ensure his little brother isn’t taken advantage of. That, and he has a crush on Kakashi.

Unless otherwise stated: nations are record companies, Hokage are presidents/ceos, Summons are mascots, teams are bands, and Sensai are managers.

Team ebisu: Konohamaru, moegi, and udon are high school students in ebisu’s music class. Konohamaru is Naruto’s biggest fan and next door neighbor.

Sand siblings: Theyre a death core band, or some kind of metal. Gaara on lead guitar and vocals, Temari on drums, Kankuro on bass. Kankuro and Temari also do cool special effects for their music videos. Shukaku is a creature mascot they made up for their band of the same name.

Team 7. Sakura plays drums and does backing vocals. Sasuke plays bass and lead vocals. Naruto plays lead guitar and refuses to be resigned to backing vocals. Sasuke has the best voice and is the most musically gifted, but Naruto has passion. Sakura is the only person holding this mess together. Sai joins them later and becomes their main lyric writer. Kuruma is their mascot. Naruto constantly tweets picks of his pet toads. Kakashi literally has 8 dogs. Menma is an artistic persona Naruto assumed in a set of music videos.

Team 8. Kiba and Hinata both do vocals. Shino is heavily influenced by classic Linkin Park. Kiba plays drums. Hinata plays keytar. Shino plays bass. Akamaru is Kiba’s dog and the official band mascot. Kurenai does all their album artwork.

Team Gai. Tenten plays drums. She’s heavily influenced by all girl rock bands. Neji sings and plays piano. He is classically trained. Lee plays the drums and posts behind the scenes videos of everything and it’s almost always just videos of Neji doing normal things and then getting mad about being recorded. Gai is a very active manager.

Team 10. This band has RANGE to rival Fergie. Ino is the top female artist of the year. She sings and plays lead guitar. Choji plays drums. Shikamaru plays bass and gripes about practice. Asuma tells them not to do drugs - He does not practice what he preaches. I have a very vivid image in my head of Ino covering Jet’s “Are You Gonna Be My Girl?”

All four teams have toured together pretty regularly.

Team Taka. Suigetsu plays lead guitar. Juugo plays bass. Karin plays drums. Sasuke plays any other instrument needed and sings.

The Sannin. They rose to fame quickly but split soon after due to artistic differences. Orochimaru became the next mcr. Tsunade started her own record company. Jiraiya writes bad romance novels for a living.

Team Minato. Kakashi sings lead vocals and plays bass. Rin plays lead guitar and sings backing vocals. Obito plays drums. (Maybe switch Rin and obito’s instruments?)

The akasuki. Nagato is the head of their indie record label before they’re bought by madara’s company. Yahiko is nagato’s assistant. Itachi records with them but he’s not an official member of the band. They tour together a lot. Same with Tobi . Orochimaru was a guest artist on one album. Konan plays keytar and sings lead vocals. Deidara and Zetsu are roadies and head the special effects crew. Kakuzu plays drums. Hidan plays lead guitar. Sasori plays violin. Kisame plays bass guitar.

Idk how the fourth shinobi war fits into this, but I imagine there’s some kind of revolution in the music industry? Or maybe Madara advocates for vocaloids and auto tune over real musicians cause if he’s not the top artist, nobody can be! And Tobi, as a DJ and EDM artist can totally get behind that because it doesn’t affect his job security.

The founders are some sort of musical pioneers? Maybe like the Beatles? Tobirama is @k1dekismadaratemple’s swag tobirama. They eventually break up because Madara and tobirama won’t stop fighting. Hashimada also complicated things.

Kaguya is obviously some sort of musical pioneer, too. Maybe Elvis-like? Ooh! Or she invents auto tune! Or just makes it popular. Or maybe she’s a vocaloid!

Neji and Hinata’s dads were in a band together. When they broke up, Hinata’s dad got the rights to all of their music,

Idk I just needed to get this mess out of my head. Enjoy!

#naruto #naruto band au #idk what this is but do with it what you will?#team taka #team minato #team 7 #team 8 #team gai #team 10 #sand siblings #sannin #themastertactician #akatsuki #this is a mess

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essays-for-breakfast · 4 years

Text

A Song to Forget All Trouble

Kiane Week Day Four: Reign/Daily Life

With each sunrise, another problem awaited Diane. Or, for the sake of accuracy, a mountain of problems. Ruling an entire clan was one thing, but the management of two clans who had spent to majority of three millennia with scornful looks and cold shoulders had more in common with a wrestling match against a Tyrant Dragon. With arms tied behind the back. Giants and Fairies alike always found one little annoyance to blow out of proportion and add to the list of matters Diane needed to discuss and solve with the parties involved.

The quarrel for a resting spot on one of the Fairy King’s Forest’s countless clearings took her half a day to settle because both the Giant and the opposing group of Fairies claimed to have arrived there first. Around noon, Diane ordered the squabblers to find other places to sleep and opened the clearing to a horde of Giant children. At the end of their play session, a rugged crater disfigured the landscape, and smashed golem heads roasted in the sun. No one wanted to rest there anymore.

Every trampled flowerbed and every earth-made pillar became a file on Diane’s metaphorical desk. Fairies liked to boast about their inability to understand concepts like possession and greed, but when someone asked them to share their precious forest with outsiders, they crossed their arms and jutted their chins faster than one could turn over a leaf.

Even if their king asked them.

But the Giants didn’t cover themselves in glory with their behavior either. Their daily fighting tournaments, these days held for sport rather than war training, flattened entire areas on a regular basis. And while the Giants toasted to their displays of power, the present Fairies had little to laugh about. To them, a tree was a lifeform in the same way as a deer or a chaffinch. To a Giant, a tree was a resource for weapons and sometimes a javelin in their ego games.

Drole had assured that Diane would make for the ideal queen to their people. If only he had mentioned the massif of hurdles on the road of leadership.

Daylight was fading, and Diane more stumbled than walked towards the Great Tree. She hawked, but the lump in her throat sat on her voice like a fat, ugly toad. The avalanche of irritated ‘what?’ the near-deaf Giant had spat in her direction continued to ring in her ears. He had built a stone damn to turn the southern river into his private bathing lake. The shrubs and flowers he had put underwater by proxy had concerned him no more than a change in the clouds above. Diane had repeated and rerepeated herself in explaining the problem he had created, but more than another ‘what?’ hadn’t come out of him. A wonder the old man still lived – with the philosophy of the Giants in mind, a useless member of the pack went to bed each night in expectation of a slit throat.

Diane rolled her shoulders to shake away these gloomy thoughts. The merger had its upsides too. She just needed to remind herself of them once in a while.

The stench of fire, mingled with the alluring but precarious aromas of roasted boar hit her before the massive shape of the Great Tree came into view. Not again. Diane darted into the bushes, a string of curses she had picked up from Ban on her lips.

In most cases, even the most traditionalist of Fairies looked past the campfires the Giants gathered around to exchange war stories. But when these parties involved hunted wildlife – deer, boars, or the sinfully delicious cranes found in the western lake district of the forest –, a war declaration already waved between the trees by the time King or Diane could intervene.

Along with the cackling of the fire, the sound of laughter and, strangest of all, music reached Diane’s ear as she zigzagged through the pine trunks. The out of place sound almost made her stumble. Had the wind solely carried the beat of drums, she would have continued her race without a second thought. But a small orchestra of pipes and flutes gave the rhythmic pounding a melody unlike anything she had ever heard in Megadoza. If any Giant knew how to craft and play a flute, Matrona had to have hid them in the catacombs underneath the rock city during Diane’s two hundred years of training there.

A final sprint brought Diane to the clearing from where the smell of meat and the sound of music originated. But instead of a pack of drunk and bellowing Giants, the last sunrays reflected from the faces of Fairies and Giants alike. And instead of accusations hurled at the other clan, laughter tied both sides together.

Above the open fire, spits laden with meat turned while a soup happily bubbled in an oversized iron cauldron. A handful of lanterns in the shape of tulips adorned the trees around. While not as golden or luxurious as the festivities Diane had visited in Liones, the clearing showed all the makings of a celebration, complete with a colorful assembly of guests.

King hovered in the middle of the illusive scenery and conversed with Matrona and Ritho, an older Giant whose passion lay with war before any other activity. All three of them were smiling.

Diane maltreated her temple with her knuckles, but the illusion refused to collapse and return to the dust of her imagination. What had happened in her absence that all conflicts between Giants and Fairies had smoothened into a pretty party with a pretty ribbon to complete the present? Had Bartra Liones foreseen the end of the world for tomorrow? Another explanation failed to arise out of the muddle of her thoughts.

She stared, and she stood, unable to move or comprehend what was playing out before her eyes.

King noticed Diane, nodded to Matrona and Ritho, and floated towards her with two minimalistic flaps of his wings.

He lifted the paralyzed fingers of her right hand with visible effort, and beamed at her. “I’m glad you made it. Gerheade was almost on her way to catch you at the Great Tree. I wasn’t sure when you would return, but I guess everything worked out better than expected.”

“I don’t understand. Did I miss something?”

A shade of pink darkened his cheeks. The orange hues of the fire emphasized the effect. “Didn’t I tell you? We want to celebrate the merger between the Fairy and Giant Clan. We got lucky with the weather tonight, otherwise the open fire might have given us some headaches. Oh, and Happy Anniversary!”

Diane blinked. “It’s… been a year already?! I thought… two weeks, a month at most…”

“If Gerheade hadn’t reminded me, I would have said the same, but here we are. A year later. I’m so proud of what we’ve built here. What you started when you told me about your idea with the merger – no one other than you could have even considered to bridge the cleft between our two clans. All because no one sees the good in others like you do.” King inhaled, and his tiny hands increased their grip around Diane’s fingers. “I love you so much. None of this would have been possible without you.”

His touch and the warmth of his smile melted all troubles and anxiousness of the day away. Nothing else mattered, and if Diane had to put up with a thousand near-deaf Giants to earn this one moment with the one she loved, she would jump into the fray without hesitation.

She dragged him closer, intoxicated by the flowery scent of his skin, lost in his amber eyes, and cradled by all the compliments he showered her with, too generous to be true, but oh, so earnest. The cleft disappeared, and Diane covered King’s face with a kiss.

Before he could pass out from a lack of oxygen, Diane pulled back. She smiled at his expression, a perfect replica of the dazzled Fairy boy before he had grown his wings.

“I love you too, King. And thank you for the party. It’s perfect. When did you have time to organize all this anyway?”

“Oh, that? I really didn’t do much in terms of setting up the location or preparing the meat. The others deserve all your thanks for the hard work. I just flew around a little to find some special ingredients for the stew.”

Diane laughed. “Still a delivery boy at heart, I see. The Captain must have drilled this chore especially deep into your head.”

“I guess he discovered this hidden talent of mine before even I could see it.”

More and more Giants and Fairies followed the sound of the flutes, and soon the clearing disappeared in a crowd of feet and wings. Bowls of two different sizes wandered through the guests, a stew of turnips and roots and chanterelle. While nothing between Purgatory and the Sky Temple could match Ban’s carrot soup, Diane gulped down three helpings in record time, mesmerized by the earthy taste. And she would have asked for an additional portion, if King hadn’t handed her a spit with her favorite type of roasted pork.

The smell of fat made her mouth watery. “Can I marry you a second time?”

“I would marry you every single day, every single year ahead of us, if I could,” King said.

Diane grinned and for the next few minutes, she was too occupied with chewing to talk. The chatter of the people around her blurred into a pleasant carpet of sound. This was what she had always envisioned: Giants and Fairies united in spite of their stupid differences and their arguments, an exchange of words and food to the soft crackle of a campfire. And her and King in the middle of it all, finally side by side after all this time.

The stars stood high up in the sky, a million more than humans could ever spot in Liones or Camelot. From time to time, they winked as if to congratulate King and Diane on what they had accomplished. He leaned against her knee while she stroked the filigree ornamentations of his wings. A shudder rocked him whenever Diane found a new nerve to stimulate.

Neither of them felt the need to disturb the moment with words.

Then a single flute raised its voice above the conversations, a new tune, almost melancholic at first. A panpipe picked up where its companion had left of and gave the melody a merry spin. The flautist enticed a few more notes out of his instrument, and for a moment it and the panpipe seemed to fight a musical battle for the tone of their sonata. But then they fell into harmony, drums and chimes and a fiddle joined in, and soon the entire orchestra played a tarantella to invite the crowd to a dance.

King jerked up. After he had risen into the air, he bowed and extended a hand towards Diane. Sparks from the campfire reflected in his eyes. “May I have this dance?”

Diane took his hand with a smile. “You may.”

One with the music and the rhythm of nature, King and Diane spun around the fire. Her feet bopped and arched, and he mimicked her moves midair. One moment she pulled him so close their noses almost touched, the next he guided her into another twirl and their fingers parted to finish a sequence with two claps. Other pairs skipped onto the dance floor; Matrona and Zalpa, Ende and Gerheade, and ever so rarely a Giant and Fairy together.

Although her steps lead her astray sometimes, Diane always found King’s eyes in the crowd. Never more than a pirouette away, still in sync with her. The music chased them in circles, two claps of the hands, and another sequence of hops and taps and spins. The odors of cooking fat and sweat from a multitude of dancers got to Diane’s head. Dizziness hijacked her senses until nothing but the next step filled her mind.

With two final claps, the dance ended. King hovered mere inches away from her, guided there by his own doing or a by a smile of fortune. His chest heaved up and down and the many turns had tousled his hair. But his grin was the incarnation of pure joy, brighter than the fire and the firmament.

Their kiss held more force this time, driven by the passion of the dance and heated by the blood rushing into both their heads. The touch of his skin and the flowery taste of his lips replaced the world around Diane, and they were one.

Yes, the merger caused them trouble every day, and Giants and Fairies alike strained their patience with a hellish desire to convince them to give up.

But King and Diane proved time and time again that beauty lay in the union between their clans. They fought for what they believed in, and they continued to push the boundaries of what Chaos’ creations were meant to achieve.

For moments like this.

#kianeweek #kianeweek2020 #nnt #nanatsu no taizai #nnt fanfiction #my writing #king x diane #kiane #king #diane #another dance fic #because why not

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jazzicology · 3 years

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JAZZPRING!

This will seem topsy-turvy to those of you in the Northern hemisphere - but in New Zealand, Spring is just around the corner. And here at Jazzicology headquarters in Queenstown, we’re busy preparing for our Spring jazz gigs. Putting together a set on a specific theme is a great incentive to search for and learn new material. Here’s our ‘Jazzpring’ setlist with some notes on each. We’ve aimed for a mix of tempos and contrasting jazz styles. In amongst some old standards are some quirky additions: possibly the only song written from the perspective of a frightened tomato (Hang on Little Tomato); and a wonderful number that perfectly sets Shakespeare’s ‘It was a lover and his lass’ to a catchy melody and jazz chords – it deserves to be in everyone’s Spring set list. I was amazed how many jazz songs there are on topics relating to Spring – far too many to include in just one gig!

Joyspring. 1954 composition by Clifford Brown, jazz trumpeter and a key figure in the Hard Bop movement. The lyrics I use are by Jezra Kay. This is a super-fast-paced, up-beat tune. I discovered, rather too late for this gig, that there are also some wonderfully poetic lyrics by Jon Hendricks, a leading jazz lyricist who is responsible for the lyrics for many well-known jazz songs composed as instrumentals. You can read about Hendrick’s lyrics for JoySpring here.

You must believe in Spring. Composed by Michel LeGrand (1964), this song shares some features with his other, better-known compositions (Windmills of Your Mind; What Are You Doing For The Rest of Your Life). The chords and melody strike a reflective and melancholy, yet hopeful, mood. It is a truly beautiful number that I had not previously been aware of. I have been listening to Bill Evans’s instrumental version of it – it just incredible - and this vocal performance by Sarah McKenzie. It was originally called La Chanson de Maxence and was written for the French film ‘Les Demoiselles de Rochefort’. Looking at the original French lyrics, it is clear the English lyrics are not a translation; the song’s theme of Spring is entirely attributable to the authors of the English language lyricists Bergman and Bergman. Indeed, these lyrics are so well crafted that it is difficult to believe the phrase ‘You Must Believe in Spring’ wasn’t originally in Le Grand’s mind when he wrote it! Listening to various vocal recordings over the last few weeks, I discovered some additional lyrics that, as far as I can tell, appear only in a recording by Barbra Streisand. I don’t know who wrote them (possibly Streisand), but they seem apt for a troubled world, so here they are for other singers who may be interested in using them:

When angry voices drown the music of the spheres

And children face a world that’s far beyond their years

Above the darkest skies, The far horizons lie

With all the reasons why you must believe in Spring.

Spring can really hang you up the most. Composer Tommy Wolf (1955), lyrics Fran Landesman. Spring isn’t all rainbows and daffodils – like all fun times of year, for those who are down or lonely it can serve to underline your own misery. The title of the song is a jazz twist on the opening line of T.S. Eliot's The Waste Land: "April is the cruellest month". My favourite version of this song is by Carmen McCrae – it’s like a masterclass in jazz vocals. I was surprised how difficult this song was to learn – and was relieved to find an entire blog written about it, claiming that the obscene number of verses and lyrics, and wide vocal range and unusual phrasings are clearly the work of someone who hates singers! Fortunately, I love a challenge.

Blue Skies. Irving Berlin (1926). Blue Skies is probably the best-known and certainly the oldest song in this set. Thelonious Monk wrote a Be-Bop number, ‘Suddenly in Walked Bud’, based on the chord progressions in Blue Skies, as a tribute to his friend, the jazz pianist, Bud Powell. The lyrics are a virtual who’s-who list of jazz greats from that time. Monk’s ‘In Walked Bud’ is an example of a jazz ‘contrafact’: where a new melody is laid over existing chords (in this case, Blue Skies). There are lots of examples of this in Bop from the 1940s, because it was a way for jazz musicians to create new pieces “for performance and recording on which they could immediately improvise, without having to seek permission or pay publisher fees for copyrighted materials (while melodies can be copyrighted, the underlying harmonic structure cannot be)”. Since the lyrics and melody for ‘In Walked Bud’ work perfectly well over the chords for ‘Blue Skies’ (apart from the bridge) I’ll incorporate elements of them into our performance.

It might as well be Spring. Composed by Rodgers and Hammerstein (1945) for the movie State Fair, for which it won an Academy Award for best original song. Many people have recorded this, but I’ve been listening to Ella Fitzerald and this lovely French version by (the aptly Spring-named) Blossom Dearie.

They say its Spring. Composers Bob Haymes and Marty Clark (1950s). With a melody and lyrics that are as light and floaty as a feather, this is a quintessential Spring song about being in love. Blossom Dearie appears to have been the first to record it, in 1957.

Nature Boy/Nardis. Composed by Eden Ahbez (1947). Nature boy is on Jazzicology’s set list – but with a twist! We will perform it using the principal motif from Miles Davis’ Nardis in both the Intro and coda. This was an idea developed by me and UK jazz pianist Sid Thomas, and you can listen to Sid and I performing it here. The ‘back story’ to Nature Boy is pretty interesting in its own right and can be found in a previous Jazzicology blog penned by Sid, ‘The one hit wonders of jazz’.

I love Paris in the Springtime. Cole Porter (1954). A classic recording of this by Ella Fitzgerald. However, I very much like this version, which has a Parisian café feel. This is a relatively simple melody to learn, with the chief challenge for the vocalist being the wide vocal range needed to change register.

Timeless Place. Composed by Jimmy Rowles in the 1970s as an instrumental (‘The Peacocks’) and recorded by him and sax legend Stan Getz in the 1975 album of the same name. The wonderful, reflective lyrics were added much later by UK jazz vocalist, Norma Winstone, and included on her 1993 album Well Kept Secret. This song is technically very challenging for a vocalist: the melody over the ‘bridge’ is a little non-intuitive and sits outside the harmony – it creates a tension which resolves into the main refrain. The word Spring appears nowhere in the song, but I’m going to justify its inclusion here because the lyrics include a beautiful formal garden with flowers and trees.

Double Rainbow. Composed by Brazilian jazz maestro, Antonio Jobim in 1970. This is one of his lesser-known numbers. It perfectly captures a spring garden, after a sudden rain-shower, with rainbows, puddles and a little robin hopping about. Actually, because the song is written in Portugese, the little bird in the song is a chico-chico, so robin is used as the equivalent in the English translation (maybe I should use a bellbird instead?). In Portugese, the title is Chovendo na Roseira (the rain is falling on the roses) and I perform it using first the Portugese and then the English lyrics – both are lovely, and the different languages each lend a slightly different feel to song.

Hang on Little Tomato. Music and lyrics by Patrick Abbey, China Forbes and Thomas Lauderdale and released on the Pink Martini album of the same name in 2004. For those who have gotten their tomato seedlings off to an early start, this the song you need to sing to them when they get planted outside. It’s a scary world out there for a little tomato. It’s a seriously cute little song, and a reminder that we all need to keep hanging on to the vine. The song title is apparently a reference to a Hunt's Ketchup ad campaign "Hang On, Little Tomato!" in a 1964 issue of Life magazine. (Is it a coincidence that Pink Martini’s named their own record label Heinz, I wonder?)

Hey Nonny No! Composed by UK jazz composer and pianist Sid Thomas, this up-beat, toe-tappin’ number captures the feel of Spring brilliantly and the melody and chords provide a fabulous setting for Shakespeare’s ‘It was a lover and his lass’ from As you Like it. You’ll be humming this one on the way home.

Seed Leaves. Another Sid Thomas composition, this one setting to music the poem ‘Seed Leaves’ by Poet Laureate and two times Pulitzer Prize winner Richard Wilbur. You can find the poem here. Anyone wishing to request the music for ‘Hey Nonny No’ or ‘Seed Leaves’ can contact Sid Thomas here.

Surrey with the Fringe on top. Rogers and Hammerstein, from Oklahoma (1946). Is it a little bit twee? Maybe, but hey – it is also very sweet. And it was a part of Miles Davis’ repertoire in the 1950s, so there’s no arguing with that!

Up Jumped Spring. Composed by US jazz trumpet player Freddie Hubbard in 1962, and included in his album Backlash. The lyrics were added later by vocalist US jazz vocalist Abbey Lincoln. This clip of the song being sung live by Audrey Silver is really worth listening to - what a confident, flawless performance.

So, there you have it: an eclectic Spring jazz set involving Shakespeare, tomatoes, rainbows, birds, toads, seedlings, melting snow, new love and a little sprinkling of melancholy. The lyrics in this set contain the words ‘isinglass’ and ‘yggdrasil’ – not words you hear every day – come to our gig on September 5th (assuming Queenstown is out of lockdown by then!) and see if you can spot them!

Other suggestions for Spring songs can be found here:

https://jazz.fm/classic-jazz-songs-about-spring/

https://www.wrti.org/post/10-jazz-tunes-remind-you-its-spring

Nance Wilson

Nance Wilson is one half of Queenstown-based jazz duo, Jazzicology, together with pianist Mark Rendall-Wilson.

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/nance-wilson-trio

Facebook: Jazzicology

#jazzmusic #jazz vocals

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