#Blue: Where’s the Girl (Reprise)

[blue124th]

So somehow I went from ratty old men to French Revolution. More accurate to the Scarlet Pimpernel Musical. For some reason my ass took one look at the Broadway 2.0 Cast and decided I wanted Chauvelin….I haven’t decided wether carnally or just to give him a hug has to be decided yet

[crushpunky]

rafe gets protective of kook!reader

masterlist | kook!reader masterlist

Y/n sat on the patio of Tanneyhill, the dull bass of the music vibrating through her bones. The yard was littered with a few drunken teenagers and young adults, but much less crowded than the inside. Hoping for a moment of reprise from the constant social overload, she found herself sitting outside on one of the sun loungers. Topper and Kelce were somewhere inside, probably getting drunk with whatever girls graced their presence. Rafe had been talking with somebody he knew from the country club when y/n told him she was going to step outside. He had offered to go with her, not liking her being alone in the chaos of a party, but she insisted he continue his apparently very interesting conversation about golf.

“Do you mind if I join you, princess?” Y/n looked up at JJ Maybank, a wide (likely drunken) grin on his face. She wasn’t surprised to see him here, he was a friend of Sarah’s after all. Sure, JJ wasn’t exactly her friend, but the two of them were acquaintances. She had bought weed from him numerous times (not that Rafe knew that) and had gotten to know him through spending time with Sarah or running into him at parties.

“Knock yourself out.” Y/n gestured to the lounger next to her. JJ stumbled forward, instead opting to sit on the foot of her own lounger. Y/n closed her eyes, rolling her shoulders, and trying her best to drown out the echoing music.

“So… where are your buddies?” JJ asked, gesturing with his red solo cup. Y/n sighed, a bit of annoyance creeping up on her before she quickly pushed it down, biting her tongue as she opened her eyes.

“Inside.” Y/n nodded, swirling her own cup mindlessly. JJ nodded, his fingers beginning to fiddle with the laces of y/n’s shoes. Y/n’s brows furrowed at the action but didn’t question it. Even though she didn’t know JJ that well, she knew he was a very fidgety-touchy guy… him and Rafe were very much alike in that sense.

“They left you out here?” JJ asked, looking up from y/n’s shoes, his hand still resting lightly on her ankle.

“No, no, no.” Y/n shook her head quickly. “I just needed a little break.”

“Ahhh,” JJ said, tapping his cup against his head, “and I’m bothering you during said break.”

Y/n shrugged, a small smile forming on her lips. At least he was self aware.

“Well, maybe I can make it up to you,” JJ reached behind his ear before dramatically presenting her a tightly rolled joint. Y/n felt her mood pick up, straightening in the lounger.

“Perhaps you can.” Y/n smiled, taking the joint from him and sticking it between her lips. JJ pulled a lighter from his back pocket, y/n stretching out her hand to take it. JJ tutted before leaning forward, his hand trailing up to rest on her knee.

“Allow me, princess.” JJ whispered, his face close enough that she could feel his warm breath on her cheeks. He lifted his hand, cupping the side of her face as he flicked the lighter. Y/n watched as he bit his lip in concentration, the precise blue of his eyes flickering with each spark of the lighter; a blue that seemed so similar to—

“What the fuck are you doing?” Y/n’s gaze shot up at Rafe’s voice, the joint nearly falling from her lips. JJ jumped at the sudden intrusion, catching himself just before rolling off the lounger, his body practically on top of y/n’s. Y/n pushed him to sit up instinctually, the joint still dangling between her lips.

“Oh, hey Rafe. Always a pleasure—” JJ scrambled, pushing his hair out of his face haphazardly. Rafe took a harsh step forward before yanking the joint out of y/n’s lips and tossing it into the nearby pool.

“Man, do you know how much that fucking cost—” JJ groaned before Rafe grabbed his shoulder, yanking him to his feet.

“Rafe, quit it!” Y/n quickly jumped up, trying her best to wedge herself between the two hotheads before the fists started to fly.

“I don’t give a fuck how much it cost, pogue,” Rafe spat, his grip still strong on the front of JJ’s shirt. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing touching her like that? Huh?”

“Well, she said it was perfectly fine.” JJ shrugged, a shiteating grin on his face as y/n stared daggers at him. Rafe took a seething step forward, his fists clenched.

“I’ll fucking kill you, you piece of shit—” Rafe roared.

“Oh here he is! Big, bad Rafe fuckin Cameron—” JJ shot back, closing in on Rafe, further sandwiching y/n between them.

“Both of you fucking stop!” Y/n shouted, pushing with all her strength and sending the two of them stumbling apart. Had either of them been sober, or god forbid high, she knew there would be no way in hell she’d have been able to stop the two of them once they started at eachother like this.

“Rafe, he wasn’t fucking doing anything. We were just talking and smoking. That’s it.” Y/n snapped, turning to Rafe with a point. Rafe’s jaw clenched, his gaze still darting between y/n and JJ.

“See, Cameron, I told you—” JJ started before y/n turned to face him, her eyes ablaze.

“JJ, I don’t need you encouraging him and I definitely don’t need you fucking helping me.” Y/n said pointedly, JJ’s eyes widening by her intensity. The three of them stood in a shocked silence, y/n putting her hands on her hips.

“I’m sorry, JJ, but I think you should go.” Y/n sighed. JJ scoffed, shaking his head as he picked up his drink.

“Sure thing, princess.” JJ said with a small salute. “I had a good time tonight. We should do it again.”

“You motherfu—” Rafe seethed, moving towards JJ until y/n pushed him back once more.

“Get out of here, JJ. Now.” Y/n said, her tone serious as she held onto a fistful of Rafe’s shirt. With a roll of his eyes, JJ finally walked away, leaving just the two of them on the patio. Y/n let go of Rafe, wiping her hands on her shorts as she shook her head.

“So you’re just taking weed from anyone now, huh?” Rafe said, lowering himself to meet y/n’s eyes. Y/n scoffed, turning to sink back into her lounger with a sip of her drink.

“Do you have any idea how fucking dangerous that is? Who knows what kind of shit that pogue put in there? Huh? W- what if he fuckin drugged you?” Rafe followed her, sitting on the foot of the lounger.

“I saw what he was doing,” Rafe scoffed. “Touching you like that, trying to get you high out here by yourself so he could take advantage of you—-”

“Jesus, Rafe!” Y/n shouted, throwing her hands up exasperatedly. “We were just fucking talking! Not every guy is trying to ‘take advantage’ of me! Do you hear yourself right now?”

“He’s a fucking pogue, y/n. I think I sound perfectly rational.” Rafe said shortly, causing y/n to roll her eyes.

“Why do you always do this shit?” Y/n snapped. “Everytime a guy so much as looks at me, you freak the fuck out and make a huge scene.”

Rafe scoffed, laughing to himself as he shook his head.

“Yes, you do, Cameron.” Y/n pointed a finger against Rafe’s chest. “You know I’m right.”

“Sorry that I fuckin care about you, a’ight? Me. Fuckin me. I care about you.” Rafe snapped, grabbing her hand and pushing it further against his chest. Y/n eyes refused to leave his, her gaze firm.

“It’s not fair, Rafe, and you know it.” Y/n’s said, her voice barely a whisper. She could see Rafe’s body soften slightly, his grip allowing their hands to fall into his lap.

“I– I…” Rafe stuttered, chewing on the inside of his cheek as he ran a hand through his hair. Y/n swallowed harshly, Rafe’s hand still firm in her own as he searched for the words.

“Look, I’m sorry, I just…” Rafe sighed, “when I see them… looking at you like that it just does something to me and I can’t fucking stop it. I wish I could just let it go and pretend that it doesn’t bother me but… it does.”

Y/n felt her stomach drop, the weight of Rafe’s words heavy in the air.

“Y/n, I care about you a lot… maybe even more than a friend should and I can’t lie and say it doesn’t hurt to see you with someone else like...” Rafe said quietly, his eyes locked on their entwined hands in his lap.

“Like what, Rafe?” Y/n whispered, Rafe finally lifting his gaze to meet her own.

“Like the way I want to be with you. The way I’ve always wanted to be with you.” Rafe said lowly, the words lifting the weight of years and years of hiding off his shoulders.

“Rafe…” Y/n started, but was cut off as Rafe shook his head harshly.

“No, you don’t… you don’t have to say anything.” Rafe sighed, rubbing a hand along the curve of his jaw.

“But I want to, Rafe.” Y/n whispered, squeezing Rafe’s hand gently, her thumb trailing along his knuckles lightly.

“I… I hate seeing you with anyone like that too, Rafe.” Y/n swallowed harshly. “Everytime I had to just… stand there and act like I didn’t care I was dying inside.”

Rafe’s face softened, his hand moving to cup her jaw. Y/n felt her heart skip a beat as she gazed deeply into the deep, stormy blue of his eyes. He was so close she could feel the warmth radiating off his skin and smell the soft smokiness of his cologne.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Rafe whispered, his lips only centimeters away from her own.

“I didn’t want you to think I was just a stupid girl who had fallen for her best friend.” Y/n said. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t want you to think I was just a stupid boy who had fallen for his best friend.” Rafe said, his lips ghosting her own.

“Well I guess that just makes us two idiots.” Y/n whispered as their lips finally met in an explosive culmination of years and years of longing.

[how-serene]

Daydreaming of you, and it knocks me sideways

Pairing - Johnson (Reprisal) x Fem!Reader

Summary - Was there anything more heartbreaking than a summer fling?

Word Count - 706

Warnings - light angst, fem pronouns, use of pet names, no use of y/n, Johnson is stupidly in love

A/N - serving you all up some summer lovin' with a pinch of heartbreak.

The waves licked at your heels, as you steadily balanced on the surfboard. August’s blazing sun beamed down on your slick, wet skin. The baby blue bathing suit you adorned hugged at the dips of your body. You were the sweetest thing he had ever seen. As mouth watering as honey-dew on a scorching summer evening. 

Johnson took a long drag from his cigarette, as he leaned against the trunk of his car. Its black body gleamed in the sun, the surface blistering hot from sitting in the same parking spot for the past half-hour. People came and went, all huddled together like a pack of sardines carrying beach towels and coolers. They paid him no mind, as they bounded down the stone steps leading out to the sand. Where rows of umbrellas and sun-kissed bodies rested.

He stared up at the clear azure sky, there wasn’t a cloud in sight. Yet he could feel it in the air. The wind brought a certain chill with it now, a warning for the seasonal change that was bound to come. Johnson ignored it, believing that if he paid no mind to it then it would somehow stall the inevitable. 

You approached the sand, floral painted surfboard tucked under your arm. The soles of your feet sunk into the damp sand whenever you took a step. You waved up at him, brightly smiling at his blurry figure in the distance. Even now, after all these months spent with you, the sight nearly knocked him back. He waved back, the lit cigarette between his fingers guiding you to him like a flare in the night. 

“Hey there, handsome!” you chirped, hopping up the steps. He could make out the patches of sand stuck to your bare legs. Johnson swallowed, tossing the cigarette to the ground before stepping on it. You stopped in front of him as he pushed his body off of the car.  

“Hi, pretty girl.”

You beamed at him, curling your fingers around his blazer to bring him forward. The taste of sea salt and coconut met his lips before he could react. He sighed against the shape of your mouth, not bothering to conceal the sound you brought out of him. Your lips molded against his, the sweet taste of your chapstick coating his tongue. He glided his hands over the curve of your back, pressing your damp body closer to his. 

Johnson wished this was all it took to prolong the summer days with you. Somehow put a temporary stop on the time, before it escaped him all together. He nipped at your bottom lip, his warm tongue sweeping over yours. His hands gently squeezed at your hips, drawing out a quiet moan from you. Johnson pushed against you, his lips leaving yours to trail over your jaw. He gently pressed a kiss beneath your ear, your skin warm against his lips.

“Alright, alright,” you breathed, pulling back from him, “Let me go rinse off and change, then we can grab a bite to eat.” 

His hands chased after you (they always do), trying to lure you back into his secure hold. You giggled, heat rising to your face. 

“I won’t be gone for long, lover boy,” you said, planting a faint kiss on his chin. 

He caved, “Alright, go on angel.” 

You winked at him, turning away to head to the shower stalls that waited near the end of the lot. 

Johnson felt his heart constrict at the sight. He recalled a summer night a few weeks ago, spent on your front porch. The rich voice of some local crooner spilled through a portable radio. Your body was firmly pressed against his, as you two silently swayed to the yearnings of a broken hearted man. The hot evening bore down on you two, as homemade sweet iced tea helped to chase it away. The memory made it seem as if it was just yesterday, when in truth the season was starting to catch up to you two. A summer fling. How many made it past the season? 

Johnson didn’t know, and wasn’t sure he wanted to. 

All he knew was that summer would end soon, and he hoped your love didn’t leave with it.

[lazytitans-world]

Wish re watch thoughts

Having not watched Wish since it came out in theaters in November of 2023 and going down the rabbit hole of abandoned concepts and re-writes in the months leading up to Wish dropping on Disney+ I can now give Wish a re watch and share my thoughts on it. Now keep in mind I am coming at this movie from many angles. On one hand, I want to watch this with a new frame of mind to give it a chance to see if any of my thoughts on the movie have changed. On the other side is my inner "WE COULD HAVE HAD A STARBOY!" fandom side of me looking to see if any of the scrapped concepts could have worked in the movie we got and to see if any traces of those concepts were left behind. But no more waitng, no more writing fanfics, its time to re-watch Wish

• Starting off with the classic story book opening I felt was a great touch as it harkens back to classic Disney animated movies like Snow White, Pinnochio and Sword in the Stone.

• So why was Asha being so secretive to her family about her interview for Magnifico's apprenticeship? That feels like something major to tell your family. Even Asha's friends know about it. It could be Asha wanted to surprise them, I guess.

• Hot take: Welcome to Rosas is not that bad of a song, it's got a catchy beat and introduces us to the kingdom, Magnifico, and the wishes.

• The scene where Asha and her friends discuss her interview does have Asha doing typical "quirky Disney girl" behavior but at the same time she is a teen about to have an interview for what may be one of the most sought-after jobs in the kingdom, I'd be acting weird to if I was her age and in her position.

• We get some hints of Magnifico's jerk personality as he somewhat dismisses Asha's drawings when she shows it to him. The line is "Do we call that a talent?"

• Magnifico mentioning how he knew of Asha's father and how her dad talked about the stars is an interesting given how everything turns out but for one, this is NEVER BROUGHT UP AGAIN and two, this feels like a leftover of one of the deleted scenes from Wish where Magnifico wanted to harness a stars power but was never powerful enough to do so.

• Oh "At All Costs", how you sparked a fandom when you had no intention of doing so.

• In context of the movie, At All Costs does work as it shows that Magnifico's and Asha's feelings on the wishes. Magnifico holding on too his past trauma and feeling that HE and only HE can protect these sacred things while Asha is more drawn to the person AND their wishes, notably her Saba's wish.

• Opinion time: If we were to have Starboy and a romance, the demo version of At All Costs should have been a reprise, just with the word love instead of promise, showing how Star and Asha's relationship has grown and deepened. It would be a lot like "I See the Light" from Tangled, taking place before the climax.

• It makes a little sense why Magnifico rejected Asha's application since after singing "At All Costs" he sees her drawn to the Wishes and some even being drawn to her as the wish orbs now have a purple hew instead of blue hew like the color of Magnifico's cape to them to match Asha's dress. Magnifico has worries that someone will use the power for personal, and in his mind "selfish" reasons, plus his trauma from his village being destroyed makes him warry of who to trust.

• So what happens to a person's wish if they die? Does it just disappear?

• So that whole opinion of "Asha wants Magnifico to grant everyone's wish" WRONG! Asha wants Magnifico to give wishes back to those who have given theirs away long ago and let the people pursue their own wishes.

• Magnifico's tease that he might grant Sabino's wish is petty and I like it as he starts by saying a name starting with Sa before saying another person's name. That is petty stuff right there.

•If you are aware of the original concept art and the many changes Wish went through during production, it is obvious that Amaya, Star and Sabino got their characters changed, and in the case of some, completely neutered.

• I like Ariana Deboise and Chris Pine as Asha and Magnifico respectively.

• "This Wish" is ok and is mostly carried by Araina's strong vocal range.

• Star's arrival has where my inner fandom is screaming "honey get ready, you've got a big storm coming"

• "Can light be loving?" according to the many re-writes I've read, yes Asha, yes it can.

• Opinion time, again: I am in favor of the Starboy design seen in the concept art. Letting you know now since from this point on is about Star.

• I can totally see the human design of Star working in the introduction they have with Asha.

• I get why the creative team wanted Star to look that way, they wanted to do something different and that design screams "marketable plush"

• Once Valentino started talking and we go into "You're a Star", it all came back to me, that bad feeling. THIS IS WHAT I DID NOT LIKE ABOUT WISH. This part feels specifically aimed at children or at most feels too "cutesy". This, in my opinion, where people turned on Wish.

• Getting back to the Star Boy design, "You're a Star" could have worked as a way of Star showing off their powers, as well as them crushing on Asha. "You know you're a work of art" - Imagine Star Boy blushing as that is being said while looking at Asha, this writes itself.

• Look, I like Alan Tudyk, he can be funny if given witty and sarcastic dialogue and I know he has been a fixture in Disney movies for a while, but they gave him nothing to work with for this. This is not an obligation, more like a reward gone wrong. I am glad that Alan got a more prominent role, but I just thought it should have been something better.

• Another major criticism I've seen is that Magnifico's down fall is just him being controlled by a book when really it is more complicated than that. I akin it to Anakin Skywalker falling to the dark side as in it's not just the teachings that cause someone to go down the path of darkness, it's the feelings and desires of the one learning. Magnifico, at the point of the movie is paranoid and afraid that someone or something is here to take away his powers, threaten his power status, and destroy his kingdom that he works hard to protect in his own way. So it is not just the book doing it but the powers of the book mixed with his own fear, anger, trauma and other negative emotions that cause him to fall to darkness. Hate leads to anger, anger leads to

fear, fear leads to suffering.

•I totally forgot the Simon actually sees and interacts with Star before his betrayal. Star hands him a heart after he says he has forgotten what we wished for and when I first saw this I thought it meant that he had a crush on someone, maybe Asha but after seeing the movie it was just Star trying to be nice to Simon. Which in turn makes Simon's turn even more strange.

•I understand why people would think Asha was selfish in going for her family's wishes first when freeing them but my head cannon is that freeing all of them at once would be too big of scene and she wants to prove to Sabino that his wish is worth granting. However, Magnifico would notice that some wishes are missing and would put two and two together so this plan was not thought out to much but hey she is only 18 and she just met a magic star that can help her so I think her thinking clearly is not to much of an issue.

• "This is Thanks I Get" starts off odd as no one brought up the mirror thing in the scene where the citizens question Magnifico. But the song itself is to show that though Magnifico shows that he cares about the citizens of Rosas and their safety, he would rather have someone else help them then get involved himself and still wanting praise even though he does not really do much for the kingdom outside of granting wishes. The song also is to show that Magnifico is now going down the path of darkness due to his own insecurities and ego. Chris Pine does a great job with the song as he becomes more unhinged in every chorus.

• THERE IS NO SCENE WHERE SAKINA AND SABINO MEET STAR AND TALKING VALENTINO WTH!!! It jumps right to Asha giving Sabino his wish back, no lead in or setup.

•Then we go right to Magnifico breaking into Asha's house after being told she brought down the star. Again, there was no setup or lead in, it just happened.

•We don't even get to see Asha's mom's wish before Magnifico crushes it. It would have added more to the emotion of the scene to see what her wish was just as Magnifico destroyed it. This also shown to be the first time Magnifico has ever destroyed a wish. I chalk this up to his new powers influencing him to destroy it.

• Sabino mentions as they escape that Asha's father would be disheartened to see what Magnifico has done, implying that the father was a believer of Magnifico.

• Star holding Asha's chin as she blames herself for everything again makes me yearn for the Star Boy design.

• Magnifico having a hidden evil lair beneath his royal study is symbolism 101 but nice to see.

• Fun detail: When Magnifico grants Simon's wish, he uses the spear he made from forbidden magic and that in turns corrupts Simon's wish and thus Simon himself. We see instead of the usual blue, pink or other colors used to represent Magnifico's magic its is now the green evil magic, symbolizing that Simon's wish, though granted, is now corrupted as well.

• Simon turning on his friends is shown more as an effect of the forbidden magic Magnifico used.

• How do you have a wanted poster of Asha and not make a "they got my nose wrong" joke from Tangled.

• "My butt found it" - see this is why a lot of people thought this movie was written by AI.

•"Introverts need sanctuary too" - Hell yeah Bazeema

•"What I Know Now" is another decent song as I am a sucker for drum breaks and enjoy the revolutionary feel behind it.

• Apparently, to avoid corruption by the book of forbidden magic you have to wash your hands with obsidian oil before using the book. So to avoiding evil basically comes down to washing your hands, gee you think this movie was made during a pandemic or something. Overall, pretty lame way to defeat evil.

•The rule is "embrace forbidden magic once and you commit to it for eternity". I find it hard to believe that no one has tried to save someone corrupted by this forbidden magic before this.

• I notice that the more obvious Disney call backs happen at the last third of the movie. Before it was subtle but now it is super obvious.

• If we were not going to get a reprise of "At All Costs" then "This Wish" would make sense as it shows the kingdom getting behind Asha and standing up to Magnifico themselves. It is a decent song for what it needs to be.

•Again, I can't help thinking about Star's human design as they are sucked into Magnifico's staff. Imagine them taking one last glance at Asha before being sucked in to the staff, some good romantic build there.

• Simon's betrayal came down to him wanting to feel whole again after giving up his wish and essentially making a deal with the devil to make that happen. I get that people saw him differently and he would want to change that but how he acted with Asha and the others before Magnifico told the kingdom about the light and its apparent danger still made his turn feel off, we needed to see Simon struggle with how he feels and how others see him for it to make sense.

•So Star did not go back to the sky at the end, which does leave the door open for other adventures with Asha and others. Maybe star could turn human at the end (LOOK LET ME DREAM!)

Overall my thoughts on Wish have not really changed since I first viewed it. The movie is passable, a 6 or seven out of 10, a C+ to B grade. The animation is good, the story is fine and the characters do not bother me too much.

But for a movie that is supposed to represent 100 years of Disney animation, one of the most influential studios of all time, it is not wrong to say that we should have gotten more. This movie is missing one thing, that special sauce to put it over the top. It could've been a romance with a human looking Star, it could have been Amaya and Magnifico being a villainous couple, it could have been anything. Wish just needed that extra something to push past some of the pacing and story beats that drag it down such as the bad jokes and odd pacing. Maybe a better relationship between Asha and Star would be glue that held the movie together as most previous Disney film always had that main duo that kept you interested but Asha and this version of Star just don't click like a Moana and Maui or Anna and Elsa did.

I would give it a recommendation now that it is on streaming for an affordable price plus it does come with the deleted scenes and bonus materials. It's also clear to see that the team behind it was passionate about making this the best it could be and I applaud the team for that idea. I know others are going after them for not going through with certain concepts, but I think they did an okay job with what they had.

So yes I like Wish, it's not my favorite Disney movie but it's one I would not mind watching again and understand if it's someone's favorite. Hopefully the initial negativity towards the movie dies down and people actually give it a chance.

[foibles-fables]

happy aloy day y'all

this might be Thee Most Unpolished piece of writing I've ever shared, and it's got me a little bit nervy, but. I wanted to get something out for Aloy Day. I'm nowhere near satisfied with it, but I also wanna post about Talisah more than ever, so please enjoy this lil scribble?! Happy April 4th babeeeyyy

It’s not until years and years later that Aloy can be shaken from slumber without snarling and thrashing to defend herself. 

But Aloy survives. She fights, she mourns, she grows. Those years do pass—one and then another, step after step, a blur—like a slow walk that breaks gradually, seamlessly, into a run. Wounds heal where you can see them and where you can’t. Scarred, but always reaching for the light, she lets go, and lets herself begin to flourish.

And today (years and years, they echo behind her), she wakes calmly to a weight scrambling onto the bed and a quick jostle of her shoulder.

It’s past the time when she usually rises. Slowly, she coaxes her eyes open, squinting against the bold Meridian sun streaming in through the bedroom windows. As her vision clears, it settles on another pair of eyes, intent and bright, hovering very close. 

It’s the same amber gaze she’s grown used to waking up beside, reprised on a small face that Aloy knows is half her own—even if most couldn’t tell from a single glance.

Talisah, three years old and bursting with every bit of its energetic willfulness, leans in and speaks a little too loudly for the distance.

“It’s morning, momma.”

Aloy blinks hard and reels back from the near-shout with a soft, surprised laugh. Voice scratchy with oversleep, she says, “So it is, girl.” By habit, she lifts her finger to tap her daughter’s nose—Talisah scrunches her freckle-dusted face into a grin. It’s Talanah’s smile, through and through. “How come you’re waking me?”

She says, “For your birthday,” and Aloy feigns cluelessness. 

“Today’s my birthday?”

Talisah nods eagerly, scooting closer on her knees to crowd against Aloy. “Mama said.”

Aloy shifts to sit upright, pretending to ponder that for a moment. “Well. If mama said that, it must be true.” She gives the girl a big shrug. “I guess it’s my birthday.”

Satisfied with the concession and clearly raring to move on, Talisah retrieves a leaf of parchment from behind her and all but shoves it into Aloy’s face. “Here. Look!”

Once Aloy gets it held at a more suitable distance, the childlike and colorful pigment markings on the page take shape. Vivid blue sky, dazzling yellow sun (of course). A herd of four-legged machines grazes in a field full of sunflowers and the purple-petaled stems they keep in vases around their home. Among them stand four smiling human figures: three large, one small. 

And even though Aloy’s fairly sure she’s understood the concept, she asks anyway.

“This is so nice, Lis. Did you make it for me?” Talisah nods again, beaming. A few pieces of hair fall astray from her messy little tie-up. Aloy tucks them behind her ear. “Will you tell me about it?”

“It’s Grazers,” Talisah explains, nestling easily into the crook of Aloy’s elbow. She has grown so much, but she feels so warm and still fits just right. A crucial part of the new whole. “And us, petting them.” Of course. Putting her hands on any machine is her absolute favorite thing to do, in spite of Talanah’s cautious concern. “See momma, there’s Aunt Milu—” (she points at the tallest, broadest figure, scribbled in green) “—mama—” (long hair, tied back, holding a bow) “—you—” (red braids and a spear) “ —and me.” 

Her own smaller shape is standing closest to the Grazers, connected to Aloy’s at the hand.

And for the umpteenth time in three years, Aloy thinks of how unfathomable and effortless it is to love and to be loved this fiercely. Throat full of embers, she presses a kiss into Talisah’s silky black hair.

“I love this, little one,” she murmurs. “Is it alright if I keep it with me? In one of my pouches?”

“Yeah!” Talisah replies, puffed up with pride, snuggling closer into Aloy’s side. “Don’t rip it, please.”

“You have my word,” Aloy swears. Then, a thought strikes her. She contemplates the drawing again, trying to find what's missing. “Hey, hold on. What about Aunt Beta?”

Without missing a beat, Talisah points to another figure Aloy hadn’t noticed before—sitting a few paces away from the group in the shade of a boulder. “Got sunburn.”

Incredible. Aloy snorts out loud, imagining how Beta’s face will look when she sees it later. “That sounds about right.”

Talisah looks up at Aloy through her long lashes, expression as hopeful as any three-year-old’s could be. “Good birthday, momma?”

Truth be told, Aloy has celebrated very few of them. She’s only known when it actually is for less than a third of her life, and let it be known to others for an even smaller share. It’s always come and gone as a quiet turn of the world—she’s surrounded herself with people who understand why she prefers that, without needing to ask.

But with Talisah, that changed. She reflects her own contagious joy outwards, with no reason not to. A traditional Carja birthday celebration is her only context, and all comparisons are still simple. If for her, why not for everyone else?

And it still feels uncomfortable to acknowledge for Aloy her importance and worth for its own sake—to separate herself from the role she was given, and the ghost whose footsteps she followed. But the years have helped, and maybe it’s never supposed to be completely comfortable to untangle yourself from what’s laid out behind you. Maybe the point is to keep walking on through the rawness of it, and to keep trying.

Aloy looks down at the watchful child in her arms and tries. 

(She makes trying easy.)

“The best,” Aloy says, and means it. She lays a gentle palm on Talisah’s clean-scrubbed cheek. “Do you remember what the Nora do on their birthdays?” Talisah shakes her head, and her brow furrows in reflexive concentration, ready and eager to devour every new bit of information she is offered. “They spend the whole day celebrating their mothers. Would you like that? Giving mama and me gifts on your birthday?”

“Yes,” Talisah answers without hesitation. Then, less than a heartbeat later, with quiet uncertainty: “Would I still get mine?”

Aloy chuckles, rolling her eyes. Talisah’s life is full of safety and an abundance of affection, spoken and unspoken alike. Aloy would accept nothing less. “Of course you would, girl.”

For a moment, Talisah looks assured. Then she gives Aloy another thoughtful frown, a curious glint lighting her gaze.

“What about Elisabet, today?” she asks, sparking a connection between what she knows and the small ways she’s heard that story told. Someday Aloy will tell her the rest. “Your momma.”

It’s a marvel how smart she is. How quickly she cuts to the center of questions Aloy avoids asking herself. 

There’s an ache that comes with it, now. A flare of awareness—an old emptiness that no amount of longing ever could have filled. 

But where some parts linger empty, others run overfull. That, Aloy has learned, can be its own kind of wholeness. Words from long ago, in a voice that sounds like her own, resound gently into the present—into this world of Elisabet’s vision and Aloy’s fulfillment, the only world Talisah has ever known. 

(I would have wanted—her, to be…)

“I think Elisabet would want us to celebrate by going to see some Grazers.”

Talisah almost quivers with abrupt excitement, eyes wide and sparkling. Her hand slips into Aloy’s, gentle and warm. “Can we? Please?”

“We’ll ask mama.” Aloy gives her a reassuring squeeze. “Is she making breakfast? I hope so. I’m hungry.”

“Maize cakes. With honey and peaches.”

“Our favorite.” Aloy smiles and kisses Talisah’s head again. Then she sets the parchment aside and wraps her little daughter into a tight hug. “Thank you for my gift, Lis. I’m going to look at it all the time.” 

(It’s the truth. She will, and she’ll remember this morning.)

Talisah hugs her back, clinging to the soft-worn linen of Aloy’s shirt and burying her face against her chest. “Love you momma.”

Aloy’s heart swells—in that moment, like always, it’s enough to overwhelm every empty space she has ever felt or begun to forget.

“Wherever you go,” she whispers, a promise she’s made every day since Talisah came red-faced and screaming into this new and hopeful world, “I will follow.”

They lie cuddled close and quiet and content in the sunlight until Talanah calls them for breakfast.

Years and years ago, everything came open for this—this is the future that was worth fighting for.

[mylifeforchloe]

This a little abnormal for my blog as far as the kinds of posts I make, but I feel like this kind of a Public Service Announcement (PSA) is necessary for the fandom. Things like this make me really concerned-- not only for the LIS3:DE (new Max story) story that is going to be told, but also for the quality of working environment for those who work at Deck Nine.

Quotes from the linked article that bothered me...

[Edit: Original post was a link post with text after. I saw the link in the edit screen and scheduled the post. For some reason this caused the link to get removed when the article was actually posted. Editing to put the link in the original article. I also posted a follow up (before editing the original) to include the same info. Editing original for completeness only.]

Nazi imagery would be inappropriate in most games, but in a Life Is Strange title the dissonance was especially frightening.

...

According to over a dozen current and former employees across several departments, most of whom spoke to me on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal, Deck Nine’s management has long let a toxic work culture fester at the studio. They claim the C-suite has protected multiple abusive leaders, encouraged crunch, and allowed bullying of individuals advocating internally for more authentic representation in Life Is Strange.

...

When they saw this version of the [True Colors] scene, a number of people pushed back, arguing that the scene would unintentionally trigger associations with date rape.

...

“It took a three hour meeting in the writers room and one of the writers sharing an extremely personal story to get Zak to agree to get the content out,” said Littleton. “It wasn’t about us not wanting to have difficult topics in there, but Life Is Strange shines because that type of content is chosen extremely deliberately and it’s given runway, it’s given space to breathe. This detail is irrelevant to the plot, it would have been traumatic for players, and there was no space to unpack it. We don’t have time to talk about what it means for Alex to be roofied by a man she trusted.”

fuuu...

Another anonymous source recalled Garriss suggesting that this pushback was only occurring because he was making a game about a woman, and that he wouldn’t have to deal with this if he was making a game about Nathan Drake.

fuuuuu...

[After Garriss' quit voluntarily] Once news got out [that Deck Nine mamagement wanted to re-hire Garriss], the narrative team erupted. Multiple people begged management not to bring back Garriss in a series of meetings, messages, and emails. One person familiar with leadership at the company recalls HR stepping in, noting that management was actively underpaying a number of workers, especially women, while considering a massive salary for Garriss. HR allegedly suggested that Deck Nine could be legally liable for Garriss’ behavior if they invited him back after the bevy of reports. When the company CEO and CFO persisted in arguing that they needed Garriss, multiple writers handed in resignations.

fuuuuuuuuu...

And given that what we've seen in the teaser videos are either

Missing any reference to Chloe

Including a minimalist reference (like a photo on the wall)

Including an awkward reference (Safi? asking Max about the blue haired girl in the picture Max keeps.)

And given that

3a - Either Bay ending, Max keeps a photo of Chloe from before the storm, or

3b - Max keeps a photo of Chloe, but Chloe isn't in her life (possibly not in her life any longer.)

And given that

Costs of developing a story where Chloe is present in only half of the story (the Bae ending version) and the ripple effect that might have on the plot...

I simply do not believe that Chloe will be a meaningful component. And the choices Max is making across dimensions, and the risk of not getting back to Chloe if she were still alive and still part of Max's life... the plot shown doesn't make any sense to me.

So I wasn't going to buy LIS3 to begin with, not without a proper story that included Chloe's presence in Max's present life. And now, after this article, I'm even less likely to buy [anything from D9, ever again,] knowing the cultural depravity of the development studio.

I would, of course, love to be wrong on all counts.

[that-ari-blogger]

One Last Hurrah (I'm Not That Girl (Reprise), As Long As You're Mine)

Those who are familiar with my blog will know that I don't particularly agree with the concept of genre. I think it is restrictive, and the dynamicism of storytelling makes it less important for writers than the general public is aware for.

Wicked backs up my claim, I think. The opening number is a booming epic that Glinda switches to a more quiet tragedy, at which point the first act becomes a love story set in a boarding school. The second act mirrors this, slightly, crashing in with a full scale war that Glinda again pushes back to a love story. That same love story and love triangle then takes precedent in act two. Until it abruptly doesn't.

As Long As You're Mine is the finale of the romance arc of this story, and it centres around enjoying the life you have before change takes effect. Although, the romance is a love triangle, Elphaba and Fiyero get a song, but Glinda? Where does her romance end?

With Elphaba. The love story of this musical ends with Glinda thinking of Elphaba.

Let me explain.

SPOILERS AHEAD: (Wicked, Dead Poet Society)

"Don't wish, don't start Wishing only wounds the heart There's a girl I know He loves her so I'm not that girl"

Well gee, this looks familiar.

This is an interesting case of thematic association. Because on it's own, I'm Not That Girl (Reprise) isn't really that important or interesting. It's a nice melody about unrequited love, which is heartfelt and everything, but not really saying much.

But the word's "on it's own" are doing a lot of heavy lifting in that paragraph. This song is the reprise of an earlier number by the same name, and that means all of the meaning from that song gets carried over to this, and it gets to give its own take on those themes, which is interesting.

In the internet world of oversimplification and memes, one will probably come across the idea that teachers overanalyse things. The "the curtains are blue because he likes the colour blue" joke. The weird thing is, this joke is correct, but it misses the point entirely.

Yes, overanalysing media is exactly what folks like me do. Technically, you don't need to engage with anything more than the baseline of what you have been shown. If your takeaway from blue curtains is that the owner likes the colour blue, go for it, nobody is stopping you, and that is perfectly reasonable. The key, is that that approach is not inherently more or less valuable than an overanalytical one.

I will wager that blue curtains will evoke a certain emotion in you. Maybe they are a deep blue, like the night just before dawn, giving you a tired, more chill vibe. Maybe they are much lighter, like the sky, giving a more youthful atmosphere. Or maybe they do not match with the rest of the room at all, to comedic or unsettling effect.

The point I am making is that subtext exists, and you don't have to dwell on it, but its a vital part of how communication works. It's also usually a majour factor in engagement. So, at the very least, acknowledging it will help you understand why you do or don't like certain stories.

Once again, I turn to PBS's Wicked In Concert and recommend the versions of these songs from that. This version of I'm Not That Girl (Reprise) is sung by Gabrielle Ruiz, and is really good.

For the moment, however, I'd like to conduct a thought experiment. Imagine that Wicked is actually happening. This is a world where people spontaneously break into song and this isn't weird.

Do you have any idea how hard it is to make up a song once, let alone mimic a song that you were not present for?

In universe, there is only two ways Glinda would know this song. Either she overheard Elphaba pining, or Elphaba sang it to her. Take that as you will.

Exiting that thought experiment and back into overanalysing things because it is fun. I have another post about I'm Not That Girl and it's thematic implications (link), so check that out if it interests you, it will form a background for what I am saying here.

Essentially, I'm Not That Girl is the Jolene of musical theatre. It is a song about resignation, but it's core idea is this: Elphaba doesn't think of herself as beautiful or deserving of love. The person she associates with those qualities is Glinda herself. The song is essentially a biromantic heartbreak, when both of Elphaba's love interests love each other, and she can't bring herself to break that for either of them. That is the meaning ascribed to this song and these notes.

Now, Glinda sings the same melody, and it is suddenly flipped. She realises she has been outplayed in the romance game, but she can't bring herself to break it apart for either Fiyero, or Elphaba. The audience doesn't need to hear the same song again, just the highlight reel to let them know that these same emotions are being felt.

The song then cuts off, and is replaced by a much more active, much more passionate number, As Long As You're Mine. The meaning of which has been summed up best by my flatmate. "Reject society, bonk in a hedge".

That is kind of the entire point of this song, though, isn't it? Living in the moment in total freedom. It is proof that Elphaba isn't crazy, that there are others who see her dream, and that even if this goes wrong, the story will end with her happy.

Full disclaimer, I am asexual, so I cannot comment on the more intimate subtext of this song. I am aware it is happening, but I would rather stay away from the specific thematic significance of that, if that is ok.

The transition of this song comes through that repeated low note. It is hammered, like a war drum, and it drives home that urgency and collision of the two plots. This is the moment in which the musical goes from a romance to an epic, and that rhythm is a threat of what is to come.

Although it is notable that the swaying melodies of Elphaba and Fiyero overpower this drum, their love holding off the inevitable. Specifically, the instrument hitting the note changes from a piano to what my, admittedly lacking, musical knowledge thinks is a bass guitar. (Music scholars, please correct me on any of this). That change means that the heavy beat becomes distorted and stretched, as if time is stretching out.

"And just for this moment As long as you're mine I've lost all resistance And crossed some borderline. And if it turns out It's over too fast I'll make every last moment last As long as you're mine."

Would you look at that, there is even explicit lines in the song about stretching time out and seizing the day. Carpe Diem.

Dead Poet Society is one of the greatest films ever made, and that isn't just my Robin Williams bias speaking. Despite some elements that haven't aged well, the film is truly heart wrenching and has a meaning pretty similar to As Long As You're Mine.

As a side note, this film has a lot more similarities to Wicked than you think. It's about challenging unjust rules, and forging your own path. It's a film about personal freedom, essentially. Although it ends less than happily. It also has about the same amount of queer subtext as Wicked.

In any case, the central thematic of "Carpe diem, seize the day" tells its characters and its students to take life as it is, and live it to the fullest. It is about making the most out of limited time. Quite a lot like As Long As You're Mine.

The ending of Dead Poet Society is a tragedy. It ends with the death of a student and the loss of the teacher's job. But it also ends with hope. Things change in Dead Poet Society. The Latin teacher shifts up his lesson, the boys actually learn, and the "Oh captain, my captain" scene is synonymous with looking at the past and making the future better because of, and in spite of it.

That's a familiar ending, isn't it. The main character dies, and the people in their life resolve to make the world better because of the life they lived. In Wicked, the death isn't permanent, because this is a gospel and no main character in a gospel can ever stay dead for more than a few days.

That motif of making time last is reflected in the music as well. Each stanza has a squash and stretch thing going on with the formation. The triplet brings the three notes within together and plays them faster than is normal, making them feel like they are stumbling over each other, falling forwards, until that held note at the end evens out the pace. Things are moving quickly, but it is a conscious decision. to slow down.

Those held notes also create a feeling of clarity in the music. Once again, music knowledge ain't my forte, but to me, this seems like it is working in a similar fashion to key frame animation. Each held note is the crux of the phrase, and the rest is just making up the difference.

Which means that there is a neat little progression going on here. The first phrase, "kiss me too fiercely" contains two, a B flat on "fierce" and an octave fall to another B flat on "ly", as Elphaba tries to fly away, but is brought back down. Then there is the F on "tight", and the E flat on the latter third of "believing", before the stanza links back to B flat for "tonight".

This, according to google, forms a B flat chord with a suspended fourth, which loops back on itself to form a stable, self-enclosed sentence that descends to keep itself together.

The second phrase operates within the same notes but changes the inflection slightly.

That last note creates an upward inflection to prepare the audience for the chorus, rising into it to set up a crashing theme of power and freedom that... doesn't arrive yet.

Instead, we get the same notes repeated, mostly. It's a quiet moment, an E flat that rises to an F for "borderline", then to a high C for "fast", before resolving back to F and then down to a lower C.

Ok music scholars help me with this please. The sheet music that I have found for this song (link) claims the second part of "fast" is a C flat, which my piano app tells me doesn't exist. Any clarification on this would be really nice.

In short, this is understated, and this isn't the first time we've heard an understated first chorus in a Wicked love song, is it? That's how the first chorus of Defying Gravity sits, before Glinda joins Elphaba and pushes her to new confidence.

Which leads me back to my point. Elphaba relies on other people, she needs Fiyero to comfort her, but also to prove she is right. That's the moment she is cherishing.

When Fiyero joins in, he literally makes the song more hopeful by changing the key signature from E flat majour to C majour. He is more graceful and easy with this. He is the rock that Elphaba is anchored to and that supports her.

As such, that final chorus looks like this:

"Just for this moment. As long as you're mine. Come be how you want to, and see how bright we shine. Borrow the moonlight, until it is through. And know I'll be here holding you. as long as you're mine."

Freedom. Come be how you want to, I'll be there to support you. This is a musical about dreams and reality colliding, and this song is the victory lap of things going well. One small dream has become real, that being the desire for love. And if one is possible, what else can Elphaba do?

On a related note, if Fiyero is the rock that grounds and supports her, what might happen if he is taken away?

FINAL THOUGHTS

Bear with me. Chord analysis is new to me, so if that was completely false, please let me know. As a behind the curtain thing, this blog exists as a place for my hyper fixations to breathe, but also to help me learn more about this whole analytical thing. So, any advice from people who are more knowledgeable than me would be greatly appreciated.

You may note that I didn't talk that much about Fiyero, and there is a reason for that. Honestly, I don't think Fiyero's character in the second act of this musical is that interesting. I'm sure there is lots to talk about with him, but to me, he has been reduced to "love interest for the main character", which I find less captivating as "jock on the verge of an existential breakdown". That's just my opinion.

Next week, I will be looking at No Good Deed, the first true clash of dreams and reality, and Elphaba's breaking point. So stick around if that interests you.

Previous - Next

[wings-of-sapphire]

ANNY ANNY OHMIGOSH

LIVE CHAPTER 16 REACTION

GO CHECK OUT @annymation’s “KINGDOM OF WISHES” REWRITE

(Spoiler warning for Wish and ig some Hazbin Hotel and The Owl House too since I reference them)

(Regular warning bc MATE THIS IS LONG AS FUCK)

(Oh also swear warning)

That gif of Magnifico in the beginning looks way too adorable to be a psychopath

SCREAMS YES instead of “ow my chest has heartburn” I NEED THE GUT-WRENCHING SCREAMS

LIKE VAGGIE HAVING HER WINGS RIPPED OFF SCREAMS

UGH he’s evil but he loves his wife

WAIT IS HE GONNA BRAINWASH HER INTO BEING A PRINCESS

DRAWING YES IS IT GONNA BE THE MAGIC CARPET

Oh bubbles that works too (also irony)

Imma trust that Valentino made it in a bubble too bc YOU ARE NOT killing off the animal sidekick okay I would rather Magmaya win than Val be killed

YES BABY IS OKAY

Man Dahlia you gonna leave your mother behind?

”ANOTHER PERSON I LOVE” YES GIVE US THAT CONFESSION ASHA

Disney Channel

It’s giving Onward

OOH or Frozen yk Elsa and the staircase scene

NOOO ASTER BABY

“Love of his life” DAM YOU ANNY WHY MAKE OUR BOY SUFFER

Amaya is channeling her inner Gothel rn

Ooh I love Lydia the Bard!

ARGH THEY’RE EVIL BUT THEY LOVE EACH OTHER

Mysterious language? Star dialect?

”Last star I see tonight” ANNY

AHAKSJAKS THIS IN A MINOR KEY

ASTER BABY THE SCREAMS

Oh so they’re becoming Stars interesting

CALLING HER A WITCH OUTRIGHT

Dam Eris was one of my first fictional crushes (bisexual ass) so now I’m wondering if Amaya should be one too

”Hate but also love” it’s giving “Out For Love” by Carmilla

But Magmaya is out for love too… SHEJWJSKJS COUPLE GOALS IF THEY WEREN’T MENTALLY DERANGED

SINGING AT THE SAME TIME >>>>>

THE TROPE EVER

LIKE A MADRIGAL BUT SAME VIBES

Noooo Aster

Hey orchestra of stars above where the heck are you

Aster I love you but they have no humanity left

HE’S DYING ASHA GIVE HIM THE TRUE LOVE’S KISS

YOU BOTH CONFESSED MAKE IT BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Yikes Amaya you’re usually the brains now you’re choosing to spare her?

Ig since you’re in love it would be torture for you but cmon girl

FUCKING “I LOVE YOU” NO WHERE’S THE FUCKING MAGIC OF TRUE LOVE WHY IS HE NOT REVIVING

AGSJAJSKSJS IT’S GIVING LUZ NOCEDA

Oop gotta add a ToH spoiler warning now too ig

Brb

Okay back YK THE LIGHT ORB SHE FADES INTO

AND WE GOT ASHA PARALLEL TO AMITY HOLDING HER SOULMATE’S SOUL GLOW THING

AHSJAJSKS HAVE ASHA GO EDA/ KING FERAL

SHE FUCKING CONFESSED BACK ANNY MAKE THEM ALIVE AGAIN

Omfg battle outfit (AND MORE! THAN! JUST! SPARKLES!)

Omg yeah the dress fits so well with the star-chest thing

SHE HAS PUPILS idk why I was so hyped about that

IT’S GIVING “You’ll Be in My Heart”

VAL BABY

Wait next chapter? This seems like the conclusion Anny I’m scared

Omigosh these two royal idiots in love

I I bet they’re giggling and holding hands while destroying precious memories of their citizens

”Feels something changing” eh? Sorry it’s just canon!Wish didn’t give us much but the novelization is very AshaxDahlia heavy

YES SIMON HELPS THAT WOULD’VE MADE HIS MOVIE COUNTERPART BETTER

HE STANDS UP AND SINGS AND PROVES HE’S WILLING TO GO AGAINST MAGGIE

THE YOUNG GENERATION IS SINGING IT, BREAKING THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE

Although Asha has her Sabino… maybe ghosts/ spirits of her loved ones? I always imagined the scene “A Wish Worth Keeping” would have her family’s spirits (in blue) smiling and cheering her on… sparkly ofc

YES this scene in the movie was my favorite bc it FELT DRAMATIC

I said before “Knowing What I Know Now” was my fav but Anny I changed my mind “Wish (Reprise)” is my favorite

YES TAKE BACK YOUR KINGDOM FROM THE STRAIGHT WHITE FOLK (Amaya is Greek… what is Magnus? I’m assuming white too)

SWORD YES make it Prince Phillip’s

Gotta admit that falling wish scene in the movie was gorgeous, reminded me of Wall-E

Wait omigosh Asha looks so pretty in that photo where did you get that

*stares at it for hours bc she looks gorgeous*

Referenced as a wand now!

Smiling as she falls bc she knows HER BAE WILL CATCH HER

HOW are they not dead. The gays only have the power of plot armor

So it was nighttime okay

AW HE CARES FOR HER

Yep definitely giving Belos

NOW I WANT TO SEE A KOWxTOH CROSSOVER

Told you idiots you shouldn’t have spared her. Pride really does come before the fall

Seriously Gothel wasn’t a pussy she stabbed Flynn why didn’t you stab Asha (sorry bby just wondering how they’re so stupid)

THAT’S what you’re worried about man

HE WANTS TO KEEP AMAYA SAFE IN HIS ARMS AND PROTECT HER AT ALL COSTS

Lol I’m just imagining a giant whoosh of power and light and Amagnus squeezes their eyes shut waiting for a painful death and then they just. Sneeze. Itchy magic glitter poof

Is this a reference to a past Disney movie? They’re really going the PJO route huh

DAM ANNY THAT’S HARSH

Uh. Wow. Okay Aster I guess they did kill you

Yay we have the citizens standing up!

Wait you make your wish at 18 was this women pregnant really early orrrr

Later? Oh goodness I’m worried for the next chapter

Uh Starsha is being a bit sadistic and Amaya is sobbing for her love…

MAGGIE TURN AND COMFORT YOUR WIFE

Oh btw is Magnus part Spanish? “Mi vida” since Amaya is Greek…

NO NO DANCE PARTY I DON’T TRUST YOU YET

Someone get Gabo some therapy mate

NO WHAT

ASTER WHAT

NO THE STARS WILL COME DOWN AND LEGO BATMAN HIS ASS

VIOLIN-STAR TELL THEM THAT THEY FOUND LOVE AND THEREFORE THEY WILL STAY

WHY DID HE SAY IT SO SOFT AND MATURE WHERE IS MY GOLDEN RETRIEVER BOY

DID HE HEAR ASHA TELL THEM SHE LOVED THEM? DOES SHE HAVE TO DO IT TO MAKE HIM STAY?

”Love is all they needed” Amaya you’re clever but this was all sort of your fault witch

FUCK YOU MAGNUS COMFORT YOUR WIFE OFH WAIT TOO LATE

Tbh I would’ve agreed with Gabo had they injured Val in some way

YEAH THEY DESERVE IT BUT THEY GOT THE PERCY JACKSON HEPHAESTUS CHAIR TREATMENT

Discord DID turn to stone too… how about they turn to stone and THEN get pushed off a cliff

OKAY that was long but it was good

Uh I’m scared for the next chapter? We get Amable’s backstory so do they escape? Will Asha become the FG? Will Aster get LEGO Batman-d by the school marching band of Stars? Is their magic the North Star magic? SO MANY QUESTIONS

Overall though great job Anny! This has been an amazing journey and I can’t wait for the final chapter!

[fireworkss-exe]

so I saw heathers tonight

they played riot grrl music, the smiths, and stevie nicks before the show started

veronica wore a beret in beautiful

a few of my friends were in the ensemble and one of them pointed directly at me and two other friends in the audience during the "homo, homo, homo" part

BUTCH TRANSMASC JD WITH A MULLET! I REPEAT BUTCH TRANSMASC JD WITH A MULLET!!!!!!

miss fleming was at the party making drinks for the kids? and hooked up with one of them????

chandler put veronica in a headlock during the post-big fun fight

jd SCREAMED when veronica came in through the window during dead girl walking (and again during the part where he typically says "ow")

chandler had bunny slippers on during her death and a duran duran poster in her room

they used actual blue liquid (gatorade?) for the death scene and it got all over chandler's mouth and chin

chandler also put "boy" in quotes while saying "boy toy" in reference to jd

the cops just wore shirts that said POLICE on them in big letters

fleming wore a "RIP HEATHER" shirt with chandler's face on it (it was glittery)

duke's costume change was SO SMOOTH omg

kurt and ram happily skipped offstage after the "misapproving world" line

the guns had REAL SMOKE

kurt and ram had white boxers with red hearts on them

jd wasn't all that physically intimidating but he got SCARY during our love is god. I was actually fearing for my life in the 5th row

one of the gay dads took off his pants and revealed he was wearing rainbow underwear in dead gay son

GLOW STICK WANDS IN SHINE A LIGHT

shine a light reprise was hard to take seriously bc the bathroom stall had the word PENIS scrawled on in super big letters right next to mac

martha sounded JUST LIKE anna kendrick in kindergarten boyfriend

duke said "ew!" when veronica kissed her

martha had a huge motorized scooter decorated with streamers, balloons, etc

kurt, ram, and chandler hugged during seventeen reprise

veronica held duke's hand and led her up to the front at the end of seventeen reprise

[llliiinnnaaa]

Reprisal | Chapter Four | Part One

coriolanus snow x gaul oc

Summary: Ten years after the Tenth Hunger Games, Coriolanus Snow is under Dr. Volumnia Gaul’s wing as a Gamemaker alongside her niece. Unbeknownst to either of them, they’re both being prepared for a much greater task.

Warning: This story will contain explicit violence against adults and children alike (I mean, it’s Dr. Gaul AND Snow) as well as explicit language, and sexual situations.

***This fic is in no way, shape, or form, me endorsing or co-signing the horrific shit Snow does, nor am I trying to romanticize it. Also, apathy and will be the main driving force of any remnants of a relationship between my OC and Snow’s character. So if you’re interested in something very romantic and fluffy…it’s not gonna be this.

Enjoy!

      One Month Earlier 

     Sleepy brown eyes open slowly, nearly widening at the sight of the man asleep next to her. 

Bits and pieces from the night come back to her in a blur before her face heats up at the realization that they’re both very much naked.

She’s got the soft duvet from his bed covering her, she glances at him and blushes, looking away immediately before gently putting a good bit of covers over him. 

She doesn’t want to wake him or disturb him, their day yesterday having been exhausting. 

He needed the rest. 

Brown eyes carefully study the sleeping features of the infamous Coriolanus Snow. 

He doesn’t seem as stoic or iron-fisted when he sleeps, not as impatient or dismissive. 

Though she had learned through the weekend that he wasn’t always so stoic. 

In fact, the motivation for her kissing him in the first place was the wide grin on his plush lips, it made the corners of his icy blue eyes crinkle, and the laugh that followed…she had kissed him first, but he’d chased after her lips when she went to pull away. 

It’s how they ended up in the floor the morning before, tangled up, spent, and hungover. 

But yesterday evening there were no drinks to blame their actions on, nor coax him to grin and smile and laugh as he had when he was drunk. 

No, all his smiles and chuckles were a result of her. 

Part of her didn’t expect him to even enjoy sex. 

He always came across too strict to find pleasure in anything other than giving her headaches over work. 

She learned quickly that liquor wasn’t the only thing that made him grin or laugh. 

Her fingertips run along the heavy gold of his wedding band where it rests on his finger, she’s sure the shape of it is probably indented into her skin on her throat or her thighs from where he gripped onto her while she pleaded with him. 

One moment she would beg for him to stop, that it was too much, then the next she was begging him not to stop, that it was so good. 

And it was. 

Part of her is tempted to ask him where he learned how to fuck, because she couldn’t imagine any hoity toity Capitol big-shots doing the things he did — not even her husband did the things he did. 

She didn’t even know if Dyess knew how to do some of those things. 

Coriolanus Snow was excellent at disguising his filth, she knew that, now, and had added it to the mental list of things he was good at. 

Those sharp clothes and styled curls, scent of roses following after him, perfect etiquette and manners, composure…it was all thrown aside, replaced with a greedy man that enjoyed watching desperate and hungry tears stream across her face as he finished himself down her throat, a lazy smile painting his relaxed features at the feeling, long fingers pulling from her hair while he hoarsely whispered, “Good girl,” before eyeing her like his prey and returning the favor, devouring her until she saw stars. 

That was something else that took Tawny by surprise. 

He enjoyed her enjoyment. 

It was surely all a rush for his ego, a boost of confidence, to see the sparkle of her big diamond wedding ring — the physical embodiment of her commitment and loyalty to Dyess Crane — as she wrapped her fingers around Coriolanus’ length, or touched herself whilst wantonly moaning out his name. 

His eyes would light up upon the little noises that would escape her throat, every little tremor that would run up her spine, every sharp intake of breath, every whimper and whine, every tear. 

He would taunt her, “does that feel good?” to which she would nod fervently, unable to form words, too fucked out on the harsh and deep strokes he knew would have her wailing like a bitch in heat, while he drank up the sight of her. 

Asleep, he’s a different man. 

A peaceful man. 

The peace is interrupted by the abrupt ring of the telephone on the nightstand next to her. 

He awakens with a heavy breath, eyes still shut as he reaches over her and fumbles for the phone before he answers, “Snow residence.”

She can tell by the expression on his face and the girly voice she can hear every now and then that it’s his wife. 

If she had any sense she would take it as her queue to slither from under him, get out of the bed, and start getting dressed.

Instead she selfishly takes advantage of his exposed neck, pressing her lips to the skin there.

“Okay, darling, that’s alright.” He assures Livia sweetly, keeping his thoughts as narrow as possible.

She talks a moment more.

“I can’t wait to see them.” He says, next, falling back to the mattress in an attempt to shake Tawny off of him. 

She is now just the woman he sees when he’s bored. 

“Okay, I’ll see you tonight. I love you, too.” He says it softly, sweetly.

Tawny nearly smiles at the words, sounding so innocent from him. 

“Bye, darling.” He finishes. 

He hands Tawny the phone, a single finger over his lips, telling her to keep quiet, and she reaches over and puts the phone back on the hook. 

“Don’t do that again.” He states, referring to her kissing him while he was on the phone with his wife.

“Do you really love her?” It’s not sarcastic or smug, nothing used as a way of bragging about their predicament.

He knows her intent isn’t to ask, “if you truly loved her, you wouldn’t be here with me, right?”

She’s genuinely asking him if he loves his wife. 

“As best I can, I suppose.” He replies, honestly, watching as she scoots closer to him, reaching for his hands. “What about you? Do you love Dyess?” 

“As best I can, I suppose.” She mirrors his answer, understanding what he means. “Next month is our anniversary. Fourteen years.”

His brows sink slightly realizing an insignificant commonality between them. 

“I got married at twenty, too.” He mumbles. 

“Yeah?” She smiles at the thought of a younger Snow, bright eyed and bushy-tailed, marrying Livia Cardew with the hope of a successful marriage. “I wish I wouldn’t have married that young.” She confesses, twisting his wedding band around his finger. 

“Why do you say that?” 

He didn’t mind getting married as young as he did — he knew some people married a lot younger than that, especially in the districts. 

Twenty was a good age for him to find a partner and settle down.

It helped to mature him to his peers, make him look like he had things more put together and in line. 

“We got married because I got pregnant.” She whispers, gauging his reaction. 

He doesn’t have much of one to express other than a casual, “Oh.” 

A few days ago he might’ve been somewhat surprised by the scandal, especially since she’s Dr. Gaul’s niece and should have had a clean record of responsible decisions, but all his mind can think of is her on top of him, his hands having groped her bouncing chest as she begged him to finish in her, deliberately tightening around him to the point he almost couldn’t move in her. 

He had nearly thrown her off of him, scolding her for being so reckless, that neither of them could afford to get caught. 

No, her confession doesn’t surprise him in the least.

“What happened?” He asks it, now, unaware that she had a child to begin with. 

He had never heard her talk about it. 

There weren’t any family pictures or scribbled drawings created by little hands, hanging proudly in her office like many of their colleagues with children…though, he supposes, this child she speaks of is thirteen by now.

That might explain the lack of elementary scribbles pasted in her office. 

He can see reality settling on her features, dropping his hand and sitting up as she murmurs, “I better go.” 

It was clear she wanted to avoid that conversation, so he let it be, watching as she sits up, turning to look at him over her shoulder. 

“Can you not look?” She asks him shyly. 

It almost makes him laugh, but he closes his eyes, giving her time to gather her clothes and step to the bathroom. 

Once she gets out, she’s dressed in her work clothes she wore to meet him on Friday. 

It’s Sunday now. 

He tugs his pants on, quickly following after her as she heads for the front door, pulling her heels on. 

“Dr. Crane,” He stops her, grabbing her hand, “I wouldn’t want this to interfere with either of our future opportunities…”

“…I won’t tell a soul.” She whispers it  surely, preferring not to let anyone know she’s in Coriolanus Snow’s pocket when she’s not in her husband’s. “I promise.” It’s added gently, earning a nod from him as he drops her hand. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning, Mr. Snow.” 

Dr. Crane. 

Mr. Snow . 

It feels somewhat forbidden to address one another so professionally after spending the weekend together as they have. 

But it also acts as a reassurance that things won’t change between them. 

“See you tomorrow.” 

     Livia Snow now fumbles with her diamond bracelet wrapped around her wrist, awaiting the door to be answered as she, her husband, and his cousin, Tigris, stand patiently. 

“How long does it take to answer a door?” He mumbles, glancing at his watch. 

“You wanted to arrive almost thirty minutes early, Coriolanus, so you need to be nice and understand that they might be a bit busy at the moment.” Tigris says calmly, nudging him gently with her elbow before politely knocking again. 

“Coming!” Tawny shoves the triangle shaped diamond the size of a quarter into her ear, heels clicking on the dark marbled floor. 

The door swings open, her darkly lined eyes widening as she wishes she would have looked through the peephole beforehand. 

She had fully expected the Plinths to arrive thirty minutes early, not the Snows. 

“Sorry, we’re a bit early, Dr. Crane.” Tigris apologizes, glancing over Tawny’s attire for the evening with shimmering eyes of adoration. 

Coriolanus has to keep himself from also glancing over it, instead extending the gift Livia had preferred for him to carry while she carried the crystal vase of lush white roses. 

“These are for you and Dr. Crane.” Snow pipes. 

“Thank you so much. You didn’t have to do that.” She says truthfully, her hand that’s covered by a silkie black glove that goes above her elbow, reaches out and accepts the gift and the flowers, stepping aside to let them in as she pipes, “Please, come in. Dinner is not yet ready, but Dyess is in the parlor swimming in dark liquor with my father while I’m hiding from my mother. So, feel free to also do either one of those.” She adds quietly, earning a small snicker from Livia until Tawny turns her back to them, in which Snow’s wife then shoots Coriolanus a look that screams, “what have we gotten ourselves into?” 

Following his cousin’s advice, it’s  now him that’s giving his wife a, “be nice,” look, glancing around the apartment. 

He’d only been once, when Dyess was away. 

He locks those memories away to avoid making himself miserable. 

“Do you need help with anything, Dr. Crane?” Tigris offers, to which Tawny replies, “Please, Tigris, it’s Tawny — and no, thank you.” 

It’s when Livia is looking over Tawny’s collection of finely painted porcelain plates on display in the hutch right outside her parlor that Coriolanus steals a glance over at Tawny. 

Dark, waved hair parted more to the side than usual, the thinner side of the part pinned behind her ear to show off the big diamond Dyess had bought her. 

Her top was strapless, fitted around her chest and slightly more flowy along her abdomen, stopping above her hips before pants of the same material kept her covered down to her heeled feet. 

She feels his eyes on her, looking at him in a moment of lost resolve before she’s turning her back to him  to grab the wine glasses from the cupboard, showing the smooth skin of exposed shoulder blades, and top half of her spine. 

Tigris notices him noticing Tawny, and he looks at his cousin and immediately turns back to his wife who hasn’t any idea the exchange had taken place. 

Furrowing blonde brows, Tigris glances once more at Tawny, then back to Coriolanus who’s now whispering with Livia. 

“Tawny?!” Her mother’s voice echos in the apartment, Coriolanus and Livia looking in the direction of her voice. 

“Yes, mother?” Tawny’s voice stresses the word passive aggressively as she ducks behind Tigris’ tall frame. 

“Are the Plinths here?!” 

“No, mother, not yet!” Tawny shouts back, irritation getting the best of her. 

“Tawny, don’t shout at your mother!” Dyess loudly scolds her.

“Why don’t you just stay in the parlor and keep throwing them back, dear?!” She hollers back. 

Livia’s eyes bulge at their bickering in front of company before Dyess is nearly running into her, barreling out of the parlor, whiskey in hand. 

The expression on his face lets their company know that he hadn’t realized they’d come in. 

Immediately his frustrated look fades to a smile, extending his hand to Livia as he pipes, “Dr. Snow, it’s good to see you.”

“You, too, Dr. Crane, thank you for inviting us.” She politely replies, Dyess’ dark blue hues twitching every slightly, confirming to Coriolanus that he didn’t invite them. 

Tawny had thought that up all on her own – and judging by their fighting, he isn’t happy they were invited…he isn’t happy Coriolanus was invited, in particular, he can see that when Dyess looks at him and grits out, “Mr. Snow.” 

“Dr. Crane.” 

Perhaps a handshake would be appropriate, polite…but it doesn’t occur from either man. 

“Would you like a drink?” He asks. 

“No, not tonight, thank you.” Snow says, smiling tightly. “I wouldn’t particularly enjoy being sloppy and embarrassing my wife.” 

Anyone else would take it as Coriolanus making a joke about himself being a cheap drunk, but Dyess knows he meant it as a dig toward him. 

“That’s a wise thought.” A man who looks identical to Dr. Gaul breaks their interaction, outstretching his hand to Coriolanus. “Tiberius Gaul. How do you do?” 

“Coriolanus Snow, and well, sir.” Snow shakes his hand. “Dr. Gaul’s brother, I presume?”

Tawny stops what she’s doing when she hears Coriolanus ask the question, her eyes finding Tigris’ as she asks, “Is my father speaking to your cousin?”

“Twin brother, actually.” Tiberius nods, grinning. “You’re General Crassus Snow’s boy Strabo brags on just about any chance he gets.” He adds. 

Coriolanus puffs his chest up at the mention of it before he rests his hand at the small of Livia’s back, stating, “Mr. Gaul, this is my wife, Livia.” 

“Hello, Mr. Gaul, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” She beams as she always had when meeting someone new.

“Dad,” Tawny’s stepping toward them, gently grasping her father’s arm and pulling him away from Snow, “Can you help me with something in the kitchen real quick?” 

“Is dinner ready yet, Tawny?” Her mother’s stepping from the hallway, adorned in a deep green long-sleeved dress that fits to her body and stops at her calf muscles. “I’m famished and I need my wine.” 

She has to be at least fifteen years younger than Tiberius, less wrinkled and more lively than what he had expected.

Then her green eyes fall to Coriolanus. 

“And who might you be?” She eyes him like a shark circling prey. 

It makes him feel violated. 

“Coriolanus Snow.” He greets her the same as he had her husband, within milliseconds, Tawny is yanking her away from him before he can even introduce her to his wife. 

“Mother, I need help in the kitchen.” Tawny drags her while the woman pipes, “I’m Minerva, it’s lovely to meet you!”

Tiberius has now struck up conversation with Tigris, though Tawny doesn’t mind her father speaking to Tigris, she just hadn’t wanted him to relive his glory days serving under Crassus Snow during the war, and take the late head of the Snow household’s son down that memory lane. 

She didn’t know how well that would bode with Coriolanus. 

“You know, if you would get Avoxes, Tawny, you wouldn’t be running late. You’d have more help.” Minerva informs her for the umpteenth time since this one visit. 

“I don’t want them in my house.” She hisses back. “Dyess?!” 

“Yes?” He calls back, moving between Snow and Livia to step to the kitchen. 

“Is this finished?” She asks him, opening the oven. 

“I don’t know, Tawny.” He huffs, eyeing the roast. 

“Um…” Tigris takes it upon herself to grab the oven mit on the counter and lean down, pulling the rack out of the oven. 

“Here.” Tawny hands her a pair of tongs, to which she presses on the highest point of the roast and presses down a few times. 

“It’s about medium, now, Tawny.” The blonde informs her. 

“Oh, please, take it out. We’ll already lose teeth trying to bite into that thing.” Minerva grumbles. 

“It’s okay to take out, Tigris. Thank you very much.” Tawny ignores her mother as Tigris lays the dish on the hotpad on the counter. 

“Steak would have been more appropriate, as well. We aren’t in the Dark Days anymore.” Her mother continues as Dyess nods out a, “I told her and she didn’t listen, Mrs. Gaul.”

“Mini, roast is just fine.” Tawny’s father reigns his wife in, glancing at Dyess dismissively. 

“Coriolanus and I prefer roast to Steak, anyway.” Tigris assures her. “I’m certain the Plinths won’t mind it, either.” 

“The Plinths can kick rocks.” Tawny says under her breath, grabbing the stack of plates to go set the table. 

“I can help with something,” Livia surprisingly offers, she and Coriolanus having made their way to the kitchen to join everyone else. 

“The wine.” Minerva volunteers her, grabbing the corkscrew from the drawer. 

Tawny leaves them, letting out a heavy breath in the peace of the dining room, a beat later, Snow joins her, his cousin’s eyes following after him as he follows after Tawny. 

“Can I do something?” Coriolanus’ low voice doesn’t startle Tawny, her lips rubbing together upon hearing it. 

“You can stop looking at me.” She replies, raising her brows. 

“Looking at you?” He asks. 

“Like you’ve seen me without clothes.” She states, saying it so quietly it’s nearly mouthed. “We said we wouldn’t do this anymore.”

“Me looking at you does not equate to me bending you over the table.” He says in the same quiet tone, arguing. 

“It makes me feel all the same so just stop .” It’s a flustered confession as she lays a plate down, a confession that has his jaw clenching momentarily. 

He wonders if she’s going to screw Dyess tonight while thinking of him, or if she’ll outright forgo Dyess altogether and bring herself pleasure with Coriolanus’ name on her soft lips. 

“Snow.” She gripes through her teeth, her skin prickling under his intense, smug eyes. 

A knock at the door pulls their sight from one another, she shoves the plates into his chest as she mutters, “That’s your family,” and goes to answer the front door. 

[saph-soph]

Heathers: the musical

I just finally watched it (with Dan Domenech) after having only ever watched the movie, heard some of the songs, watching some clips and a recap, and I loved it!

Some of the things I loved:

• It turns out that this is the first musical I have ever watched fully. Having seen clips does not give one the full picture, as it turns out. I loved the things in between the scenes, which I knew. Like the scenes, where Veronica was trying to keep people (Martha and Madonna) away from JD for their own safety.

• I loved the songs. I already knew some iconic ones, such as "Beautiful", "Candy store", "Meant to be yours" and "Dead girl walking: reprise". But I never knew about such gems as "You make my balls feel blue" (or smth), Martha's song (idk the name), "Our love is god" and many more. Also, I have gained a new appreciation for "17" and "Dead girl walking". I was never that into them, but seeing the show as a whole really makes you feel them.

• I loved the scene of the guys' funeral. How, as JD mentioned, it brought a lot of good. How the dads used to hook up and are now again doing so. How the dad(s) advocated for their sons, saying that they weren't "perverted" or "dirty" for being gay and that they still went to heaven. And, of course, how Jesus was cool with everything. It is a great scene.

• I loved the way bullying is depicted here. They were literally telling Madonna to go and khs. I loved the theme of "war", which was started by JD and 'Ronica in "Our love is god"(I believe). How it was then treated as a bullying situation (how, when Veronica ended it, she meant everyone becoming nicer and treating each other better, thus making highschool a less toxic (which it was oh so) place), which Veronica ended alone, because JD was part of the problem (he tried to help, but did not know how to, so it only made things worse).

• I loved the JD x Veronica relationship here. From the movie and clips of this I did not really get their relationship, they just were in my opinion, but here. Here I loved the beginning of their relationship (on "Dead girl walking") and the theme of "Our love is god" and "I worship you" on JD's side.

• I think it's lovely, how they decided they were both damaged, but really - she was never as broken as him. I love how she was the only good thing in his life, how he did all of the things he did, because he wanted to protect Veronica (e.g. he killed the guys, because they made her cry). And, when he thought she was dead, he decided to finish, what they (he) started, because this society took her from him, it broke her, and he couldn't forgive it for that. He even said "I can't do this alone..." in "Meant to be yours", because it was all for her, and without her, what would be the point? And "Still I will, if I must" because now the point is revenge. First it was to protect her, but now it was to avenge her.

• I love how "I wish we'd met before they convinced you life is war". Because it genuinely is so true. I love their reconciliation period, because it gives us (me) hope for the former statement to have happened. That she can fix him, and that everything will be okay. They are alive and well, graduate together, go to college together and just be happy. But then we see, that it really was impossible. The statement was just wishful thinking after all, and JD could not be fixed (maybe a licenced specialist could have, but it is still not guaranteed). I love, how, in the end, he still saved her, sacrificing his life for her (*cough* "I'll trade my life for yours" *cough*). How after all that'd happened, their break up, her literally faking her death and then shooting him, and ruining his plan, that he only ever made for her, he still chose to save her.

• I love, how JD's love for Veronica had been so heavily emphasized the whole show. In "Our love is god", in him killing people not on random, but only ones, who hurt her, in him trying for her, agreeing not to kill anyone else, just because she asked him not to (he failed, but point for effort), in him train his life for hers, as I've talked about already.

• I love how they were such a tragedy and had so much potential! I love their, brief as it was, time together. They will always be famous. They will always be number one in my heart.

So in conclusion I am now officially a JD fan girl and a fan of Broadway musicals in general. Hope to see many more soon! 💋

[amayzingmayzie]

Sometimes I think about my Starlight Express song opinions so here they are:

(PLEASE NOTE THAT I AM AMERICAN SO I CAN ONLY WORK WITH SO MUCH)

Rolling Stock makes me feel manly- something about it makes me wanna pump some fucking iron

Call Me Rusty is adorable and is a better introduction to Rusty than Crazy. Call Me Rusty points out his stubbornness and willpower to win, while also showing that the coaches show genuine concern to his condition and don't just go "man this kid is fuckin insane"

If you think I Got Me is "too empowering," You're weird. I understand thinking it's a little odd for setting up Dinah's character, but there's a difference between that and "oh the women are too independent." I think my biggest problem with I Got Me is that there are not coach intros.

I like Lotta Locomotion for what its worth. It's just a cute lil intro song

Whole Lotta Locomotion- wheeeew- it's certainly... a song! It tries so hard to be girlboss-y but fails lyricwise and makes them even more dependent on men- but Im not gonna lie and say I hate it because Jesus it's catchy-

FREIGHT IS GOOD, YALL ARE JUST MEAN- I specifically like the one version from London 1992 where the coaches ARE BRUTAL FOR NO REASON- Also, versions without CB suck ass

AC/DC is at its best when Electra is an over-the-top diva and the components MUST eat it up.

Pumping Iron makes me feel so ungodly feminine (I wonder which part I sing) AND I LOVE IT. I LOVE FEELING FEMININE. I especially love when Greaseball is super snarky and flirtatious.

He'll Whistle At Me puts me to sleep. Make Up My Heart is beautiful. He Whistled At Me is terrible narrative-wise but MAN OH MAN DOES IT MAKE ME FEEL GIRLY

Coda of Freight is REALLY REALLY GOOD????

There's Me is adorbs and I. MISS. IT.

Poppa's Blues is a banger, yall are just haters. Also, hot take, but Poppa should NEVER be white.

Belle may not have much of a purpose in terms of the story, but jeez, her voice is beautiful. I love Belle so much.

I am a Rap enthusiast, so I have to give you my opinions on all of them. Hey You is a classic and it was my first Rap. It sounds so silly and Electra makes me giggle every time. Check It Out is so stupid but WOW IS ELECTRA GAY- I love the beat too. What Time Is It is so extremely CAMPY but I have a soft spot for it- The only version of Own It, Nail it that I have is the 2017 London workshop, and that one was almost a carbon copy of Check It Out. BORING.

UNCOUPLED is always such a sweet song. I HAVE A GRIPE WITH PEOPLE WHO MAKE DINAH SO MF SOUTHERN. Like, I get it, but don't give her a HUGE accent. See Jane Krakowski.

Girls Rolling Stock makes me feel so girlboss.

CB (or Wide Smile) is a mf bop and a masterpiece

Right Place, Right Time makes me jam out hard

The beginning of He Whistled At Me Reprise makes me so sad- DUSTIN QUIT CRYIN BOY!

Dinahs Disco is so slay and Electra is such a prissy princess-

"CB! CB! YOU GOTTA HELP ME IN THE FINAL SEEECTIOOOON"

One Rock N Roll Too Many makes me lowkey sad- but my god is it funny-

Only He is a masterpiece. BUT... NEXT TIME YOU FALL IN LOOOOOOOVE IT BETTER BE WITH ME THE WAY IT USED TO BE BACK THEN WAS WHEN WE TOUCHED THE STARLIIIIGHT-

Next Time You Fall In Love makes no sense to me lyric-wise but the song slaps

"I love it when romance occurs on the railroad"

The Megamix my beloved

So, tell me what you think! Do you agree? Disagree?

[dadsbongos]

chapter 5 - two of hearts (reprise)

3.7K words

@latenightsimping @mantorokk-writes @kitmon @thornsnvultures new series all finished :) warnings - got eepy and didn't edit this as thoroughly as i did for other chapters

prev. chapter / masterlist

Dragging big work boots that you slapped on (you're sure they're your dad's), Mr. Kennedy's brow raises at the glum, muted gray and blue of your sweater and pants. He's standing before your ex - what was he exactly? You barely dated, after all.

Mr. Kennedy is standing before your ex-potential boyfriend, hands firm on his hips and both staring at you. He jerks his head towards Eddie, "You wanna switch partners?"

Exhausted and baggy eyes widen at once, betrayed and bug-eyed gaze flipping to Eddie in an instant. You fold your arms across your chest and 'hmph' as he stutters attempted excuses.

"I - well- you know, it'd be awkward? I just didn't wanna make things tough- we don't have to!"

"Wow," you muse, not particularly caring that Mr. Kennedy's face is stern and over this melodrama, "first you destroy my ego, and now this?" Eddie winces and you shuffle past to where your desks were smashed together, "What's a girl gotta do to get some compassion around here?"

"Nothing!" Eddie clamors after you, hands shaky and knees wobbling. He was hoping to take the coward's way out - really show his mother's far-and-away Irish blood in some silent exit. Then he wouldn't have to deal with the consequences of actually leaving.

"So, no switch?" Mr. Kennedy huffs as he sits back on his chair, "Kids."

"I honestly," Eddie waits until you look at him, swallowing the needles in his throat, "Honestly? I just figured you didn't wanna sit next to me and work with me, and I'm sorry I tried switching…" he looks away, little tears sparkling in his brown eyes, "I'm sorry for what I did to you. I should've never done it. I should've dated you for real," you're silent, peak stoicism and it makes him so nervous he just can't help but keep fucking talking, "I'm sorry I'm so dumb," he just can't help but try and break the tension with bad jabs, "I wanna throw myself into a fire every time I think about it."

And like a cornered animal, like the shrew everyone shudders at, you snap and bite, "But not before you did it?" you shush him as his pretty lying mouth opens, "You're such an asshole. You know? You know, I was excited to actually meet you because my brother and sister and all their little friends adore you," you make a big show of how your eyes crawl over him, little stinging bugs from head to toe and he feels like he's suffocating under the weight, "I wanted to see what the obsession was. And honestly, I can't see it."

You neglect to mention that at one point, you could. And it was beautiful.

He blinks, stupid lashes fluttering and stupid bambi eyes wet and stupid cherry lips wobbling with potential. Eventually, he settles on, "I'm sorry…"

And turns around in his chair to face forward - right at the blank chalkboard. At nothing.

"What hurt the most," your voice snips, rawness exposed, "was that you didn't bother calling after you left."

You don't know what you were hoping for, but it definitely wasn't this sullen silence as if he's the one hurt.

So you continue to thrash and snarl and bare your teeth, "I can't wait to deliver my yearbook bullshit. Declare that you do have layers - evil, then sweet, then evil again," he sits still, except for the incessant battering of his fingertips against the desk, no rhyme or rhythm just batting to bat, "Because you're selfish, you know, at the end of the day. You like winning more than you like being liked."

When he continues to pay you no mind, you feel crushed. You want a reaction to know he cares, and you want that more than you know that Eddie isn't the type of person to argue back when it matters. Petty debates are his hobby, but in real moments - he shuts down. You've seen it before. But that isn't how you operate, so you now walk away assuming you had less of him than when you began.

You dart out of the room, sneaking through the very back of the room and dodging Mr. Kennedy's annoyed face. You get to the parking lot, blotting little droplets from your lashes before you realize why you even care so much. Why you even want to forgive him after what he did.

Because no matter how upset you are, you still just want him to run up and loop his arm through yours and plant a fat, noisy, obnoxious Eddie Munson trademark kiss to your cheek. You feel like an idiot. You fell in love with Eddie Munson after one official date.

Normally, Jonathan drives you and the littles to school. But you didn't exactly tell him your newfound plans to ditch, so that's out of the window. Instead, you find a pay phone at the nearby gas station and dial Hungry Howie's.

"Hungry Howie’s, thank you for calling, how can I help you?" a tired drone breaks over the phone and you can imagine the person hunched over their box in the kitchen, half asleep.

"Robin's working today, right? I need to talk to her."

One fake delivery later, you were pushing open the cabin door and staring right at your dad in the kitchen. He's in a big white T-shirt you vandalized in seventh grade to say '#1 COP DAD and plain faded jeans.

"I wanted to surprise you both," he puts down the overflowing bowl of sugary cereal and wipes away the remnants of a milk mustache, "Take the whole week off, but now I'm being surprised."

"Yeah, well," you press your back to the door as it shuts, kicking off Jim's mud-stained work boots and stomping into the kitchen, "Relationships are stupid and I'm remembering why I never dated."

Eddie isn’t completely certain what Mr. Kennedy said as he ran out of class, his footfalls overlapped until he came to the fork between an exit and the foreign language hallway. Well, maybe Mr. Kennedy just sighed.

Taking the sharp corner into a long line of doors with pastes of other countries’ flags on them, Eddie pressed on a practiced path to the last door on the left. Dustin Henderson’s amateur Latin class.

He slots his face into the thin window that stretches about halfway down the door, waving a ringed hand behind the glass until Dustin finally locks eyes. Subtly, the boy shakes his head - swearing off the idea, at least until Eddie’s face becomes stern and he stomps a foot.

‘Mature’, Dustin mouths before throwing down his pencil and raising his hand and pointing over at the rack of laminated passes. He grabs the yellow one with a little stick figure next to a toilet on the right-hand side and slips out the heavy door.

Shoving Eddie out of the window’s view and into the nearby boys’ bathroom, Dustin grumbles, “This is why Suzie has to fix my Latin grade.”

“I fucked up,” Eddie wrings his hands, eyes flitting away from the good-natured and concerned face of his little right-hand man, “I need a lot of help…”

By the time Eddie’s twisted tale has wrapped up, Dustin’s left with an unhinged jaw - hands wide at his side, “How did I never hear about this?!” before Eddie can respond, he puts up a hand, “Also, that’s so mean - we all need to talk about this.”

“Not now, man,” Eddie scratches at his arm, nails scraping away the sturdy build of anxiety from the past day, “Just tell me how to fix this.”

He can see that Dustin doesn’t truly want to, but he has a big heart and so he sighs, “Alright. To get her forgiveness, you have to offer yourself up on the altar of dignity and even the score.”

Eddie’s neck snaps to check under the stalls, as if somebody had crept in during their conversation, “Don’t say shit like that out loud, man.”

“No,” Dustin punches Eddie’s shoulder, skin sticking to the leather of his jacket, “No, no! You don’t get to listen to Mike’s dumb ass all you want and then shut me out,” only when Eddie concedes with an eye roll and slumps back, does Dustin continue, jabbing a thumb into his own chest, “Because I know exactly what I’m talking about!”

“Okay, okay,” Eddie puts both hands up, “I surrender myself to your knowledge and wits.”

“Good,” the boy nods surely, “First you’re gonna tell me what she likes, we need something big. Something Mike could afford.”

“Why?”

“We’re getting rid of all that money you got and we’re spending it on her because that’s what we should do.”

“And then? Getting her presents cannot be the whole plan,” Eddie flicks the electric blue brim of Dustin’s Thinking Cap.

“And then…” Dustin throws his arms out wide, “You sacrifice yourself on the altar of dignity.”

Eddie’s first thought goes to that pink and purple and blue lighting he first saw you - really saw you - under, dancing and free to the sound of sweet Stacey Q in The Sunset. You go every Wednesday and Saturday.

And he now has two days to learn a guitar cover of Two of Hearts.

“I mean, the nerve of that guy to not even come to school after that,” Barb gags, “Makes me sick!”

“Right?” Robin scoffs, shaking her head with folded arms, “I mean- what kind of person- “

“Please,” you settle onto one of the plush velvet barstools, clicking your nails against the smooth white counter, “I kinda don’t wanna talk about him right now.”

Settled against the counter by an elbow, Robin sucks in sharply, leaning over to nudge you, “Are you in the mood to see him then?”

“Huh?” you whip around, the stool screws squeaking as it spins and you catch Eddie Munson on stage - ole Sweetheart hanging over his chest and fumbling hands securing the microphone into its stand, “He’s such a fucking idiot.”

Barb nods solemnly, “This really isn’t his scene…”

Eddie’s eyes scan the crowd until he comes across the bar, and you can see his hand twitch up as if to wave. He decides against it, “Hi…” the call echoes and he winces, “Uhm, a girl that I - that I love is in the crowd tonight, and this is the song that played when I first saw her here,” he leans back, observes the group of misfits before him, and leans back in, “I also just recently realized what kind of place this is, so… I’ll be on my way soon,” and just as you think he’s finally about to begin, the devil’s forked tongue splits his lips again, “Also, you know, don’t worry about me saying anything- “ he raises a fist and you’re so mortified, “Power to the pussy and whatnot.”

And so the normally poppy and saccharine sweetness of Two of Hearts is replaced with echoing strums and the deeper tumble of Eddie Munson’s little Satanist voice. Little angelic loverboy Satanist voice.

Barb turns, red ringlets twisting and brown eyes flickering to you, she has the question on her tongue - You wanna leave? - but despite your prior complaints, you’re entirely hypnotized. Frozen on the stool with both hands stuck to your knees, eyes wide and doughy and so loving it hurts her.

She hates Eddie right now more than she ever hated Steve Harrington, but she fears that asking you to break out of this moment then perhaps it’ll send you spiraling. Which direction, she doesn’t know and she definitely doesn’t want to find out.

And you spot each other again, his chest puffs up when he notices you staring - he grins and that same twitch to wave hits his arm. And this time you’re seeing him - really seeing him - under pink and orange lights for the first time. Messy curls and pale skin and scratched, bumpy leather reflecting sunset shine and he sees you under Cupid’s magical pink lights and he thinks he’ll just about die if he can’t see you ever again.

And the lights change, flowery violet and it snaps you from his stare. You hop down from the stool, hands shaking at the realization of how ready you already are to forgive him. With knocking knees and lungs that squeeze between the gaps in your ribs, you slide down the checkered hallway into the bathroom.

Robin and Barb follow and Eddie’s already begun planning his next stage of apology.

Your locker jiggles open, door thick and stuck to the rusted frame - but eventually it pops open, just as it always does. A jumbled light blue fabric with baby pink flowers and flourishing green leaves printed over it rests on top of your textbooks. No price tag is attached but you recognize it from store windows and magazine catalogs with pretty brunettes and blondes and mannequins wearing it.

“What is it?” Barb leans against your side, peeking over your shoulder with a quirked brow.

“A dress,” you answer simply, balling your fist into your thigh and pressing until the muscle grows sore. Laura Ashley, the one you’ve wanted to wear to prom since it first was even announced.

You turn, spotting Eddie as he tries twirling around to pretend he hadn’t been watching you.

“What are you trying to do?”

Eddie kicks at the tile as if there are rocks and dirt to distract him, “Well, I had some cash that a guy paid me to take out a girl, but I fucked up by falling for her,” he shrugs, eyes fluttering from the tiled floor and the spot right between your eyes, “Fucked up even more by hurting her, so I have to try and make it right.”

And this is what you wanted, right? To be sick and twisted and see him miserable. You asked and you received and you absolutely hate it here.

“And are you hoping to get something out of this?”

He presses his lips together, thousands of little responses on his tongue, and yet none can escape - you hate how he shuts down, “It’d be nice to get back together, but I can’t expect anything when I’m the one that fucked up.”

“Eddie, I- “ you pause, laugh, and feel something hot like lava catch in your throat because you think you’re more scared about how badly you want him than you are angry at his misdemeanor.

And you can’t find a way to say that, so you turn and scamper off as the bell rings. Eddie sighs something heavy and thuds his head against the locker behind him, a heavy clang rings through his skull when suddenly the call of his name interrupts the self-pity. Dustin lingers just down the end of the hall, head and shoulders peeking past the wall as he gives an over-enthused thumbs up.

“You saw that, right?” Eddie’s bambi eyes follow Dustin as he skitters over, “Very decidedly not thumbs-up worthy.”

Dustin smacks Eddie on the shoulder, pearly whites on full display, “But she wanted to forgive you! Did you see that hesitation? We just need something incredible, something really big that she really wants.”

Eddie’s gaze flies up to the water-stained, browning ceiling tiles, “I have an idea, but it’s gonna be a huge pain in the ass.”

And for a week, you heard nothing from Eddie Munson. And for a week, you were ashamed over how heartbroken it left you - much more broken than when he initially screwed you over so royally.

Earlier today, Principal Higgins said he had to meet with you after school - theories boundless as to why, and it left you with cold sweats and a racing heart. What’s worse? Robin and Barb were sketchy about it all day. Downright refusing to look your way when you began the tale of the fucked up request.

And until you actually slip inside Higgins’ office, you were honestly thinking that perhaps they’d been replaced with heartless little science experiments that took on your friends’ shapes.

Upon entering Higgins’ office, you see the man himself adjusting a purple and yellow striped tie against his white button-down. You also see Barb and Robin and Chrissy fucking Cunningham littered around the carpeted room - leaning against walls and nestled into large indoor tree pots. And, of course, it isn’t a party unless he’s there, Eddie Munson squirming in the rightmost seat before Higgins.

“Munson came to me about your idea for a girls’ club,” Higgins gestures to the left seat, and you twitch your way into it, “I agreed under the terms that Hellfire split the drama room for your meetings. The scheduling for that will be up to you.”

Like that first fresh breath after a dunk in the pool, you feel your lungs lift. Your hands clench against the material of your floral dress - the closest you could get to that gift from Eddie without having the balls to actually wear it.

“As long as you, Barbara, Robin, and Christina don’t drop out and you can maintain proper club reports then- “ Higgins gestures to the four of you, “The club is yours. Appropriate files will be with your homeroom teacher next Monday.”

You nod slowly, arm and fingers numb as you reach over to snatch the President’s pin from Higgins’ hand. As soon as the cool metal is in your hand, the needle pokes an angry dot through your palm.

“Okay, happy ending, now shoo! Shoo!”

And with that, the mismatched group was sent lingering in the hallway - now empty of the bustling teenagers ready to be rid of the education system nightmare for the day.

“Congrats!” Chrissy Cunningham is the first to speak once you’re all out, her hand spindles against your shoulder, “I was so excited about the club when Eddie told me about it.”

“Right,” you can’t feel her hand on you, and you can’t feel it when she pulls it away - you don’t think to look for Barb and Robin. Not that you even can when there’s a sudden blur in your vision. The corners of your eyes left bubbling with this shock.

You’ve wanted this forever and you want Eddie, but you don’t think you could stomach the idea of people thinking you’re some gullible simp. And maybe he can tell because he’s quickly taking you aside.

Lovingly, he holds you, brushing hair out of your face and swallowing the pins in his throat, “I hope these are happy tears or something…” he laughs hollowly, “If not, I’m sorry.”

And the tears decide to fester on themselves, spreading like sores down the sides of your face, you think you’re really smitten with this guy. You wipe the tears and sniffle and say, “I’m so done being dramatic, but it feels like I have to be.”

Eddie shakes his head softly, and now you can feel his hands on you - they’re warm, “Why do you have to be dramatic? You’re, like, the frontman of the Individuality band.”

You wrench your face sharply, smearing the sores from under your eyes, “I just don’t wanna move too fast,” but you’re shifting closer to him, “I feel like I should be mad, but I’m not anymore, and I don’t know if this is the right way to go about everything.”

“Well, you know- I can’t make you forgive me- “

“That’s the thing, Eddie,” you groan, squeezing your eyes shut so tight that not even Geoff Capes could pry them open, “I do forgive you! I forgave you ten minutes after I found out! I haven’t been mad at you, but everybody else thinks I should be and I’m just not - and that’s so fucking scary.”

He’s quiet for a moment, then his hands slide down from your arms to your hands and he feels even warmer now, “I have to show you something.”

The girls and Higgins and the nightmare of this high school drama are left behind as Eddie drags you to the drama room. He’s rambling, in his usual stupid-sweet way, with a message that basically settles into “the guys are mad at me, but they can eat rocks”.

A pink symbol of Venus lays against a blue, purple, and orange sunset on a crumbled white banner on the middle table. It’s squiggly and the colors don’t bleed into each other quite right.

“Did you paint it yourself?” you turn to Eddie.

He inhales sharply, shrugging, “Yeah, had to retry like three times.”

“And you think I’m worth all this trouble?”

“I had five more plans if this one didn’t work and you didn’t tell me off.”

Because he thinks you’re sweet and loving, and you lean in and kiss him.

And he wraps his arms around you, tight like you might suddenly slither out. He buries his face into the junction between your neck and shoulders, hair tickling the side of your face.

“I missed this,” he whispers, going lax against you, “God, I missed this.”

Suddenly, you frown and he can feel it, “I should probably redo my assignment.”

He pulls back, plucking stray hairs out of his face with a quirked brow, “You finished it?”

“Yeah,” your face grows hot at this admission, “I went on a rage bender and it was done before Jane’s bedtime.”

But he laughs, full-bodied and entirely contagious - you find yourself giggling along with him. Eddie’s head is thrown back before he sighs, shaking his head, “You should keep it, it’d be funny!”

“No way!” you lightly punch his chest, brows furrowed, “I can’t be one of those people complaining about their boyfriend - that’s crazy!”

“Then I can help, if you want,” Eddie offers, leaning back in to kiss you.

But you lean further away, a teasing smile on your lips, “Nope. I want it to be a surprise!”

“Good things?”

“You know it.”

“I have good things in mine, too.”

“I’d hope so,” you lean in to return his kiss this time, then pull back suddenly, “But don’t think you can just pull extravagant bullshit every time you mess up!”

“Of course, not,” he rolls his eyes, “There’s also smaller bouquets of flowers and trinkets and jewelry.”

You laugh and finally lean in, only to pull back again, “But seriously- !”

“I know, sweetheart,” he closes in for you, stealing a chaste peck, “I’m messing with you.”

“Good,” and you cup his cheeks this time, bringing him back in for a much harder, more passionate, very deserved kiss.

[karlyboyyy]

For the last ~20 years I’ve always rewatched Halloweentown and Halloweentown II every year in October. I’d occasionally watch the third one, but it just wasn’t the same, very meh. But I have always refused to watch the fourth movie since they did my girl Kimberly J. Brown SOOOO so dirty by recasting Marnie with that little blue eyed skinny bitch. But this year I figured hell I’ll give it a try I GUESS.

And y’all. It is TRASH 😤 I mean the recasting is so much worse than I thought it would be and whyyy is there this weird forced romance between Marnie and that blonde twink from High School Musical?? There was zero chemistry between them in the third movie, hell where is the other guy she met in the third movie??? And it’s an absolute injustice that they didn’t bring back Luke! Where did he go??? He was Marnie’s first friend in Halloweentown, how they just gonna get rid of him?? And lastly, there’s no Sophie. She’s off “training” but damn. Honestly the fourth movie should’ve just followed her character if they were just gonna recast Marnie anyway. Teen Sophie training to be a witch would’ve been way more interesting 🙄

AND ANOTHER THING. At the end of the second movie, they stop Kal and he disappears. But Luke says “he’ll be back” which is like a total setup for another movie involving Kalabar and/or Kal and more evil plans. But did Kal come back?? NOPE. Literally no one ever talked about that whole incident ever again.

How bout this - Let’s just pretend the fourth movie was a hallucination and instead Disney should make a fifth Halloweentown with Kimberly J. Brown reprising her role as Marnie again, and Daniel Kountz as Kal returning 20 years later to wreak havoc (Plus they’re married in real life so their chemistry would be off the charts!) Like man, it could maybe follow Dylan’s daughter or something, who is JUST like her aunt Marnie as a teen (which drives him CRAZY but he’s still supportive of her), and Marnie can serve as her mentor just like Grandma Aggie was to her (RIP Debbie Reynolds the real mvp) and MAAANNN it could be so good!

I mean they made a new Hocus Pocus after 30 years so literally what’s stopping them from making a new Halloweentown 🙄

[marciabrady]

hi, i'm the disney choruses anon - thank you for answering me! imo all the choral endings are lovely in their own way, i.e. the tune of the b&b ending was beautiful and i loved that it featured gorgeous stained glass art of belle and adam which was a great callback to the wonderful opening, and of course the sleeping beauty chorus is iconic - it even got the chance to briefly shine during once upon a dream so when we hear it again, it's like we're greeting an old friend (plus the super endearing blue vs. pink dress switching during aurora and philip's dance!!). also as i mentioned the tlm chorus is beautiful in its ending too with ariel and triton finally reconciled, and all the merpeople celebrating this new alliance between their bright-eyed princess and this brave prince who put his life on the line to defeat ursula...

personally i'm especially biased toward the bambi ending bc the shot of our protagonist striking a lone, majestic figure, having at last lived up to his destiny as king of the forest, always spoke to me considering how we'd seen him grow up from such a delicate creature as a baby (who could barely even stand on his own!) and enduring so much hardship, to the strong, dignified adult he'd become :]

and most of all the cinderella ending was always my #1 favorite, not just bc cinderella was my fav princess and movie but also bc i was so moved as a little kid seeing this sincere, dignified, steadfast girl who'd been ostracized and isolated by her remaining family for most of her life until then, finally being celebrated by not just the connections she made (i.e. her animal friends and the royal family) but by the very narrative itself. as a kid it seemed almost as if divine or supernatural forces were cheering for her all along from the sidelines (as the fairy godmother's appearance in the story confirmed) and now they finally can show themselves without holding back by singing her praises... does that make sense?? anyway i really think the 2D animated films from disney before the mid-00s were truly works of art and products of much love and care that we might not ever see again, thanks for taking the time to read all this lol!!

I love that you brought up Bambi- one of my favorite songs of all time is in that film property and I think the soundtrack is criminally underrated. All of the Disney Greats- Mary Costa included, of course- performed at the Hollywood Bowl in the early 2000s to sing music from Bambi and they even all began to belt When You Wish Upon a Star together at the end of it. I hope against hope that they'll use it for Once Upon a Studio, but I know they're definitely using a new recording featuring a majority of the voice replacements but...I can dream lol

The way you write about the Cinderella ending is so beautiful and you really get it 🥲 the divine and supernatural line reminds me of how you mentioned the chorus singing Once Upon a Dream being like an old friend. The chorus also sings a reprise of A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes where Cinderella is literally responding to the voices and shutting them down, not abiding by the message anymore. It really does feel like a connection and a way that they're gently nudging her to continue going onward- only, since this is her low point, she needs a little more comfort- which materializes in the Fairy Godmother stroking her hair. I just love how you expressed them being her guardian angels, essentially, and the undertones of their presence in her life before it fully materialized. It brings so many beautiful images and feelings to my mind...in a world where people are too easy to dismiss their actions on external factors, I think it's so touching that Cinderella literally has no one there for her, no good influence or person to help her or show her love, and that's still not an excuse, she proactively rises above her surroundings- she continues to be the best person she possibly can be, even when it feels like she'll never "get anything back" from the universe. The fact that she got her Happily Ever After, in the face of every possible adversity, should renew everyone with hope and makes me feel like not all is lost, even with the things I get frustrated in. Again, thank you so much for telling me how you feel- it's the most beautiful writing I've read in a while💗

[raspberrysmoon]

KAI FACT 17:

NIGHTMARE KAIME EPISODE TWO IS OUUTTTTTTT :D

eeeeek okokokok waylon squatter GO!

- GGRGRGGRGR LAUSKTI !!!!!!

- its !!!! steph its not structurally sound !!!

- "happier memories" bbg i doubt that entirely. also you sound like youre asking yo fuck him where you killed a guy

- HE HAS VERY LOW BLOOD SUGAR STEPH PLEASE

- EEMMMAMAAAAAAAAA

- NOOOOOOO BABY GIRL 😭😭😭😭

- "shes not dead. im not letting that happen" OWUCH

- LMAOOOOOO I CAN PICTURE YOUR FACE AS YOU WROTE THAT SEX JOKE 😭😭

- GRACE MY GIRL !!!!!

- grace. my girl. please

- kai is the squatter that grace is taljing about isnt ahe? am i crazy? 5-9? she look like shes a kid bc shes so short? right ???

- [NOTE: TWS stands for THE WAYLON SQUATTER] LMAOOOOO NOT TRIGEGR WARNINGS??? 😔😔

- i assume this takes place after abstinence camp??? "she said she was asexual" ??

- "i didnt mean to" 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

- "she pulled one out on us when i met her"? what ??? hello???

- okokokok so "blinky = always watching" is to watcher world, "cats rule, dogs drool" is hm, "whats a webby?" web of lies i assume?, "home isnt safe anymore" ???? maybe f&a? but also could go to literally any other episode??? i could talk about that one for at least 500 words, "5 star review" miss ingenue? but maybe also revised reprise?, "remember your name. remember your family. youre still you" could go to this one alone BUT i could probably tie this to space drifter (from what ive been guessing abt it) as well as probably most other episodes?? ok im done now (for now)

- "let me help you" steph <333333

- "that stupid blue shit" lmaooo

- oh ym god????? wow ok just. shoot her sure yeah

- blue green and red being the most common colors????? dont you use red and green or lautski?? or is steph also green. anyway pokey/wiggly/nibbly vibes

- oh :((( the monologue is so much sadder in context :((((

- hm. i wonder if she has any sort of recognition towards pete? like, is she face blind to him? does she remember him at all? or is there nothing there for her

- awwwwhhhhh ted and kai :(((((

- AAAWWWWWHHHHH THEY KNOW EACH OTHERS NAMEEESSSSSSS

- ok wait so. ted is supposed to be Fucked Up after tb, so do they go thru it together? are tb and sd connected? do tjey happen together? close together? does kai affect tb? does ted affect sd!???? wow