#6.5 SPEAR

[officialrailscales]

16” 6.5 MCX-SPEAR for Terra Bronze Tuesday

Karve-P | OD Green

HTP XOS-W MLOK Scale | OD Green | MiniDot Texture

HTP MLOK Scales | OD Green | MiniDot Texture

QDX Sling Mount | Terra Bronze

MCX CSMR Button | Terra Bronze

- RS

[yorutsuki]

「 ✦ Isekaied Reversed Pt. 6.5 ✦ 」

↳ A few days after the incident, Xiao decides it's a good time to teach you the basics of defense.

(Honestly this one is mostly a filler as I have no clue what to write)

Tags:

──────⋆⋅☆⋅⋆──────

"Lift your arms, keep your back leg at an angle."

"Better, now strike."

It had been a rough two weeks in total since the incident on the sidewalk.

Xiao had asked for you to demonstrate a punch, simple right? No.

Being a skilled adeptus, living and training for hundreds of years—he was bound to notice the mistakes and flaws within a single hit.

"It's...improvement but your punch is slow and weak." He informed, heading towards you before softly hitting your foot with his into position.

"I thought you said only my punch was bad?" You commented as the adeptus huffed, shaking his head. "Well for main improvement, you need to fix the components first." He retorted before lifting your right bent arm.

The adeptus walked backwards crossing his arms, scanning over your stance. "Alright, punch. Keep your arm straight though turn it so your knuckles are horizontal at the same time—and release tight energy."

You looked over to him, "tight energy?" Your brow cocked.

"Yes. Release most of your energy and keep it in control or you'll lose form."

You nodded, taking a sharp breath before doing as instructed. You smiled lightly, drawing your hand back before looking over to Xiao. "And? Did I do well?" You asked.

The adeptus nodded, "it's good enough for now." You nodded once more, content in at-least somewhat succeeding.

"Get some water, we're taking a minute." He spoke, grabbing his spear, a small furrow of his brows did not go unnoticed by you. Nonetheless, you made your way to the wooden bench, the cool air blowing against you.

At first you were a bit unsure of practicing on the rooftop of the apartment though remembered how almost nobody came up there—if there were, then rarely.

Your eyes trailed back to the adeptus, your eyes in awe of his movements as practiced his attacks and movement with sharp precision and speed. No matter how many times you saw it within the virtual world, you never got tired of it—now that it's a reality, you for sure will never not be in awe—captured by the fluency and speed. It was almost...Ethereal.

Your airway closed up once you felt Xiao's eyes on you.

You quickly glanced down at your nails, feeling a flush of embarrassment—praying that he didn't notice

he probably did, but maybe he'll think it was a trick of the light?

"Your going to try throwing a hook punch and then we'll get into an uppercut"

You silently choked on air. You didn't even hear him making his way towards you.

You nodded, heading over to your original spot. "Same stance just as before." Xiao went over to stand next to you, standing in a ready position. "When landing a hook punch you need to rotate your hips into it, and depending on what range your in, will determine the arm position."

He went on demonstrating short, mid and long range. Unfortunately you were more caught up with the person showcasing rather than the showcase itself.

"Understand?"

You blink before nodding before getting back into stance and tried copying the movement of each range. Unfortunately Xiao made you re-do them a few times, each time only progressing a bit. Either your form was sloppy, leaving to unbalanceness or your strike was weak.

The adeptus sighed, making his way over to you. "You need to shift weight from your turning foot to your front foot while striking."

A small silence drew out—a hesitance.

"May I..touch you here?" He mumbled, yet his voice was stern as he gestured to your hips.

You nodded, "sure." You then felt his hands, take hold of your hips. "Okay, swing in slow motion, when I guide your hips, move your whole upper body." You nodded once more, and did as instructed.

It felt closer to an endless minute when you felt a breeze pass by the lingering warmth. You could finally let out the breath you unknowingly held.

"Alright, now try hitting me."

You didn't question it, you knew he was far skilled and durable than you, thus you obliged as he stood in front of you, only a foot away.

Swallowing a built of nerves, you went for a hook punch which he blocked with ease. Furrowing your brows, you went for a combo—a hook, straight then a hook once more, yet much to your non-existant surprise, were blocked.

A few more relentless punches in, you were growing annoyed and let your instincts take control, which resulted in Xiao on the floor—and you, standing victorious.

You stared at the man on the ground, before a profusely shit eating grin etched into your face.

"Would you look at that, I actually managed to knock down the all-mighty Adeptus Xiao!" You grinned.

"I wouldn't get so cocky now, I just hadn't expect such a move from someone like you." He breathed, his eyes rolling. You gasped offendedly, "from someone like? What does that mean?" You narrowed your eyes towards him.

Xiao only shrugged before heading back down to the warm apartment.

You groaned, grabbing your things before catching up to him.

.

.

.

.

A/N: aufnoeaouboas fillers kinda suck for me. Unfortunately, I do not find this one to be crucial to the plot (for now) but yippee, anyways, next one might be angst to fluff possibly? Or I might just go against that and do something different, honestly I have no clue.

Ty for reading :)

[thatbanditqueen]

Basic Training Chapter 7

Mad love to my alpha @whositmcwhatsit seriously your editing and feedback make this so much better. Also love and special thanks to my lovely elvis coven, @vintageshanny @ellie-24 @be-my-ally @peskybedtime @from-memphis-with-love @missmaywemeetagain @powerofelvis @be-my-ally @shakerattlescroll @lookingforrainbows and to @ab4eva for her sweetness, you were the only person to ask me about Bess on tumblr between now and the last chapter and I was like oh, I guess someone is still reading this. Which is good. Because I am still writing it. ;)

Thanks to everyone who reads this, shares, reblogs, leaves a comment or whatever. I write for myself, but I publish for community, and I don't think I could write with out your support and friendship.

Summary: Bess resigns to get over Elvis and move on, but he has other plans.

Warnings: Not much, depictions of mental illness/delusion.

WC: 6.5 K

If you need to catch up Chapter Six: Guided Missiles or the masterlist here Basic Training

Click here if you prefer to read on A03

Chapter 7: The Minefield

12:15 p.m., Friday,  April 24th, 1958

Commissioned Officer’s Mess

Army Intelligence Training Unit, Fort Hood, TX

“I thought you were applying to law school?”

Bess let her straw drop out of her mouth to meet James’ concerned stare across the mahogany table.

“Um, I changed my mind.” Her eyes dropped back to her chocolate egg cream and she paused for a moment. The sound of glasses clinking and hushed conversations reverberated through the Army Intelligence officer’s club. “I kinda dropped the ball on writing my sample essay. And,ugh, I haven't been able to focus at all on studying for the entrance exam.” Bess trailed her shoe anxiously across the burgundy carpet, she hated admitting that she had given up on lawyer school. “It’s just temporary, a temporary pause.  No, for now, I think a year or two working for the state department is the best next step. I’ve always wanted to spend time in Europe..”

“But Helsinki, Bess?” James reached over to comfort her with a hand squeeze, but she pulled loose and went back to eating her pot roast lunch.

“Finland is a stepping stone.I could be working in Berlin next summer. And Helsinki has a lot of international action. It’s right next to St. Petersburg.”

“This sudden need to go to the coldest burg in Europe wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain tall, dark soldier who’s been doing extra laps around the barracks every day, would it?”

Bess lifted her thick, white cotton napkin to obscure the blush spreading up her cheeks. “I saw that he’s had extra PT, I’ve been wondering what happened.”

“Oh? I thought for sure that was all you and your front office connections, getting back at Presley — “

“Jameson, I would never abuse my position in the Front Office for revenge. You know how basic training is. Drill sergeants use any excuse to tear you apart just so they can build you back up again. He probably was late to inspection, or maybe he tried to protest extra push ups, and now it’s marathon time everyday til he’s learned his lesson.”

“Hmmm, must be. Though I don’t feel even the teensiest twinge of sympathy for him after that stunt he pulled on you? Think it would look suspicious if he got run over by a jeep? In his barracks?” James winked at Bess/

“Ha, just say you made a wrong turn.” Bess chuckled, but her smile quickly faded into a sigh.

She speared a potato with her fork, looking at it as if it had the answer to life’s secrets like a magic eight ball. Maybe all she needed to do was turn potato over and around until it revealed her fate. Sadly, no messages turned up, and she laid it back on her plate. 

“Thing is, I knew he had other girlfriends. I just wished he’d called and canceled our plans instead of leaving me hanging to find out another way. The most humiliating way.”

“Maybe he couldn’t get away to call? Or forgot your number? Have you seen him at all?”

Bess shook her head, sipping her drink again. “Uh uh. But I’ve been avoiding him. What am I supposed to say? It hurt my feelings that you put the kibosh on our night together for a pajama party with one of your steady girlfriends?“ Her eyes met James. “But, uh, he knows my number, though. He called that Monday, after she left town. And several other times.”

“What did he say?”

“I don’t know, I have Kay on switchboard duty. She has strict instructions to inform male callers that I’m not home.”

“You oughta talk to him, honey, let him have it.”

“I’d rather not, I  - I, it was, uh. The whole thing felt so icky, I never want to feel that way again. It took me back to last summer and Be. Except, this time, I’m the other woman and I know all about his girlfriend back in Memphis.” Bess put down her fork, unable to eat anymore.  “I think my picker is broken, James. I’m destined to be alone.”

“But are you supposed to be alone in Helsinki?”

“I’m actually excited to be single in Helsinki.” James raised his eyebrows. “What? The city is is pretty hip!They just hosted the Olympics. Lots of people live there from all over the world. After Berlin, it is one of the top hubs for working with the Ruskies.”

“Ok, ok, I get it, you hussy, you’ll probably be able to play patty cake with an assortment of good looking European men. I just can’t believe you are abandoning me, it’s so selfish. I’m almost ready to swear I’ll never buy another Presley record.”

“I’m not leaving because of him!” Bess huffed at the way James arched his eyebrow higher and straightened her napkin over her skirt. Aggressively. “I swear, how many times do I have to tell you, he’s just helped me get the perspective I needed. The straw that broke the camel’s back. I gotta get out of this place before I wind up like Mabel.”

 James sniffed as he motioned to the waiter. “Mabel seems happy, could be worse.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not. But you might be out of here before me. I only just sent in my application materials, you know how these civilian posts can be. If I make the first cut, I still have to do a round of phone interviews,an in-person one, a thorough background check. Why, I probably won’t head out until the summer. If I get it.”

James quirked his mouth and whistled when they stood to leave and shook his head.

“Seems like such a waste to store all your resources behind a desk. Should be out, serving our country at USO shows.”

Bess slapped James shoulder, then straightened his jacket, smoothing her hand over his medals.

“Jameson, stop. Do you talk to the debutantes back in Rhode Island like this? You know, half the officers in here are probably my father’s spies. Keep whistling at me like that, they’ll convince him we’re an item.” She grabbed her purse and put her gloves back on. “Besides, I am not exactly the type who likes performing or attention.:

He looked her over once again, making an exaggerated show of appreciation for the way that Bess’ smart tweed pencil skirt hugged her hips.

“Oh, but that’s what makes you such a knockout, Bessie Girl. Why don’t we get married, huh? We could travel the world together, life would never be boring. We’d have great looking, smart kids.”

Bess put her finger to James’ lips, looking into the hazel eyes that glimmered below his perfectly coiffed honey blonde hair.

“I wish I could. I can’t marry someone I don’t love, not in the way I love you anyway.It’s no good, we’d end up ruining our friendship.”

James slid his arm through Bess’ as he led them out of the officer’s club. “I suppose you’re right, Schwartz, but if you ever get desperate and want to be married to a dashing officer who’d never leave you for another woman, the offer stands.”

“This is no time to be getting married, Jameson. I’m sure you’ll want to enjoy the local flavor in Heidelberg.”

“Hmm, yeah, no matter the gene pool, it’s gotta be better than this dump.”

Bess smoothed her hair once they were outside and turned to James. He looked so handsome in his dashing officer’s uniform, cap under his arm. He was probably the best looking, wealthiest man to ever propose to her, even in jest. She really would miss him once they left Fort Hood. Bess gripped James arm tighter before they parted, and smiled.

“No kidding, I can’t wait to put Fort Hood and Elvis and everything in my rear view mirror. Get a fresh start in gorgeous, romantic Helsinki-town, city of dreams.”

“I thought that was Paris?”

“Nope, pretty sure it’s Helsinki.  Though I understand why you’re confused, Helsinki is the Paris of the Baltic Sea.”

“No one calls it that.”

“Sure they do, I’m starting it now.”

James smiled, fixing his uniform cap back on his head. “Ha, ok. Well, as they say in Helsinki, au revoir.”

*********************************************

Bess’ fresh start suddenly seemed a million miles away when she glimpsed Elvis Presley running round the base. It had only taken a few minutes after she got into her father’s Oldsmobile before she recognized Elvis’ tall, perspiring figure jogging around the circular track behind the PX. There he was, in his sweat-soaked tee-shirt, dog tags jingling over his chest, running towards them in the dusk of sunset. 

It struck her for a moment how odd it was for the drill sergeants to have him do laps out here on the road near the gate instead of closer to the 37th tank division. They must be making a public example of him, she thought, having him do laps out here as people drive past on a main road out of the base. 

It was working, he looked absolutely miserable and exhausted. The cold grimace he had fixed on his face pulled on Bess’ heartstrings, and she felt a compulsory urge to go comfort him. But then she remembered why she’d cut him loose, and nodded to herself, reaffirming how wise she was protecting herself from further heartache. It wasn’t easy. 

She got so captivated watching him take off his cap and wipe his forehead as they got closer, that she suddenly realized he was about to run by her car and had to quickly duck down flat against the bench seat to avoid being seen.

“Ilsa, whatever are you doing?”

Bess popped up with a squeak, looking over her shoulder at Elvis’ figure running away behind them, then stuttered to her father. “I, um, I dropped my lipstick on the floor is all, Papa.” 

Dinner was pleasant enough. Mama served tuna noodle casserole and followed it with a cherry cream cheese jello mold. It was comforting to Bess to think these were recipes any other family on the block might be eating tonight. Though she doubted whether the other mothers were wearing a matching red dress and explaining the deep meaning behind the color red, and how powerful color it is, one that can provide all the strength and nourishment they needed. Bess did concede that cherry Jell-O tasted like what she thought the color red might taste like. 

And if a lecture on the spiritual nature of red Jell-o was the most occult Mama got tonight, then tonight was a good night. 

After eating, Bess changed into a more comfortable, simple light blue house dress, and was trying to calculate how long it had been since Mama had one of her episodes as she walked downstairs, when she heard Kay on the phone.

“Well, no Rex, I guess I’m not doing anything. Well, sure, gee whiz, yeah, I know a few friends who’d flip their lids at the chance. You bet, meet you there at 8!”

Bess turned the corner at the bottom of the landing, and gripped the polished circular handrail as Kay spun around with a wide, beaming grin. Her sister halted suddenly and tripped forward with a gasp when she caught Bess’s stare.

“Was that Elvis’ bunk mate, Rex?”

Kay gulped. “Mhmmm, I did like you told me, and said you - you weren’t home.”

Bess crossed her arms. “So what, now you’re going out with them?”

“Well, I - he - I heard Elvis tell him to invite me and any other friends to meet them at the movie theatre on post. It’s, it’s, not a date, it’s a group-like thing.”

Bess took a deep sigh. Miles Davis wafted out from behind the closed door of their father’s office at the back of the house, and she could hear her mother doing the dishes. Bess had come down to help clean up, and had planned to spend her Friday evening at home. She thought she might read or watch TV, play a game of gin rummy with Mama. Anything to take her mind off of Elvis. And now here her sister was, running out to go meet him!

“I cannot believe he invited you out.”

“And why is that? You’re not the only charming, good looking girl around here, Bess.”

“That’s not what I was saying, Kay. What kind of guy invites out the sister of a girl - a girl - a girl he’d been riding around with? You aren’t seriously thinking of going? What about Dickie?”

“It’s not like that. Cuz,  - it’s - it’s not a date. Why, they’re getting a gang together. Rex said I should bring some other girls. I’m about to call Carol and Tracy. If you think I’m gonna deprive them of the chance to meet Elvis Presley, you got another thing coming. Why, you always keep him all to yourself.” Kay huffed, and put her hands on her hips. “It’s not a date. You could come if you wanted, you know.”

Bess squeezed her hands into tight fists, squelching her sudden intense desire to slap her sister.

“You know exactly why I won’t be doing that, I told you how things went with him and you are smart enough to know he is probably doing this to upset me. And you’re helping him! My own sister. Kay Brutus Schwartz.”

Kay’s face fell, and she met Bess in the middle of the hallway. “It’s not like that at all. Please don’t be mad, Bess, but me and my friends, we have all his albums. You can’t hold it against me for wanting to go. It’s not like I asked, he - ” 

Bess brushed Kay’s hand from her shoulder and stomped off in a huff, her anger powered her through an incredibly fast cleaning session in the kitchen.

Mama dried the last plate Bess handed her, then put her arms around Bess at the sink. “See, Bessie baby, all that red Jell-o gave you the energy and focus you needed. I’ll get you some red silk underwear for your new job, I saw some in the Montgomery Ward catalog. Or were they red flannel long johns? Well, you’ll need both in Helsinki.” 

*********************************************

Bess had frowned as Kay traipsed out the door to meet her friends when Carol pulled up in her mother’s yellow DeSoto. At first she took her book upstairs and sat at the window, watching for Kay’s return around 10 p.m. 

By 10:30, she had moved to the porch, where she sat up on the bench hugging her knees and trying to read while she waited to catch her sister and pump her for information outside where their parents wouldn’t hear them. 

Yawning, she was just straightening the bows on her white house slippers when she turned to see a car pulling up in front of the house. But this was not Carol’s mother’s yellow DeSoto. It was a white Cadillac. And she made the mistake of looking up long enough to note the row of guys in the back seat and make eye contact with Elvis as he parked.

Fuck, Bess muttered to herself staring back into her book, unable to focus her eyes on any of the words. In her periphery, she watched Elvis jump out and race around the front of his car, loosely putting his arm around a giddy, smiling Kay as he walked her up the path to the front porch. 

Bess took a deep breath, accepting that there was nothing she could do, that she was stuck out here with her hair in a messy bun wearing a house dress and slippers. So, she braced herself and stood to confront the most famous man in the world. 

The cool night air was no comfort to the heated temper rising in her chest as Elvis walked up the stairs in front of her, his fingers now spread over Kay’s shoulder. His eyes narrowed, and a smirk played over his face.

“Hellooooo there Bess, ain’t you sweet, coming out here to greet me.”

“Hmmmm.” Bess nodded, curtly, exhaling at Kay’s sheepish grin.

“Well, I enjoyed our date tonight, Kitty Kat, didju?” He gave Kay’s shoulder a rub and Kay laughed nervously at his nickname, glancing back at Bess as she untangled herself from Elvis’ grip.

“Oh, well, it was a gas to meet you and the whole gang,” Kay made a show of waving at the car, “Tell Rex thanks for the Coke and candy.”

Elvis ran his hand through his hair.“Uh, well, I wudda bought you all the Cokes you wanted, I just -”

Bess interrupted him. “Let me guess, you forgot your wallet?”

 “Yeah, guess that’s happened before.” Elvis chuckled. 

“Ahem, Kitty Kat is it?” Bess raised her eyes at her sister. “Probably time you were in bed, little girl. I have a few words I need to have with your date, here.”

Kay coughed and avoided Bess’ intense look of death as she thanked Elvis for a fun night. He grabbed her hand, making eye contact with Bess over Kay’s shoulder and he hugged her sister and gave her a soft peck on the cheek. Kay hung in his embrace for several beats, then scuttled away to leave Elvis with Bess’s cool stare

“You have some nerve.”

Elvis took a step toward her, “Aw, Bess, now see, when you act like this it makes me think you still like me.”

“Is that ri-ight?” Her voice wavered as he took a step toward her with his shoulders back, head forward, rubbing the back of his neck. She stumbled back a few steps, distracted by the way his eyes pierced her from under his eyebrows.

“See, you actin’ like ya jealous, honey. But you ain’t playin’ fair.“

“Really. I don’t play fair?”

“Uh uh.” Now he was hovering over her, backing her into the front of the house, his lower lip hanging open as he leaned over her. “You play hot one day, then cool the next. Won’t take my calls, but now ya jealous. Playin’ games s’what it is, and I can’t stand chicks who play games.”

“Ha!” Bess had meant her declaration to be a lot more forceful than how it came out as a muffled breath into the dark, red fisherman’s sweater Elvis was wearing. Of course! Of course his sweater was red. It sucked all Bess’ strength right out of her. And her resolve. She tried for dear life to hang on to the painful embarrassment that had punched her in the gut when she met Anita.

“You’re - you’re - you had - you’re the one who -”

Elvis’ hand was at her waist, and his thumb pressed over her belly button.

“Sshhh. I know, I missed our date.”

Bess mumbled toward her shoes. “Well, I wouldn’t call a party in a cheap motel room a date by any me-“

Elvis’ pursed his lips in a grin as he brought his other hand to Bess’ cheek, his eyes gleaming as she shivered in him. He tilted her chin to meet his eyes. Bess tried to shake him off, but couldn’t, she was spellbound by the pair of dark blue eyes above her. 

She reminded herself that there was an audience of grown men watching them from his back seat. Then she thought she saw the curtain at the front window ripple and realized Kay was probably leaning against the wall inside, spying on them. She thought about how Elvis had invited her sister out, at the very least to get her attention, or at worst, to make her jealous. She thought about how she had sworn to her best friend hours ago that she never wanted to see Elvis Presley again. She tried to grasp at all these things and more as Elvis stepped closer to her, and shifted his arm over her against the wall. But suddenly thinking was very difficult. Elvis’ thumb circled the button at the waist of her cotton house dress.

“OK, ok,well, when you say it like that, sounds awful. Definitely weren’t no date. Still, Kitty Kat told me how upset you’ve been. And I know I shudda called you.” Elvis took a deep breath, and coughed. “ And, well, that gal came down and surprised the hell outta me, is what happened. I didn’t invite her, now that’s the god’s honest truth. But, well, put me in an awful bind and I couldn’t get away to call you. Wudda much rather spent the weekend with you, Moo Moo.”

His breath was warm on her neck, and the way he murmured her nickname was like a sultry saxophone solo. Bess closed her eyes as it rolled over her body, giving her goosebumps. His whisper was full of vulnerable need and Bess couldn’t believe that she actually felt bad for him, as if she were to blame for everything.

“I - I - I’m sorry.”

“Nah, honey, I reckon, if I’m honest with ma self,  you have every right to be sore at me. But you havta give a man the chance to defend hisself. Tell me now, don’t a man deserve a chance to splain?”

There was his thumb, gliding over the front of her stomach, rubbing back and forth.

“Really, I wasn’t trying to play games.”

“I know, Moo Moo. I know’d you weren’t really like that, else I wouldn’t be here.” He leaned in, pressing his open lips to the corner of her jaw, soft and delicate as he continued his whispers. “Though I don’t know if I could stay away even if you were the devil, baby. Ain’t been able to stop thinking about you.” His mouth was warm on her neck. “You, and only you.”

His touch sent a wave of feverish heat through her body, and Bess didn’t care if he was lying, all she knew was that she would willingly go back to his motel room with him right now in her flimsy white house slippers and all. However, before she could make that suggestion, she heard the front door open and she jumped up instantly, pushing Elvis away at the sight of her father’s silhouette in the dim porch light.

“Elizabeth, it’s cold out tonight. Why don’t you invite your guest inside?”

Bess swallowed hard, glancing up at Elvis, whose cool demeanor and friendly smile belied the fingers she could see tapping against his thigh through his pocket. She looked out at the car, then up at the dark sky, shaking her head to herself.

“ Hi Papa, this is, uh - ”

Elvis stood up straight and jerked his hand out as he strode to shake her father’s hand.

“Uh, good evening, Sir, I’m Elvis, Elvis Presley.”

“Yes, I’ve been expecting to meet you for some time now.” Bess’ mouth dropped open. Before she could find the words to protest, her father was putting his arm around Elvis and guiding him inside. “I understand you and Ilsa have been spending a lot of time together, jah?”

*********************************************

“Can I pour you a whiskey?” The table lamp flickered as Bess’ father walked by, his calm words trailed behind him on his way to the bar. 

Elvis sat at the edge of the couch patting his hand to a silent rhythm and then bouncing up again to pace over to the hi-fi set.

“Naw, jus a Pepsi - or a Big Red, honey.” Bess glared at him as he looked up at her from where he perched in front of the record player. “Bessie. I mean, Eliz-a-bess.”

Bess frowned as Elvis popped open the concealed door in the sound system’s speakers and proceeded to rifle through her father’s LP collection. Her father arched his eyebrow, muttering in German that the boy seemed to know his way around and feel quite at home, jah? Bess was asking Rex and Lamar what they wanted when Mama floated into the living room, swaying the skirt of her red dress back and forth, a dreamy look in her face. Bess froze, looking around the room, then scuttling over to her mother and latching her arm around Mama’s waist, whispering in her ear.

“Mama - Hi Mama, I thought you went upstairs to relax?”

The boys all stood up as Mama patted Bess on the shoulder. “Bess, you’re making the lamps all buzzy, stop buzzing around and introduce me to your friends.”

Bess sighed and then froze when Elvis walked over and took her mother’s hand, kissing the top.

“Evening, ma’am, I’m Elvis, Elvis Presley, s’a pleasure to meet you, I can see where your daughters get their good looks from, if you don’t mind me saying so.”

Mama giggled and blushed. “Ha, well, you are charming. The faeries told me Bessie had a new beau, but they didn’t say he was handsome.” Bess’ face went white as she tried to guide her mother to the big orange leather chair in the corner, but Mama swatted her hands away. “Bess, I said to quit fussin’. Go get our guests something to drink.”

Every cell in Bess’ body was on high alert, and she rubbed at her throat trying quell the nauseous, tight feeling that now plagued her stomach. Bess had not brought Ben, her former fiancee, home to meet her family until he had asked her to marry him. At that point, they had already been going steady for two months, she had trusted Ben completely and had given him a thorough debriefing on Mama and the family dynamics. She had known Elvis a month. ANd spent the last two weeks hating him.

Elvis returned her mother’s hand and flashed Bess a warm, crooked reassuring smile. Rex and Lamar gathered next to him making their awkward introductions, before Papa walked over and offered Mama his hand, tilting his head at Kay. 

“Come sit with me, Emily, let the boys relax. Katherine, you get the drinks.”

Bess followed Kay into the hall. “I’ll get it, Kay, I -uh - I was gonna make Mama a special cup of tea - “

“I got it, I know how to do it. You go back in there.” Kay winked, and left Bess to sigh as she took a deep breath and resigned herself to face whatever was waiting for her in the living room.

Elvis sat on the edge of the couch trying to stop his knee from bopping up and down with the palm of his hand, already in conversation with Bess’ father.

“Jah, I started off in the German division, but now I oversee all intelligence training.”

Elvis’ eyes widened and he seemed grateful to see Bess walk back into the room and hit Lamar to clear the seat next to him on the couch. Bess shook her head and sat at the piano bench, trying to think of how to change the subject.

“Papa, I imagine the boys are tired after a long week and - “

“Oh Bessie, don’t send them away!” Mama waved her off as she got up and happily plopped into the clear spot next to Lamar, shooting Bess a playful frown. “You never bring friends over any more, it’s a breath of fresh air having young people over. Want any leftover tuna noodle casserole?”

A momentary grimace passed over Elvis’ face as he declined, and Bess' father coughed.

“Too bad we don’t have any meatloaf, perhaps zat would have suited you better.”

“Actually, mister, I’m bout plumb fed up with meatloaf, EP’s been ordering - “ Lamar stopped talking at the sight of Elvis’ eyebrow, arched in warning. 

“Well, Bess makes a great meatloaf, you boys will have to come back for dinner sometime. I’ll get her to cook it up for you.” Mama bowed her head with certainty as she spoke, turning Elvis’ hand over in her lap as if to read his fortune. “Elvis, such an unusual name. What does it mean?”

“Ugh, well, ma’am.” Elvis scooted back against the arm rest, turning in to face Bess’ mother more directly. “I have been told it means someone who is uh, very wise.” He winked over at Bess as she rolled her eyes. Kay returned, and she bounced up to assist in handing out the drinks. 

“I’ve never heard the name Elvis before tonight, is it common where you’re from?”

Lamar gasped. “You never heard ‘a Elvis?”

“No, why, should I? Do you all work with Henry in Intel?” 

Elvis shook his head. “No, no ma’am, Rexadus here and I, well, we’re new recruits, and Lamar right here is jus’ a ole friend of mine, visiting.”

Mama smiled big. “Oh, well, if you think I would have heard of you from Bess, you have another thing coming. She’s a sphinx, that one, never tells me anything about anything.I have to get all my gossip from the wind.”

“Elvis is a famous performer, mama. They’re surprised you’ve never heard of him because he is on the radio. And the movies.”

“Oh, is that true? Would I know any of your music?”

Just then, the phone in Papa’s office began to ring and he stood up to excuse himself, muttering in German that he would hardly call it music. Bess exhaled a chuckle at the curious look on Elvis’ face. 

“I’m guessing that weren’t a rousin’ endorsement from ya daddy,huh ?”

She shook her head, and Mama clucked.

“Oh, Henry didn’t get enough red food tonight, don’t mind him. You know, you’re not the first song and dance man I’ve met. When I was a girl - “

“-I met Eddie Cantor when he sang at Zeyde’s theatre on Coney Island.” Bess and Kay exclaimed in unison with a grin.

Bess relaxed as the room filled with warm laughter and she almost felt like they were a normal family, teasing and chiding each other as they entertained guests.

“Oy, well, it’s true, you boys have heard of Eddie Cantor, haven’t you?” Mama grinned at their nods, and took it as her cue to keep talking between sips of tea. “Well, I was just a kid when he was first making it big in New York. And my father had this vaudeville theater, and we met all sorts of acts working their way up the circuit. Baby Rose Marie, Bert WIlliams, Jimmy Durante, and, of course, a lot of nobodies trying to be somebodies. Eddie was probably the most successful guy to come through our place. Boy, was he handsome! Tall, dark hair, those big gorgeous eyes, like two rounds of chocolate.”

“Mama, zey ton nisht veln tsu hern vegn deyn shule meydl krashiz.”

“Oh, Bess thinks I shouldn’t share these things. She thinks I’m an old lady, that I don’t have blood pulsing in my veins. But I’ve always appreciated a good looking man.” Mama patted Elvis' knee. “Still do.” Then all of a sudden she swayed into Elvis' shoulder, her eyelids fluttering before she slumped on his shoulder.

“Ma’am? Ya ok? I’ve had girls swoon before, though they usually heard a me.”

Bess jumped up and looked over at her sister. “How much did you put in her tea, Kay?”

“Just a tablespoon.”

“It’s supposed to be a teaspoon!” Bess growled through clenched teeth as she felt her mother’s pulse, and tried to unfurl her mother’s arm from around Elvis’ shoulder.

“I’ll take her up - “

“Aw, honey - s’ok, want me to - “

“ - Well, it was an easy mistake.” Kay hovered behind Bess, and stomped her foot.

Mama’s eyelids fluttered back open for a moment and she looked up into Elvis' face. “You know, you have a beautiful aura, Alvis, I can tell you are a good person - Bess, if you don’t marry him, I will.” 

Bess gulped, and looked at Kay. “Help me get her up the stairs?”

Before they could do anything, Elvis lifted Mama and nodded at Bess. “Jus lead the way, ‘k Bess honey? Boys, y’all go on out to the car, and we’ll get outta ya hair ‘fore you say lickety splickety.” 

Lamar sighed with relief and could not get through the hallway fast enough, almost knocking the telephone off the little desk as he passed. Rex, however, hung back, gathering up the bottles of pop and taking them to the kitchen behind Kay, looking back to nod at Elvis in a silent offer to help. Elvis shook his head and followed Bess up the stairs.

“Alright, now, Mrs. Schwartz, ma’am, ya gonna be snug as a bug in a rug, jus you wait.”

Elvis set Mama down in her bed carefully, gently taking her hands and placing them at her sides. Mama opened her eyes and trailed her fingers over the sharp edge of Elvis' crew cut, smiling dreamily as she asked “Almond” if he would marry her.

“Ya so sweet and beautiful, I would, I would  if I could, ma’am.”

Tears welled up behind Bess’ eyes as she watched the tender way Elvis kissed her mother’s cheek and squeezed her hand before she passed out. They exchanged a long look, and Bess blushed.

“I’m sorry you had to see all this, I’m so embarrassed. You didn’t have to stay and help me - “

Elvis rubbed her shoulder. “Honey, I wanted to help, I like helping folks. Ain’t nuthin to be shamed of. Really Moo Moo, wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to. An getting to spend my night with the prettiest lil gal in town, why, that’s just the icing on the cake.” His face scrunched into a big grin as he held her, and bess nodded into the comfy wook of his red sweater.

Elvis stood in the doorway, watching curiously as Bess took off her mother’s shoes and tucked her under the large, homemade victory quilt that they had sewn from old clothes during the war. It was the only blanket Mama would sleep with, and for Bess, it evoked that time in her childhood when Papa was overseas doing things he couldn’t talk about and Mama was the strongest woman she could imagine. 

Now, as she looked down at her mother and smoothed hair out of her face, it was Mama who resembled a little girl, finally relaxed and at ease as she started to snore. Her sleeping face free from the cares and mysteries of the world. Bess kissed her mother on the forehead, and turned to find Elvis waiting for her in the doorway. His blue eyes seemed to penetrate her soul, as his thumb rubbed the side of her shoulder.

“Holdin’ it all together, ain’t ya Moo Moo. I see you. I really do.” 

Bess shuddered at his touch, wiping the side of her eyes.

“I, um, I. Well, you caught us on a bad night, Almond.”

He chuckled, drawing her into his arms and kissing the top of her forehead.

“Nah, ain’t nothing bad about anything.” The sides of his crinkled as he smirked. “Almond, huh. maybe ya mama there is on to sumpin. Might sell more records and movie tickets if I changed my name to Almond instead. Tell you what, wudda made it harder for the Army to find me.”

“Yes.” She took his hand and led him back down the stairs.”Though you would have missed out on your freel vacation here at beautiful Fort Hood.” 

They were back on her porch, and Elvis was clasping her hand tight. He looked out at the darkness, and at his car on the street, then over the garden, before turning back to hover over Bess, hands resting at her waist.

“Wudda missed out on meeting you, honey. Ya my silver lining. Tonight, being here with you, I know it now for certain that fate brought us together.”

Bess turned her head to listen to the crickets, wondering if they had any advice on how to defy fate. Especially when fate distracted you from all common sense by nuzzling your forehead. 

“Elvis - I - “

His lips were at her ear as he drew her closer. “Aw, Moo Moo, I cain’t bear to think I made you cry. I mean it.” His thumbs rolled up and down Bess’ sides. ”I promise, ain’t ever let that happen again. I swear. Cuz I need ya, honey, been thinking ‘bout you all the time.”

Bess couldn’t resist the way his eyes lit up with hopeful vulnerability, it made her feel like she was the one who had wronged him by withdrawing her company from him. 

“I  - I think about you too.” She cupped his cheek. “I’ve seen you doing laps every evening, are you doing okay?”

Elvis huffed and pinched her side. “Oh, yeah, you know me. Every morning, those drill sergeants find a reason to be cross at me, makin’ me do extra PT. But ain’t nothin I can’t handle.”

Bess nodded. Then Elvis’ hands tightened all the way around her, constricting her so tight she almost couldn’t breath, before parting with a soft, chaste farewell kiss and a vague promise to call her the next day.

Bess was humming to herself as she turned off the porch light and locked the door behind her, stopping short when she saw her father come out of his office.

“Everything ok, Papa?’

“Jah, jah. That was just the secure line, a call from D.C.” He straightened his sweater, coughing as he took in the dim quiet of their house. “Ze hound dog has run off, I take it?”

“He’s not so bad, you know.” Bess shifted and looked at her feet, unable to stop the smile at the corner of her mouth. “The drill sergeants have really had it out for him this last week. He’s been running extra PT and they put him on latrine duty. Must have pissed off the wrong person.”

Bess stopped talking, noticing that her father’s face had soured into a tight grimace. She had probably been right not to tell her parents that she had been seeing Elvis. This would be tough, now there was nothing she could do now.

“Jah, that boy did piss off the wrong person. Me. You would be wise to cut your ties with him, Elizabeth, he does not respect women. And you have a bright future ahead of you. I might expect Katherine to be dazzled by this flash of Memphis. But you are too smart for all that. I would hate to see you lose focus on your goals to run around with a boy who brings his hoochie coochie girlfriends to town and flaunts them in your face.” 

Bess was silent as her father pursed his lips, nodding, then said good night. She listened to the sound of his footsteps as he walked up stairs, her mind racing as she tried to figure out how he had found out about Elvis. About the debacle with Anita. About all of it. 

The disappointment she had seen in her father’s eyes crushed her, and Bess tossed and turned in her bed all night trying to figure out how she could make him understand that she could have fun and still go after her goals. It was the thought of Elvis’ long thumbs caressing her body that finally calmed her down. The memory of his touch was like her own personal dose of benzodiazepine, it made her forget all her problems and give herself over to the sandman.

********************************************************************

Let me know if you wanna be added to the taglist:

@eliseinmemphis @kingdomforapony @everythingelvispresley @richardslady121 @dkayfixates @artlover8992 @freudianslumber @amydarcimarie @toreigh @18lkpeters @yynneessmons @ashtag6887 @waiting4brucewayne2adoptme @returntopresley @rjmartin11 @bigromansgirl @louisejoy86 @notstefaniepresley

or be untagged...

XOXOX norahhhhhhh

[rnaryjune]

Tag Game

Tagged

I was tagged by @thefuzzhead.

So you answer 20 questions and tag 20 followers you want to get to know better (or however many hahaha)

1) Name: Mary

2) Nickname: Mare, Juni

3) Height: 5' 6.5"

4) Orientation: Bisexual

5) Nationality: American

6) Favorite fruit: ummmmm watermelon. or cherries.

7) Favorite season: Fall

8) Favorite flower: idk um. anything that smells nice i suppose

9) Favorite scent: ocean breeze or fresh linen are good

10) Favorite color: deep, dark green

11) Favorite animal: otters

12) Coffee, tea, hot chocolate: sweet iced tea but if we're going hot then hot chocolate

13) Average sleep hours: 6. maybe.

14) Dog or cat person: Dog

15) Favorite fictional character: idk if i have one these days

16) Number of blankets you sleep with?: 1 rn but when it gets closer to winter it'll be like 3 or so

17) Dream trip: im not big on travelling tbh but i'd like to go to disney world at least once

18) Blog created: July 2012

19) Number of followers: 2,951

20) Random fact: Back when I did Duolingo I took Spanish, French, Dutch, and Arabic.

Tagging: @fishotic @william-snake-speare @llatimeria @suburban--dad

[aoife-asturmaux]

6.5 msq glam decided! (not pictured: changed the spear to Blade's Glory after i took this lmao)

I'd wanted to get an asphodelos maiming top, but maybe for 6.55 lmao...... i do like that this diadochos jacket look mirrors the glam she started endwalker with, though

will probably take some proper glam pics when im done catching up with the story!

[riseofthecommonwoodpile]

hot diggity dog, this might be the best round i've ever done with this whole thing. two 10's, five 9's or 9.5's, and less than 1/3rd below 8.0. Now That's What I Call Music™

Alien Vampires- Drag You to Hell (8.0/10)

AMM- The Crypt: 12th June 1968: The Complete Session (9.0/10)

Arnold Dreyblatt & The Orchestra of Excited Strings- Propellers in Love (8.0/10)

Bambee- Fairytales (6.5/10)

Ben Frost- By the Throat (8.5/10)

Black Flag- Family Man (8.5/10)

Britney Spears- Blackout (8.5/10)

Burial- Pre Dawn / Indoors (7.0/10)

Caroline K- Now Wait For Last Year (7.5/10)

Cave In- Until Your Heart Stops (8.5/10)

Current 93- I Have A Special Plan For This World (9.0/10)

Dag Nasty- Can I Say (7.5/10)

Damião Experiença- Planeta Lamma (3.0/10)

The Dead C- Eusa Kills (8.0/10)

Death Grips- The Powers That B (8.0/10)

Frank Zappa- Jazz from Hell (8.5/10)

Front Line Assembly- Tactical Neural Implant (8.0/10)

Handsome Family- Through the Trees (8.0/10)

Houndog- Houndog (8.5/10)

James Blood Ulmer- Are You Glad To Be In America? (8.5/10)

James Chance & the Contortions- Buy (9.0/10)

Jazmin Bean- Worldwide Torture (7.5/10)

Jeromes Dream- Completed 1997-2001 (10/10)

KOTO- プラトニック プラネット (Platonic Planet) (8.0/10)

Lambchop- How I Quit Smoking (8.0/10)

Lou Reed & Metallica- Lulu (9.5/10)

LIZ- Planet Y2K (8.5/10)

Mercury Rev- Yerself Is Steam (10/10)

Nicki Minaj- Pink Friday (Deluxe Edition) (5.0/10)

Phish- The Story of the Ghost (7.5/10)

Scene Queen- Bimbocore Vol. 2 (7.0/10)

Wednesday- Rat Saw God (9.0/10)

XTC- Skylarking (8.5/10)

YA-KYIM- STILL ONLY ONE (7.0/10)

[bimboarsonist]

I didn’t know how cool the model horse community was. I went out to Hobby Town today and I was amazed by these horses.

I’ll put up the photos I’ve taken and rate each of these horses.

This is a pretty basic horse and what I use as my starting point. This is the most normal looking horse and I like it. A simple black horse sculpt with a flying mane and tail, what more could you want of your basic horse. And as a bonus, it comes with reading material! Nice. 6.5/10

There’s also a girl version of this horse called Black Beauty who I’m not including here but is basically the same thing so I’m rating that horse the same.

Ok next horse! What do we have…

Ooh! A butch-ish unicorn! The mane, tail and feathering on the legs is beautifully sculpted and comes with glitter which looks nice on the all black horse model. I like the silver horn as well.

This unicorn would own a cool, bespoke leather jacket and go to gay bars on Friday nights. They look intimidating, but they’re really a sweetheart. 7/10 very good unicorn.

A water horse! This horse has the same sculpt as the black horse from earlier but a really radically different color scheme. It looks like the sculptor wanted the mane and tail to look like a wave but it kind of reminds me of glass a bit more. I love the effect anyway! The legs and hooves are also translucent, really leaning into the ocean theme which I like. The dappled silver and blue is pretty, looking like foam and ocean water. What a cool horse!

This horse would give me an hour lecture on different species of local fish and ocean wildlife and I would be delighted. 7.5/10 Good horse.

Peace and love on planet earth. This hippy unicorn looks tranquil, and the pastel color scheme is really pretty. I like how the body colors fade into the mane and tail, as though you are the one tripping out when you’re looking at the unicorn. The big ‘ol peace sign is gonna be divisive I imagine but it works for me. It gives it some fun and camp that I appreciate in a plastic unicorn.

This unicorn dodged the draft, protested the Vietnam War, and has done every psychedelic. 7.7/10 a good and lucky horse.

Oh I love this horse. I mean, you know that this is The Gay Horse. This glossy rainbow horse is rearing and ready go and the musculature really standing out thanks to the finish they applied to this horse. I’m immensely delighted by this horse.

I also know for a fact that Jewels is this horse’s drag name and that their name is Jules when they’re not performing. This is a gay drag horse that fucks other gay horses. The unicorn from earlier sees this horse at the gay bar all the time but is too shy to get this horse’s number. 8.5/10 great horse.

The 90s Throwback horse is ALMOST PERFECT. If they had dipped this horse in glitter then there was a good chance I would have adopted this plastic horse. I love the blue and purple leopard print with all my heart. I love that sassy prancing pose! I love the platinum blonde mane and tail with purple tips!! I love the blue hooves! This horse was made for people who love the 90s and maximalist kitsch. I just want them to cover it in glitter and it would be perfect.

This horse is the Britney Spears of horses. They own at karaoke. In 2001 this horse would be sold out. This horse has platinum pop records. 9/10 fantastic horse.

I feel nothing but loathing for the America Horse. I struggle to review it objectively. I am angry that such a pretty sculpt went to this horse. The mane and tail look like Art Nouveau sculpts which is appealing to me. The soft pink gradient on the muzzle is a nice touch, I guess.

But this horse is definitely homophobic. This horse tried to shut down a drag show and calls people groomers. I hate this horse -4/10.

I’ve saved the best horse for last. This was one of the only horses that came with accessories and my god. This horse has everything. A beautiful sculpt. Perfect winter colors. INCREDIBLE SKILL FOR ACCESSORIZING.

This horse has it all. This is the Beyoncé of plastic horses. Opulence. They own everything. I give this horse a 10/10.

[kingdomoftyto]

Just for fun, since I mentioned them in the tags of that other post, I'm gonna rank the musicals I got to see this year (mostly just as an excuse to gush about them all). Note that the scores will solely represent my personal taste and do not necessarily reflect the quality of the shows themselves.

This is gonna be a long post.

In chronological order for when I saw them:

Turnabout: An Ace Attorney Musical 9.5/10 A young lawyer fights a corrupt system to save his clients from death row, and also there are ghosts involved. This is a completely fan-made, full-length musical adaptation of the first entry in the Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney series. A better adaptation of a video game than basically every game-based movie ever made, combined. The writers nailed it, the composers nailed it, the performers nailed it... It's one of my new favorites, and a must-watch for any fans of the games. It's funny and heartwarming but with real emotional depth at its most climactic moments. Also, spoiler alert: these lawyers are gay. Favorite song: "Alone"

SIX the Musical 6/10 (You see what I did there? lol) A conversation between the six wives of King Henry VIII as they determine which of them was done dirtiest by this dirtiest of men. (For those unaware, two of his wives were famously beheaded, two more were divorced, and even the one he supposedly loved died young.) This show is... more of a concert than a musical? The songs themselves are all bangers, if I'm honest, but the "story" is pretty cheesy and shallow--mostly just an excuse to give each of the wives a reason to sing their stories--hence the low score from me. Definitely worth giving a listen, though, if you're a fan of female pop singers, since each wife's song is in the style of a famous artist (Beyoncé, Avril Lavigne, Adele, Rihanna/Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande/Britney Spears, and Alicia Keyes, respectively). Favorite song: "Get Down"

Wicked 10/10 The now-classic prequel to the Wizard of Oz, telling the story of the Wicked Witch of the West before she became so feared. One of my perennial favorites, with extra bonus points for the tickets being my birthday present this year. Not the first time I've seen the show live, nor even the first time I've seen it at this particular theater, but it was a great performance nonetheless. Really made me think deeply about the themes of antifascism and apathy this time around. Favorite song: "For Good"

Beautiful: The Carol King Musical 6.5/10 A biography of singer and songwriter Carol King. The songs were all famous hits that she'd composed, written, and/or sung, and it was a fascinating look into the life and career of a woman I'd never even known the name of before. Also an educational look into the music industry of the 60s and 70s--she composed for a lot of famous black artists of the time! Biographies aren't my thing--and especially not ones with toxic relationships as large focal points--but it was much more fun and interesting than I expected. As it is, though, between it being a jukebox musical and a historical mid-20th-century piece, I can't personally rate it any higher. Great music, though, regardless. Favorite Song: "It Might As Well Rain Until September" (not the best SONG in the show by any stretch, but the most memorable story beat for sure! It's the song that she composed as a teen that got her her first big break)

Beauty and the Beast 7.5/10 The Disney classic. And one of my absolute favorites from Disney, which is why I maybe had too high of expectations for the live version, haha. I was personally a little let down by some of the effects--the puppeteering was good, but a little abstract sometimes. It was still just as fun and lovely as you'd expect a Disney show to be, but I remember coming away from it thinking that it was definitely aimed more at the kids in the audience. Worth it, but not among my favorites of the year. Favorite song: "Human Again" (a song so good I still can't believe it was cut from the movie!)

Chess 10/10 A sociopolitical drama about two chess grandmasters--one Soviet and one American--set against the backdrop of the Cold War. I'm obsessed. This musical has LAYERS--and I don't just mean within the musical motifs, although that is also true! The main character, despite his best efforts not to pick a side, becomes an unwilling pawn himself in all the political scheming. And alongside the competition and the international tension, there's a love story that becomes the emotional core of the play. It's tragic, heart-wrenching, and tense as all hell, but an absolutely underappreciated musical that I hope will get more widespread attention as a result of this performance at the Muny! (Oh yeah, and the music is a collab between Tim Rice [of Jesus Christ Superstar fame] and ABBA?? Basically it's the most 80s thing ever conceived.) Favorite song: "Where I Want to Be"

West Side Story 7/10 You know West Side Story. It's Romeo and Juliet but with a gang war in 1950s New York. This was the first time I'd ever actually seen it, and I'm glad I finally got around to it. Not really my thing, honestly--seen one Romeo and Juliet, seen 'em all, frankly--but even I can recognize the choreography was incredible. This show has a LOT of elaborate dancing by today's musical standards (also not my thing), and by far the best part of the show was the knife fight scene on the Muny's giant turntable floor. That part was so mindblowing that it bumps the overall score up a couple points on its own. Favorite song: "America"

Little Shop of Horrors 9/10 A poor, unlucky florist gains fame and fortune by befriending a bloodthirsty alien plant. Hilarious, a little dark, and with more depth and earnest emotion than most people probably expect from something so silly and camp. Possibly my single favorite musical, so, automatic win. This production gets a little bit of a demerit for the really odd design of Audrey II and the immersion-breaking puppetry that went along with it, but they earned most of it back when a 30-foot-tall Audrey II actually WALKED OUT FROM BEHIND THE BACKDROP and loomed over the performers while they sang the finale. It was terrifying and awesome and I was absolutely yelling and applauding. Favorite song: "Somewhere That's Green"

Rent 8/10 A year in the life of some artist friends living through the height of the AIDS epidemic. It's a beloved piece of queer history and rightfully so--the tragedies hit hard, and the celebration of love and life hits even harder. I'm personally kind of ambivalent about the show. I have my criticisms, but I recognize its cultural importance and I'm not fool enough to deny that a few of the songs are among the best from all of Broadway. (Yeah yeah, I know all of the words to "La Vie Bohème", alright? The music's amazing.) This production was kind of neat, too--definitely enjoyed it more than I did the movie! Favorite song: "La Vie Bohème"

Sister Act 8.5/10 A lounge singer witnesses a murder and is forced to become a nun at a nearby convent for witness protection. She's not very good at laying low, so hilarity ensues. I'd never seen the film it's based on, so I had NO idea what to expect from this show going in, but I actually kind of loved it. It was consistently hilarious, the characters were all extremely charming, and the emotional beats in the second half were lovely and heartfelt. I love that the ending not only has such a strong message of found family, but also that there is no pressure at all on the lead character to actually join the religion, even though she's welcome to visit the other nuns anytime. If anything, it's more of a story about appreciating their differences! Plus, the show's got a singing Pope. What more could you want? (...oh snap, and I forgot this is another Alan Menken musical. No wonder the songs are all so good!) Favorite song: "Bless Our Show"

Beetlejuice the Musical 7/10 A teenage girl, feeling alone and invisible after the loss of her mother, finds out that her new home is haunted by ghosts. She enlists their help in scaring her father's weird business partners, but one ghost is a little more, uh, wacky? insane? ...unhinged than the others. In my opinion, this musical was intended to be watched by fans of the movie, but either way it works alright. It's a little awkwardly structured at times thanks to Beetlejuice's constant Deadpool-style fourth wall breaking--I could do without so much of that, personally--but most of the songs are solid enough and it's still very funny, with the kind of perfectly cartoonish characters that only Tim Burton could have produced. Despite any shortfalls it might have, though, I have to give this one extra marks for genuinely bringing me to tears in its second act. I was not expecting it, but I'm dead serious. Yeah. There's really good storytelling about grief and healing in the "tally me banana" musical. I know. Favorite song: "No Reason"

HONORABLE MENTION because I didn't see this one as a live show or as a major online premiere or anything, but it WAS the first time I'd ever watched it (plus this rounds out the list to a nice dozen!):

Legally Blonde the Musical 9.5/10 After getting dumped, a woman gets into Harvard Law to show her ex that she's worthy of his love, only to realize that being a lawyer is more fulfilling anyway. This musical effing rules. It's even better than the movie it's based on, which was already good. It's SO funny from start to finish, every single song is catchy as hell, and it's empowering and feel-good and even a little cathartic at times. There's a song that includes a dog barking on cue, there's an Ace Attorney-style courtroom scene where the clue that breaks the case is how gay the witness is, and there's an actual love story in the back half that manages to be sweet and good despite all this chaos. I'm so sad that I missed out on seeing this one live at the Muny by a single year. :( Oh well, I'll catch it next time...! Favorite song: "So Much Better"

P.S. labeling all of those as my "favorite" songs is such a lie, lmao. My favorite song for some of these changes with the wind. I encourage anyone who's read this far to check out ALL of these musicals in their entirety, because even the ones that weren't my favorites were still really good and a blast to see!

[minipliny]

I drew a picture of us in the neolithic times and I had big spear and a big leopard skin and 6.5 ft tall. Wrestle big lion. Go forth. Dethrone mammoth

Challenge god

[lavendertwilight89]

34. is there a song you know every word to by heart?

The embarrassing answers just keep coming @clearwillow 🤣🤣🤣 every Britney Spears song. You name it, I can belt it.

My friend and I told a road trip with (6.5 hours) a non stop 90s early 2000s Playlist and pretty much every b spears song dropped and she looked at me, straight in the face and said, " Well, I know what you did every Friday night in elementary and middle school. "

She wasn't totally wrong 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[anchanted-one]

Get to know me

Thanks for the tag @elveny ! 

Share your wallpaper: Unfortunately, I’ve not bothered to customize either my laptop or my phone with wallpapers yet. I wanted to make my own, but haven’t gotten around to it yet. If I make them, they’ll be like a fantasy South Indian Palace :3. Wish me luck!

The last song you listened to: I was listening to Footfalls (Endwalker Theme) before my last class. Love the song, love the trailer: https://youtu.be/zTTtd6bnhFs

Currently Reading: I’m currently not reading anything. I’m focused on my course, my fanfic, and my art. I want to start reading more books again when I’m done. I think I’ll pick up Bluebird by Ciel Pierlot. 

Craving: I’d like... okay this is embarrassing, but I’ve never been in a relationship. Rejected every single time. I would like to have some romance in my life, once I’m stable again. Also, I want to visit NZ, Canada, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Netherlands, Japan, Chile, or Austria. Definitely France.

What are you wearing right now: White shirt, black shorts. 

How tall are you: Hmmm not sure. 176-178 cm? I’m a bit above average for the Indian man. But not by too much.

Piercings: Had two ear piercings when I was a baby, but they’ve pretty much closed by now.

Tattoos: I have one, an eastern dragon. But I want to remove it someday. 

Glasses? Contacts?: I had really bad eyesight in my childhood. Like, -6.5 or 7.5 iirc. Bad enough that I couldn’t see a light switch on the wall. But I had corrective surgery done shortly after my twentieth. My sight is quite good now.

Last drink: Coca Cola. Rare treat.

Last show: Currently watching Vinlandsaga, Mando S3, and Bad Batch. Waiting on Kimetsu no Yaiba/Demon Slayer Swordsmith Village arc, for which I caught the premiere <3. Will rewatch Naruto and Fairy Tail when I can.

Favourite colour: Red.

Current obsession: My fanfic. I’ve planned a huge, huge story set in SWTOR. I think my obsession with SWTOR, and especially Lana Beniko, might be unhealthy... but I can’t help it. I want to write that story, especially the romance. Maybe some smut :D.

Unrelated Obsession: Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. Really need to quit. 

Any pets: Technically my sister’s. But two rabbits, whom she’s named Ludwig and Wolfgang. She loves classical music.

Do you have a crush on anyone: In the real world? Hmm, no one who knows I exist.

Favourite fictional character: I’m not very subtle about this lmfao.

The last place you traveled: Mumbai. I think it’s been ten months now. 

Extra info, not part of the original questions: I want to draw action poses. Like, the most gorgeous duels. Swords, spears, weapons, daggers, fists, chains. For a while, I thought I had to give up on that dream, but I’m getting my drawing back. Just a bit.

I also want to write my own novels.

Tagging: @captainderyn @kunstpause @the-sith-in-the-sky-with-diamond @crqstalite @swtorpadawan @chubbyooo @jemichi90 @greencrusader13 @naaklasolus @sheyshen

No pressure, guys!

[grumpygreenwitch]

Machina Ex Machina 29-29.5

As always, if you enjoy the writing, please like and reblog. There’s no algorithms here; my publicity is you. And if you’d like to buy me a Ko-fi, I certainly won’t complain.

1+2 - 3+3.5 - 4+5 - 6+.6.5 - 7+8 - 8.5+9 - 10+11 - 12+13 - 13.5+14 - 15+16 - 17+17.5 - 18+18.5 - 19+20 - 21+22 - 22.5+23+24 - 25+26 - 27-28 - 29+29.5 - 30+31 - 32+33 - 34+

AO3 Link

TWENTY NINE

For a moment, all everyone in the command deck could do was stare out the windows, speechless, at the immense blanket of black and jagged yellow bringing their doom to them.

“Close shields!” Adas shouted. “Vidi, get in with Way! MAR -” Before she could give him instructions, the door to the command room slid shut behind him, and the master of Parnassus slammed the butt of one baton against the lock. “MAR!” Adas shrieked in immediate panic.

He threw her a jaunty little wave from the outside and strolled with minimal hurry down the steps leading to the nearest platform. The virus was reassembling itself there, gathering up its mass and spiraling up into a new semblance of a body -

A black pillar seamed with red slammed into the monster with such force that they both went flying off the platform. MAR broke into a sprint and threw a hand out; a thin whip of silvery black lashed back, wrapping around his arm. MAR grunted with effort as the sudden weight of the Gridborn came to rest entirely on his hand, making his feet slide on the platform; his free hand activated one of his blades and he drove it hard into the platform, bringing himself to a halt. Below him, Fortis twisted himself into a thin, rippling spiral and threw himself back up, landing on the platform hard enough to make it rattle, twisting himself into a multi-faceted orb and stabilizing himself before becoming a wall once again. “Appreciate that,” the Gridborn said.

“Not at all,” MAR replied gallantly. “Any chance you -” Yellow-and-black tendrils shot past them, spearing into the platforms, the catwalks, the very ceiling of the carrier. The virus heaved itself back up, snarling openly, and MAR fell back to stand side by side with Fortis. “Never mind.”

“Commcon?” Fortis asked. “As secure as it’s going to be.”

“No more.” The virus flowed back onto the platform. Its upper body was exceedingly well defined. The tendrils that had saved it from falling after its hard-earned victory in boarding the carrier resolved themselves into its talons and a passing mimicry of hair around its angular face. It had the finer features of a face, eyes, nose, mouth, but the mouth didn’t move when it spoke. Sound instead rippled from shattered disk to shattered disk, as if it were something solid that had to be activated from one shard to the next. Below the waist it still lacked definition, merely a seething mass of blackened voxels. “No more tr-tricks. No more-more walls. No more gates-s-s-s. Nothing to-to-to stop me.”

MAR activated his second blade. “I beg to differ.”

The virus launched itself at him, multiple torrents of poison and destruction. Fortis spun itself into a wheel and rolled out of the way; MAR ducked under the first attack, slashed at the second, turned the blade around and caught a third, and parried a fourth on his off-blade. Voxels flew.

It spiraled away as Fortis came at it from the side; when the Gridborn turned in an incredibly tight curve, part of its substance separated from that dancing spiral, sped up and caught him dead on, sending him flying away to crash against the steps in a cascade of broken segments.

“Fortis!” MAR tried to turn and check on the Pevirian, but he suddenly had to fend off a flurry of blows as the virus tried to force him away from the staircase.

Astonishing the being, he did. MAR’s blades were blurs, bright white afterimages moving so fast even their own light couldn’t keep up with them. The virus slashed at him; it lost its talons. It regrew them instantly and swiped again; it lost them again, and the second blade took that hand at the wrist. Then the first was coming for it already, and it had to duck away, a strike meant to cut it in half merely slicing partially just above the place where its body merged into the vast, rippling folds of its unformed substance.

The virus fell back. MAR straightened up and pointed one blade at it. “I wager,” he remarked casually, “that it takes quite a lot of concentration to keep even that much of your shape… well, shaped.”

The virus crackled and spat half-formed sounds of fury for a few moments before it settled back. Several voices laughed at MAR as it gathered its substance to itself. “You are all s-so-so. So predic-t-t-t-table.” It began to reshape itself: a flaring coat, long and elegant limbs, broad shoulders. Even the cravat.

MAR stiffened minutely as he stared at a black-and-yellow reflection of himself, perfect even to the small wild curls of his hair.

The virus smiled. “You c-can-cannot-cannot. Stop me. Only sl-slow-me-slow me down.”

“I’ll quite settle for that,” MAR declared primly.

From the side GAM, shield leading, slammed so hard into the virus that it lost any recognizable shape, turning into a massive splash of voxels, circuitry and dish shards. It screeched in pain; all over the carrier, simulacra screamed with it. Gungnir charged directly behind the Sentry, jumping and spinning to put in as much momentum as he could into a sweeping arch of his lance. The unformed wave of the virus shied away sharply, but voxels still flew, and several circuitry paths ignited, flared and went abruptly dark.

The virus howled fury and launched itself, still little more than a vague shape inside a wave of voxels, at Gungnir. It crashed into GAM’s shield. Before it could either shove the Sentry out of the way or work itself around him, MAR’s lightblades were there, threatening to gut yet more of its substance out, and it had to split into several columns which quickly collapsed and recoiled onto themselves. Pevir’s SysAdmin rushed at it and nearly went through the platform, where their enemy had eaten away at the substance of it, leaving a hole with ragged yellow edges. GAM caught him and yanked him back onto solid ground, so to speak, and the fighting paused abruptly.

“Not-not-not. Real,” the virus ground out. “You are not real. Why won’t-won’t. Why don’t you give up alr-alr-”

“Get off my ship,” Gungnir snarled, shifting the lance to a close-combat grip.

“Your-your-your ship? This ship?” The virus threw two tendrils to the nearest wall and buried them in, and its infection immediately began to spread over the rich black and crimson. “Mine now.”

Gungnir leapt for the tendrils. The virus struck at him, struck instead GAM’s shield. The Sentry shoved forward and nearly went down when it found no resistance; his opponent had sunk back into its mass and reappeared to one side, skittering between him and the SysAdmin. The whip Gungnir was aiming for suddenly began to grow massive thorns all along its length.

The Pevirian slammed the lance down and twisted sharply atop it, barely arresting its momentum forward so that the infected spikes scratched at his armor, but not at him. MAR took down the other tendril, was nearly backed into another hole in the platform for his efforts. Black talons caught onto his coat and cut the fragile substance to tatters, but GAM was suddenly there to catch the virus’ second strike. Gungnir aimed at what he thought was the virus’ unprotected back; a column of voxels sprang from it like energy from a broken pipe and nearly threw him entirely off the platform.

“I rem-rem-emember! I learn!” it told them, its voices rising from hissing, broken whispers to a maddened howl. “You are not-not-NOTHING! I will-will MAKE you not real!”

It dug its tendril out of the carrier’s wall, halting the spread of the infection, and lashed out with it across the entire platform. GAM braced himself and took the blow on his shield, but it sent him skidding down nearly to the edge until MAR braced himself against the Sentry, back to back, and managed to stop him. The tentacle sank into the platform, burst out of its battered substance and slammed into the shield, pushing hard. The virus turned his attention to Gungnir, who fended off half a dozen blindly lashing limbs only to nearly run himself into a swipe of its actual talons. He caught it on the lance inches from his chest.

The virus wrapped its other hand on the lance and yanked as hard as it could. Gungnir went flying and landed face-down on the platform, stunned, his lance crashing out of his hands and landing as a baton by the staircase.

“Pred-predict-able,” the virus slithered over to Gungnir as the SysAdmin, entirely too aware of his vulnerable position, fought himself onto hands and knees. “You are all so-so-s-s-s-so very pred-pred-d-d-dict-dict-able.” It reached for Gungnir’s disk.

A lightblade went through its chest, burning away at the yellow circuitry with its light. The virus halted, caught off-guard. The blow would have derezzed any existing program, but while multiple systems inside the virus did crash, and a single voice within its fracture mind screamed in pain it couldn’t possibly be feeling, it realized after a moment that it was not, actually, dying.

It was abruptly not, however, feeling all that well. It began to turn, and did so just in time to put up an arm as a second blade came flying at it. It lost that arm, and the blade buried itself like a cleaver into the substance of its torso. It cried out, although whether in pain or in surprise no one could’ve said.

“Tell me again,” MAR ground out as white, gleaming last-gen armor swept over him, leaving him looking a very near match to his blades, “how predictable I am.”

29.5

“Lily, I’m so sorry, this is not a good tim -”

I KNOW. I told you, Adas, we’re watching. We’re all watching!

… You can help. You can help! That’s why you’ve been calling! Because you can help!

You need to contact Om. They cannot contact you, it must be you who contacts them.

How’s that -?!

There are Users in Om. Do you understand, Adas? There are Users in the Grid. You must go to Om!

But -!

You must contact Om at once. They will help! You mus-

[marcus-x-shaw]

The Riace Bronzes: Masterpieces of Ancient Greek Art

The Riace Bronzes, two stunningly preserved ancient Greek statues, are among the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th century. Found off the coast of Riace, Italy, in 1972, these life-sized bronze warriors date back to around 460–450 BCE, during the height of the Classical Greek period. The bronzes are celebrated for their realism, intricate detail, and the insight they provide into the artistic achievements of ancient Greece.

Discovery

In August 1972, a scuba diver named Stefano Mariottini stumbled upon the statues while diving near the town of Riace, Calabria, in southern Italy. Initially mistaking one for a corpse, Mariottini soon realized he had found something extraordinary. The bronzes were recovered from the seabed at a depth of about 8 meters (26 feet). Their nearly pristine condition sparked immediate fascination among archaeologists and art historians.

The statues were transported to Florence for extensive restoration before being displayed to the public. Today, they reside in the National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria, where they continue to attract visitors from around the world.

Description of the Statues

The Riace Bronzes consist of two male figures, referred to as Bronze A and Bronze B. Though similar in many ways, they exhibit distinct characteristics:

Bronze A

• Depicts a young, athletic warrior with an idealized muscular physique.

• Stands approximately 2 meters (6.5 feet) tall.

• Features curly hair and a beard, crafted with intricate detail.

• Likely held a weapon (such as a spear) in one hand and a shield in the other, though these elements have been lost.

Bronze B

• Represents an older, more seasoned warrior, with a slightly different posture and facial expression.

• Also stands close to 2 meters tall but appears more robust and less lithe than Bronze A.

• Shows more pronounced veins and wrinkles, highlighting the artist’s attention to realism.

Both statues were created using the lost-wax casting method, a sophisticated technique that allowed ancient artists to achieve incredible detail and precision.

Artistic and Cultural Significance

The Riace Bronzes exemplify the transition from the Archaic to the Classical period in Greek art, showcasing a blend of idealism and realism. Key features include:

• Dynamic Poses: Unlike the rigid, frontal stance of earlier Archaic statues, the bronzes exhibit a contrapposto pose, with weight shifted onto one leg, creating a sense of movement and naturalism.

• Detailed Anatomy: The musculature, veins, and facial features are rendered with incredible precision, reflecting the Greek ideal of physical perfection.

• Expression and Character: Each figure conveys a distinct personality, highlighting the increasing focus on individuality in Classical art.

The bronzes may have been part of a larger group of statues, possibly depicting a mythological or historical scene.

Origin and Purpose

The exact origin and purpose of the Riace Bronzes remain a mystery. Scholars suggest they were created in a Greek city-state such as Athens or Argos and transported across the Mediterranean. Their intended use could have been:

• Dedications to the Gods: Statues like these were often placed in temples or sanctuaries as offerings to deities.

• Commemorative Monuments: They may have been created to honor warriors or heroes, either mythological or historical.

• Decorative Elements: Some scholars speculate they adorned a public space or private estate.

The statues likely ended up in the sea during a shipwreck while being transported, possibly to Rome, where Greek art was highly prized.

Restoration and Preservation

When the Riace Bronzes were recovered, they were encrusted with marine sediment and partially corroded after centuries underwater. Restoration efforts included:

• Removal of marine deposits and stabilization of the bronze.

• Reconstruction of missing parts, such as the eyes, which were originally inlaid with ivory and stone.

The bronzes’ exceptional condition is attributed to their burial in sandy seabed conditions that protected them from extensive damage.

Legacy

The Riace Bronzes are considered masterpieces of ancient Greek art and provide invaluable insight into the technical and artistic achievements of the Classical period. Their discovery reignited interest in Greek sculpture and reminded the world of the enduring beauty and sophistication of ancient art.

Today, they are a symbol of Calabria’s cultural heritage and a testament to the enduring legacy of Greek civilization.

Fun Facts

1. The Mystery of Their Identity: The figures may represent mythical heroes such as Achilles, Heracles, or Tydeus, though their exact identities remain unknown.

2. Perfect Proportions: The bronzes follow the Greek “canon of proportions,” emphasizing harmony and balance in the human form.

3. A Global Attraction: The Riace Bronzes draw thousands of visitors annually and are a centerpiece of the National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria.

The Riace Bronzes continue to captivate scholars and art lovers alike. Their discovery not only deepened our understanding of ancient Greek sculpture but also reminded us of the enduring power of art to transcend time. What do you find most fascinating about the Riace Bronzes? Let’s discuss!

[bestfrndscloset]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: ITZY CHARLES & KEITH ITZ MINE COLLECTION RAINIER CHUNKY PLATFORM PENNY LOAFERS.

[mysterymirrors]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Limited Edition Y2K Juicy Couture Black Leather Hearts Gold Chain Crossbody Bag.

[riseofthecommonwoodpile]

Another round down, feels like lower scores than usual for me? Though there’s an awful lot of 7.5’s. That might be my new 8.0 tbh. That said there were more than a few that were *chef kiss*

Alaska Thunderfuck- Poundcake (1.5/10)

Ayesha Erotica- Barely Legal (9.0/10)

Boredoms- Pop Tatari (8.0/10)

Brainiac- Smack Bunny Baby (7.5/10)

Britney Spears- Oops!… I Did It Again (8.0/10)

Burial- Subtemple / Beachfires (7.5/10)

COBRAH- Succubus (7.0/10)

Deftones- B-Sides & Rarities (7.5/10)

Fairies (妖精達)- 人間哀歌 (9.5/10)

Fergie- The Dutchess (7.0/10)

Francisco López- Hyper Rainforest (8.0/10)

Geinoh Yamashirogumi (芸能山城組)- 恐山 (Osorezan) / 銅之剣舞 (Dō no Kenbai) (8.5/10)

Hatebreed- Satisfaction is the Death of Desire (5.0/10)

Horatiu Radulescu- Intimate Rituals (7.5/10)

Horse MacGyver- Void (7.0/10)

Hüsker Dü- Everything Falls Apart (6.5/10)

Ink & Dagger- Ink & Dagger (6.0/10)

Ke$Ha- Animal (8.0/10)

Kim Petras- Slut Pop (7.0/10)

Lindsay Lohan- Speak (6.0/10)

Lubricated Goat- Psychedelicatessen (8.5/10)

Machine Girl- WLFGRL (7.5/10)

The Make-Up- Save Yourself (8.5/10)

Neon Indian- Psychic Chasms (7.0/10)

pageninetynine- Document #8 (9.0/10)

Paris Hilton- Paris (7.5/10)

The Pretty Reckless- Going to Hell (7.5/10)

Sadaf- History of Heat (8.5/10)

Scene Queen- Bimbocore (7.5/10)

Sifow- ＆YOU REVOLUTION (8.0/10)

Slayyyter- Starfucker (8.5/10)

Thinking Fellers Union Local 282- Strangers from the Universe (10/10)