#ALSO I CHANGED THINGS TO SAY VERONA FOR OBVIOUS REASONS

[portiaphan]

DV Characters as Things Hannibal Buress Has Said

Alex: "I'm a gangsta, and gangstas don't ask questions." Yes they do ask questions! I thought that was a main point of being a gangster. "Hey, mothafucka, where's my money?" That's a question. "Do you want to die tonight?" That's a question too. "What? What?" That's two questions.

Alva: Gibberish rap is - I freestyle all the time, just hangin' out with friends. And sometimes when I'm freestyling, I'll lose my flow, you know, but I'll still wanna - I don't wanna just stop rapping because I lose my flow. So I'll just put in nonsense words till I can bring in regular words again.

Brielle: I couldn't imagine only being an actor or a writer. Because what the hell do I do when I'm not working? Mope?

Battista: I’m a dumb guy. My point of view is limited.

Bellamy: Why are you booing me? I'm right!

Beau: SIX PACK ABS! TEN PACK ABS! TWELVE PACK! What if I want an odd number of abs? What if I want a five pack to show people I'm still humble?

Bernadette: My other airport nemesis is airport security. I don't like them at all. They seem so dedicated to keeping bottled water out of the sky.

Calina: I acknowledge that I jaywalked, I apologize not for the act of jaywalking but how my jaywalking made you feel. I'll try not to jaywalk in the future while you're watching but trust that I'll do it for the rest of my life - it's the best way to go about being a pedestrian.

Castora: There's a lot of dudes in my neighborhood that have handlebar mustaches. Which is cool if you want to have a handlebar mustache but don't try to have a conversation with me like you don't have a handlebar mustache.

Catherine: He said, "Man, we are right by the Adige River. These buildings are 200-300 years old, they have rats everywhere. Even the five-star restaurants have rats!" Somehow he made me feel like the asshole for bringing up rats! I don't know what kind of jedi mind trick that was - it confused the hell out of me because I still ended up ordering food then.

Cyrus: So we talk for a little bit. She says stuff, I say stuff, she says stuff, I say stuff. You know how a conversation works.

Celeste: I get upset easily by people. I saw this guy- he was on the phone. He had the phone between the ear and shoulder like that, but he didn't have anything in his hands. Which is really upsetting! Who the hell do you think you are? This action for people that are multitasking. Where's your other task? You're not doing anything else.

Daphne: He'd be the worst real estate agent ever. "Right here we have a 34 bedroom house. Let me show you around the property. Great features to this place, some of the rooms have extra, smaller rooms in them."

Delilah: I was in Scotland for all of August and it was the darkest time of my life. Mostly 'cause they call cookies biscuits. I don't like that at all. It was an incredible culture shock for me, tough to adjust but I tried for a few weeks. Pass me the chocolate chip BISCUITS. Let's have biscuits and milk, everybody. I love Oreo biscuits. But, in the fourth week, I couldn't handle it no more. THOSE ARE COOKIES THOSE AREN'T BISCUITS. Those are cookies. Cookies are cookies and biscuits are biscuits. If you call cookies biscuits, what do you call biscuits 'cause I'm not saying scones.

Everett: I did not move to Verona with a plan. The first time I moved to Verona, I just popped up. My sister was living here in Verona. I just popped up. She had her baby and a husband, and I just popped up. "Hey, what's up? I got $200 and dreams. Let's do this."

Genevieve: I can't just look at a status and move along. I see a status got 36 'likes' — can't accept it got 36 'likes' and move along. I got to click on it and start reading the names of the people that liked it. "Oh, yeah. Jim would 'like' some shit like that."

Grace: Yo ma, money over everything.

Halcyon: Awe man, I gotta get a team. I don't have a team, I just have friends. I call up my friend, "Hey man, I know you're my friend but I need you on my team right now."

Hazel: You have a regular-sized tub and a miniature tub, the sink.

Henry: You never know what could happen when you go into a store - somebody might pull a Tonya Harding on you and break your knee cap. And now you got your knees all fucked up just ��cause you wanted to get that vinyl.

Hugo: It sounds like God owed someone some money and they couldn’t get to him, so they murked his son. That’s what I really think happened. Jesus got stabbed up in an alley… but it’s easier to sell crucifixes. You can’t sell a pendant of someone getting shanked up in the alley. It’s a marketing scheme.

Ivan: Come to your place at 5:00 in the morning, eat your food, drink your drinks, leave at 6:30 without fucking like it’s cool. That’s a passive burglary.

Isabelle: Two separate charges $400 at Barnes and Noble. Who balls out of control at Barnes and Noble?

Juliana: Believe in yourself like one of those weird-ass clothing stores that only have six shirts in them. So many questions. How much do these shirts cost? How long have y'all been here? Why is there a DJ?

Katarina: Kill people, burn shit, fuck school, I hate spam emails! That's annoying! You think you have an email from a friend but it's spam.

Lucien: I believe in my ability to not spill food in my pants 'cause I'm a goddamn adult. And I've mastered the art of getting food from my plate to my mouth without messing up my jeans. You need to believe in yourself, too and get your life together, that's for babies. Have some confidence in your eating abilities and hand/eye coordination.

Lucrezia: I'VE ALREADY SEEN LIMITLESS.

Lillian: I'm not a club person, I'm more of a bar/lounge type of person. But, I'll go anywhere if you give me a free bottle of alcohol.

Mikael: I have weird aspirations. Like, I really want to kick a pigeon.

Matthias: It's a weird emotion when you're flattered and cynical at the same time. "Oh, that's nice that you would say that, but what the fuck are you up to?"

Marcelo: I just wear black and gray all the time. If you Google Image me, you'll just see a bunch of black and gray. It's simple. If I like a shirt, I'll buy six or eight of them, wear them back-to-back, and just wait for somebody to say something. "That's the same shirt you wore yesterday." "Yeah, but this one is fresh."

Maeve: When people go through something rough in life, they say, "I'm taking it one day at a time." Yes, so is everybody. Because that's how time works.

Nikolai: But this time, it was me and this old lady we were jaywalking together. We weren't together like that. But if we were, so what? Mind your business.

Odessa: It was a phone interview and sometimes when I do phone interviews and the journalist is boring, I just start saying crazy stuff to make it fun for me.

Olivio: There have been times I’ve been out, and my phone battery is at nine percent, and I was like, "Time to go home."

Orion: Don’t thank the lord. I gave you that compliment, thank me.

Priam: I lost my debit card recently, had five charges on it before I caught it. First charge, $30 Chuckee Cheese. Who goes to Chuckee Cheese as soon as they find a debit card? Are you serious?

Paola: I applied for a job at Starbucks. One of the questions was, 'Why do you want to work at Starbucks?' Uh, because my life is in shambles.

Pandora: I don't even know how to use a semicolon to this day, I use a comma every time. And you know what? If I email somebody and they get upset about me using a comma instead of a semicolon, that's not a person I want to work with anyway. And that's how you weed people out of your life.

Ramona: I went into this restaurant in Verona called The Two Gentlemen. Went into the bathroom at The Two Gentlemen, huuuuge rat in the bathroom at The Two Gentlemen and the rat looked at me like "the fuck you doing here?" That was his vibe, very negative vibe.

Rafaella: Sometimes I get drunk and I get into arguments with taxi drivers. And I get out the cab and I slam the door. That's not the way to win an argument with a taxi driver. The way to win is you get out of the cab and you leave the door open.

Regina: And that was the first time in my life, without any sarcasm, I could say, "What? You want a cookie or something?" Because any other time you say that, you being mean, but I meant it from my heart. "How many cookies you want, man? You want seven cookies? That's way too many cookies. You're being ridiculous right now. You can take, like, three or four cookies and get out of my face. Otherwise, you're taking advantage of my generosity."

Ronan: Wack.

Roman: In my hometown of Verona, I'm kind of a medium deal.

Theodora: We got interns at the job. You can just tell them to do stuff. You gotta be nice, though. I had this cat fax something. I handed him a couple of pages, and I handed him another page. I said, "Hey, man, fax something for yourself, too."

Tomas: Rap videos confuse me cause they have to be continued at the end but the never make a sequel. Where’s the second video? There’s so much suspense!

Trinity: I was at the airport and there was this kid, four or five years old walking with his mommy, fixed his fingers in a fake gun, and then took a shot at me. And I'm looking at the wall to see if there's something on the wall he could've been shooting at 'cause I'm in denial. I look back at him, he looks me in the eyes and takes too more shots. Now I'm hit three times, that's an act of aggression. I need to defend myself.

Valentina: Morpheus, Dorpheus, Orpheus, go eat some walruses. Orifices, porridges. Morpheus, Morpheus. Going to the Buffet and Walruses. Confidence, corpseses. Worcestershire sauce. Go into your orifices. Red pill, blue pill. Morpheus, walruses. Seashells by the seashorpheus. MORPHEUS DRINKING A FORTY IN THE DEATH BASKET.

Vivianne: "We'll keep you in our thoughts" With the other bullshit in your heads? No, keep me out of your thoughts, because I hear some of the stuff you talk about and if that's close to what you're thinking about, I don't want to be around that, so keep me and my family out of your thoughts, unless you're thinking of making me a sandwich.

[lilliankillthisman]

Lucy Ellingson Posting

OK so after posting this I physically couldn’t stop myself from going back and reading the chapter where Lucy confronts Paul, Stolen Away 2.4

And WOW these chapters are perfect presentations of Lucy’s character progression. And I don’t mean that as “these are good examples of how she used to be compared to how she is now”, I mean “Wildbow has written these chapters as deliberate mirrors to showcase her development”, and I am absolutely obsessed with it, because Lucy has genuinely become the person she wanted be in 2.4. Yes, she’s gone from an honestly cool, put-together but isolated and insecure 13 year old learning about magic and struggling with keeping secrets, to an absurdly cool practitioner, with close friends beyond Verona and Avery, who she supports and who support her back, with a tentative but really, really positive relationship with her mum, but more than that she’s now a very literal hero.

The most obvious counterpart scenes in these chapters are with Paul and Anthem, that I’ve already mentioned - Lucy confronts a shitty dad who doesn’t look after his kids and abdicates responsibility when they’re struggling. The change that instantly strikes you is how much more badass Lucy is now - instead of chasing a guy out of a convenience store and (however magically) stabbing his car, she’s chasing a warmage while transformed into a beam of light before stabbing straight through the road and setting his car on fire with mystic runes. But she’s also far more in line with her ambition to a person who unabashedly stands up for what’s right; compare:

“Remember what I said at lunchtime?” Lucy asked, quiet.

“About needing to cut loose,” Lucy said.  “And needing backup when I do something stupid.”

with:

“Someone please tell me I can do something about this,” Lucy said, quiet.  “And that the council won’t get mad at me, or that people won’t try to stop me.”

“Lucy,” her mom said.

“If you can,” Toadswallow croaked, as he led Liberty toward a side street.  “If you can’t, that’s fine too.”

It hurt too much.

“Lucy, you really shouldn’t-” her mom started.

She knows this isn’t the sensible action, but the reason she’s doing it isn’t because she feels like acting out; it’s because she knows she’s right, and that’s why she’s ignoring Toadswallow and Jasmine instead of asking for support. That’s not to say her confronting Paul isn’t a brilliant moment or that it wasn’t incredibly impressive when it happened (it’s one of my absolute fave moments from Lucy), it’s just that she is now much more what she wanted to be back then. The other change, though, is even more important in terms of her self-perception. She’s no longer lashing out for herself, she’s taking drastic action for the sake of her friend. That’s been key to Lucy the whole time; she’s wanted to do right by her friends, and she’s finally managing that instead of just managing to keep her head above water in her own life.

However, reading the whole of both chapters gets you a more subtle, extremely touching parallel outside the drama. I hadn’t realised it was in 2.4, but this is the first time we find Lucy’s motif of being bulletproof. It’s just as striking as I remembered it:

She moved to her bedroom, and picked her clothes with a similar mindset.  She hadn’t said as much out loud to even Verona or her mom, but her mindset when it came to picking clothes was that she wanted her things to be bulletproof.  Not in the literal sense, but in the sense that it had no weak points, gave her critics nothing.  No fading, no rips, no tears, no stains.  The material was often from the higher-end athletic brands, because it was hardier and tended to hold up better over time.  Anyone who pointed and laughed at stuff branded with the Vikare swoop or the Dassler waves just looked like an idiot.

She settled on a hooded top that stopped just past the ribs.  White, sleeveless, moisture-wicking, with the Mission Canada logo on the breast.  She put it on, then immediately removed it, changing bras, before pulling it on again, so she wouldn’t be flashing hot red through the hole of the sleeve.  Her pants were looser, black, with slits all down the sides and inside of each leg, to let the air flow.  She dug sandals out of her closet and slipped them on.

Hair… clothes… the stuff she needed to put in her bag.  She included a spare umbrella, because she wanted to be triply sure she didn’t get her hair wet.  She weighed everything against the day to come.

Against the mundane day to come.

She tries incredibly hard with her appearance and presentation, and it’s clear that her classmates’ opinions and her teachers’ unfairness are getting to her - she’s struggling emotionally day-to-day, and more than that she’s struggling alone. She isn’t just hiding the practice from Jasmine, she’s hiding the problems in her normal life too.

Now we come to 18.7, and the contrast getting ready here is incredible. I think this is a deliberate callback to 2.4 - the drawn-out, detailed description of every outfit choice, the fact that it’s armour for the day/challenge to come, even the fact that in both chapters she overhears her mum talking with someone about how cool she is. But instead of her making herself bulletproof visually for the “mundane day to come” all alone, her friend and mother are helping her protect herself from violent magical danger:

Lucy handed Liberty the brassy-gold metallic marker.

Chainmail hooded sweater, runes on her neck and arms.

“Thank you for trusting me to do this,” Liberty said.  “And for the nice dinner.  It’s been a bit lonely.”

Liberty left, and Lucy’s mom came in.

“Is there enough done by Liberty, or is it clear enough for you to finish that up?” she asked her mom.

The development in her relationships and her deepened bonds and support from her mother are wonderful to see, and the payoff is made practical later - her defences hold up (just) to Slaygarrrr who Slavishly Slays, probably the most physically imposing Other she’s faced. But while rambling to my sister-in-law about this chapter and how great the character development was, she said something that made my head rattle around: this is a Homeric arming scene. And it is! In-depth descriptions of her arming and armouring herself, going into the background of special items, constant references to metal, mail and metallic-coloured decoration make this more than just her getting ready, or a call-back to 2.4; this is her being presented as an actual warrior hero. She’s moved on from worrying about school and being 13, but rather than moving on to become a mature adult like her mum or aunt in 2.4, she’s become exactly what she wanted to be - someone who takes to the battlefield to protect people.

My biggest but also most tentative takeaway from all this is that Lucy is going to beat Anthem. I think it’s going to work. I don’t know how it’s going to work, but I think in a few days we’re going to get a really satisfying resolution not just to the Tedd family drama that’s been building for a dozen arcs, but to Lucy’s arc of becoming someone who can throw down and protect her friends.  Because Wildbow is screaming at us that sure, a lot of things in Pale suck, but as a coming-of-age story it’s overwhelmingly about things getting better and our protagonists becoming more amazing in a way that we’ve never got to see in his other works. 

That theme of things getting better, by the way, brings us to another contrast between the two chapters: the Others. It’s been a long, long time since I read the Hungry Choir arc and I had completely forgotten how fucked up they are, but I’d also forgotten they come to Lucy’s home.

The sound of high voices filled the house, all at once.  Seven waifs stood in her upstairs hallway.

Five boys, two girls.  The waif closest to Lucy was a black girl, nine or so, her hair in two braids, and she had one hand at her mouth, teeth digging and chewing at her own fingertips, which were in ruined tatters.  The waif’s shoulders flinched inward as she bit through a part of her middle finger, a fresh trickle of blood running down to her elbow.  The ruined fingers of the girl’s other hand clutched at a dress with tiny flowers in a repeating pattern.

Six sets of hands seized her from behind, grabbing at her arms, the back of her collar, the back of her top.  She could feel the fingers of the one waif at her arm, grooves cut into fingertip by teeth and filled in with scabs and scars, the edges rough.  Another had ragged long fingernails, painted canary yellow where the paint hadn’t chipped.  Others were just small hands, incredibly strong.

In 2.4, the Others Lucy deals with violate her home and her privacy, they threaten her, they grab her. They leave her shaken and terrified. And now in 18.7, we have... Flopsy and Lewdtube. The cutest, most polite goblins you ever did see. They come to Lucy’s house... for dinner with her mother, who’s fine with them.

I don’t think the choice of friendly Others here, and their placement in this specific chapter is an accident; I think they were made specifically to be childish so that they form a more obvious counterpart to the Hungry Choir. This is WIldbow showing that it isn’t just Lucy who has changed, the world/people/Others around her have changed for the better too. That isn’t a coincidence - in befriending Liberty, and in helping to defeat the Hungry Choir, she has changed the world around her for the better. I’ve believed for a while that we’re going to get a happy ending to Pale and a happy ending for the trio, and it’s exactly because of things like this.

[mariellewritesalot]

Notes on the Romantic Narrative

As an homage to my favorite film of all-time “Silver Linings Playbook” finally being on Netflix, and a coping mechanism to everything I’ve been feeling as of late: I am writing to you about some musings I’ve been making and breaking for the past few months. About love, or lack thereof, in my life. 

First, to give you an image of how I pay attention to detail in life and movies, I will start with a few reasons why I love this gem despite the huge changes they made on screen vis-à-vis the novel: 1) It portrayed mental illnesses in a way that didn’t feel pushy or overly-romanticized: healing is not linear, 2) Pat’s character development throughout the film was the epitome of his motto (and mine), “Excelsior”, 3) I love how the story sort of revolved around the Eagles and football to anchor the heaviness of the entire plot line, 4) The casting!!! I mean, wow, and 5) It makes you believe in silver linings, even in the safest sense of the idea, not too grand and definitely not perfect. Safe. Who could forget that scene where Pat runs after Tiffany with his letter? The relief we all felt knowing that her hard work and feelings were not for naught? If you haven’t seen it, I hope you have the time to. It’s a moving film, honestly.

Anyway, I digress. I am going to go personal in this bit and I might not like it, too. I am stating the obvious when I say that I am a hopeless romantic and that I tend to look at life in rose-colored glasses. Some probable reasons are because my parents have the kind of love story that really makes you believe in fate and second chances, plus the fact that I grew up with romantic films, songs, and books. I was sold to the fairy tale idea of happily ever afters despite the proof that it doesn’t apply to everyone in real life. I wanted my own story to tell. After all, I am a writer. I live for the things worth telling.

Nowadays, I also spend a lot of my time online where my timeline is bombarded with couples or romantic gestures, as if the algorithm is working against the realist in me. I can’t say I hate it, because one thing I get from this mindset is the tendency to highlight the good things, both in people or situations. The “too kind for my own good” complex. The only downside is that I may get disappointed more times than I should. It’s a tricky predicament if you think about it in my context: I grew up with mostly men in the house, in my own bubble, going through life thinking that somebody is going to sweep me off my feet, backed up by High School Musical films and the media pushing love teams down our throats...but then it hits me in real life as I grow older: movie moments do happen in real life, but they aren’t as common as they make it out to be, they’re the exception to the rule. They are as rare as they come. 

Some of us aren’t as lucky.

In reality, when the hurt runs too deep, it feels almost impossible to rise above it. The hopeless romantic dies out and is replaced by a semi-angry realist, tired of how the world consistently proves that it moves in circles. They become someone who occasionally relapses into that romanticized haze every once in a while because it gets lonely. When you’ve fallen in love a few times in life, it’s hard not to expect yourself to fall into a trap, any moment now. The withdrawals grow stronger just when you’re starting to get the hang of things. It’s an exhausting ordeal, if you ask me, turning numb but knowing that you can’t shake off the romantic within when it resurfaces in the most inappropriate of moments.

I used to think that I’d be one of the lucky ones who meet the love of their life early on; someone who’s capable of being in a long-term relationship in college or maybe even after...and I still think I am, but maybe I haven’t met him yet. Maybe I have, but the timing is off or we just don’t know it until a little further down the road. Now I’ve been single for too long, and there is nothing wrong with it, just the fact that the trauma I went through has really soiled my chances of healing fast; more from the events than the actual person who did the hurting. Being here though, I am able to see how I am in a generation where #hugot culture is the norm, relationships are only as good as they are on social media, and 80% of young people are desperate to find love or at least a semblance of it. It’s nauseating, accidentally giving into the “sana all” culture and thinking I am incomplete if I don’t have someone who’s technically obligated to care for me, vice versa. I am not a fan of it, but it’s not exactly easy to exclude myself from a narrative I have been in for years. I wish it didn’t feel so off.

Because...hey, there are pros to being single. For starters: I am young. I don’t have to worry about it yet at least for the next ten years or so. I am not supposed to have the same timeline as other people. I can go to bed without worrying about somebody else. I don’t have to ask for anyone’s approval. I have more time for the things I love doing. I am not being emotionally abused or taken for granted or cheated on, which were common themes in my past relationships. It’s a treat, until I am once again hooked by the media I consume and made to think that there’s more to life than being alone.

Maybe it’s the fact that I spent half of this year trying to get over the one I thought was the love of my life, or how I’m spending the other half denying to myself that I may be having feelings for a person and consciously running away from them through various coping mechanisms I never thought I’d use. Love is a gray area right now because I don’t see myself being in a relationship anytime soon, but if I ever do, I’d want something serious. I love meeting new people right now, but at the same time, my comfort zone feels good. I find that it helps tone down my anxiety when I am in control. I’m proud of myself for choosing to navigate through life by my own right now, turning down people who want to become a part of it for my sake and theirs. I just have a lot on my plate. Although I do believe that I’ll never be ready. No one ever is, but I want to put my faith in timing. I just have to learn the ropes here first. I hate that everyone around me is rushing because I feel like I’m that person being squeezed into the middle of the crowd in a mosh pit. I am choosing to make sure I am a better person than I was first before I dive into it, head first.

So yeah. Lloyd Dobler is not going to blast In Your Eyes by Pete Gabriel on a boombox outside my bedroom window (though I’d love Closing Time by Semisonic more). Dylan Harper is not going to organize a flash mob to tell me he made a mistake. Patrick Verona is not going to hack into the school speakers and sing to me at the football field. Troy Bolton is not going to show up outside my window to apologize, armed with Margherita pizza and chocolate covered strawberries. Ted is not going to steal a blue french horn for me. Johnny Castle is not going to dance with me in front of everybody to prove our love. Chuck Bass is not going to buy me a ring and carry it around even when we aren’t together anymore, hoping for the chance to get me back. Augustus Waters is not going to show up with orange tulips and a trip to Amsterdam. Pat Soltano is not going to run after me with a love letter he wrote a week ago...and I’m okay with it. I don’t want to buy into the notion that I need saving, or that I can be swayed by gestures that can so easily be just a move to win me over with no follow-through. I don’t want to be put on a pedestal, anyway. Also...sometimes, it’s in the little things. We fall in love with the way people remember something we said to them months ago, the way they show up after a long day, and the way even the tiniest gestures feel so big it fills up everything else.

I feel like one day I’ll be given the love I deserve and I don’t have to yearn for movie scenes like the art geek I am. You see, what makes love stories unique is the fact that it happens when you least expect it. Grand romantic gestures are welcome, but they aren’t really the basis of how deep love could be. I could only hope to be with someone who speaks my love language or at least tries to understand it. Until then...I’ll keep relearning everything until I make sense of what I truly want out of love and its intricate mess of a web.

I’ll love; even without pretense, without hope or agenda, without expecting the universe to give me back everything like it owes me.

[diveronarpg]

Congratulations, SOPHIE! You’ve been accepted for the role of GONERIL. Admin Jen: There are no words to describe how thrilled I was while reading your app, Sophie. Grace is a hellion, a creature of unbridled chaos and hunger, but she’s ultimately human, and because that is so easy to disregard, it made it all the more impactful that you emphasized it so thoroughly. There was such thought and consideration put into your portrayal, but it wasn’t without the touch of introspection and unpredictability that’s integral to Grace’s personality. It was the perfect balance, and one that’s left me absolutely in love with the Goneril you’ve brought us. I can’t wait to see what more you have in store for her! Please read over the checklist and send in your blog within 24 hours.

WELCOME TO THE MOB.

Out of Character

Alias | Sophie

Age | 20

Preferred Pronouns | she/her

Activity Level | Fairly active! I will have school starting back up at some point but I do make it online at least once every two or so days, if possible.

Timezone | PST

How did you find the rp?  | Tags, I think? It was a while ago but I’ve only just had the time and inspiration to apply now.

In Character

Character | Goneril, Grace Daly

What drew you to this character? | Honestly I tossed between Lillian and Grace for so long. Normally I’m drawn to soft, angelic characters like Lillian but this time I decided to try something a little different. Grace is kind of an experiment, if you will! I really want to try my hand at someone who’s more morally corrupt, someone who’s flaws are a bit more obvious, and someone who (probably) breeds a lot of conflict. Also, she just seems like a ridiculous amount of fun!

What is a future plot idea you have in mind for the character? |

STEP ONE. Grace has an interesting relationship with violence. It’s common perception that she enjoys it, and maybe she does. To an extent. But to psychoanalyze it a little bit more, she doesn’t enjoy the violence so much as she enjoys the power trip it gives her. Grace has an addiction to power, possibly because of the relationship she had to it growing up. As a child, she never asked for anything. She never had to. She never got to. This is not a sob story - she was still spoilt to the core. But she had little control of the way she grew up, and she had even smaller control of her siblings, of which she was supposed to be the eldest, the guiding light. When was the last time she had any sort of power over her sisters, who could not be more different in nature? Her rank as soldier must be incredibly irritating as well. There is nothing Grace craves more than power, and yet it seems to be the only thing that’s stripped from her and time progresses. So, naturally, the only place she can channel it is violence. It would be interesting to see if, should her ranking increase, her capacity for violence might grow into something else. (I suspect not. But you never know!)

STEP TWO. Along the same lines - Grace has done a lot of terrible things, and I would love to explore the limits of her remorse. Is she really so heartless, or are there consequences? Does she do what she does because she wants to, or because she has to? And which reason is worse? Grace is boisterous, or maybe even arrogant, about her lack of guilt, but she’s not psychopathic, and these things are bound to catch up to her at some point in time. I’d love to see how she deals with this, especially because I suspect it will mostly be dealt with in the form of destruction (a default mode for Grace Daly).

STEP THREE. And finally, her sisters. Although Grace might disagree, they are quite integral to who she is as a person. She grew up with them, and no matter how she might deny it, there are parts of them that have to stick to her. I personally headcanon Grace as the id to Regan’s ego and Catherine’s superego, and without them, Grace is left to fulfill her own aggressive desires without any sort of barriers or consequences. I think a part of Grace recognises that they might try to restrain her nature (Catherine would, at any rate) which is why her efforts are so high in order not to care or spare a second thought about them. Grace isn’t really a person of major personal attachments or sentimental drivel, and as such, sisters are seen as inconveniencing and burdening rather than family. There is also a deep sense of burning, seething jealousy that lives in Grace constantly. Her younger sisters, her superiors. That was never going to sit well with her. And now that they’re on opposing sides, I really want to see the limits of Grace’s personal loyalty. What would she put before her sisters? Certainly, herself. But what else?

Are you comfortable with killing off your character? | Please. I think it’s only a matter of time before Grace is cut.

In Depth

“I’ve got a family,” says the man. She can’t remember his name, but she will remember his fear, and his begging, and the exact hue of his blood for days to come. Murder stories are, of course, the best stories. Particularly at Christmas.

“You have my sympathies,” she tells him. “I’ve got one too."

It’s funny, really. The things people will say when you’ve got a gun to their head. Sometimes she thinks people are more preferable when they’re in mortal peril. No lies. No bullshit. Grace has an abhorrent, obsessive hate for bullshit.

"Please,” the man says. There are tears in his eyes, and for a moment he is all Catherine at five years old, crying because Grace had pushed her over, crying because Grace had taught her a lesson. But this isn’t her sister, and she’s not five anymore, and either way, Grace wouldn’t care.

“Try again,” says Grace evenly. The gun is cool against her fingertips, just how she likes it.

His eyes narrow, and Grace can see it coming. The spite. The acceptance. Sometimes, when people are at their end, they’re more agreeable. Other times, they’re just insufferable.

“You can’t even say it, can you? You don’t even know what it means. Please. I bet you’ve never said the word in your life.”

He is, in a way, right. Grace never says please. It’s a volatile word, writhing and spineless. It has no function, except for the weak. Saying please is asking for something, and there is never any reason to ask for something when she could just take it, instead.

A roll of her eyes. “Please,” she says. “Shut the hell up. This will be faster if you confess."

"I would rather die than confess."

These men, with their million dollar cufflinks links and their precious poker games. They think they’re all so different. They think they’re all going to be the ones to change Verona. Even Cosimo and Damiano are just fools at the top of their game. In a world where Grace cares, she’ll sit them down and say Look at you. Look at what you breed. You raised a family of sinners, and then you gave them guns. You don’t want to know what I can do with a gun. Worse, you don’t want to know what I can do with a sinner.

"That can be arranged,” she tells him. Lips curl; the Devil’s smile. Ah, well. She already knows he’ll be waiting for her at the end of the line. And when she gets there, she’ll be ready to slit his throat and take over hell, too.

This man is going to die. He thinks he’s going to be forever martyred, but in two weeks or two days or two hours Italy will forget his name. The man serving under him will gleefully take his place, until one day he is murdered too. Maybe his daughter will remember. Maybe one day she will bring a knife and a thirst for revenge to Grace’s doorstep, and she will eagerly await that day. But for now, no one will miss him.

“Tell Cosimo he will live to regret this,” says the man, in perfect imitation of every Hollywood movie ever. Grace wants to laugh, but she doesn’t want to waste time.

“I’ve had a change of management, idiota. Signor Montague pays his respects."

The saddest part of pulling the trigger is that she has to find an excuse to do it again.

[cornyregans]

The Mysterious Death of Hero Monty

Essay Word Count: 1,959 Obligatory Thank You Word Count: 102 Total Word Count: 2,061

   One of the most interesting aspects of Veronaville, to me at least, is the mystery surrounding the recent deaths of six premade sims. We can determine the cause of death for five of these six sims through their ghosts; however, there is one sim who is an outlier among the group of six, and that sim is Hero Monty. While Hero’s death is indeed mysterious, mysteries are meant to be solved, and in this essay, we are going to try to solve the mystery of her demise.

Possible Causes

  Before we go any further, we should look at all the potential causes of Hero’s death and make deductions accordingly. Since Hero and the rest of Veronaville were packaged in the base game, it is safe to say that we can disregard any causes of death introduced in the expansion packs. Aside from any sort of glitch or any downloadable methods that result in the death of a sim, there are nine methods to kill a sim in the base game: starvation, electrocution, drowning, fire, old age, disease, flies, fright, and satellite. 

   Given that Hero was an adult at the time of her death, we can definitively rule out old age, as that cause of death is meant to be restricted to elder sims. This leaves us with eight possible causes of death, all of which can kill an adult sim, so it is safe to say that we cannot rule anything else out with just the game alone.

Shakespeare’s Hero and Hero Monty

   Hero Monty shares a name with a character from Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. Shakespeare’s Hero, the daughter of Messina's Governor Leonato, is loved by a lord named Claudio. Claudio announces his intention to court her to Benedick, who in turn informs Don Pedro about Claudio’s plans. As a result, Pedro resolves to court Hero for Claudio without the latter’s knowledge and puts this plan into action at a celebratory masquerade ball. Don John (Pedro’s illegitimate brother) is also attempting to court Hero at the ball and uses Claudio’s ignorance to Pedro’s intentions so Claudio will think Pedro is trying to take Hero for himself. This leads Claudio to confront Pedro in a rage, but in the end, Claudio ends up winning Hero’s hand and the misunderstanding is cleared up.

   Later in the play, Don John and his follower Borachio resolve to stop the marriage by lying to Pedro and Claudio that Hero is unfaithful; as a result, Claudio promises to publicly humiliate Hero, and does so on their wedding day, causing Leonato to wish for his daughter’s death. On the advice of a friar who is rightly convinced of her virtue, Hero fakes her death so as to not only expose the truth but for Claudio to express regret for his actions. Ultimately, Don John’s treachery is exposed, Claudio expresses remorse for his actions, and Hero is revealed to be alive at her second wedding to Claudio.

   As mentioned above, while Hero does not die in Much Ado About Nothing, she does fake her death. Could it be possible that she did the same thing in The Sims 2? If this is the case, it would likely not have been for the same reason. In Much Ado About Nothing, Hero faked her death after Claudio accuses her of being unfaithful at their wedding, but there is no indication in-game that her marriage to Antonio Monty was anything but a happy one.

   However, despite the events in Much Ado About Nothing, I believe it is unlikely that this incarnation of Hero is alive somewhere for a few reasons. First of all, unlike Hero from Much Ado About Nothing, there is no evidence that anyone in Veronaville had any knowledge should Hero have planned to fake her death, rather everyone seems to treat her as being dead. Second of all, most of the Montys possess a memory of her death, and those who do not remember her dying have absolutely no relationship with her in any of their relationship panels. Finally, unlike Bella Goth, who is shown to be alive on the Goth family tree despite not being visible in Pleasantview, Hero’s portrait in the Monty family tree is clearly greyed out like other deceased sims. In addition, Bella can be added to a household by using the boolprop cheat, whereas Hero cannot unless you use something like SimPE (a third party program).

The Mythological Hero and Hero Monty

   Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing was probably completed in 1599, but one of his contemporaries, Christopher Marlowe, began working on a poem entitled Hero and Leander in 1593. Marlowe died before he could complete this poem and it was published posthumously in a 1598 quarto, the same year it is believed Shakespeare began working on Much Ado About Nothing.

   Marlowe’s poem was in no way the first reference to the original Greek myth, as the story of Hero and Leander has been adapted into both written work and even coins long before both Marlowe and Shakespeare were even born. In fact, it is speculated that one of the individuals to refer to the original myth was Ovid, a Roman poet whose stories are both consciously and subconsciously present in some of Shakespeare’s plays. So even if Shakespeare did not take Hero’s name from Marlowe’s poem, it is incredibly likely that his choice of name for the Much Ado About Nothing character was indeed influenced by the original myth because of that fact. 

   Not to mention, Shakespeare himself also alluded to this myth in a number of his other plays. The Hero and Leander myth is mentioned twice in The Two Gentlemen of Verona. It is first alluded to in the opening scene during a dialogue between the two title characters, and later in Act III in a scene between one of the title characters and his love interest's father. Shakespeare also alludes to the myth in Act IV of As You Like It, as the main character discusses it in a dialogue with her love interest.

   Outside of The Two Gentlemen of Verona and As You Like It, Shakespeare also refers to the myth in Edward III, Othello, Romeo and Juliet, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (the names used in this example are Helen and Limander, however, that mistake was Shakespeare’s intention rather than actually being a legitimate error).

   The original Greek myth relates the story of two lovers: Hero, a priestess of Aphrodite who lived in a tower in Sestos, and Leander, a young man from Abydos who lives on the other side of the strait. Leander ends up falling in love with Hero, and as a result, he would swim across the Hellespont strait every night to spend time with her; however, as the night was dark and full of terrors, Hero would light a lamp in her tower in order to guide his way to her. While the two engaged in a sexual relationship for an entire summer, everything changed once winter came. One night, as Leander was tossed into the sea by strong waves, the lamp in Hero’s tower that was guiding his way ended up being blown out by the strong winter winds. This proved deadly as Leander found himself completely lost, and drowned as a result. Hero, upon discovering Leander’s dead body, decided to join him in death by throwing herself from her tower into the waters below.

Mystery Solved?

   There is no way to say for sure how Hero Monty may have died, but if we take the Hero and Leander myth into account, it is possible to conclude that her death may very well have been by drowning. If that is indeed the case, then where could she have possibly drowned?

   Unlike how Hero’s death is portrayed in the original myth, there is no way for a sim to drown anywhere other than a pool in the base game. If you’re one of those people who take gameplay mechanics into account, this means that, while the idea may sound reasonable in theory, it is highly unlikely that Hero was meant to have drowned in the canal separating the two sides of the neighborhood. In addition, none of the premade lots in Veronaville have any obvious swimming pool.

   With all that in mind, perhaps the location of Hero’s death is meant to be just as ambiguous as the cause. For one thing, both Hero’s widower Antonio and their twins Beatrice and Benedick start the game in the family bin rather on their own lot. This means that any potential drowning death Hero may have suffered could have been anywhere in the neighborhood. However, given the structure of the neighborhood, it is more likely than not that she ended up dying on the western side of Veronaville that is populated by the Monty family. This narrows down the possible locations significantly, as aside from the Monty Ranch, there are only three residential lots that Antonio, Hero, and their children could have inhabited. This leaves three possible locations for Hero’s place of death: 111 Stratford Street, 267 Avon Avenue, and the Old Silo Farm. While none of these lots have a pool, keep in mind that pools are able to be deleted in build mode, so it is entirely possible that Antonio could have potentially had it filled in before he moved out with the kids.

   However, it might behoove us to take a look at the houses found in the Lots and Houses Bin, as Antonio and his children could have originally been meant to inhabit one of them earlier in development. This may be a bit of a stretch, but there are pieces of evidence that show that Veronaville has gone through drastic changes between development and the final product; with the biographies of three of the deceased sims, Cornwall’s French biography, and the images of families living in houses that ended up being unoccupied probably being the most egregious examples. By looking at all the base game houses in the Lots and Houses Bin, there are two houses that fit in perfectly with the neighborhood as a whole: the Tiny Tudor, which would fit in perfectly among the Tudor homes on the Capp side, and the Helluva Hacienda, which would be right at home among the Mediterranean style villas on the Monty side. In fact, if you look closer at the Helluva Hacienda, you will see that there is a pool in the backyard. As a result, it is entirely possible that this lot may have been the place of residence for Antonio’s family earlier in development, but it could have been removed from the neighborhood map prior to the game’s release in order to possibly make Hero’s death more mysterious.

Conclusion

   As someone who plays Veronaville through a Shakespearean lens, I often find myself looking beyond the game when my questions are unanswered. When Shakespeare fails to answer my question, I look to things like etymology, mythology, history, geography, works by Shakespeare’s contemporaries, you name it, odds are I have looked into it at one point or another.

   This is, of course, all pure speculation on my part, and I will be the first to admit that. There is no way to prove for certain how Hero died, and it is something that has been theorized by simmers for years. Perhaps this theory is completely off the mark, but I think it is important to at least throw it out there and see if anyone has the same opinion as I do or even a different one. After all, no two people play The Sims 2 the same way, and perhaps the same can be said when it comes to the lore provided, both in-universe and out. 

Thank you so much for reading this essay. Please feel free to like and reblog this post, it would make me very happy. I am always open to discussing the inner workings of Veronaville, so feel free to leave an ask or a message whenever you feel like it. The Veronaville Vault is a project I’ve been working on for almost a year now, and I’m so glad I can finally share some of it with all of you. I have some things planned for future entries and I’m always open to suggestions, so I hope you will join me again sometime.

[margridarnauds]

1, 8, and 14 for the shipping asks!

Thanks!

1. What was your first OTP?

I THINK it was Ankh su Namun/Imhotep from The Mummy. First femslash ship was Luna/Twilight from MLP and first slash ship was Loki/Tony Stark (of course it was, I know, I know.)

8. Who is the most shippable person you can think of?

Death from Elisabeth. Mainly because they can be applied to literally every fandom and every character in said fandom. 

14. Has a fanbase ever made you ship or not ship something? Why?

Fairly regularly. Like, I don’t think my basic IDEAS on a ship will change after I set my heart on something, but I do think that the way I approach it might change. There are some ships that I liked a lot, they might not have been my OTP but I LIKED them, but then the fandom was so exclusionary to multi-shipping/allowing anything BUT their ship in that I was like “Okay, then, fuck you too.” 

For example, F1nnRey in Star Wars. GREAT ship, wholesome and cute, with a lot of opportunity for character development and two broken characters finding each other! A little TOO wholesome for my taste (I generally only do perfectly wholesome if it’s, like, over one of their family member’s graves or something), but it was GOOD and I would have been perfectly fine had it happened. But then The Ship Wars came, and as someone who’s die-hard Enemies to Lovers, I wasn’t really...allowed in with the main fold anymore. F1nnrey shippers became less “I love these two characters so much and I like their dynamic” and more “Fuck you if you like anything else.” So, yeah, now I forever associate that ship with the sheer AMOUNT of vitriol that Reylo shippers got.  

Ditto for Londo/G’Kar from Babylon 5. ANOTHER great ship, in theory, and actually enemies to lovers. Yeah, okay, one of them MIGHT have ordered the other’s planet to be subjected to a scorched earth policy and the inhabitants enslaved or executed, but hey, he who is without sin. And they had some great development with one another! Alright, I didn’t see CHEMISTRY so much as an interesting dynamic (and those are two very different things), but I did like them. And then...you guessed it...someone made it into “If you DON’T like them/ship G’Kar with someone else/etc. then you’re homophobic.” And I’m just here like....”He does canonically like the ladies as well. He’s bi. And he doesn’t NEED to prop up Londo’s arc, he has a life of his own too, and maybe he doesn’t WANT to have to deal with Londo, in a palace where he was imprisoned, tortured, and mutilated.” So, yeah, I would actually say that that one leans into NOTP territory for me now. 

Also...sorry Les Mis fans, but I went from “Okay, it’s alright” on E/R to “...Get thee behind me, Satan” due to the way...certain members...of the fandom...acted back in the days following the film’s release. (That and I don’t care about the Les Amis that much when I could have the GLORIOUS enemies to lovers, Peyronan If They Were Actual Adults dynamic of Javert/Valjean.)

So, yeah, moral of the story: I am a petty, spiteful creature by nature and if you try to force me into liking ONLY one option, I WILL like one option, but it won’t be the one you want me to like. 

In terms of actually making me like something, I do give props to the Aladdin fandom for...somewhat selling me on Jasmine/Jafar, depending on how a given creator pulls it off. It’s not my all time favorite and I have mixed feelings on it for various reasons, but like. I do get it, and I won’t say no to a well written fic and have combed AO3 for them. I’ll probably be stuck in Aladdin/Jafar Hell for the near future as far as content I make’s concerned, but like. I get it. 

Also props to the RetJ fandom for selling me on Juliet/Escalus, in terms of like “Juliet has an arranged marriage and becomes a master of the Verona political scene while fucking living” because that’s a huge Thing for me. (With the caveat that they don’t consummate their marriage for some time for obvious reasons and that it’s not something that Escalus is really expecting either.)

[youcannotcancelquidditch]

Below the fold you can read all about my time at Romeo e Giulietta in Milan (Friday, 12/10/18). I didn't want to forget anything so it's very chaotic, I'm sorry.

(edited on 29/01/19 - I added some things as well)

- I’d like to start by thanking the orderly who gave us 2nd category seats in the middle of the ground floor (we had 2nd gallery central tickets, aka almost the cheapest ones) because they didn’t sell out and he was impressed that we came all the way from Belgium to see the show. Grazie mille, sir! You made our night even better! He checked in on us twice during the break to ask if we liked our seats and the show, what a cutie.

- To understand why I would write an 2500 word post about this performance, you must know that I have been waiting to see this show since I was 6 years old (that’s 16 years!). I even have a very clear and detailed memory of the first time I heard a song from this musical, Koningen from the Flemish/Dutch production. This was my absolute number one bucketlist item and I still get teary eyed when I think about this experience.

- Lorenzo’s apprentice (I think his name is John in the play but don’t quote me on this) was scary as fuck before the show began. He was just roaming around the venue and stopped every once in a while to stare at someone without blinking for an uncomfortably long time.

- The costumes in this show are to die for! CAPES FOR DAYS!! This production works with the same choreographer and costume designer as La Légende du Roi Arthur and it’s just as beautiful.

ACT I

- Tebaldo just casually hanging around ‘Capuletti House’, applying his Scar-like scar with eyeliner and then falling backwards onto his crew (my friend had a fit, she did not see it coming and genuinely thought he was going to fall flat on his back).

- The prince may sing that two families make the laws in Verona, but everything about him says he is in power. He is just so impressive, physically and  vocally so demanding. 

- Our Benvolio wasn’t bad but he didn’t make the part as interesting as Riccardo did. His Benvolio was pretty plain, okay vocal performance but he didn’t bring the same flare to the part that Riccardo did. Benny isn’t the most interesting part in the show and he didn’t add anything more to it than what the songbook or choreography said. Ric’s Benvolio was every bit as playful, joyful and a player as the other to two in the main trio but there was such grace and gentleness to him, whereas our Benvolio was more like the ‘no fun, boring’ friend. The original Italian trio has great chemistry and he just wasn’t very convincing.

- Davide as Romeo: his singing has improved so much, he seemed to sing with so much more ease compared to the dvd-version. During ‘Io Tremo’ he had a lot more interaction with the Montacrew. I absolutely love his Romeo, Damien always was a bit to fatalistic for me. He is much more youthful and moves quite impulsively on stage. In dutch I would say he is a ‘kwajong’ and a ‘spring in’t veld’, Google tells me it’s a ‘rascal’ and a ‘little filly’ but I don’t know if that really covers what I want to say. (He kinda gives of the same energy as Maria during ‘how to solve a problem like Maria’ in The sound of music.)

- On a related note: I only realised during the show how different the two houses are. The Montagues seem a lot closer than the Capulets. The reds are a divided house, they seem a lot more competitive and aggressive, only Tebaldo has an obvious bond with the rest of his family (maybe even a bit too close to his aunt, this production hints on a possible incestuous relationship between the two). The fact that they have a pretty scary cat only proves my idea about the house.

-  L’Oddio is a ride! I always loved the song but most of the time staging was off and boring which made it almost annoying to watch. I only listened to it but never watched any clips of it. This production however absolutely nails it and finally does the song justice. It’s one of my favourites parts in the show.

- Paride definitely changed a lot compared to the previous Italian production. He used to be innocent and polished, now he is arrogant and they changed his dancing style to a more modern vibe instead of ballet. Overall, I had a bad feeling about him and I was even happier that Giulietta didn’t have to marry him because she wouldn’t have been happy with him at all. I also miss Tebaldo singing the ‘give her to me’ part in the background,like they do in the French productions.

- I never liked the French Juliettes, Joy’s was like a spoiled brat sometimes and she wasn’t a great singer either. It’s mostly due to the way the production was written and the directors they worked with though. But Giulia Luzi is a perfect Giulietta for me, she is defiant, she has a mind of her own and her own ideas. This Giulietta isn’t a child, she is a young adult which makes more sense for a girl her age in this time.

- La Nutrice and both Ladies are such impressive vocalists! An absolute joy to hear them live!

- Il re del mondo live made me sooooo happy! (I don’t think I stopped grinning until the Duel started anyway)

- Luca GF!! What a performer!! You simply can’t look at anyone else when he’s on stage. He has such a fascinating way of moving around the stage and his vocals! I don’t have words! He was out of this world and I feel incredibly privileged to have seen him live. I was looking forward to his falsetto notes, but the dvd recording did not prepare me for his normal singing voice. The recording in no way does justice to how full and warm his voice is.

- The ball: they got rid of the ugly masks (thank the gods). This scene is so beautiful and I love the costumes. There is just so much going on I feel like I’d have to watch it at least 5 times to fully capture everything.

- The big ‘smack’-sound every time R e G kiss, because the microphones picked it up pretty hard.

- I like the order of the song better in this one then in the French production, it works better for the story (especially Tebaldo’s songs and the Verona reprise) and the acting is so much better!

- I have a hate-love thing going on for count Capulet. He seems tired of the feud when he fights with Tebaldo during the ball but he is such a dick to Giulietta and then has this solo song with a ‘Man only realise women are people once then have a daughter’-theme. Don’t get me wrong, I love this song and it’s always a song I look forward to in any production. You have to applaud the actor though for going from ‘Vedrai’ to ‘Avere te’ so fast, that’s one hell of an arc in so little time.

- I don’t get Belli e Brutti and I don’t think I ever will. But it gives me more stage time with the trio so I’m a happy girl. Also, the Montacrew eavesdropping on Romeo and Nutrice was really cute.

- The Balcony scene is so cute and I ship this R e G so hard. I usually care more for the supporting characters then the main pair in this story but I really believed these two.

- The official, original Shakespeare dialogues work better for me then the R et J dialogues. 

- Romeo’s relationship with Lorenzo is so wholesome, I love them.

- Tebaldo had a throne!! Like, Yaaasss Bitch!! I loved the choreo for this song (I’m a sucker for swords), especially is contrast with his other solo song. This one is pure lust and anger while the other is so much more intimate and shows his yearning for love. The musical has made me love Tebaldo so much as a character and Gianluca did a great job. I always underestimate him for some reason, he sometimes sounds like he won’t make it but he always hit’s the notes perfectly.

- Nutrice’s solo song gets me every time, fantastic performance. I think she had a problem with her earpiece because she kept fidgeting with it but it didn’t affect her singing at all.

- Ama e cambia il mondo was so beautiful and emotional. I really like this tagline for the story, it perfectly captures the message I take from it. This song is such a victorious celebration of love (and it has no gender pronouns) and I’m living for it. Lorenzo is like the head of R e G shippers, such a proud and smiley dad.

ACT II

- Yes, thank you, a short version of ‘on dit dans la rue’ is enough. We don’t need a whole song about his friends knowing who he married and being unsupportive little shits.

- IL POTERE!! Need I say more? One of the songs I was looking forward to most. It suits this Prince so well and the whole scene is so beautiful! The choreo and the stage setting, ugh, so pwetty. 

- I just want to hug Tebaldo, what a lost puppy.

- the side door entrance of the Montacrew before the Duel! They were so close to us!!

- La Follia. That’s it. Just La Follia. I have no words.

- Okay, I have a few words: that last note. The entire audience lost their shit and was clapping and screaming for what felt like ages and he was still holding on to that note when we finally calmed down!! Again, what a performer.

- The Duel is a journey. What a scene! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more complicated and impressive scene in any show I’ve been to. I also want to take some time to talk about the ensemble in this show. These people are great dancers but their acting was so on point! Especially the crew guys. A show is nothing without the ensemble and they did so much more than just support the story. They really lift it to another level.

- That piece of bloody cloth they pull from Mercuzio’s wound had me gagging. I could almost feel it.

- I knew there would be a kiss when Mercuzio’s died but this was a full make out session. I was like ‘yeah, same, Mercuzio’. I made the mistake of looking at Benvolio during this scene. Pro tip: don’t. Just don’t. It’s painful and you don’t need more pain at this point.

- Romeo stabs Tebaldo in the stomach and not in the back, I don’t know what the original play says about it but I feel like it fits Romeo’s character better. My boy is no backstabber.

- La Vendetta and Duo de désespoir broke me. The Prince seemed really sad about losing his cousin. Lady Montague’s acting in this sequence was perfect. Lady Capulet is more sad when Tebaldo dies than when her own daughter does, he must have had a golden dick. Tebaldo and Mercuzio are dead on stage for a long long time, kudo’s to the actors for putting up with that and actually looking dead. 

- The Prince saying ‘mercy is the killer when it’s granted to the killer’ (that’s the best translation I can come up with right now) was such a deep mood, I haven’t stopped thinking about it. 

- Giulietta’s duet with Romeo’s Mom is the only time she wears her house color. For Tebaldo? I don’t know, if anyone has a theory on this please let me know.

- Romeo and Lorenzo crying next to each other at the altar. Romeo curled up like a baby, so sad. Poor, poor child.

- Romeo’s pj’s are really funny.

- Vedrai is such a heavy scene to watch. It’s very painful but I like it better than the French version. I was pretty mad at Lady Capulet for not standing up to her husband but she did push his hand away Melania-style when he tried to touch her after calling their daughter a whore. Also, Nutrice was so hard on poor Giulietta, I felt betrayed. I can’t help but feel like Count Capulet would have given his blessing for a wedding to Romeo if he had known, Lady Montague maybe too, she really did want her son to be happy. Lady Capulet would have been a problem though.

- Giulietta turning to Lorenzo for help and him turning her down! He is the only one they have left and he doesn’t want to help (at first)!

- Romeo being all alone during Mio Dio.

- There were Giulietta look-a-like dancers standing around her bed before she drank the poison and it was very creepy.

- The Verona reprise with a teary eyed prince like: “Look at this place! You thought I was joking the first time I said this?”

- another side door entrance for a very anxious Montacrew and Benvolio almost fainting when he hears the news about Giulietta’s death. These people are A+ friends. The stage was too small for the original choreo of ‘con che pieta’ but it was really beautifully staged anyway.

- Okay so now it’s time for one of my favourite solo songs in the whole entire show: Mai piu. I was very nervous for this one because it’s so important to me and our Lorenzo looked so much younger than others I’ve seen online, I was really curious as to how he would interpret the song. Throughout the musical the theme of doubting their religious beliefs is very present and it’s come to a climax during this song. Most interpretations I’ve seen where very angry and questioning, some even go slightly mad, but after the first few lines you could already see this Lorenzo had an entirely different take on the song. He was very accusing at first toward the crucified Christ and after a while he looked so disappointed and angry with himself for what he had done. He took of his robe and I thought it was a symbolic gesture to show he would leave his function, but he took of his belt to punish himself and it was so intense and sad and I was shocked at how beautifully raw and human he portrayed his character. Like I said, this performance would make or break the show for me for a big part, but it was so much better than I could have ever imagined.

- The songs Romeo and Giulietta sing before they die usually don’t really interest me on dvd because they drag on for too long in my opinion, but when you watch the show live you really need that time to process everything that has happened. Especially after such an intense Mai piu. The scene looks pretty uncomfortable on the tilted stone bed, I was scared that Romeo was going to fall off.

- GIULIETTA WAKES BEFORE ROMEO IS FULLY DEAD!! HOW RUDE!! Why would you do that to me?

- Paride wasn’t killed even though this one deserved it more than the babyface from the 2013 version but he does appear next to Mercuzio at the end, I don’t really know why, it’s not like anyone cared about him anyway.

- Culpa Nostra is so beautiful. Everyone was dressed in white so you couldn’t see who belonged to which house. I’m pretty sure Benvolio forgot to put on his blue vest when they first came on because everyone takes their house colors off on stage except for him, he was already completely in white. Maybe because he is actually an innocent smoll bean? I do think he forgot though, because him and one the dancers had a short interaction with him nodding to Benny’s clothes with a confused face that seemed out of place. And the Ama e cambia il mondo reprise/theme; very strong ending for the musical.

End of PSA.

[valhyr]

@bigveee​ asked : He'd scratch beneath her chin. "You have a way of poppin up, if I didn't know any better I'd think you were some kinda masochist."

          What ?  No foreplay ‘fore THRUSTING right into the conversation— In their time apart , she’s forgotten how awfully forward he can be ( though no fault is offered , it has its merits , it gives her an idle good humor ) .  Some part of her wants to discard his thought entirely , to REMIND HIM how long it's been since last they spoke – had a drink , talked business ( or disputed pleasure ) – but she also remembers … He is not like Vox.  That would not be to his caliber.  Rather unfortunate !  But at least it seems little has changed in her absence , yet even that is a m e a g e r solace.

          The touch of his claws trailing ‘neath the gleaming flesh of her chin is … TOO FAMILIAR for her to ignore , her head turns to acknowledge him , lidded gaze lifting to meet his eye.  It is an all too g e n t l e gesture ; the Seraph is more than aware of what he’s capable of.  Perhaps it's a sign of respect , of favor— Verona can’t readily discern what it may mean ( if anything ) .  Crowned head lifts – o b e y i n g his motions – just enough to grant him leverage , a slight s m i l e teasing the seams of sanguine lips.  She knows well the ulterior meaning weighing his words , her kind does NOT BELONG here in Hell ( & surely there’s been no shortage of unworthy mongrels looking to take a prize out of her all-holy hide ) .  Even here in his club she’s a RELIC , shining / striking and d a n g e r o u s in her divine might.  The only one who is damned enough to risk approaching her alone is Valentino himself ( there is no fear to him & likely never would be ) .

          A smoking chuff escapes her ; the barest notes of a l a u g h huffed through the nose.  “A masochist ?  Did I ever come across that way to you before ?”  She finally pulls her head from his grip , returning to her drink.  “Consider , Val , I’ve my reasons for being in this place still.”  None of them GOOD , that much is obvious , but this relic elects to keep her secrets no matter how many times they’ve shared space.  “Would it help you to know y o u may be one of them ?”  Doesn’t look at him when she says the words , it’s hard to say if she’s even being sincere.  All she does is smile and raise the glass to her lips for a swallow of liquor.  An angel in the greater hierarchy , wasting her time on a demon overlord— what have things come to ?

[archivesdiveronarpg]

Congratulations, MINNIE! You’ve been accepted for the role of BRUTUS. Admin Em: Minnie, I didn’t even finish reading your plot ideas before I knew you GOT Brutus. He’s a deeply flawed character with few redeeming qualities, but it’s so, so, important to me that the applicant knew the latter as much as the former, inside and out. ‘ Because he is prideful, he is greedy, he is envious and courageous and manipulative — but he is, in his own way, humble.’ You summed him up perfectly in a single sentence, and went on to cement it perfectly in your interview and para sample, capturing our complex turncoat beautifully. Congratulations - I’m so excited to see Brutus on the dash!  Please read over the checklist and send in your blog within 24 hours. 

                                                                                 WELCOME TO THE MOB.

Out of Character

Alias | Minnie

Age | 21

Preferred Pronouns | She/Her

Activity Level | It’s kind of funny to describe my activity to admins who have seen me on the dash hehe. I think I’m pretty active though! Some weeks/days are definitely better than others, but I haven’t been on an activity check as of yet, and I’m online at least once a day. I do replies pretty frequently (at least a couple a week) and I throw myself into my plots, so I would give myself a… 6/10!

Timezone | EST

In Character

Character | Brutus // Boris Kovrov. Honestly, I’m not sure who is my first choice or second choice or third choice… I really love them both. So I will leave the decision to the admins��� discretion, based on whoever I portray most accurately and most passionately!

What drew you to this character? | Brutus is such an iconic character that of course I was scrambling over myself to read his biography. And the entire last paragraph is everything that drew me to him. They curse his name and call him traitor; they look down on him and place themselves above him, without knowing that they are the pawns, the fools who blindly follow what they know and never daring to think for themselves. But Boris — Boris may be arrogant, but he doesn’t presume to be a god. I love that!! About him!!! Because he is prideful, he is greedy, he is envious and courageous and manipulative — but he is, in his own way, humble. I think he would be so so interesting and fun to develop and write and play because of it. He has a strange moral compass that always points him towards himself, and his relationship with his inner demons certainly makes that moral compass a lot more complicated… but Boris isn’t a man without honor, even if it’s not exactly the honor naive idealists imagine. It’s a really unique blend of right and wrong, blacks and greys, and he makes such a unique addition to Verona that I would love to be a part of.

What is a future plot idea you have in mind for the character? |

I.

BAD HABITS WILL RUIN YOU, BORIS!!!!

History repeats itself; gods and mortals alike cannot escape its hand that turns the wheel into a forever-loop. Round and round it goes; betrayal after betrayal after betrayal. Over the years, Boris has tried to right his wrongs — return to the heights from which he’d fallen. Hasn’t he been unfailingly loyal to Faron? Hasn’t he tempered his ambition and greed and envy over the years, calming his temper and soothing his ego? He has — but that was back in Russia. He is in Italy now, in Verona, where dark things love to play and evil loves to dance. There is temptation here, the old siren song of who he used to be and the things he did in hopes of becoming Damiano’s favored one.

Calina and Alva are just two examples of Boris falling back to old habits: to disobey because it suits his greed, to resent because it calls to his envy. His heart is black and self-serving; and it has teeth. I wonder if Boris will recognize the direction he’s headed; I wonder if he will be able to resist, I wonder if he will even listen to Faron if he is admonished for the way his eyes begin to covet Calina’s position or Alva’s impeccable skill. He is greedy, he is envious, he is jealous and disobedient and ambitious. Do such ugly things ever die? No. All we can do is fight it, and fight it, and fight it — but everyone falls, even the gods. Who is to say that Boris is any different? Who is to say that Boris can resist the old game Verona plays, become the man he was long ago in the heart of Verona?

II.  

But for all the reminders and memories Verona holds, there is much difference, too. The kingdom he once worshipped in has crumbled to ashes, as far as he’s concerned. Oh, he remembers Roman Montague — the prince, the heir, the coveted. He remembers who Roman used to be; might even be shocked at who he is now. Regardless of his initial reaction to Roman, Boris is infinitely curious about the new Montague king. For both of them have been sorely disappointed by Damiano; both of them assumed to know him whilst forgetting that gods (and demons) cannot ever be known. Is Roman a god? Is Roman his father’s son, is Roman a Montague that will continue the traditions of old — or is there a new order he intends to follow? Boris has mixed feelings about Roman, and I imagine he’s more than willing to figure them out. I imagine he’s curious about the state of the Montagues. He knows what it’s like to live without Damiano; he’s forced himself to learn.

But what will Damiano’s legacy become without the old king himself? Will they rise? Will they get back on one knee? And — would Boris have stayed if father was more like son? I think these are questions that Boris wonders himself, and intends to find out. Because he’s loyal to Faron and the Spades, absolutely; but man is not man without curiosity, and Boris is a man who likes to have all the answers.

III.

The relationship Boris has with Faron is unorthodox at best — unstable at worst. Faron does not sit on a pedestal, does not wear the crown of kings… and Boris deems him a man worth his loyalty and service. But will that change? Faron does not trust Boris, even he knows that — and in the same vein, Boris does not entirely trust Faron. It is possible to be loyal to someone without putting your faith in them, after all. He will not fall to old mistakes, placing someone on a throne so high that the clouds blur his vices.

But there is something so insulting about a man questioning the value of what he has: his loyalty. Boris’s allegiance is not easily won; he is all too clever and manipulative for it to be easily given. There has to be some resentment, there — some irritation, some vexation. Boris will prove him (and Calina) wrong; but will he snap before he gets the chance to? Will he tire of being watched suspiciously first? Boris trying to prove his reliability while also hiding how annoying it is to have to prove himself would be so fun to play, and would make for some really entertaining Spades dynamics!

In Depth

What is your favorite place in Verona? |

Boris almost laughs.

“It used to be the library, for obvious reasons.” If he had a beard, he would be stroking it now with jeering thoughtfulness. They must know his stained story, his checkered past; he assumes most people who know anything about the Montagues do. “But the years have changed me, and they’ve changed this city, too. So who knows?” He shrugs like he does not have a care in the world, like he is above this line of questioning. “It’s up to Verona to impress me, now.”

The mood changes. He leans forward, and grins like the devil (he isn’t, not quite; he’s something far more dangerous, he is human). “I’m sure I’ll have an answer for you in no time at all.”

What does your typical day look like? |

“So curious!” Boris does laugh this time, like they are old friends and he is utterly amused. He doesn’t intend to answer the question — not honestly, anyway. There are eyes everywhere, ears everywhere. If Damiano has taught him anything, it is that no one can be trusted, and nothing can be assumed. He is on his guard, always; after all, there is no one else to protect him but himself.

“I can show you better than I can tell you,” he says, every word of his soaked in charisma. “Come find me tomorrow in the morning. I’ll walk you through my day, and you can buy me a drink. Or five.”

For each day brings with it new horrors and new tasks; his hands are muddied and caked with blood and tears (both of which are never his). And Boris gets away with it all; only because he refuses to be knowable. He is a man made lesson: do not betray the hand that made you, do not abandon ship and become a traitor like that Boris.

They think to know him, but they never will; so with an aloof smirk and a challenging quirk of his brow, Boris leans back in his seat and dares the other to press further. When no follow-up question is phrased, Boris feels a small thrill run through him. Game, set, match.

What are your thoughts on the war between the Capulets and the Montagues? |

An eyebrow neatly arches, nearly touches his temple. “What war?” he muses, as if he’s genuinely curious, as if he’s never heard of any such tension between two old enemies.

If they asked him this in Yekaterinburg, his question would be genuine; is life as a Montague has felt blurry at best when in the heart of the Spades. But he is back in Verona, and the memories are crystal clear; remembering the war is as natural as breathing. Once, his lips naturally curled into a frown at the mention of the Capulets. In fact, Boris almost feels the sneer on his mouth now; but he’s careful to keep his smile intact, aloof and carefree (perhaps even careless).

“It’s old news,” he says dismissively, picking up his glass (vodka, his drink of choice), “an old story. I tire of old stories. I’m ready for the new.” It’s an answer that is not an answer at all; but with a hearty gulp of vodka, Boris decisively puts an end to the question. The war is over; a new age has begun.

Faron will see to it, and so will he.

In-Character Para Sample:

“I’m leaving, мама.” The words may fall flat, and his lips may stand in an unfeeling, unmoving line; but Boris’s eyes betray the depth of his heart for his mother.

Behind every man is his mother’s silent hand, guiding him through the stars and into her bosom — but this is different. This is a goodbye, this is one man cutting the strings of his heart that lead him home. This is Boris, telling his family goodbye, leaving them behind as he walks the road to hell.

He is Dante, and the sun is silent, and he will follow the three beasts in search of his soul. мама cannot come; мама must be left behind, and Boris will not look back once he steps away. But he has this moment, these last few minutes to memorize the hard lines of his mother’s face and ignore the tears hanging from her lashes. She, along with the rest of the world, will never understand: betrayal makes a man lonely, traps a man in his own cage and black heart.

No one will understand. But there must be one person who will see something redeemable in what he offers and who he is; there must be one soul who will see the survivor that roars within. So there is no other choice left to him but departure, but abandonment.

Despite the grief in her eyes, his mother’s voice is strong and unwavering; this is the woman he loves, this is the woman he will pray to long after this night. “мой сын.” She holds up a hand, and his palm meets hers, their fingers folding over each other’s hands in a loose goodbye.

Boris opens his mouth to tell her he loves him, and she cuts him off: “Enough. Go.”

But he does not budge; he is suddenly unable to move. For fear? For love? (Are they not one and the same?)

“Go,” she says again, the command a boulder that crushes all softness in its path. “And do not forget, Boris…”

He uncurls his fingers from hers and, without unlocking his gaze from hers, bows his head with deep respect for the woman who has held their family and Yekaterinburg and Verona together with an iron hand.

“Do not forget that you are mine.”

They are her last words to him, and as Boris walks away from the only home he has ever truly known, he mourns, regrets the fact that his mother’s last wishes will never be carried through. For Boris has never been hers, will never be hers. Perhaps, once, he was Damiano’s; but now, he belongs only to himself, and no one can take that away from him.

He keeps his expression neutral and solid, a mountain that withstands rivers and avalanches and invaders. After a deep breath and one last shudder of longing for the boy he once was, Boris Kovrov shuts this chapter of his life and walks away from Verona. He does not look back.

Extras:

Sexuality. Boris is bisexual. He prefers men over women (#daddy issues???), but he certainly likes to entertain both. Sex comes easily to Boris, and Boris enjoys sex very much. He lost his virginity when he was a teenager, and has made a point of becoming the best ever since.

Hobbies. Boris has little time for extracurricular activities outside of his work for the Spades (and, in the past, for the Montagues). But every night, before he goes to bed, Boris reads an old legend, of men who go to war and emerge victorious, of gods who smite down the pride of man with so little as a glance. It keeps him humble; but it also keeps him ambitious. To live below the gods’ reigns, but also to strive for a constellation of his own.

Personal care. No one would excuse Boris of lacking vanity. He is careful to keep his appearances in order; to be a powerful man, you must look the part, as well. His eyebrows are carefully plucked, his hair is always in place, and he always makes sure to moisturize.

Family. Boris hasn’t spoken to his family in years, but his first mission in Verona was to find out what happened to his family. His father was punished for his son’s betrayal (I would like for this to be an execution, but a banishment works also!) and his mother escaped Verona the same night he did. He was unable to find out where his mother ran to, but he certainly doesn’t intend to find out; that life is behind him, now.

[stylessemantics]

Impossible Harry Tag

This has been exhausting... I have no strength left. Here’s the Harry tag.

This has got to be the hardest thing I’ve done and me and my babble-y self probably made it even longer than needed. So if you want to know, or if you’re harry styles (cause I wrote something for you at the end), go ahead and click keep reading

I was tagged by : @cuddlemusclestyles​ @muggleharry​ @hestylesno​ @wdmsusie​ @revolutionaryharry​ @cheshirepuddin​ @legend-waitforit-harry​ thank you for putting me through the hardest test ever.

Answer these questions about Harry and then tag some people, pass it on!

I’m tagging: NO ONE CAUSE THIS IS HARD AF. jk: @harrycarryme​ @yeshaddy​ @harryswinston​ @harktheharold​ @narrymccartney​ @stylesunchained​ @stylesinthewild​ @harrysdetails​ @stilesharrystyles​ @dunquirky​

Favourite look: 2010-forward. Am i able to cheat like this? No? ok? I’m going to say cuddly Harry, so as long as he’s got a sweater I’m in. Boyfriend Harry as well, meaning coat and sweaters, basically all cozy Harries all my fave (HIM IN NEW YORK THE OTHER DAY WITH THE SCARF OH MY OH MY). Also if we can see his legs I dig cause I love his legs and we don’t get to see them often so

that’s how i look when i talk on the phone so this photo means a lot.

AND A VERY VERY VERY SPECIAL MENTION TO THIS MOMENT CAUSE I LOVE IT FOR SOME REASON, IT LOOKS LIKE HE HAS FRECKLES AND HE’S SO CUTE AND RED-LIPPED AND MESSY CURLY HAIR AND HE LOOKS VERY SOFT AND HOMEY AND LIKE HE SMELLS OF CINNAMON AND TEA. I SHOULD HAVE JUST SAID THIS IS MY FAVE, HONESTLY. BUT ALL HARRY LOOKS ARE AWESOME.

Also his gucci suit that I took inspo form when I wrote the “Suit and Tie Minus The Tie” piece... The one from Miu Miu London, what a look.

Favourite tweet: I don’t think I have a fave or that his whole feed comes to mind i don’t know it by heart. So I’ll say “all the love as always, H” or “Be Nice Be Good” Anything where he’s just spreading love.

Favourite Interview & Why: The one with Liam on the rollercoaster maybe. I’m also tempted to say the one where he’s all snezy that i used as inspo for witch harry chapter 1 cause i love his sneezing face. It’s an Australian one. Also carpool karaoke and a league of their own - he got so wet it was cuteeeeeee

Favourite Stage Moment:  All the times he’s fallen or danced any silly dance. The one where he’s all “let’s love each other. Flowers flowers and candy!”, yes please (HERE)

The one where he spent like 15 mins trying to get a girls name right to sing happy birthday to them. (HERE)

And the one where he whistles to a security so he helps a fan out. Him whistling makes me wet all over. (HERE)

Favourite Hair Style: Prince!Harry at the end of 2014, his very long ‘late late tattoo roulette’ hair, and of course :

My fave hair from another man. It’s the haircut we never got to see and it has a special place in my heart and i wish he kept it for a bit longer and showed it off more.

Favourite Family Member: All of them? All his family seems like the nicest bunch of people. His dad seems wonderful and like Harry looks so much like him. Anne is a sweetheart and she’s mom goals, she’s so amazing and she raised two angels. Gemma seems like the best sibling, she’s sister goals, she’s a feminist and I feel like we could be friends so that’s all i need to like her loads. And even Robin, who’s taken the task to be a second dad to Harry and i have no doubts he has been so amazing to him, to anne and to gemma as well, I can imagine Harry and Robin having little step-dad-to-step-son moments.

Favourite Celebrity + Harry: Harry + Ed Sheeran. My two babes. Also Harry and James Corden, and HArry and Emma Watson, dunno if they are close but I can imagine them being good friends and i can imagine him, Emma and Gemma grabbing a cuppa and talking about women rights, acting, work, fashion, etc.

Favourite Tattoo: I can’t change. His mom’s name, George Michael lyrics on his ankles, and Big on his big toe. DEF my faves.

Favourite Quote: Be nice to nice? I don’t remember but whatever he said when 1d joined office depot and had this anti bullying campaign and Harry had the word Nice. It’s the definition of him. Supportive, loving, caring, respectful and nice.

Favourite Instagram Post: His photo with Matt Irwin cause it’s the cutest. When he cut his hair and just tagged Little Princess Trust. His “Thank You All T-e Love, H”, one on scrabble, damn it’s so smart. LOVED IT. When he labeled his left and right shoe, Baby-nanas, and his “sometimes the king is a woman” and he tagged his mumma. And i can’t seem to find it now but that photo that is my aesthetic:

Harry, barefoot, small wooden cabin,fairy lights, solitude, a guitar, a hat, MY AESTHETIC. This photo is everything I want.

Favourite Music Video: Midnight Memories? They got to be silly for a night and have an experience to never forget. Also, last video as a teenager.

Favourite Another Man Picture: Let’s get the obvious out of the way, we all know my icon is my aesthetic and it’s all i could ever wish for. Harry, sweater-paws, flowers, dimply smile. But in honour to my fave hair cut of all 3 another man cuts:

he looks like he’s 12 and I ranted about this photo to a lot of people for hours cause I find it to endearing that he got this haircut at his house, he went around his hometown, it’s like a coming of age shoot, he looks so young but so old at the same time, he’s back to his roots and he’s showing us this part of himself, the past. I love it. Also the styling was on point and the clothes for every photo where he has the medium length hair are so amazing. Love them to no belief. And special mention to him wearing converse cause that destroyed me! Wear them more often Harold!

Now answer:

Your Name: Iv!

Your Age: 21

Where You Live: Somewhere warm.

Have you ever seen Harry live in concerts or met him? Any special moments?: I have never had the pleasure of seeing them live or meeting any of the 1D lads. I’m hoping someday I will, and it would break me in half if i NEVER got to see 1D live cause they never come back from their hiatus like, i hate to think that my window to see 1D live is closed.

What’s your favourite thing about Harry?: Well I think I’ve said it somewhere in this post or it’s obvious but I love how down to earth he is, how he’s so aware of his talent but is also very humble and nice to everyone. I love his dimples and his hands, but then again I have a thing for hands, not just Harry’s. I love his voice and how he seems to be very real and true to himself. I love how we can see his passion when he does something he loves and I absolutely love that he’s very close to his family.

What is your favourite line/lyric of Harry’s on a 1D album?: “I love you it’s all i do, I love you.” - Also i just realised harry did not write in what a feeling and it broke me in half but “you’ve got stars their in your eyes” I just love hearing him sing. “all i know at the end of the day is you love who you love” “Feel you on my back while I’m calling a taxi climbing over me while i get in the back seat” “baby I’ll never leave if you keep holding me this way” “we’re never coming back down, we’re looking down on the clouds” “in the heat where you lay i could stay right here and burn in it all day” “tell me do you ever try to come to the other side” “Little black dress what’s your favourite song, i wont do you no harm”

LISTEN i can’t choose. And most of these are from Four and MITAM cause those albums hit me in the fucking throat when they came out, they were so grown up and different and it felt like they were just practicing for years to get to this and then be, ok we can separate and be ourselves alone now. It was the best growth in a band ever and now they are coming to hit us solo and it’s going to be even more intense.

What is the song that reminds you the most of Harry?: I can’t pick. I have a playlist on spotify though lol. Paris - April (cause I want to have that with Harry.) Sweet Emotion - The Kooks, (we can jam out Harry. Please let’s do this.) American Money - BØRNS. She’s American - the 1975 1973 - James Blunt Loving You - Minnie Riperton Fico Assim Sem Você - Adriana Calcanhotto Just The Two Of Us - Bill Withers Road Trippin’ - RHCP Cuando Te Beso - Juan Luis Guerra Anything Pink Floyd.

And many more that I can’t think about now.

What is the movie that reminds you the most of Harry?: Begin Again. 10TIHAY (only cause harry needs to be patrick verona) IDK which else. I need help I haven’t seen many movies as of lately that remind me of him and the others i just can’t place.

How long have you been a Harrie?: Since day one, and by that I mean since ONE THING (i did not and still don’t like WMYB so I didn’t becom a fan until they released one thing and I liked it and gave them a chance). Harry caught my eye, after all I’ve always been a lover of the curly headed ones in boy bands, and then i was like, ohhh hello there, who’s thise? Zayn? oh hi zayn” and was a zayn girl for like 4 months but Harry was always there at the back of my head and then he just took over before take me home. Been at this since.

Where you were when the first Dunkirk trailer came out?: What are we calling the first dunkirk trailer? the official one of the one that was like small snippets where we couldn’t even tell if harry showed up in the trailer? cause for that one i was home, for the other one (the longer one) i was just getting out of class.

What do you expect for HS1?: Adult, soft, diverse, rock, very indie and very harry, powerful lyrics and emotion, loads of passion and at the same time minimalism. He’ll be quiet, but he’ll be rocking out at the same time. Would not be surprised if he decided to throw an instrumental track in the middle of the album, that he hummed himself and slowly came to life with him on the piano and on the guitar with whatever limited of expanded knowledge of these instruments he has.

What are your tags for Harry on Tumblr?: about H, hi harry, Harold, Harry + *insert thing*. I love him so. things i love about harry. Harru.

Who is your favourite Harry blog?: Cannot choose.

If Harry could read this now, what would you say?: my “Hi harry” tag is everything i want to say to harry/things i say directly to harry as if he was reading my blog (so like a public conversation with him that he never does read) But here’s a letter to harry:

Please ignore my blog, I’m not as exaggerated and stupid and impressionable as I sound on here.

And do ignore my rants about marrying you, specially if they make you uncomfortable. I would love to be your friend, I feel like I could learn a lot from you. I’m a weird person that likes to sit between people that know more than i do so i can soak in their knowledge as they passionately talk about the things they love and know.

Honestly I want to be your friend, I have nothing to give, not a single good trait other than loyalty and I have a very comfy shoulder to lay your head on if you want to talk. I’m also supportive, to the point I might annoy you; maybe, we don’t know. And puns make me roll on the ground laughing. Also I enjoy the snippets of you you’ve shown us and I believe you have so much talent and potential. Thank you for being you and sharing it with the world.

And I’m honest. If you ever need anything, or just a wall to talk to, I can be that, just ring. Fan with a blog and all, i can and will keep your secrets. OR GO THROUGH MY HI HARRY TAG AND LAUGH AT MY SILLY CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU LOL.

I’m breathless. xo. Iv.

[diveronarpg]

Congratulations, KITA! You’ve been accepted for the role of CORIOLANUS. Admin Minnie: Kita, I genuinely don’t think we’ve had a Cyrus like yours join us in Verona. The way you capture both Cyrus’s beauty and his ugliness both. All that entitlement, all that arrogance, all that charm — you’ve grasped it masterfully. You understand Cyrus on a deep, personal level; but that’s not why I was so excited to accept your application. Ultimately, it was this line that really won me over: “But mostly, I am here because of this: if I do not stand witness to a falling star, if I do not love him as he is–, then I fear no one ever will.” I’m already in love with your Cyrus for who he is, and all the potential he has to ruin my life! Please read over the checklist and send in your blog within 24 hours.

WELCOME TO THE MOB.

OUT OF CHARACTER Alias | kita Age | 20 Preferred Pronouns | she/her Activity Level | I think I can be fairly active. I am a full-time student, so my priority will always be there, but I always aim to get my replies done within a week. 6/10 or more? Hopefully more. Timezone | EST 

(also English is not my first language so pls be kind)

IN CHARACTER Character |

Cyrus Vicente Sloane ; CORIOLANUS FC: Lorenzo Zurzolo

Alt fc: Wolfgang Novogratz

What drew you to this character? |

oh Gods, where do I begin? Of all Verona’s monsters, Cyrus Sloane has to be one of the worst. At once, spoiled rotten, cruel and innately duplicitous, Cyrus is an arrogant princeling whose tyranny knows no bounds. And yet, as soon as I finished reading his biography, I knew it was over. He materialized in my mind like some sort of phantom, flashed that winning smile at me and visions of him haunted me ever after.

I saw his head across Brigette’s lap on a lazy summer afternoon. Sipping champagne out of long-stemmed glasses, wearing filigreed gold masks to cover their ugliness inside, the two of them are tyrants, fickle and fiendish things about to wreak terror on a city that has only known it.

———— “do you love me, cyrus?” she pouts. he smiles. when he kisses the petulance from her lips, there is no answer needed.

I saw his lips tilt upward into a smug grin as he and Lawrence meet up in a dingy bar. When the time comes, he throws his head back with laughter, he leans in, whispers something just loud enough for the other man to hear. This is a dangerous game to play, Lawrence knows. Nothing, after all, is ever given freely. But one look at Cyrus, at that indigent boy who seems not at all concerned with his traitorous tongue nor the consequences of it, and his fears are momentarily assuaged.

———— “all of this is just talk between friends, signor vernon,” cyrus says, waving off worries with an unconcerned shrug. lawrence pauses, raises an eyebrow, “is that what we are?”

I could wax poetic about why Cyrus is the way he is, why he plays at being charming, demands to be worshipped. But, in the end, it boils down to this: the rot in Cyrus Sloane is that he could not find it in himself to be forgiven. The anger he has in his heart, the revenge he plots– it is all because he cannot find anyone to blame but himself.

In Capetown, he learned to make weapons out of fleeting sweet-faced grins and honeyed lies. Barely into manhood, he won the hearts of his countrymen, had the ear of a kingpin, sat poised for an easy throne. But, though he had everything one could ever dream of, he still gave it all up in order to return to the place of his first and most terrible failure. Look, I have no doubt that he tells himself that he hates his mother. I have no doubt that he even believes that. However, I know that if you cut him open, you would see that he only hates that he does not hate her, not really. He hates that he cannot fault her for anything that she has ever done.

He had always idolized her, had always thought her the paragon of perfection, of stoic and unbending strength. He had never even blamed her for being cold to him– after all, his mother was never anything but pragmatic. She must have had her own reasons to toss him to the wolves. He blames her only for this: for propping up a mirror to his nature, for casting a light on a part of him that he would rather have never acknowledged… for reminding him that he was weak enough to be unwanted, that no matter how hard he tried to be beloved—he would only ever be left behind.

Yes, he is a sharp and cutting thing, hard to look at. He burns so bright, my icarian boy. He fashions himself so easy to be loved and flies so close to the sun, taunting it to shoot him down. He will ruin Verona, if he has his way. He will almost certainly burn himself up to do it. And I suppose I have applied— in part, to try and stop him, to save him from himself. But mostly, I am here because of this: if I do not stand witness to a falling star, if I do not love him as he is–, then I fear no one ever will.

What is a future plot idea you have in mind for the character? |

1— Nothing short of a prodigy in politics + war, this princeling figures some form of leadership to be the most natural application for his talents, and, as it seems, he seems destined for it. Impressed by Cyrus’ verve and natural aptitude for diplomacy, Cosimo has promoted the young man to an emissary and holds Cyrus in high regard. But, while Cyrus seems content in his position and its upwards mobility, he does not intend to take orders forever.

In his biography, there are inklings of a betrayal from Cyrus to the Capulets written throughout his biography. His position to Lawrence as an informant is an obvious clue of lack of loyalty, but it definitely goes far beyond that. Cyrus pays no mind to any man (nor God). He is only concerned with his own interest.

While the possibility of Cyrus becoming a Montague is tantalizing, I think Cyrus hates the Capulets for what they have done to him, but he hates all of Verona the same way. Trading loyalties to the Montagues, to another mob family with a rigid hierarchy isn’t how Cyrus sees himself. He wants to be King, not just a soldier with a different perspective of the Castelvecchio Bridge. Right now, Cyrus does his best to play at peace. But, as the war in Verona streets escalates, the number of neutral sanctuaries decreases, I intend to make Cyrus prove himself loyal to a side, once and for all— whichever one that may be.

———— “Do you not trust me?” Cyrus grins. With his teeth bared and the whites of his eyes glittering in the dark, he looks like the Cheshire cat. You think you have never trusted him less.

2— Earnestly, I think that Cyrus probably wouldn’t betray the Capulets for the Montagues. However, I didn’t say Cyrus wouldn’t betray the Capulets altogether. In fact, for his goal (just like… enacting revenge on all of Verona), I think it’s more likely than not that he will betray them at some point. A thread I’ve been following through the biographies is Cassian’s ties to certain neutral parties (olivia + mona in particular). I could be misreading, but Olivia has her eyes on him. Mona knows his secrets. Like snakes, they cut through the grass, wrap themselves around the prey and they squeeze. Pressure mounting, Cassian might crack sometime soon. And Cyrus— well, he’s nothing if not an opportunist.

In the biography, it is explicitly stated that Cyrus seeks to overtake Cassian. Though Cyrus plays the part of being his dutiful student, he has no real affection for his mentor. Ever since he has been in Verona, he has tried to get closer to his mentor. However, when he spots Olivia’s watchful gaze on the man, I think Cyrus will jump at the chance to act– to finally show that he is not someone to be underestimated. I think this is a perfect opportunity for him to stumble.

I would love to see him team up with Mona and Olivia to amp up the pressure on Cassian. And moreover, I would love to see Cyrus’ loyalties be swayed to them entirely. In my eyes, Mona Chen is someone who thrives in duplicity, whose mother (and father) has not been kind to her and someone who Cyrus knows- will never bow to anyone. It is those things that Cyrus respects. It is those things that will make Cyrus vulnerable to her.

Perhaps Cyrus just passes information about Cassian to Mona and Olivia at first. he offers his assistance from time to time. But maybe things go deeper. Maybe he sees Mona as the coming storm, as someone who will brings the winds of change. Maybe Cyrus can be even convinced to follow her entirely. In any case, this is a perfect opportunity for Cyrus to make a misstep, for him to reveal too much about himself and having that be his undoing. Mona is a woman who deals with secrets and has no problem weaponizing that. It would be awful for him, if she had some dirt of him.

———— “You cannot think that I will let you crush my mentor,” he says, “at least, not without my help.”

3— What is Cyrus without his mother? What is a list of plots without Cyrus and Vivianne on it?. Honestly, I don’t even know where this is going to go. I just know that it’s going to hurt so exquisitely. If you asked Cyrus about his mother, he would laugh. I have your love, he would say, why do I need hers? There is no hard feelings between the two of them, he says. What she did gave him a better life. I mean, just look at him. He was spoiled in Capetown, given everything he ever wanted. And now that he is back in Verona, his good fortune has only followed. Right?

In the years since Cyrus left Capetown, Vivianne has only thrived. She has married Cosimo, become the underboss of the city’s best crime family (fuck u, montagues). She has even found a surrogate daughter to replace him, one that she loves in ways that she never could with him. It is clear that the problem was never with her. To a layman’s eye, Cyrus is nothing but an indigent boy who aims to make Verona his playground. Reveling in every waking moment in the city, he’s a reckless and terrible thing, content to leave caution to the wind so long as he conquers these streets. But the truth is– he has no appetite for ambition without her as an audience, no desire to prove his happiness and success if the news will not travel somehow to her ears.

He hates Vivianne. But what he hates most about her is that—while he would have done anything for her attention, she never seemed to care for him. ———— “You have the world, Cyrus,” she says, calm as ever. He laughs. ”Does it matter? I would have given it all up if you had just been there.”

Are you comfortable with killing off your character? | not yet.

IN DEPTH In-Character Para Sample:

//// I WROTE THIS LITERALLY ALL TODAY BC I WANTED TO GET MY APP IN PLS DONT JUDGE TOO HARSHLY

Mass had only ended an hour or so ago. The candles lit for the service still smoldered from having been snuffed out. But Cyrus held no pretensions—sanctity had left this house of worship far before that.

There was nothing holy about this place, he ascertained.  

Perhaps there never had been.

Of course—he would not deny that, as a child, Cyrus had found the Cattedrale di Verona impossibly beautiful. A feat of architecture like no other, it had filled his chest with wonder to see the golden mural that arched across the vaulted ceiling, the reverential way sunlight passed through the stained glass. However, he had long since learned that the spectacle was only a clever ruse. Just like most things in Verona, beauty existed only to hide the rot that so often lurked beneath.

As he walked through the empty pews now, he felt a visceral disgust with himself. How had he not seen it? While he sat in these very seats, knelt on this very floor, sought out something bigger than himself, looked in every corner to find out why the room always felt so empty, he had been blind to the cracks in walls, the chips in the paint. The priest had said once to him that “in god, he would find all answers”—but there was no salvation to be found here.

Even when he had needed it the most, he had never found any salvation here.

Yes, you see he understood now. There was only one reason why he came to the Cathedral now: to drink in his bitterness, to remind himself of the debt he was owed.

The Cathedral was his, just like this city was. Not in that he believed in it or that he loved it more than anyone else, but because he had paid for it ten times over. It had promised him mercy and benevolence and safety, but, when every alley had looked like fear and every corner had held another terrible surprise, it had denied him of all of it. When he was weak, they had cast him aside, and he still remembered that casual cruelty, still felt the sting of rejection and could not bear it.

With no one around to stop him, Cyrus clambered atop an empty pew and went to light a cigarette. While the puff of smoke rose ever upwards, caressed the faces of Abaddon and John, St. Michael and Magog, he laughed. How prescient of them, he thought to himself, to paint a picture of their own reckoning.

He stubs his cigarette out on the pew. It leaves a scorch mark, but he does not seem to care. He offers a rakish smile to no one in particular. He laughs.

“You would forgive me,” he says to the empty air.

(And look- look at that winsome smile, at that careless leer. You could try to fault him for something. He would dare you to. But you would still forgive him anyways.)

[archivesdiveronarpg]

Congratulations, LIA! You’ve been accepted for the role of CLEOPATRA. It’s extremely rare for an applicant to convince me they’re the right person for the role before I even get to their in-character writing, but Lia, you did just that. You made it abundantly clear from the beginning just how well you understand Calina, and because she’s a rather hard character to nail down, it was so refreshing to read. Your interview and sample were lovely, but what really sealed the deal was the drabble you posted on your mockblog; it was short and sweet, but it packed quite a punch in terms of characterization, and I loved it. I trust you’ll do our Queen of Spades justice. Welcome to DiVerona! Your request to change her faceclaim to Aisha Hart has also been accepted. Please read over the checklist and send in your blog within twenty-four hours.

                                                                          WELCOME TO THE MOB.

Out of Character

Alias | Lia

Age | 21+

Preferred Pronouns | she/her they/them

Activity Level | 8-10/10 I can usually be around every day. ATM I’m slightly busier than usual since I’m the most mobile person available (my parents both just had hip replacements) but that should be easing off within the next couple of weeks.

Timezone | GMT

In Character

Character | Cleopatra, Calina Sokolova. FCwise Aiysha Hart (or any actor fc of your preference tbh? the only reason I’m requesting an FC change is my discomfort with fcs who aren’t known for playing characters, so apologies for that)

What drew you to this character? | Well, first of all I’ll have to mention what drew me to the roleplay (as though this is a legacy interview and you’ve instead asked about my six ex-husbands). Since fruition I have been lurking diverona, with every intention to apply. I have watched my favourite potentials be claimed by much more talented and capable writers- and it has brought a lot of strange feeling; obvious annoyance that I couldn’t apply at the time, and ridiculous gratitude that I’d get to see them all come to life in such a beautiful setting. I’ve vaguely mentioned the reasons in my Activity Level section, but suffice to say it was always beyond my control to apply here before now. I could have, but never would have been able to guarantee activity or dedicate myself in the way this roleplay and all of the members deserve. At the very beginning of my rp experience, I adminned and was member of an rp where we only wrote lengthy paras, but there were merely a handful of us for a core group of two plus years, meaning not a lot of major plots or developments were able to happen. Imagine my delight to find an rp with similar essence and many more characters for lives to be tangled in. Diverona is an Oasis. And so my longing had settled soundly on Cleopatra. Unfortunately the timing still wasn’t optimum, and once again I pressed my nose to glass and stared in. It feels almost fated, to my mind, that she is available for application. For whether I am accepted or not, this is an opportunity I have been granted. (Also s/o to Minnie for encouraging me to take it)

As for the actual question, I will have to admit that it has been a long time since I have written anyone who could be considered with heart tainted to the evils of the world, to desperation, like Cleopatra has experienced. My characters of choice seem to, these days, always be the innocents and the gold of heart. Calina is one of those, and still she is not. She has layers and layers of memories and identities and vulnerabilities all hidden behind the titanium of her mind. Her heart is gentle but fierce, fluttering as a hummingbird in her chest at the idea she could return to that vision of bright star in someone’s life- as she was for her mother. And yet her ribs have caged it in very purposefully, her skeleton demanded to action (as a more brutal ally) by that cunning mind. She is both a mess of contradictions, and not. A contradiction in itself. There is softness to the way she appears, relief in her freedom, but only hardness renders her as survivor, commander. Even in her role as advisor she must be both strong, steadfast in the face of changeable tides, and delicate, willing to accept when her course of action can not continue, withdraw from conflict herself. There is no room for anything but brain. Her blood may call out for anything it desires, that which stems from the heart or the throat; revenge, violence, acceptance, union; none of it finds sanctuary in her plans for Faron, for the Spades. She is indifferent to her own motivations, dedicated to their cause. She is not heartless, and truly those who claim to be are always the ones who fail, they have underestimated their enemy their ally. Her heart is of use because it has been targeted time and time again by sorrow, and she has melded it for better use- it is not untouchable, but it is proof of her ability to rise triumphant (heart bruised but beating) from the remains of the beasts that would try to tear it apart. She knows better than most that subtle, gentle things (creeping illness and whispers of doubt) can tear your world apart instead.

To me she is incredibly multi-faceted, with room for every version of her to take centre stage at some point- to be given credence. And what more could be asked of a character, a person, but to allow opportunity to get to know them for their strengths and their weaknesses- even if hers are gripped tight in hand and revealed with a flourish, settled before her enemies as though a ruse. Try if you dare.

What is a future plot idea you have in mind for the character? |

[Paradise Circus] This is such a basic thing, but I just can’t wait to see Calina’s interactions with everyone. I’ve mentioned that she’s very detached and logical in her plans, so I could absolutely see her able to maintain relationships with people she would willingly sacrifice. It’s just war. They may be on opposite sides, but that does not need to permeate their very beings in such visible ways as spite or ignorance. It will be a real test to see if she is able to befriend someone or develop some sort of feeling about them, before removing herself from the thought of it completely when the success of the Spades deems it necessary.

[Dirty Whirl] When browsing the locations page I have wondered time and time again on what her thoughts are on The Dark Lady. I’d really appreciate being able to explore whether it’s an uneasy reminder of her past, or how she feels about the treatment of employees there, even if she would return to her old career if it were to benefit some plan. If that is the one limit she would set in her loyalty to their cause.

[Lift the Curse] ‘Brutal and gentle things alike have always left a bitter taste in her mouth…’ and I can utterly understand her motivations in that; how they remind her with such punctuation of her past lives, of her own suffering. And while I feel that is of such significance to her, I also wonder whether her thoughts will change, whether she will push herself to check if she can avoid reacting to them. Calina doesn’t like having any tells but feels she is most likely to show her hand in this case, with her immediate distaste for these extremes of character. When faced with Trinity or Maeve or anyone so firm in form, I want to see her thought process and her interactions with them developing, to a point where I can actually answer whether this is something concrete and unchangeable for her.

[The Boxer] Calina doesn’t get her hands dirty. She had far too much of that with her previous occupation, with the grime she could never quite wash away, and the stains upon her ghost. She had to be more than capable of it, however, with the life she lived. She’s only ever played at being submissive, so it stands to reason that she has confidence in her own physicality as well. Another simple idea, but I’d like to see her in training when it isn’t just about her mind; when she might be preparing herself for the worst case scenarios. After all, she can take care of herself but doesn’t usually have to.

In Depth

I hope it’s alright but I imagined the questions as taking place at different times with different people.

What is your favorite place in Verona? | “My favourite place in Verona” the words curl thoughtfully from her lips, the hint of a secret behind them. She is relaxed back into the leather chair, body soft, no angles about her.And though her elbow is propped against the arm of the chair, her wrist curves fluidly, fingertips grazing through the air, an artist with her brush relaying words. She thinks of the obvious answer, the one she knows in her bones as well as heart, the Cathedral. A lifetime passes behind her eyes as she recalls every association to her mother; the way she had whispered to the crook of Calina’s neck as she tucked her in ‘oh how I prayed for you’, the sunlight that seemed cast from heaven itself to spill across the woman’s face and lighten her in near-death ‘you have your faith and I have mine’, the sound of Calina’s words tearing from her throat in the abandoned church in Novosibirsk ‘We are all our own gods’ as the very reason for her repeated visits to the Cathedral. No matter that she didn’t believe, when it would honour her mother’s choices instead. The lifetime passes but is not betrayed in time. The perceived secret allowed only seconds to be shaped by her. “Well” she leans forward just a tad, coquettish grin on her face as her gaze scatters, both eager and uncertain of sharing such a story. The enticed and trusting tourist, with inhibitions cast away as holiday allowance. “if you promise it’s between us.” She shakes her head, sinks back in retreat, moves forward again, hand lifted and settled into her lap. All in the blink of an eye. Go on, ask me again. Force my hand. The grin is eaten by presumed uncertainty and the curve of her mouth, lips flexing and dropping, a glance at the pearls her secret is shielded behind. Pretty girl, food for the wolf. “I’d have to say the Tempest Lounge.” Oh it’s unbearable for this tentative youth, so enamoured by the interest and terrified the words might betray a scandal. Calina brings her voice to a hushed whisper, shifting her full body forward now, palms pressed against knees or brushing hair behind her ear in furious submission. “I hope that isn’t a terrible answer?” her gaze fixates on the speaker for just a second, confirmation sought, before she casts it down to her hands. “I mean, nothing too salacious has happened when I’ve been there.” her voice returns to a more reasonable volume, “And certainly I’ve never .. I wouldn’t be involved in anything so.. but I have heard rumours.” Her hands twist together, and she watches the reflection of the sun in her rings, the light of virtue. “I didn’t realise when I went first of all, so please don’t think that’s what appealed to me. I just..” a sigh of defeat, she’s making this worse. “It almost seemed the heartbeat of the city, with it’s bold lights and sounds. It made me feel less alone, less scared somehow. There’s always someone wherever you look. I really..” the tiniest huff of inhalation through her nostrils, bolstering herself against having admitted too much, this girl this dove. “I really hope my answer doesn’t reflect badly on me.”

What does your typical day look like? | “A typical day, hmm?” she tends to repeat questions back, confirmation she has been listening, fuel for the ego as way to ingratiate herself. “Shall we start with waking?” she reclines against the desk chair, busying herself with tugging her sleeves back. All business. And still she waits for confirmation, when this is not intended as negotiation- the interviewer is there for guidance and she is there for declaration. “Alright then,” she nods firmly, wrapping her hands against the arms of the chair before she continues, “I seem to have a habit of waking five minutes before my alarm.” A crease of forehead, the tensing of eyes, “Most unfortunate if you ask me, for now I’m stuck with the question of what would happen if I simply didn’t set the alarm. Would I awake as usual, body expectant of the noise? or would I be left to sleep in peace, only to later find out that I’ve wasted part of the day?” Her right pointer finger taps against the chair, the root of emphasis. A break between speaking. “And then of course there’s breakfast, rather a dull tale I’m afraid.” She corrects the straightened posture, though it has barely slipped, head inclined to the right, offering herself in half-profile to her questioner. Her lips purse mildly, expression neutral as she clutches at significant details to relay. She turns back after a moment, lips slipping from plumpness to an awkward flattening, enquiry written across her brow. “I suppose I’ll have to blanket the ideas as touristy things, when really every day I take in another sight. Not so familiar yet with the best places to spend my time.” The roll of her fingers tapping against the chair arms in order, left to right, covers the noise of exhalation as her face settles to neutrality again. “In the evenings I like to find a new eatery to try for dinner. Thankfully there’s been no true disasters yet.” The profferred facade spends the rest of the time offering the most vague overviews of the night prior to returning to her hotel room. Calina Sokolova finds joy in the idea the questioner is more bored by her answers than she is, which seems to be an incredible feat. She might never have been able to answer the question truthfully anyhow, when every day seems as different and as similar as the one before. They have not fully stepped into the breach, and still she can not call any day typical. Perhaps she could mention her morning coffee with Faron, or the way she checks in with someone new every night to subtly question them on Boris, or how she buys a single flower from the market every day and drops it from Castelvecchio by the set of the sun. Except she’s already telling so much of herself in her answers, it is not her fault that they can not see.

What are your thoughts on the war between the Capulets and the Montagues? | “Oh goodness, hit me with the hard one why dontcha” she slaps at the table, the noise reverberating in unison with her laughter. Her eyes light upon the neutral expression of the asker and perceive it as something more. Laughter subsides and energy dissipates. “Now darlin’ I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to get you all upset. It’s just a bit surreal to me, ya know?” The hand that had slapped the table is led to touch it once again, this time fingers unfolding and laying flat against the wood, gliding forward in direction of the interviewer with soothing stokes of motion. “I’m here for ye if ye wanna talk about it, ‘course I am. It’s just my momma warned me about it, she didn’t want me to come here at all..” Eyes widen in sincerity, those fingerlengths tapping against the desk. “So what a fine fool I was to ignore her. Thought it was all a bunch of hooha. And then i get here and well.. you know the rest.” Her accent is still tinged as stereotypical Eastern European, but coated with a Southern lilt most likely learned from television. It’s sloppy with intent, for had she meant to pass herself off as some Southern Belle she would have done so. While the listener will question her origins and authenticity, they may not question her sincerity. “God have mercy on all their souls.” The question is not novel, but somehow still leads her to be thoughtful, long after she has left the room. Her thoughts thus far on the topic having been we will use it. She hasn’t particularly considered what she actually thinks of the war beyond how it can benefit the Spades.

In-Character Para Sample: tw for allusion to abuse, prostitution

He comes in with mouth wide and teeth bared, desperate to sink the grimiest venemous parts of himself into her, as though the balm for all his ails. She comes to hours later with purple blossoming and bones sinking to water. It is in submerging herself, with lungs burning more intensely than any other ache, that she can finally let herself wake. Calina. The moon is out still, resplendent in freedom, and she stretches her hand to it. “You’re late for shift Calina” the frantic voice of her …coworker? the frantic voice of her ..cellmate batters against her heart, jumping the rhythm and fraying her nerves, as knuckles batter against the bathroom door. Her fort breached with a warning She turns her back to the moon, afraid to gaze upon it or she will be transfixed. Scrambles to robe herself instead.

Every footstep against the stairs echoes with the force of a wardrum, or so it seems to a head so tender. In truth she is the most graceful of dancers, gentle and light in her descent. It could be that her head has prepared her for the noise, the ringing reverberations of Marda’s shriek in her ear. The one that joins the hand tugging at her hair and pulling it from scalp, the signal that she is late. “They have hands to put to use” is her reply, even when she knows it will earn her (and does) a mark of wild red across her face, and stars against her eyes. She can be grateful for the stars at least, the thought of their fellowship with she and the moon. And now she has an excuse even further than the last beast she has not recovered from. This most recent beast, the one of her choosing, has her wrist caught in vice. Calina tugs her arm away, “Marda” with name she can defeat it as Rumpelstiltskin, if only for a moment. Her hand drops to the delicate bow of her robe, just as jarringly misplaced as she, and she pulls in spite of the twinge of pain. The robe falls open, for she will not tear it asunder, and reveals her naked flesh beneath. “You may cover my face but not this.” the words lie heavy in their logic, that most of the time her face does not matter, she needs no identity.

—

It is a full hour before Marda’s grudge against her has waned enough to invoke sense. The madame bites the words and chews them before they are spat at her employee. “Swap with Yuliya, she’s not showing yet.” It is of little consequence when Marda finally permits her exit. For Calina could have easily conducted her business during her shift. Still, it settles much easier in her head as a certainty, when she has a particular assistant in mind. She is draped in wool and cotton, high neck and long sleeves to cover as much skin as possible. It may not be as questionable as she likes, so she continues to tug at her sleeves and pull them further, forming the temporary habit with every step toward the bar. She reaches the door and mentally checks the contents of her pocket, determining she has enough for one drink to nurse. She can make it last for an hour or two, secure in the idea he will appear before then. Still she lingers in the cold outside, gaze stretched to meet that of a patron or two behind the glass. It doesn’t take more than minute for one of them to open the door and guide her in. A test of her persuasion before the task. He buys her a drink and she adds two hours to her clock, just in case.

It is 32 minutes before she sees him enter. Another 16 before she takes to watching him. She isn’t dismayed he has not noticed her, for she has pressed herself against a darkened booth, arm stretching across the table for her drink, the light of the room beyond displaying her skin as the loose sleeve falls at every motion. A full hour has passed before he brushes past her booth to reach the toilets. She settles her half-full glass of vodka and apple just the right amount across the table that her sleeve will drop. Watches the hallway behind her through reflection on the tv screen. He is returning from the bathroom when she stretches her leg out from the booth, forcing him to pause before her foot. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realise someone was there.” she is still hidden in the booth, but it is he who peeks around the corner to hear her words more clearly. “Calina?” his face lights immediately, and she rewards him with confirmation. “Dima. I did not know you came here.” She doesn’t move except to draw her legs back, does not offer him invitation to sit. Still he lingers, cheeks ruddy and eyes ablaze with delight. They exchange pleasantries, and he offers tale of how often he frequents the bar, expresses confusion she has not seen him there, asks what her plans are for the evening. When sufficient time has passed to ensure he is engaged effectively, she reaches for her glass. The notion of wetting her lips and soothing her voice for the conversation. His gaze has followed every slight motion from her, as though drinking her in, this vision suddenly before him in life as well as fantasy. When her sleeve falls back to reveal the unnatural colours blotching her arm, she glances up to him. He catches her eye and she wrenches a breath from her lips, surprised, while moving swiftly to correct her mistake. She falters in grasping for the glass, almost knocking it over in her haste to cover the offending sight with her sleeve once more. A likely story.

—

When the wolf is declared missing, Calina’s only reaction is to offer Dima first choice of his regular timeslots. There is no business lost due to the clamouring of men Dima introduces her to. Three years later surprise registers when one such man does not want her for body, but offers identity instead. Faron Vasiliev is her reward for never strictly using the words ‘I want him dead’. She is his reward for ambition.

Extras: I didn’t have a chance to get to this til late, so if I do have any extras they will be posted here. Thank you so much.