#Amidis

[hamburgurize]

am i having a heart attack or am i deep inlove with the characters

[allenfarissyaz]

[whencartoonsruletheworld]

Wish (2023) dir. Fawn Veerasunthorn, Chris Buck

hey do you think the overworked creatives about to go on strike are trying to tell us something

article sources under the cut

Mattson, Kelcie. "How Disney Almost Killed 'Nimona.'" Collider, January 2 2024.

Earl, William. "Shelving Batgirl Was the Right Decision, Says New DC Studios Head Peter Safran: 'It Would Have Hurt DC.'" Variety, January 31 2023

Couch, Aaron. "Warner Bros. Reverses Course on 'Coyote vs. Acme' After Filmmakers Rebel." The Hollywood Reporter, November 13 2023.

Ridgely, Charlie. "Scoob! Sequel Director Revealed Film Was 'Very Close' to Completion Before HBO Max Cancellation." comicbook.com, August 2 2022.

Clark, Travis. "Staffers at the animation studio Blue Sky say it's 'heartbreaking' that Disney canceled its final movie, 'Nimona.'" Business Insider, February 18, 2021.

Harrison, Mark. "Why was the Batgirl movie cancelled?" Yahoo! Entertainment, January 31 2024.

Amidi, Amid. "Warner Bros. Shelves Fully-Completed 'Coyote Vs. Acme' For Tax Write-Off." Cartoon Brew, November 9 2023.

Lee, Alex. "Why Netflix keeps cancelling your favourite shows after two seasons." Wired UK, September 28 2020.

Tyrrell, Gary. "We All Knew It Was Coming." fleen.com, February 10 2021.

"Warner Bros. Reverses Course on ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ After Filmmakers Rebel." see: 3.

Bergeson, Samantha. "Warner Bros. Will Let 'Coyote Vs. Acme' Filmmakers Shop Movie to Other Distributors." IndieWire, November 13 2023.

Strapagiel, Lauren. "Disney's First Feature Animated Movie With Queer Leads May Never Be Released." BuzzfeedNews, February 24 2021.

"We All Knew It Was Coming." see: 9

@/scottderrickson. "I think it’s absolute bullshit that a studio can and does shelve the creative work of hundreds of people for a fucking tax break." Twitter, 10 Nov. 2023, 4:52 p.m..

[the-freewitch]

Scanned version of "Cartoon Modern: Style and Design in Fifties Animation" with its author's permission. From Animation Obsessive on Twitter

[reportwire]

EDM.com Playlist Picks: i_o, Pauline Herr, Don Diablo & More [11/25/22] - EDM.com

EDM.com Playlist Picks: i_o, Pauline Herr, Don Diablo & More [11/25/22] – EDM.com

The electronic music community is constantly evolving with new sounds every week, as artists become more innovative with their compositions. EDM.com’s weekly “Playlist Picks” series highlights the top releases in the genre, helping uncover the latest tracks that will soon dominate the dance music scene. EDM.com Top Hits i_o & Lights – idk Don Diablo – Journey (Take Me Where You Wanna) MOTi –…

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

Hello! I love your writing and art it's so cute! I was wondering if I could ask a request or something whit Raihan whit a reader that somehow dragon types that love them, they would just say a word and the dragon type is just "🥰☺️💕" and when they start to talk softly or baby talk to the dragon type they amidiately flop to the ground and expose they're belly demanding tummy pets, I think mostly because the stomach of a dragon is always they're weaker point compered to the rest and the fact that they immediately just roll over exposing it to the reader even if they just met is kinda 🤯. Bonus if they have a legendary dragon type and they are just a cuddle bug whit Reader. If you don't want you can skip it! Alsow Ingles is my third language so I'm sorry if the grammar is bad😭

Ps. Remember to take breaks and to not overwork yourself dear! And your doing amazing remember that!💕

Your grammar is good, don't worry!

Also I've been leveling up Zekrom a lot so I'm going to choose them as the legendary dragon <3

........

Raihan has a team of dragons, you have a team of dragons..

One would think it'll make for an interesting rivalry, especially as you've entered the Galar Championship and crushed his team with them instantly.

But it's after the fact that he finds out there's a certain "charm" to you--which makes any and all dragon types quite cuddly and submissive. No matter if they're wild or if you just caught them.

Turns out they're not just weak to ice and fairy types.

For example, you showed off the Zekrom you found in the dynamax lair, and at first Raihan is shook because you managed to tame the literal dragon of ideals who annihilated entire kingdoms...

.....and made it roll over onto its back the moment you started talking.

"Hi, Zekrom! You did great with that Fusion Bolt attack. Who's a good dragon, hm? Who's a good dragon?" You're pretty much babytalking this great beast, rubbing its belly...and it's just taking it, thumping its tail while it's also glowing electric blue from pure happiness.

Duraludon, who's standing beside Raihan, decides it wants to be coddled too and just...hobbles over to you, whining and looking for attention.

Of course you happily oblige.

"Awh don't think I forgot about you, superstar! Look at you, making Raihan proud. Well I'm proud of you, too." You coo, laughing a little as it stiffly lays on its back, demanding belly rubs.

Meanwhile the dragon tamer doesn't know what to think. He's definitely given his ace more than enough affection and feels a little insulted that it's acting otherwise.

But he can't deny that seeing you both interacting like this is cute..

He has to snap a picture to savor this moment, of course.

[whencyclopedia]

Wall Reliefs: Ashurnasirpal II's War Scenes at the British Museum

The Mighty King

600 of their warriors I put to the sword and decapitated; 400 I took alive; 3,000 captives I brought forth; I took possession of the city for myself: the living soldiers, and heads to the city of Amidi the royal city, I sent.

(Annals of Assur-Nasir-Pal II 3.107).

This is how Ashurnasirpal II (r. 884-859 BCE) recorded the way he had dealt with his enemies during one of his military campaigns. Most of the time, the overwhelming Assyrian Imperial army was led on the battlefield by an apparently heartless and harsh Assyrian King. The destiny of the defeated enemy, revolt, or turmoil, whether kings, princes, officers, soldiers, poor lay people, or children, should be an ever-lasting memorable event, a fatal lesson taught to anyone thinking, or may be thinking, of doing the same, threatening the crown and destabilising the Assyrian Empire. This propaganda of terror had to be documented and delivered to a wide-ranging audience, internal and external. Stelae, monuments, stones, and clay prisms were the media used to “broadcast” the King's achievements.

How about the King's court, is it one of the key players? Every now and then, foreign rulers, high officials, ambassadors, messengers, and tribute bearers visit the King. Ashurnasirpal II had decorated the walls of his North-West Palace at the heart of the Assyrian Empire, Nimrud, with approximately 2-meter high alabaster bas-reliefs, depicting various scenes, like a movie in stone. The protagonist of the play, the title role, and the award winner, undoubtedly, was the King himself.

But, how about others, the supporting actors and actresses? It is not a monodrama after all! The throne room, Room B, of the North-West Palace was lined with war scenes of the so-called “victors and the vanquished” theme, depicting Ashurnasirpal II engaging in various military activities and charging his enemies. This room was not chosen haphazardly, it is the core of the King's court! All have to see and absorb the message.

Despite being out of context in Room 7 (Assyria, Nimrud) of the British Museum, these reliefs undoubtedly make a lasting impression on the museum's visitors, as they have done in the past. I will concentrate on certain features and details, rather than the King himself, to demonstrate; these details are usually overlooked by the visitors. These wall panels were excavated by Sir Henry Layard in 1846 while unearthing the North-West Palace at Nimrud, Iraq. They reached the British Museum in 1849. I put an elaborate description below each image.

Continue reading...

[mybeingthere]

Walt Peregoy, Disney Animator 1950's-60's

"My style was unusual for Walt Disney, but he tolerated me," Peregoy says. Although, since he was "tolerated" for 14 years, the artist sheepishly admits, "I had to be doing something right."

Born in Los Angeles in 1925, Walt Peregoy spent his early childhood on a small island in San Francisco Bay. He was nine years old when he began his formal art training, attending Saturday classes at the California College of Arts and Crafts in Berkeley. When he was 12 years old, Peregoy's family returned to Los Angeles, where he enrolled in Chouinard Art Institute's life drawing classes. At age 17, he dropped out of high school and went to work for Disney as an in-betweener.

In 1951, with a young family in tow, Peregoy returned to the United States, and resumed his career with The Walt Disney Studios. Initially, he served as a designer and animator on Peter Pan (1952) and Lady and the Tramp (1955).

"To this day, Walt Peregoy's color styling in 101 Dalmatians (1961) remains a fine example of how color can be used creatively in animation while serving more than a merely decorative function," says modern animation authority Amid Amidi.

Peregoy continued at Disney on the features The Sword in the Stone (1963), Mary Poppins (1964), and The Jungle Book (1967) Peregoy's unique style meshed well with that of his contemporary, stylist Eyvind Earle, and their work on the Academy Award®-nominated short Paul Bunyan (1958) was a departure for Disney.

[discourse-slenderman]

Your themfriend is a nerd/pos

HOLY SHIT IKNOWRIGHT my theoretical heart is beating so fucking fast right now amIDYING whatthehell

—*AHEM* I mean don’t call them that.

[karahalloway]

Devil You Know

Fandom: Heaven’s Secret (Book 1: Season 1)

Pairing: Lucifer x F!OC (Devon Hart)

Series: Oh, So Devilish

Chapter summary: Devon and Lucifer end up in Hell...

Word count: 4,500

Warnings: M (swearing, aggro, blood, toxic behaviour, forced imprisonment, references to death, physical violence... we're really on the Highway to Hell now, folks! 😆)

Chapter theme song:

A/N1: As promised, here is the follow-up instalment to Devil May Care, which reworks the start of HS S1E6 (because - again - I was dissatisfied with the way the majority of the interactions went down in canon 😅).

A/N2: As mentioned previously, I will only be tagging those people who specifically asked to be tagged after reading the previous part. So, if you want in on any future instalments featuring this pairing (I am definitely planning more rewrites for this universe!), do let me know in the comments! Otherwise, happy reading! 🤗

Devil You Know

Biting down on my tongue, I scrunch my eyes shut in consternation.

I kissed him… I kissed Lucifer…! 

On the cheek, but still. 

I crossed an unspoken line and thrust our relationship (…for lack of a better word) into a hitherto unconscionable realm of intimacy.

And there’s no way that contrary ass is not going to rub this in my face the first chance he gets.

I swallow a groan. What the hell possessed me to do something like that? I don’t even like the guy…

But I’m not given the chance to come up with any kind of answer, for in the next instant, a strong gust of wind whips through my hair, and I feel my skin come alive with an unmistakable zap of energy as the vortex opens up above us once again.

So much for flying under the radar…

But playing hooky had been worth it. I am now one step closer to solving the puzzle of my death, and finding some much-needed closure… even though my unexpected side-trip ended up raising more questions than it has solved.

Who is Amidi Laurent? Why did he ram me off the road? Was it really an accident, or something more sinister? And — perhaps more importantly — why did Lucifer stick his neck out for me?

I catch the demon’s eye from across the opposite end of the funnel. There is something flickering in the embers of his gaze, but before I have a chance to try and decipher it, he’s jumped into the eye of the storm.

Heaving a resigned breath, I leap after him, fully expecting to have to navigate an excruciatingly awkward flight back to the Academy in the wake of my momentary lapse of judgment.

But, instead of snide comments, or shifty glances, I am greeted by something completely unexpected. Lucifer is up in front of me, eyes closed and arms folded behind his head, coasting the currents as if he were laid out on a sun-soaked beach, rather than hurtling through the planes of the cosmos at break-neck speed. But maybe this is his idea of a vacation. Suspended weightless in a vacuum, floating effortlessly along the periphery of the here and now like a mere after-thought, without any responsibilities or obligations…

I can certainly see how the temporary liminality offered by the vortex could be a welcome escape for someone like him.

That said, I still find this method of travel somewhat unnerving, and the constantly shifting kaleidoscope of colours have a tendency to make me queasy. So, I’m not about to imitate Lucifer’s travel habits.

Luckily, I don’t have to battle with the motion sickness for long, and before I know it, we are both being lowered back onto solid ground.

“Dammit!” 

Lucifer’s outburst startles me with its vehemence.

Glancing around, I quickly spot the reason for his aggravation. As, yet again, we have been diverted…

…this time, to the Gates of Hell.

I whirl on him. “Why are we here?”

Lucifer — once again fully winged and tattooed as a result of having shed the cloak of his human skin — responds to my question by pulverizing a mid-sized boulder with his fist. “Why the fuck do you think, Unclaimed?”

I fold my arms defensively. “If you’re implying that I—"

“Do not try to wriggle out of this,” he snarls, crimson feathers flaring as he rounds on me. “The only reason we are here is because of you.”

“Me?” I gasp in disbelief. “Why the hell would I—?”

“Father found out about our little side-trip,” he grits, the wildfire raging in his gaze on the verge of consuming him completely. “Which means he knows we broke a rule. And he hates being kept waiting.”

I take an involuntary step back. “Wha—?"

“End of the road, angel,” he proclaims, closing the gap between us with a serpentine smile. “It’s judgement hour.”

Before I have a chance to blink, he’s shoved me into the mouth of the gaping chasm that is the Gates.

A petrified scream erupts from my throat as I go plummeting into the dark depths, the stinging smell of the sulphur burning my nose, the sharpness of the rocks grazing my wings.

My wings!

Twisting myself around in the choking blackness — at the expense of a motley of bruises on my knees and elbows — I manage to level myself out in time to spot the rapidly approaching speck of light at the bottom of the crevice. Spreading my wings as much as I can within the confines of the space, I try to convert my freefall into something resembling a controlled descent.

But given that I am still very much a noob when it comes to flying — having not quite gotten the handle on my latest set of wings yet — I end up hitting the ground will all the inherent grace of a sack of potatoes.

“Ow…” I groan, the acrid taste of iron welling in my mouth.

I may now be an immortal, but that doesn’t mean that I am completely invulnerable. The latest itineration in a growing slew of unsuccessful landings being a painful case in point. But, at least I heal relatively quickly… even from a fall that would’ve killed my former human self.

Raising my head to hawk the blood out, I am met by the sinister-looking toe of Lucifer’s boot.

“Welcome to Hell,” he drawls, yanking me up off the ground by the scruff of my leather jacket.

“You’re a real piece of shit,” I gripe, launching a blood-infused glob of spittle at his feet.

He sidesteps it easily. “Pain trains willpower and character. Both of which you lack. Now, get moving.”

I’m shoved unceremoniously forward. “Where are we going?”

“To the Pits.”

His answer hits me like a bucket of cold water. “Wait… You can’t be—”

“Oh, I’m dead fucking serious,” he confirms, grabbing me by the arm to haul me after him.

I struggle against him. “No. Lucifer… Stop!”

But my protests — and desperate kicks to his shins — bounce off him like cotton balls as he drags me down the length of the cavern against my will.

“You are vile…” I spit.

“Actions have consequences, darling,” he deadpans. “Both Upstairs and Downstairs. You just happened to draw the short straw.”

“But why does your dad even care?” I cry, trying to tamp down the naked fear that is roiling in the pit of my guts. Because while I’ve certainly heard of Satan — I mean, who hasn’t? — I never thought I might actually end up meeting the arch-demon who’s been putting the fear of God into people for the better part of four millennia.

Lucifer’s teeth flash in dark. “Let’s find out, shall we?”

We cross the same expansive courtyard that we traversed during my first visit to Hell on our way to the library. Only this time, instead of moving towards the steps that lead up to the subterranean citadel, Lucifer yanks me in the opposite direction towards a smaller, narrower set of stairs that instantly gives me the creeps.

“Ladies first,” he declares, thrusting me forward.

My hands fly out to find purchase on the roughness of the stone walls in a bid stop myself from tripping head-first down the perilous-looking steps. I stare down into the murkiness that is barely being kept at bay by the flicking light of the torches lining the path of the curved stairwell.

“Can’t we just—?"

But my feeble protest falls on deaf ears as Lucifer gives me an uncompromising shove from behind, nearly causing me to twist my ankle as the heel of my boot scrapes over the lip of the first step.

I throw the demon a dirty look as I begin the trudge down into the bowls of this fetid place.

I should never have trusted him… Much less thanked him for anything.

Not only is he a volatile, exploitative dick, but he is also a lying sack of shit. Because why else would he drag me down here against my will, if not to hang me out to dry in a bid to save his own neck? Knowing that he managed to find himself on Daddy's shitlist?

And if that’s true, then the line he tried to foist onto me earlier about this whole thing being my fault is clearly a masterful attempt at Machiavellian manipulation. As why the hell would Satan be interested in me? A literal nobody who only joined the ranks of the immortals a few weeks ago, and has yet to choose a side?

The answer is, he wouldn’t be. Unless his prodigal son somehow manages to convince him that I’m the deviant wildcard.

I scoff derisively as we descend lower. So much for me being a liability…

But if Lucifer wants to play dirty, then I’ll dive right into the mud with him. Because I’m not about to take whatever kind of fall he’s trying to set me up for… I’m not that stupid.

The air becomes staler and mustier the further down we trek. Dampness drips from the walls above our heads, and the feel of the vastness of the earth pressing in around us starts to make my skin crawl, despite the fact that I didn’t think I suffered from claustrophobia. But Hell has a weird way of playing on your anxieties — no matter how latent — and it’s clear that even my new-found immortality cannot shield me completely from the torments of this place.

Clearing the last of the jagged steps, we arrive in what can only be described as a gaol…

…and I’m immediately sick to my stomach all over again.

Long rows of cells line the black passageway that stretches before us. Upon the sound of our arrival, dozens of emaciated arms reach through the rusty-looking metal bars, begging for release as clanks and moans rise up from the depths of the prison, punctuated by the occasional shriek of anguish.

But the stench… The stench permeating every inch of this hellhole is worse than anything I have ever encountered before. Rotting flesh combined with stale urine and putrid sweat boxed up in a dank space that’s never seen the light of day… and never will. All underlain by an abject miasma of despair so thick that you can taste it on your tongue — the reek of eternal damnation.

I clamp my hands over my nose and mouth in an attempt to stop myself from throwing up. “What is this place?”

“A holding area,” Lucifer replies nonchalantly, grabbing my arm again to pull me after him, seemingly obviously to the toe-curling wretchedness spread around him. “Where the damned await their eternal punishment.”

“Jesus Christ…” I breathe, stumbling after the demon as the full implication of his words filters through me.

This isn’t even Hell… the real Hell with its nine circles of fire and brimstone. This is merely a waiting room. But even it is soul crushing enough to make you want to abandon all semblance of hope. 

I shudder involuntarily. God knows what the rest of the place is like…

“That name means nothing down here,” Lucifer grunts, as if reading my thoughts. “Don’t waste your breath.”

“How much further…?” I manage to choke out as I cringe closer to his side on instinct, trying to dodge the grasping reach of the skeletal hands.

“We’re here.”

“Huh?”

I face-plant into Lucifer’s shoulder as he comes to an abrupt stop.

“What th—?”

“Get in,” he orders, wrenching the door of an empty cell open.

I recoil in horror. “No way.”

His jaw tenses. “This isn’t a negotiation.”

“Damn right, it isn’t!” I retort. “Because you’re not locking me up in here!”

“I don’t fucking have time for this, Devon,” he grits, pulling me forward. “Just take the damn hint and—“

“Like hell…” I grate, fighting him.

His red eyes flare in the murk. “Poor choice of words.”

He wrenches me violently forward, nearly ripping my shoulder from its socket in the process. I sail past him and into the cell, the edges of my wings clipping the metal bars on my way through. And by the time I manage to find my footing, he’s shut the door on me with a decisive clang.

“You’re a sadistic bastard…” I spit through the bars as he secures the convoluted-looking lock.

“And you’re a fiendish pain in the ass,” he hits back, scorching me with his gaze. “So, be a good girl for once and—“

I slap him — hard — my eyes blazing with fury. “Fuck you.”

He stills, the sharp sound of flesh-on-flesh rendering him motionless… like a bull that’s caught sight of the red flag.

I stare at him, chest heaving, the unspoken tension roiling between us.

He licks his lips. “You got teeth, angel… I’ll give you that.”

“Bite me,” I snarl, meeting the conflagration raging in his eyes with own wall of hellfire. Because I’m not letting him get away with this.

He leans in close, his mouth almost brushing mine through the bars. “Make it a wish and I will…”

I scoff at him. “In your dreams, demon.”

Something flashes in his gaze. “Immortals don’t dream, darling.”

He begins to turn away…

…and my stomach drops as I suddenly realise that maybe this isn’t some kind of twisted game.

I grab for his arm. “Lucifer! Wai— Argh!”

“Careful with the bars, Unclaimed…” he throws flippantly over his shoulder as he strides off. “You don’t want to hurt yourself.”

“Lucifer!” I gasp, hand pressed against my side where a metal barb had dug against me. “Stop! Come back! This isn’t funny!”

But he’s already gone, swallowed up by the darkness.

“Lucifer!” I shriek, all vestiges of my former bravado vanishing in a puff of smoke as real terror splices through me. “LUCIFER! Don’t you dare leave me here!”

Silence. Except for the wails of the damned.

A choked sob escapes me. “Please don’t leave me here…”

But my cowed plea receives no answer. No crooked smile flashes in the shadows, no crimson feathers rustle in the depths to give any indication that this is all just some kind of sinister prank, and the joke’s on me for falling for it.

I swallow against the panic that’s threatening to choke me. He left me… The bastard really left me…

Which means that I’m on my own.

And as petrified as I am, I flat out refuse to spend the rest of my newly-immortal life trapped in this hole. I wasn’t given a second chance at existence by God… Sepha… whoever decides these things… just to end up as another nameless, faceless soul that got press-ganged into Satan’s receiving line.

Wiping the wetness from my face, I step up to the cell doors with renewed determination.

There must be a way to pick that lock.

Reaching carefully through the bars, I try to feel out the mechanism. But given that I cannot push my head through the gaps of the barbed metal, or contort myself in such a way to be able to see what I’m supposed to be working with without shredding myself to pieces, I quickly realise that I need a different angle of attack.

Stepping back slightly, I focus everything that I have inside of myself, trying to dredge up something that can help me. But if I have any as-yet undiscovered magical ability, I cannot find it. No spark… no buzz… nothing. Just an empty void staring back at me.

Shit…

I throw my hands out sharply, hoping that if I’m feeling desperate enough, a wave of energy will miraculously shoot from my fingertips to blast the door off its hinges…

…but I have no such luck.

I reel away from the bars with gritted teeth. I will not rot here… I will not!

Casting my eyes around the confines of the cell in search of anything that I can use to jimmy the lock with — a sharp stone, a scrap of metal, even the forgotten fibula of a previous occupant — I spot what looks like a break in the bars.

Stepping towards it, I realise that the end of one of the rungs had rusted away, disconnecting it from its neighbour. Which means it may be possible to snap it off completely.

I have no idea how an immortal’s strength measures up in comparison to an average human’s, but I’ve heard that people finding themselves in life-or-death situations are capable of almost miraculous feats of strength and bravery. So, maybe true grit can save me where magic ended up falling short.

In any event, I’ve got to try.

It’s not like anyone is coming to save me — as even if Mimi, Dino, or anyone else were to raise the alarm at my unexplained absence, there is no guarantee that (a) any of the instructors actually care enough about me to launch a search, and (b) they would find me anyway. Hell is a vast place, and no one would have a reason to look for me down here to begin with. They’d probably just assume that I’m still playing hooky back on Earth. And given that he’s the one who ditched me here, Lucifer will be the last person to point them in my direction.

Which makes me doubly determined to break out of here. Even if just for the fleeting satisfaction of getting to spit in that smug demon’s face. 

Grasping the aging piece of metal, careful to avoid the spikes protruding from it, I give it a couple of experimental tugs. It holds strong, but I managed to bend it towards me somewhat.

Feeling a rush of hope well in my chest, I plant a foot on one of the lower bars to give myself some added leverage…

…and nearly jump out of my skin when the darkness next to me moves.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a sunken, leathery face appear beside mine, its features grotesque in its distortions... its skin reeking of death.

"Hello, doll..."

A hysterical scream erupts from my mouth.

I heave myself backwards without any rational thought, trying to get away from whatever the hell this thing is, even if it’s stuck on the other side of the cell. 

But the ghoul is faster. Its four-fingered hand shoots through the gap in the bars, clamping onto my wrist like the fangs of a serpent.

“You’re fresh…” it observes gleefully, pulling back its bloodless lips to reveal a row of shark-like teeth.

I struggle against it viciously. “Let me go, you freak!”

It yanks me against the bars with a snarl.

Thrown off balance, I crash against the rusty metal, the protruding barbs ripping into my face and chest.

The sharpness of the pain brings fresh tears to my eyes. But some deeper instinct tells me not to show fear, not to show weakness. So, with supreme effort, I force myself to tamp down the terrified whimper that’s clawing at the tip of my tongue.

Lidless eyes glint at me mordantly through the slits in the bars. “Not nice…”

It tightens its grip, and I gasp as a sudden chill shoots up my veins to slice into my heart like a dagger.

“Mmm…” the creature purrs, darting its blackened tongue out to lick its lips. “Sweet…”

A million shards of ice explode across my chest as I feel the warmth get sucked from my bones like juice through a straw... my life-force along with it.

Knowing in the back of my mind that I don’t have much time before this thing renders me into a slobbering, vegetative mess, I gather up what’s left of my rapidly ebbing strength to plant both of my feet against the foot of the bars…

…and yank myself from backwards with a primal cry.

The ghoul shrieks in rage as my wrist snaps free of its clammy hold, sending me flying backwards to land in a shivering heap on the floor of the cell.

Wrapping my arms and wings around myself in a bid to stop my chattering teeth from biting into my tongue, I try to stoke up what residual heat is left in my body in the wake of whatever it is that that thing tried to do to me.

Suck my soul dry, by the feel of it…

I have no idea how long I lie there, curled up like a gutted fish on the grimy stones, but eventually I feel some semblance of warmth return to my chilled extremities as my heart begins to beat with vigour again.

Rolling gingerly onto my side, every inch of me aching, I find the ghoul glaring at me with undisguised hatred from the other side of the bars.

“Nasty doll…” it spits, pacing back and forth, like a beast trapped in a cage. “Doesn’t want to play…”

“No shit,” I retort, pushing myself back onto slightly wobbly feet. “I’m not your fucking toy!”

Why every immortal insists on slapping me with patronising labels, I have no clue. But it’s really starting to grate on my nerves!

The ghoul comes to an abrupt halt and cocks its head to an unnatural angle. “Fierce.”

I force myself to meet its gaze, even as I feel a shudder run down my spine at the sight of the soulless void I find staring back at me. “I like to beat expectations…”

The ghoul’s mouth draws back into a horrible grin. “You cannot beat Him…”

I frown. “You mean Lucifer?”

A strangled wheeze claws itself out of the brute’s throat, and it takes me a second to realise that it’s laughing. “Stupid doll… The Son of Satan is a mere worm! No match for Him!”

“Must be doing something right if he managed to lock you up in here…” I counter dryly.

I must’ve struck a nerve because the ghoul’s humour vanishes with a hiss. “This cell is fleeting! He freed one… He will free more! He will free me!”

My eyes widen in sudden realisation. “He… You mean—?"

“Mal…bon…te…!” the ghoul cackles.

I suck in a breath. He does exist! Which means— 

“And Zizga will wait,” the creature continues, running its tongue over its teeth with zealous conviction. “Because I know your taste now, doll… And you cannot—“

Bang!

Metal crashes against metal as the door of the cell flies open behind me.

Whirling around, I find Lucifer standing in the gap between the bars, head bowed and knuckles fisted around the rungs on either side of him.

“Crawl back into your fucking hole, Zizga,” he orders, lobbing a wad of spit onto the floor.

Zizga hisses at him like a defiant cobra. “Your pitiful threats mean nothing, Son of Satan! You will be first to—“

“Last warning,” growls Lucifer, raising his head to torch the ghoul with a baleful glare.

It is then that I notice the state of the demon’s face…the blackened eye… the bruised jaw… the blood matting his shirt. “Oh, my God! What happened to you?”

Lucifer’s humourless scoff turns into a hack as he pushes himself away from the doorway. “Just another meeting… with the old… Reaper.”

My eyes widen in disbelief. “Satan… He did this to you?”

“He doesn’t like… to be kept waiting…” he grits, clutching his side as he stumbles into the cell.  

“Jesus…” I rasp, taking in the full, macabre sight of the Devil’s handiwork.

“…doesn’t give a shit,” Lucifer spits through broken lips. “And neither should—“

His knees buckle.

I dive forward on instinct to catch him. “Luci—!”

But no sooner does my hand brush his shoulder than I find myself shoved up against the bars of the cell, with his fist crushing my windpipe.

“Save your damn sympathy, Unclaimed!” Lucifer snaps, hellish eyes blazing. “I don’t fucking need it!”

I struggle for breath as the barbs bite into my wings. “I was just—“

“This is all your fault,” he growls through bared and blood-stained teeth. “You and your pathetic need for answers… About a death that was just as meaningless as your life.”

“You… wouldn’t… understand…” I choke out bitterly, tears stinging the corners of my eyes.

“No,” he grits, face inches from mine. “I wouldn’t. Because I know the rules. Yet here I am taking the fucking fall for you anyway.”

I gasp as he tightens his hold on my neck. “I never… asked you to…”

“No…” he agrees, his gaze scorching contemptuously over me. “So, don’t expect me to make this mistake again.”

“I won’t,” I tell him tightly, feeling a lone tear escape to skid down my cheek.

I’m such an idiot… For ever thinking that—

His eyes suddenly narrow. “The hell is that?”

“Nothing…” I sniff, turning my head to hide the embarrassing crack in my composure.

His hand shoots up to grab the underside of my jaw, forcing me to look back the other way.

I grit my teeth, but he ignores my discomfort, the heat of his gaze raking over me like a laser, taking in every cut and scrape decorating my face, before sliding down the side of my neck to rest of the exposed part of my chest above my ruined top.

“You can’t be left alone for five minutes, can you?” he derides… though I feel his hold on me loosen slightly.

I scoff vindictively. “Says the asshole who locked me in a cell.”

He snaps my head back to face him again. “I told you to keep away from the bars.”

“Maybe I was looking for a shank to stick you with,” I snip up at him.

“Liar,” he indicts, his hot breath coasting my lips as his nails dig against my skin once more. “Who did this?”

I stare back at him scornfully. “Like you even care.”

“I’ll wring it from you, angel…” he warns. “One way or another.”

“You’re such an ass…” I gripe…

…but my gaze shifts to the left nevertheless.

Lucifer’s nostrils flare with rancour as he whirls away from me. “You like the bite of steel, do you, Zizga?”

The ghoul screeches in strife. “No! Do not listen to it! She is nasty and full of lies!”

Lucifer crosses the open space in two strides to grab the disgusting creature by the front of his tattered robe, and wrenches him against the bars. “Doesn’t feel great, does it?”

The ghoul twists and spits like a viscous barn cat, trying to free himself. “Malbonte will clip your wings, puny Son of Satan! He’ll—“

“Eat shit and choke, leech,” Lucifer snaps, shoving Zizga roughly away. “And don’t threaten me with fairytales.”

The ghoul cracks out a laugh as it stumbles backwards. “Your world will burn, demon! Ashes and dust! You’ll see!”

Lucifer lunges at the bars again, but the creature scuttles off into the shadows with a raspy cackle.

I straighten back up, rubbing my neck. “What is that thing?”

“Why the fuck are you still here?” Lucifer glowers without turning around.

“I—“

“Get out!”

I jolt at the naked fury in his voice. But I don’t need telling twice.

Spinning on my heel, I dash out of that nightmarish cell, and down the dank hall, all the way back to the stairwell, as if the very Hounds of Hell were chasing me. 

But instead of relief, it is a quagmire of confusion that suffuses my guts.

What the hell just happened?

Tags

@angelasscribbles @aussiegurl1234 @kingliam2019 @differenttyphoonwerewolf @hotkingu @0shewrites0 @tessa-liam

[silvergrapefruits]

Cartoon Modern – Amid Amidi https://pagefiddler.wordpress.com/2014/05/25/cartoon-modern-amid-amidi/

[asstheticbabydolly]

Was tagged by the lovely @silentacquiescence for lock screen, last song, last pic, and 9 songs on repeat! 🥰❤️

1. Fingerprint - Lane 8

2. Consciousness - Anyma

3. Escape - kx5

4. Island - Seven Lions

5. Valborg - Cirez D

6. We’re all we need - Above and Beyond

7. Fix you - Amidy

8. Wild - Deborah De Luca

9. Computers take over the world - Armin Van Buuren

Tagging @sacrificethelamb @pathetic-princessx @twoprettytolive @onelittlekingdom if you guys wanna do it!

[beskar33]

"legh amidi-nin

s-inta niflas

hi isaswen ulh-in

alwàqq d-intas"

-

"i have a friend i can trust

who quenches the thirst

that burns in my heart"

[colazionearipetere]

Questa mattina colazione con un ricetta deludente. Mi ero fatta illudere da una ricetta "fit" che sembrava buona ed invece sa di uovo cotto, amaro e con boh un retrogusto strano. Sarebbero dei "brownies" alla mela. La ricetta è abbastanza fit, dato che ha solo tre ingredienti: uova, mela e cacao (e un po' di bicarbonato), però a livello di sapore fa abbastanza cacare. Non è una ricetta bilanciata per una serie di motivi: 1) troppe uova, 2 uova per 2 mele sono troppe, io ho usato due mele grosse (quasi 400gr in tutto) e due uova altrettanto grosse e sapeva di uovo cotto, sarebbe stato meglio 1 uovo e una parte di bevanda come latte, acqua o una qualsiasi bevanda vegetale l'importante è che fosse un liquido; 2) manca un amido, uno qualsiasi! che sia farina, fecola, amido di riso/mais, farina di avena, di grano saraceno, insomma manca un addensante, un qualcosa che dia corpo alla ricetta; 3) ne avevo un po' il sospetto ma volevo provare lo stesso e alla fine è stato confermato che la mela non si presta per questo tipo di preparazioni, credo che sia stato anche questo a dare un sapore strano, la mela non è polposa, ha molta acqua ed infatti sono venuti molto umidi una volta raffreddati; 4) troppo cacao, non è solo una questione di sapore e dunque che è troppo amaro, è il fatto che tutto quel cacao è proprio inutile, quella del video magari stava con la cosa che non mette farina e dunque daje di cacao anche perché il cacao assorbe più acqua della farina ma... no, proprio no, non serve a niente tutto questo cacao quello serve ad insaporire non puoi sostituirlo alla farina o una qualsiasi polvere amidacea e dunque addensante. Vuole essere una ricetta fit e capisco, ma il sapore è proprio brutto, si possono mangiare solo se copri parte del sapore: io ho messo sciroppo d'acero e burro d'arachidi ma se devi aggiungere qualcosa di calorico alla ricetta che nasce come fit tanto vale che ti mangi un dolce normale magari con pochi grassi ma almeno più buono e come calorie secondo me alla fine siamo lì. La ricetta dunque di per sé è sbagliata prorpio nella composizione, pure se si presenta come fit dato che: 1) se avesse usato la banana (o l'avocado, ma lì mi sa che saliamo di calorie e di grassi) avrebbe avuto più consistenza; 2) poteva usare solo l'albume, sarebbe venuta meno grassa e più proteica; 3) sostituire il tuorlo con un grasso vero e proprio come olio, burro d'arachidi, ma anche yogurt; 4) meno cacao (credo che quando ne metti già 20 gr è tutto il mondo, e lei ne ha messo 60) 5) usare un amido qualsiasi, farina 00, di avena, di riso, grano saraceno, amidi vari, boh quei preparati strani per robe fit che non ho idea qualcosa che insomma a contatto con un liquido diventa cremoso.

A volte ci provano con queste robe fit, ma veramente no.

[chaos-vulpix]

Legacyverse: Kai - Passion in Crimson

Oh my god, you have no idea how long it took me to finish this. Every time I found a possible song, it went into a different playlist lmao. So many went into the Kailor playlist or the Ninja Never Quit playlists instead.

Already Home - AMIDY & HALIENE

Boiling Blood (Blaze's Theme) - Cristina Vee | Arknights

End Like This - Steve Aoki & Yellow Claw ft. RUNN | Arknights (Episode 07: The Birth of Tragedy)

Eternal Flame (Fiammetta's Theme) - Forts | Arknights

Last of Me - Steve Aoki ft. RUNN | Arknights (Episode 06: Partial Necrosis)

Never Give Up - Sia | Lion

Old Friend - Elderbrook

Operation Pine Soot - Life Awaits | Arknights (Contingency Contract #7)

Phoenix (Blanke Remix) - Cailin Russo & Chrissy Costanza | League of Legends (Worlds 2019)

Wildfire - KAARA | Arknights (Near Light)

[themetaisawesome]

MK12 has been out for a while now, but I'll throw spoilers under the cut anyway. Long story short, I did not care for the last third of the story. Longer story below the cut.

I was pretty engaged in the first two acts, or at least the first half.

Shang Tsung's new backstory is great, a con-man elevated by "Damashi" with promises of power and greatness. Sorcery combined with alchemy and a claw weapon reminiscent of Scarecrow is top notch. Plus, Alan Yee channels Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa's smarmy deviousness excellently.

Glad Kronika is never coming back

Kung Lao's intro chapter was fine. I like the new status quo with him and human Raiden. Madame Bo is fun (hope she becomes a kameo). The Lin Kuei test was good.

Human Raiden is serviceable but boring.

Johnny is a mixed bag. On the one hand, he gets some of the funniest lines of the game and the Johnshi bits were excellent. The development of their friendship was top notch. On the other hand, he leans way too heavily into the younger Johnny we saw in the 2nd timeline. When Cristina was introduced I was like, "Whoa! Johnny has a new love interest? What's the story there?" But after she leaves, they don't do anything with her. They get divorced off screen, and I feel like that hurts Johnny's story. Some of his intro dialogues are borderline "fuck my ex-wife" sitcom level shit. He has one where he threatens Nitara if she goes near her, but that's it. There honestly seems to be something there with Cristina that the writers overlooked. She fell in love with Johnny before the fame, when he was John Carlton. It would've worked as the setup for a real arc for Johnny, where he has to learn that there's more to life and himself than the action movie star. It would serve as a nice echo of his development between MK9 and MKX. I'll be honest, as much as I like BladeCage, I wanted Johnny and Cristina to work things out.

While we're on the subject of intro dialogues, does the frequent use of the words male and female rub anyone else the wrong way? Maybe it's because our world is plagued by transphobes and their bullshit rhetoric, but I do not trust when those words replace man and woman in sentences where they shouldn't be. It makes dialogue sound less organic.

Baraka and Repile as heroes? Ashrah's return? Syzoth/Ashrah? Perfect. Amazing. No notes (except for a major one that I'll get to in a minute).

While I agree that Kitana was a bit underutilized, she still works. Love her.

Also loved how they used Mileena in the story, and she has some pretty good intros. So glad we got to see her with the heroes and on good terms with her family. Mitanya/Tanleena is also a very cute ship.

Li Mei was fine. She has a great new moveset. ACAB tho

Does anyone else think it's weird that they changed Quan Chi from an actual demon to a person of color, and then gave his white skin an origin story? His role in the story works, though he and his titan counterpart become second fiddles to Shang Tsung in the second half of the game. Sean Krishnan gives a good performance, but I do miss Ronald Banks.

Oh, General Shao. How the mighty have fallen. While Ike Amidi is a good actor, that voice does not work for Shao. It works for characters like Atrocitus because it's a very brutish voice. It lacks subtlety. There were times it was okay in MK11, but they doubled down in 12 and it does not work. General Shao gets one or two moments where I believed this was an accomplished war hero who genuinely believes what he's doing is right, but they are few and far between. The truth is, I don't think Netherrealm Games respects Shao Kahn, and that's a shame.

While we're on the subject of voices, let's get to Sub-Zero. While Kaiji Tang works for a character like Sanemi, it really doesn't work for Bi-Han. There is not a hint of subtlety in his try-hard edgelord presence.

Kuai Liang as Scorpion is... okay. Liu Kang really did give him Hanzo's moves, outfit, powers, name, wife, and position, and then made him a young Hanzo's mentor. Daisuke Tsuji was a great choice to play him, tho.

Glad Smoke is back and that's he voiced by Yuri Lowenthal, but there isn't a whole lot there. He's almost as boring as Raiden.

So, I know Jerrod being a part of Ermac has been a thing since MK9 and Netherrealm is finally doing something with the concept, but I don't care for it. It's not bad, and it works in the story, but I feel that giving Ermac the soul of a major character detracts from him being his own character. Ermac stops being Ermac and instead becomes a second life for Jerrod.

Pretty boy Havik and his hair still makes me laugh.

Darrius sure does exist.

The less said about Nitara Fox the better.

Glad Motaro and Sareena returned. Goro still seems way too short.

The writers did well with Sindel, making her a noble queen but one who holds grudges and has a temper is many steps above Twindel. Shame she died tho.

Liu Kang gets a B- for this new timeline. Matthew King continues to nail it out of the park with his performance, the Fire God has some spectacular fatalities, and there's a lot of interesting stuff in this new status quo. There's just a lot to nitpick with the third timeline.

So, my main gripe with the story starts at the Titan Shang Tsung reveal. The reveal itself is perfect. Aftermath's alternate ending being canon in another timeline and using him as the villain behind the scenes is an idea worthy of two chef's kisses.

However, it's to this story's detriment. He usurps the narrative significance of the current timeline's villains and their plot. Had they saved Titan Shang Tsung for the very end and as the antagonist for the next game, it would allow better focus on our current timeline villains and given more heroes screentime. Baraka, Ashrah, and Reptile disappear half-way through the game. Mileena and Sindel get to shine (before the latter becomes the sole heroic casualty), but the rest of our heroes only get a handful of moments. This is especially bad because from chapters Kenshi to Syzoth, the group dynamic was so strong that I missed this team working together during the second half of the game.

While there is something commendable in going so big as Armageddon 2.0, the fusion fighters feels gimicky and the Titanic Deadly Alliance just feels... eh. Honestly, most of the minions don't feel like they come from the same timeline as the Dark Raiden and Twindel that we fought earlier.

And then the Deadly Alliance just gets beaten. The diner scene that follows feels weaker because A, not all of our heroes are there, and B, Geras' warning that Liu Kang will have to sacrifice the life he's grown accustomed to doesn't pan out because he can just hang out with them any time he wants. If "the realms are in good hands" is meant to tie back in to that "sacrifice", then it falls flat because it doesn't connect.

Then there's the end credits teaser, which is a dud. What makes Titan Havik any more threatening than the other two titans that we just defeated? If Titan Havik is a teaser for an Invasions event, whatever. If he's set up for MK13, then every criticism

But if they were dead set on having Armageddon 2.0 in MK12 and if they wanted to set up the next game, Titan Havik wasn't the one to go with. You know who they should've had step through that portal?

The return of the OG Shao Kahn empowered by Blaze would've knocked the socks off of everyone. It establishes that the Midway timeline still exists (even if everyone is dead in it), puts Shao Kahn back in a place of honor, and would be WAY more hype for MK13.

Anyway, those are my many thoughts.