#BOTH spellings of his name... but let it be known i prefer it with a c

[perhapsifcake]

a belated submission for doflaminbros week hosted by @opdoffyzine & @corazine!! this was for the day 1 prompt 'high school au' :)

[slavicdelight]

METANOIA

Pairing: Tom Riddle x f!reader

Summary: Metanoia - the journey of changing your mind, heart, self and way of life

Warnings: slightly ooc Tom, pureblood ideas, hits of murder

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Tom Riddle was a name recognized by everyone at Hogwarts. The infamous Slytherin Head Boy commanded respect from every student and even from professors, thanks to the aura surrounding him. However, what most people didn't know, or perhaps didn't care to notice, was that there was something sinister lurking behind his captivating gaze and mannerisms.

His friend group, constantly present by his side, consisted of members from the most well-known pureblood families. Tom considered himself superior to them because he possessed the blood of the noble Salazar Slytherin. By the age of 19, he had already committed horrifying acts, such as opening the Chamber of Secrets during his 5th year, resulting in the death of Myrtle Warren. He also murdered his remaining family around the same time. Furthermore, he created Horcruxes in order to reach immortality, which was one of his goals and the initial step towards becoming the greatest dark wizard in history.

Tom was a skilled manipulator. He had the ability to hide his true emotions, always putting on a mask of politeness. In addition, he was brilliant and could be described as an over-achiever. Tom thoroughly planned everything and never allowed setbacks to hinder him. There was only one person who saw right through him - Dumbledore, the person Tom despised the most in the entire school.

Tonight, Tom was strolling through the hallways of Hogwarts, carrying out his patrols as a Head Boy. Although it was generally a mundane duty, it had its advantages. One of them was being out after curfew without anyone questioning it. The corridors were dimly lit, so Tom had to cast a spell to produce light to see clearly."Lumos." he muttered, before continuing on his way. It appeared to be another uneventful night, where nothing of particular interest occurred.

As he was heading back to the Slytherin dorms, someone bumped into him, causing both teenagers to fall to the ground. "I'm so sorry," said a girl who appeared to be about the same age as him, possibly a year younger. He was about to reprimand her for running into him and give her detention for breaking curfew, but then he looked at her and was instantly captivated by the most beautiful pair of eyes he had even seen. They were warm and welcoming, but what truly enthralled him was their enchanting violet color, which sparkled under the light emerging from his wand.

"I should've watched where I was going," continued the witch. He cleared his throat and gave her a cold stare, trying to hide his intrigue. "Why aren't you in your dorm? It's past curfew," Tom questioned the girl. Another surprising thing was that he had no idea who she was. He only noticed the Ravenclaw emblem on her robes, indicating that she was a member of the eagle house. The Slytherin prided himself on knowing almost everyone at school, from students to professors, yet he didn't know her. How could someone with such captivating eyes escape his attention? "Oh, right. I got caught up in the library and forgot about the curfew," she explained. "I'll go straight to bed." With that, she tried to pass him and walk away.

She wanted to end the interaction as quickly as possible, knowing that Tom Riddle was trouble. Despite his perfect student persona, she sensed a hidden darkness beneath the surface and wanted to avoid getting involved. "Now, now. I can't possibly let the witch with such incredible eyes leave without knowing her name, can I?" he asked, causing her to freeze. "I fail to see how my name is of any interest to you, Riddle. I would prefer you not knowing it and allowing me to go.”

Tom didn't expect his charm not to work, but he hid his surprise. He wondered if the girl was brave or stupid, perhaps both. She didn't know that she piqued his interest, and that was something dangerous. "It hardly seems fair that you know me, but I don't know you, don't you think?" He took a step closer to her but didn't predict what she would do next. "No, I don't," she said, while taking a step back and bolting in another direction. The Head Boy simply stood there and let her get away. 'Let her run,' he thought. 'I shall find her anyway.' And with that, he continued on his way to the dorms.

The next morning, during breakfast, he scanned the Great Hall in search of her. Tom tried to be discreet, but his best friend, Abraxas Malfoy, noticed. Abraxas was his most reliable follower, someone Tom could trust. "What are you looking for, Riddle?" he asked. The boy with raven hair turned to glare at him and said, "It's none of your business, Malfoy." He was becoming increasingly frustrated that the witch from the previous night was nowhere to be found.

Finally, the girl made her entrance, walking into the hall accompanied by another girl. They both headed towards the Ravenclaw's table and took a seat. He couldn't help but gaze at her. It was as if she sensed his gaze, as she turned and looked directly into his eyes. Their staring contest continued until Headmaster Dippet began greeting students and wishing them a good day.

After finishing his meal, Tom made his way to the Potions classroom, his first subject of the day. He enjoyed this class, despite Professor Slughorn being a bit overwhelming. Tom was the professor's favorite student, excelling in this class just as he did in every other. He was an exceptionally talented wizard.

It turned out he shared the class with the violet-eyed witch. He wondered why he hadn't noticed her before. He took his usual seat and waited for the Ravenclaw student to enter, which didn't take long. She sat two rows ahead of him, accompanied by a boy he recognized as the Ravenclaw's seeker. Shortly after, Slughorn entered and the lesson began. Today, they had to brew an advanced potion called the Elixir to Induce Euphoria in pairs. As always, Tom was the first to finish his potion, with the help of his partner, Rosier. The potions professor, impressed with their work, allowed them to leave early. Tom decided to wait outside the classroom to talk to the girl who had sparked his interest and learn more about her.

As the girl walked out, he quickly grabbed her hand and dragged her towards the abandoned broom closet across the hall. She protested, but wasn't strong enough to break free from his grasp. Tom pushed her inside and blocked the entrance.

"Hello again," he said, noticing the anger on the girl's face. "What do you think you're doing? Let me go!" she yelled, attempting to escape from the classroom.

"No, I don't think I will," Tom replied. "What do you want, Riddle?" she questioned, gritting her teeth. Her captivating eyes locked with his, and he could swear they had the power to melt a man. But he was no ordinary man, and he wouldn't allow that to defeat him. "I already told you what I want," he started, before she interrupted, "and I already told you that you won't have that." The girl had some nerve, he had to give her that. "Listen, darling, either you tell me your name yourself or I'll find out on my own. But I would prefer to hear it from your beautiful lips.”

"And what?" she spat, her eyes narrowing with a mix of defiance and fear. "Will you force it out of me?" If looks could kill, he would already be six feet under. Tom's lips curled into a malicious smirk as he leaned in closer, his voice a low, dangerous whisper. "You'll soon discover that I can be very..." He paused, relishing in the anticipation he was building. "...persuasive." The words hung in the air, sending a shiver down her spine. As he observed her reaction, he couldn't help but notice the subtle trembling of her breath, a sign that his presence and words were affecting her.

“If I tell you my name, would you stop pestering me about it?” she asked not looking into his eyes. Tom grabbed her chin and forced her head up, just enough for him to see her eyes. The Slytherin just nodded and took a step back. “Fine. My name is Y/N” she finally answered and moved past him, heading straight for the door. As Y/N was walking away she heard him say “Such a beautiful name, for someone with such extraodrinary eyes.”

Y/N felt a chill run down her spine as she left the broom closet, the encounter with Tom Riddle leaving her unsettled. She couldn't shake the feeling that she had just opened a door to a world of complications. Her day continued with classes, but her mind kept wandering back to the mysterious encounter with the enigmatic Head Boy.

Days turned into weeks, and Tom's fascination with Y/N only deepened. He started to make subtle attempts to engage her in conversation during Potions class or whenever their paths crossed in the hallways. Y/N, however, remained guarded, careful not to reveal too much about herself. She sensed danger around Tom, but there was also a part of her that felt an inexplicable connection, an undeniable intrigue that kept her from avoiding him completely. She didn’t like it, preferring to stay away from the drama that would undeniably follow her once she got too involved with the boy.

As time passed, Tom's pursuit became more relentless. He would show up unexpectedly in places where Y/N was, asking about her interests, her family, and her background. Y/N, althrough in the beginning sheltered and slightly annoyed, soon found herself drawn into conversations that danced on the edge of forbidden topics, and Tom, turn, discovered that there was more to Y/N than met the eye.

One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Tom found Y/N sitting by the Black Lake,reading a book . He approached her cautiously, and for the first time, his demeanor seemed less calculated, more genuine."You're a puzzle, Y/N," he said, his voice softer than usual. "I can't quite figure you out." Y/N turned to look at him, her violet eyes searching his face for any sign of deception. "Maybe some puzzles are meant to remain unsolved," she replied cryptically. Tom chuckled, a sound that sent shivers down her spine. "Maybe so, yet here we are. Both of us puzzling each other. But I do enjoy the challenge." he admitted. "And you, my dear, are the most intriguing challenge I've found at Hogwarts so far."

As the weeks turned into months, their interactions became more complex. Y/N found herself reluctantly drawn to Tom's charisma and intelligence, while Tom, discovered a more vulnerable side of himself. He couldn't quite understand why Y/N had such an effect on him, but he was determined to find out.

Their dynamic took a turn one evening in the Hogwarts library. Tom, managed to convince Y/N to join him in exploring the restricted section. As they looked through ancient tomes and hidden spells, Y/N couldn't ignore the growing tension between them. In the quiet space of the library, Tom leaned in, his dark eyes locking onto hers. "There's something about you, Y/N," he murmured, his breath sending shivers across her skin. "Something that both intrigues and unsettles me." Y/N looked at him curiously and asked “What is so unsettling about me?”. Tom only looked at her and leaning closer said “You’re making me feel things I’ve never felt before.”

As they continued their meetings, the lines between friend and enemy slowly became blurred. Tom’s past and his ambitions started to rub off on her, making her question everything. But she wasn’t weak and wanted to stay true to the right side. She wasn’t about to go down the same path as the Slytherin boy, and wanted to make him see that it was wrong. Little did she know that the choices made in the upcoming months would shape the destiny of the wizarding world.

As the weeks unfolded, Y/N found herself in a dangerous position. The more time she spent with Tom Riddle, the clearer it became that he was wavering on the edge of darkness. His thirst for power, his relentless pursuit of immortality, and the shadows of his past painted a grim picture. Yet, among all this darkness, Y/N saw moments of vulnerability, moments where the mask slipped, revealing a fractured soul. Y/N couldn't ignore the pull she felt toward Tom, a pull that went beyond fascination. Beneath his charming facade, she noticed loneliness that mirrored her own.

One evening, as snowflakes danced outside the castle windows, Y/N found Tom alone in the library. The fire cast a glow on his face, making him appear more handsome than ever. Y/N hesitated but she knew she had to ask the next question. "Tom," she began softly, "there's something I've been meaning to ask you." He looked up, his piercing gaze meeting hers. "Ask away, Y/N."

"Why are you so afraid of letting people in?" she inquired, her voice gentle but filled with genuine curiosity. Tom's eyes moved towards her, she could see suffering behind them. He took a deep breath before replying to her."People often betray and are fake in order to get what they want from you. After they get it, they leave and never come back.” Y/N took a step closer, closing the distance between them. "But it's also lonely, isn't it? To carry the weight of responsibilities on your shoulders without anyone to share it with."

Tom's mask wavered, revealing the boy beneath the facade. "Loneliness is a small price to pay for greatness," he stated, but a small amount of doubt could be seen in his eyes. "Maybe attaining greatness isn’t meant to be done alone." Y/N suggested. "Maybe it's in the connections we make, the people we let in"

In the days that followed, Y/N continued to challenge Tom's perspective. She introduced him to the joy of laughter, the warmth of genuine friendships, and the beauty of simple moments. As the walls around his heart slowly crumbled, Y/N became a beacon of light in his world, a reminder that there was more to life than power and darkness.

One evening, beneath the sky covered in stars, Y/N and Tom found themselves strolling through the Hogwarts grounds. Tom, usually composed, seemed uncertain, as if something was bothering him. "You don't have to be alone, Tom," Y/N whispered, her words carrying the weight of sincerity. "There's goodness in you, which you only have to choose." For the first time, Tom Riddle looked genuinely conflicted. The darkness within him warred with the flickers of light that Y/N had ignited. He was standing on the crossroads where the choices made would shape the future.

In the quiet of the night, Y/N extended her hand, a silent invitation to choose a different path. Tom hesitated, his gaze locking onto hers. And in that moment, the boy who had been consumed by shadows took a small step toward the light, changing the course of history forever. The journey towards redemption would be a long one, but with Y/N by his side, Tom Riddle was confident in succeeding. He realized that greatness could be found not in the pursuit of power but in the capacity to love and be loved.

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A/N: let me introduce you to my first ever Tom Riddle imagine. The obsession I have with this man is unhealthy. Anyway let me know if you enjoyed it. Thank you for all the support ♡

[bravelittleocelot]

Honestly I wanna ramble some more cuz I'm so excited for vengeance and I heard love in paradise and gods games again, and I just,,,,,, I don't think I've actually rambled about my interpretation of love in paradise much outside of calling out the racism im noticing,,, so I'm going to do that now and then I'll stop posting for a bit cuz I need to lmao

this got long so I'm putting it under a cut, last chance to not read this. if you just want to argue with me about it just scroll by or block me. I'm not here to change anyones mind or argue I just want to talk about how I interpret the songs. Please don't bring up how you think she raped him on this post.

I think that both Calypso and Ody went through those seven years literally like, that bus meme LMAO. But I still think they developed in really interesting ways too (for better and worse). like,,, when we first meet Her we meet this goddess who has no idea how to exist with another person, she dismisses everything Ody says, she seems to view him closer to a pet than anything else (one way to interpret why she does this is because up until now she's had animals and inanimate objects to keep her company? If what I'm gathering from not sorry for loving you is right she was just fuckin left there) but by the end of the song she's pleading for him to listen to her. She's calling him Ody - he doesn't tell her his name in the start of the song (and as much as I like the theory that he repeats the things his friends have said to him in his sleep, I prefer the idea he did introduce himself at some point) and I think it really does feel like she's listening to what he's saying but she has no idea how to handle it. Like, even if we do use the "she still sees him as a pet" interpretation, your pet becomes suicidal, wtf are you gonna do? If my cat went to a cliff and started screaming about me not knowing what he's done and gone through I wouldn't know what the fuck to say either. I don't think she's trying to seduce him off the cliff (and I think it's super weird people make it out that's what happens!) I think she's literally on her knees begging the only person she's ever known to come back to her so that she can help him,,,, she doesn't help him, obviously, she triggers the fuck out of him but by god she's trying!!! lmfaooo.

....actually I guess Ody is more a golden retriever but you hear me.

Anyway

She's an antagonist for a reason, she literally cannot understand why keeping him captive there is wrong. I still don't think she rapes him, but I do think it took her a long time to understand he has boundaries. and I think "and if I pushed you/ came on too strong" etc in not sorry for loving you shows us, she, still, can't understand why what she did was bad after all this time, she was just trying to love him in the way she wanted to be loved. and that is, honestly, terrifying and heartbreaking all at the same time.

as a side tangent, Because we know Jorge loves to use wordplay (look how he used double meanings during Suffering) when she sings "Under my spell, we're stuck in paradise. No one can come or go, my island stays unknown" you can for sure take that to mean "under my Curse, we're stuck here Together", and tbh I feel like that's backed up in what I've heard of Not Sorry For Loving you? She's, for sure trapped him, im not arguing that, but she's stuck there too. I don't have a point here cuz imo it doesn't actually make her anything other than more tragic and more of an antagonist cuz girl you KNOW what it's like to be stuck there, it might be paradise but you said it yourself you're!! stuck!! Jorge uses his words so carefully (at least 98% of the time), she's not just casually saying stuck imo!! Actually maybe I do have a point cuz imo that makes it even more interesting!! Like, no wonder she doesn't want to let him go!! He's the only person she's ever met and probably the only person she ever will meet!! "My island stays unknown"!! Selfishly, there's no fucking way she'd let him go without divine intervention!! Scary!!! UGH I love this, it's so tasty and complicated and!! That makes a good antagonist!!! She's great I love her 10/10 mr jorge this is a GREAT version and I will marry her.

And Ody,,,,,,,

God where do I even begin with Ody. I said before that I think the worst part of this for him was to be reminded of Polites every fucking day for seven years. Because lets be real, she might be Coping but she calls her own prison a paradise, she greeted him with open arms and greets her world with open arms (lmao and he becomes her world.... im not crying much its fine) . And like, there are a few ways to view that last bit of the song cuz she IS repeating things from the people he loved most, he could've been talking in his sleep and she's trying to use familiar phrasing or she could just be, yknow, Like This. and personally I love the idea that Ody was faced with someone who reflected all the pieces of the people he loved back to him, everyone except!! his wife!! She reflects the words of his mom, the strength of Eury, the open arms of Polites.... and my GOD would that be torture on top of being trapped. I said it before, there's three people on that island, Ody, Caly, and the intense!! guilt!! Ody feels!! And she makes it worse!! He's trapped, and he can't even escape the people he failed because she constantly reminds him of them (accidentally but still, constant).

but like he says in not sorry for loving you ( and I do not want to hear a fucking word about Stockholm syndrome this is my post and I'm putting my foot down) he loves her. cuz again, of course he loves her, how could he not love someone who reminds him of all the best parts of the people he loves. It's not romantic, it's not in the way she wants to be loved, It's probably incredibly painful, he for sure also hates her, but they spent seven years together. Seven years of existing together isn't something to sneeze at!! No matter what happened, there had to be Moments. Moments that gave him some sort of peace because otherwise he would've been on that cliff before the year was up.

And speaking of that??? What did he say to her all these years. That's what I want to know. Cuz despite me calling bullshit on sir yaps a lot NOT telling her about what happened to him, can we talk about

You don't know what I've gone through You don't know what I've sacrificed Every comrade I long knew Every friend, I saw them die And all I hear are screams

cuz what if!! she doesn't know!!! what if this whole time he tried to just talk about them like they were still alive or focus in on getting home to his wife and as he lost hope he stopped speaking so much, kept seeing her act like the people he loved, kept watching her try and love him in all the wrong ways, and kept the demons and guilt at bay until he just broke???

Also? again, the pet thing, if we want to go there.... if your golden retriever burst out with "ALL MY FRIENDS DIED" what the fuck would YOU do.... sorry im coping with humour, ANYWAY.

idk like, I just feel like there's so much to unpack here and I hope we DO get a little backstory on their lives together, I want to see people explore this in more ways than what I've seen. Cuz I think he connected to her, I think he understands that she's trapped there too, I don't think this makes it better but I think it enriches the story and it gives them such a cool dynamic.

Anyway this is long enough, it's late and I'm having many thoughts. Again if you don't agree with me that's ok just scroll on, I'm just yelling at the void

[lunerians]

would YOU like to hear some fun kieran and florian facts from my apple of my eye series? here you go.

regarding sweet foods and sweets, kieran has a preference for fruit-flavored stuff, but not the artificial ones! I feel like he'd also like tanghulu as well as other candied fruits.

kieran used to drink energy drinks almost daily pre-indigo disk, but he doesn't drink them as much anymore.

florian's choice of caffiene is tea! mainly because it's a common staple from galar. they like to put sugar and creamer in their teas, and have a preference for black teas. early grey is probably his favorite tea, though he loves trying out all sorts of teas.

since moving to paldea, though, florian's more open to drinking coffee; kieran, on the other hand, despises coffee because it tastes bitter.

florian also usually carries a big thermos of hot tea since it can get really cold in the early mornings and at night.

even though they both run a little hot, they actually love wearing each other's outerwear (jackets, sweatshirts, sweaters, etc.) are they both dying in the heat? yes. are they going to take off their jacket? no. after all, it's their favorite person's clothes :)

florian probably smells really clean, like laundry detergent or the outdoors, whereas kieran always smells like candied apples. his hydrapple loves getting pets and playing around with him, so its supersweet syrup ability kinda just. rubbed off on him. permanently.

so florian's obviously from galar, right? but did you know that he's actually cousins with elio (protag from pkmn sun in alola)? both of his alolan regional forms (ninetails and raichu) were caught there when their family went to visit a few years back

also their raichu is shiny. because I have a shiny raichu named hersey.

florian is also very well known as like. That Guy that shows up whenever and usually in the weirdest places. they spend most of their time in the wild shiny hunting for pokemon (and he has a tendency to just. not check his phone at all for hours) so ppl just cannot get a hold of him unless he’s like. in the same physical space as them.

kieran's the sole exception (plus his mother) of ppl florian actually responds to on time. they’re also probably the only ppl in his favorite contacts, just so that he still gets their notifs when he’s on dnd (which is. all the time. shiny hunting requires a lot of focus!!)

on the topic of phones. kieran gets one. its a plot reason but he gets one eventually. he really wanted to wait until he saw florian again so he could have them as the first person in his contacts but carmine wouldnt let him (he has to contact his family somehow! kieran was kinda miffed about it)

kieran’s sooo a default texter. like normal caps and autocorrect. he still spells a few things wrong but he fixed it in another msg if he can. he also doesn't msg as often since he’s not used to having a phone and generally uses it to keep in touch with his friends and family.

if kieran has any social media its def to just research the trends in the competitive scene (and most of his posts are reddit style where he does intense theorycrafting with other competitve nerds)

florian's also like. ghost level texter. they will leave you on read (not actually, they turned that off so penny would stop getting mad at him for not replying for days.) he’s definitely very casual regarding tone and doesn’t talk much via text. he is, however, a big fan of calls! especially calling kieran (to no one’s surprise)

kieran's also the only one that florian actually texts to in a somewhat expressive manner. when kieran shows his texts with florian to the others theyre all like. are we talking about the same person. are you sure that’s florian and not an imposter.

[catlove-2000]

HELP WANTED!

Hey there everyone, I have a annocement for potential writers out there but before I begin, let me bring some context to all of this so you can understand all of this better.

When a film becomes very popular and gets sequels, they usually get spinoff material to other mediums to make more money like TV shows, comic books, or video games and Shrek is no exception especially when it comes to its most popular character: Puss in Boots which is where The Adventures of Puss in Boots comes in.

Running from 2015 to 2018, The Adventures of Puss in Boots is an American computer animated series by DreamWorks Animation that was developed and executive produced by Dave the Barbarian creator, Doug Langdale, that is kind of a prequel to Puss' 1st spinoff film from 2011.

The show sees Puss in Boots fight off an endless legion of invaders to protect the previously hidden village of San Lorenzo, after his actions unintentionally broke the spell that protected its legendary mystic treasure from the outside world. Subsequently, he must find a way to restore the protection spell that will cloak the town once more.

Since this takes place before either the 1st Puss in Boots film or even the Shrek films, that means well known characters from the franchise don't appear in the series to some fans' disappointment but that doesn't mean it wouldn't have characters that people won't love to the point of having a favorite which is where Dulcinea comes in.

Voiced by Glee's Jayma Mays, Dulcinea is A sweet and innocent female white cat whom Puss falls for and follows to the town of San Lorenzo, starting off the plot. Now, characters who are positive can be a mixed bag since the writers always mixes positivity with stupidity.

However, Thanks to Jayma's performance and her character development, she is able to be a likeable female character that uses her smart and kindheart to solve things then beating the crap out of people like how many modern female characters are today.

Another thing that makes her work is the romantic chemistry she has with Puss which is very sweet and kind of heartwarming to the point, similar to Puss and Kitty, you are rooting for them to get together in the end.

This is also thanks to Puss' voice actor for the series, Eric Bauza, who before this show or Looney Tunes Cartoons was only know for voicing characters like Stimpy in Ren and Stimpy Adult Party Cartoon and Lord Stingray in Superjail but this series proved how not only can he pull off a voice that unrecognizable from his own, similar to Mel Blanc, but can have great chemistry with anyone he works with either a well known voice actor like Paul Rugg and Jim Cummings or a well-known big name like Danny Trejo and Jayma Mays.

However, unlike All King Julien which was nominated for a ton of awards and won some, TAOPIB was only able to won one award for Outstanding Casting for an Animated Series or Special and add that to being on a spinoff show to a film on a streaming service, the show wasn't as well known or talked about thanks to the sour reputation of those kinds of shows.

This also goes to Dulcinea that since most film franchises don't acknowledge other film related media, People prefer Puss to be with Kitty Softpaws who appeared both in the 2011 film and it's 2022 sequel Voiced by Desperado's Selma Hayek.

Which to some people makes more sense. I mean not to slam Dulcinea but Kitty seems like the better match to Puss due to being more similar to him in terms of personality, appearing in the films first then the the TV show first, and her actress didn't appear in garbage like Epic Movie or the live action Smurfs films.

However, in my opinion, I prefer Puss with Dulcinea more. Now, I am not saying that Puss x Kitty sucks. I think they are also a great couple and the chemistry between Antonio Banderas and Selma Hayek is great but in terms to the Shrek franchise and it theme about opposites attracting like with Shrek and Fiona.

But since Puss and Kitty seem like the endgame if the ending of The Last Wish would suggest, It seems that Dulcinea was always going to be forgotten to the sands of Deamworks Animation history... or is she?

That's where my fanfic comes in.

The Adventures of Puss and Dulcinea was my answer to this dilemma. Inspired by the The DragonSaver's GOTG fanfic, Half Worlders of the Galaxy, this fanfic puts Dulcinea into the events of the films either helping out or having cute romantic moments with Puss.

However, there is a problem with this. With Half Worlders of The Galaxy, that fic was written when the MCU was still loved and everyone wasn't acting like a wantabe Garth Enis taking pot shots at it every 24/7.

Shrek on the other hand....Well, Let's just say that the films between Shrek 2 and Puss in Boots weren't well received or worth remembering. Sure, Shrek Forever After had its moments but ending the film series with a plot inspired by Its A Wonderful Life isn't the most original idea.

That is where you come in.

I am looking for a co-writer or co-writers to help me develop my own version of Shrek the Third where I am going to write it as the last film in the Trilogy similar to others film trilogies like How to Train Your Dragon or Guardians of the Galaxy only everyone doesn't break up in the final film.

I decided to combine elements from Shrek the Third, Shrek Forever After, and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish into one plot with the 1st Puss in Boots film being a subplot in the past similar to films like The Godfather: Part 2.

Of course, I need some help with trying to make all of this work without it becoming a jumbled up mess so I am looking for someone that a fan of not just the films but also the Netflix Series as well as hating using tired or problematic cliches, women in the refrigerator, that might ruin the fanfic as a whole.

I have doc that has the Synopsis for my version of Shrek 3 and some character ideas for the the story I attached on to this post. I hope they are good ideas to all of you but I am open to some suggestions to improve it if you want to help.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lNXLXpwzSmK6G3fdqPm_JBVat35GT-DhjnjZ1Wr592U/edit?usp=drivesdk

To contact me, DM me on either my Tumblr account, my Twitter account, or my Instagram account if you are interested in being apart of this.

You can also comment on this post as way to apply if that's more easier to all of you.

[rayatii]

Raya Recounts: a brand-new series of overly-detailed opera summaries with unsolicited commentary!

Episode 6: Pagliacci

Pagliacci (“Clowns”) is an opera in a prologue and 2 acts, by Ruggiero/Ruggero Leoncavallo (it’s never clear which is the preferred spelling of his first name, so I just decided to kill two birds with one stone). Leoncavallo remains known today as one of the top composers of the verismo style (derived from the Italian word “vero”, meaning “real”), which also include Giacomo Puccini and Pietro Mascagni. Verismo is an Italian movement from the late 19th to early 20th century that centered around writing operas that, rather than focusing on the historical and fantastical stuff that had been largely prevalent since the genesis of opera itself, tell stories about relatable characters, everyday situations, blurrier lines between “good” and “bad”, and most importantly, REAL emotions. And the opera we are looking at today is especially adamant about all this.

Pagliacci is definitely Leoncavallo’s most famous work, particularly for the aria “Vesti la giubba”, which you are very likely to hear in any piece of mainstream media as sung by a tenor in a clown costume. But more on that later, I promise. The opera itself was an absolute success when it first came out, and still remains widely performed today. Anyway, he also wrote the song “Mattinata” for the incredibly famous tenor Enrico Caruso, as well as a version of La bohème that is much, MUCH less famous than Puccini’s, but still has some banger tunes. Both are still less well-known than what we are looking at today.

Leoncavallo was inspired to write this opera after witnessing the success of Mascagni’s famous verismo work Cavalleria rusticana (hey, let me know if I should give it the Raya Recounts treatment someday??); because these two works share many similar themes (and are also quite short in general; around 75 minutes or so??), starting with the New York Met Opera in 1893, it has become something of a tradition to stage them both in the same evening. This double bill is colloquially referred to as “Cav/Pag”, and there have been lots of disputes in the opera circles on social media about which work is superior (I absolutely refuse to answer this unnecessary dilemma!! They’re both great in their own very different ways. I could probably write a whole essay about that, but this is not what we are talking about today).

The libretto was written by Leoncavallo himself for this very opera, and he claimed that it was based on an actual murder case that his father, who was a judge, presided over when he (today’s composer/librettist) was still a child; it apparently involved one Gaetano d’Alessandro who, with the help of his brother Luigi, murdered one Gaetano Scavello, a servant in the Leoncavallo household, because they were both in love with the same girl. (Read here Leoncavallo’s own account of how the opera came to be.) However, there doesn’t seem to be any other evidence of this being true. Actually, when Pagliacci became a thing, the French author Catulle Mendès sued Leoncavallo for plagiarism because he thought that the plot was similar to his own play La femme de Tabarin, BUT he had to drop the charges because someone else sued HIM for plagiarism for this very play.

This title was suggested to me by an anon ask back in early January. Whoever you are, I hope you didn’t find this too long of a wait! Because this work is shorter than those treated in the previous installments, this post will most likely be much shorter than the previous ones, not counting the obligatory unsolicited commentary.

As usual, the solo characters’ names will be bolded when introduced (and in this case, both bolded and italicized for the characters of the show-within-the-show), and I will give potentially bad Italian translations for the important numbers (damn, so much Italian in this series!).

I apologize in advance if the “keep reading” option doesn’t work; it has been failing me for this specific post, and literally pushed me on the brink of breaking down crying. I hate this hellsite.

Spoilers, of course!

The Prologue starts off with a orchestral prelude (technically in C major, but it’s pretty tonally adventurous, at least in my opinion) that features at least one musical motif that we will definitely hear later on, and at some point during it, Tonio, a baritone with really bad kyphosis (we’re in 2023, and we should normalize the fact that the term “hunchback” is considered derogatory. Thank you, @madmozarteanfelinefantasy, for making me realize that long ago) dressed in his Commedia dell’arte costume, comes in from behind the still-closed curtain and directly addresses the audience, introducing himself as the Prologue (Prologue: Si può? Si può?; “Could you? Could you?” or something like that. It’s not every day that you see an opera character breaking the 4th wall!).

He claims that the author himself is using the ways of old-fashioned performing arts in his work, which is why he sent him (the Prologue) to speak to the audience. But NOT to give out that typical speech about how they should not be alarmed because the tears and agonies that will be shown onstage are not real and blah blah blah blah blah (man, this gives me severe flashbacks to reading A Midsummer Night’s Dream back in Grade 10 English class), but rather to tell them quite passionately that the author chose to depict a real story that he was reminded of one day, that he penned it with genuine tears and sobs (are you sure it was not ambition to match/surpass Mascagni at this verismo thing?? 😏), and that all the love, hate, screams of rage and cynical laughter that will be shown onstage will be depicted as in real life, and that the performers are real people of flesh and blood who breathe the same air as the audience (man, for a debut in verismo, Leoncavallo really be fucking hammering the meaning of verismo into our brains). That being said, he calls for the show to continue, and disappears behind the curtain.

The orchestra briefly reprises the main theme of the prelude before the curtain actually opens on Act 1. We are at a village located in the Italian province of Calabria, somewhere near the town of Montalto (Leoncavallo’s childhood homeplace), on the Feast of the Assumption (well, it literally says “on the day of the feast of mid-August”, but I guess that’s what it means), sometime between 1865 and1870 (yes, all these details are indicated in the libretto and the score). We hear an out-of-tune trumpet and a bass drum in the distance, and the peasants from the village, all men, women and children, rush to see where that sound is coming from (we also hear the offstage voices of two principals, but I’m too lazy to elaborate because it’s not very important). They joyfully announce the return of “Pagliaccio” (the Italian word for “clown”, but also a relatively close equivalent of the Commedia dell’arte stock character Pierrot) and his troupe of traveling performers (Chorus: Son qua! Son qua!; “They’re here! They’re here!” It slaps so fucking hard).

Indeed, a group of people enters the stage in a cart drawn by a donkey (obviously replaced with a truck or something in most modern-ish productions) (in the libretto, the men are dressed in their respective character costumes, which they will change out of later in that scene, but nearly every production I have watched has them dressed in everyday outfits throughout the whole scene, probably for practical reasons).

You’ve got Canio, the leader of the troupe, who is the one beating the drum; Nedda, his wife, who is literally just sitting there; Beppe (actually, there is a lot of debate as to whether his name is actually Beppe or Peppe, because Peppe is what is written in the older scores and libretti, but Beppe is the spelling we usually see nowadays, so that’s the one I will be going with) who is the one leading the donkey, and Tonio, the most-likely Tired Of Life™ Ugly Designated Fool we have met earlier. Everyone cheers for Pagliaccio (Canio, that is), the prince of clowns who supposedly drives troubles away with his cheerfulness (I mean, this is rural Italy in the 19th century, obviously he is going to get a massive fan-club).

After thanking the crowd (and loudly beating his drum to stop them from interrupting him), Canio, a tenor with a significant amount of vocal maturity required (and THIS time, it does actually make more sense for this age to reflect that!!!!), announces that he and his troupe are putting up a show this evening at the twenty-third hour*, where they will see antics involving, among other things, the good Pagliaccio setting a trap and getting revenge. It’s at the twenty-third hour, do not forget!

(*Note: the actual term here is “ventitre ore”, which does translate to “the twenty-third hour”, but according to what I read, this is NOT supposed to mean “11 PM”, but is actually a timekeeping method from rural Italy way back in the days, that calculated the time based on the parts of day during which the Angelus (or “avemaria” in Italian) was recited, meaning that in this case, the show will be presented between vespers and the evening Angelus/avemaria, i.e., sometime before/at sunset. That makes much more sense than 11 PM tbh.)

Anyway, the villagers confirm that they will indeed be there at the twenty-third hour, and a bit of confirmation-repetition ensues between them and Canio. After that, Tonio goes to help Nedda off the cart, but Canio beats him to it and slaps him, telling him to fuck off (not literally, but you get what I mean). Everyone laughs at him, and Tonio internally swears revenge. A villager (who is either a baritone or a bass because his music is written in bass clef, but there is literally zero info besides that, and I have the vocal cords of a little girl so I can’t give a more precise decision) asks Canio if he wants to join them for drinks, which he accepts, and Beppe (who happens to be a tenor with much less required vocal maturity than Canio) asks to join in as well.

When Canio asks Tonio if he wants to come as well, Tonio tells them to go ahead, saying that he wants to clean the donkey. Another villager (a tenor, given his music in treble clef) jokes that Tonio wants to stay alone in order to make a pass at Nedda, but Canio does not take it very well. He warns the villagers not to play such games with him, and explains that while onstage as Pagliaccio, if he finds his wife with another man, he would simply give her a silly lecture and then calm down and probably get the crap beaten out of him or something (I’m not sure if that’s exactly what he means) and the audience laughs and cheers and all’s well that ends well, in typical Commedia dell’arte fashion. But if he were to actually find Nedda cheating on him in real life... well, the story would have a very different ending (Un tal gioco, credetemi; “Such a game, believe me”. I’m not sure if this really qualifies as an aria. Foreshadowing much??). Nedda, a soprano with a voice much more youthful and lyrical than her husband (which is kinda telling), very briefly internally expresses uneasiness of some sort. The male chorus of villagers asks him if he is really serious about this. Canio replies: “excuse me, I love my wife!” (it’s not clear to me whether he is actually answering yes or no to the question, and the different translations I have seen seem to conflict with each other.) As he says that, he kisses her on the forehead.

At this moment, we hear what is supposed to be the sound of bagpipes (tho in the score, it’s apparently meant to be represented by oboes??). According to the chorus, it’s pipers who are accompanying a gaggle of happy couples on their way to church. Sure enough, church bells start ringing vespers. After Canio reminds them yet again that the show is at the twenty-third hour, the chorus happily leaves to go to church, all while imitating the “din don” sound of the bells (Chorus: I zampognari!; “The pipers!”. In the libretto, the aforementioned pipers and couples appear onstage at one point, but I don’t think that’s necessary), while Canio and Beppe go offstage with some of the men from the village.

Nedda, left all alone onstage, expresses worry over the apparent violence in Canio’s manner, fearing that he might uncover her secret thoughts. But she brushes that off as silly, fearful dreams, and decides to focus instead on the beautiful mid-August sunshine, which fills her with life and a desire she can’t identify. She looks up at the sky, and sees a bunch of birds flying above (represented in the orchestra by high woodwinds and violins playing tremolo (meaning “trembling” in Italian; in this specific case, it’s quickly alternating two notes that are not too close to each other); she mentions their screeching). She asks herself what they are seeking, where they are going, all that. She mentions that her mother, who was a fortune-teller, understood their birdsong, and used to sing it to her when she was a child; she imitates it by trilling (i.e., alternating two notes close to each other very quickly. I myself have yet to learn this technique in singing, tho my teacher did say long ago that I would someday).

Nedda goes on to talk all about how birds fly in the sky, free like arrows, defying clouds and the sun, following a dream. Nothing can stop them, not even the wind, storms, rain, or lighting, as they fly above chasms and seas (insert that one John Cena “Are you sure about that?” meme that probably no one else rememebers bc it dates back from when Vine was still alive). Perhaps they are vainly seeking a strange land they have been dreaming of, but they are driven by a mysterious power that pushes them to fly on and on (Recitative and ballatella (probably meaning “ballad” or something like that): Stridono lassù; “They screech up there”).

At some point during Nedda’s aria, Tonio has come onstage. When Nedda finishes, she notices him. He explains that he was enraptured by her singing. She dismisses him in an amused manner and tells him to join the others at the tavern. He tells her that while he may be a deformed guy who arouses nothing but mockery and disgust, he harbors sincere dreams of love, and experiences genuine anguish whenever she passes by him disdainfully, she literally has him under her spell!

Nedda obviously does not take him seriously, and tells him that he will have time to give her this declaration of love again when they perform onstage this evening, but that he should spare himself the trouble right now. As he angrily insists that he truly wants her right now and that he will make her his, she continues to mock him and then threatens to call Canio (damn, on one hand, Tonio is definitely a massive dick who doesn’t take no for an answer, but on the other, Nedda is most likely mocking him for his physical difference, at least in great part, which is definitely quite assholish; but that also applies to everyone else in this opera). At which point Tonio attempts to force himself onto her, but she grabs Beppe’s whip (the one used for the donkey) and whacks him across his face with it. As he leaves offstage, Tonio swears on the Virgin of the Assumption that she will pay for this. Nedda calls him a snake, saying that his soul is as deformed as his body (yes, actual line in the libretto. Tonio’s characterization did NOT age well at all).

Immediately after that, someone else joins Nedda onstage. It’s Silvio, another baritone who is definitely much hunkier than the previously-seen one, and a young local from the village who happens to be Nedda’s lover. So she is indeed cheating on Canio as was feared!! Man, it’s not every day that you see the soprano cheat on a tenor with a baritone; usually it’s the other way round. Anyway, Nedda chides Silvio’s rashness in showing up at this hour of day, but he assures her that they risk nothing because Canio and Beppe are still drinking at the tavern, but even so, he was careful to sneak through a scrub he was familiar with to join her. Nedda tells him that he narrowly avoided bumping into Tonio, who just told her he loves her and attempted to force himself onto her, but that she managed to push him away with the whip.

Silvio takes pity on what happened to Nedda, and then begs her to stay with him, because once she leaves the village with the troupe at the end of the holiday, what will become of him, of his life? He tells her that if it’s true that she never loved Canio, that she hates her job and all that touring around, and if her love for him (Silvio) is not some made-up bullshit, she should run away with him tonight (Duet: Nedda! Silvio!... Decidi il mio destin; “Nedda! Silvio!... Decide my destiny”. It’s over 10 minutes long, I swear). Nedda desperately begs him not to tempt her with such a crazy idea, and says it’s best for them to part, but assures him that she cannot tear him from her heart, and that she will only live off her love for him. After they both repeat some of their respective lines at the same time in a musical fashion, Silvio accuses Nedda of not loving him anymore.

At this point, Tonio, who has appeared somewhere onstage, unseen by the lovebirds, makes his presence known to the audience by internally going “ha!! I’ve caught you, slut!” (yup, because “sgualdrina” = “slut”), before quickly leaving. Meanwhile, Nedda desperately tells Silvio that she does love him. Silvio asks her why did she bewitch him, why did she kiss him with such ardent passion if she is just going to leave him the next day? (Okay so in the libretto, the stage direction says “lovingly, trying to charm her”, but the words alone sound pretty whiny.) Nedda replies that she has forgotten nothing, that she wants to live a life of calm, peaceful love with him, and that she is completely giving herself over to him. They both decide to forget everything (presumably agreeing to run away together, I guess), and they intensely re-profess their love for each other, with Nedda asking Silvio to kiss her.

They obviously start making out after finishing the duet (well, it doesn’t actually say so in the stage directions, but it wouldn’t make much sense for them not to make out after all those repeated “kiss me!” lyrics). As they do, Tonio and Canio sneak onstage. Tonio advises Canio to walk up to them slowly to surprise them. Meanwhile, Silvio starts to take leave of Nedda, telling her to meet him here in the middle of the night. Nedda assures him that she will, and adds: “Until tonight, and I will be yours forever”. It’s when these exact words are uttered that Canio cries out, alerting Nedda of his presence, who desperately urges Silvio to flee, which he does. Nedda tries to stop Canio from chasing Silvio, but he pushes her aside and runs offstage in his pursuit. As he does, Tonio laughs cynically, and Nedda sarcastically congratulates him in a disdainful way. Tonio says just as cynically that he has done what he could, but that he hasn’t lost hope of doing better. Nedda expresses her disgust, and he responds that she doesn’t know how happy he is.

Canio returns onstage, very pissed; Silvio has managed to outrun him. He furiously asks Nedda the name of her paramour, which she absolutely refuses to give him. Canio goes as far as to threaten her with a dagger (dude, what the fuck?!!!), but Beppe comes onstage on time to stop him from doing anything, telling him that the people are leaving the church and coming to the show. Canio struggles against him, still demanding the name of Nedda’s lover. Beppe asks Tonio to restrain him, and urges everyone to get dressed for the show (dude sure has his priorities straight, even within the risk of homicide). He reassures Nedda that Canio is violent but a good person (once again, “are you sure about that?”). Most likely after Beppe and Nedda leave, Canio is still in the midst of a violent hissyfit, and Tonio tells him to keep it together for the time being, since it’s very likely that the guilty lover will attend the show and give himself away. Beppe briefly reenters to remind the two to start getting ready, and he and Tonio go offstage.

Left alone onstage, Canio absolutely despairs at the idea of having to perform while he is in such a state that he is barely able to check himself (THAT’S IT, THAT’S THE ARIA (or Arioso (i.e., a sort of bastard child between recitative and aria) in this case) THAT IS SO INCREDIBLY FAMOUS IT’S A STAPLE OF OPERA REPERTOIRE AND HAS BASICALLY BECOME A MEME IN AND OF ITSELF!!!!! Recitar!... Vesti la giubba; “Perform!... Put on the costume”. Well, “giubba” literally means “jacket”, but I’m going with the common translation for this specific context). But as he dresses up in his iconic white costume and applies the iconic white makeup onto his face, he also tells himself he must make an effort to become Pagliaccio for the time being, because the audience is paying to have a laugh, and so he must turn his tears into laughter, and laugh at his own grief (as indicated in the iconic line “Ridi, Pagliaccio” (“Laugh, clown/Pagliaccio”)) so that the audience will applaud. Man, it’s such an intensely emotional aria that it’s kinda difficult not to feel some sympathy for Canio in that moment (well, depending on who is singing), even though he has been jealous and murder-y for the most part so far. That’s verismo for you. Also, it’s not written in the libretto but most tenors finish singing this aria by sobbing loudly.

(I would like to (not so) briefly interrupt our scheduled program to talk a bit more about this aria, because it’s so fucking iconic that it has been referenced in countless movies, TV shows and commercials. For example, check out this hilarious Rice Krispies commercial (featuring a singing mother-in-law who looks at hell lot like Montserrat Caballé...). Or this absolutely wholesome Coca-Cola commercial that probably would have given this opera a happier ending. Also, for those who don’t remember, on Halloween 2021, my costume was actually Canio/Pagliaccio. Here are a couple pictures, as well as a vid I posted on TikTok. And yes, I am entirely of the opinion that “Vesti la giubba” and “The Show Must Go On” are basically the same song. And speaking of Queen and Freddie Mercury, the opening of the song “It’s A Hard Life” is directly lifted from the melody of “Ridi, Pagliaccio”. Here is a video that directly compares the two.)

Anyway, the act ends on a very sad Canio who has just single-handedly codified the Sad Clown™ trope while faced with the task of acting out something onstage that reflects his own real life. And that’s fucking painful!!!!!!

After an Intermezzo in E minor (switching to E major around midway through) that is definitely less famous than Mascagni’s (but still quite nice, and also includes at least one musical motif we have heard; the first theme also kinda reminds me of the beginning of Ravel’s Tz*gane), Act 2 opens on the exact same location as Act 1, but obviously at a later time of day. We hear the same out-of-tune trumpet and bass drum that opened Act 1. There is a little stage occupying the area (if it hasn’t already been shown in Act 1, as indicated by the libretto), and Tonio, dressed in his costume, is ushering the excited villagers to their seats. According to the chorus basses, there are kids running around (at least I think), which. Yeah, I have definitely seen that. The crowd is getting excited/impatient for the show to start, and there seems to be some squabbling over seats somewhere at one point, it’s just basic pre-show audience chaos. At least until Beppe, who is also dressed in his Commedia dell’arte costume, calls for everyone to get seated with no shouting.

Meanwhile, Silvio, who has blended into the crowd, meets Nedda, who is ALSO dressed in her Commedia dell’arte costume, as well as collecting the audience’s money. She tells him to be cautious, as Canio hasn’t seen him. Silvio reminds her (as he pays for his seat, obviously) that he will be waiting for her (so that they can elope, remember). After their exchange, the chorus repeats their pre-show audience chaos lines, with Beppe calling once for everyone to pay before getting seated, before he retreats backstage with Nedda. The audience continues to call for the show to start, until a bell rings loudly, indicating the beginning of the show, and the curtain of the stage-on-the-stage rises.

The Commedia (Play) (even indicated so in the score) has started. As the (real) orchestra plays lighthearted incidental music that heavily contrasts with the rest of the opera (believe me, it’s important), we see a little room with a table and two chairs. Colombina (played by Nedda) informs the audience that her husband, Pagliaccio, will be home late at night, and wonders where the fuck is that idiot Taddeo? Suddenly, we hear a solo violin plucking some open strings. As the orchestral strings play a soft accompaniment, we see/hear (because in the libretto he’s offstage, but in most productions he’s not, and he is strumming a lute/mandolin/something) Arlecchino (played by Beppe) serenading Colombina, singing typical serenade stuff about desperately pining for her and wanting to kiss her little mouth and asking her to open her window (Serenata (Italian word for “serenade”, obviously): O Colombina. No translation needed).

(Another pointless fun fact! Back when I was in Grade 10, way before I got into opera, my Drama class did a unit on Commedia dell’arte, and we were all asked to pick one stock character to portray and study throughout the whole unit (we were seven students). I picked Colombina, and it was so much fun.)

At this point, Taddeo (played by Tonio; basically a stock foolish servant character) comes in while carrying a basket, unseen by Colombina. He takes the opportunity to ogle her, and his comically exaggerated reaction at her beauty (at least as indicated in the score) makes the audience (of the play-within-the-play) laugh. He contemplates confessing his love for her now that her husband is away. Colombina then turns towards him, and he confirms to her that Pagliaccio is indeed away, and that he has bought the chicken that he was asked to buy (the one inside the basket he is carrying), which he presents to her by dropping on his knees. He tries to confess his love for her, but she interrupts him twice. The third time, during which he calls her pure and chaste as snow and says that he cannot forget her no matter how harsh she is with him, Arlecchino enters through the window while carrying a bottle, and then grabs him (Taddeo) by the ear and kicks his ass, earning laughter from the onstage audience. When Taddeo realizes that Arlecchino and Colombina are in love with each other, he gives them his blessing and decides to keep watch for them (man, that is literally the one thing that the “real life” situation and the show-within-a-show don’t have in common). He exits the room as the onstage audience laughs and applauds.

Arlecchino and Colombina embrace (comically, according to the score. Also, in quite a few productions, all the movements are done in a dance-like sort of way), and then they sit down to eat a dinner fixed by Colombina, complete with the bottle of wine that Arlecchino brought. After they have gobbled down some yummy food and chugged down some yummy wine, Arlecchino gives Colombina a vial of sleeping drug to slip to Pagliaccio when he comes back so that they (Arlecchino and Colombina) can run away together. But then, Taddeo bursts in (still comically), warning the two that Pagliaccio is here, and that he is very upset and knows everything. He goes off to hide away (probably inside a closet or something, like in some productions; in the 2015 Met production, he hides inside a freezer, and it’s hilarious).

As Arlecchino escapes through the window, he reminds Colombina to pour the sleeping drug into Pagliaccio’s cup. Just as Pagliaccio (played by Canio) comes onto the stage-on-the-stage, she replies: “Until tonight, and I will be yours forever”. Canio internally realizes that these were the EXACT SAME WORDS that Nedda said to the guy she was cheating on him with, and he starts to become really upset, but tries to pull himself together to continue with the play. Pagliaccio tells Colombina that he knows there was a man here, and when Colombina denies it, Pagliaccio points out that the table is set for two. Colombina claims that Taddeo was seated with her and hid himself out of fear. She reveals Taddeo, who begs Pagliaccio to believe her, claiming that Colombina is pure and that those pious lips of hers abhor lying! The onstage audience (at least, the score says it’s just the chorus tenors and basses) laughs.

Well, this is enough to push Canio over the edge; completely breaking character, he rails at the onstage audience, and violently demands once again that Nedda give him the name of her lover. Nedda tries her best to keep the performance going by calling Canio “Pagliaccio” twice, but Canio replies passionately that no, he is not Pagliaccio; he has the right to be honest, and the whiteness of his face is because of shame and his bleeding heart’s desire for revenge with blood. No, he is only the guy who foolishly took her in back when she a starving orphan in the street, and gave her a name and loved her to madness (ewww, the implications) (Arietta (or at least, Wikipedia refers to it as an arietta, i.e., a short aria): No, Pagliaccio non son; “No, I am not Pagliaccio”).

Half of the chorus women comment on how this performance seems so real that it’s making them cry, and a few chorus men tell them to shut up. Meanwhile, Silvio in the audience comments internally about how he can barely hold himself back. Canio continues with his rant, going on about how he was so blinded by this delirious passion that he had hoped that if she didn’t love him, she at least felt compassion towards him, and that with every sacrifice he made on his heart, he believed in her more than God himself. But no, he sees nothing but vice in her soul, and the only law she follows is that of her senses (wow, that was difficult to translate!). He tells her that she doesn’t deserve his pain and that he wants to crush her under his feet in his disgust. The onstage audience can’t help but applaud and shout out “Bravo!”; it’s clear that they still think it’s all just a performance (ugh, show, don’t tell, Raya!!).

Nedda (as herself) challenges him to drive her out of here this instant if he judges her unworthy of him. Canio derisively tells her that she is clever, that she would definitely take the opportunity to run off with her darling lover. But no, he will make her stay and tell him the name of her paramour. Trying to get back into character, as the orchestra reprises the lighthearted theme of the Comedy, Nedda tells him that the man who was sitting with her just now is no one but the harmless Arlecchino (it’s not actually indicated anywhere, but usually productions would have him reveal himself, which definitely makes sense).

The onstage audience starts laughing, but it quickly dispels due to Canio’s furious attitude; as the people start doubting that there is any acting going on (with some commenting on how this is some serious and dark business, and others telling them to shut up) and Silvio can barely restrain himself, Canio becomes completely enraged by Nedda’s defiance, and demands that she tell him her lover’s name, actually threatening her life. She swears in the name of her mother that she will never tell him; she may be unworthy, whatever he thinks, but she swears to God that she is NOT a coward (sorry). Beppe tells Tonio that they must leave, he’s scared (sorry again, this was the first thing I thought of), but Tonio tells him to shut up. Nedda says that her love is stronger than his disdain; she will not speak, even at the risk of death.

As the fight escalates, there is general confusion going on among the onstage audience; some villagers are restraining Silvio (to be fair, they know less than him what is going on), and Tonio is restraining Beppe the whole time. It all culminates when the basically out-of-his-mind Canio grabs a knife from the table (in some productions, Tonio even slips it in his hand!!) and stabs Nedda in front of the terrified crowd. In her dying breath, Nedda calls for Silvio, who rushes towards her, but Canio immediately figures out who he is and also stabs him to death. We hear the famous final line: “La commedia è finita!” (“The comedy is finished!”, usually shouted out rather than sung), and after a thrilling solo timpani roll buildup, the orchestra plays a bombastic reprise of the “Ridi, Pagliaccio” motif.

(Quick note on the “La commedia è finita!” line: in the libretto and the score, it is assigned to Tonio, but many performances nowadays give this line to Canio instead, sometimes while sobbing over Nedda’s dead body (like the first production I ever watched; from Ascunción in 2015). Many, many justifications have been given for the assignment of the line to either Tonio or Canio, and some productions have tried being more creative with it, from what I heard. As have some memers.)

But all this debating aside, the (REAL real-life) curtain falls on these harrowing happenings.

The end! ❤❤❤ This has been an overly-detailed opera summary with unsolicited commentary, I hope you enjoyed ;)

- Raya / rayatii

(PS: this opera’s title is often mistakenly given as I pagliacci (“The clowns”). But speaking of titles, fun fact, it was initially going to be titled Il pagliaccio (“The clown”), but the guy who initially premiered Tonio asked Leoncavallo to change it to the plural Pagliacci, in order to highlight other characters in addition Canio, particularly his own so he could steal the spotlight. I personally do find the title “Pagliacci” to be better.)

(PPS: sorry for the long post; have this bit from the Simpsons that uses “Vesti la guibba” (transposed down from E minor to B minor, however) and adds another layer of meta to the opera (couldn’t find a clip with a better quality, sorry), this tvtropes theory about Nedda’s origins (which honestly makes so much sense and adds a whole extra layer to her characterization), and a personal reflection about how real-life couples singing the parts of Canio and Nedda (such as Roberto Alagna and Aleksandra Kurzak, who have sung a handful of Pagliacci’s together these recent few years) give the opera a whole extra level of meta so that you get a husband and wife playing a husband and wife playing a husband and wife... Y’know what, there should be a movie about a husband and wife slated to sing Pagliacci together, when an affair with a stagehand or something results in disastrous consequences... AND WHAT IF THEY WERE PLAYED BY A REAL-LIFE HUSBAND AND WIFE??? - okay calm down, Raya.)

(PPPS: I have read/listened in several places about how Canio can be interpreted in various ways; sometimes, he is an absolute cinnamon roll in general, but just absolutely snaps Don José-style when it comes to Nedda’s infidelity (for example, the 2020 Vienna production with Roberto Alagna; not the interpretation I would go with, but it pleasantly surprised me); sometimes, he is portrayed as an alcoholic or something, as a way to explain his violent behavior (for example, the previously-mentioned 2015 Met production with Marcelo Álvarez; at least, it seems to be implied iirc); and sometimes, he is just portrayed as a complete sleazeball from the beginning (for example, the 2015 Salzburg production with Jonas Kaufmann, complete with sketchy tattoos. Yeah well, I didn’t actually watch that production, but I heard a bit about it). All this room for interpretation, no matter what we do or don’t agree with, is a big reason why I find opera to be such a beautiful genre. Yeah okay, this is kinda my way of making up for not referencing enough productions throughout the actual summary, but give me a break 😅)

[tenshiharmonia]

I'm currently watching a let's play of Tales of Vesperia, and I must say, I'm still a little sour that they didn't expand more on Elucifer (or Elucifur, as it is spelled in the French version*). I mean, sure, he is long dead when the party finally hears of him, but still, he played such a pivotal role in the history of their world, both past and present. And I'm not even taking into consideration what happens during the ending of the game.

Truly, there are so many unresolved things about this guy. What happened to his apatheia, for example. We can see Duke mourn before a tombstone on Ehmead Hill that is supposedly Elucifer's. But as we know, Entelexeia don't leave corpses behind them when they die, so could it be his friend's apatheia that he buried on that cliff ? I mean, the scene in Yormgen shows that he much prefers to "return" them to aer, but one can only wonder if he actually could have brought himself to destroy what is essentially the soul of the person he held the dearest in the entire world. Granted, if Elucifer’s apatheia was still around, one could think that Duke would have been a little more enthusiastic when hearing about the possibility for his boyfriend to be reincarnated. But then again, considering how unnatural he thinks the process is, it could be brushed off as him not being thrilled at the idea of his dear comrade being defiled like that...

Another theory I’ve seen is that Elucifer’s apatheia was stolen and used by Alexei to power Heracles. I mean, according to a conversation in Halure, the dude was reportedly ginormous. At least as tall as the town’s giant tree (then again, said conversation also states that his body is buried under Ehmead Hill, so it has to be taken with a grain of salt). So it’d make sense for his apatheia to be quite big, and the one that powers Heracles is probably the biggest we got to see. Also, I could easily imagine the guy talking with the deep voice that thanks the party when they destroy the crystal to save the capital (which would in turn match what we know of Elucifer’s character, as he was a gentle soul who would obviously object to his power being used to cause such a cataclysm). But then again, I’m having a hard time accepting the idea that Duke would have let Alexei - or the Empire for that matter - run away with his partner’s apatheia...

Anyway, if Elucifer’s apatheia is still intact, it begs the question : what happened to him when they all were converted into spirits at the end of the game ? Sometimes, I like to think that he would have been reborn as Aska, the great spirit of Light. Although I must admit that it’s partly because I tend to subconsciously use Aska’s model from Xillia 2 (I’m sure you know which one I’m talking about :p ) as a mental placeholder for what the guy might have looked like. I mean, his daughter sported quite a lot of avian features, so I guess it’d make sense for him to look like a big bird. Besides, if I recall correctly, Duke describes his golden form - at least in the French version - along the lines of "his friend lending him his strength", indicating that it's something he learnt from Elucifer. So I don’t think it’d be too much of a stretch to assume that the Entelexeia sported a similar palette when he was alive. Which, in turn, would go pretty well with the idea of him having an affinity for Light. And I’m not even talking about how his name alludes to a certain angel also known as the "bringer of light"... I’m just brainstorming, of course, but I think that you can see where I’m coming from.

That being said, I also kind of feel like being reborn as an elemental spirit wouldn’t really be "enough" for an Entelexeia as powerful as Elucifer, if you see what I mean. So maybe he could be reincarnated as one of the franchise’s traditional higher spirits, like Maxwell or Origin. The latter is usually revered as the king of spirits, so it’d make sense for him to be born from the one who was regarded as the king of the Entelexeia. Then again, I’m just sorting ideas here, so don’t take any of this as definitive headcanons (supposing that headcanons can even be definitive...).

Speaking of kings and headcanons though, I also like to picture Elucifer as a descendant of the Spiral Draco, which Duke describes as "the ancient king of the Entelexeia". Maybe not his son, but his grandson. I mean, as I said, Elucifer was also regarded as a king among those mighty beasts, so it’d make sense if he inherited the title. Moreover, if we take into consideration the previous point regarding Duke’s golden form and how he may have learnt it from Elucifer, it’d give a new layer to the way the Fell Arms react to Duke’s power during the third phase of the final battle, as they were made using the power of the Spiral Draco. Besides, while the Entelexeia are usually born directly from aer, we know for a fact that they can also produce offspring - although the exact details of the process were obviously left to the imagination -, as demonstrated by none other than Elucifer himself.

Anyway, I don’t think I have anything to add on the matter, but still. As you can guess, the relationship between Duke and Elucifer is one aspect of the game that I find infinitely endearing and fascinating**. And I still resent the game for its unwillingness to elaborate on the topic. I mean, come on ! They didn’t even let us get a glimpse of what the big guy might have looked like ! And it’s not really an uncommon stand that, as excellent as the game is, a good chunk of its characters could have afforded to be fleshed out a little more... With that being said, thank you once again for your attention. It’s always a pleasure to share my thoughts with you guys. I’ll make sure to write a follow-up if I think about anything else, but for the time being, take care. ^_^

 * I must admit, I kind of prefer the "fur" spelling. Sure, it makes the etymology slightly less perceptible, but it also makes him sound like an extremely fluffy guy. :3

** It goes without saying that I like to picture them as having been more than friends, but obviously, it’s only a matter of personal interpretation.

[shallowrambles]

Ok so, another thing somewhat more lighthearted about the bunker dismissal. (I promised some lighter takes.)

///

Obviously, it wasn't going to take forever to heal Sam.

Meanwhile, Dean was agonizing about whether to leave Cas in Peace or not ("Nobody wants him here more than me" and then Dean can't bear to tell him the Heaven spell was permanent, lol).

But in the later dialogue between them, it also kinda looks like the temporary-ness might've been a Known Thing. If that's the case... It makes the whole thing 1000% more hilarious. They're that broken up that they, quote, "can't work together...for a little while."

Also, shoutout to Cas for figuring out that this shit was related to Ezekiel quick. And Dean is dropping such heavy hints, too, lol. He's dying to open up. You can practically hear the gears turning here in 9x09:

CASTIEL: (clears throat) I, um, I noticed you look... kind of uncomfortable whenever Sam mentions my leaving. Doesn't he know that you told me to leave?

DEAN: Here's the deal. When Sam was doing the trials to seal up Hell, it messed him up. Okay? The third one nearly killed him. If I'd let him finish, it would have. He's still messed up, bad.

CASTIEL: You said the angel, Ezekiel, helped heal him.

DEAN (looks down, avoiding the question): Look, I got to do anything I can to get him back. Now, if that means that we keep our distance from you for a little while, then... Then I don't have a choice. I don't feel good about it, but I don't have a choice. It's great to have your help, Cas. Okay, but we just can't work together.

In Dean's perfect world, Ezekiel heals Sam, gets outta dodge, and Dean explains and invites Cas back to The Bunker.

Also in this same episode, we see yet more evidence of Cas's renewed confidence and actual preference to stay away once he's re-considered the danger. We could argue out his emotions, sure, but even before getting Grace, Cas is strategically embracing his Heaven's Most Wanted status (perhaps because April the reaper and the Riet Zen both found him, after all).

He's re-enlisted and re-embraced war and his Heavenly responsibilities. This parallels some of the themes of Cas using hunting to run away from his Heaven messes in season 8's Hunter Heroici, except this time he resolved to face the fight, even as a "human." And then, later he resolved to forcefully amass more power/Grace TO survive and fight.

CASTIEL (on the phone): Dean, I don't have a lot of time, so listen. The leader of the opposition is an angel named Malachi.

DEAN: How do you know that?

CASTIEL: He had me. I, uh, I was tortured. But I got away.

DEAN: How?

CASTIEL: I... I did what I had to. I became what they've become. A barbarian.

DEAN: What are you – Cas, where are you?

CASTIEL: It's better I stay away. They're gonna want me even more now. But I'm gonna be all right. I... I got my Grace back. Well, not mine per se, but it'll do.

DEAN: Wait, you're – you're back? You got your mojo?

CASTIEL: I'm not sure. But I am an angel.

DEAN: And you're okay with that?

CASTIEL: If we're going to war, I need to be ready.

DEAN (pause) Cas.

CASTIEL: Dean. There's more.

DEAN: What?

CASTIEL: Didn't you say Sam was healed by an angel named Ezekiel?

DEAN: Uh... Yeah, why?

CASTIEL: Ezekiel is dead.

DEAN: What?

CASTIEL: He died when the angels fell.

DEAN's face has a very concentrated "oh this is bad" expression.

I just think it's neat. There's a lot of soldier stuff Cas works through that has nothing to do with Sam and Dean.

[in-auctorem-credimus-if]

The Characters of Escheria

Hello, biblio-anthropologists!

Recently I've been renaming some of the characters in Escheria (the first story world you visit) to better fit the naming system, and I realized that I haven't written introductions yet for the characters that you'll meet later in DDWCaPH! So here you go!

Below are some old concept art for Huckle and Berry, although they need a bit of a redesign after all the new developments.

If you missed the previous worldbuilding posts and need some more context, check out these other posts:

Escherian Clock/Calendar

Heartbinding

The Herstory of Escheria

Stars and Constellations in Escheria

I'll post more worldbuilding details about the naming system in the next one!

~~~~~~~~~~

HORTUS A. MIMIDAE

Hortus Aureum Mimidae, more commonly known by his alias "Uncle Huckle", is the camp founder of D' Warblings Camp, a refugee camp for dwarves and halflings caught in the ongoing civil war. He established the camp together with the other members of his 'vaudevillian' group, The Nightingales.

A devout Avian despite being a dwarf, Uncle has managed to call for a truce between the two people with his efforts. He has been trying to work out a peace treaty ever since the war drove his halfling wife Berry away, a monumental task given that one of the FIVE GOLDEN RINGS is still missing.

Uncle is a jolly, exuberant, and generous type of person who loves fireworks, hosting social gatherings, and telling stories, both true and exaggerated. While very much a party bird, Uncle can count on his fingers the number of times he has been drunk, partly from the vow he has made after marrying Berry. He usually takes pranks and jokes in good stride, but he can also be stubborn and quick to anger if you threaten him and his flock.

Besides being one of the camp's leaders and an ambassador for the halflings, Uncle works as the innkeeper of the Huckle-Berry Inn & Tavern, as well as an amateur ornithologist—which he takes great pride in. As a former member of The Nightingales, Uncle is also a professional at playing the kazoo, which he uses to call on his trusty griffin companion, Dore.

Uncle's signature weapon is a convertible three-sectional-staff made from fortified bamboo, and a repurposed hunting rifle from his griffin hunting days, customized to look like a bamboozle (a bamboo toy gun). Although an experienced fighter, his old age is catching up to him more than he'd like to admit.

CYANEA MIMIDAE-AUREUM-CORVIDAE

Cyanea, more popularly known by her stage name-turned-nickname Blueberry Rhymebelly, was a former Nightingales halfling vocalist and chorister, before she married Huckle and co-founded D' Warblings Camp.

Huckle and Blueberry initially didn't have an interest with each other, until their bandmates decided to set them up together on a blind date. After years of being courted and serenaded, Berry's parents eventually let Huckle marry her via the Ardan marriage tradition of heartbinding, with the condition that they set the marital vows.

Berry later gave birth to their daughter Cordelia, but rising tensions from the war ultimately led her to leaving the camp and her family. Since Avians are polygamous, she has since then married and started a new flock with her old friend Vireo, with permission from Huckle. Of course, Huckle will always be her first love, and she regularly keeps in touch with him and Cordelia through Huckle's messenger birds.

True to her sweet and caring nature, Berry is proficient at nature and healing magic, which she harnesses through her singing talents. While she can use her gifts for combat, she usually prefers casting illusions and "silence" spells, which renders others who rely on Avian magic powerless. It's sometimes useful for winning arguments against Huckle too.

CORDIFOLIA JAY MIMIDAE

Cordifolia, or Cordelia as she is known around the camp, is the half-dwarf, half-halfling daughter of Blueberry and Huckle. While Cordelia has her mother's warm, understanding, and caring nature, she also has her father's fierce protectiveness and unyielding determination. Although she might appear shy compared to her more outgoing parents, she loves getting to know people and learning what brought them to the camp.

Delia works as a cook and tea brewer at the HuckleBerry Inn & Tavern. While she enjoys the peace and frequent gatherings, she feels uneasy and longs to leave the camp, something her father is adamantly against. She wants to venture out into the world to help other people with her abilities, partly because of the call to adventure, and partly to stop the rising tensions that drove her mother to live away from the camp—a sentiment Wayne can relate to with his own father.

She is an apprentice at nature and healing magic, a talent she inherited from her mother. She's not gifted at singing like her mother is, so she uses her ocarina instead to harness the healing and protective properties of Avia's winds. Although she views violence as a last resort, she is still very much capable of defending herself, having learned various fighting techniques from her Papa.

She also has a rainbow cockatoo griffin companion named Odora, which she unknowingly tamed as a toddler after her father caught one from the wild. Dore grew to be protective of Delia, often taking her and her father together to fly and do tricks around the camp, sometimes recklessly as Dore has come to expect Delia's healing aid. Since then, Dore has become an invaluable asset for her father's diplomatic efforts, as the griffins' hybrid nature symbolize unity between Avia and Arda.

POLYANTHA STURNIDAE

Polyantha is a halfling Avian priestess, and was one of the original members of the music band "Polly and the Seven Dwarves". After she was appointed Broodmother due to her accomplishments and generosity as a priestess, she left the band, which eventually reformed into The Nightingales we know today.

Although Polly is adored by many citizens (giving her the nickname Aunt Pollyana), her term as Broodmother was ultimately cut short after a measly one and a half cycle (the shortest on record), when she openly declared her disinterest in marriage and bearing children—a decision which made her unfit to bear the title of Broodmother.

She moved in to D' Warblings Camp after it was established to become its head priestess, and to support the ambitions of her old friend and bandmate Huckle (who she affectionately calls "Dumpling"). While still not at all interested in marriage, she has adopted twin goblin children orphaned at the camp, named Powellichthys and Tautoga, better known as their nicknames, Po and Tato.

Despite being overthrown, Polly is on friendly terms with Purpurea Strigidae-Tytonidae-Monarchidae-Paradisaeidae, the current broodmother of Cellador. And with her age and experience, she has become one of Broodmother Rhea's most trusted advisors.

After Huckle finds a child named Wayne bearing the missing golden ring, Polly and Rhea must guard Wayne and his friends from the cult who calls themselves The Catalysts—who aim to bring about the Third Intervention—and the villains invading from a plot hole that suddenly manifested in Escheria.

PISTACIA SATIVA

The feisty dwarven innkeeper of The Galloping Griff-Inn, located in Cellador. Pistacia's inn is where most of The Nightingales would stay and perform before they grew to popularity, which would eventually become the inspiration for Uncle building The Huckle-Berry Inn on a treehouse.

Although heavily pregnant, Tasha decides to escort Huckle and Wayne's company through the treacherous Gub'bat Forest in order to make an emergency meeting with the dwarven president of Mt. Bundoc, Oleifera Fargesia.

After the premature worldquake, she returns to Cellador and decides to temporarily convert the inn to an infirmary with the help of Aunt Polly and the other Avian priestesses.

TOMENTOSUS EBENEZER POLYPORALES

Tomentosus, or Uncle Tom to his colleagues, was an old friend of Huckle during his griffin hunting days, and the husband of MetroKnome's District 13 Governor, Chlora Polyporales.

One of the few male gnomes in an otherwise female-dominated field, Tom is a gnome tinkerer specializing in Ardan magic. His innovations has revolutionized steam technology, with the development of a renewable power source through the use of solar-powered runes. Solar energy allows runic magic to be portable and rechargeable for later use, unlike Avian and Aguan magic which needs to be harnessed continuously through music or movement. This discovery led to Tom popularizing the "rock" music genre and pioneering a new popular sport among Ardans and Avians: ornithopter racing.

After the premature worldquake, Tom led an expedition on his airship The Dymaxion, to map out the new landscape and search for new habitable areas. The ship was eventually led off course to a world of chocolate and candy, after a discombobulated Santa Claus crashes with the ship.

With the help of the missing children Huckle and Polly were escorting, Tom and Santa's reindeers fly the airship to evacuate WanderLand's citizens, from an oncoming tsunami caused by the worldquake. Unfortunately, the ship comes across another plot hole causing a literal food storm, but the kids narrowly escaped through one of Tom's prototypes, a solar-powered vessel built from the remains of a wrecked school bus.

[god-i-love-my-ocs]

jun !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Name: Jun/June (How is it spelled? No one knows!)

Age: Unknown (assumed college age)

Pronouns: Goes by both He/Him and She/Her; no preference!

Sexuality: Definitely homosexual!

Favorite color: Yellow

Physical Attributes: Lanky, skinny; olive complexion. Black floppy hair cut short, very thick. Bright (HUGE!!!) brown eyes and freckles dotting cheeks and bridge of nose. Tiny nose, wide smile. :] 5’2”!!!

Favorite Attire: Y2K type shit!! Light zip-up hoodies with low-rise jeans adorned with all those jewels and bright sewing! If not those he usually likes vintage graphic tees in bright colors, pastels specifically!! LOVES BARRETTES!!!! His favorites are those that have celestial or magical girl-esque designs, like wings, stars, and diamonds. Gold and silver jewelry for days!!!! Usually wears one pair of black sneakers—doesn’t care much about shoes, but has been known to customize sneakers every blue moon. Big fan of boxers with grid designs! Tartan, madras, tattersall, anything with multiple colors!!

Personality: THE DEFINITION OF THOSE GOOD MORNING/NIGHT GIFS WITH THE SPARKLES AND SHIT ALL OVER THEM!!! It’s like you can hear the emoticons when he speaks. Very exaggerated and bubbly mannerisms and expressions. ITS CRAZY!!!! Nobody knows ANYTHING about her lowkey, they all just know it’s a mask to hide something!!! Y’know ENA? And how she does like little looping animations? That’s kinda how Jun exists!!!! God I love the horrors

Backstory: She barely lets ANYBODY into her backstory, so nobody knows it!!! All we know is he doesn’t talk to his parents AT ALL nor his siblings!!! Also is apparently very wealthy… hmmm…

Likes:

Magical girls!!!

Green tea :]

EDM and nightcore

Dancing

Takoyaki

Those little scented erasers that look like food or animals

Dislikes:

God he hates his parents

Families

Doctors and dentists

Debby downers

Extra/Notes:

Yes, he HAS eaten slime before.

Intersex!!!!

Good friends with Montana :]

Nobody has found his birth certificate!!! Is June even real?? No!!!!!!

Writes those insane text chains about if you don’t send this to 20 people a dead girl with come into your room at 3 am and NEVER elaborates on who sent them or who made them!!!! The group gets them constantly!!!!

Huge nihilist and cynic. Yay!

LOVES CREEPYPASTA!!!! ESPECIALLY JEFF THE KILLER!!!!

[theenchantedecho]

Love Potions, Lunar Longings, and Scandalous Engagements: The Enchanting Love Life of Remus Lupin

Is Remus Lupin Entangled in a Magical Love Triangle with a Potion-Making Witch and Sirius Black?

Dearest readers, prepare your Quick-Quotes Quills, for today we're diving into a love story as spellbinding as the most potent Amortentia! Our ever-mysterious Remus Lupin appears to be entangled in a magical love triangle with an enchanting potion-making witch and none other than Sirius Black! Can you believe it?

A Love Potion, or True Love's Spell?

Our eyewitness account, from a Hogsmeade resident who prefers to remain anonymous (we'll call them "Madam Moonlight"), places our magical couple—Remus and the beguiling potion-maker—enjoying a romantic moonlit stroll near the Shrieking Shack. "It was like something out of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Love Stories," Madam Moonlight said. "There they were, hand in hand, sharing soft whispers and laughter, as if they had known each other forever." If this doesn't have you reaching for your Extendable Ears, we don't know what will!

But wait, there's more! A well-respected wizard and potions enthusiast, who asked to be called "Potion Pete," shared his thoughts on the bewitching couple: "That witch is renowned for her talents in potion-making. I've seen her whip up a batch of amortentia in mere minutes! Could it be that Remus has fallen under her spell, or is it true love?"

From Marauders to Mates: The Padfoot and Moony Conspiracy

As if that's not intriguing enough, it seems that Remus's romantic life may be even more complex than we first thought! You might remember Remus and Sirius as two of the infamous Marauders from their Hogwarts days. These partners in crime were inseparable, always up to some mischief or another. But could their friendship have blossomed into something more magical? Our sources suggest that it just might be possible!

A fellow patron at the Leaky Cauldron, who wishes to remain anonymous (let's call them "Tipsy Tom"), overheard a rather intriguing conversation: "I saw them at the bar, looking quite cosy. They were talking in hushed tones, and Remus had the most brilliant smile on his face. Then Sirius whispered something, and they both burst into laughter. I couldn't help but notice a shiny ring on Remus's finger. Could it be...?"

An old friend of the pair, who prefers to go by the name "Moony's Mate," shared an anecdote that's sure to pique your interest: "I've known them both for ages, and I've always thought they'd make a perfect match. I remember this one time at Hogwarts when Sirius pranked Remus by transfiguring his quill into a lovebird. Remus was fuming at first, but then they both laughed it off, and Sirius's eyes were positively twinkling. I knew then that their bond was something special."

Mysterious Letters and Whispers at the Ministry

Adding fuel to the fire, a source from within the Ministry of Magic (going by the pseudonym "Ministry Mole") came forward with a juicy piece of information: "I've seen Remus and Sirius exchanging letters with the most exquisite and intricate handwriting. I couldn't help but notice the scent of freshly picked roses wafting from the parchment. If that doesn't scream 'love,' I don't know what does!"

Love Triangle, or Brewing Cauldron of Scandal?

So, dear readers, is our enigmatic Remus Lupin caught in a whirlwind love triangle, or are these simply tantalizing tales spun by gossip-loving wizards and witches? We can't say for certain, but one thing is clear: Remus's love life is currently as mysterious and thrilling as the most captivating novel in Flourish and Blotts!

A Hogwarts professor, who requested anonymity (we'll dub them "Professor Puzzled"), mused on the situation: "While I taught both Remus and Sirius, I can't say I ever noticed any romantic sparks. But love does have a funny way of sneaking up on people, doesn't it? As for the potion-making witch, she's certainly enchanting. I wouldn't be surprised if she's captured Remus's heart—or perhaps it's the other way around?"

As always, take these tantalising tidbits with a pinch of Floo powder. While we strive to bring you the most accurate gossip and rumours, remember that not all whispers can be verified. So, keep your Extendable Ears at the ready, and stay tuned for more updates on this enchanting love story!

In the meantime, we encourage you to submit your own stories, rumours, and sightings. Who knows? Your magical tale might just be the next big headline in "The Enchanted Echo"! Until then, we'll be waiting with bated breath to see how this captivating tale of love potions, lunar longings, and scandalous engagements unfolds. Will Remus Lupin choose the beguiling potion-maker, or will his heart belong to Sirius Black? The wizarding world is simply abuzz with anticipation!

@swearwolfremuslupin @afracturedstar

[itsgigikay]

When It All Started

A/N: This was a pretty long one, I’m either thinking of making this into a series or just making a two part type of thing. Let me know what you all prefer. Again I apologize for any grammar/spelling mistakes. Feedback is always welcomed! Much love!!

Harry Styles x Reader

Warning: Little bit of smut in the beginning. Fetus harry.

“H-harry” she whimpered, sinking down on her husband where their pelvic bones meet. His hands on her hips helped her with the movements.

“Oh go-fuckkk baby you look so pretty. Your tits bouncing-“ Bringing his tongue closer to her right areola teasing her, teasing it then finally popping the hard nipple in his mouth giving it a little pull and finally sucking on it she lets out a groan. What made her stomach coil even more was when his hand grasped her left boob giving it a little squeeze while still sucking on her right nipple. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head while throwing it back and letting out something incoherent.

She let out another moan, her hands running through his hair leaving them on his shoulders so she could continue bouncing on his cock. One hand settling at the top of his hair and one around his shoulder. His hands trying to get every feeling of her but settling on her left hip and one hand covering her whole back. Both their pants filling up the room as they get closer to their orgasm.

Y/N and Harry have known each for as long as they can remember. They meet in the bakery where he used to work in, W. Mandeville Bakery. Y/N had walked in with her niece, Jenifer. That morning she had promised her a treat, more like a bribe, since it was the first day of school. Y/N was new to this town, she lived in New York her whole life but her dad was fired from his job after 12 years they had let him go. He had finally got a new job with great pay, benefits for him, his kids and even his grandbaby Jenifer, however there was one condition the position is in the United Kingdom so here they are in Holmes Chapel 6 months later.

When Y/N and Jenifer entered the front door chimed. Y/N and Jenifer came closer and looked through the windows and menu to see what looked appetizing. “Can I help you with anything?” Y/N looked up and saw a boy with a mop of curly hair, green eyes,dimples on each cheek, and wearing an apron with a name tag that said “HARRY” in big bold letters.

“Hi yes sorry, Jeni, did you pick what you wanted?” she said nervously to her niece.

“I no know auntie” she looked up at her aunt with those big brown eyes shrugging her shoulders “Mister you have anyfing good?” looking back at Harry behind the register.

“Well we have the vetenies fancy is always a favorite” he said walking around to point them out.

“I want doughnuts” Jenifer said, furrowing her eyebrows and stomping her feet, while looking up at Y/N.

“What about doughnuts?” Y/N asked while signing as her hazel eyes met his green eyes, with a little pink dust creeping on her cheeks.

“Oh doughnuts are good” he said while giggling with Y/N, smiling hard that his dimples were on display.

“Can we get two please” she said while taking her wallet out and handing him money.

“Sure that will be 10 pounds please… i’ll bring them right over” he said handing her the change. “You don’t look like you’re from here” he said while starting to get little bags for the doughnuts.

“Uh ya no we just moved her last week, from New York.” pulling a small strand of hair behind her ear.

“What flavor would you like, plain glazed or jelly filled? That's pretty cool, what school would you be going to?” he replied.

“One of each should be fine and I’m going to Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School And Sixth Form College, Year 13 you’ve heard of it?” she said. She was pretty nervous to start school tomorrow, being the new kid is never easy.

“Yeah I’ll be in Year 12 actually, maybe we’ll have some classes together” he said, handing her the bags of sweets his blood rushing to the apples of his cheeks.

“Uh yeah maybe we will and thanks again, Harry” thanking him while picking up the bag and walking towards the door.

“Wait I didn’t get your name” he asked right as she was stepping out the door.

“Y/N” she said, looking down and walking out while holding Jenifer’s hand.

Little did she know after that day Harry would be her best friend, and even her crush. She wouldn’t know he’s got the same feelings she does. She didn’t know he’ll be Harry Styles and she’ll be there every step of the way through the hate, heartbreak of the band breaking up, heartbreak of girls, the peak of his solo fame. Most importantly, she didn't know he’ll end up her boyfriend, her fiance and her better half, a husband who will always think about her, who he’ll always come home to and who will always love her for her no matter what.

[bluberryblurays]

DIFFERENT HOCKEY ENSEMBLE AU FIC NOTES

Since @pact-warlock reminded me I had written this, here is me essentially ctrl+a, ctrl+v posting the notes I made for a hockey au a few months ago! are there spelling errors and weird bits? yes, but these are just personal notes I wanted to put out there because they are fun to me!

On The Ice | Off The Bench

College Hockey Team AU

XL is the team captain but HC is the best player on the team, not very sociable so didn’t get captain. 

3 year story series, starts with xl and hc as sophomores

(class years for year 1 of fic)

Seniors - 2 above old: JW

Juniors - 1 above old: PM/LW

Sophomores - Old : XL/HC/SQX/yinyu

Freshmen - Mid: MQ/FX/LQQ/quanyizhen

Seniors in hs - Young:QR/LQQ’s deputy (idk his name 💀)

HuaLian:

Offensive starters, HC is best on the team, but always plays bad unless he is on a line w/ XL, says he prefers to play wing but only because he likes when XL is center. Hc gets into trouble w/ the coach alot bcs of that, and thats kinda the sticking point b/t XL and HC, with HC wanting to cling to XL, but XL forcing HC to play in a line w/o him for a playoff game which they win, but beef after for a lil if that makes sense. Xl has a like ‘dont hold yourself back for me,’ and hc has a like ‘there is no point without you’ moment, ‘idgaf that we won if i cant celebrate with you’

FengQing:

Defensive line together, always try to do better than e/o, and always complain about having to play w/ the other / ‘the other is throwing’. But play best together, and hates when anyone else blames their partner for a bad play

BeefLeaf: 

QX and MY are a defensive line together, they wont have too much drama besides MY being revealed to used to have been known as HX before he moved, aka QX’s childhood rival or smth, so minor beef but mostly love bcs im too sad already

Other characters: Lan Qianqiu: other wing on xl and hc’s line

Qi Rong: Obsessed w/ the team, cheers like a psycho but harasses them when they lose. Starts as an obsessed local highschool senior, but in year 2 becomes a freshmen at the school and harassment goes WAY UP

Mei NianQing: Coach! Mentored Jun Wu from a young age, and turned his attention to XL after JW left. A fair coach but a lil biased to XL. Mad at HC for intentionally throwing if he isn’t on XL’s line

Jun Wu: year older than the rest, has gone pro now but still comes back and harasses XL

Pei Ming: Goalie

Ling Wen: Team manager (1 girl gets delegated rip)

Lqq’s assistant: team manager after lw leaves, gets position as a fresh so team gives him sm shit but lqq protec

YY/qyz: YY knows qyz from hs, both rlly good but qyz is better even tho he is a year younger which at first yy cant accept, but he eventually comes around and helps qyz grow (yy has more skilsl, where qyz has pure talent if that makes sense- yy helps teach qyz all of his skills)

Series order/planning:

First-year

Fengqing(season)

Beefleaf(season)

Hualian(playoffs)

Second year

LQQ x lil guy (off-season)

QuanYin (season)

MingLing (playoffs)

FIC TITLES

BeefLeaf: The Man You Know Isn’t The Boy You Knew

FengQing: I’ll Have Your Back

HuaLian: Without You Why Care At All

LQQxLil Guy: Tender Hearts / Firm Hands

MingLing: Let Me Prove It

QuanYin: Warming Our Ice / Melting Our Past

《FengQing Hockey AU!》

Feng Xin is a hockey player having grown up surrounded by the sport

Mu Qing is an ex- figure skater who converted to hockey to get a scholarship to the college they go to so he could save his mom’s money

Feng Xin gets captain, but hates how Mu Qing always gets the fans attention for being handsome, a good skater, ect ect

Angry, a video of Feng Xin insulting Mu Qing while drunk at a frat party goes viral but the next day Mu Qing isn’t at practice or his classes

feeling guilty (and after being told by his coach) feng xin goes to Mu Qing’s dorm but sees that he is gone, he later learns from a teammate that MQ went back home to visit his mom in the hospital, and then he really feels bad

almost a week after the original video, their team has it’s first play off match which they loose narrowly to a team they should’ve been able to beat. after the game, a reporter asks Feng Xin how he felt about this loss

he says they only lost because Mu Qing wasn’t there and that once they get their star player back the team is sure to clean sweep the playoffs.

the reporter then asks feng xin if he is mad at mu qing for being gone on such an important game

he says to the camera, no because he will be back soon, and make up for it all

which is the nicest thing FX has ever said to/about MQ

their next game is in a week, and the whole team pesters FX about where MQ has been/how he reacted to the video/when he will be back, but FX doesn’t reply to them

and when he arrives he sees MQ struggling to get his skates on while being mobbed by the team complaining he missed a play off game, and asking where he was

FX just tells them all to get dressed and on the ice before he himself sits down by his little changing room cubby (locker? idk the term) which is next to MQ’s

all he says to his teammate before they go on the ice is a quiet sorry as the two get dressed for practice.

[hurlingsupport]

may we please have some platonic inside job headcanons for reagan & brett (individually) with a nonbinary reader who treats them as a brother/sister?

Sure thing! I'm agender myself, so I'm happy someone wants a nonbinary reader, thank you for the request!!

"Take Care!" (Reagan & Brett + Nonbinary Reader Headcannons)

Bit of a warning, there is a very brief mention of hard drugs

First off, let's state the well-known fact that they full heartedly support your identity! They have to deal with lizard people, Easter Island men and women, and managing the government on top of all that. So, I really don't think they'd care that you're nonbinary

The only difference between them in that regard is that Reagan's quieter about her support, while Brett prefers to make sure that you know for sure that he supports you (you most likely didn't need confirmation but he didn't think he was obvious enough)

Reagan Ridley

While Reagan's definitely not as loud as Brett, she makes up for it by being there for you when you're feeling any sort of gender dysphoria or just when you need to talk about it privately in general

She understands it a bit, and she doesn't mind making you something to help!

Her gifts are usually pretty lax, but if you specifically requested something like a portable coffee maker if that'd make you feel better, she'd make it for you

She's not sure why it's so easy for her to spend time making gifts for you, but she doesn't mind it either. It helps her get better too, is what she believes!

They both like to care for you in their own ways, and if they realize the way you're treating them is similar to that of an older sibling, they'd be pretty surprised

Not in a bad way, but it's unfamiliar to them both because of their childhoods

Reagan's only ever had her dad and rarely her mom, not to mention that friend that she forgot because of her dad, so she's definitely not used to anyone seeing her in an older sister sort of way

However she'd be lying if she said she didn't enjoy you acting as her younger sibling, even with the rough discovery

She'd probably watch your eating habits, making sure you aren't drinking too many energy drinks and coffee or skipping any meals (she ignores your valid argument that her eating habits are MUCH worse)

Definitely doesn't mind if you're picky or if you binge eat, she's experienced both sides of that spectrum and will make sure to satiate your needs as long as you stay decently healthy in her eyes

By the way, if you refer to her as your older sister in front of others, whether it's an accident or not, she'll always be a bit embarrassed. Not because of you, but because she's not used to it at all. She probably wouldn't mind it too much in private though, she might even like it! :)

Overall, I can see her being a pretty easy going older sister, just not big on affection in public so keep the PDA to a minimum if you want any more gifts!

Brett Hand

Brett gives gifts pretty often to basically everyone, so don't expect yourself to be exempt from that

His gifts have a big range, as they can go from being a bracelet (usually handmade with beads that spell out your name) or donuts to being a full cooked meal or hand stitched quilt!

If you couldn't already tell, he gives handmade gifts a lot, similar in nature to Reagan—though they definitely don't have the same genius added to them, but they're just as nice because of how hard Brett works on them

He has an idea of why he feels so fond of you, due to him binging The Growing Years, and he's so happy to have a sibling connection with someone that isn't Reagan or a simulation!

Despite how happy he is, he can't help but be nervous since he isn't too sure how he should act

Should he act like the older brother in his favorite show? Should he more so be himself since it's him you developed this sibling dynamic with? He isn't too sure, so he'd probably want to talk it out with you

It may take a bit, but he definitely gains the courage to speak with you about his conflicting ideas. Be sure to reassure him that you think he's doing just fine as he is! (Or he might go all nostalgic Brett again in distress)

As your now older brother, he makes sure you stay nice and healthy! Don't drink too many bad beverages like energy drinks, coffee, or especially alcohol—and definitely don't do hard drugs. 

He wants you to have full meals too, he doesn't mind teaching you to cook or cooking for you. He also wouldn't mind if you have picky habits or if you binge eat a lot, as long as you're healthy in general and feel good about yourself, he feels good too!

If you were to ever refer to him as your older brother, publicly or privately, he'd feel ecstatic!!!

He's immediately holding his cheeks in happiness and cooing, he may even jump about in absolute delight

He wouldn't be too embarrassed unless his coworkers and/or friends brought it up later

The only difference in doing this publicly or privately is that in private he'd hug you or make remarks about it

Not in a teasing way though, more so in an 'aww you're so cute I love you' way

All in all, Brett may be an overbearing older brother at times, but he makes up for it with his genuineness

They both love their younger sibling, even if one of them has trouble saying it

[americancowgirl19]

Artic Hoarfrost

Summary: Bill sends a letter to his brother Charlie about a rare dragon that turns out to be more than just a creature.

Warnings: Fluff, angst

Reader: Gender Neutral Reader

Pairings: Charlie Weasley x Gender Neutral Reader

Word Count: 2,083

A/n: It didn’t turn out as romantic as I would have liked. It’s more of a platonic story but it’s still good! I hope, lol... and yes I created the Artic Hoarfrost, I think it’s a cool name.

Masterlist

Charlie was only studying in Romania for half a year when his older brother, Bill, sent him a letter. It had been a long time since Charlie had heard from him. The two brothers had been close growing up but now they were both out of Hogwarts pursuing different careers.

He opened the letter curiously but also excited. He missed his family but knew the distance would become easier with time. 

The letter started out simple. There were some casual questions and small talk before Bill got to the reason why he sent the letter. 

Around the same time Charlie was able to get a job in Romania Bill found a job as a curse beaker in Egypt. While at work Bill stumbled upon something that he thought Charlie should know.

In one of the crypts in Egypt there’s a dragon. It isn’t uncommon for Goblins to have dragons in their work areas. Charlie knew there is one in the Gringotts bank and it didn’t surprise him that there’s on in Egypt.

What does surprise him is the description Bill gives him. This isn’t a normal dragon but an Artic Hoarfrost. Charlie had thought the breed went extinct back before the first world war. To hear that there’s one captive in Egypt instantly intrigued him.

It was hard to convince his superiors to let him go to Egypt by himself. The sanctuary had just welcomed a new dragon. All hands were on deck to help the dragon integrate in the new habitat.

It wouldn’t be until another month later that Charlie was able to get some time to go to Egypt. As good as it was to see Bill again all Charlie could think about was the Hoarfrost. He had seen rough sketches of one before but to be able to see one in person would be amazing.

If Bill was right and the dragon truly is a Hoarfrost then Charlie knew he would have to convince the sanctuary to liberate the dragon from the Goblins. A Hoarfrost would slowly wither in the hot environment. 

“Why are they keeping the dragon here?” Charlie asks, following his brother through the desert to find the beast.

“Because it breathes ice and it’s hot,” Bill explains simply. Charlie sends him a look.

“They’re enslaving a dragon to keep themselves cool?” Charlie asks, not bothering to hide his anger.

“Which is why I sent the letter,” Bill says, sending him a glance. Charlie presses his lips together and nods.

“Oh, wow,” Charlie whispers, when they reach the dragon. 

The dragon is large but malnourished. After getting over the initial shock and beauty of the creature, Charlie notices injuries from the chains and the abuse the Goblins have no doubt forced it to endure.

“So, is it what you thought it was?” Bill wonders. The both of them watch as the wizard guards force the dragon to breathe it’s ice into different tunnels. These tunnels go to various work sites and buildings. While Bill enjoyed the cool air the dragon produced he would rather suffer the heat and have the dragon free.

“Looks like it,” Charlie mutters, clenching his fists when the dragon roars painfully. The wizards tasked with forcing the dragon to work used cruel spells that pierced right through it’s hide. “I want to get a closer look,” Charlie says, making a move to go closer but Bill holds him back.

“Not right now,” He says. “Those guard won’t let you close. We’ll have to wait for night fall,”

Grumbling, Charlie leaves with his brother counting down the hours until he can return. Bill did his best to distract his brother but Charlie was far too determined to go back.

He paced in Bill’s flat. His mind is reeling, all his thoughts centering around the dragon. He recalled all he knew about Hoarfrost’s, which wasn’t that much. A few things did strike out as peculiar. The dragon seemed to be half the size it should have been, which could be because of the conditions it is living in but Bill says the dragon has only been there for a few years. Such little time shouldn’t have stunted it’s growth.

Another thing that struck out to Charlie were the curses the wizards used. Those curses, while harmful, shouldn’t have penetrated the dragon’s armored hide as easily as it did.

Charlie couldn’t wait to return to the beast. He wanted a closer look. Hopefully he’d find some answers to the growing number of questions circling his head.

When Bill deemed it late enough, Charlie all but ran to the dragon. Bill struggled to keep up and was out of breath when they arrived. While Bill too deep breaths, Charlie approached the dragon.

The great beast was asleep. It’s curled around itself using their wings to cover as much of their body as possible. It’s an attempt to keep the coolness it’s body radiates to itself. While the room is cool it’s not nearly cold enough to healthily habituate the dragon.

“Charlie, be careful,” Bill warns. Charlie ignores him and continues closer to the beast. He freezes when it shifts. His heart hammers in his chest when the head emerges from under the wing. “Charlie,” Bill says, wanting his brother to come back but Charlie stays still.

A moment later it’s eyes open. A beautiful y/e/c stares right at him. Charlie waits trepidatiously for the dragon to react, to attack him, but it stays still. It’s eyes just stare and observe Charlie.

Charlie releases a shaky breath. He knew he wasn’t completely safe but he felt more comfortable. The dragon seemed calm but that could change. Charlie knew he should be cautious but he was simply too curious.

He takes a step closer but ends up stumbling backwards when the dragon’s entire body shifts. Their wings fold exposing more of the body. The tail comes around almost curving around Charlie and it’s head lifts to better assess him.

“Charlie!” Bill hisses. The dragon turns it’s attention toward Bill but remains unthreatening. Despite it’s calm composure Bill still takes large steps back.

“Will you calm down?” Charlie hisses back. “I know what I’m doing,”

“You’ve been around dragons for six months and now you’re an expert?” Bill snaps, keeping his eye on the beast.

“More so than you,” Charlie sasses.

“What exactly are you going to do?” Bill asks. “You got your closer look. Now let’s go,”

Bill had a point. Charlie got his closer look but he didn’t want to leave. This dragon was far too interesting to leave so soon.

Charlie ignores his brother and moves closer to the dragon. Bill releases a frustrated sigh. He was half tempted to go yank his brother away if he wasn’t so intimidated by the large dragon. He’s seen the beast encase more than one Goblin in ice before. He didn’t want that to be his fate but didn’t want it to be Charlie’s either.

The longer Charlie spent around the dragon the more unusual the beast seemed to be. It’s true that Charlie’s only spent roughly six months with real live dragons but he’s learned a great deal about their behavior in that time.

He remembers reading about Artic Hoarfrost’s at Hogwarts. It was well documented that their breed is territorial, aggressive and prefer their isolation. How did Goblins manage to capture and keep a dragon that’s well known for their aggression and untamableness?

Every moment spent with this dragon only raises more questions.

“Bill, what’s this collar around their neck?” Charlie asks, risking a few steps closer.

“I don’t know, probably something to keep the dragon in place,” Bill says, keeping his distance. Charlie didn’t believe that answer. Nothing is attached to the collar, it’s simply there around it’s neck.

Charlie turns his head and looks back into the dragon’s eye. There was something almost human to them.

Something human.

“Bloody hell,” Charlie whispers, his eyes widening. His heart drops to his stomach as a new theory races through his mind. “Bill, I don’t think this is a dragon,”

“What are you talking about, Charlie? That’s obviously a bloody dragon,” Bill snaps. Charlie shakes his head. “Charlie,” Bill scolds as his brother extends a hand toward the dragon.

“I’m telling you, Bill. This isn’t a dragon,” Charlie smiles sadly, as the dragon presses their snout against his head. “It’s an animagus,”

“What?” Bill asks. “You’re telling me that that’s a human?” Charlie nods his head, beckoning his brother forward.

“It’s far too small to be a hatched dragon. The hide is weaker and their eyes are human,” Charlie explains.

“How did they manage to do this?” Bill asks.

“I’m not sure,” Charlie mutters, his eyes going back to the collar. “But I think that’s how they’re keeping them,” Bill cautiously moves forward. He inspects the object.

“It’s definitely cursed,” Bill mutters.

“Can you break it?” Charlie asks.

“It’s going to take time,” Bill warns him. Charlie clenches his jaw but nods knowing there was no way around it. 

“Don’t worry, we’ll get you out,” Charlie promises the dragon. It huffs and curls back into itself again.

“Charlie, they’ve been a dragon for at least five years,” Bill tells him. “I’ve seen how they treat them. The transition back to human life isn’t going to be easy,”

“I know,” Charlie mutters, following him back to his flat. “Let’s just worry about getting them free first,”

“The ministry’s going to want to hear about this,” Bill mentions.

“They’ll be too worried about punishing those involved. They won’t be worried about their best interest. Let’s help the them and then go to the Ministry,” Bill nods in agreement.

Every night for nearly a month, Bill and Charlie go to break the curse on the collar. Well, Bill goes to break the curse while Charlie keeps the dragon company.

“Don’t worry, Bill will be done before you know it,” Charlie whispers, gently massaging some sensitive spots on on their head. He smiles when he hears a purr like sounds. Even Bill smiles, a bit happy to see that they’re enjoying themselves.

Charlie continues to talk softly and continues his massaging. Halfway through the night is when the collar falls to the floor. All three of them tense before Bill steps back.

The dragon slowly stands up. The sound of the chains clinking together gain Bill and Charlie’s attention. Together, the brothers use their wands to break the chains which further frees the animagus. 

Charlie and Bill both smile as the dragon stretches and tries to shake the soreness from their muscles. They both take a step back as it releases a mighty roar.

“We have to get them out of here,” Bill says. Before Charlie could agree, the guards come rushing in. The dragon glares at them and growls. They’re forced to take cover as the beast breathes a stream of ice crystals in their direction.

“We have to leave!” Charlie shouts. The dragon ignores him and continues to extract revenge. “Please! We have to go! The Ministry will deal with them, I promise! But you deserve to be free,”

The dragon turns to him. Charlie looks at them pleadingly. The dragon huffs and lowers their neck.

“I am not getting on,” Bill says. Charlie grins widely.

“Come on! Live a little!” Charlie runs toward it. Bill groans and follows his brother. Charlie holds on tightly with extreme excitement while Bill is extremely uneasy.

The dragon flies them out of the crypt. Bills screams in terror while Charlie hollers. They fly far away before the dragon drops back to the ground. Bill falls off and groans on the ground.

Charlie slides off gracefully and comes around to their face. The dragon bumps its snout against his chest causing Charlie to chuckle.

“You’re free now,” Charlie tells it. “You can do whatever you want,” The dragon looks genuinely confused breaking Charlie’s heart.

Before Charlie could say anything else, the dragon steps back. Charlie watches the beast begin to shrink before taking a human form. He looks at you for the first time.

You’re wearing a ratty shirt and torn shorts. Your legs support you for a few seconds before you collapse on the grass. Charlie rushes to you.

“Are you alright?” He asks quickly. You manage to smile at him.

“Th-thank you,” You stutter. He smiles at you. “Thank you so much,” You fall into his arms. His eyes widen a bit but he hugs you back.

“You’re safe now,” He promises. “You’re safe,”

[the-strength-of-the-wolffe]

Wolffe’s Story

Intro

Part 1: Before the War

Cadet Wolffe shares many traits with his brothers, being brave, confident, loyal, resilient, and steady. As an individual, he’s known as the serious and conscientious one.

He has a mild-mannered personality in “Rising Malevolence,” so I used that as his default.

He performs well in most exercises, but his leadership skills prove to be underwhelming. This is a disappointment considering he’s in the commander line. He’s aware of this shortcoming and does his best to correct it, but, being so young and lacking guidance, his efforts are ineffective.

I noticed a lack of rapport between him and Sinker/Boost in “RM.” He may outrank them but he doesn’t act like their leader, and they don’t seem to expect that from him. I speculated that he may not have been strong in that area (at first).

As part of his studies, he takes a cursory zoology course and becomes enthralled by predators, especially wolves. His batchmates collectively think it’s uncool to like animals, but that doesn’t bother him.

Yup, he’s a wolf kid. This is a nod to Filoni’s (and my own childhood) obsession. 

We all know he likes to stand out. I think he has a rather strong sense of individualism.

In the barracks during downtime, he hears about another quiet cadet who enjoyed the course and is also being teased for it. Wolffe isn’t the most sociable boy, but he seeks out the other and befriends him over their mutual interest. This cadet is Fox.

I love the fandom’s idea that the two of them are pals and had to include it!

I didn’t really picture any other known commanders in their batch.

In my mind, the commanders don’t have squads. The only permanent groups are barracks assignments.

Fox is a hardcore introvert and naturally wary, so it takes him a while to lower his guard, but the two brothers grow close over time. They pick up a reputation for being somewhat of the oddballs of the batch, but that only strengthens their bond. Gradually, without any conscious intention, Wolffe steps into the older brother role. He doesn’t let the other cadets pick on Fox, and he’s always there to defend his brother when their trainers give him a hard time.

Fox attracts trouble because he’s cleverer and more independent than a clone should be (according to the Kaminoans).

At some point, Wolffe decides to give himself a name. Only one will do. He figures other cadets might’ve had the same brainwave, though, so he changes the spelling to make it more unique. It’s a testament to their friendship that Fox even considers a similarly themed name, being just as individualistic. Needless to say, he picks one that fits him perfectly.

So far, the commanders have received generalized training. Once they reach adolescence, they, along with all other of-age clones, are divided into two tracks to undergo further specialized training. The army is where most cadets are funneled; these are the troopers that wear armor, wield weapons, and (will later) fight on the front lines. Those chosen for the navy are trained to operate all manner of vessels and stations; they (will) rarely set foot on a battlefield. After placement, a cadet isn’t allowed to switch tracks.

This is all probably wildly inaccurate, but that’s how I made sense of it!

The cadets have been obsessing over this day for months. Wolffe’s leadership skills have improved slightly thanks to his dedication, and his overall performance has been excellent, so he trusts he’ll be put in the army. In the minority as always, Fox hopes to be placed in the navy, preferably in an intelligence or strategist position.

They both receive blows. The progress Wolffe made wasn’t enough to impress the Kaminoans, and he’s deemed a better candidate for the navy where his "deficiency” will be less of a liability. Conversely, Fox’s strengths are ignored out of spite—he had frustrated their trainers one too many times—and he is shunted to the army.

It’s a dark day for the two brothers. Wolffe is furious about the injustice done to Fox, and shaken by his own personal failure. Their parting is an unhappy one, but they vow to stay in touch.