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pluto-art · 4 years ago

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Softly - PatB Fan Fiction

Type: Hurt/Comfort Rating: PG Summary: Baby Brain has known little but pain and misery in an unloving world, but when he gets paired up with a new lab student things change in a way he didn’t expect.

This started out as a mini story in a Discord server and got... a little out of hand. What you see here is how much I typed out in the server.

He hadn't been there long. Two... maybe three weeks? The cold metal had finally become familiar beneath his feet, and the strange blocks, though generally tasteless, kept him alive. There wasn't much that made his new living quarters interesting; there was only so much one could do in a pile of aspen shavings day after day. Occasionally, they would hook up to his cage some sort of liquid that wasn't his usual watery fair. He could never decipher or make heads or tails of the words on the sides of the bottles, saying things like D-D-T or S-N-I-P-P-L-E. The only distinguishing feature to him was that sometimes they tasted terrible, sometimes quite flavorful, and sometimes they tasted like nothing at all. Almost all of them turned his stomach. Driven to thirst, however, he'd play their cruel game. Choice was not something that existed in this crisp, sterile world; at least, not from a personal standpoint. When it did exist it meant the difference between a shock and a treat; a yellow light or a red light; a warm room or a cold one. Choice was manufactured.

He still cried almost every night. He tried to quiet the tears, but they didn't always listen. The others heard him. One or two laughed cynically. Most said nothing; they'd shed their own fair share and would again sooner than later. A single kind soul, a mother rat some doors down from him, occasionally whispered to him a lullaby or two when everyone else but them were asleep. They were songs she sang to her own children to quiet their tears, and she had no less compassion for this unfortunate soul, who was even worse off than her own brood -- he didn't even have any parents to nuzzle up to. Had she her way, she would have mutilated every last living human being in the facility. It was bad enough that they were tested on mercilessly as adults. To do so to children was simply insidious. Alas, she was simply a rat, and so could only dream of days when she wasn't.

Not that BR-41N (that's what they called him; no one had real names here) hadn't tried to be friendly with his captures. Aside from a particularly nasty poke from some long, thin, prickly object inserted into his thigh the first day (it had stung; oh, it had stung...) the proceeding couple of days had consisted of simple maze runs and treadmill exercises. Nothing too elaborate. As a child, he'd been used to running around a lot in the field, and sifting through the labyrinths reminded him of the long grass he'd play hide-and-seek in back home, except at the end of them was a tasty prize: a piece of cheese. He liked cheese. In the wild, it was hard to come by, but here they gave it to him generously, provided he finished the courses, which he always did. The fourth day followed in much the same way, but the fifth day brought something different: a sudden shock and a broken tail. That had changed his view of things. Perhaps the harsh awakening wouldn't have been so terrible had it not been followed by other unspeakable things -- poisoned food; friends made that, the next day, would never be seen again; more shocks given as punishment for choosing an incorrect panel; injections that made him see things he'd never seen, monsters and strange colors and other scary things that kept him awake at night; loud noises that came out of nowhere; and often, quite often, the terrifying echo of squeaks, barks, and meows that made up the daily music of Acme Laboratories. He hated it. He hated all of it. More than anything, he wanted to go home. He missed the warmth; the love; the soft whisper of the wind that traveled through his ivory fur. He wanted all of it back. But life? She was a harsh mistress. And no amount of crying, screaming, or pleading, seemed to ever make her turn an ear.

As the days turned into weeks, and the weeks... months, more than just a tail was broken. Trust was broken. Hope was broken. Spirit... was broken. If there was any love, if there was any future, it wasn't here. Kindness had proved unfruitful, and patience had run its course. He didn't find reason to be willing, nor show charity, towards those who made his life a living hell. What reason was there? What profit was in it? Time had told him, quite bluntly, there wasn't. It had taken him a full month to admit defeat, but admit it he did, and cynical he became, 'til every hand that reached in to grab him was ripe to be bitten, every shot that punctured his stomach was the unwelcome norm, and every newcomer that tried to strike up a friendship was easily ignored. The latter-most was simply wasting their time. He could read the colors on the cages now. He knew that a red mark meant "death". He only wondered why he, as of yet, had never been given one himself. It was as if life itself was laughing at him -- keeping him as witness to the horrors that went on inside the dragon's cave, yet never giving him the satisfaction of death.

And so the third month dawned, chilly and barren, or so the scientists said. Autumn had come. Not that any of the residents within the thick, cemented walls could see it. But the laboratory personnel spoke of it -- gold and crimson leaves, hot chocolate, dried wheat fields. He could almost smell the corn; could almost feel the breeze.... Days passed. For the first time, they gave him a cage mate. E8-WN, they called him. He was kind, but BR-41N had little love left to give. Besides, he had the red tag. It seemed they had only placed him here temporarily due to a lack of space. The next day he was taken to the back. The tiniest shred of pity nipped at BR-41N as he watched the little peach-furred mouse be carried into the surgical room, a curious look on his face. Another emotion was also present within him: jealousy. On the 17th day of September, a new thing happened -- a thing that, for the first time in a while, made the little mouse turn his head.

The school year had started, and, as such, fresh meat was welcomed into the laboratory in the form of fourteen college students looking to continue pursuits in medical science. They were all very quiet during the tour, one or two of them occasionally lifting a hand to ask a question about course materials or contact information. They were each, it seemed, to be given a subject: an animal from the laboratory to study, train, and conduct experiments on. Rats, mice, and hamsters had already been picked out for them, and each was given a black-coated subject or a brown-furred captive to take charge of. Each student's rodent was to be kept in the lab at all times, and specific instructions were given them as to the proper handling of the creatures. At least two experiments were to be conducted on them daily, three if possible. They could spend as much time with their charge as they wished, so long as they got their homework done. Fourteen students. Fourteen rodents. Four months to finish their work. Simple.

As it stood, however, there had been a miscalculation. Fourteen students. Fourteen rodents.... No. Not fourteen. Only thirteen. There'd been an error. They'd forgotten to set aside an extra subject. The unfortunate student without a charge was a college girl named Rachel. All other rodents were going through tests conducted by various personnel in the lab, set aside specifically for said conductions that couldn't currently be tampered with. All except one....

"So, um, Rachel," their teacher said, checking his student list. "You may have to share with... Peterson.... You know what? We might... actually have an extra for you. Hold on. Let me ask...."

And he departed into another room, calling for a "Jackson".

"Jackson! Can she use BR-41N? I don't think he's going through any rigorous testing.... Yeah? Okay. Yeah, that would work out perfectly. Thanks."

He turned back to his brood, many of whom looked quite eager to jump in to these intriguing studies, others looking downright bored.

"Okay. We have one for you. His code name is BR-41N. He's not going through any major testing, and he's generally given the usual works -- labyrinths, shock treatment, all that. But, um... he bites. Really bad. So... you'll have to watch it, all right?"

"Okay," Rachel nodded, looking a little nervous.

"All right. Umm.... Good. Yes. So, let's head back to the main campus, and... we'll start your work tomorrow."

And they left.

BR-41N had only heard part of all this, and had understood none of it. He shivered in his cage, taking a moment to drink some water out of the bottle that hung there. While the arrival of such a large group intrigued him, especially since it consisted of a much younger set than normal, it also made him nervous. Was it a sign of good things to come... or bad? Or just more of the usual fair? One could only wonder. For now, he was simply grateful that the cheese they'd given him today was, for once, not laced with drugs.

She came by on a Tuesday.

It was an hour after a cosmetics test that he heard a knock on the table. His skin still burned. He was cowering in a far corner, and looked back over his shoulder hesitantly.

Rachel stood there, smiling at him.

"Hello, little one." He stared at her, nonplussed. "I guess you're my charge. You gonna say hello?"

And she opened up the door of his cage.

He shuffled back further. He knew all too well by this point that the opening of a door meant one of two things: food or torture. Considering the fact that she didn't smell of food, he had to assume it was the latter.

"It's okay. I'm not gonna hurt you. Well, hopefully not...."

Although he didn't understand a word of what she said, her tone was calm; soothing. No one in the lab ever talked to him like this. He couldn't help but stare curiously.

She held her hand up to the entrance and made a soft, squeak-like sound with her mouth. He frowned at her. As if that was going to convince him. He turned away.

"No? I don't blame you," she replied, taking a look at his clipboard. "BR-41N. What kind of a freak name is that? Mind if I call you Brain? Or Brian?"

No response.

"We'll go with Brian. Brain sounds kinda weird."

Brian it was.

She kept the door open, and he braced himself. Any moment now, gloved hands would be protruding into his enclosure to wrap themselves firmly about him, not tight enough to choke him, but secure enough that he couldn't escape. But the hand didn't come. If anything, she pulled up a chair, sat down, and rested her arms upon the table on which his cage sat. She was... giving him a choice? He stared at her, unsure how to react.

"Come on, sweet heart," she cooed, rubbing her fingers together encouragingly.

But he wouldn't budge. If this was some new trick, it wasn't going to work. He wished she'd just grab him and get it over with. Sooner or later, she'd have to. It was only a matter of time. And so he waited....

She sat there for a full twenty minutes, trying her best to get him to come over, but he refused to budge, and so she gave up. As expected, she still ran him through a maze, but instead of reaching in to grab him, she found a clear tube and scooped him up in it, covering both ends before depositing him into the run as such. It was... odd, but less invasive than what he was used to. He rather wished the others would do it that way.

Via the same method she returned him to his cage at the end of the test. As usual, he took to the corner, assuming his usual cowardly pose, but he turned to look at her as she spoke.

"Sorry about that. Nice job, though. See you tomorrow."

And so went the next day... and the next, always with the same introduction: She'd open his door, pull up a chair, and offer her hand to him. After twenty minutes of nothing, she'd scoop him up in the tube, deposit him in the maze or whatever other test he was to perform that day, and return him in the same manner. This went on for four whole weeks, always with a kind word, never coupled with a harsh prod or poking of his skin. He came to somewhat look forward to her almost daily visits, not because he trusted her (the one time she had tried touching him [with gloves on, of course], he'd given her a fair warning in the form of a bite), but because it was the only two hours during the day in which he knew he wouldn't be fed poison, given a shot, or made to inhale cigarette smoke. The other students joked with her. By far, she had the unfriendliest mouse out of all of them, and they found her kind advances a waste of time.

"Just pick him up!" a tall boy said.

Most of them had no problem with handling their subjects by the tail; at least, the boys generally didn't. The girls were kinder, but even they didn't take the time to get to know their animals intimately. They also were given the harder tests to conduct on their critters and so tried not to get attached.

Whereas most of the rats, mice, and hamsters given to the students would eventually be killed in some way or other at the end of the semester, via through vivisection, gassing, cancer, or some other method, BR-41N, or... Brian, as Rachel now called him, was not scheduled to be offed anytime soon and so could not undergo such rigorous experiments. As such, she got both the easy job of conducting very simple tests on him, and also the hard job of trying to work with the most hostile mouse in the entire facility.

"He's never gonna warm up to you," one of the other students said.

Rachel took it as a challenge.

"Watch me," she said.

But Brian was proving to be a much tougher can than expected. By the sixth week, he still hadn't even bothered to venture near the cage entrance when she sat near it, even with tasty treats in hand. He simply didn't trust anyone. Not anymore....

October came and went, to be replaced with a frosty November. Whenever Brian saw Rachel now she had a cup of tea in hand, the better to ward off the coming winter chill. Still she tried; still he refused to relent. Until the 9th....

It was late. She hadn't been able to get to the lab until 8:00 PM due to unfortunate series of events that involved a fender bender, two appointments, and a last minute essay. When she got to the lab she was tired... and not at all in the mood to deal with Brian's B.S., and he knew it.

"'Sup?" she asked him wearily, setting down her things in a huff. Only a handful of other people were still in the facility at this hour, none of them students. Fine by her. She preferred the quiet anyway. "We're gonna do something a little different today, bud."

Indeed.... He perked his ears up at her exhausted tone and the fact that, for once, she didn't open the cage door. But she did still slide the chair up to his table.

On the opposite side of the room was a television on a rolling stand. Normally, this was used for surgeries and other experiments. Once in a blue moon, however, someone would use it for recreational purposes -- to watch the local news when there was time to kill. Most fortunately for Rachel, it also came with a VHS player. Into it she popped a tape, before sitting down in the chair and grabbing her hot cup of peppermint tea. Despite himself, Brian took a whiff of the tea, whose scent had wafted into his cage and tickled his nose. It smelled good.

The film began to play. Brian didn't know the name of it, but whatever it was it was made up of very pretty pictures and featured a lot of dogs... and snow (at least at the beginning). It was rather soothing. Still, he didn't move from his spot, save to grab a lab block at one point to munch on, more to pass the time than anything. His stomach was still a little unsettled from earlier. Privately, he was a bit ticked off at the girl. Had she been a bit earlier he might have avoided the shock treatments. Not that they would have withheld them regardless.

It wasn't until the second song that his attention was at last caught.

"La la lu, La la lu, Oh my little star sweeper, I'll sweep the star dust for you...."

Sweetly did the animated woman sing her little song, and Brian, captivated, perked his ears. He looked up at the television. She was still singing. He stepped forward, bit by bit, until he was right up to the closed door, two little paws coming up to grasp at the bars of his cage as he stared, entranced, at the screen.

"La la lu, La la lu, And may love be your keeper, La la lu, La la lu, La la luuuuu."

And so it ended, all within the span of a minute, if that, but something had stirred with him -- a remembrance of home, and warmth, and what it was like to be loved.

He was still clutching at the bars when he noticed that Rachel was smiling at him, and he promptly sped back to his corner, embarrassed.

"Atta boy," she whispered, still grinning softly at him.

He refused to look at her. He wasn't touched by it or anything. He wasn't....

"It's okay. Don't be embarrassed," said the girl. "I like that song, too."

Brian stayed in his corner the rest of the movie, but the song never left his mind.

---

The next day proceeded as normal. Once again, Rachel sat by his cage. Once again, she had brought a treat, albeit one he'd never seen before, nor smelled, for that matter. It was small... and white... and fluffy, and it smelled sugary and sweet. He wanted it. Oh, he wanted it so very badly. But nothing that ever came from the fingers of a scientist, even a soft-spoken one, was innocent. And so he refused, his back turned to her.

"Stubborn butt," said Rachel, and by her tone alone Brian could tell that it was a snide comment. He ignored her.

"Here."

As had occurred many times before, she left the treat in his cage near the entrance, closed the door, and sat to watch him. His eyes shifted towards the treat. It sat there, staring at him, mocking him. Eat me, it said. No, he thought. Oh, but it smelled so good....

Rachel sighed. So did Brian. She rested her head in her arms, exasperated. Maybe it really wasn't worth it....

Brian licked his lips. Perhaps....

He took a step forward. Rachel remained where she was, head in her arms, not looking at him. He moved another step. She was still as a stone. Patter patter patter patter patter... GRAB. He swooped back to his corner as fast as possible, marshmallow in his mouth. Rachel looked up... and chuckled. Brian dug into the treat, enjoying every second of it as teeth sunk into the savory delight. He'd never tasted anything this good before. It was better than mother's milk; much better than lab pellets; better than cheese....

"Silly little thing," Rachel giggled, smiling as he filled his cheeks with pleasantness. "Wait 'til you see what I bring you tomorrow."

Tomorrow, he was to find out, brought a piece of a doughnut, and the day after that a waffle. He'd never been this darn spoiled before. On the fourth occasion, he was, for once, already at the door, waiting to see what she'd bring. Lady and the Tramp and sugar, it turned out, were the keys to his heart, although he still wouldn't let her touch him. If her hand so much as brushed his fur he was back to his corner in a rush, although, this time, he didn't try to bite her first.

Rachel laughed when she saw the two little paws clutching at the gated entrance.

"You like 'em that much, huh? Here ya' go."

He stepped back to allow her access to the gate, and watched carefully as she placed something savory and smelling of salt inside. He sniffed, investigating as she closed the door. He took a tentative bite. Mmmmm. Yes, this was acceptable. Grabbing it, he rushed back to his usual corner and chowed down.

"Good. A fellow bacon appreciator," Rachel nodded, satisfied.

He ate the entire piece, licking his lips and proceeding to clean himself afterwards. That had been a bit messy. Good, but messy. If there was something he still valued, it was cleanliness. He could at least retain some form of dignity. The state of his fur was one of the few things he still had control over. Unlike some of the other unfortunate chaps, he'd never had to endure surgery or a shaved stomach.

Two little pink ears perked up as his cage door was opened yet again. More treats? No. Just Rachel, hand offered to him once more. Brian sighed. She just wouldn't give up, would she?

A second glance made him aware that she did, in fact, have something in her hand -- another marshmallow. Hmph. Sneaky. And yet, he'd be lying if he said he didn't want it....

"It's okay, little one," Rachel cooed, hand still outstretched, that plump marshmallow beckoning ever so tantalizingly. "I'm not gonna hurt you. I promise."

Brian sighed. He looked down at the floor, then over at her hand.

Rachel's eyes widened a touch, but she otherwise didn't reveal her surprise as Brian moved forward, inch by inch, step by step, towards her hand....

He stopped at the entrance, debating. Dare he...? It was a risk. He'd never willing done this, not since he'd been captured. It was a stupid decision. Stupid. And yet....

Her hand shifted a touch, and Brian shifted nervously with it. Rachel waited with bated breath.

He stepped forward....

In a flash, he'd grabbed the 'mallow from her hand and retreated to the back of his cage, not daring to even think about what he'd just done. It was foolish. It was dangerous. And yet, she hadn't tried to grab him, or even pet him. She'd just... given him a choice. And he'd taken it. Somehow, for some reason, he'd taken it.

Rachel smiled.

"Atta boy."

---

Perhaps it was the mere fact, the tantalizing realization, that he had a choice in the first place, that drew him back, but over the course of the next few weeks, things changed.

It had started slow at first. A light brush of the whiskers here; a sniff of the hand there. But, eventually, Brian, of his own accord, stepped into her hand. And she didn't close her fingers about him harshly, or strangle him, or pick him up by the tail. She simply... let him be. It was kind. It was unobtrusive. It was respectful. And he appreciated it.

No longer did the other students make fun, or joke that she'd never gain his trust. If anything, they questioned her.

"How the heck did you do it?" they'd ask, curious.

Even more confused were the scientists themselves. Not that anyone had tried very hard to gain the little mouse's trust. He was, in their opinion, not worth the time.

But he was to Rachel.

December came, and with it a complete turn-around in Brian's behavior, albeit towards one particular individual.

He eagerly rushed into her hand now. No need for the transportation tube. She could carry him on her shoulder to the maze area and pick him up with her bare hands as she placed him in the labyrinth, although she still made sure to let him take the first step and would, more often than not, simply offer a hand instead of plucking him from her shoulder. He still appreciated this.

Every weekday was now a day to look forward to. Sure, he was still tormented by the main personnel, but for two or three hours, two or three sweet hours, he didn't have to worry about anything. On the days he suffered from a stomach-ache, she'd hold him close to her chest and do her best to rub the pain away, offering him tea to ease his suffering, and if he fell asleep on her shoulder and woke up, shaking, from a bad dream, she'd rock him back and forth, singing "La La Lu" to him until the nightmares went away. On those rare nights, when she could only work late and no one was around, she'd bottle feed him. He'd been hesitant (and a little embarrassed) at first, but any reminder of home was difficult to ignore, and so he ended up embracing each form of love and affection with open paws, clutching tightly to her chest some days, as if this hug would be his last. For all he knew, it could be. He'd gotten used to her visits, but what if she left and never came back? He didn't want that love to leave....

December 14th.

The end of the semester was approaching. Rachel had told him, time and again, that she was leaving soon; that she would miss him; that she'd try to come back for the next semester. Brian understood none of this. He was a mouse, after all. Human language was foreign to him. The most he could understand was the occasional word -- his name, Brian, and various names of foods and tests -- and basic inflections that he knew signified concern, happiness, or contentment. But he didn't understand "leave", or "semester", or "miss". He could tell something was wrong, that she was sad, but as to why, he did not know.

A week from the last day of the semester, she brought a surprise: a movie. It had something to do with a rat, and food. He liked it for those things. He wished he could understand the words. It seemed interesting. He sat on Rachel's shoulder the entire time, at least until the end of the film, during which Rachel offered her hand to him. He accepted. She brought him up to her chest, nuzzling him close.

"I'm going away for a while, but... I'll try to be back next semester."

She petted him gently. He stared up at her, curious and concerned. Why was she so sad?

"I'm going to miss you...," she whispered. And, for the first time, she kissed him on his fuzzy white head. "I love you...."

He didn't understand the words, but he understood what they meant; how they felt.

Slowly, gently, he nuzzled close to her... and licked her fingers. It was the first time he'd shown genuine affection outside of nuzzling since he'd been captured. I love you, too....

He didn't understand it, but... there was something in the air that told him something big was coming. Something new. Something was going to be different....

December 18th came just like any other day. The semester was coming to a close. Many students had already finished their courses and gone home for the holidays. The occasional class still lingered on, including the medical science class. Most all had completed training and experimentation on their subjects for the season and were simply spending the next few days filing reports and filling out last minute essays. Some of the rodents wouldn't live to see the new year. Others had already been subjected to vivisection by their handlers and were far from the lab by this point. Subject BR-41N was one of the few who'd been given the same sheet on their clipboard day after day, week after week: a run of the mill of the usual, simple, non-invasive tests, along with an injection or two. But today was different.

As Rachel stepped up to Brian's cage, sipping at a hot cup of tea and smiling as her charge ran up to the bars to greet her, she frowned as she pulled up the clip board. His tag was yellow. Not the usual blue, but... yellow. She set down her cup, ignoring Brian's squeaky pleas to be let out as she looked over the sheet carefully.

Subject Reserved for Project B.R.A.I.N. // Invasive Study -- Cognitive Psychology, Neuroscience Psychology // 4:00 PM - Dec. 20

There was a pause, in which the dip in Rachel's brow furrowed ever deeper, her eyes roaming about the page scrutinizingly, before she slipped the paper out of its holder and headed back out the way she'd came, Brian looking curiously after her.

She marched all the way to a back office, in which sat one of the laboratory heads: Jackson. He looked up over his square-rimmed glasses as she knocked upon the exposed inner door frame.

"Yes?" he asked, sounding bored.

"Hey. Um.... I think you gave my subject the wrong paper."

"BR-41N?"

"Yeah. He got a yellow."

She stretched out her arm, offering the paper as proof, but he didn't take it. Instead, he looked up at her, fingers meeting at their tips, and said:

"No, I gave you the right paper. That's for BR-41N. His procedure is in two days."

His tone was flat and laced with a thin layer of poison, as if her daring to question him was a challenge.

"But... I thought he was just doing mainly labyrinth tests."

"Ms. Field, I thought you were told...?"

"Told what...?"

"He's been scheduled for this procedure for months. We wanted him fresh and so have eschewed more invasive tests until now. Frankly, you've been spending a little too much time with that mouse. He's gotten too friendly. We're not in the business of developing attachment here."

He said all this with a straight face, completely emotionless. Rachel swallowed thickly.

"Sir, I've... been going over this test. It's... very dangerous."

"Yes."

"It could kill him...."

"Yes?"

Rachel simply stared at him, uncertain of what to say next. He wasn't working with her here....

"Look.... What did you expect? You're studying medical science, correct?"

She nodded.

"Okay, well," he continued, a small chuckle of sarcasm escaping his lips as he said it. "Y-You have to realize that... this is a laboratory. We can't keep every subject. And these tests come with a lot of risks."

"Could you possibly do the test on another subject...?" Rachel asked, choosing her words carefully. "Brian is still kind of young, and..."

"Brian?"

Shoot.

"Sorry, I mean... BR-41N."

"You can't start... naming them, Miss Field. That's when you start getting attached. Understand?"

"I know...," Rachel mumbled, cheeks reddening as she looked down at her shoes.

"And the whole point of using him at this age is because his mind is younger. He's fresh."

"But he's just a baby..."

"Yes? And? A lot of the other students are working with infants."

"This one is...," Rachel began, than stopped. Already she'd said too much.

"Miss Field, if you don't prepare him for the procedure, someone else will. Now, you can either do your assignment or lose your credits. It's your choice."

Rachel sighed. Still holding the paper, she let her arm fall dramatically to her side.

"Fine...."

And she turned to walk off. But...

"Miss Field?"

She looked at him.

"Don't do anything stupid."

"Yes, Sir," Rachel replied, after a hefty pause, and headed back to her charge.

---

Brian didn't understand why Rachel was so quiet that day, nor why she cuddled him so much. She whispered to him something about "breaking out" and "night", but he didn't understand what those things meant, although he heard the urgency in her voice. As a result, he was a little more uptight the rest of the afternoon.

Before leaving, Rachel kissed the top of his head again, before setting him back down in the cage and hooking the door. Her good-byes were all but gibberish to him, although he recognized the word "tomorrow". So he'd be seeing her tomorrow. That was good. At least he had a time frame. He was naive to the rest....

---

December 19th 9:15 PM

BR-41N cleaned his whiskers, pondering.

She hadn't shown up today. Strange. "Tomorrow". She's said "tomorrow". Today was tomorrow. Why hadn't she come?

To his left, in a far corner of the room, someone sneezed in their cage. Brian frowned sadly. It was that hamster again. Whatever they'd given him had put him into a sneezing fit for an hour. Now and then he relapsed.

He yawned, stretched, and made for the food dispenser, when he suddenly heard a sharp click of a door being opened and abruptly snapped shut. He turned in the direction of the door. A light flicked on. Brian smiled.

Rachel's feet slid across the floor in haste. Instead of her usual student lab coat, she was decked out in her normal clothes, complete with backpack. Her hoodie was up, obscuring her hair, save for a few strands that stuck out here and there, as well as part of her face. She moved with purpose, albeit a little covertly, looking over her shoulder every now and then, as if expecting someone to grab her at any minute.

Set in a wall above the entrance to the room, a camera followed her. Rachel's eyes shifted at the sound as she moved towards Brian's cage. She knew she only had five, maybe ten, minutes at best.

Opening the cage door, she held her hand out for Brian to step onto. He hesitated. Something didn't smell right....

"Come on. We're busting you out of here, dude," Rachel whispered.

Brian cocked his head at her questioningly.

"Listen, they're going to put your through that splicer if we don't get you out of here, so come on."

There was an urgency in her voice that, despite his misgivings, compelled him to move forward. He trusted her too much by this point.

"Atta boy," she praised him, tucking him in her shirt pocket.

He peeked out, paws clutching at the edges of the pocket interestedly.

"Let's go," Rachel whispered, turning back to the door and stopping as she realized that someone was already standing there....

Framed in the metal doorway was a woman, thirty-five... maybe forty-something in age. Her arms were crossed, and the expression on her face seemed as taught and firm as the scrunchie tightening her poofy auburn hair. Her long lab coat was still settling; she must have only just gotten there. Rachel recognized this woman. Lana, her name was -- she was one of the head managers at the facility. Jackson had obviously tipped her off.

"Fancied a night stroll?" she asked, tone dripping with sarcasm.

Rachel remained frozen in place, a hand subconsciously cupping her shirt pocket. The gesture didn't go unnoticed.

"You know you're risking a lot for this. That's all your credits down the drain."

"He's worth it," Rachel answered, resolute.

"He's not. You take him and they'll just get another subject."

"At least I'll have saved this one."

"We'd still rather you not take an asset that's been reserved for months for this procedure," Lana nipped, taking a step forward.

Rachel took a step back. Her eyes shifted to a door to her left. It led to several other testing rooms and then back out into the main hallway. Some of the doors had security locks. It was the long way around, but if she was fast enough....

"Rachel...," Lana spoke, tone threatening as she advanced. "Put him down."

With each step Lana took towards her, Rachel moved two back. She could feel herself starting to perspire. Gosh, this was a stupid idea....

"Rachel...."

With a hand cupped over her shirt pocket, Rachel darted in the direction of the door, opening it up in a flash and slamming it shut behind her. Already she was racing for the opposite end of the room, where another door stood.

Brian jumped as an alarm went off, followed by red lights that flashed all throughout the facility. Rachel was already in the next room, her heart racing. She could hear the panicked footsteps behind her, mimicking her own, and hoped upon hope that she was faster than her pursuer.

Rachel picked up her pace as she entered the next room. This one, she knew, required an employee badge to open. All of the students had been given security badges, of course, primarily for general access to the entrance and main rooms. They worked on some doors in the facility. Some, but not all. She'd never been in these rooms. Privately, she prayed that they'd open for her.

Slamming her badge up against a wall panel, she bounced up and down on the balls of her feet nervously.

"Come on. Come oooon! Take it!!"

It did. The door unlocked, and she swung it open in haste to make for the next locked door, which also granted her entrance.

She was faster than Lana, but it didn't mean the woman wasn't hot on her heels. Brian shut his eyes tightly, huddling against Rachel's chest on the inside of her pocket as she darted about, her hand still cupping him securely. He knew, somehow, that this was about him. His ears rotated this way and that at the duo of clicking feet racing down the linoleum flooring. Who would win? Who was he most valuable to?

It wasn't until the fourth room that Rachel started to panic. Yet again, she'd reached a door asking for proof of access, except this time... her badge was not accepted. She shook the door handle feebly, knowing it wouldn't open; knowing this was the end of the line. Despite himself, Brian peeked out of the shirt pocket, just in time to see Lana as Rachel swiftly turned around to face the woman, who stood at the opposite end of the room, hair askew and chest heaving as she glared at Rachel and her tiny charge.

"You're persistent, I'll give you that," Lana huffed.

"Why do you need him?! Just let me take him and get another subject!" Rachel bit.

"We let you get away with it and you'll set a precedent! You know that!" Lana snapped right back. "And we don't want to waste any more time. We've spent too much money on this project."

"He's just a baby!"

"All of them are meant to be expendable! Hand him over!"

"No!"

Brian's ears flicked. Rachel held her breath. Was it just them, or did they hear... more footsteps?

"You won't have a choice," Lana said flatly, expressionless as she was joined by not one, not two, but five other lab hands, one of the them Jackson, all of them full-time personnel.

"Rachel.... Hand him over," Jackson said, holding out his hand expectantly.

Rachel glared daggers at him, even though she was fully aware of the impossibility of the situation. Like the mouse she was trying so hard to protect, she was trapped, her back against the wall, literally. They were going to take him. They were going to take him and there was nothing she could do about it....

"I told you not to do anything stupid," Jackson continued.

"Please...," Rachel pleaded, breathing heavily. "Please, let me take care of him. I'll train another in his place as compensation, I swear. Just... don't hurt him."

"And then you'll grow attached to that one and try and kidnap it. We've seen it before. You're not the first," Jackson reprimanded.

"Good," said Rachel. "I'm glad I'm not."

Privately, she wondered why she'd ever signed up for this in the first place. She wanted the degree. She wanted it badly. She also loved animals, and knew that following her passion came with sacrifices. What she hadn't counted on was how difficult it would be to accept that. It wasn't feasible, she realized. In fact, it was darn near impossible.

She looked down at the infant trembling in her pocket -- at this little creature that had captured her heart and locked it away, far away from any hopes and dreams of graduating in the medical field of her choosing. "He's not worth it," Lana had said. Was he not? Brian looked up at her, those glossy little eyes staring at her expectantly, trustingly. She smiled sadly at him and, for the last time, cuddled him close, before looking up at the troop across from her.

"If you want him, come and get him," she challenged. They weren't getting him without a fight.

And they rushed at her.

She tried to escape. Oh, she tried... and failed. They grabbed her by the arms as she wrestled against them, cheering Brian on as he somehow managed to escape from her pocket and slip underneath one of the shelving units in the room. But Lana caught him, Brian squeaking as his tail snagged between the beaker and the small metal panel she'd captured him with. He stared at Rachel, his desperate, panicked expression the last thing she saw before being knocked out.

-------

- Two Years Later -

The plan had failed. Rather spectacularly, he might add....

It was the first time in Brain's memory he could ever recall being caught red-handed by any of the personnel at Acme Labs. It was a miracle he and Pinky had managed to escape, but, despite his best attempts, they'd been separated in the process.

He made for a facility some yards away from the main laboratory, sweating as he squeezed under its front door and immediately hid under a cabinet to his right. Lights flashed now and again beyond the windows, desperate voices accompanying them as the scientists searched here and their for the escapees. Brain silently prayed that Pinky had somehow found a suitable hiding spot.

In his position under the cabinet, he backed up against the wall and slid down it, a paw clutching at his chest as he struggled to catch his breath. After a few seconds, he gulped, sniffed, and buried his face in his knees. Stupid. Stupid.... He'd jeopardized their whole mission. What if they'd captured Pinky? What would they do to him? And even if they did escape, where would they go? He'd ruined everything. Everything....

In his haste to remain undetected, he'd neglected to realize that this room... was not entirely devoid of life. It was a small area -- a security office, to be exact. Numerous monitors took up space on a desk, at which someone sat. They slid out of their chair and stepped over to Brain's hiding place. He noticed... and shivered.

Whatever, whomever, it was got down on their knees to peer at him from just outside the dresser.

"Hello...," they said.

It was a woman. Her voice was soft, and kind, but Brain turned his head away from her prying eyes. Typical. In an effort to not get caught he'd inevitably been ratted out. He immediately considered making a run for it, but, for some reason he couldn't explain, he didn't.

"Hey.... Shh. Shh. It's okay, little one. It's okay," cooed the woman. "You wanna come on out...?"

And she held out a hand to him. She didn't try to grab him, or scare him out. She simply... gave him a choice.

But it had been too long. He didn't recognize her, neither she him... until she noticed the tail. Then she knew.

"Brian...?" she breathed, eyes growing wide.

He stared at her, nonplussed, still shivering.

"Brian, it's me. Rachel," she beckoned, her hand still in place. But he didn't move. If anything, he frowned at her. "Brian"?

And she tried everything -- talking to him soothingly; offering him a treat from her pocket. Nothing worked. Brain simply hid his face once more, willing her to go away; to leave him be; to, hopefully, not report him to the authorities if they came to call.

Rachel sighed. She sat up for a moment, thinking, and blinked. Struck with a sudden idea, she rested her hands on her lap... and began to sing....

“La la lu, La la lu, Oh my little star sweeper, I'll sweep the star dust for you...“

Brain blinked... and lifted his head, ever so slowly....

“La la lu, La la lu, Little soft fluffy sleeper, Here comes a pink cloud for you...“

He stood up... and walked forward, right to the edge of the cabinet. She was still singing.

“La la lu, La la lu, Little wandering angel, Fold up your wings, Close your eyes...”

His mouth was fully open now, his round eyes glossy and getting ever shinier. He couldn't pull his gaze away from her face.

“La la lu, La la lu, And may love be your keeper...

La la lu, La la lu, La la lu....”

Rachel stared at him, smiling. He had completely stepped out from under the cabinet by now, his little body trembling slightly.

"Hello, little star sweeper," Rachel whispered to him.

Breath hitching, Brain ran onto her lap, up her shirt, and clutched tightly to her chest, only a second or two going by before he felt those familiar hands hold him gently, securely.

"Oh, Brian...," she choked, kissing his head. He didn't even flinch.

"Why didn't you come back?" he asked, unable to hold back his tears.

"I couldn't," she answered honestly. "But I was able to keep an eye on you from here."

He sniffed and pulled back a little to look around the room. It was, indeed, a security office, and a fairly high end one at that, decked out with all the works.

"I'm an artist now, but in my part time I take the night shift. They at least let me come back for that, probably 'cause Jackson and Lana are gone now," she chuckled softly. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you this time...."

Brain looked up at her, suddenly understanding. All that time they'd never been caught; never been reported. All those months and years that the camera had simply turned a blind eye to their antics. He thought it was simply negligence. Now he knew why.

"Thank you...," Brain whispered. "And it's... Brain now."

"I know," she smiled. “I still watch tv, ya' know. I just still remember you as my 'Brian'. I'm sorry, Brain."

He couldn't help but smile. All this time....

"Come with me?" Rachel asked him.

"Where?"

"Back to my place. I'll hide you. You can have the guest room, if you'd like."

A sharp knock at the door startled them both, and she quickly ran to her desk, Brain in her hands. She lifted him up and under the desk.

"There's a hidden panel in the roof! Get in it!" she whispered to him urgently.

He found it, albeit with a little difficulty. He pushed at a little area that looked as if it had been cut into... and down shifted a small cubby in which she kept an assortment of odd bits and bobs that were probably not supposed to be in her possession -- special looking keys and badges, among other things. He slipped into it, and Rachel pushed it closed before walking over to answer the door....

Another barrage of bangs thundered at the entrance as Rachel opened it, a hand on her hip as she held the door ajar, doing her best to look as ticked off as possible.

"Sheesh! Gimme a minute to finish pouring my tea! Gosh...."

Outside stood two gentlemen, both in lab coats, looking frantic.

"Have you seen a mouse?" one of them said. He was taller and appeared to be the leader. "White. Large cranium. He was with a companion."

Rachel shrugged.

"Is that what you guys have been looking for?"

"You haven't seen them on your cameras?" the second man asked, panting a little.

Rachel shook her head.

"No, I haven't seen anything."

The men exchanged glances.

"We'd better search the place, just to make sure," the leader said, and without further ado they barged in and began searching every nook, cranny, drawer, and trash can they could. They failed to find the hidden cubby, however. "Can we ask you to roll back the footage?"

"Sure, but you're not gonna find anything," Rachel shrugged again.

They did as permitted, scrutinizing every bit of film captured within the last ten minutes. Although they managed to catch one or two glimpses of the mice leaving the lab, as expected, they couldn't find hair no hide of them on any other roll. Behind their backs, Rachel smirked. Smart little guy. Even on the run, he'd purposely made sure not to walk in the path of the cameras.

After several more minutes of scrutiny, they finally gave up, heading for the door in a huff.

"Sorry for your time. Report to us if you find anything," said the leader.

"No problem," Rachel said, shutting the door with a snap behind them and sighing deeply. Yeah, right..., she thought.

Going back to her desk, she pushed open the hidden cubby. It lowered down and Brain immediately jumped into her hand, breathing rather heavily.

"Sorry, little one," Rachel apologized. I can imagine it's pretty stuffy in there...."

He gave her a look, albeit not a very harsh one. He had no reason to complain.

She raised her hand, allowing him to jump up onto her shoulder.

"They'll be back later to go over more footage," Rachel warned, sitting down at her desk and leaning back in her chair.

"I know," Brain said, licking at his paws and smoothing out his frazzled fur.

Rachel jumped a little and stared at him.

"Heh. I forgot you guys talk now...."

"Is that a problem...?" Brain asked, a little nervously.

Rachel smiled.

"Not at all."

She reached out a hand to scratch at a spot behind his ears.

"What are you...? Ohhhh-ho-ho-ho...," Brain melted, reeling a little at first before giving way to a goofy smile and a thumping foot as he pressed into the touch.

"Still got that little sensitive spot, huh?" Rachel chuckled, her scratches evolving into a head massage.

Brain practically fell off her shoulder, Rachel catching him in her hands and raising him up to eye level, the better to get a good look at him. He cleared his throat, embarrassed. How demoralizing.... But Rachel simply beamed at him.

"You know... I really missed you."

"I... wish I could say the same...," Brain confessed, shuffling a foot. He imagined he had thought of her often, as an infant, but over time the memories simply... faded.

Rachel didn't look upset, though.

"I understand. It's okay. I still love you."

"I...," Brain began, then stopped. No. He couldn't bring himself to say it. Even with Pinky he couldn't ever admit such a thing, and he loved Pinky most of all.

"You don't have to say it. I know you do in your heart," Rachel said, and she kissed him tenderly on the top of his head.

His ears flattened as she did it, and he almost immediately smoothed out the area where she'd kissed him, but he couldn't hide the blush tickling his cheeks and ears. Her behavior was cheesy as all get out, but privately he knew she was right. He did care, even if he'd never admit it.

Just then, something, or... someone, slipped underneath the door. A white-furred, lanky somebody.

"Pinky!!" Brain yelped.

Brain leapt off of Rachel in a flash, landing hard on the floor and limping a little as he ran into Pinky's outstretched arms.

"Brain!!" Pinky shouted right back. "Oh, I thought I'd never see you again!!"

He twirled him around in a circle or two before Brain became aware of what he was doing and promptly pushed himself out of Pinky's grasp, clearing his throat, once again embarrassed.

"Y-Yes, well.... I'm... glad you're safe, Pinky," Brain replied awkwardly, patting his companion on the head.

"Ohhh! Who's this, Brain?" Pinky asked, pointing up at Rachel, who still sat in her computer chair, smiling down at them both.

"Umm.... Pinky, this is Rachel. She's... an old friend."

"Nice to meet you, Pinky! I've heard a lot about you. Well, maybe not heard, but... I've seen you guys on the tv a lot!" Rachel said, beaming.

"You have?!" Pinky gasped, clasping two paws to his face in surprise. "Did you hear that, Brain? We're famous!!"

"Pinky, we've been famous many times, all of them never lasting as long as I'd like...," Brain recollected.

"Well, yes, Brain, but never to a friend!"

Rachel smiled and leaned forward a little.

"I have a proposition for you guys."

"For both of us? Is that legal, Brain?" Pinky whispered to his cage mate, looking concerned, to which Brain facepalmed.

"Proposition, Pinky, not proposal."

"Ohhhhhhhhh. Well, that's different then, isn't it?" Pinky said, nodding eagerly to Rachel.

"How would you guys like to come room at my place? Just for as long as you need until you can get off your feet."

Once again, Pinky gasped excitedly.

"Can we, Brain?!"

"Well...," Brain pondered, hesitating. The offer, though generous, made him feel rather... helpless and awkward, as if he was intruding.

"You're welcome to any of the food and stuff. I've got havarti," she smirked.

Pinky gasped again.

"Oh, please, please, please, please, pleeeeaaaaase, Brain?!?" Pinky pleaded again.

"You're... sure you wouldn't mind?" Brain asked. "I'd hate to intrude...."

"My house is yours," Rachel said genuinely. "And it comes with a pool table," she added, winking at Pinky.

Pinky was doing his utmost to contain a squeal, biting his lip and practically bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet. Brain rolled his eyes.

"Oh, all right...," he relented.

"YAAAAAY!!" exclaimed Pinky, jumping into Rachel's outstretched hand, followed by Brain, as she lifted them up onto her shoulder.

"You'll have to hide in my backpack on the way to the car," she said. "The next guy is about to swap out with me."

And she pulled her backpack up from off the floor and plopped it onto the desk, opening it up. Pinky sprung off her shoulder as if it was a diving board, plunging into the depths of the backpack, which, by all accounts, wasn't very deep. Pinky didn't seem to mind, though. He had fun "swimming" around amongst the snacks, car keys, pencils, wallet, and little sketchpad all the same. Brain simply shook his head, unable to keep a smile off his face. What an idiot.

Rachel was as good as her word. They were given the guest bedroom, along with access to the rest of the house, food included. Provided they didn't draw too much attention to themselves, they were allowed to tinker and plan all they liked within the safety of the back room, and lie low they did, for Acme Labs was on the hunt for a good number of weeks before they gave up on finding them entirely.

Pinky was quite fond of the seemingly unlimited amount of cheese available in the fridge, along with the plethora of movies Rachel had at her disposal. He was often to be found in front of the television, and if he wasn't there he was by Brain's side almost constantly. Brain was most grateful for the space in which to concoct experiments and conjure up plans for world domination, although he had to improvise more often than not, seeing as he didn't have all of the lab's equipment at his beck and call anymore. It was something he sorely missed, but he couldn't say he minded the warm bed and good food that came with their new living quarters either. It was... nice.

Once in a blue moon (which ended up being once a month), Pinky would request Lady and the Tramp for movie night, not just because he liked it, but because of Brain's unusual reaction to it. He liked to watch him subconsciously lean up against Rachel as they sat next to her, eventually breaking down into a fit of silent tears as "La La Lu" danced around the room. Sometimes Rachel would pick him up, holding him close and massaging his head as he calmed against her chest. Oftentimes, Pinky would join them, cuddling up next to Brain as they nuzzled together in Rachel's warm hands.

"I love you, Brain," Pinky would mumble sweetly, giving him an extra squeeze.

"I love you, little one," whispered Rachel, petting him softly.

I love you, too, said Brain in his own little way, holding them both just a tiny bit tighter, a smile creeping its way up onto his face. It was nice, being loved....

~ I love you, too. ~

The End

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

The ending of this is meant to be sort of an alternate to Pinky, Elmyra, and the Brain. What if they'd ended up there after running away from Acme instead of at Elmyra's?

I didn’t realize until after writing this that it makes no sense for Rachel to be cool with Brain talking one minute, only to be surprised by it the next. It’s a glaring error on my part, but I left it in as a reminder to myself that I need to be more careful. Lol.

Technically, this whole thing is a self-insert, although the name of the girl is not my real name. It’s actually the cognomen of my very first rat. Ha-ha. But the personality of the character is me -- how I talk; act around animals; and most likely what I’d do if put into this situation. The exception is the chase scene. I don’t think I’d act that... panicked? Who knows, though....

This is kind of a way I show compassion for Brain, seeing as I cannot, of course, give him an actual hug. I love Brain more than any other fictional character I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching on screen. It’s not a romantic love or anything. Certainly not. It’s more... maternal. The desire to love and protect is strong. That combination of: individual with a tragic backstory + laboratory setting + main character who happens to be a mouse = the perfect concoction to turn my heart to mush. I owned rats for many years and have a great love for animals, and tend to get attached to certain fictional characters, so here you have the result. He’d be as averse as ever to physical affection, but if I could hold Brain in my hands, plant a kiss on his head, and tell him he’s loved. I would. Thank God for Pinky.

#fan fiction #pinky and the brain

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artificialqueens · 4 years ago

Text

Galactica, Chapter 61 (Group Fic) - TheDane/Veronica

A/N: Click here if you’re looking for previous chapters (or here if you’d rather read on AO3). 💫

Last Chapter: Violet opened up, Alaska chickened out, and Courtney finally had her date with Bianca.

This Chapter: Trixie widens his search for Aiden’s replacement, and Courtney gets a taste of the good life.

***

Courtney doodled absentmindedly on her notepad during Miss Fame’s Monday conference call. She was getting an update from the company that ran her European stores, and discussing the upcoming marketing plan with Alyssa. Courtney knew that she was only there in case Miss Fame wanted to add anyone to the line; since Ivy and Laganja were both on the call, she didn’t really need to be paying attention. She probably should’ve been anyway, but this was a case where a little negligence would be forgiven.

Which was good, because she couldn’t stop her mind from wandering, daydreaming about how wonderful the weekend had been with Bianca. Adore had come over on Sunday for dinner, after which Courtney almost went home, but Bianca pulled her in for an embrace and insisted that she stay another night. When she’d worried about not having any appropriate work clothes, Bianca promised to find her something from her own closet, even excited at the notion of styling her for the office.

At first, Courtney was a bit concerned about whether the thigh-high black boots were too hookerish, but Bianca was adamant that they were fashion - and she should know, right? At least her luxurious knit dress was in Fame’s approved color palette, so she was pretty sure she wouldn’t get scolded like the time she dared to wear a lime green top.

She looked down at her notebook, realizing that it was absolutely covered in hearts, and quickly flipped the page, embarrassed.

She clicked on her mouse, waking up the computer to check her emails. If she was gonna space out, she may as well make at least a halfhearted attempt at productivity. She saw that there were a few unread DMs and clicked on the window.

ROXY: Package here for you

ROXY: A big-ass box from Neiman Marcus

ROXY: From the Marie Claire messenger again

ROXY: You gonna tell me who you’re dating over there now?

COURTNEY: LOL, sorry. It’s brand new, I don’t think we’re ready to go public

ROXY: Bitch it’s just me, I can keep a secret

COURTNEY: Since when?????

ROXY: Since always!!

COURTNEY: On Friday, you told me that Jaida is getting IVF and Alyssa’s son is in rehab again

ROXY: Yeah and yet you tell me NOTHING

COURTNEY: LOL. Okay well when we’re telling people, I’ll tell you first. Deal?

ROXY: WHATEVER

ROXY: Another major delivery came for Fame’s asst from MC today

SHANNEL: OMG. BDR just came into Nina’s office in the weirdest mood. She was all smiley and she approved this dumb spread that Nina’s been pitching for 3 months.

ROXY: 21 year old pussy is good for the soul

SHANNEL: APPARENTLY

The second she could get up, Courtney raced to reception to grab the package, wondering what it could be. They’d put together a bunch of outfits with the stylist this weekend, most of which were still at Bianca’s--except for her ensemble for the party tomorrow, which was hanging in a garment bag on the coat rack, partially covered by Courtney’s jacket so as not to be too conspicuous.

When Roxy said “a big-ass box,” she wasn’t lying. Courtney’s eyes widened as she spotted the box, quickly taking it back to her own office, peeking inside while Fame was occupied with Raja. She pulled out the note first.

Stay warm. XX, B PS Don’t worry, the fur is faux

Extra curious now, Courtney reached into the box, lifting the tissue paper to see what was inside and finally just pulling it out--a beautiful, full-length, raspberry-colored winter coat with a fur-trimmed hood. Her eyes nearly bulged out of her head as the utter extravagance of it all.

COURTNEY: OMG Bianca!

BIANCA: Do you like it?

COURTNEY: It’s beautiful! But it’s way too much. You’re spoiling me.

BIANCA: Get used to it ;)

Courtney smiled to herself, hiding the box under the table and standing to try on the coat, positively glowing with happiness. She glanced at herself in the mirror that Fame kept by the door for “last looks,” and saw that it fit her perfectly, even across her narrow shoulders, almost as if it was tailored to her body. Which...now that she thought about it, the stylist on Saturday had taken her measurements, so maybe it was.

Just then, the door to Fame’s office opened and Raja stepped out. Courtney whirled around, a guilty expression on her face.

“Oh are...are you done? I was, um...just going to get Miss Fame another coffee.”

“Yeah, we’re done for now, you should probably stick around. Nice coat,” Raja said, brushing past her on her way out. “I’ll be back at 2 to finish. Make sure she’s fed.”

“Okay, thank-” Courtney began, finishing with “-you,” just as Raja breezed from the room.

Courtney slowly removed her new coat, hanging it carefully on the rack before heading into Miss Fame’s office to ask what she wanted for lunch.

***

Bob closed the door to Trixie’s office behind him, making a beeline towards the coffee machine. It was mid afternoon, and while there still was a bit of a home stretch to go before the holiday break, the tough decisions ahead were out of his hands.

“All I’m saying Chachki,” Jovan smiled, the man leaning against the wall. He was wearing orange trumpet pants and a blue fuzzy sweater. “Is that I can totally bedazzle your crutches.”

“What an amazing offer,” Violet drawled, her tone completely dry.

“Hey guys!” Bob grinned, sliding in next to Maxwell, his boyfriend handing the cup he had just poured. “What are we talking about?”

“The Christmas Party,” Maxwell smiled, looking up at Bob who gave him a quick peck. He was wearing a pink shirt, the cotton stretched across his chest, the khakis he wore all year looking delicious on his pert little ass.

“Right!” Bob took a sip. The Galactica Christmas Party was one of the biggest fashion events in December, Miss Fame always going all out. Bob had heard rumors around town that there’d be gigantic ice sculptures, but Roxy had told him she had seen order confirmations for a forest of Christmas trees.

Some called him and Roxy the office gossip sluts, and if the name fit, Bob wasn’t going to complain.

“I haven’t decided what I’m wearing yet.” Violet was sitting on a chair, her curled hair fastened with a golden clip, her skirt just above her knees. “This is the first time I’m not going as Fame’s assistant and I don’t have to match her or blend into the background.”

That made sense, Bob really noticing how Violet’s wardrobe had shifted from the uptight prissy bitch who had first entered their floor, more color and sharp cuts showing up in Violet’s clothes as she got to express herself more and more.

“But since there’s a good chance she’ll actually look at me since I’m going with Sutan, I have to stay on theme without being flashy or cheap or one of the million other things she refuses to accept.”

“The bedazzling offer still stands,” Jovan smiled, taking the last bite of his afternoon muffin, and Violet rolled her eyes.

“How did you two meet anyway?” Maxwell took a sip of his coffee. “You and Sutan I mean.”

Bob perked up immediately, his stomach doing a happy flip.

“Oh?” Violet looked surprised, like she genuinely hadn’t expected them to be interested. “You want to hear about that?”

“Yes!” Bob grinned. “Yes yes yes yes.”

He and Maxwell had been discussing how to get Violet to spill the dirt the entire week, and now, the chance was finally here.

“Well.” Violet paused, tapping her fingers on the table, like she was trying to decide if she should share, and Bob was about to burst with curiosity.

“Spill it!”

“He bought me a drink at the Vogue Fashion Fund, and asked me on a date a few days later.”

Bob waited for a beat, but Violet was simply smiling.

“What?! That’s it?!”

Of all the things Bob had imagined, this was by far the most disappointing answer.

“Pretty much.” Violet shrugged, taking a sip of her coffee with a glint in her eyes.

***

IVY: okay so you know i hate gossip

ROXY: Oh yeah me too gurl

IVY: lol

IVY: No really

ROXY: Yeah yeah whatcha got?

IVY: The dress Courtney’s wearing today?

ROXY: Oh yeah, she’s really upping her game

IVY: Well...it’s familiar…

ROXY: Oh yeah?

IVY: I asked Laganja to run some photos. Here’s BDR at last year’s Monsoon Foundation Charity Luncheon

[Picture: Bianca wearing the dress]

ROXY: BITCH!!!!!!!!111

***

“So yeah, these are the ones I like...what do you think?” Trixie asked, chewing nervously on the inside of his cheek. “I really need to find someone that Fame will love, she was so annoyed at the last batch.”

As Pearl picked up one of the portfolios to glance through it, she couldn’t help but notice how rough her friend looked, like he hadn’t slept in a week. He probably hadn’t, she realized, the tension in the apartment so thick you could cut it with a knife. She’d been trying to give them both space, but maybe that wasn’t a good idea.

“So, um…” She looked through the first portfolio and then picked up the next one, pausing on pages she found interesting. “Is everything okay? How are you?”

“Uhh…” Trixie scratched his head, then finally said, “It’s been a hard week.”

“I’m sorry, man.”

“It’s okay,” Trixie sighed. “We’ve got our- She’s got an appointment with a doctor tomorrow. So I guess, after that, we’ll know for sure.”

“Right.”

He didn’t seem to want to talk about it any more, so Pearl dropped the subject for the moment. She pointed to one of the photos, a stunning blue piece with dramatic shoulders, exactly the type of shapes to which Fame was generally drawn.

“This is amazing.”

“Yeah, right? She seems super talented, although I worry that she’s only been out of school for less than a year. A little green, a little…” Trixie sighed again, “Over-confident sounds mean, but…over-confident.”

“Have you spoken to all of them yet?”

“Yeah, Rita checked all their references and I had Skype interviews with all the top candidates this morning. We’re trying to move quickly, I really need to get the ball rolling before we shut down for the holidays. And with the added bonus of getting them a visa...it could be a mess. Anyway, these are the very best, but I don’t want to put them in front of Fame unless they’re actually gonna impress her.”

“Uh huh. One question though…”

“Sure.”

“Are you looking for another sociopath, or are we moving in a new direction?” Pearl asked, a teasing smirk on her face.

“You’re hilarious,” Trixie deadpanned.

“I know.” Pearl tapped on the folder, saying, “I think this one is special. There’s a lot of range, and new ideas, but very classic and chic at the same time.”

***

“Ho...ly shit…” Bianca said, the door to her town car open, watching Courtney twirl in her new coat, then open it to give her a peek at the sexy sequined mini-dress underneath. Bianca pulled her into the car, giggling, a hand immediately sliding up her bare thigh.

She was mildly surprised when her fingers came into contact with soft cotton instead of the sexy lace she’d been wearing.

“Wow, these feel...breathable.”

Courtney laughed. “Yeah, well, I’m out of fancy underwear until my next trip to the laundromat. Sorry about it.”

“Nah, I like them. Reminds me of college.” She flashed a grin at Courtney, who was now straddling her on the leather seat, arms around her neck.

“Yeah?” Courtney tilted her head, teasingly evading a kiss as Bianca chased her lips.

“Mmm…” Bianca’s fingers slipped into the panties, squeezing her ass.

“I like this, too…” Bianca’s own coat was unbuttoned since the driver had the heat on full blast, and Courtney ran her thumb along the neckline of her blazer. “You look so sexy…”

Bianca said nothing, just gave her a wicked smirk, lips finally coming into contact with her neck, lingering there, hot breath against her pulse point making her whimper.

“We should probably wait until after the-” Courtney inhaled sharply, clutching Bianca’s shoulders. “-after the party.”

“Alright, alright…” Bianca acquiesced, pressing a soft kiss to her lips and removing her hands. “I can be good if you can.”

“Debatable,” Courtney responded, her eyes flashing with a naughty glint as she sat down beside Bianca, snuggling up against her.

“It’ll be a fun little experiment.”

***

Violet was standing in Sutan’s closet in her pajamas, flipping through her clothes, her lip between her teeth.

None of it looked right, and Violet had given up on even trying on the dress she had originally gotten to go as Fame’s assistant, the skirt's mermaid cut making it impossible to move in with her crutches.

If her foot hadn’t been broken, she would have trawled her preferred vintage shops weeks ago, or would even have made a dress herself, but the party was in two days, and because of Bianca’s birthday, she couldn’t even empty her savings account to get a dress that could live up to the expectations of a Galactica party.

She was completely, and utterly, fucked.

“Fuck,” Violet sighed, dumping down in the arm chair Sutan had been sweet enough to move to his closet so she could sit.

“Violet? Are you okay?”

Violet cursed to herself, Sutan naturally catching her at a moment where it absolutely did not suit her.

“I’m okay!”

But of course, it wasn’t in Sutan’s nature to leave her alone, her boyfriends head poking through the door seconds later, a concerned expression on his dumb face.

“What’s gotten into you?” Sutan was fresh from the shower, his black and grey hair in an unstyled cloud around his head.

“You’re going to laugh.” Violet crossed her arms, the annoyance still under her skin, rolling around her body.

“Try me.” Sutan stepped inside, a towel wrapped around his hips, his hand holding it in place.

“I don’t have anything to wear.”

Sutan snorted, and Violet pointed at him.

“See!” She exclaimed. “Don’t make fun of me!”

“Okay, okay, I admit that wasn’t my greatest moment,” Sutan chuckled, giving her a quick apology kiss, Violet sinking back into the chair as he walked over to his dresser. “but the good news is that your problem is easily fixable.”

“I can’t just go out and buy a new dress.” Violet tried not to roll her eyes, tried not to make this a fight, but it was like Sutan had decided to press every single button she had. “I can’t afford it.”

Sure, she had gotten a pay bump after moving to design, but she had already used her December budget on Christmas gifts for everyone, actually spending the day with people so much more expensive than what she usually did, which was a movie on her ancient laptop and wine by herself.

“Who says you have to pay for it?” Sutan pulled a pair of pajama pants out, throwing his towel to the side, now naked which would have been weird if Violet hadn’t been used to years of dressing rooms. “I’m planning on getting a new suit anyway,” Sutan balanced on one leg, pulling the pants on, “and the shoppers at Barney’s are great at what they do.”

“Are you serious?”

“What makes you think I’m not?” Violet watched as Sutan pulled a t-shirt on too, running a hand through the hair Violet knew he’d struggle to style in the morning, but that he was also done dealing with it for the night.

“I don’t want your money.” Violet sighed, sitting up in the chair, Sutan finally ready for bed.

She liked staying with Sutan, she really did, the man kinder and more generous than Violet could ever have imagined, but she was also longing to go back to her own place, to have her own space and to spend time completely alone.

She knew her apartment wasn’t much, that it didn’t have air condition or an elevator, that she didn’t have a memory foam mattress or a dishwasher or a housekeeper that came to clean, but it was hers.

Violet knew a psychiatrist would probably consider her need for independence a flaw, something she should work on, but she didn’t want to rely on anyone ever, not even Sutan.

“I can figure it out.”

“Oh that, I don’t doubt,” Sutan smiled, holding a hand out to help Violet out of the chair. “But there is a difference,” Sutan pulled, his hand finding her hip as soon as she was upright. “Between being prideful and being stubborn, lovely eyes.”

Violet shot him a look, and Sutan laughed, giving her nose a quick kiss.

“I’m offering to buy you dresses, not a penthouse.”

Violet opened her mouth to protest, but for once, Sutan was faster.

“You’re going to several parties for my sake. Let me spend money on you.” Sutan rubbed his thumb up and down, gently caressing Violet’s hip. “Please?”

“I’ll consider it.”

***

Being at this elite music industry party with Bianca was thrilling, and Courtney was on cloud nine. She was beside herself with excitement when she got to meet Charlie Hides, unable to stop herself from gushing about her work on Tove Lo’s album.

“Well thank you, darling,” Charlie said.

“Courtney’s a singer too,” Bianca added, and Charlie’s face perked up a bit.

“Oh yeah?”

“Well, aspiring,” Courtney couldn’t help admitting, immediately kicking herself for her inability to fake it.

“She’s incredibly talented,” Bianca said, a hand touching Courtney’s elbow, grounding her.

“You should send me your demo,” Charlie said, picking up two glasses of champagne from a passing tray and handing them over.

“Really? Thank you so much!” Courtney exclaimed, momentarily forgetting that she didn’t have a demo.

“Sure thing,” Charlie said with a grin, before excusing herself to greet another guest. Before she left, she gave Bianca a hug, muttering, “Very cute, B.”

After she walked away, Bianca turned to Courtney with a smirk. “She’s subtle, huh?”

“I think I’m gonna pass out,” Courtney said, and Bianca squeezed her hand.

“You’ll be fine. You’re doing great,” she assured her. “I see another producer I know, let’s say hello. Olivia!”

She waved across the party to a beautiful Black woman with the most fabulous hair Courtney had ever seen in her life. The woman looked up, sending Bianca a beaming smile as she crossed the room to greet her.

“Bianca!”

“Hey Liv, I haven’t seen you in forever!” Bianca said, giving her a hug.

“I know! I’ve been in L.A. for most of the year. Just decided to come back to New York in time for this delightful gray sleet we’ve been having,” Olivia said, that dazzling smile softening her words.

Bianca laughed, turning to Courtney.

“Court, Olivia Lux is an awesome producer. Liv, this my friend Courtney. She’s a singer.”

“Hi!” Courtney prepared for a handshake or some air kisses, only to be swept up into a warm hug. “So nice to meet you!”

“Charlie wants to hear a demo, but she hasn’t gotten the chance to record anything yet,” Bianca said. “Any chance you’re free? Or are you still booked up solid until the end of days?”

“No, I’ve got some time in January. What kind of music do you do, sweetie?” Olivia asked, turning to Courtney with that lovely smile.

“Um… Well, I guess it’s kind of like… Pop, but kind of folk?” Courtney said, trying to think on her feet. “Like Joni Mitchell meets Kylie Minogue?”

“Sounds absolutely glorious!” Olivia said, and Courtney felt her confidence grow. “I know what it’s like when you’re starting out. That shit is terrifying.”

“I’m gonna go grab us some drinks…You two have fun,” Bianca said, leaving Courtney Olivia to talk shop.

After a couple of minutes, Courtney found herself feeling like she was with an old friend. She was just so warm and open, telling Courtney about her own career as first a recording artist, then a producer and composer, making her feel completely at ease--and shockingly interested in Courtney’s own musical taste. When Bianca returned with three cocktails, Olivia put an arm around Courtney and told her, “I’m in love with your friend.”

“Oh yeah?” Bianca said, amused. She handed them both drinks, adding, “Glad you guys are getting along.”

“Getting along? We’re gonna elope,” Olivia said, and Courtney giggled, smiling brightly, happy to have found someone so kind and down to earth.

“Mazel Tov,” said Bianca, giving Courtney a wink.

“Seriously though,” Olivia said, turning to flash Courtney that megawatt smile again. “Why don’t you hit me up and we’ll arrange for you to come into the studio?”

“That would be amazing!” said Courtney. She was so happy, she had to fight an urge to kiss the bottom of Olivia’s glittery heels.

“Perfect!” Olivia said, leaving them both with another round of hugs.

“That went well,” Bianca said, smirking at Courtney over the top of her glass.

“Yeah!”

“Come on, I want you to meet my friend Derrick. She’s a choreographer…”

Later, after about the 20th intro, Courtney began to catch on to a troubling pattern.

“Hey guys! This is my friend Courtney…”

“Meet my friend Courtney…”

“Courtney’s a friend of my sister.”

Friend, friend, friend...

At no point, to anyone, did Bianca say (or even imply) that there was something going on between them-- and Courtney wasn’t sure what to make of it. It wasn’t like she expected for Bianca to call her “my girlfriend.”

They hadn’t had that conversation, and something told Courtney that after tonight, it was a long way off.

She tried to put it right out of her head, though, and focus on the positive. She was at a great party, meeting a ton of music industry professionals, and yeah, maybe Bianca called her “friend” about 800 times, but friends were good, right? Especially considering how much Bianca loved her friends.

She continued to enjoy herself, greeting people, trying her best to learn their names, and just being grateful that Bianca had even brought her through the door. So what if she didn’t want people to know about their relationship? Or if this was just a casual fling for her? She was still doing more for Courtney and being more supportive than anyone she’d ever known.

It was close to 2 am when Bianca put a hand on her lower back and leaned in close--the most intimate gesture since they’d walked in the door.

“You ready to take off?” Bianca whispered.

“Sure,” Courtney said, slightly relieved since she could feel her own energy fading, and knew that making it to work by 7:45 the next day would be a struggle.

They said goodbye to Charlie and grabbed their coats, making their way downstairs to the waiting towncar. It wasn’t until they were on their way that Courtney really let everything hit her, tears welling up in her eyes.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I…” Courtney swallowed.

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.

“You sure about that? What’s wrong?”

Courtney shook her head vigorously as traitorous tears slipped down her cheek. “Nothing’s wrong, everything’s perfect.” She wiped her face, disgusted with herself.

“Then why are you crying, angel?”

“Because…” Courtney squeezed her eyes shut, positive that she was about to ruin everything. “Because you’re just…making all my dreams come true.”

“Okay. Yeah, I can see how that would be upsetting.”

“No, it’s just…I'm scared, that it’s all gonna disappear,” Courtney said, now unable to hold back the river of tears. “You’re gonna get bored, or meet someone else, and I…I’m falling for you so hard and I know it’s too fast and I-”

“Hey, look at me.”

Courtney turned to her, eyes liquid, sniffling.

“I have been having…the best time with you,” she said, taking one of Courtney’s hands in both of hers. “And I know that it’s still new, but I said that I’d help you with your career and I will. No matter what happens with us. I promise. And I don’t break promises. Okay?”

Courtney nodded slightly, then asked, “Why don’t you want people to know about us? Are you ashamed? Are you just...already looking for a way out?”

“What?”

“You just kept introducing me as your ‘friend’ all night, and I just thought that it meant you don’t care about us, or that-”

“No! I dunno, I guess we haven’t really talked about labels, and I wanted to make sure everyone took you seriously,” Bianca said. “Took your talent seriously.”

“Oh.” Courtney sniffled, feeling a little stupid for letting her insecurites get the better of her.

“Also…you know, a lot of the people there were…mutual friends of…”

“Of?”

Bianca sighed slightly, a sheepish smile on her face, then said, “I guess it’s time to come clean to Fame and Raja, huh?”

“Really?” Courtney looked at her with surprise.

“Well, yeah. I don’t want us to feel like we’re sneaking around. That shit gets old real fast.” Bianca kissed the back of her hand. “I’ve been selfish, I was trying to do this without getting them annoyed at me, but…It’s not worth it if it makes you feel like I don’t care. Because I do.”

Courtney bit her lip, feeling like she might burst into tears again, but this time from joy. She took a deep breath, trying to get her racing heart to calm down.

“When do you want to tell them?”

“Well…the Galactica party’s on Thursday. Wanna be my date?” Bianca asked, a sly smile deepening her dimples.

Of course, they’d both been planning to go to the party, but Courtney had resigned herself to the idea that they’d be there separately. She’d even asked Tati to come as her plus one, not believing for a second that going with Bianca was a possibility. After all, it was so soon.

“That’s in two days!” Courtney exclaimed, eyes wide.

“Yeah… Does that work for you?”

For a second, Courtney felt almost dizzy, imagining walking into the party on Bianca’s arm. There was no way in hell that it wouldn’t cause a stir...but the idea of everyone seeing them together, while a bit frightening, was also terribly exciting.

“Okay. Yeah, that sounds...perfect,” she said, eyes shining happily.

“Okay then,” Bianca said softly, pressing a kiss to Courtney’s cheek.

6 notes · View notes

chnqin · 4 years ago

Text

My Epic MDZS/The Untamed Daemon AU

I’m sure other people have already done Daemon AUs, but this idea wouldn’t leave me alone. I have been working on this for like three weeks now.

I just wrote down my first instinctive thought for most characters, and then researched* further into subspecies etc. What I found for a lot of the animals made me agree with my first opinion even more, although all of these are obviously just my own opinions. I also decided to stick to non-mythological animals. (some characters have been given a lot more consideration than others, I’m sorry)

Wei Wuxian: beech marten Beech martens are quick and clever. The are nocturnal, omnivores, and skilled swimmers. They move through paths made by larger animals such as hares in the snow. {further notes under read more}

Lan Wangji: white hare More solitary animals. They have an association with the moon, which I tend to associate LWJ with. {f/n}

Jiang Cheng: osprey Aquatic birds; good hunters. {f/n}

Lan Xichen: white stag {f/n}

Jiang Yanli: asian black bear {explained in detail under the read more}

Jin Zixuan: lion Ngl it’s probably because the Persian pokemon reminds me of him

Jin Guangyao: domestic cat {f/n}

Nie Huiasang: pangolin {f/n}

Nie Mingju: wolf {f/n}

Wen Qing: Chinese sparrowhawk {f/n}

Wen Ning: black Formosan mountain dog (tuguo) {f/n}

Lan Sizhui: Xiasi Quan dog or red panda or badger {f/n}

Jin Ling: lion {f/n}

Lan Jingi: monkey They’re respected animals but also have a mischievous side

Ouyen Zihzen: capybara No, they’re not native to China, but this is what I imagined him as and I couldn’t get it out of my head or find a perfect substitute

Xiao Xinchen: swan He just gives me major swan vibes, possibly something to do with Swan Lake (as do some Lans but they’re not graceful in the same way or tragic in the same way)

Song Lan: oriental hobby falcon or black horse He struck me as some sort of raptor, but I also liked a horse for him

Luo Qingyang/Mianmian: lynx

Lan Qiren: sheep Symbolise filial piety. Also follow other people without question (*cough* the Lan Sect elders)

Jiang Fengiman: otter Spends a lot of time around the water, just what popped into my head

Yu Ziyuan: snake Because Zidian

The Jiang Sect favour animals who live near or on the water, some even possessing daemons which are fully aquatic, and thus are unable to leave Lotus Pier

The Lan Sect usually have herbivore animals for daemons and favour swift, elegant animals.

The Jins tend towards lions and panthers, but also flashy, rich birds like pheasants and peacocks (which makes WWX’s nickname for JZX even more funny).

The Nies often have pack or herd animals. Wolves and mountain lions are very common, but also a lot of horned animals like oxen, mountain goats and sheep (bighorn sheep and ibex are common), and also wild boar.

The Wens were typically birds of prey (the Dire Owl becomes Wen Chao’s daemon) or mountain cats.

The Yus often have daemons which take reptile form. Wildcats also common. I quite like the idea that the Yus are a sect which has cultivated the ability to separate themselves from their daemons.

~Further notes on why I picked these animals, Daemon settling, angsty AUs of my AU, and research disclaimer under the cut~

Story & Research Notes:

(I’m going with the idea that trauma can make a daemon settle into a particular form)

WWX A marten was the first thing to come to mind for WWX, I have no idea why, but the more I thought about it the more I liked it. They’re really inquisitive, playful, and cute, but are also predators and will fuck you up if necessary. A crow was another obvious choice because they’re curious and inventive, but with a bit of a dark connotation. However, in my version at least (I’m not great on His Dark Materials canon), Daemons usually settle in the early teens, and at that point WWX really didn’t have as much darkness in him as he develops later.

I think WWX was one of those people whose daemon changed with every thought and feeling of his, whose daemon changed so rapidly and so repeatedly that people would complain of motion sickness watching it. His daemon’s most common forms were a martin, a magpie, an otter (which drove Madam Yu nuts), and (after JYL’s settled) very occasionally a bear.

When WWX comes back most people don’t realise anything is wrong because Mo Xuanyu always hid his daemon (I think it was probably something like a field mouse although how funny would it be if Little Apple was actually his daemon and WWX unknowingly inherited her along with the body), so they just think his has settled into something too big to hide now. However, his beech martin is the other reason Lan Wangji knows who Wei Wuxian is (WWX’s daemon hides from Jiang Cheng at Dafan Mountain, so JC only suspects it’s WWX). (Angsty AU further down)

LWJ I know that arctic hares aren’t native to China, but I want you to pretend that something like that does exist because I need lwj to have a white hare daemon. They are also bigger than other hares and cuter (they look slightly less cursed than some hares do). I’m imagining a lot of the daemons being slightly bigger than their real-life animal counterparts would be, so imagine the ears coming up to a normal person’s hip-height when the daemon is sitting. Rabbits can also apparently symbolise hope, and that suits someone who is known to go where the chaos is, bringing hope and light in the darkness.

As a child, LWJ’s daemon was expressive in a way he never could be. It liked to take snow leopard form a lot, which was seen as excessively violent to the Lan sect, who preferred non-carnivorous animals, and often snarled at people. His daemon always took snow leopard form when visiting his mother so it could curl up with her tiger daemon.

LWJ’s daemon settled exceptionally early, shortly after his mother’s death, into an acceptable hare form. Lan Xichen always wondered if LWJ himself made his daemon settle, if she was not supposed to have been a snow leopard all along, and so always looks upon LWJ’s daemon with a bit of sadness because he feels like it was LWJ stifling - almost killing off - a part of his personality (spoiler: it was) in order to fit into the Lan sect.

(More on that in an angsty AU below)

JC Ngl, I wanted to make Jiang Cheng a goose because they’re always angry but I didn’t. Jiang Cheng shifted mostly between a hunting dog and a mouse as a child, both of which infuriated Yu Ziyuan (honestly what she wanted her children’s daemons to be even I don’t know). Jiang Cheng’s daemon settled very late (another thing his mother wasn’t happy with). In fact, it didn’t settle till the attack on Lotus Pier and the death of his parents, when it took the shape of an osprey (because he wanted to be able to fly away and pretend none of it ever happened).

Even more angsty: One Chinese poem has the Osprey as a symbol of marital harmony and fidelity. Upon seeing his parents death, finally united in a way they hadn’t been in life, JC’s constant wish for his parents to love each other (and, by extension, him) physically manifests itself in his daemon.

JYL I know what you’re thinking. Why the hell did you give Jiang Yanli a bear of all people. Well I’ll tell you. For two reasons: one, because I can do what I want, and two, because I would say one of JYL’s most central characteristics is her wish to look after people. She’s not physically strong in the way most other cultivators are, however, and she’s always having to keep the peace at home - and so I can see her daemon becoming a physical manifestation of that need to protect (bears are known to be protective, particularly mothers), and a physical example of her inner strength which is so often overlooked.

Yanli shifted between a dove, a crane, and a maritime striped squirrel for most of her childhood. She favoured the squirrel and dove (incredibly mild animals) over the crane, which disappointed Madam Yu. It’s one of the reasons Jin Zixuan never saw her as a potential match, her daemon too small and docile to match his almost constant lion daemon.

When Jiang Yanli was around fourteen Madam Yu took things with Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng too far one day, and Yanli saw it. Her daemon suddenly shifted into a bear, a form it had never taken up to that point, and jumped on Yu Ziyuan’s snake daemon. WWX and JC always remembered Yanli standing in the doorway, her expression placid while her huge bear daemon growled with absolute fury and menace. Everyone expected Yanli’s daemon to go back to its usual squirrel or dove form, but it never did. It remained a bear, and remained the biggest daemon of pretty much anyone in any of the sects.

I had already picked a crane as one of JYL’s potential daemons because of its connection to water and positive symbolism in China. Upon further (hopefully accurate) research, I saw that cranes depicted with lotuses in Chinese art symbolise purity and longevity, and I liked making her daemon a bear even more, because her daemon took that form to protect WWX and JC - years after her death, they both wondered if, had her daemon had taken crane form, maybe she wouldn’t have died. From what I found, “crane” is also a homophone for 合 hé “peace, harmony”, which is a quality Jiang Yanli had much of, and tried to inspire in others.

LXC I think its LXC’s hairpiece which always makes me think of deer antlers (even though it’s a dragon?), so that’s probably why I immediately thought of a stag for him. But stags are also very noble and refined looking animals which don’t tend towards violence, but also have horns for a reason. Obviously, like with LWJ, it’s a white stag because aesthetique. Upon further research, I discovered a (hopefully correct) source which says 鹿 lù (deer) is a homonym with 璐 lù (precious jade), and the character for deer is used within the character 丽 lì ‘beautiful; elegant’ - both fit LXC very well.

JGY Cats are sneaky little fuckers (I say this with love). The ultimate predator in small unassuming form. Many of the main Jin family have big cat daemons so this is kind of another smack in the face for JGY - so close to being a real part of the Jin family, but still kept apart from them - and something people like to bring up along with his mother. However, many Jins are also birds (including JGS), and cats prey on birds.

NHS I thought a fox was a bit on the nose. Also I like the way pangolin’s just drop and curl up in defence - it’s a viable form of protection, but to the outside appears cowardly. However, their scales are sharp and can cut predators who come after them. Also I didn’t want him to fit into any of his sect’s typical animals. Also also imagine how cute it would look being carried around everywhere by NHS because it’s too lazy to walk, absolutely adorable.

NMJ A wolf was what immediately came to mind for Nie Mingjue. Wolves are apparently sometimes associated with greed, self-interest, and lechery, but I think the pack elements and the carnivore/hunting nature of the wolf really suits NMJ and the Nie clan in general, so I decided to overlook that aspect (although I did briefly consider making JGS a wolf, but I like them as animals too much in real life to do that to them and also he doesn’t have a soul, so he doesn’t get a daemon).

WQ I always saw Wen Qing as some sort of hawk, I just think it suits her very well. The Chinese sparrowhawk is quite small and very beautiful. It has white, red and grey colours. They are good hunters and swift flyers.

WN I knew I wanted Wen Ning to be some sort of dog because he’s very loyal, and also (angsty) when the Jins call the Wens dogs I wanted that to hurt even more. He’s very unusual for a Wen, none of the main sect have dog daemons - it is very much a thing that is specific to their branch of the Wen family. The mountain dog I picked for him is an endangered breed, which I also felt fitted WN well. From what I found, dogs symbolise watchful wisdom, honesty, and loyalty, which all fit Wen Ning.

This was all perfect till I remembered WWX’s all-consuming fear of dogs. I decided to get round this by cheating and saying that for some reason daemons are different and he’s not scared of them (because they represent a part of someone’s soul, rather than being a real animal? I guess?? Please do not look too hard at this delicately constructed card tower)

Angsty version: when Wen Ning becomes a fierce corpse he loses his daemon, another reason people are unsettled by him and another thing WWX feels guilty about.

LSZ I think Lan Sizhui was the hardest to pick. I couldn’t decide which way to go: should he follow a “Lan approved” daemon pattern; should he have a bird like Wen Qing and a lot of other Wens? Then I saw the Xiasi Quan and it’s white and fluffy and cute but it was also a hunting and a guard dog, which seemed right for him. And I liked that it gave LSZ and WN this one very tangible connection. It is also endangered. However, I also liked a red panda and a badger for Lan Sizhui too. I really couldn’t decide between the three. I like them all, why is he the hardest to choose for? (I’m still not 100% happy with this, let me know if you have any alternative suggestions)

Again, please suspend your disbelief at the fact that WWX’s child has a dog daemon and he’s fine with this (it would have looked so cute as a little puppy running around the Burial Mounds though).

When he was younger his daemon liked to take on the forms of those closest to him. So you’d often see a bby marten running after WWX’s daemon, a tiny bird perched with Wen Qing’s sparrow-hawk, a puppy following Wen Ning’s dog around, and a tiny bby rabbit in Cloud Recesses. As he got older it shifted between the dog, a red panda, and a badger. (maybe I’ll just say his hasn’t settled yet and that’s why I can’t decide)

JL Jin Ling definitely also had a daemon which shifted because of a) his loved ones and b) his mood, and he hated it. As if his own explosive temper didn’t give him away enough, his daemon always showed his exact feelings. When he wanted nothing more than his mother to be there it would be a bear. When he was feeling defensive about his parents it would turn into a lion (this happens when he and WWX first meet and any time people talk about his parents’ deaths). When he was younger his daemon spent a lot of time as a cat and a bird, although different types to what his uncles had.

Jin Ling’s daemon still hasn’t settled when WWX is resurrected, and he is absolutely mortified the one time it decides to turn into a beech marten like WWX’s. Eventually it will settle into a lion, and WWX will pretend to be grumpy that it didn’t choose a bear instead.

Angsty AUs:

Daemons are linked to golden cores Jiang Cheng loses his daemon along with his core. When Wei Wuxian’s core is removed it’s more like when daemons and humans are separated in the books. His daemon stays with him, but can move about freely - this is part of what causes WWX to rapidly destabilise, not just resentful energy. Jiang Cheng always feels weirdly aware of WWX’s daemon after that but doesn’t know why. WWX’s daemon is technically connected to JC too, and also finds this weird. JC also can’t work out why his daemon never came back with his golden core, and that loss is part of why he’s so angry and isolated.

The effect of trauma on Daemons Another angsty au is based on the idea that, if trauma can make your daemon settle early, then trauma can also make it change.

When Wei Wuxian is thrown into the Burial Mounds, he wishes so hard to be able to fly that his beech marten turns into a crow (because I do love a crow for him too). I kind of like the idea that after the Burial Mounds WWX’s daemon almost un-settles itself, and can change between a marten and a crow. This really freaks people out and is another reason people say he’s dangerous.

Similarly, after Wei Ying’s death and the Lan sect’s punishment, Lan Wangji wakes up to find his daemon has shifted from its hare to snow leopard form. In his soul, LWJ feels like if he had been less passive and actually stood with WWX then his soulmate would still be alive. His daemon changes from a more passive hare to the more aggressive snow leopard.

He’s criticised by the elders for it, but they shut up when his daemon flattens theirs, while LWJ’s face remains an impassive mask but his eyes promise murder. WWX is really sad when he comes back to see LWJ’s hare gone and blames himself for causing LWJ so much trauma his daemon changed. (personally if I were writing a Daemon AU this is what I would have happen, because I love LWJ with a snow leopard daemon - they symbolise bravery and martial ferocity, while rabbits are virtue and gentleness, and I feel like these two both accurately represent the two sides of LWJ. I really feel like LWJ has a huge shift in himself after WWX’s death which would be represented in his daemon. It also is, in a way, a return of a core part of himself which was lost after his mother’s death)

Sword/Instrument substitute Mixing Daemons with sword sprits - the animal becomes a physical representation of the spiritual tool. Some people could therefore have more than one daemon (for example, LWJ could have Bichen - his rabbit sword daemon - and Wangji - his snow leopard guqin daemon)

Angsty version: WWX actually does die in the burial mounds and Suibian, his beech martin, dies/changes into Chenqing, a raven/crow.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .·。.·゜✭·.·✫·゜·。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

If you are reading this you have made it to the end of this post, well done.

I wanted to make it shorter but I had too many ideas and wanted to explain my reasoning for my choices and decided just to put it all in one post rather than lots of little ones.

*Disclaimer: I know only the smallest amount of Chinese, and have taken all my information about imagery, word meanings, and homophones etc from web-sources, and so it is very possible I have made mistakes. Though I have, to the best of my abilities, attempted to check on the cultural/artistic meaning, if any, that certain animals have in Chinese culture, the internet lies and I can’t get any decent books on it atm as the libraries are closed, so I’m really sorry if there are errors and I hope people will forgive any mistakes or blunders I might have made.

#mdzs #the untamed #cql #daemon au #mdzs daemon au #mine #guys i have spent a stupid amount of time on this #myau

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academiaipromise · 4 years ago

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Hello!

This is a series that was inspired by some stressed-filled Zoom calls that I’ve been having with some underclassmen for both my extracurricular organizations and peer mentoring programs. If you’re still reading this, chances are, you’re either going back to college soon or starting college for the first time in the year that is 2020. While we all are probably focusing on the safety of ourselves and our loved ones (as we arguably should), many incoming freshmen I’ve been talking to are also stressed about college things: emailing professors, study tips, how to balance virtual classes. So, in case you feel like reading a series of tips written by a 4th year undergrad who at least pretends to know what she’s doing, click below to read the second entry. Click here for the first.

Tip #2: Zoomin’, or Keeping a Life/Work Balance During Online or Hybrid Courses

When trying to figure out the order in which to post these tips, I was struck with the realization that I start school in a little over a week. So, if anyone is in this same boat, I figured it would be important to talk about class registration tips when there’s still time for you do something about it. This post is a long one, but here’s hoping you can find some advice in it.

So something to clarify right off the bat: when everything started moving to a virtual format, everybody and their mother on the Internet starting coming forward with tips on how to work from home. And while that’s kind of what’s happening here, I take issue with two things: working from home is not the same as working from home during a global crisis, and working from home is not the same as virtual college. So I’ll try to get as specific as I can, but also try to throw in some tips that might work better for you than they do for me.

Part One: Registering for Classes

Okay so this part you might have already done, but it’s good to keep in mind. While the recommended hours at every university is different, in my experience the average recommendation is 15 credits hours per semester. It’s important to note though that this is only an average: if you plan on taking courses in the summer, graduating early/later than 4 years, or taking on multiple majors, all of these things affect the credit hours you should be taking.

The unpleasant reality of registering for courses is there’s really no way to know how a specific class will be. There’s always RateMyProfessor.com or other tools, but who’s to say that professors will be like they normally are if they’re trying to figure out how to teach online/hybrid classes? Also, it’s a good thought to keep in mind that typically only two kinds of people leave public reviews of a professor/course: those who really loved the class, and those who really hated the class. So read and figure out what exactly they’re saying, not just how they feel about the course. And just know yourself - if someone from a humanities background says a statistics class is too hard, but you're great with numbers, that’s not always the best advice to heed. Listen to your gut instinct, both when registering and during drop/add week.

My advice for registering for classes right now? Whatever your instinct is, go a little less if you’re able. The reason I say this is because studying in 2020 can be...a lot, in the same way doing anything in 2020 is. I was only registered for 12 credit hours last semester, and even that became difficult to manage toward the end (moving back home suddenly, people you know getting sick, trying to protect high risk loved ones/yourself, all of which can and probably will happen again this semester). I would just say to go in overestimating how much time you need for yourself vs classes - there will be other semesters, and it’s better to take less classes now and not burn out or struggle mentally (or even just academically) in your first semester of college. Please just be kind to yourself.

Part Two: Zoom, or the True Necessary Evil

Maybe you used Zoom all throughout your last months of high school; maybe your university is using Microsoft Teams or something to that effect. Either way, here is what I’ve found to be helpful during my unforeseen five month foray into Zoom, seemingly with no end in sight.

1. Zoom is a tool. Yes, I kind of hate Zoom, and you may also come to hate Zoom if you don’t already, but there are benefits. You can send in written questions or raise your hand through Zoom if your professor allows that feature, both of which are very helpful in trying to show engagement while also trying to respect any kind of Zoom decorum. This post is going to be long enough, and my next post will have more to do with extracurriculars and virtual opportunities, but if you ever need to host a Zoom and want to just use all of its features, I’m more than happy to answer DMs. I’ve had to sit through so many Zoom tutorials for Student Involvement, and if I can spare anyone from that, I would love to.

2. Balance what you keep digitally versus what’s on paper. Okay, so this is definitely, definitely up to personal preference, but speaking from experience, I just don’t view online or hybrid classes as the opportunity to go fully digital if you’ve never been fully digital before. For me, I always take handwritten notes, mainly because when it comes to remembering things, I either have more of an auditory memory, or I can remember the way that I wrote something when I was taking notes. Considering online classes usually decrease the auditory memory aspect a lot, when things moved virtual I made a point to keep taking handwritten notes. However, something that I’ve found particularly appealing is using Google Calendar (or iCal, Outlook, whatever it is you prefer) to an excess. When scheduling Zoom calls, I always save the Zoom link in the description of the event on my Google Calendar. Trust me, this is a lot better than trying to go through your email to find the link that professor sent. So I would advice to think about your learning preferences and figure out a way to still play to your strengths, even if it might technically be a little less convenient.

3. Schedule screen breaks. This is so important for so many reasons. While I’ve invested in some blue light glasses because I am slowly losing my vision after years of reading books by flashlight or AO3 fics on my phone until late at night, I still get fatigued being on a screen for so long. Because it’s not just school that’s on the screen; it’s your clubs, your social interactions, maybe your job. I would recommend scheduling screen breaks that coincide with some sort of physical activity (I don’t necessarily mean an intensive physical activity, although if you want to feel free; I more am referring to getting up out of your chair and walking around your room or apartment. Or going outside. Ride your bike. Do some yoga. Eat some food. Etc.), but if you’re feeling particularly busy or overwhelmed, taking notes from a physical book works just as well. Even if you feel okay at the moment, scheduling breaks and following that schedule can save you from screen fatigue hitting all at once - it will take a lot longer to get over a headache between your eyes/your eye twitching or your neck and/or shoulder locking up than just allowing simple short breaks throughout your day.

4. Schedule time between Zooms. This may sound like the same thing as taking screen breaks, but what I’ve found is that Zoom is a lot more draining that in person classes. I used to schedule Zoom calls back to back like I would classes (again, personal preference, but I was always the person who would take all of their classes from 9:30-3:30 on Tuesday/Thursday, and no classes on Monday/Wednesday/Friday), but found out pretty quickly that I was wrecked after two or more Zoom calls in a row. Honestly, now I won’t schedule any two Zoom calls within a half an hour of each other - between calls, I like to walk around, grab a snack, stretch, close my eyes and try and suppress the social anxiety that seems to accompany every Zoom class or meeting I’ve ever had. (Tangent: I’m thoroughly convinced southerners were not meant to operate Zoom calls. No one knows how to hang up the dang call without being rude because we were taught to have 30 minute conversations in a doorway on our way out.) Maybe there are people who can go on Zoom calls for three hours or so (and I’ve done that with friends, whether just working on group projects or hanging out), but my personal recommendation would be just to space it out more than normal if you’re able.

5. Create an ideal weekly schedule. This is not “your most productive week ever,” or “this is the rigid schedule you will follow for eternity with no deviations.” One of my most difficult adjustments in college was the changing schedules; maybe you were planning on finishing an important paper on Thursday night, only for your group project to decide to meet that night instead. And that will happen, even with virtual meetings (maybe especially with virtual meetings, as people definitely tend to overestimate your availability when it’s digital). What I’ve found that helps is to create an ideal weekly schedule, both in general and a more specific one at the start of the week, because that means that when things get shuffled around, you actually reschedule that thing that you wanted to do, whether it’s homework, yoga, or just...being alone for a bit. It allows you to still feel like you’re prioritizing your time and activities, even when your schedule changes with little to no warning.

Part Three: Some Final Thoughts

If you can invest in a second monitor, now might really be the time to do it. If you’d prefer, I used a laptop riser for most of college before this all happened (yay nerve damage in my neck!) and an external keyboard and mouse. I would just compare models and figure out what works best financially if that’s something you want to do.

Ultimately, if this doesn’t come across in every tip I post, please just be patient with yourself this semester. This is a weird time, and I know that starting your first semester you might be 100% committed to starting off strong or making a great first impression. And that’s awesome, but sometimes that just might not be realistic. Look at last week’s post on contacting your professor, and reach out early just to introduce yourself. Establishing a relationship early on is always good, but especially considering that this semester really might have moments where you need some extra time or grace from them. Can’t focus? Can’t find motivation? That’s understandable; we’re in a global crisis right now. Just listen to yourself and always put your health and the health of your loved ones before school. I hope that these tips can at least help you navigate your first year with a little less trepidation.

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So that’s it for this entry! As always, if you have specific questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. Again, I am a student at an SEC university in the United States, so I’m not claiming to be an expert in all things, but I have TA'ed multiple freshman seminars, and will be making this series for the freshmen that I know starting at my school this year anyways, so putting them on this blog is no big deal. Next post (which will hopefully be up sooner than this one was) will specifically be on extracurriculars and virtual opportunities, so if you have specific questions on that as well, I’m all ears.

#studyblr #college tips #study tips #academia #first year of college #first year advice #first year tips #academiaipromise #zoom tips

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liskantope · 4 years ago

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Some briefer(?) reactions to major Disney films 1989-1998

I consider the Disney Renaissance (around the period I refer to in the above title) to have been the last official leg of my chronological journey through major Disney features through Disney+ (for this one I need to mention that I’m excluding CGI animated ones on this journey, except when I feel like watching them on the side). I logged some thoughts on the films I watched in the two earlier legs of the journey here and here, where honestly I intended my notes to be short and not turn into full-blown mini-essays for each movie. Those posts turned out to be major timesucks and I can’t afford that now, but I thought I’d jot down a hodgepodge of reactions and just be briefer and sloppier about it. I feel like I have overall less to say about this set of films anyway, since they’re pretty much all very high-quality and are talked about extensively in the cultural discourse much more than films from Disney’s earlier eras.

As I was still trying to stick to taking one day for each year in the Disney Studios timeline and major film production by Disney picked up pace a lot at the start of this era, I wound up doing a rather intense marathon of one full Disney movie each evening: over ten evenings (corresponding to the years 1989 through 1998), I watched the ten movies The Little Mermaid, The Rescuers Down Under, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Lion King, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, and Mulan. I would have watched Tarzan the following evening, but I had very recently sort of re-seen it when it came on Netflix -- I didn’t see it for the first time until an outdoor event near the end of grad school not that many years ago; I didn’t bother paying full attention on seeing it the second time a couple of months ago and couldn’t much get into it on the second viewing.

The thing about the ten major animated Disney movies on this list is that, while I can’t say I love all of them, the uptick in quality is dramatic right from the start and never wavers. Every single one of these films just seems objectively better than Pete’s Dragon, The Fox and the Hound, or Oliver and Company. This will help me be a little shorter-written when talking about them, as it’s easier to expand on specific criticisms than to wax on about how great something is.

[EDIT: Okay, these still turned out pretty long and more on the polished side. Guess I’m just not that capable of being brief and sloppy.]

The Little Mermaid, 1989

Although we didn’t have the video at my house growing up, I somehow knew The Little Mermaid quite well; I guess I watched it quite a few times. I went a gap of many years before seeing it again in college (I’m fairly certain that my college girlfriend and I watched it together, in fact). My reaction at the time was that although it was well enough done with good music, the story was terrible. This was right around the time I watched a performance of Once on This Island, a musical based on Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Little Mermaid” on which, of course, the Disney movie was based. I thought the tragic tale told in Once on This Island was beautiful and scorned The Little Mermaid for cheapening it. In fact, my opinion was quite scathing in the way that my opinions more often were when I was younger. So I was a little wary on watching it again.

I’ve mellowed out since my college days and don’t hate the story quite as much now -- in particular, I can’t really blame Disney for Disnifying a mature tragedy into a more lighthearted tale with a happy ending -- but I still think it’s kind of bad. We’re back to Disney princesses (I think for the first time since my first round of Disney films?), this time with a Disney princess who had goals that didn’t involve meeting her prince, until she actually meets him and every other interest, including staying in the world she grew up with where to which all the people who ever loved her or knew her are confined, giving up her voice, and drastically changing her physical form. And this is all for a prince character of flatly generic personality who is superficial and dim-witted enough that he only knows his true love by her voice. (I don’t understand why this isn’t the Disney Renaissance-era film that routinely gets criticized for being anti-feminist rather than... a certain other one also on this list.) Also, while King Triton isn’t by any means a flat character, his sudden turnaround at the end and almost lightheartedness at saying goodbye to his daughter presumably forever doesn’t quite feel right.

I was very surprised at how much I’d completely forgotten among plot events and certain scenes in the movie. For instance, as the action neared the climax, I really had no memory of how Ursula would be defeated and watching it didn’t jog my memory.

This is the first of several films on this list where I noticed a sample of what I’m starting to think of a set of 90′s sitcom/romcom tropes, in this case the situation of the romantic leads courting very publicly with all the other characters watching and cheering it on and working behind the scenes to help it happen. This shows up again in Beauty and the Beast and (to a slight degree) Aladdin below.

Great music of course, even slightly better than what I remembered. Fun fact: you know that “Part of Your World” song, almost certainly the most widely popular in the film, the one that musical theater kids at my (and maybe your) middle school always used for auditions? Apparently it was almost cut from the film, mainly because it was shown to a test audience of little kids who all fidgeted and got visibly distracted.

The Rescuers Down Under, 1990

I don’t have too much to say about this one, the first Disney sequel ever. I had only ever seen the first Rescuers before and, as my previous set of reviews indicates, didn’t particularly like it, but came in to this one a little more optimistic since some consider it better than its predecessor. They aren’t wrong -- this movie was similar to The Rescuers but better, I think. Although the villain was just as forgettable, the setting was far more enticing (at least to someone like me who has never been to Australia and thinks of it as exotic), and the dynamic between the main mouse characters was more engaging. Here we have another subplot that somehow reminds me of a 90′s-ish sitcom/romcom, with the aborted marriage proposals and a love triangle -- not that love triangles hadn’t featured in movies for decades, but something about how this one was done felt distinctly more modern.

Beauty and the Beast, 1991

Ah, this is not only one of the Disney movies I saw the most as a kid but one which has only grown on me as I’ve gotten older -- I consider it one of the most groundbreakingly beautiful of the animated classics ever made, one of my very favorite Disney productions of all time. We got the video when I was only five or so; I remember distinctly that it came out on home video (right after coming out in theaters) right around the same time that 101 Dalmatians came out on home video and that my mom explained to me that she was choosing to buy Beauty and the Beast instead because of its superior music. She was right about this -- not that 101 Dalmatians has bad music, but it’s hard to measure up to Alan Mencken’s masterful compositions for Beauty and the Beast. For me it solidly ranks in the top three Disney movie soundtracks ever, one of the others being that of Mary Poppins and the third being from an easily-predictable film later on this list.

I’m pretty sure I remember watching portions of this movie every morning for weeks before leaving for kindergarten (this is what makes me think we got it when I was five), and I continued to enjoy it throughout childhood. I next watched it when I was much older, but I can’t remember exactly when. During college I got hold of the soundtrack of the musical, which since has been one of my favorite musical soundtracks to listen to. I never actually got to see the musical until last December when it was showing in my hometown, and I thought it was excellent. Interestingly, there were a number of scenes that I assumed had been added for the musical but I had actually forgotten were in the movie -- unlike with certain Disney musical films *ahemMaryPoppinsahem*, they didn’t take many liberties with the musical except to add a number of new (very good) songs.

Leaving aside the top-notch music and exquisite animation, the story in my opinion is one of the most beautiful and distinctively memorable stories Disney has ever told, not to mention entertaining without every being silly or over-the-top. It speaks of compassion, drawing out core goodness from an ugly exterior, and the fact that, to quote the enchantress from the start of the tale, “beauty comes from within”. Belle is also, to my mind, the most feminist Disney protagonist ever to be seen up to that time, which is why I get super super annoyed that so many people point to this movie loftily shouting “Stockholm Syndrome!” I feel it’s kind of inevitable that I quickly address that here, even though I’ve brought it up on this blog several times before. (Also, for an excellent takedown of the “Beauty and the Beast is a sexist story because Belle has Stockholm’s Syndrome” take, see this video essay of Lindsay Ellis.)

When watching the musical last winter I kept an eye out for justification for the Stockholm’s Syndrome take that I might not have remembered and couldn’t find any, but it pains me to admit that I did find a smidgen of justification, for someone determined to be a bit uncharitable, in a particular bit of dialog from the movie. I don’t recall it appearing with quite that wording in the musical, although it’s entirely possible that the musical has those exact same lines and I just wasn’t being observant. Here it is:

BELLE: What did you say?

BEAST: I release you. You’re no longer my prisoner.

BELLE: You mean... I’m free?

BEAST: Yes.

BELLE: Oh, thank you. Hold on, Papa. I’m on my way. [tries to hand mirror to BEAST]

BEAST: Take it with you. So you’ll always have a way to look back... and remember me.

BELLE: [in sweet, deeply moved tone] Thank you for understanding how much he needs me.

So okay, maybe Belle comes off as showing just a bit too much unqualified gratitude here, an oversight that the writers circa 1990 clearly should have avoided in case diagnosing female characters with Stockholm’s should ever become trendy twenty-something years later. But this could be remedied by a quick rewrite of the dialog in that one scene; it’s not as though the whole plot has to be changed away from its inherently misogynistic nature.

And that’s all I want to say on that one aspect of this absolute gem of a Disney production. Despite a few minor issues I noticed, such as Maurice being a little too innocent and helpless, and it lacking my very favorite line from the musical (“Belle don’t you recognize the beast within the man who’s now before you?” at the end), Beauty and the Beast comes about as close to perfection as it gets.

Aladdin, 1992

Although I didn’t see this major blockbuster hit when it first came out -- it was probably considered a bit too intense for me at kindergarten age -- this is the first time that I was aware on some level that a particular Disney movie was a new release. (One of my few sharp memories of kindergarten recess was a boy standing on a stump or low piece of playground equipment making proclamations to passersby for minutes at a time that alternated between, “You are a street rat!”, “You were born a street rat!”, and “You will die a street rat!”, and how this made me consciously contemplate the concept of present/past/future tenses for the first time.) When I saw it, I loved it -- it was clearly the most exciting animated movie out there. At some point in childhood I thought it was bested by its sequel, but a few years later as a teenager I decided that the tightly resonant plot of the original Aladdin made it the best Disney movie ever. I’ve definitely mellowed out my opinion on this, as Aladdin certainly has flaws and some other features are more deeply meaningful to me as an adult, but I still hold up Aladdin as one of the greats. I saw at least parts of it as an adult on TV and saw it very recently prior to getting Disney+ when it appeared briefly on Netflix, but I was perfectly happy to rewatch it yet again on Disney+ the evening after watching its predecessor as Aladdin is fun and entertaining every time.

In this animated production we have finally topped The Great Mouse Detective in terms of animated action. We have topped most movies that ever came out prior in terms of a manically funny yet also soulful character in Robin Williams’ role as the genie. The story is excellent, apart from having only one female character, and my being bothered just a little by the slough of magic tricks dominating the action towards the end -- I tend to prefer universes where magic requires scholarly study and careful training (e.g. The Black Cauldron) rather than “genie points his finger at you and now you have the ability to point your own finger and make anything happen that pops into your head”. The sultan continues the trend of old man characters who are portrayed as helpless and infantile -- in this case, even more intensely, since the sultan has none of Maurice’s brilliant smarts. But I’m mostly nitpicking here -- Aladdin is well deserving of its high status in the history of Disney.

The Nightmare Before Christmas, 1993

I was very glad to finally get a chance to see this movie, because I clearly remember knowing about it from the time it was being advertised back in 1993, and I heard about it during my entire childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. Although it seemed that most of my friends had seen it growing up, it didn’t look much like my conception at the time of a “normal movie” or even normal content, and so I don’t recall ever asking to watch it. But my recent-day self recognized that it’s quite a classic and was curious to see it.

I don’t regard The Nightmare Before Christmas as one of the really great Disney productions, but I strongly admire how original it was (particularly for its time) in every single aspect, including use of claymation, overall aesthetic, intriguing characters, and story. It was also fun to see what seems to be the only Disney musical that is done in the style of opera, that is, where the entire story is told in songs without any extended non-musical dialogs. And the songs are quite good in their own way, too. I don’t particularly want to see the film again, but I might not mind getting a soundtrack of it.

The Lion King, 1994

This is the first Disney movie -- and I believe the first movie of any kind, in fact -- that I went to see in the theater. I remember it as a powerful and sometimes overwhelming experience, but as a movie I overall liked even as young as I was. This is remarkable especially considering that much of the story feels more adult in nature than almost any other Disney animated feature.

What can I even say about this one? I think the general reaction to watching it is almost unanimously shared. My impression is that what its creators were going for, more than anything else, was epicness, and they succeeded in a way that had never been done through animation before. Apparently the entire (incredibly epic) opening number was shown as the trailer -- a questionable move, but understandably it got people very excited about The Lion King’s release.

One of many particular things that makes The Lion King stand out is the profound darkness of its main villain, perhaps the most chilling that has ever appeared in Disney. An argument can be made that not only murdering a major protagonist halfway through the movie but convincing the child that he’s to blame is the most evil act we’ve ever seen from a Disney villain. I’ve seen it pointed out that it’s vaguely ableist to give the villain an ugly scar and even make it his name. Some have suggested that they should have made the villain the handsome and strong one and given the scar to one of the heroes -- Simba or Mufasa -- instead. I’m definitely sympathetic to this point of view, and I totally agree that Scar shouldn’t actually have been someone’s name. However, without getting bogged down into something that could be a lengthy post all on its own, I strongly feel that in a way it adds to the depth of our villain’s depravity through the backstory that it implies. And by the way, his ending is probably my favorite out of the fates of all Disney villains.

The music also follows the film’s ethos of being as epic as possible (well, with the exception of a couple of the songs, but they were still fine songs). “The Circle of Life” and the instrumental music propel The Lion King’s soundtrack to possibly the very best in all of Disney.

To be sure, this movie does have more flaws than I remembered. As I said, Scar is a terrible name to give any of the characters, especially in a story where everyone else’s name comes from Swahili. Pumbaa is basically just one big fart joke. (Although, I give the writers major credit for managing to switch the tone to accommodate fart jokes within like five minutes of Scar confronting Simba over Mufasa’s death.) The video essayist Big Joel has pointed out interesting things about the story and made some rather troubling points about it, although to me that almost just makes the film deeper and more thought-provoking rather than actually worse (I see the Chronicles of Narnia this way). But overall, The Lion King has well earned its high rank on the list of highest grossing films of all time.

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At this point in Disney’s history and my childhood, apparently I decided that I didn’t care to see new Disney films coming out because I was content with watching my old favorites over and over, and anyway I was getting older and discovering that non-Disney movies could be quite entertaining as well. Therefore, I didn’t see any of these last four until adulthood, even though they all came out when I was still a kid.

Pocahontas, 1995

I was glad for the chance to finally see Pocahontas for the first time, unfortunately not before hearing countless references to it as being Problematic while I would have preferred to go into it completely uninfluenced by popular opinion. I had actually seen songs from it and Disney books of it as a child and it didn’t interest me at all. On finally watching the film, I found that I got what I expected on both counts: it wasn’t terribly interesting or gripping, and it doesn’t really pass the muster of today’s higher standards of responsible storytelling about colonialism.

All that really sticks out at me looking back (after some delay in writing this post, so that it was over a month ago that I watched this) is that the plot felt a bit atypical in two ways. One, a character, who is neither a protagonist really nor a villain, is killed off around halfway through -- a daring move that The Fox and the Hound chickened out of doing, but I shouldn’t have been all that surprised given that Pocahontas’ very predecessor did this with a protagonist in a much bigger way. And two, the story ends sort of anticlimactically: I can’t help feeling a bit disappointed when a big Disney animated feature doesn’t end with a lot of action, despite realizing that this more peaceful kind of ending being a reasonable alternative is basically the entire point the story wants to make.

The songs are sort of meh, at least by the high standards of Disney movies of this period. Nothing more really to say on this one.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame, 1996

Here is another movie that I had never gotten around to seeing before, despite having been somewhat more interested in it than I ever was in Pocahontas. And this turned out to be the main breakout attraction on this list, as I found it nothing short of spectacular (save, perhaps, the music, which was “only” quite solid, maybe not spectacular).

I would nominate this for the award of most mature movie among all the animated features included in this journey. I would almost say its ideal audience is adults, not children. It showcases an abusive relationship with enough intricate care to be worthy of analysis through abuse discourse on Tumblr. It displays lust and sexuality in a way that I don’t think I’ve never seen anywhere else in Disney animation. Its violence and political undertones are quite dark. It examines religion deeply (which is as far as I know unique in Disney), and the capacity of religion to bring out both the best and the worst impulses in humanity is exposed. Its main villain is one of the more multi-layered ones. It treats physical handicaps and deformities in quite an honest way and subverts expectations with its love plot.

Perhaps the only thing one might reasonably criticize this movie for is the characters of the gargoyles, which are clearly present to lighten the tone a bit so that the film isn’t entirely heavy and austere. But I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised -- I think the gargoyle stuff could have been executed in such a way that may have made the whole film sag, but instead they were done just right: the gargoyles are depicted as being animated only in the mind of Quasimodo. This means in fact that in a way, they actually implicitly add some gravity to his situation. (Consider that in a more typical Disney film there would have been some sort of cheesy sentient animal friend instead whose existence would not have been confined to the protagonist’s imagination.) Here I’m going to choose to ignore the fact that the gargoyles do seem to interfere in the final battle with some explosives, a possible inconsistency which is minor enough to be glossed over.

Anyway, I think before I unsubscribe from Disney+, I might just give this one a second watching.

Hercules, 1997

Although I never saw this one growing up, I did get talked into watching it by my college girlfriend who had been fond of it growing up. I distinctly remember not caring much for it when I saw it with her. My reaction at this later stage of my life is basically the same. There’s something about the animation style that I find subtly grating and distracting. And there’s something about the story itself that feels like way too light and cartoony a take on ancient Greek mythology (although it’s not like the ancient Greeks had a particularly heavy or dark mythology, and what else could I expect from Disney, really?). I guess that stories that are so explicitly centered around a young man’s quest for hero-hood and being godlike just don’t speak to me that well, and I didn’t find any of the characters that appeared to be especially memorable or engaging.

I did like the muses and enjoyed their singing but can’t say I love any of the musical numbers. So, I respect the effort and earnestness and general respect for ancient Greek culture that went into Hercules, but my overall reaction is still meh.

Mulan, 1998

I had only seen this movie once before, during a trip with some grad school friends back some years ago. One of my best friends at the time, who was with us on the trip, highly recommended it as pretty much her favorite Disney movie as she especially liked father-daughter stories. At the time, the film didn’t make a particularly strong impression on me, although I could recognize its quality. Watching it again on Disney+ has given me a deeper respect for it as having quite a good story and characterization, fine animation, and pretty decent music. I like both Mulan and Mushu as characters, and I enjoyed their dynamic.

I guess it’s telling, though, that I don’t really have all that much more to say about it. Maybe I don’t relate closely enough, maybe the movie didn’t imprint itself on me at an early enough time in my life, maybe I don’t engage that well with any plot that involves organized warfare, I don’t know. But I think I can only really like this film on a more dispassionate, intellectual level, rather than feeling touched in any kind of resonant way by it.

I think it’s interesting to note that Mulan is actually pretty rare among Disney protagonists in having two parents who survive through the entire story. And that moreover, despite it being billed as a father-daughter story to me (and I’m not denying that it is somewhere at its core), Mulan never directly interacts with her father except at the beginning and the very end.

Anyway... since watching all of these, I’ve been watching the more recent major films sort of sporadically: The Return of Jafar (a favorite of mine at some point in childhood, but with maturity I can now see why it was direct-to-video), The Emperor’s New Groove (quite good, better than expected), the first half of Home on the Range (about as bad as I expected, hence my quitting halfway through), WALL-E (as good as I remembered from when it came out when I was in college), Enchanted (one of my favorites, not on Disney+ so I got it through... other means), The Princess and the Frog (a real treat, slathered with Louisiana flavor), Tangled (sweet but nothing outstanding), Frozen (one of my favorites from seeing it in the theater; however I had never seen the first ten minutes which makes a major difference!), and Frozen II (which I had been sorry to miss in theaters last winter, a bit of a weird story but not bad and absolutely the most stunning animation I’ve ever seen). And, of course, Belle’s Magical World, the infamous mid-quel to Beauty and the Beast; this was not a major film but I just had to see if it was as legendarily bad as people say and, yes, it was.

I’m very glad to have been able to get a break from Netflix by taking a tour through the main history of Disney -- including many childhood memories, would-be childhood experiences, and more modern things from my adulthood -- thanks to Disney+.

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imreallyhereforplance · 5 years ago

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How Multimouse Could Work

Although I’m up-to-date on all the episodes of Miraculous, I’m not so involved in the fandom, so pardon me if someone else has had this idea.

I am really excited for Multimouse. I honestly crave more Marichat content and, considering the whole Ladrien thing we got in Desperada, I think it’s safe to hope for Chat Noir giving Marinette the mouse miraculous. However, unlike Aspik, Multimouse poses an explicit issue that Marinette would notice even before taking the jewel.

If Chat Noir gives Marinette the miraculous and she accepts it, she then has to hide the fact that she’s also Ladybug, just as Adrien hid his alternate superhero identity in Desperada. The problem with Marinette becoming Multimouse is that, unfortunately, there needs to be a Ladybug to cleanse any akumas or amoks. We’ve seen from past episodes, mostly in Season 1 (Dark Cupid, Puppeteer, Princess Fragrance, etc.), that Ladybug more so than Chat Noir must consistently be present in order to save the day / cleanse the butterflies and feathers / repair all damage. Adrien knows this and, thus, figured for the majority of Desperada that Chat Noir could take a rain check.

Marinette knows that she can’t shirk her Ladybug duties, as seen in Startrain. Being a responsible Ladybug and with little or no temptation to spend time with Chat Noir as Marinette (unlike Adrien with Ladybug in Desperada), I expect that she will reject the mouse miraculous at first. I think she’ll tell Chat that she can’t, make some excuse like she’s too busy. Although, this excuse would probably be really weak during an akuma attack. What’s more likely is she’ll tell him she’s not the right choice, that she doesn’t believe she can do it and he should choose someone else.

I expect Chat to press, though, and basically tell her that she most certainly can do it. Adrien knows Marinette is competent, the “everyday Ladybug,” that she’s intelligent and honest and stands up for herself and others. I loved when Marinette took the lead in Startrain and Adrien commended her for it – this and many other scenes throughout the series would support Adrien’s thought process in choosing Marinette for a miraculous.

I think Chat’s encouragement would be reminiscent of Origins, Part 1, not necessarily in word choice but more in tone and trust. It’d probably take Marinette aback a bit.

Ultimately, she would take the miraculous. This might sound far-fetched but I honestly think it might be because of how much faith and certainty Chat has that she’s the right choice, and she doesn’t want to refuse since that would make Chat feel like he failed the first time choosing a holder.

Although Adrien is more familiar with Master Fu at this point, it’s very obvious that Fu has a closer relationship with Marinette than with Adrien. Fu is teaching Marinette to be a Guardian and has entrusted several miraculous jewels to her. Especially in Syren, we’ve seen Adrien feel left out-of-the-know, and while he and Fu have interacted, I wouldn’t be surprised if that was restricted to the end of Syren, Party Crasher, and Feast. The mouse miraculous would be Adrien’s first time entrusted with choosing a holder for a miraculous, while Ladybug’s chosen many. Naturally, Adrien would be excited over this, and determined to get it right just as Ladybug always has with the exception of him as Aspik.

I think that Marinette would probably sense that, if she turned him down, Chat would feel like he failed. Again, she knows from Syren that he feels left out, even if things have improved. And he sounds so confident in her, so sure that she’s the one for the job. So, she’d accept the mouse miraculous.

This is where things get more headcanon-y, mostly because I’ll be assuming a power for the mouse miraculous. I don’t think anyone knows for certain what the power is, but I’ve seen ideas. My favorite, and the one that will be serving our purposes here, is duplication (and given that the name is Multimouse…it doesn’t seem too improbable).

Duplication is the power that could potentially solve this problem of needing a Ladybug on the scene. Imagine a power where the miraculous holder can make two of themselves – two people, two miraculous jewels, even two kwamis. Basically, this is different from an illusion because, for one, the duplicate is tangible and, for another, the duplicate is so whole for the five minutes they exist that they can actually detransform within that timeframe, even if the original cannot without re-fusing with / destroying the duplicate (or maybe they can, not sure. If they could, though, that might be like cheating, as then they could keep detransforming and transforming again and making way more than one duplicate with each one having a five-minute lifespan). I’ll presume that the original can’t detransform without destroying the duplicate, and also that the duplicate cannot use the duplication power because just one mind-split is already messing with time and space we don’t need even more Marinettes. Other than that, the power is special since you literally have two of yourself, maybe even with a telepathic connection and little restriction on what this second one of you can do.

My thought is that this Multimouse duplicate could possibly detransform and then transform again as Ladybug. I really like this idea because it would mean that the majority of the episode would be Chat Noir and Multimouse alone. Once Multimouse uses her power of duplication, this duplicate is only going to have five minutes to get away, become Ladybug, return to the battle, use the lucky charm, cleanse the akuma or amok, and then disappear again. This means that Marinette can only use her duplication power late in the battle – all of her thinking and probing and learning about the opponent is going to have to be done as Multimouse, without Ladybug around.

I think it’d be hilarious if Ladybug and Multimouse were there at the same time for a brief while, coming up with a plan and having the same ideas since they’re just two of the same mind, and Chat hangs back in awe thinking that they’ve both got this. Of course, it’d also be annoying since they literally have the exact same voice, Chat and it’d also further Adrien’s belief that Ladybug and Marinette aren’t the same person, but frankly that sounds like something the writers would do.

Then again, he’d see how well Ladybug and Marinette work together, and his opinion of Marinette would probably go up even higher. So, yes, I like this idea. It’d mean that the Multimouse duplicate would be supposedly “missing” most of the time after it was made, but honestly, Chat would probably look past that, accepting some simple excuse cause “oh, here’s Ladybug!” I mean, in that case, maybe forget part of my description of the power’s limits and have the duplicate make a duplicate, so now there are two Multimouses and one Ladybug, though that idea is less appealing since then there are pretty much no limits to the power.

TL;DR: If Multimouse’s power is indeed duplication then the problem with there being no Ladybug is solved.

#miraculous ladybug #ml #mlb #miraculous #ml spoilers #multimouse #marichat #marinette #marinette dupain-cheng #adrien #adrien agreste #ladybug #chat noir #cat noir #so many tags #adrienette #adrinette

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daily-dose-of-imagines · 4 years ago

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𝕄𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙 𝕌𝕡♡

Hi! Can I have a male KNB matchup? She/Her. I have a small body and even smaller chest which I used to be fine with but now frustrates me. My butt makes up for it though. I also have wide hips so even though I’m skinny I still have some shape which could pass off as slim-sexy.

I’m introverted and reserved. I prefer to spend time by myself just reading. To most, I’m unassuming, shy, and incapable of carrying myself out there or doing assigned task. That’s because I’m easily flustered and embarrassed. It’s not like I can’t talk to guys at all, but I’m very conscious of them particularly if it’s someone I like. I’m not a pushover though. I’m actually very unlike what outsiders think of me as (kind & sweet). Although I’m those things too, I’m really a strong-headed person and very opinionated. I’m not one to take shit from anybody. I try to hold my feelings in for the sake of others, but I’m not a patient person by any means. So I say what’s on my mind, not often guilty that it makes me seem like a warfreak or disrespectful. I don’t give chances easily. I don’t trust someone again who committed a serious mistake knowing that once that person has done it once, he could do it again.

I’m a harsh critique on a variety of things like fictions, arts, movies. I don’t like wasting time by lingering on badly written/drawn ones. I’m also a harsh judge of people. Maybe because I have inferiority complex that’s why sometimes I can’t help but bring people down. I’m a selfish and spiteful person. Sometimes I’m incorrigible to the point that I toy around with people if they pissed me off enough. Maybe it’s because I’ve always felt like I don’t matter as much simply because I’m younger than everybody which makes me act out. You could say I’m the black sheep of the family. I feel like I’m not good enough and I’m so bothered that I haven’t accomplished anything at all in life. I’m jealous of other people when they’re better than I am. I think of myself as a dark person due to my personality and my thoughts. I have lots of insecurities and could really get in a slump for weeks. I can’t talk to anybody about these things which is why I get depressed and lonely sometimes.

I’m lazy and sloppy and disorganized, but when I put my mind to it I’m actually a harder worker than anybody which makes me happy when I get acknowledgement for it. I’m quite ambitious. On good days, I’m quite normal and actually amenable and pleasant. My dad and I are often not on good terms, but I’m happy when I get to spend some time with my other family members since those moments are rare. I get happy when I get to buy a good book, or a notebook because I keep a diary and also write a few things. I like survival games. I can be an airhead most of the time.

When it comes to my sexuality, I’m into guys but I admit I’ve admired a woman’s body and have fantasized about women too. But it’s all physical attraction since I’ve never liked a female romantically. I crush on guys easily. I’m drawn to bad boys (both the street-smart a**holes and the calculating, manipulative ones), but I also like cold and brooding tsundere guys. Romance is good too but I’m a closet pervert and quite adventurous with these things that’s why I prefer someone who’s dominating, a little arrogant (as long as they have something to be arrogant for) and can make me feel desirable.

I hope that’s okay and thank you!

»»————-　♡　————-««

Hello sweetie~! Thanks so much for requesting with us and I hope you’re doing okay~! I can most definitely do this match-up for you~! I hope you enjoy who I’ve paired you with~!

» » Admin Ko

𝕀 𝕊𝕙𝕚𝕡 𝕐𝕆𝕌 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙…

ʜɪᴍᴜʀᴏ ᴛᴀᴛꜱᴜʏᴀ

Quiet and reserved, Himuro mixes well with your introverted self. He has a decent understanding of how you think and feel when it comes to crowds of people, and enjoys the simple times with one’s self. Despite the assumptions of being shy with a lack of spark in initial meetings, Himuro has a knack for picking out individuals who aren’t exactly who they may seem to be from first glance.

He finds it endearing how you can be flustered and easily embarrassed when talking to someone of interest. Though of course he won’t admit it, but he does tend to get a tad jealous when your attention is anywhere but on him. As stated previously, Himuro has a knack for having a keen sense for the unexpected attitudes from people, and isn’t all too surprised to see the strong and opinionated person that comes forth from you. If anything, he’s able to combat that in his own calm and factual self. Though make no mistake, he can be wound up tightly in his own emotions as well.

With opinions and ideals, he’ll listen to what you have to say with respect, even if he happens to not agree with them, but there may be times where ideals and opinions clash and collide. Though of course a proper sit down and calm talk with one another will usually alleviate the situation. When it comes to mistakes, or wrong doings, Himuro-- in a sense-- is similar to you. Mainly in aspects of having a hard time trusting others, but being a touch more lenient on giving a second chance.

After all, he knows that individuals can gradually change and learn from their mistakes through time. Especially after witnessing the GoM being brought back to reality. As for critiquing works, Himuro is very much similar to you in those aspects. He won’t waste time on anything that doesn’t have a good or well developed plot with nicely written characters, but tends to hold back on judging others. Mainly because he understands that not all can achieve perfection on the first try.

With that, he tries to help ease and work with your inferiority complex. With his manipulative and cunning tactics, he’ll most definitely weave emotions into his facts that he gives you in hopes of helping you understand that there’s no point in bringing others down, when so many can help bring you up. He personally dislikes the toying of other people; mainly because it reminds him of his own past and others that he’s met while playing basketball, and doesn’t want you to be painted as a villain in others’ eyes.

It’s without a doubt that Himuro will constantly be complimenting you or giving you genuine compliments in hopes of helping your self hate. The destruction and pain of that path being familiar to him, and he doesn’t want you to fall even further into it.

As for affection, he can be a bit of a taunting asshole. He most definitely enjoys seeing you riled up, and doesn’t mind indulging in giving you the affection you desire. Though a majority of the time, he can be a touch aloof and nonchalant when you try to gain his attention. Though trust he won’t really let you out of his sight. He’s more than clever enough to keep a game of cat and mouse going for as long as he’d like.

#match-ups #matchup #submissions #anime matchup #submission #knb matchup #knb x reader #tatsuya himuro x reader

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elysianrey · 5 years ago

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tell me things you’ve never said out loud

[part 3 of it’s a slow cinnamon summer. read part 1. read part 2]

(a/n: okay...here it is. the final installment of this little series. thanks for joining me on this crazy ride these past few days! i’m not sure when i’ll get another chance to write for fun, but hopefully i will be nipped by the plot bunnies again soon. Anne and Gil finally get a resolution to this tension. And Gilbert is shirtless again... Enjoy!! xoxo Content T+)

Almost a week passed before Anne saw him again.

It was not so much by choice, at least not to Anne, but rather they were needed for other responsibilities around their respective households. Matthew had caught a late summer cold, which led to Anne tending to his needs, while Marilla cared for little Delphine at the Blythe-Lacroix farm. When Anne wasn’t checking in on Matthew, she was out in the fields with Jerry and his brothers, who offered their aid upon catching word of Matthew’s sickness. The hard labor of weeding out the bad crops or nasty pests allowed Anne to direct her mind onto something other than the single topic it would revolve back to as she laid in her bed each night. Even the exhaustion from the day’s activities was not enough to weary her brain into a dreamless state of sleep which she desperately craved.

For her dreams were where she slipped back into that sweet moment in the garden, or worse, entered new fantasies so vivid and lifelike, Anne would suddenly awake with a gasp, sweat beading on her forehead and along fair skin. She dared not tell a single soul about any of those dreams.

His lingering presence had intertwined itself so deeply into her being that she knew it was fruitless to try an escape it’s captive grip. Otherwise, she would be denying an integral piece of herself, as terrifying as the thought was to her.

Marilla woke her before dawn on Saturday morning with the news that she would be baking and cooking most of the day for the church picnic tomorrow. She was quite beside herself because with watching over Delphine the whole week, she had completely forgotten the important event.

“No worries, Marilla. I will take care of precious Delly today,” Anne reassured her comfortingly, her heart twinging anxiously at the prospect of the boy she was going to inevitably see. She needed to clear the air between them and make things right.

Marilla let out a grateful sigh, “Oh bless you, Anne. For all that you have done the past days,” she replied, her arms drawing the girl into a hug. “Now off you go to get dressed. Bash mentioned that he and Gilbert were going to be up early to start pruning some of the apple trees in the orchard.”

Anne nodded, a suppressed smile on her lips as she turned on her heel to dress herself, which did not go unnoticed by Marilla.

“Make sure Gilbert does not to overwork himself,” she called from the kitchen below as Anne hurriedly traipsed up the stairs.

“Will do!”

+++++

Anne gave the door of the Blythe-Lacroix home a gentle knock and waited patiently for an answer, rather hoping it would be a sleepy-eyed, dark-haired boy. Instead she was received by a groggy-looking Bash, who held a cup of steaming hot coffee in one hand and a fussy baby in the other.

“Good morning, Anne,” he greeted, motioning for her to enter, and pushing the door shut behind them with his shoulder. “It’s nice of you to come.” His attention turned toward the squirming bundle in the crook of his arm. “Shhhhh--there, there Delly. Papa will be back for you soon. Your auntie Anne is here to spend some time with you now,” he cooed, rocking her softly and taking a sip of his coffee.

The redhead couldn’t contain the fond smile that broke over face at the endearing title Bash had dubbed after the countless days she had spent with them upon Mary’s passing and the consuming grief that latched on to Sebastian’s being. Although he was not quite the person she remembered before his beloved returned to her heavenly home in the sky, he was beginning to finally settle into a different type of normal.

Anne stretched out her arms to take the baby, and Bash handed her off. “It is always a treat to spend time with this princess of yours,” she remarked lovingly, looking at Delphine with a sense of delight.

She followed Bash into the kitchen, holding the infant on her hip, and observing him as he set his cup down carefully. “Blythe is out in the orchard already, crazy fool,” he chuckled with a shake of his head. Anne tried her best to keep her face of coolness upon the comment.

“I’ll tell you Anne, the boy has been working himself to the bone lately. Can’t help but think something’s troubling him, but he dodges giving me a proper answer anytime I ask him about it. You wouldn’t happen to know what’s gotten him quieter than a church mouse, would you?”

A fresh wave of guilt overcame her as she bit down on her lip. “Uhhh...no...no clue,” she stuttered quickly, cursing herself for the unconvincing reply. She turned to begin making a warm bottle for Delphine as she searched for something more believable to add. “Maybe he’s worried about Queen’s?” she offered, picking up a glass bottle with one hand and setting it on the table. “I know I am.” This was true. It was a matter of weeks before Marilla and Matthew would be dropping her off at the school in Charlottetown and the remembrance of this fact made her heart ache in melancholy.

Several beats of silence passed between them before she glanced over at him. “Hmm…’suppose you could have a point,” was all he said, his eyes wearing an expression of curiosity and his tone full of doubt. Anne had a feeling he could see straight through her deceit. “Well I best be going out to the orchard. We’ll be coming in later for some lunch. See you my Delly Welly!”

“Say ‘Bye Papa’,” she replied with a grin, holding up Delphine’s hand in a waving motion. Bash returned the wave with one of his own and then turned around to exit through the back door, Anne’s nerves rattling almost as loudly as the darn thing when he shut it closed.

She sighed a breath of relief, turning back to finish her job with the baby’s bottle. His words had not been of a comfort to her in the slightest. The fault for Gilbert’s reserved behavior was entirely her doing, and to think, it could have been avoided altogether if she was not such a dunce when romantic feelings were involved. For an individual who spent a majority of her lifetime envisioning love and devising hundreds of stories filled with romantic dialogue and gestures, Anne Shirley-Cuthbert’s naivety toward navigating it in real-life was mystifying.

The redhead spent the rest of the morning, reading stories, singing songs, and watching Delphine crawl around the house, constantly having to keep an eye on her since the little girl had a tendency to put everything she found in her mouth. By the time the afternoon rolled around, the baby seemed to have worn herself out, and Anne sighed in contentment when she fell fast asleep in her basket.

Anne leaned her head on the wooden bench next to the baby’s basket and closed her eyes, intending only to keep them shut for a brief moment. Working in the field the day before and waking up early that morning had taken a toll on her. Not to mention the restless fits of sleep she experienced every night since Josie’s party. She would only rest for a few minutes longer…

+++++

When she awoke, the first thing she noticed was Delphine was gone. Anne jolted upright, her eyes scanning the floor around her, assuming she must have crawled right out of her basket. How long had she slept for? Muttering curses at herself under her breath, she pulled herself off the ground, smoothing down her dress as she went, and startled in a surprise at the person who sat before her.

“Gilbert,” Anne breathed in greeting, her heart quickening its pace, then dropping down to her stomach when she fully took in his appearance. His muscular, tanned, and very sweaty, exposed chest was on display for her to gawk at from where she stood. He glanced up from where he was eating, and she averted her gaze down to her hands, which she was wringing together desperately in an attempt to regain her composure.

“Anne,” she heard him say in acknowledgement, the sound of his voice like a cold glass of water on a dry day to her parched ears.

She risked a glance back at him, his eyes still very much glued to her. “Delphine--I was looking for--” Anne started, suddenly recalling the missing infant.

Gilbert cut in before she could finish. “Bash took her out for a walk in the orchard. He told me he thought that you could use the break.”

“Oh well that was kind of him, but hardly necessary,” she stammered, her face surely an unattractive shade of dark red. Gilbert took another bite of his food, leaving her to continue standing awkwardly across from him.

Did he have no sense of decency? Of course it was boiling hot outside, but surely that did not mean he could not put his shirt back on when inside of the house. Especially with her being in the same room as him.

“Anne, you’ve been asleep for at least an hour. Bash and I needed the break. It’s hot enough to cause a heat stroke if you’re out there for too long today,” he informed her indifferently, going back to his food again and finally looking away from her.

The girl chewed restlessly on her lower lip, the words that had been building up since the night of Josie’s party threatening to burst out of her at any second. “Gilbert I wanted---” she tried helplessly, her thought catching in her throat. His dark brown eyes lifted from his plate, a guarded expression to them. She had enough.

“I’m sorry. It was wrong of me to leave you without saying a thing about what happened that night. You have every right to be mad and hurt at me. In fact, I almost wish you would yell at me right now because I truly deserve it. You are a good person who is worthy of someone far more sophisticated and beautiful and coherent than me. I am no more than an intoxicated fool who assumed she had some right to kiss you and touch you,” Anne’s voice trembling with unabashed honesty for once, laying herself bare for him to see. “I miss you. Your companionship and wisdom. Your kindness and patience. For I know I can be as stubborn as a mule and hot-headed with my temper and brash with my words--”

“Anne,” Gilbert broke in before she could finish her lament of her worst features, which slightly annoyed her since she wasn’t done listing all of the reasons why he should be cross with her. He rose from his seat and walked toward her, leaning back against the edge of the table so they were only feet apart. Waiting nervously for him to speak, she chanced a glance down at the freckle on his chest, directly beneath his collarbone.

“I was hurt,” he admitted quietly. “You drive me mad sometimes, Anne Shirley-Cuthbert.” His tone raised slightly and the copper-headed girl braced herself for his assault. This is what she deserved and she would take every insult he threw with acceptance.

“But you Anne--you are the most sophisticated, beautiful, and coherent person that I know.” She could have sworn her heart stopped beating in her chest when she heard him utter those words instead. “You have been all of those things, and so much more, since the first day I met you,” he confessed reverently.

His fingers reached out to rest cautiously on her chin and she lifted her head to look at him once more. This time, daring herself to hope again. She could see the softness returning to his face as she lost herself in the affectionate glow of his eyes. Her flesh erupted in goosebumps as his knuckles trailed up and down her cheek in a gentle rhythm, just like they had after she kissed him.

“I--I think I’m desperately in love with you Gil,” Anne gushed so openly that she almost smacked her hand over her mouth in shock. Perhaps he would run for the hills now after hearing such a bold declaration.

To her dismay, a low chuckle bellowed from Gilbert’s chest, then he was laughing to the point of hysterics, tears streaming from the corners of his eyes and running down his cheeks. Anne didn’t know whether to feel offended or content that this is how he chose to respond to her admission of love. “Are you sure you’re not the one who is drunk this time?” she mirthfully questioned, swatting him lightly on the arm.

He regained his composure, pulling her into a close embrace as he grinned down at her, his cheeks dimpling and eyes crinkling in happiness. “Anne-girl, there has been no one for me, but you. The moment you broke that slate across my head, I was a gone man. Never would I have dreamed that you would ever--”

Anne pressed her lips against his, silencing him, for she had heard everything that she already knew to be true deep down. Kissing him in his kitchen, the sun beating down heavily through the window, his hands steadying her, his heartbeat echoing her own, was everything she had ever wanted. She brought her fingers up into his unruly hair, this time feeling damp from sweat, but she could hardly care. His lips broke from hers and started trailing along her cheek then jaw then neck, leaving a searing mark on each inch of skin as he went.

“Gilbert,” she sighed, her brain a blur of euphoria. She could feel his smile in the crook of her neck as he pressed another kiss to a freckle he was quite intent on appreciating.

“Oi Blythe! Shirley!” The teenagers broke apart so rapidly Gilbert nearly toppled over the table. “What are you thinking, setting an example like this, in front of your poor niece,” Bash exclaimed loudly, bouncing the baby in his arms. “Don’t worry Delly, your papa will protect you from these two heathens,” he teased mercilessly, covering Delphine’s eyes.

Anne and Gilbert both released laughs of pent up awkwardness from the unexpected guest and gave each other timid looks.

“Next time, put a shirt on Blythe,” Bash declared, tossing him the one long forgotten from on the table. Gilbert accepted the item and pulled it over his head as Bash left the room, shaking his own head and smirking to himself.

+++++

Gilbert took the opportunity to walk her back to Green Gables after dinner, her hand fitting securely into the crook of his arm. Her head rested lightly against his shoulder. The pair chatted amiably about the events that had unfolded during the week. She recited a new poem she had learned for Matthew, and Gilbert gave her a sidelong look of wonder like he couldn’t quite believe that she was real.

When they got to the gate in front of Green Gables, Anne was mournful to depart from him, despite knowing that they would be reunited tomorrow at the church picnic.

“So---that tragical romance you mentioned back at Mary and Bash’s wedding...,” Gilbert started unexpectedly, his gaze intent on her from across the fence.

“No longer remains to be seen,” Anne finished, reaching to stroke his cheek comfortingly.

Gilbert let out a sigh of relief and ducked to steal another kiss from her before Marilla called out from the front door. “Anne! Is that you?”

They both laughed quietly at the older woman’s outburst. “I guess that’s my cue,” the girl lamented, taking his hand in hers, not quite accepting the events that conspired today were real.

“Goodnight my Anne-girl.” Gilbert gave her hand a squeeze, and let her go, backing up slowly, his eyes remaining on her as he went. Anne watched him blissfully until she heard Marilla call her name again.

She spun around merrily and skipped to the house, her heart soaring with the knowledge that she was loved very dearly by Gilbert Blythe.

tagging: @hecksinki, @blarkeshirbert, @autummn-leaves, @ewolfwitchwisegirl, @leadingmehome, @melanneniel, @youcalledusremember, @neliel-deathberry, @blackxones BECAUSE YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST <3 <3

#anne with an e #awae #shirbert #shirbert ff #anne shirley cuthbert #gilbert blythe #anne x gilbert #anne with an e season 3 #no spoilers here though #final installment #here's to episode 5 my friends!#WE'RE ALMOST THERE #ellie writes

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sumrtm · 5 years ago

Text

* wanted plots !

* hi my friends ! i went ahead & elaborated on a wanted connections list to make for easier plotting . a lot of these plots are taken straight from movies & tv shows , but they’re all open for the taking to all genders . i enjoy progressive connections , so every one of these plots are written with the intent to constantly develop over time & with the notion that anything can happen . i also have a few plots at the bottom of my intro here ! btw , everyone’s free to message / add me on disco to plot & chat , too ! 𝐥𝐮𝐯_ꮪꮖꮯꮶ!#7392

* i’ll look after you ⤻ platonic .

* i imagine there’s a support group of sorts on campus for mental health , & one of summer’s many secrets is her own crumbling mental health . she regularly attends group therapy & met your muse there , & after a few sessions , they became unlikely but very close & supportive friends . as a result , sum confides in them quite often , opening up to them completely , & does her best to be the shoulder they cry on as well .

* falling in like at a coffee shop ⤻ platonic , flirtationship .

* summer frequents a coffee shop near or on campus to not only soothe her unhealthy dependency on coffee , but for a little bit of solitude as it’s a hotspot for studying . she met your muse there after complimenting a song they were listening to in their airpods , & sparked something in your muse that has them starting to frequent the coffee shop a lot more often now hoping they’ll see summer . & maybe , just maybe , she chooses to sit by the window instead of in the back like she usually does , or gets in line behind them for a second bev when her first one is still half full to “stumble upon” them b/c she wants to see them just as badly .

* no halo ⤻ platonic .

* whether it’s stress from an exam , the frustration after seeing an ex post their new ting on insta , or simple boredom transferred into trouble , sum can count on this muse for some chaotic coping techniques . including but not limited to skipping classes altogether to get high at sum’s mom’s house , getting ( more ) impromptu matching tattoos or piercings , traveling to the city overnight to a rival college’s frat party , or streaking after hours around campus . nothing like some debauchery to relieve stress !

* 4EVER ⤻ formerly romantic , now platonic .

* summer’s a new student , so she doesn’t have more than two exes including this one , but this muse came into contact with summer in freshman year when she was in a long distance r/s with her ex from high school & would visit campus . they managed a long distance friendship & got into a medium in length but meaningful r/s shortly after she & her other ex broke up in sophomore year . figuring in spite of their feelings for each other , they worked better as friends in the long run , they too broke up for reasons tbd , but are now best friends .

* smack a b*tch ⤻ enemies .

* let the record state that there will be no actual smacking ! for one reason or another , your muse & sum have an ongoing rivalry . whether it’s cheerleading , their families knowing each other & are feuding ( a really good one would be if your muse’s mom is who sum’s dad cheated on celia with & is now engaged to ! ) as a result , secret attraction , sum & her eccentric personality ANNOYS them , or w/e else we can conjure . one thing’s for sure though — they are very much this whenever they’re around each other .

* heaven ⤻ muse , platonic .

* summer has an intense love for music & writing , hence her majors . she pens & records her own music with the help of your muse , finding the sound of their voice or the curve of their features leave her roused . sometimes , she’ll call your muse up just to be in their presence , b/c all it takes is a melodic laugh , a scrunch of the nose , or the sun to make their eyes flicker for her to get inspired . she sends all of her writings & music to them before anyone else , & lets them know in the email or airdrop what it was about them that created the piece of art .

* RYD / DARK RED ⤻ sexual .

* although it’s purely lust , this muse & sum have a LOT of sexual tension between them that’s almost dangerous to cut . they’re extremely attracted to each other , they both know it , but are both acting hard to get in order to see who breaks first . it’s almost a game of cat & mouse where they’re both the cat & mouse interchangeably , & when they finally give in , it’s bound to get dirty .

* never call me ⤻ sexual .

* this muse & sum hooked up within the first week of school , a hookup that wind up being a one night stand . usually , sum’s not one to get caught up in s/t like this , but whether it was a really good night or she’s upset that she wasn’t the one to ghost , she’s upset over the way things went , wants answers , & tries to be seen by your muse . your muse ? unbothered . you shouldn’t have saved that number after all , sum !

* trust ⤻ platonic .

* while sum is extremely intelligent & one of the top students @ dillon , someone who parties as much as she does can’t always maintain straight a’s — that’s where your muse comes in . using the gifts god’s given them , they get their way more often than not after working one of the campus hackers , & essentially gain access to future essay material , scheduled exams with their corresponding answers , & lesson plans weeks in advance to keep them on top . the best part is when they act swamped & stressed along with everyone else when these assignments are presented , knowing they’ve already got everything done .

* misc ⤻ all plot types .

study buddies who are slowly getting to know each other outside of homework . after all , sum basically pretends she doesn’t already know hers , so she’s got plenty of time to bond .

frenemies . they don’t hate each other , but they’re faker than khloe kardashian’s ass to one another while smiling in each other’s faces .

neighbor . “ make sure you check out her mom’s boob job , they’re hard as rocks ! ” this muse’s family lives in the same neighborhood as summer’s mom , right next door at that , so they’ve heard lord knows what during one of summer’s parents’ fights over the phone or mrs. verona’s revolving door of rebounds to get over walker’s new engagement . not to mention the first time they met mama verona & her children while completely inebriated & proceeded to embarass everyone involved .

enemies that are becoming friends . maybe enemies is an overstatement , but they didn’t get off on the best foot . however , that’s starting to change . slowly but surely .

music soulmates . someone sum discusses music & only music with . there’s even a pipe dream being thrown around between them to start their own band & perform on campus . who knows , it might happen sooner than they think !

fake significant other . the opposite of a wingman , this guy , girl , or nonbinary more often than not pretends to be sum’s s/o when she wants the attention of parker or her ex , or even if someone’s bein’ a pain & not taking hints so she’s gotta mack on her “s/o” to get them to fuck off . it goes without stating that she returns the favor !

friends around campus , classmates , friends she only talks to at games , tinder hookups , absolutely anything !

#mental health tw #ily all sm ! <3 #i'll try to update this as much as possible but i really wanted to get the ball rolling !

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brookelynnsanders · 5 years ago

Photo

The Early Bird Catches the Worm

A/N: Very rushed fic but I didn’t wanna get the idea and lovelvy rp with @itzelbm-oc go to waste - thanks to my amazing betas - grammerly and God

The morning sun rays heat up exposed limbs as baby hair sticks to Brooke's sweaty neck. The clear air fills up her nostrils as she stretches her legs, enjoying the microscopic small moment of quiet in the royal garden after her last little cool down sprint. Her head is rainless for the first time in weeks. The heartbeat pulsing blood through her veins a state of calm rather than anxious anticipation.

Yet once she looks up from her current stretch, she spots another girl across the meadow. A selected according to the name tag she can spot from afar. "Who the heck is up at this time,” the blonde umbels to herself. Not mentally prepared for small talk this early. Her ponytail bounces from side to side as she shakes her head and continues stretching her hip and lower back muscles. Just focusing on her breath.

A way too enthusiastic 'Morning' by the other woman pulls her from her state of deep concentration. She glances up mid-stretch and slightly rolls her eyes before giving up on her cool down. So she gets back up again, preferring eye level to look the girl up and down in front of her.

"So the early bird really does catch worm", she observes with a raised eyebrow.

"That is correct", the brunette shoots back, "All we have to do is find out which one is the bird and whose the worm." The woman chuckles before introducing herself. "I'm Itzel by the way. I'm surprised someone would willingly, apart from those who work, wake up at this hour."

"I am Brooke whose body doesn't remember what sleeping in means," Brooks answers dryly, before adding with a sly smirk after a brief pause, "and just to make it clear, I am the bird."

The wink making her counterpart smile while indulging her in a metaphorical discussion about the worms and the birds.

So she isn’t the only one who is delusional at this hour.

"Although, if I recall the full sentence I believe it goes like this...the early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. I think I fit being the mouse rather than the worm.” Lady Itzel says with a small smirk and winks back at her. Which spoils over into a discussion about alcoholic drinks bets fitted to be served with cheese.

The only conversation appropriate at sunrise.

“I mean I am more a whiskey kind of girl but wine doesn't sound too bad either and my only purpose is to have fun in this chaos I managed to find myself in. So if having fun means spooking little worms - I am all in.”

“Now that you mention it, you do look like a whiskey kind of girl.” The brunette raises her eyebrow - undeniably not the only one feeling the electricity in the air. “Is that so? Well, I hope you have luck finding little worms to spook because from what I've heard there aren't many these days. If not you should find other ways to find some fun in the chaos that has befallen you. So, I'm guessing you were having an early jog?”

“Yes, just finished my morning run. Needed to clear my head,” Brooke adds a bit soberer. Silently asking herself what else to do around here for fun.

“Me? Plans for fun?” Or not so silently. “Well, I started making a list on my way here. So far I've done a morning stroll, I've explored a bit. I mean you could read books? It depends on what you find fun. Are you an outdoor or indoor person? Maybe both? We can brainstorm together.”

I wasn’t prepared for that.

Brooke scoffs at Itzel’s suggestion, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. “I have read enough books for a lifetime.I feel like most mundane activities can be fun tho- with the right people around.”

Itzel’s laugh has a bitter aftertaste. “Oh my, pardon me for suggesting reading. I should've known you've read books beyond books.” A deep sigh escapes her lips as she shakes her head. “I'm sure that's true. Talking with you surely is something I actually found fun. Believe it or not.” Brooke raises her brows in return, a bit taken aback by that statement.

How can people be so open to complete strangers?

Aber a brief pause the woman across her tilts her head, before asking: “Do you have any suggestions about what mundane activity can be run- if the right people are involved?”

“Camping is definitely one of them, making daisy syrup, baking, even just cloud watching. Even better when you cloud watch on a camping trip while eating hash brownies with self-made daisy scrip”, Brooke smiles and slightly scrunches her nose at the memories of biannual camping trips with the people she calls home.

“Those do sound like fun. Even better together. It's been a while since I thought about camping, making anything or baking, and especially cloud watching. It's said that if you look at the sky at least 10 times a day then you are happy in life. So far I have only looked up at the sky once for today.” A small smile graces her lips as she lightly hums, probably deep in thought. Meanwhile, Broke’s irises wander up - really taking in the sky. Could this seriously make her happy?

“Oh, karaoke! That can be fun! Or going on a hike. Ah, soccer. I love soccer.” The blonde caves in shock for a brief second at the sudden voice onset, before her face morphs into visible disgust at the mention of karaoke and soccer. Itzel only grins in return before continuing: “Eating is for sure something is fun though. I can't wait for breakfast.”

“It will be interesting to see how royals dine.” The words automatically spilling from her mouth as her consciousness buried herself deep in thoughts again. Just the word “royals” is a heavy one to roll off her tongue.

“There's going to be a lot of interesting things in the palace. The royals, the girls, and so many other things. One thing is for sure I think I'll stick around you Brooke. You seem fun and I need fun. Even if you do seem to dislike soccer and karaoke. I wonder if there's something we both dislike.”

This girl really does talk a lot - huh?

“There is a lot of stuff I dislike,” Brooke adds with a chuckle.

“That's fair. I mean there's a lot of things to dislike in this world.” Her head slowly bops up and down, adding a more serious note to her tone.

The birds seemingly agreeing with Itzel’s statement as they pick up their mating melody again.

“Rape culture is one of them. Freud the other.” The urge to roll her eye, one the blonde is unable to resist.

“I mean rape culture is definitely something to hate. And obviously Freud should be disliked more. His thought process was twisted and horrible. Just nasty! My dad once referenced to Freud and I still let him know there were plenty of other people or things to use than Freud.”

So we do have something in common. Nice.

“Every time I read his name my skin begins to crawl... I have no words for this man.”

“I don't understand why he's praised for his contribution to psychology. It's-” the brunette sighs and shakes her head at her loss for words. “Yeah, I'm speechless.”

Brooke couldn’t agree more with this statement. Her extensive studying of his work hasn’t made her question her previous view on Freud. Once an anti-Freudian, always an anti-Freudian.

“I feel like enough men loved supporting his misogynistic theories - and then there was Watson who started out trying to support Freud and became an anti-Freudian”. A burst of nasty laughter echoing through the royal gardens at the ridiculousness of this all. Itzel only adding to the choir.

“I still think men love his misogynistic theories to this day. I can't believe he's still someone we have to learn about. Sometimes it takes time to realize 'damn. Never mind this guy is a bastard.”

Brooke nods along. He may be a part of history but that doesn’t justify his glorification.

“On that topic. I don't think I remember ever learning about a female psychologist with major accomplishments. I am sure there are plenty - but a history written by men likes to erase them.” The blonde adds - properly giving into the discussion at hand.

“You're right! And if we did they barely mentioned them! Now I'm curious to look into that. Oh and philosophy, the course I spoke of one female philosopher. Just one among many men. I'm just glad there are some changes now.” Itzel elaborates with her delicate hands waving around. Each movement an additional message.

As the conversation shifts to women in STEM and how bright the future will look, Brooke can’t help but dream about her future. “Can't wait to be one of them,” she adds as she smiles. Her view shifts around - realizing that she isn’t sure anymore if that's part of her future.

“Well, I look forward to that. I am a strong believer that with hard work you'll be able to achieve anything. And I have a good feeling that you'll reach that goal. No matter what. And I can't wait to see you as a renowned philosopher”, Itzel adds as she looks up at the sky again, sighing deeply. Probably having a matching train of thought as the blonde. “Even if the future is unpredictable for now.”

Unspoken anxious whispers filling the air between the two silent women. Each of them fighting their own fear of uncertainty. A weakness Brooke prefers to keep behind her facade.

“At the mention of unpredictably. The distant future might be unpredictable but,” Brooke looks down at her sport outfit, “I have a feeling my maids will be mad if I show up late to breakfast or without "proper" clothes on.”

The upcoming spectacle of breakfast with the selected suddenly a welcoming distraction.

Itzel has a brief look at her own outfit and scrunches her nose up. “My maids may have a similar feeling. Especially since I wake up pretty early they arrive there early.” As her eyes focus back on the very neutral face of the blonde, she smiles at her counterpart. “Well, Birdy if you ever need any fun like making up a fake camping area we might find a place. Or maybe just to watch the sky then I'm all for it. Or maybe your daily jog. I hear it's better when you have competition.”

“I'll definitely hit you up on the last one cheeky mouse. It was nice meeting you.” Brooke pulls herself out of the building carousel of thoughts and winks at Itzel with one last grin. Itzel only scoffs to mask the smile creeping up on her lips again. “Nice meeting you too.”

Brooke Lynn turns around mid-sentence and makes her way back into the building with a light jog in her step. Silently repeating the much-needed directions. Second floor, right, right, left. Second floor, right, right, left. Second floor, right, right, left.

#selection oc #challenge one #brooke lynn sanders

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askshivanulegacy · 5 years ago

Note

All for blakk

O M G :’D

I’m not even putting this behind a cut SCREW YOUR DASHBOARD :P

A: Aptitude1. what are your oc’s natural abilities, things they’ve been doing since young?

Hiding.

2. what activities have they participated in?

HACKING, to include some questionably legal manipulation of the Intel mainframes for the purposes of playing a competitive game.

Swoop racing (actually just a dream, he hasn’t raced anything YET, but he’s working on building a racer)

Model building, he has a complete set of working model ships and vehicles

Built his own mouse bot

3. what abilities do they have that they’ve worked for?

All of his skills he’s worked very hard to develop and become proficient at. He started out at a disadvantage, not being able to concentrate in class and having difficulty remembering things. He worked very hard to overcome this.

4. what things are they bad at?

Anything involving emotions. :’D

5. what is their most impressive talent?

Knife fighting. Also dancing, he’s capable of some very impressive dance moves.

B: Basics1. what is their hair color?

Black

2. what is their eye color?

Dark blue

3. how tall are they?

5 ft, 4 in / 162.5 cm

4. how old are they?

Depends, but he starts SWTOR at 17 years old.

5. how much do they weigh?

Somewhat under an ideal healthy weight for his height and age.

C: Comfort1. how do they sit in a chair?

Properly. Although, left to himself on something comfy, he likes to pull up his legs and snuggle under a blanket.

2. in what position do they sleep?

Usually curled up on one side.

3. what is their ideal comfort day?

Before meeting certain people, it’s holed up in his room either working on his models or studying tech manuals. After meeting certain people, it’s snuggled on a sofa with something sweet and hot to drink, wearing thick sweater and socks, and either watching the fireplace or a movie (with a fire in the fireplace).

4. what is their major comfort food? why?

Some kind of hot, creamy soup. Certain people made something like this for him on cold days or to help him feel better.

5. who is the best at comforting them when down?

A feeeew people: Seran-vin ( @askcarminelegacy), Ziminder ( @kaosstar), Ahuska ( @dingoat), possibly a couple others. ♥

D: Decoration1. how would they decorate a house if they had one under their name?

Blakk’s DK stronghold is typically done in cool colors with sleek, industrial lines and clean, minimalistic styles, although he does favor green, so that’s probably here and there. Left to his own devices though (and maybe some interior decoration hints), his ideal house would probably be decorated warmly, with a more natural, welcoming style of furniture.

2. how would they decorate their child’s room?

Blakk would not have a child. XD

3. how do they decorate their own room?

Same as above, except littered with pieces of tech and various flying vehicle models.

4. what type of clothes and accessories do they wear?

The best in Imperial fashion - clean, sharp lines, asymmetrical styling, appropriate use of contrasting colors and accents, usually a darker color spectrum (unless white or silver). No flowers.

Accessories include knives everywhere, a stealth unit, comms, Intel-tech grappling hook. Less practical accessories include possible hat, white or black gloves (or dark green if he’s wearing green), earring (just one, asymmetry FTW), or choker.

5. do they like makeup/nail/beauty trends?

No. Except when disguised as a woman, then of course whatever is tasteful and stylish and matching his clothes. Possibly sparkles and/or tattoos in interesting places if left up to Watcher Two. ;)

E: External Personality1. does the way they do things portray their internal personality?

Yes, very much.

2. do they do things that conform to the norm?

To the classic “Imperial norm,” yes.

3. do they follow trends or do their own thing?

Tasteful trends in fashion. Other trends, generally not; Blakk is something of a lone wolf and finds it hard to group along with others.

4. are they up-to-date on the internet fads?

Not in the least.

5. do they portray their personality intentionally or let people figure it out on their own?

Blakk unintentionally does not portray his full personality.

F: Fun1. what do they do for fun?

See A for activities. Also, reading technical manuals.

2. what is their ideal party?

Not having one.

3. who would they have the most fun with?

Proooobably a certain Alderaanian noble or a certain Bothan. Or even a certain thief.

4. can they have fun while conforming to rules?

Blakk certainly thinks he can. 8) Imperial rules, anyway, no one mentioned anything about Republic rules

5. do they go out a lot?

Nope.

G: Gorgeous1. what is their most attractive external feature?

His eyes.

2. what is the most attractive part of their personality?

Probably his shy kindness or awkwardness.

3. what benefits come with being their friend?

Generally, he’s very loyal to his friends and honestly thinks the world of them.

4. what parts of them do they like and dislike?

Blakk likes his appearance; he’s not shy at all about being seen and being fashionable. He hates the rest of himself. XD

5. what parts of others do they envy?

The ability of people to make friends or speak or hang out or have fun so easily.

H: Heat1. do they rather a hot or cold room?

Hot! The hotter the better.

2. do they prefer summer or winter?

Summer!

3. do they like the snow?

No! Except the indoor part with cozy clothes and hot drinks and cuddling.

4. do they have a favorite summer activity?

Nothing Blakk particularly identifies with the summer.

5. do they have a favorite winter activity?

Avoiding everything about the winter.

I: In-the-closet1. what is their sexuality?

A very in-the-closet Bi.

2. have they ever questioned their sexuality?

Not consciously.

3. have they ever questioned their gender?

Nope.

4. would/was their family be okay with them being LGBT?

What family? 8)

5. how long would/did it take for them to come out?

Still waiting, in denial 5ever, even after having a couple boyfriend AUs. :’D

J: Joy1. what makes them happy?

Sharing time with the people they care about.

2. who makes them happy?

Certain special individuals. ♥

3. are there any songs that bring them joy?

Probably, especially when certain people sing them.

4. are they happy often?

No.

5. what brings them the most joy in the world?

Someone telling him, “I love you.” It’s never happened.

K: Kill1. have they ever thought about suicide?

Yes.

2. have they ever thought about homicide?

”Thought” implies something deeper than a daily occurance. XD

3. if they could kill anyone without punishment, would they? who?

Blakk already does, but he has no one specific in mind.

4. who would miss them if they died?

Blakk thinks no one would.

5. who would be happy they died, anyone?

DERRICK @kaosstar

L: Lemons1. what is their favorite fruit?

He doesn’t know enough to have one. Raspberry might be a good contender.

2. what is their least favorite fruit?

Still doesn’t know enough to have one, but possibly lemons. XD

3. are there any foods they hate?

FLOWERS.

4. do they have any food intolerances?

Possibly. Blakk just needs to be careful he doesn’t overdo it with foods he’s not used to (his regular diet is exclusively nutrient bars).

5. what is their favorite food?

Nutrient bars.

M: Maternal1. would they want a daughter or a son?

No.

2. how many children do they want?

Zero.

3. would they be a good parent?

Blakk would be a terrible parent. He’s not in a position or a mindset to care for a child, he might never be in one.

4. what would they name a son? what would they name a daughter?

Nothing.

5. would they adopt?

Nope.

N: Never Have I Ever1. what would they never do?

Blakk would never want to hurt the people he cares about ... but it’s happened anyway.

2. what have they never done that they want to do?

Race a swoop.

3. is there anything they absolutely can’t believe people do?

Probably not.

4. what is the most embarrassing thing they’ve done?

That one time he was swindled into going undercover at a strip club.

5. have they done anything they thought they’d never do?

Defect from Imperial Intelligence.

O: Optimism1. are they optimistic or pessimistic?

Very pessimistic.

2. are they openly optimistic, throwing it on others?

No.

3. are they good at giving advice?

Terrible at giving advice, but that doesn’t stop him. :’D

4. is there anyone in their life that throws optimism on them?

A good handful of people, haha.

5. were they always optimistic?

Blakk was ... once, in a part of his life he no longer remembers.

P: Personality1. what is their best personality trait?

Kindness.

2. what is their worst personality trait?

Negativity.

3. what of their personality do others love?

Probably the kindness and stubbornness.

4. what of their personality do others envy?

... Possibly his loyalty?

5. do they hate anything about their personality/about other’s personalities?

Blakk hates his lack of confidence and his introvertedness. There’s not much he actually hates about other people’s personalities, except cruelty.

Q: Questions1. do they ask for help?

Never, if he can help it.

2. do they ask questions in class?

Rarely.

3. do they answer questions that make them a little uncomfortable?

Not usually, although there’s not much that would make Blakk uncomfortable in a classroom setting.

4. do they ask weird questions?

No.

5. are they curious?

Reasonably curious, moreso about things of a technical nature.

R: Rules1. do they follow rules?

Imperial rules, yes.

2. would they be a strict or laid-back parent?

Neither.

3. have they ever been consequenced for breaking a rule?

People have tried, in Republic space. 8)

4. have they broken any rules they now regret breaking?

Does blowing up hundreds of thousands of people across several planets count?

5. do they find any rules they/others follow absolutely ridiculous?

Mandalorian rules.

S: Streets - already answered!

T: Truth

1. are they honest?

Generally, but there are a lot of things Blakk lies like a rug about.

2. can they tell if someone is lying?

Usually; it’s part of his Intelligence training.

3. is it obvious when they’re lying?

No, unless it’s about his own feelings. 8)

4. have they lied about anything they regret lying about?

Oh yes. Or half-truths, or not confessing his feelings before it’s too late.

5. have they told truths that have been spread against their will?

No, but certain people have discovered truths Blakk would rather have been left alone.

U: Underdog1. have they been bullied?

Yes, even beat up a few times at Intelligence.

2. have they bullied anyone?

No.

3. have they been physically attacked by a bully?

Yes.

4. have they ever been doubted?

Blakk has never told anyone. He thinks “allowing” himself to be beat up is a severe weakness, and he’s pretty demoralized that no one noticed or stepped in.

5. have they surprised people with being good at something?

When it comes to fighting, probably yes. He’s extremely agile, tenacious, and downright vicious.

V: Vomit1. do they vomit often?

No? This is a very bizarre set of questions. Clearly someone had no ideas when it comes to ‘V’.

2. do they get lots of stomach aches?

Possibly, when eating too much unfamiliar food.

3. are they good at comforting someone ill?

Not very good, but Blakk will sit with them and provide company.

4. what do they like as far as comfort goes?

Warmth and physical contact.

5. do they burp, cough, or hiccup most when nauseous? when vomiting?

Not exactly a very relevant question. XD

W: Water - already answered!

X: Xylophone

1. what is their favorite genre of music?

Generally something smooth and instrumental, like Classical.

2. do they have a favorite song?

Probably a few, or anything sung by a certain Alderaanian.

3. do they have a favorite band/artist/singer?

Just one favorite singer. So far.

4. can they sing well?

Blakk can actually sing reasonably well, he’s a tenor.

5. can they rap?

If his life depended on it? Probably. :’D

Y: You1. how old were you when you created them?

Uhhh I do a terrible job of tracking what I did when. Just about the time I started SWTOR, I created Blakk.

2. what inspired you to create them?

Blakk is the what-if Imperial universe version of my Jedi Knight Zakku’an. The “what-if” brainstorming determined how his personality changed, and his appearance is the result of what I liked when changing Zak’s appearance with the character creator. XD

3. were they different when they were first created?

As Zak, he was very different. More optimistic, friendly, and light-hearted.

4. do you enjoy writing them more than other characters?

Yes!

5. what’s your favorite thing about them?

Everything, especially how he has a chronic, “dig himself into deeper and deeper holes” problem. XD

Z: Zebra1. what’s their favorite animal?

He hates animals. Wolves.

2. do they like animals?

Not generally. Although one day he will end up with a varactyl named Featherhead, an akk dog he will be Force-bonded to, and a pack of miniature blurrgs named after his friends. 8)

3. cats or dogs?

Neither? Both?

4. what’s their dream pet?

Since he’s never wanted a pet, he doesn’t have one.

5. do they have any pets at the moment?

Not at this very moment, but see #2.

@kaosstar I HOPE YOU’RE HAPPY XDDD

#kaosstar #I'm not even 100% sure this was the right set of asks #but I am 85% sure so that's ok 8)#ty for the ask!!!#I think ahahahaha #Omega Blakk #asks #answers #no regrets #stretching your dash for days

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eldritchsurveys · 5 years ago

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769.

How frequently are you inclined to read, and how much? >> I mean, very frequently, especially seeing as I include reading articles, blog posts, wiki pages/TVTropes pages, Reddit, comic books, magazines, etc as well as books. The written word is the written word, period. When was the last time you questioned the direction your life was taking? >> I don’t question the direction my life is taking. There’s really nothing to question. Would you say that your personal views align with society’s, generally? If not, in what ways do your opinions drastically differ? >> What part of society? Conservative, Christian, White America? No. Progressive working-class youth of colour? Yeah, I think there are a lot of similarities there. Not that I’m entirely satisfied with dividing society into two demographic binaries like that, but I figured it was the easiest way to answer the question without writing a fucking essay. What small things have the ability to get under your skin? >> Mostly sensory stuff, obviously. The vast majority of my seemingly-baseless irritation on any given day is because of some environmental noise or brightness that has been nagging at me.

When was the last time you were caused to be upset with someone? Have you made up with that individual yet, or will you ever? >> I don’t remember. But honestly, most situations in which I’m upset with someone never get resolved for me, so.

What is something small that has the ability to cure a bad mood? >> Eh, I don’t know. My bad moods don’t get “cured”, they just eventually get replaced by a different mood. It’s just a waiting game. What beverage is best capable of quenching your thirst? >> Water... What was the last big change through which you went? Do you deal well with change, typically? Have you always? >> The last big change was... I guess getting married? I don’t know, unless we want to count the pandemic, lol. I deal with change differently depending on the kind of change, the magnitude of the change, and what else is going on in my life when the change occurs. I’d say my “default” response to change is a pretty adaptable one, but I’m not always my “default” self, so. How do you feel after spending a great quantity of time online? >> Nothing. That’s just how my life is, it doesn’t strike me as remarkable. What do you consider to be the biggest drawback to being you? >> Oh, you know, all the shit I went through. What do you consider the best part of being who you are? >> The fact that I’m still here despite all the shit I went through. What kinds of things do you have on display in your room? >> I mean, there’s some art on the walls and stuff. I don’t know. What do you think your room and its contents say about you, if anything? >> I don’t know what my room says about me, I can’t see it from an outsider’s point of view and I’m way too familiar with it to look at it objectively like that. When was the last time you felt insecure about something/some situation? >> I got a gaming mouse (you know, with all the buttons on the side and shit) and that’s been learning-curve hell as I try to adjust to both the size and heaviness of the mouse as well as using the side buttons. All this, while playing a game I’m already insecure in my ability to play well. But, you know, it’s all a matter of time and effort, blah blah blah. What is something about which you are very confident or self-assured? >> I don’t know, I’ve not thought about it. Do you ever stop to contemplate infinity? >> Sometimes. Are you comfortable amongst nature, or does the wilderness discomfit you? >> I’m pretty comfortable, except when it comes to biomes I’m not used to. Like, I’m a little less comfortable in wetlands because I’m not as familiar with the wildlife in those locales -- like which things to avoid, that sort of thing. When was the last time someone or something caught you off guard? >> I got caught off-guard by a scene in The Neon Demon. It was a pleasant surprise, though... for me. Maybe not for most people, lol. How much time do you put into maintaining your appearance and hygiene? >> Like, hardly any? I have a very low-maintenance appearance. Are there any foods you eat daily? … Or wish you could? >> I eat a veggie burger pretty much daily. Except when I run out of one or more of the ingredients I use, and the store is out of it too (which happens a lot, lately, for obvious reasons). When was the last time someone new entered your life? What was your first impression of that individual? >> I don’t remember. Do you put much thought into your handwriting? >> Not really. It kind of just does what it does. What are some of the top priorities in your life right now? >> Just, you know. Mental health stuff. In general, how do you feel about romantic relationships? >> I don’t feel anything about romantic relationships, they generally don’t interest me unless they’re fictional (and even then I’m real particular about the tropes they use and how the relationship progresses). Which emotional sensation inconveniences or bothers you the most? >> Anxiety. Are you capable of consoling others in their grief? >> I don’t know, I’ve never tried it. Do you ever find it awkward to compliment another being? >> Sometimes, yeah. Like, you’re kind of going out on a limb when you offer a compliment, because you have no idea how it will be received. It’s really easy to psych yourself out of giving a compliment. When was the last time you had a new experience? What was it? >> Good question. Do you dress more for yourself, or to the expectations of others? >> I definitely dress for myself, although I always appreciate it when someone else appreciates my clothing. It’s just not mandatory, you know. What kinds of things tend to stress you out? >> Being post-traumatic and sensory-defensive. What is one way you cope when you feel like crap? >> Watching a tv show that feels like home. (That’s usually The X-Files, tbh.)

Name an insult you regularly receive, if there is one? >> I don’t regularly receive any insults, thank fucking christ. Name a site that takes up a lot of your time? >> Really, no one site takes up a lot of my time. What is something you used to believe about life that you no longer do? >> I used to believe in that all-American bootstraps philosophy (to my detriment and punishment, of course). What is a lesson you have recently learned? >> I’m not sure. Do you have a tendency to look on the morbid side of life? >> Absolutely. When was the last time you went shopping? What did you buy? >> The only in-person shopping I’ve done in the past two months is grocery shopping. When you shop for clothing, how long does it take you? >> Too damn long. I have too many particular needs, which is why I put off going clothes shopping for so long and then end up dissatisfied with the state of my wardrobe (especially when beloved items start to show signs of wear and tear and I can’t easily replace them). What is something fun you have done within the past week? >> Watched movies. What is something you hope you never have to do again? >> Go through a pandemic, lol. How does the rain affect your mood, if it does? >> It depends. If it’s just one rainy day and I’ve seen a lot of the Sun lately, I can enjoy it. Especially if it’s a thunderstorm, love those. If it’s rained (or been overcast) for like four days straight, then it affects my mood pretty negatively.

#surveys #survey #random survey

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spoadicdeviance · 5 years ago

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A Case For Motion Controls

AKA, “You know what?: Part Two”

I made my post some time ago intended to serve as a counterpoint to those who wanted a version of Skyward Sword without motion controls. I’ve stated how motion controls are vital to the game’s core design and how removing them or even giving the player the option of playing the game with standard controls would be counterintuitive to what Skyward Sword set out to do.

Naturally, I have seen some feedback from that post, mostly positive, but with a few people questioning why I was so adamant about Skyward Sword retaining its original control set up. Some people questioned why I was opposed to a hypothetical remake that provides the player with the option for standard controls. Their reasoning being that more playstyles is never a bad thing.

Now, while multiple options given to the player would appear to have no downsides, in this case, however, the idea of Nintendo even allowing to option for standard controls (let alone removing all of Skyward Sword’s motion controls) would be equivalent of them saying that Skyward Sword failed in its objective of showing gamers motion controls can work in video games.

As I told everyone who read my previous post, that’s objectively not true. Skyward Sword’s motion controls do work properly, and they did make a massive difference when playing the game.

Skyward Sword just happened to have been released at a time where the majority of gamers got tired of the whole motion control phenomena that was going on since 2006.

And in all fairness, those gamers have all the right to have felt burned out. With Sony doing less than the bare minimum with the PlayStation Move and whatever the hell Microsoft were trying to do with the Kinect, you could see where a lot of gamer’s hatred for motion controls could’ve started from.

Even Nintendo should holster a significant amount of blame for the masses turning on the Wii and motion controls. I think Jonathan Holmes of Destructiod put it best in his review of Skyward Sword:

“If the Wii launched with The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword, everything would be different.”

Regardless about how you or I feel about this game in particular, let’s be honest, The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess was the catalyst of the Wii’s eventual fall from grace. As much as Twilight Princess did a whole lot of good initially for Nintendo and the Wii, the success of that game sent a clear message to other game developers;

1. Make a game for the Gamecube/Xbox/PS2 generation of consoles (Or just take one that was already made)

2. Tack on some waggle controls and AR aiming on said game (playtesting is optional)

3. Release the game on the Wii

4. …

5. PROFIT!!!

Look at what that mindset brought us; piles and piles of terrible shovel ware that barely utilized the Wii’s motion control technology properly, if at all. Heck, most of the shovel ware on the Wii are ports of PS2 shovel ware with waggle motion added.

Sure, there were some great ports on the Wii (Resident Evil 4, Metroid Prime Trilogy, Pikmin 1 and 2), but those were the exception not the rule.

Even with the great Wii games that were not ports (Mario Galaxy 1 and 2, Donkey Kong Country Returns, No More Heroes 1 and 2, Madworld, etc.), when you played them you couldn‘t help but think;

“Why is it necessary to use motion controls if the action I’m preforming could’ve easily been done with standard controls with little to no difference”

That was the issue with motion controls during the Wii’s heyday, not that they were overbearing, but that they were basically unnecessary. Only the AR sensor aiming added anything of note to the games. Even then, it boiled down to the wiimote being a glorified mouse.

Then, when the initial hype surrounding the Wii started to die down, Nintendo decided to unveil Wii-Motion-Plus; an upgraded form of the Wii’s original controller that allowed for more complex motion-based inputs for upcoming games.

“Okay then.” gamers said, “Actual motion controls and not just cheap waggling. Maybe this will be the opportunity for the Wii to finally fulfil on the promise of a gaming revolution.”

And what did Nintendo do with all that resurfaced hype? Release a bunch of mini-game collections that amounted nothing but glorified tech-demos for Wii-Motion-Plus.

Even Red Steel 2, the only full game other than Skyward Sword that used motion-plus, was too short, too light on content, and simply lacked any moment that made the player think that this game needed motion-plus to exist.

By the time Skyward Sword was released to the public, gamers had been through five or so years of shovel ware, pointless waggling, and games that never truly tapped into what motion controls can do. Needless to say, the idea of a game going all in on motion controls, in the minds of the average gamer, is about as welcome as a lederhosen store in Jerusalem.

Even without taking into account the changes to Zelda formula, the different art style, the OPTIONAL HINTS, some of which were used in previous and later Zelda games (that the masses decided to ignore), Skyward Sword was already fighting an uphill battle when it came to getting approval from gamers with its motion-plus based controls.

That’s the cold hard truth; the majority of people who hate Skyward Sword had already decided to hate the game before it even came out.

Whenever the player held the wiimote at an angle and swung the wiimote in a way that the game interpreted your left swing as an upper-left swing, the player took that as the controls malfunctioning rather than him/her realizing that he/she is playing the game incorrectly.

Whenever the player had to recalibrate the wiimote once (two times max) during an entire playthrough, the player interprets that as motion-based controllers being faulty, ignoring the fact that all technology (not just every controller, joystick, and keyboard and mouse) does not work all the time.

Seriously, you never had to unplug and re-plug a wired controller because your character was moving without you touching the controller? Buttons on a keyboard/controller never jammed or didn‘t work when pressed? You never had to check the mouse whenever you moved it and it was not doing anything in the game? Really? Yet the wiimote must work at 100% efficiency when you’re playing Skyward Sword.

Whenever the game tells the player that a new dowsing target is available, the player saw that as the game holding their hand and not the game giving an OPTIONAL way of helping inexperienced players. You can always hold the c button, aim the wiimote so that the cursor highlights the eye symbol and select that whenever a new dowsing target came up so that dowsing would never get in the way of your playthrough.

Also, where were the gamers who complained about dowsing at when Breath of the Wild, the “savior of the Zelda franchise” and “game of the year, all years”, had the Shiekah Sensor? You know, the feature that was just as optional as dowsing was and functioned the exact same way, just walk in the direction of the closest object of interest instead of pointing your wiimote. The fact that Breath of the Wild focused more on exploration should, in theory, make the inclusion of such a feature a more egregious offense than dowsing in Skyward Sword, but that’s just me.

Fact is the most gamers who hate Skyward Sword were just looking for reasons to justify their hatred, regardless if it was consistent with their critical outlook on other games, and it was all because Skyward Sword wanted to do its own thing.

And you know what? It would be one thing if the motion controls just simply worked. Then all I would do is say that this backlash was simply an overreaction to something inoffensive.

The reason why I write posts this long in order to counter the arguments of those that hate Skyward Sword is not because the motion controls simply work, it’s because the motion controls in Skyward Sword are core to what makes the game truly magnificent.

It’s similar to what videogamedunkey said in his Mario 64 video; the controls were so revolutionary that they were actually alienating.

The 1:1 swordplay allowed combat to have more depth than a lot of other games, let alone Zelda titles. Enemies either blocked or had their weak points positioned in such a way that you had to be precise with how you swung your sword if you wanted to defeat even basic enemies like Bokoblins and Deku-Babas. Also stunned enemies and bosses require more tactful strikes. It wasn‘t just senseless button mashing (although don’t get me wrong, that does have its cathartic moments too).

Flying your Loftwing, using the beetle, and swimming felt more fluid compared to using the analog stick, making even the swimming sections smoother compared to Twilight Princess for example. Heck the Loftwing controls is like if you took a flight stick meant for simulation games and made it horizontal. You didn‘t have to spend an additional $50 (if you’re cheap) on a peripheral to experience it. Just use the same controller you been using for the entire game.

Even aiming with the wiimote at any angle you wanted, without relying on the Wii’s sensor bar, made aiming in Skyward Sword more flexible than standard wiimote aiming, and to be perfectly honest, even when compared to mouse controls.

Plus, there’s the little touches like using the bow by holding the wiimote like a longbow then pressing the c button on the nun chuck and pulling it back like you’re readying the arrow before firing. Bowling the bombs and angling your shot by tilting the wiimote in the direction you want the bomb to go. Getting the shield ready by moving the nun chuck forward like how Link readies the shield in game. All of this and more adds to how the controls make the player feel immersed in the game, like the player is actually doing what Link is doing on screen.

Even the controls some would say are “standard wiimote waggling” like rolling and leaping while climbing ladders/vines do not take anything from the other ways the motion controls add to the overall experience.

These controls are what make Skyward Sword stand out amongst its contemporaries.

If you take all of that and tried to make the game in a way so it can be played with traditional controls, you’ll be left with a control scheme that’s run of the mill in some ways, clunky and awkward in others.

In a previous post, I took a jab at Metal Gear Rising: Revengance, using the game as an example of why Skyward Sword would not work with standard controls. I didn‘t do this simply to spite fans of the game, I did it because the dual analog stick swordplay is awkward to figure out and clunky in execution. It took way too long to decode the analog puzzle that was Blade Mode and I would just use the face buttons for horizontal and vertical slashes whenever possible, which as stated before was just button mashing. That’s what would Skyward Sword’s combat would devolve into if the motion controls were removed.

Every other effect of switching to traditional controls would make the moment to moment gameplay slow and monotonous most of the time with very few select sections not changing for better or worse. There is no inherit benefit to removing the motion controls in Skyward Sword and replacing them with traditional ones outside of pleasing those who hate motion controls.

All of this is not taking into account the ways Skyward Sword is impressive outside of the motion controls; the great story with excellent characters, wonderful art style, captivating music, fun side quests/minigames, the fact that rupees were now worth something in a Zelda game outside of being glorified carnival tickets for minigames, the fantastic level/dungeon design, terrific boss battles, shield durability which made sure you were more strategic when you went on the defense in fights, a stamina meter that allowed for more mobility, light rpg elements including crafting to upgrade your potions/items plus an expandable inventory that can hold certain amount of items with each layout of items effecting how you played the game, a hero mode that gave the game more challenge via only using consumables for healing.

Even if you take out the motion controls and reworked the game to function without them, you still get what amounts to a great adventure game and a step forward for the Zelda series. Why else would Breath of the Wild take a good majority of its design elements from Skyward Sword?

With motion controls, you have the game that’s like no other before it. A game that carried out the promises the Wii had laid out at the start of its life cycle. A game that did what others such as Wolfenstein 3D, Wing Commander, Alone in the Dark, Ultima, Diablo, Deus Ex, the Thief trilogy, The Elder Scrolls, Grand Theft Auto, Mario 64, and even The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time had all accomplished; introducing new concepts to gamers, showing them that the medium is still capable of being much more than what is being currently provided.

And it isn‘t like motion controls will ever replace standard controls, much like how 3D gaming hasn‘t replaced 2D gaming all together, or how Third Person perspective in games has not disappeared in the wake of First Person games. Motion controls would simply be there as an option for designers to use when creating their own game and what’s wrong with more options?

Whether you like motion controls or not, there’s no denying that Skyward Sword accomplished a lot in terms of presenting new ways to design and play video games.

You can read all this and say I’m a Nintendo fanboy (even though I criticized Nintendo for being one of the primary causes of gamers turning on motion controls and the ultimate downfall of the Wii), call me a contrarian, or dismiss me as a part of the “Skyward Sword Defense Force”. All that accomplishes is you throwing ad hominems my way without presenting a counter argument to what I’m saying.

But go on and ask Nintendo for a version of Skyward Sword that removes the motion controls. They might even give you what you want. If that happens to be the case, you’ll be left with a great adventure game and a welcome entry in the Zelda series.

I’ll be playing the version of Skyward Sword that embraces what it is, motion controls and all. The version that is not only a masterpiece in its own right, but also one of my personal favorite Zelda games of all time, alongside Ocarina of Time, A Link to the Past, and Majora’s Mask, if not my absolute favorite.

#legend of zelda #skyward sword #ocarina of time #breath of the wild #majora's mask #twilight princess #wind waker #a link to the past #wii #nintendo

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