#HOST TRIO MY BELOVED

[the-colourful-witch]

Hi everyone!

You may be thinking… so much new art in two days. Yes, yes indeed. I am on holiday and I now spend a lot of time watching Christmas films and drawing on the couch. I am enjoying myself very much :) 🤩

Now, I have reached 5K on Instagram, which is so so cool! I can’t believe it! I promised my friend Anna @paper-hug to host a DTIYS in honour of this achievement, so here we are!

If you are feeling inspired, join this fun challenge with me! Draw this in YOUR STYLE and don’t forget to use the hashtag #thecolourfulwitchdtiys and tag me in your post, so I can share your work. I look forward to seeing your creative takes on our beloved Golden Trio✨⭐️🧡

For this illustration, I wanted to create a Deathly Hallows vibe: rebel teens destroying the Dark Arts with snark and fierce determination⭐️ Also, it is canon that Harry grew his hair when they were on the run and man, did I want a chance to draw that!👀😄 Very cool!

[withoutyouimsaskia]

Sometimes It's Fated (Sandman Short Story Part 1)

Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8

​GIF: Originally posted by @tavners

Pairing: Morpheus/Dream of the Endless x AFAB reader

Summary: Reader Self-Insert. After restoring the Dreaming and locating the missing dreams and nightmares, Morpheus turns his attention to finding you, the human he believes fate has chosen for him. (Title inspired by Placebo's "This Picture".)

Warnings: Minors DNI. Dark!Morpheus. Soulmates. Angst. Obsessive and possessive behaviour. Tension. Home invasion. Voyeurism. Implied masturbation. Dream manipulation.

Word Count: 2.6k

A/N: Wow, this took way longer to finish than I had originally planned. My head's been all over the place with trying (and thus far failing) to find a new job. The themes are very different to what I've written before; I hope it reads okay. Please let me know what you think. All my love, Saskia xx

Sandman Masterlist

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Fate.

A phenomenon that governed every particle of matter within the known universe and even those beyond.

Some considered it a comforting concept that excused them from the burden of decision making, citing: "I'll leave it up to fate." For others the phrase was a cursory, throw-away comment or a romantic line they heard in the lyrics of a song.

The real truth of the matter was that Fate was a trio of immortal beings, goddesses, with sight so potent that they knew the past, present and future of every individual to have lived. The mythology of the Greeks, Romans and Norse hadn't been too far off with their stories of the Moirai, Parcae and Norns but of course, no humans really believed there to be any realism in myths. They were just stories. It didn't matter either way; they existed and had influence regardless of what the majority believed.

For beings such as The Endless siblings, the presence of Fate in the cosmos was not only real, but also something that affected even themselves.

For the King of Dreams, an eventuality had been prophesised long ago by The Kindly Ones that spoke of a bond that was to be forged between himself and a mortal.

Lord Morpheus, in his pride, had tried to be above such a foretelling, even questioning its validity because the notion of a mortal accepting his version of the universe seemed wholly implausible.

But he could not truly stop himself from wondering about you, reaching out to see if he could feel your presence in the minds of the dreamers he hosted.

It wasn't something he indulged in with frequency. More of a once-in a-decade interval. Enough to appease his curiosity.

Of course, this was put on hold during his imprisonment at Fawney Rig.

Morpheus had had much to contemplate during this period. The damage his absence caused to the collective subconscious, the decay of his realm, the loss of freedom and dignity. There was also a chance that you had been born and died in the 106 years he spent in captivity.

What if he was too late and had lost the chance of discovering who you were?

It was a nauseating prospect that scraped and scratched a space deep within his being; bleeding him of his remaining stores of hope that were so significantly depleted after the death of beloved Jessamy.

Despite the nasty emotional wound, finding you was a charge that he assigned at the end of his priorities after his escape.

Recovering his scattered tools, restoring the Dreaming, locating his absent creations, unravelling the mystery of Rose Walker and confronting Desire all had needed to come first.

The latter interaction had left Morpheus with a seething rage that was currently propelling him down the boards of the dock that sit above the Ocean of Dreams.

The dense mist in the air is buffeted by his movements and the only sounds are the tread of boots, the creak of wooden slats and the lap of water.

With each step, the liquid becomes choppier as it reacts to its master's mood and by the time he has reached the end of the dock, the surface of the water roils fervorously, completely in line with Morpheus' dangerous temperament.

The words of Desire's final silken-toned taunt echo in his mind with grating persistence.

"Oh, poor Dream. I really got under your skin this time, didn't I?"

He is loathe to admit there is truth in the question.

There are moments where Morpheus ponders the turn that the relationship between them has taken. How Desire went from being his favourite sibling to someone one shade shy of an adversary. Their faultless adeptness at provoking his temper and manipulating the events that encircle him would be impressive if not for the danger posed to humanity.

The agitated water eventually draws focus to how out of control he and his emotions have become. Morpheus knows he must get them in check, and quickly, for he knows the consequences all too well should he ignore it.

He clenches his fist and swallows it all down, pushing it deep inside his belly until the crackling entropy of the anger is fully dispelled.

Morpheus then sweeps his coat out behind him as he sinks lithely into a crouch. Trepidation nips at his heart and tugs his attention to a sobering thought.

This foray into the water may be fruitless.

You may be long gone and there would be no way of ever knowing you.

His nostrils flare as he takes a deep breath; he has run out of excuses to not look, even if he is afraid of the outcome.

Long, delicate fingers dapple the surface of the inky ocean. The waves still at the touch, obedient to him with instancy.

He repositions to full height and reaches into his coat to find the pouch of sand stashed in the pocket. A handful of twinkling grains slip off his palm into the ocean, lighting the water it touches to a luminous green.

"Find my soulmate," Morpheus commands silently.

The intention is set. He steps off the dock into the water.

At first, like every other prior attempt, there is no sign of you. Morpheus floats submerged in the tepid liquid, filtering through the hubbub of countless other dreams and nightmares.

Then there is a pull.

It is faint yet indisputable. Warmth explodes in his chest and he groans inwardly from the delicious sensation of relief.

You are alive, and you are dreaming.

A path of radiance appears in the water, a line that shows your connection, and provides a location for him to hone in on.

Morpheus dives deeper without hesitation.

As he reaches the edge of your subconscious, he rejoices that he got a handle on his emotions. He wouldn't want your first perception of him to be one tinged with rage, however unaware you were of him, with your soulmate being the source.

He hesitates for a moment before entering the dream you are in and is somewhat taken aback by what he finds.

A room comprising of four blank walls, a floor, a ceiling and a door. There is but one other feature; a window, and its view is as non-descript and inoffensive as the internal space.

You stand by said window, head turned from him.

Despite being unable to see your face, he sees your anxiety with immediacy. It is an aura hovering about your body, being sucked into your lungs with every fast-paced breath.

You begin to throw glances towards the door. Morpheus filters through the layers of the dream. No one is scheduled to come across the threshold.

The more he observes, the more questions arise in Morpheus' mind.

What was making you so affected? What were you expecting to happen?

There's nothing in the scene that is intended to be unpleasant yet you are reacting in a way that most observers would characterise as unsettled.

Morpheus, despite not yet knowing you, doesn't like to see you this way. His dominant instinct is to end the dream but he quashes the desire to review the bigger picture.

The empty room dream was symbolic of a beginning.

It clicks into place.

What you were feeling, even if on a purely instinctual level, was the anticipation of meeting your soulmate and starting your new life.

Morpheus steps into the frame, just a couple of paces behind you.

You feel his presence instantly, eyes full to the brim with tears as you whirl around with a soft gasp.

You see him.

The tears spill and patter onto the white floor.

Morpheus reaches out, overcome by his need to provide comfort.

You disappear.

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Morpheus is sat on his throne. He pores over the book he had located in the Dreaming's library a little over a week ago that contains the details of your life. It is something he has taken to doing when the impatience of waiting for you to fall asleep becomes too keen.

Your subconscious has him enraptured, watching it every night as if it is a stage show. Each dream he delves into is like the tug of fingers on a loose thread, your psyche has begun to unravel before him.

Everything from whims to cravings, hopes to fears. Your temperament, the things that delight and irk you. What drives you and demotivates you. He consumes it all with an insatiable hunger.

Based on the projection of yourself that he sees, there is no doubt that he is attracted to you.

All that prior haughty disregard for the Fates' prophecy has been cast aside like a negative thought in a meditation session. Morpheus is a romantic. A believer. He is ashamed to have even doubted your coming.

He wonders if it would vex Desire to learn of him finding his soulmate and by extension, the prospect of companionship, perhaps even physical intimacy or love.

It is all too easy to imagine the sickly sweet grin they would smile at him, shown to be fake by the almost imperceptible contempt glinting in their golden eyes.

Would his triumph drive them to distraction?

It is this smug sentiment that spurs his next decision. He wants more. The next logical step is to find you in the waking world.

He rises from his throne, a sure hand ready to bring forth his pouch of sand when he falters.

Tears pool in his eyes.

His mind is suddenly marred with the memories of what happened in 1916. The agony, mortification and rage that followed. He couldn't go through that kind of treatment ever again and the waking world expanded the risk of it transpiring.

"No," he says resolutely. His sadness turns to resolve, the hard line of his grimace matching those set in his brows.

He will not let the actions of a group of mortals dissuade him from going to you. And besides, he has researched everything he can about you from within the safety of the Dreaming.

He takes a measure of sand and uses it to materialise within your bedroom.

It is obvious from a quick scan of it that deliberate attempts have been made to ensure the space is cosy and calming.

Two marshmallowy pillows support your head. The cotton sheets have been meticulously tucked to avoid drafts. A lavender reed diffuser fragrances the air with a subtle scent. There are no devices or screens visible.

Everything has its place. A coaster supported glass of water within reaching distance. Touch activated lamp in case of emergency. The diary lined up with the back left corner of the bedside table, pen placed parallel in the spine dent. All clothes are in the wardrobe or stashed in the laundry basket.

Morpheus moves to the curtain-shrouded window and delicately moves the dark, heavy fabric to catch a glimpse of the outside world.

The scene is sepia stained from an old streetlight positioned right outside your home. It explained the choice of curtains.

You stir slightly from the change in environment and Morpheus allows the curtain to fall back in place. He remains stationary until your breathing returns to its previous pace. It is imperative that his presence remains undisclosed. He knows that mortals do not take well to home invasion.

Then, your right hand slips out from the duvet cocoon revealing a cushion cut ruby ring on your middle finger.

He smiles exultantly. The similarity between the jewel and his own now-destroyed dreamstone was undeniable.

The Fates were making it transparent.

You were the one.

Morpheus approaches the side of your bed now. In your momentary discomfort, you had moved your head, making your whole face visible to your uninvited guest.

He bends gracefully so his face is closer to yours and observes you with an intent fascination.

Even in the gloom, Morpheus asserts that your features are even more captivating now that he is able to look upon them in person and is certain that if he could guarantee an absence of fear then he would fall to knees and worship you right there.

Fingers stroke a lock of hair splayed across the pillow and his thoughts turn darker still, imagining what he would do with you if he could get you alone in the Dreaming. How he would seduce you with words, and then pleasure your body with his own until you were senseless.

Getting you there would be so easy, all he needed to do was move his hand up and touch your skin and -

Morpheus stops himself, deciding that now is not the time for an introduction. He will wait until tomorrow. You need to rest. It will be quite the revelation for your sweet mortal heart.

Morpheus whispers a promise, "We will be together soon, my precious soulmate."

He leaves after taking one last look at your peaceful form.

When he returns to the Dreaming, Morpheus discovers that the visit has riled him way beyond what he thought possible.

It was supposed to sate his curiosity and answer some questions.

It has done the opposite.

His craving for you is sublimely intense, opiate-like in its ensnarement.

He needs to possess you. To have you all to himself. Everything would fall into place. Loneliness, disillusionment, jealousy; they would never darken his outlook again. You would heal him, he is certain of it.

He paces restlessly in the low light of his private chambers as heat ripples beneath the surface of his being, charging him with pure sexual lust.

He hungers for the moment when you feel the same about him.

For now, all he can do is stand and touch himself while thinking of your face, an act that has been carried out repeatedly in the days since he found you in the Ocean of Dreams.

An erotic idea enters his mind.

Your subconscious is still in the Dreaming; he knows the feeling of it intimately.

Perhaps he could bring you a dream mirroring his own current fantasy.

To give you a taste of what was to come.

A gift that only he could bestow.

The mere thought of it turns him on even more. His back arches and his eyes roll back as he choses the words through which he would deliver the offering.

"Dream of me," Morpheus murmurs breathlessly. "Dream of me."

He repeats the phrase until he is unable to continue, moans taking over the darkened space around him.

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

It is dusk the next day when Morpheus returns to the waking world.

The instant he touches down on the Earth's surface, he knows exactly where to go. The metaphysical connection between you is as strong as the energy pulsing through a ley line.

The city he is directed to is thrumming with life but the side street he stands in has been spared from the furore.

It is fortuitous that he is permitted to be unobserved for Morpheus is struggling now with the urge to get closer.

Providence is pulling him in and also locking him out.

He walks up to the door and then an invisible force makes him back away.

He doesn't even try to fight it.

The Fates hold all the cards. Morpheus is beholden to their each and every whim.

It is surprisingly liberating.

He is dancing in the cross hairs. Blinkered by the tie the universe has fashioned for you.

All he has to do is wait.

The door to the building is pushed open.

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

Taglist: @herfantasyworldd

"Fate. Up against your will. Through the thick and thin. He will wait until you give yourself to him."

[ryrywrites]

Drunken Schoolboy - Anthony Bridgerton

divider creds: @cafekitsune @saradika-graphics

Pair: Viscount Anthony Bridgerton x fem!reader

Description: Attending a ball hosted by Lady Danbury, the newly-engaged Lady Y/N Roman and Viscount Anthony Bridgerton become separated by the ton. When the watchful eye of high society becomes too much for Y/N, she retreats into the library where she's met with her very drunk fiancé.

Warnings: Anthony coming onto the reader drunk, nothing but fluff here 🫶🏻

WC: 2.6k

A/N: Work has been tearing me up and I needed some Bridgerton fluff. This one is little short but I'm working on some longer stuff for you guys. This was just a cute lil idea 🥰 Enjoy!

Update: As I was writing this, Tumblr said fuck you to my hard work and deleted literally everything so...I want to die. Okay, enjoy 😃

anthony bridgerton masterlist × main masterlist

Y/N crept down the silent hallway and made her way into the dusty room, scanning her surroundings to make sure no one had spotted her. The dull hum of chattering society and soft music could still be heard from the ballroom as she walked through to shelves of books. Y/N was practically raised among these books and found that her favorite hiding place in Danbury House was this library. Although she appreciated Lady Danbury's hospitality and the amount of work she put into these seasonal balls, Y/N never found them enjoyable. She was always ready to leave a ball early if she could get away with it, or simply avoid the event all together. But this was her and the Viscount's first appearance out in society as an engaged couple so attendance was necessary, at least, according to her mother. As soon as they arrived, the couple was torn apart by the droves of squawking ladies and a trio of rakish bachelors, who had dragged her dear fiancé away to God knows where. Y/N was almost immediately bombarded with questions and suspicions from the nosy mamas and jealous debutantes who all were wondering why Viscount Bridgerton would choose her over any of them. They poked and prodded, trying to determine what made her so special that she had won a Bridgerton's favor.

Truly, she herself still had trouble grasping the engagement. The only honest answer to their intrusive questions was that the pair had fallen in love. Over the course of the season, they had a long feud and competitiveness that kept them constantly on their toes around the other. They could not deny their longing for the other and one night, Anthony confessed his true intentions and begged her to release him from this torment and marry him. Of course, she accepted and confessed her own feelings to the man. What the two had found in each other, they had never been able to find in anyone else. A shared understanding of loss, a similar sense of wit and humor, and a love so vast, it truly did conquer all. But tonight, the prying eyes of society had brought her to exhaustion. Her social battery was drained by the time those mothers had come to the conclusion that nothing scandalous had taken place to force the pair into marriage. Once they had nothing to gossip about, Y/N and Anthony became yesterday's news and she was pushed back to the wall, where she stood and watched the many lovely couples dancing and conversing, wondering where her beloved had been swept away to.

She had finally had her fill of tea cakes and awkward isolation. Now, here she stands, scanning the shelves for any book that may occupy her time. Just as Y/N had pulled a book from the shelf, she heard a loud bang against the wall in the library. She was immediately startled and jumped in place, dropping the book with a thump. She turned around to see what had made such a fuss and there stood her promised, a tall sturdy man with tousled brown locks and a royal blue suit coat. Anthony was leaning up against the wall, disturbed, until he spotted his fianceé, holding her chest for dear life. His face quickly lifted in drunken glee and he trudged over to her, she relaxed once she realized who he was. "My dear, what-" Anthony cut her off by wrapping his arms around her and lifting her off the ground, spinning her in a stumbling circle. "My darling, I have found you at last!" He spoke very openly and outlandishly, not caring about his volume. The startled woman let out a yelp of surprise as he twirled her around. She placed her hands on his shoulders, attempting to ground herself. "Anthony, you must be quiet!" Y/N whispered and hoped nobody had heard his inebriated outburst of affection.

He smiled cheerfully and obediently hushed his tone, placing her on her feet once more. Y/N was taken back by the man's forward and adoring gaze upon her. Anthony was many things. He was stubborn, competitive, and very subtle with his love in public. The most physical contact that they had ever shared was a kiss and an intimate embrace, nothing further. Now, Y/N feared their discovery in such a secluded and dark place with his hands so carelessly roaming her torso. "Dearest, please, what has come over you?" She quickly halted his hands and gently removed them from her corseted waist. She examined him suspiciously and realized the man before her was absolutely sloshed. She placed a hand to her mouth, stifling a laugh. "I have been searching far and wide for you! And now you are here! I am so happy to see you." He slurred excitedly, hugging his soon-to-be bride a tad too tight. His heart was filled with overwhelming joy at the sight of this woman, his to touch and worship. Y/N snorted and rolled her eyes at his eagerness. She held his hands and guided him slowly to a chair. "Yes, and I am happy you found me." As she slowly seated him in his chair, he laid out lazily and smiled up at her, weary and obviously tired. She knelt before him, lowered herself down to meet his eyeline.

"Anthony, how many drinks have you had this evening?" His head bobbed along with every word she spoke, he watched her lips intently with droopy eyes. His face turned slightly pensive as he thought and then held up five fingers. Y/N eyes widened in disbelief. Those damn hooligans, Anthony's condition was surely their doing. I felt irritation rise within me as Anthony's eyes drooped closed. I lifted myself up and sighed exasperatedly, walking around him and stroking his cheek. "I believe it is time we take our leave, my love." He hummed in reply, loving the feeling of her fingers rubbing his cheekbone. "Please, stay here. I shall return in just a moment." She whispered softly, kissing the top of his head and making her way out of the library, in search of either Colin or Benedict. They had most likely seen their brother in this state before, they would were the only ones who could help her discreetly take Anthony home. Y/N carefully reentered the ballroom, her eyes darting the room for any signs of a Bridgerton. She came face to face with Benedict Bridgerton, just the man she was looking for. "Y/N! How are you this even-" She quickly ignored the pleasantries and carefully pulled him by the arm to the library.

Benedict was very confused, almost concerned by her hurried strides, until they reached the library and he spotted his smashed brother, his legs spread in a splayed position and his head bobbling along to the tune playing in the ballroom. Benedict let out a boisterous chuckle at his incapacitated brother. "Good God. What on Earth happened to him?" He wondered. Y/N shook her head in similar confusion. "I hate to be a bother but I can't exactly...hold him up on my own." He nodded understandingly and moved across the room to where his older brother laid. "Come on, you knob. Let's get you up." Anthony didn't appreciate his brother's insult but lifted himself up with Ben's extended arm. He stumbled for a moment but steadied himself. "I'll alert the valet that we shall be leaving." She turned on her heels and Ben quickly followed after, with Anthony's arm over his shoulder. Anthony was beginning to sober up and groan slightly under his breath. Y/N maneuvered the two men through the crowd of socialites and they finally made their exit. She swiftly notified the valet. Their carriage was pulled around with a couple of whines from the horse and Anthony.

I opened the door for Ben to shove his brother gently into the carriage, he tumbled within the small coach and, at last, found his seat. "Thank you, Ben." Y/N whispered softly, not wanting to draw attention to the scene. He bowed before her with a sly smirk. "He will never live this down." He stated very well pleased, turning around to head back into the ball. As Y/N settled into the carriage, finally able to sit comfortably in her dress, she noticed Anthony beginning to rub his head. "My darling?" She stated curiously. He was suddenly feeling very sober and extremely sick. "Where are we going?" He inquired, his voice strained from the very clear ache in his head. "Home, my love." She placed a warm hand on his knee from across the carriage. He let out a heavy sigh, getting him inside was going to be a difficult feat. As the carriage slowly came to a stop, a footman opened the ornate door and helped the two out of the carriage. Y/N had always appreciated the staff's understanding and compassion towards the Bridgerton family. Anthony could not stand on his own for very long so Y/N placed her arm around the man's waist and threw his arm over her shoulder. She was watching very intently while Ben was carrying Anthony, knowing she would likely have to follow his actions.

He was a hefty man, heavy and large in frame. Every step up the front stairs felt like a mile, even with the footman's help. She was determined to get him inside, even if her face was turning a flushed red from the exercise. Once they reached the door, after what felt like centuries, the footman opened the door for the two of them and took his leave once Y/N dismissed and thanked him for his help. He would certainly be receiving a hefty tip from her in the morning. Anthony was beginning the sober up and hold his weight a bit as the two scuffled to Anthony's bedroom. She had not yet seen his room, it was seen as impropriety to be alone with him in his quarters but she was sure no one would mind, in this particular situation. He laid out on his back, peacefully for a moment and so quietly, she could've sworn he had fallen asleep immediately. Until his body shot up very suddenly, making her jump in surprise. "My word!" This was the third time he had flustered her tonight and she was beginning to become agitated in a very humorous way. "I believe I'm going to be sick." He said very woozily, looking as though he was going to vomit on the floor. Y/N's eyes widened in fear and quickly lifted her dress and made a dash to the kitchen.

She found a bucket and, tripping over herself, ran back to the bedroom, the sound of her heels clicking rapidly against the linoleum floor. She thrusted the bucket into the man's hands and stood back, preparing for impact. He leaned over the bucket for a moment, becoming visibly pale and sweaty. He was still, very still while her body was fully tensed. He shook his head and laid moved the bucket to the floor, placing his elbows on his knees and shaking his head droopily. "My God. What happened? And why?" He moaned annoyed at the feeling that trembled in his stomach and the bile that was beginning to travel to his throat. She cautiously sat beside him on his plush bed and rubbed his back, trying her best to ease his discomfort. "Remind me not to let you leave my side at the next ball." Y/N smiled relieved that he was coherent once again. "No more balls." Anthony groaned. He laid back, whining bitterly. Y/N could not help but chuckle at the man that laid beside her, what a dunce. She absolutely adored him and she could not help but wonder what would make him drink so recklessly. He peaked an eye at the woman, hearing her titter and arching a brow at her. "You laugh at my suffering?" He asked, feigning offense and placing to his heart in shock.

"You are a dramatic jolly man." She continued to smile down at him, attempting to wipe the beads of sweat growing at his brow. He looked up at her with admiration in his eyes. This woman was truly perfect. How could he have been so callous for so long? Better yet, why had she held out through his cruel behavior? Truthfully, Y/N could not find a rational reason why she chose to stick by his side. She considered the idea that she was a fool and lost all rational thought the moment she met Anthony. That is how she justified her stupidity, her inability to avoid the eldest Bridgerton son. "And you..." He leaned up on his elbows, practically man-spreading before her in his navy blue trousers, white-collared button-up dress shirt, and matching navy vest with gold detailing the chest. He wrapped his arms, slowly, around her waist and wiggled around to crawl closer to Y/N until his head nestled comfortably into her skirted lap. "Are a goddess." He mumbled, his words buried deep in her dress. He hugged her waist possessively, inhaling her scent of french lilacs and gooseberries. She looked down at the pretty man and savored this touch, placing a delicate finger to his cheekbone and tracing it to his slightly disheveled hair.

The light crow's feet at the corners of his eyes stretched as he smiled softly, his eyes fluttered close. As she cradled his head in her lap, she wished they weren't separated by her heavy petticoats. She craved closeness and her discomfort in such tight yet puffy clothes was evident with every shift of her hips. Anthony knew tonight had been less than ideal for his future bride, having to coddle and care for him. Anthony allowed his eyes to open wearily and he offered her a half smile which she returned wholeheartedly. Although this was not how she anticipated ending the evening, she was grateful to be away from the nosy eyes and ears of the ton. She watched the way his face contorted to one of guilt and burden. "I am truly sorry, my darling. I know you must think me a scoundrel for my behavior and I do not disagree." His mind was off it's bend and he would not admit his fault so candidly if he was not still slightly boozed. Y/N tilted her head sympathetically. He was not wrong but she did not blame him, not entirely. She did not spoke, allowing him to continue. "What can I do to make this evening up to you?" He requested. She waited a beat, for dramatic effect. There was nothing she wanted more than...

"I know one way you may make amends." She placed a finger to his jaw and smiled longingly. "Marry me, and all shall be forgiven." His eyes filled with emotion, a tender combination of love, gratefulness, and drink. He pushed himself up from her lap, the emptiness making her as uncomfortable as her dress, and leaned forward, placing a firm kiss to her forehead. "That, I shall," He whispered, placing another careful chaste kiss to her cheek. "And more." She gazed upon the man, fearing a tear would escape her tired eye from the emotions and true admiration she shared with Anthony. With such a hasty motion, Anthony did not realize how dizzy and nauseous he was until his stomach began to turn. He clenched his jaw, wired tightly shut, as well as closing his eyes once more to steady himself and tried to push the feeling away but failed with an exasperated sigh. "Dear God, I'm going to be sick." Y/N quickly lifted herself with a push of her palms to the soft quilted mattress and flew to the kitchen to retrieve a cold cloth to place on his head. It would be a long night but he was undoubtedly worth the trouble.

[oogaboogaspookyman]

Heehoo angst

[ABSOLUTE END but alternate]

The trio has reached the absolute, but it came at the cost of so much. She is sorry.

"Uzi? I'm sorry, for everything. You're better off without me... I love you" were N's last words as he flew off into the center of the Solver, now an oversized freakish growth of flesh, littered with teeth and claws and pincers and eyes, body horror to the max. Seems like it's grown tired of playing around and became desperate.

"N!! NOO!!" Uzi screamed as she began running after him, wings popping out in order to fly and save her boyfriend, then they'll have a happy ending together forever and–

"Do NOT!" V came into the scene, trapping Uzi in a hug so that she doesn't fly into the central eye of the Solver with him. "You're gonna get yourself killed! He's about gone..."

"V WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!?! THAT'S MY BOYFRIEND OVER THERE!!"

"I'm sorry, Zi..." There are tears welling up in V's eyes. Same with Uzi's.

...

An idea.

CRUNCH!

"FUCK!" Holy dang f-bomb from V, whose arm has been chomped and torn off, and so Uzi breaks free to try to fly off again. Reunite with her beloved.

"No no no no NO!"

Uzi manages to catch up with N, now flying right by his side and soon after, hugging him like he's going to be taken away. Which he is. Literally. He's gonna die. "You're NOT gonna leave me! Not you!"

"Uzi?! Let go! I don't wanna get you killed!"

"A LIFE WITHOUT YOU IS WORTH THE STUPIDITY I'M ABOUT TO DO!"

...

There they are, flying in place, close to each other as much as possible...

"Let's do this, together, and if we live... We have a great story to tell..." Uzi spoke up in the silence of the moment. It's as if time slowed down just for them.

"Alright... See you on the flipside..?" N near whispered, softly yet anxious.

"See you on the flipside... I love you too"

And then, they zoom into the eye of the Solver. It screeches in anger and disgust and hatred, it is furious, it's not gonna be defeated by some host and it's own creation! Not like this!

It began flailing it's many limbs about, swiping and swinging, trying to take down the host and her apparent lover, it's own creation, but nothing seemed to hit as they dodged every attack.

And right before they manage to land their one hit into it's eye in the center of it all... They lean in for a final kiss. They love each other to bits...

One final screech, now of fear, as it realizes it's fate is sealed.

BOOM...

And so... They vanished. They vanished into thin air.

"Oh robo-god... They actually did it..?!" J is shocked by the sight.

"No... No no no NO!!"" Khan is angry, he's just lost a piece of his everything.

"MY DAUGHTER!!" Nori yelled as loud as she could with a body so small.

"The freak actually did it..." Lizzy stared in awe, for the first time she's not as emotionless and staring at something that's not the phone.

"UZIII!!" Thad could not believe his optics, and maybe he doesn't want to...

V just ran into the site of the disappearance, hoping she'd at least find their bodies or cores, anything that means they're alive... "No no no no please no don't do this to me no..!"

There's only a beanie, and a pilot hat...

She picks up what remains of them, their iconic hats, and holds them close and tight, trapped in her embrace. She might as well hug them this way... Just one more time.

"I'm so... So, so sorry..." V choked out, tears threatening to fall...

And she screams, wailing over the loss of the two people she cared about the most out of all.

Months later, after the ending of it all...

A strong slam open of the locker door. V stares at her mirror and wonders... Why her? Why? Just why?

She grabs a can of oil and chugs it as if it was some kind of alcoholic drink... Whatever the drone equivalent of that is... She then tosses it back inside the locker, carelessly, and slams the door shut.

"Yo, girly... No need to be rough on the locker, it didn't do anything to you" said Lizzy, the now humbled cheerleader of the school.

V just let out an unreadable, dismissive, "hm..." as she began walking off elsewhere... Until.

"God, i am SO glad the purple freak is dead, honestly, like- who's gonna miss her? Y'know what i'm sad about for real? Her apparent boyfriend the big hot murder drone boy, i would've LOVED if he stayed like- he could be as mean to me as he wanted and i'd thank him~"

Oh that girl is so FUCKING dead.

A flurry of bullets is released into the ceiling. Screaming ensues in the halls and continues until V opens her mouth to speak.

"ALRIGHT, WHO SAID THAT? RAISE YOUR HAND WHOEVER TALKED SMACK ABOUT THEM LIKE THAT"

...

...

...

"Come oooonn, don't be shy~! I just wanna TALK." She swapped her left hand to that of giant claws and slammed them into the locker next to her own, piercing it.

"uhm... What are you? Her friend?? I didn't know she's got friends- did she pay you?" The little girl, the prey, just had to open her mouth one last time before closing it. She watches the shadow loom over her, menacingly, as everyone in the scene runs away, including the girl's potential partner. She's growling.

"I don't think i've had enough oil, mind helping me with that?"

...

...

...

There she lays, in Uzi's bed, hugging their hats tight and close to her as if it's gonna magically bring them back.

She's sobbing quietly to herself, probably to sleep...

"I'm so sorry..."

Inevitably, she dozes off, still sobbing, just a little less.

Sweet dreams, V...

[end.]

[welcometothejianghu]

Welcome to another round of W2 Tells You What You Should See, where W2 (me) tries to sell you (you) on something you should be watching. Today's choice: สามเราต้องรอด / 3 Will Be Free.

3 Will Be Free is a 2019 bisexual Thai thriller about a complicated and extremely sexy trio on the run because they've been accused of some crimes they mildly to moderately very much did commit.

If you love an earnest and often frankly absurd revenge drama with smokin' hot people from across the gender spectrum who like to kiss other people from across the gender spectrum, then strap in, buddy, because this is just what a certain kind of doctor ordered. It's a blockbuster concept on a street-food budget. Its greatest joy is finding flimsy excuses to take off its male characters' shirts.

One of the best things the show has going for it is that it's a relatively quick bite -- ten fast-paced, 50-minute episodes, long enough to tell the story, but short enough that it doesn't overstay its welcome. If I've caught your attention, keep on reading for a somewhat brief five reasons you might have a good time here.

1. Hope you're horny...ish

I feel this is obvious but still worth saying: All three of the main characters are stupidly hot. They are, left to right in the photo below, a very tall bisexual boy, a fairly short ostensibly straight girl, and a regular-sized gay boy. Two of them are sex workers who know exactly how sexy they are, and the third is a complete virgin.

The tall boy is Neo, a sexy club dancer whose initial character brief was clearly "bisexual Magic Mike." The girl in the middle is Miw, a sexy club host who is a bitch and I love her so much. The gay boy in glasses is Shin, a sexy art weenie who has disappointed his mafioso father for many reasons (though being gay is not among them!).

And yes, they all hook up. I know sometimes with me, it's hard to tell because I talk about things like they're textually gay when they aren't actually, but these three hook up canonically, onscreen, and it's hot.

And yet -- and this is going to sound so weird, but go with me on it -- it's not very salacious, as horniness goes. Like, someone's pretty much always sitting there consumed by lust, but onscreen you don't get to see as much as a butt crack. It's kind of PG-13 horniness, perfect for people who are cool with the idea of sex, but not into seeing it. It's basically the radio edit of a much steamier show. You could have aired this on USA in the '90s, right after Silk Stalkings, and it would have fit right in. It's Kidz Bop Kinnporsche.

I should note that I don't think the show's choice of slightly coy tone is necessarily a good or a bad thing. It is, however, something you should know about before going in, in part because the promotional material definitely implies something far pornier than what you're actually going to get out of watching it. But if you like looking at sexy people and then having imagination adventures about the parts you didn't get to see, this is a can't-miss experience.

2. Mae, my beloved

Mae has done exactly one thing wrong in her life, and that is her hairstyle. Your face was not made for those bangs, baby, to say nothing of whatever you think you're doing with that little topknot. Grow those out, brush it all back, and it'll be perfect.

Mae has the most complex character arc of anyone in this series. When you meet her, she's a mild-mannered waitress saving up for bottom surgery and dating a kind and loving thug who's going to do one more job before he gets out of the thug game for good, so you know that's going to go real well for her.

I love that the show knows exactly how loveable she is. Two different hot guys fall for her, and you know exactly why!

3 Will Be Free has some incredible moments of tonal mismatch, where the fairly uncomplicated action narrative of the main getaway plot suddenly slips and reveals something almost profound. My wife made the very astute comment that whenever one of Mae's scenes starts, it's like the show has cut away from Fun Action Television Time! to a (slightly less bizarre) season of Fargo. The moments and conversations she has with her boys are intense and often heartbreaking, which is a big part of one of the unexpected features of the show...

3. When it's good it's weirdly great

It is at this point I am going to talk about episode 5.

This episode kind of knocked me on my ass. It's almost like they ported it over from a different, better show. It slows down and does some backstory for Neo and Shin, which means that we get a long stretch where no one is shooting or fleeing or doing crime. It's just two people getting their footing around one another while posing nude for an art class, semi-crashing a bachelorette party, running into old flames at a restaurant, and playing badminton.

And it is the episode that, hands-down, gets the best acting out of those two goobers.

They are not bad actors! They are actually quite good at their craft! I've never seen them in anything else, but people who have seem to enjoy their work! It's just that this drama is, by and large ... well, I'm not going to call it badly written, especially since I'm consuming it via somewhat roughly translated subtitles, which puts me in no place to judge. It's just not especially meaty, as far as the material goes. It's mostly lot of panic! and bad feelings! and misunderstandings! that add up to some artificially melodramatic moments.

Here, though, the drama demonstrates its ability to build some great dynamics between its characters, not just for a single scene, but for a whole episode. The boys get some room to just roll around in their characters, and I more than slightly suspect they got a chance to do some ad-libbing too. Nothing even really happens in the episode! And yet it makes you feel like everything that does happen matters.

When I got to this episode, my ears perked up! I was like, wait, is this show going to be Actually Good from now on? Am I going to have to start taking this junk-food series seriously? ...Well, no. As soon as this episode was over, the show settled back into what it had been before -- which, I hope I've made clear, is a whole lot of fun! But high-quality television, it ain't.

I joked at first that this episode must have been done by the second unit. But no, what I suspect actually happened is that this episode is much more the director's real speed. That'd also explain why all the quiet, tense moments with Mae are so good! This drama is an action series made by someone who comes across as way more comfortable setting the camera down and letting two people talk.

Or, you know, make eyes at one another from across the room.

You could probably just watch episode 5 by itself. Minus some foreknowledge you need from the main story, this episode would actually stand pretty well on its own as a little oneshot BL piece. But if you did that, of course, you'd miss...

4. My Little Miw Miw

Shout out to the beautiful and incredibly named Mild Lapassalan Jiravechsoontornkul for hands-down being the best actor in the whole cast.

...Which, unfortunately, is a bit of damning by faint praise, considering a lot of the cast sounds like they learned to act from a career of being side characters in gay porn. So let me be clear: She does a fantasic job, and in doing so, she makes Miw a real, solid, loveable character -- and that's important, because Miw is kind of the glue that holds the whole series together.

Having a character who's a bitch is tough! You have to write her so she inhabits a space between so bitchy that you actually find her offputting and so toothless that she's not fun anymore. Miw is just right in that sweet spot where she's definitely cruel, but you can also tell that being recreationally mean is just her home language. A lot of the time when she's around her boys, it's kind of that drag-queen mean, the verbal equivalent of slapping someone's ass hard enough to sting. Neo knows exactly what this is like, so he can have fun with it.

Shin does not, though, which makes his and Miw's relationship fascinating. He does not have any natural immunity to play-fighting, so he reads it all as real fighting. She's ready for them to wrestle and chomp one another on their way to friendship, while he's certain that this means she hates him forever. This is the leg of the OT3 triangle that is the weakest -- something the show acknowledges in so many words -- but it's still absolutely necessary.

Miw is frankly inspirational. She has been kicked in the teeth by life so many times, and yet she's still going. She's got that perfect cockroach motherfucker vibe, the kind that lets you know the girl has Seen Some Shit. But she has put on her big-girl panties and decided to just fucking deal with it, like the legend she is.

I suppose I'm especially grateful for Miw because of the number of trio-based things I've seen where there are two fully fleshed-out male characters who have rich internal lives and reasons for what they do, and then there's The Girl. Even if The Girl is cool in theory, in practice she's at best an accessory to the men's stories. You could replace her with a sexy lamp that said sassy things occasionally, and mostly you wouldn't notice the difference.

Neither, though, is Miw some superhuman Strong Female Character whose job is to be smarter and stronger than the boys at things (until, of course, the boys become smarter and stronger than she is). She's as out of her depth as Shin and Neo are. She does not have some special training. She just knows that she wants to survive, and she's willing to do whatever is necessary. She's done it before.

She's also just stupidly gorgeous. What a babe.

5. Diversity Win! This Local Mafia Kingpin Supports the LGBTQ+ Community!

One of the things that weirdly warmed my heart about the show was how it never went for homophobia or transphobia as a cheap villain characteristic. It would've been easy to jump to making the bad guys extra-nasty about the queer and trans characters, and that's never what happens.

This is perhaps most prominent in the case of Mafia Dad, Shin's father. He's the major antagonist of the series and an objectively bad father in many respects, but he completely absorbs the idea that his son is gay without blinking. He's even weirdly supportive!

There is a point near the end where someone says, almost verbatim, '[character] is at the transgender clinic with his transgender girlfriend!' and Mafia Dad's reponse is, 'Oh, so he's trying to live a normal life now, huh?' And we just cracked up, because, yeah, to this show? Normal life.

It's not a world where homophobia and transphobia don't exist. The show acknowledges that legal and medical things can be rough for gay and trans people, and there are of course a couple outright jerkfaces here and there. But on the whole, the main conflicts in the show are fairly agnostic on categories of gender and sexuality. Sleeping with the wrong person gets you in trouble no matter what your genital situations are!

It's a great example, too, of how the answer to bad representation is more representation. Neo has two trans/gender non-conforming neighbors (pictured above) who are there as sexualized fujoshi comic relief. If they were all the trans representation you got, then yeah, that might not be great. But they're two of several! So because they're not bearing the burden of being the show's entire commentary on trans existence, they're allowed to live the truth that trans people can be just as annoying as cis people are.

This is not to say that the show is a perfect queer utopian fantasy. It's more than a little hung up on cishet ideals. For all it tries to be very LOVE IS LOVE! about things, it can't quite escape an understanding of the world that will allow queer and genderqueer variations on bodies and relationships, but only so far as they mimic and do not challenge the supremacy of cisheteronormative standards. The director is openly gay and makes other gay media, but even that's sometimes not enough to break out of the tyranny of "normal."

It's also not a perfect polyamorous utopian fantasy either. The ending takes a kind of hard left into pushing pair-bonded relationships the true ideal happily ever after. How you feel about this is going to depend a lot on how you feel about a certain character who gets introduced in the back half of the show. It doesn't sink the OT3 ship by any means, so you don't have to worry. But it does get in the way of it, and that's all I'm going to say about that.

If that's all going to frustrate you, then yeah, that's going to frustrate you. (It did me!) But if you can roll with the fact that it's trying (and it is!), you can be charmed by how it's getting there. (Also me!)

Ready to jump in?

This YouTube playlist has you covered! All of the episodes are broken into four parts each based on commercial breaks, which comes in handy if you ever don't have time to sit through a full episode.

You may notice the playlist is longer than what's needed to cover a mere ten episodes. That's because the last hundred videos on the playlist are clips, trailers, and reaction videos -- so if you want to get an even better sense of what the show is like, well, there you go! Beware of spoilers, of course, both in the clips and in the thumbnails.

I will be the first to admit that I am probably cutting this show a lot of slack because I am starved for actual onscreen ongoing bisexual representation, where it's not just a boy who makes out with a few girls, then falls for another boy and never goes un-gay. Is it my ideal bisexual polyamorous love story? Oh, heavens no. But it's what we've got, and what we've got is fortunately pretty darn fun.

They're free now!

[hevexns-realm]

Hello! Since my birthday is coming soon, here's another question:

How do you think each character would spend their birthday? Like, what would they prefer for it — set a whole party, or take a good walk with friends, or something else? 👀

Aww, happy early birthday breaddo!! I hope you have a great birthday! 🤍🤍🤍

As how each character spends their birthday..

Amy - a giant tea party with the girls and some of the boys. She’d most likely ask shadow for a drag performance, or for helping out with the party. After all she, Sonic, and shadow are all amazing friends, especially in adulthood! (Although one year she decided to go clubbing with aeon and rouge, and honestly she had fun!)

Rouge - drinking wine all evening and buying herself luxuries. knuckles, shadow, and a few others pop by her place to host her a small dinner party, as the bar has gone down in history as Mobius’ greatest thief, might as well celebrate!

Cream - a gorgeous birthday party that’s similar to Amy’s, except she gets special presents from all her friends and family. Depending on who it’s from, it can range from coloring books, plushies, to small amounts of jewelry, and even a handmade dress for her! (Nazo always makes cream a birthday dress, it’s just his yearly tradition.)

Blaze - well, she’s a princess. You better believe a whole festival is being held in her honor. She’s invited many fellow royal families and high honored guests, but her favorite bit is dancing under the moonlight with silver. Mephiles and iblis actually help with these events, since blaze is considered a goddess in her realm (technically she’s a Demi-goddess, but she’s still worshipped all the same!)

Iris - it really depends on the situation and when/where she is. If you were talking about when she was in the castle, she really wouldn’t have anything held for her by her dad or most of her older siblings. However, she was always given a handmade vanilla cake by some of the maids on her birthday. If you’re talking about in the present timeline? Most likely a night out to buy herself some dinner, buy some cute jewelry, and if it’s a work night? Oh the girl gets SPOILED by rich men. (Nazo and seelk can’t help but feel jealous, but not like they can do anything about it, let her enjoy the day as she deserves!)

Aeon - goes on a shopping spree or goes to travel. Every year she experiences something unique and beautiful on her travels! ^^

Sonic - pool party at his place, backyard cookout, maybe even some drinks! He also gets spoiled rotten by all his friends and loved ones! ^^

Scourge - pretty similar to Sonic, except the drinking is more extreme, and drugs can be found at the event 0-0|| you can imagine how often cops show up at the event spot due to complaints.

Shadow - most likely going to a drag bar to perform, after all, he knows a lot of his friends there have stuff planned for him. Ranging from alcohol to new dresses, he’s gonna get spoiled on his birthday, in more ways than one! -v-

Seelkadoom - going to concerts. This can range in his mood. However, this year he’s aiming to bring the rest of the supernatural trio to an Olivia Rodrigo concert for his 23rd birthday. (For his 22nd, he and nazo went to a Sabrina carpenter concert, and he got an autograph from her! You can still see it framed in their room, you’ll have to ask him to see it though!)

Nazo - this depends. Some days he wants to stay in bed and cuddle his beloveds all day, some days he wants to go shopping for a new cologne and some new pieces, some days he wants to go gambling in no limit hold ‘em’. However, he’s always gifted some sweets from vanilla and cream for his birthday. They have this tradition of gifting each other something they love, and Nazo has always adored vanilla’s baking!

Tails - is usually given a small party, and is usually having game nights at Sonic’s place. Usually having some burgers with Sonic’s homemade chili cheese fries! ✨v✨

Knuckles - goes to cuddle and hangs out with rouge! Usually has some soup and some cake with her, or goes out drinking with Sonic and the others! ^^

Bonus:

Usually, mephiles and iblis don’t celebrate their birthdays. After all, they don’t remember how old they actually are. However, they do celebrate the birthdays of their favorite devotees!

Remember the sweet trans woman who left soup, cookies, and wine for mephiles? He always makes sure she has an amazing birthday, no matter what happens the day before. Sometimes he gets a little gutsy and visits her in her dreams to wish her a happy birthday! (He’s in love, but he HATES admitting it to anyone he doesn’t trust.)

For iblis, she always buys high quality ingredients and utensils for the chef who makes the amazing meals for her at her altar. It’s her small way of giving back, especially when they’re nothing but sweet to a goddess like her!

[crumbsssscookie]

i adore girl! logan, like if she has zero fans then i'm dead! so seeing the update made my day amidst midterms season, so thank you!

but yes, i looooooove hearing logan's thought process and i also love how quickly she soaks in all the information that she is given. because logan isn't taken seriously and probably doesn't get the same attention from other people as her male counterparts. so i feel her hunger this chapter— that hunger for good advice especially from someone like jenson; that hunger to get her name out there by taking a chance with an upstart hire and her hunger to be on top of the podium. god, i am so excited for her to take the world by storm (even more because she is already an icon).

and also, having logan have the (potentially but probably) backing of nico and jenson is perfect. especially nico, who has been an advocate for women in sports and a certified girl dad. i think having them, two world champions, as an immediate well of knowledge is making me so giddy. i think nico will be her biggest defender (besides her family and sister ofc), will not let journalists or the hosts to doubt or discredit her in typical rosberg energy.

ALSO THE TRIO <\3 MY BELOVEDS </3 liam and yuki coming to her defences ):

and yes, i can imagine yuki's excitement at the arrival of L² in f1 esp since he probably mentions them like ... all the time ... (which he does with liam which is so sweet). but NOT TO MENTION THE PREMA TRIO ??? very excited for oscar to give the heart eyes energy towards logan; her being blissfully unaware ("omg new bestfriend!) and fred being an unwilling third wheel.

thank you again for this new chapter because ugh its so good. also are you surviving the break or are you also going insane? AND ALSO LOGAN TO INDYCAR POTENTIALLY? a win for us i think

— sunnie ☀️

Sunnie, I missed you ♥️ So happy, that I could brighten your day :3

If I didn’t have fem!Logan I’d probably gone completely insane tho, but the break is generally treating me well. Nevertheless I’m ready to watch this gaggle of men drive in squiggly circles again. Also manifesting for Logan to get an Indycar seat, I was sooo happy when he finally posted on Instagram again today about his whereabouts 😍

You’re right, if boy Logan felt kinda lonely and starved for attention, it’s unfortunately ten times worse for fem!Logan. She has to be a sponge in that regard, because even though she knows the future, she cannot say if the people that helped her along the way the first time, will do it this time around too. That’s why she hit up Nico, because she knew that since he’s that champion for women in sports, the likelihood that he would help her, would be high.

I don’t want to diminish the role he’ll play in the story, but he was a kinda fail-safe for Logan in the case Jenson would’ve said no. Again, with Jenson too, she knew the likelihood would’ve been high that he would help, but this Logans fail-safes have fail-safes have fail-safes. The prerequisite for her taking revenge at James is getting into F1 which is currently her highest objective.

Also, on the topic of Logan’s grid parents. You’ve nailed it completely. Nico has birthed Logan himself and he will not accept slander of any kind towards her. That’s his daughter for all he is concerned, the heir to the Rosberg dynasty, nobody will discredit her 💅And Jense is the quintessential proud father. He’ll do anything to make his daughter happy. Also he’d definitely put Mark and Nando on babysitting duty if he’s off racing Le Mans or something 🤭

2020 will bring the rise of the Prema Trio™️ and probably a little bit of jealousy by our resident Kiwi bc social distancing bans him from seeing Logan as much and Yuki’s off to F2 (so he doesn't even have anyone he can cry to in person about it). But I’ll make up for it with them trying their hand at streaming, since the pandemic will still be a thing

[fountainpenguin]

So, I’ve been reading Frayed Knots and I’m curious: I noticed a lot of the anti-fairies seem to talk in very particular ways - is there a cultural/developmental reason for this or is it just an artistic choice?

They're born like that! Because Fairies are "hosting counterparts" (i.e. they're the first born of the trio), their two counterparts (Anti-Fairies and Refracts) are born with "personality profiles" ingrained on them from birth. Usually, something that reflects the host.

This is why Foop can talk, play pipe organ, and has a highly specific personality from birth (e.g. In his debut, he claims he wants to be feared by all because Poof is beloved by all)

Smoke-Born Trait Thieves

The Cloudlands AU lore is that Anti-Fairies are born as smoke (and Refracts as mist). They zip across the universe, absorb information from their counterpart, and then zip back to their mother (where their newborn body is waiting).

Foop's lifesmoke narrowing in on Poof & filling his parents' castle in "Anti-Poof"

Frayed Knots Chapter 1 depicts anti-cherubs catching Anti-Cosmo's lifesmoke in a jar before he made it to his body.

Unrelated to your question, but the speed at which lifesmoke reaches the body determines fur color, with light-colored individuals getting there faster and dark ones being delayed. I talked about this in the tags of this post about Siamese cat coloration.

Foop trapped his younger brother (Smoky) in a jar when he was lifesmoke just to see if this was true. His parents were frustrated, but also... sometimes it's nice to take a breather and recover from giving birth before you actually raise the kid, y'know?

Fun Fact: You can kill an Anti-Fairy at any age and they'll turn to smoke you can trap in a jar. You can also take their limbs by trapping only some of their lifesmoke :)

Here are the profiles for the Nebula trio (and old art just for fun):

Poof - Sport-loving hippie celebrity Foop - Scientist, loner, and patient planner Poppy - Anime-obsessed pop diva wannabe

The jock, the weeaboo, and the nerd! Technically, Poppy had first dibs on stealing baby Poof's traits because she was a smidgen faster, and Foop is still bitter about it.

Shout-out to Poof slowly fading from left-handed to right-handed after Foop stole his left-handedness, lmao

You wouldn't guess it at first glance, but on paper, the Nebula trio's theme isn't "brain and brawn"- It's "storytelling!" Poof likes action movies and writes fanfics (which he chronically leaves unfinished), Foop writes scientific notes and plays (which he cares deeply about), and Poppy's into anime and oral retellings of her favorite stories.

There's also the Marigold Trio. Their theme is touch:

Goldie - Touchy-feely ambassador; "bad girl" Kelsia - Fragile "good girl" desperate for approval Drake Marigold - Track star afraid of intimacy

The Jorgen trio's theme is physical strength, the Cupid trio's is magical strength, the Sanderson trio's theme is loyalty, and H.P. and his counterparts are themed around attention.

I just think "one soul split three ways between counterparts" is neat :)

Anti-Fairy Dialogue

Anti-Fairies tend to follow stereotypes with their voice patterns. They're born of perceptions more than realism. One of the authority figures from Anti-Cosmo's youth is a personal favorite (Fast-talking 1920's salesman):

"Boy, have I ever got big news for ya, kiddo- big news. The flashy stuff, the classy stuff." With that, he shoved a scroll into my hands. I fumbled to unravel it (quietly) while he bounced up and down where he roosted. "It costs you absolutely nothing, and you have yourself an infinite amount of valuable knowledge to gain. Think of the exposure! Think of the pizazz! Keep up the pace on this here block and you'll hit the charts and turn catch of the day before you can holler a good ol' 'Hallelujah!'"

Frayed Knots Chapter 5, "Indigo Feathers"

And Anti-Cosmo's childhood best friend speaks like a pirate, so he says "Argh" and calls people "Matey" :) Both these individuals live in a castle, but they don't fit the medieval vibes... and to be fair, neither do Anti-Cosmo, Foop, or Anti-Wanda.

Anti-Cosmo's personality profile is "posh British genius with occasional idiot flashes."

- Cosmo's profile is "Shy, goofy idiot with occasional genius flashes" and Dame Cosmo's profile is "Flighty kleptomaniac." - Dame Cosmo was designed with street smarts... There's an underlying vibe of smarts being important for the Cosmos trio, and hers is something neither of her counterparts excels in.

In Origin of the Pixies, we see the Anti-Fairies - especially Anti-Sanderson - with very exaggerated accents. This mirrors the culture H.P. grew up with (The way he perceives Anti-Fairies as "foreign"). Anti-Cosmo even calls a famous writer out about this:

"Now, look here. While your writing is superb in many fine ways, I do ever so despise the exaggerated way you write Anti-Fairy accents." Kalysta blinked, like she hadn't even expected this to be an issue. I stared up at her in disbelief, now crossing my arms. Her response? "I just write them the way they sound." "Yes, well, take it from an actual anti-fairy, darling: Your overzealous use of apostrophes and misspellings to point out 'deviations' in our speech from your precious 'Fairy norm' is incredibly offensive, and I speak for many of my people when I say I wish you'd stop." [Redacted spoiler detail] "I didn't mean to offend anyone-" "Which is why I point it out, so you can write more respectfully in the future. Oh- I'm terribly sorry, luv. I didn't mean to cut you off there. Yes, go on." Kalysta reached behind her to grab a water flask hanging from the wall by its strap. She was scowling now. "No… Unfortunately, the accents are part of my established canon, and I can't just change them in future projects. My publisher expects a certain tone from me, and I try to make my stories real. It's just my writing style, y'all understand. No offense intended." I stared at her some more, the fond respect I'd once held for her going up in smoke. What? I say, would she very much like it if I began spelling Fairy accents (and only Fairy accents) out in my head in such a ridiculous way? I mean, she was a will o' the wisp, and most of the Earthside wisps spoke with the same drawl that Mickey did. Exaggerating hers for once would be simple. Bloody smoke, I don't know. Why does it seem as though Fairies insist on being… like that? Is respect for an entire population really that difficult of a thing to offer up? Come now, I don't claim to be the best at it, but surely I'm better than they? Am I exaggerating my intelligence out of proportion? Hmph.

Frayed Knots Chapter 21, "Bottled Emotions"

Hmm...

It's also worth pointing out that Foop is a combination of his parents' speech patterns- He's "clever and goofy with a British accent." The core traits of an Anti-Fairy come from reflecting their fairy counterpart, but a lot of what an Anti-Fairy is comes from their parents.

Ex: Foop doesn't get his accent from Poof- He gets it from being Anti-Cosmo's kid. However, he WAS born with it as opposed to picking it up after years of growing up. Fun Fact: Foop has conversion disorder. He inherited the part of Anti-Cosmo's brain that tells him his wing is injured, so he limps on his right side even though he personally has no injury. If you point it out, sometimes he'll correct, but it's his default instinct, so he falls into it a lot. This plays into why he likes riding in vehicles instead of flying on his own for long-distance travel. Anti-Fairies are funny like that... They're "traits grabbed from the hosting counterpart, the missing pieces filled with data taken from their parents." Lots of layers going on there.

I'm glad to hear you're reading - and hopefully enjoying - Frayed Knots! I'm hoping to post its next chapter on Friday the 13th (This next week)... Fingers crossed.

Related:

- "What exactly are the rules on how Refact personalities relate to the fairy and anti-fairy counterparts?" - I discuss how I design Fae counterparts in trios

"How many refract versions of canon characters from FOP have you thought up?" - I discuss how I design refracts, similar to how I design Anti-Fairies

[tangentiallly]

liar game truly manga of all time in my heart. one of my favorite things about it is that despite being in the psychological genre, despite the games in the tournament being about how to trick and deceive others, despite the tactical nature, the manga also places a lot of emphasis on the theme of being kind and working together and trusting each other. those traits are not merely dismissed as unrealistic and naive - sure, there are characters who’ve expressed such opinions, but it’s not what the narrative expresses. the protagonist, despite being seen as naive and foolish for wanting to save everyone, also goes through a character arc where she becomes stronger and smarter and more experienced - without losing her kindness.

nao isn’t just someone who needs to be protected, and as the plot goes on she and akiyama become more like partners. and she took to heart what he said about doubting people - that it’s an act of trying to understand others, that sometimes what people call trust is just apathy, of not getting to know others.

while akiyama is often the one coming up with convoluted tactics, usually the plan would not have been able to succeed with nao. because she was able to win people’s trust over, with her kindness. sometimes the reason that other people were willing to go along with akiyama’s plan was because kanzani nao was there to back the plan up. to get everyone to cooperate and trust each other.

one of those masked guys observed - it’s with kanzaki’s presence that akiyama is able to last this long in the tournament, and not (just) the other way around. i too think so. it goes both ways. well, i think with akiyama’s cleverness and skills he could have, in specific games come up with some ways to win just for himself, but for the plan they have to save everyone, for those plans to succeed, kanzaki is very crucial as well.

and saving everyone is not just about altruism, akiyama would often claim. it’s also about how this is the best way to hurt the agency that is hosting the tournament - that’s who the real enemy is. and he is right. although of course he’s kinder than he would believe himself to be.

for a manga centered around a tournament with many games that seem to require a lot of intelligence and tricks and negotiation skills and psychology analyzing of your opponents to win - the way kindness and working together with each other is still so so so important a theme and relevant and crucial to winning - it’s just, really excellent storytelling and character building. i love that.

of course i also love the games and the math and logic and tactics involved they’re so fun. and seeing akiyama calmly explain his strategy or what trick he used. delightful. i know some people don’t like the ending and feels the final game rushed and i understand that (although having read it much later than the whole series was completed possibly made it easier for me to accept it), and it’s not perfect, but it truly is just all time fave for me. top tier in my heart. really excellent plot and arcs and character developments (not just the two main characters - side characters like my beloved miss fukunaga and mr akagi are great too). also: kanzaki - akiyama - fukunaga trio you will always be famous to me.

[roetrolls]

DREAM SEQUENCE RECAP PART ONE: The Arc Thus Far

As you all know, my dear beloved Chase @sasster and I discovered around two years ago that we really like making stories together. We've gotten very good at it, I think!

But no matter how good at it we are, it can be a bit hard to follow a plot that's moving along as sporadically as this one has been. That's not a knock against us, life can be demanding.

But, for both our sake and yours, I thought it might be helpful to write up a summary of everything that's happened in this narrative so far. So sit back, take a nap, and let's go over what we know ✨

FIRST: THE MAJOR PLAYERS

The Church of The Divine Dreamer - A non-clown religion built upon the worship of dreams. According to its devotees, dreams take place in the divine world, which we are linked to through subconscious thought. They believe that the act of dreaming is in itself holy.

Nymira - A spacey blackblooded mutant who is, purportedly, a fledgling god. With a host of abilities related to dreaming, she is seen as a bridge between worlds and the personification of divinity. She can conjure objects from her dreams into the waking world, and though she is less practiced in it, she also possesses the ability to traverse the dreams of others and pull them into her own.

Cylion Lefera - The current head of the church and eldest child of its founder, Cylion serves as Nymira's prophet, mouthpiece, and even guardian at times. He claims to possess no abilities of his own, but trusting anything he says could prove to be a mistake...

Somnia Poppet - The middle child between Nymira and Cylion, Somnia proselytizes for the church and acts as its head of security. He's a weaselly little thing, but he's powerful in his own right. Though perhaps there's a caveat?

Favion Lefera - The church's founder, Nymira's first (and imperfect) prophet, and the father of the trio above. There is something wrong with Favion... But we'll get into that later. For now, what you really need to know is that Nymira loves him dearly, and she even uses her powers to create a tonic that can help with his condition.

Little Friend - Nymira's dearest buddy and closest confidant (a position he happened to steal from Cylion). LF is a doll, created in Nymira's dreams and brought to life through the generous aid of the Restorer-- It seems the Roatus clan might just be wrapped up in this too!

THE BACKGROUND

So now we know who's on the board... But perhaps we could understand these players a bit better.

First, just a quick peek into the dynamics at play within the COTDD. These are less crucial to the actual events of the plot, but say a lot about the characters themselves. Have some drabbles about:

Nymira and Cylion Favion's lovely treatment of Nymira One of Cylion's core memories With the supplemental reading out of the way, let's jump back in time, shall we? Because it turns out Favion and Ailzea have some history...

Childhood Woes - In this drabble from the Restorer's youth, we learn several important things about Favion. The first is that, once upon a time, he was a under the thumb of Ailzea's abusive ancestor. The second is that he loves torturing Ailzea's dolls. Third, he has always been fixated on getting a true reaction out of his "friend." And fourth? Favion has died at Ailzea's hand.

That last point is especially vital, because unlike most people Ailzea revives, Favion possesses the innate ability to dampen the powers of other trolls. He came back... But not quite right.

And he really hates the Restorer.

Good thing he doesn't know about his daughter's greatest treasure, huh? Cylion knows, though.

And Cylion loathes that thing.

It doesn't help that Little Friend knows about some of the secrets Cylion is keeping from Nymira... Like the fact that he has the power to manipulate dreams, and many of the messages she receives to guide her hand come straight from him.

Table Talk - We learn that little tidbit here. Somnia thinks it's hilarious. It also helps explain a little semi-canon something that happened earlier. See, Nymira sometimes struggles to tell whether or not she's dreaming. So when the same person who helps someone differentiate the two is also able to dictate what they dream?

Well. Sounds like a recipe for dictating that someone's very reality.

That fact might be why Nymira's had so little practice with her second ability. She can't exactly go visiting dreams while she's having custom-made ones pumped into her head, now can she? Still, the dream-hopping she does manage to do is very important to her, as we learn in Hallways, a drabble about Nymira's routine and thoughts inside her own domain.

That drabble ends in a rather unique way, though. One of the visitors she comes upon speaks her name, cementing her certainty that these are real people and real dreams that she is poking into, not just figments of her subconscious mind.

Cylion wants her to believe that's not the case. As much as she trusts her brother, it's frustrating to feel that he's not listening to her.

Hello, seeds of unrest. Shall we uproot the status quo?

UPROOT WE SHALL

Have you ever met Marrie? She's Ailzea's daughter, a life-sized marionette with an adorable smile and a heart of gold. She's also friends with Nymira! Little Friend needs to visit the House of Restoration regularly to stay in working order, and Marrie delights in the task of ferrying him between the churches. Especially because it allows her to speak with Nymira, even if Cylion sometimes tries to keep that time short.

Quick Visit - This time Cylion's busy, though. And that's about to cause him quite the headache. You see, Marrie's bought Nymira a journal... And some pens...

Thing is, Cylion goes to great lengths to keep writing utensils out of his sister's hands. After all, when he benefits so much from being able to decide for her what's real and what isn't, what could he possibly stand to gain from allowing her to leave notes about? No, that won't do at all.

Missing? - No worries. It doesn't take long for Cylion to notice the pens, though he doesn't know where they've come from. In fact, he assumes Nymira must have conjured them herself. Easy fix, then, right? He probably thinks so! Until, of course, he discovers that someone else can corroborate their existence... Time to think fast.

Too bad for him, it seems Cylion has forgotten something about his sister–– she's trusting. Not stupid. And even the most naive troll can notice a lie if it's sloppy enough.

Especially one who combs through details with such idle frequency that they've formed an absent tick of counting how many fingers they have.

Nymira is uneasy.

And then Marrie meets her dad.

SHIT HITS THE FAN

Pretty Doll - Remember that thing we learned about Favion? The one where he really, really likes breaking Ailzea's creations? Marrie is one of those. You can see where this is going.

Or... Where it would be going, at least.

Interception - Because Cylion and Somnia aren't the only brothers hanging around this arc, and Archie Roatus will be damned if he lets someone hurt his sister and get away with it. Welcome to the narrative, Archie! You're gonna have a great time, don't even worry about it.

Archie gets Marrie out with minimal damage, just a single arm left behind. That's minimal, she's made of wood. She's fine. It's fine.

Reminder - Except it isn't. Because Nymira's here to witness the aftermath, and she is not happy. Especially after overhearing that Cylion intended to hide Marrie's arm before she could see it. In a fit of near hysteria and with her pens bled dry by her brother, she takes drastic measures to ensure she won't forget what she's learned. Black blood must look remarkably like ink, don't you think?

White Bear - And she's not the only one keeping this incident in their thoughts. Archie's back, and he's having trouble moving on from what Favion has done to his family. He promised Ailzea not to act on those feelings, but, well... Ever heard of the white bear experiment? Archie accidentally activates his powers and teleports to Favion. Whoopsie!

In the resulting interaction, he realizes that Favion's abilities mitigate his own, and he buys time to get out by mouthing off and generally being a little shit.

And there we go! That's all we've got, at least for now... Let's see what we dream up next.

[thewatcher727]

Sonic X: Gotta Go Fast Again - Chapter 24: Knot What They Seem

64.media.tumblr.com

Sonic X: Gotta Go Fast again is a thrilling continuation of the beloved anime, promising action-packed escapades and heartwarming moments as our heroes embark on their next chapter! Available for Reading on AO3 & FF!

FanFiction:

Archive of Our Own:

Preview:

Sonic crossed his arms with an air of smug satisfaction. "Well, as my friends, it's gonna be tough finding out who's who. So, I called for some help."

Tails leaned forward as much as his bonds would allow. "Who did you call?"

Right then, the unmistakable screech of tires was followed by a loud crash outside. Tails' eyes widened as he recognized the sound of metal meeting metal—someone had just hit the X Tornado.

As if on cue, the door to the workshop slammed open with enough force to wake the dead, or at least startle a few dust bunnies into fleeing. A familiar, grating voice bellowed, "The Chaotix are here!"

Knuckles' jaw dropped in disbelief. "You've gotta be kidding me," he voiced his thoughts, his words dripping with exasperation.

Sure enough, Vector strutted in, dressed like he had raided the wardrobe of every noir detective film ever made. His fedora was tilted at a jaunty angle, and his trench coat swished dramatically with each step despite the complete lack of wind indoors. Charmy buzzed in after him, looking like an overly caffeinated sidekick, while Espio somersaulted into the room, striking a ninja pose that seemed more suited for a martial arts film than a detective case.

Tails blinked slowly, his eyes moving from the theatrical entrance of the Chaotix to Sonic's beaming face. His voice was a mixture of disbelief and resignation as he asked, "You called the Chaotix?"

Sonic's grin widened, if that was even possible, as he turned back to his friends. "Of course! They're completely unbiased in this situation. Plus, they work cheap!" he explained, as if it was the most logical decision in the world to call a trio of bumbling detectives to solve a case of supernatural identity theft.

Charmy flew closely towards Tails, looking embarrassed. "Um, so… funny story," he stammered, rubbing the back of his neck. "I think I sorta… crashed into the X Tornado? Just a little."

The workshop's living room, already a scene of comedic chaos, descended further into absurdity as Vector dramatically shed his noir detective costume. With a flourish that would make a magician envious, he somehow produced an evidence board from thin air, its sudden appearance eliciting a collective blink of confusion from the tied-up audience.

"Time to solve the case of the copycat!" Vector announced with all the gusto of a game show host revealing the grand prize.

[littlemissmedicalmalpractice]

making a post to organize my fandoms because...well. it’s really fun :D

(in order of most active-ness)

squid game -> nothing about this show can be put into a single sentence:) also u should all cry over it with me ! ! !

alien stage -> mizisua is EVERYTHING to me

tian guan ci fu -> xianle trio my beloved (sideblog @tibia-soup)

link click -> all aboard the angst train!!!......

bungou stray dogs -> i think asagiri is torturing me specifically…(KENJI IS ALIVE HAVE FAITH!!!)

jujutsu kaisen -> sashisu (platonic? romantic? pefect!) for EVER. i fear i am never moving past jjk

scum villain self saving system -> me when they. me when. me whne thy. me.

hunter x hunter -> every night i say a lil prayer for togashi's back bc i need more chapters pls pls pls (i'm not really religious yall btw (whole nother post lmao))

haikyuu!! -> AOBA JOHSAI! AOBA JOHSAI WOO!

my little pony: friendship is magic -> love that me and the bad bitches i pulled by being autistic pony

banana fish -> idk how many more semi-bi-monthly rewatches my heart can take

sk8 the infinity -> matchablossom supremacy

the locked tomb -> i love nona and nona loves everyone <333 (sideblog @tibia-soup)

the disastrous life of saiki k -> s1 ep20 11:28 (dubbed)

bee and puppycat -> developed a strong craving for fried eggs

ouran high school host club -> it haunts me...

yuri on ice -> it HAUNTS me.

dune -> alia atreides is so so so silly and normal and chill

anne with an e -> hello :)

magyk -> childhood comfort series fr fr (got a weird crossover stewing in my brain) (PLEASE ask me about it i will love u forever)

avatar the last airbender -> i loveeeeeee maizulee

the owl house -> raine and raine and raine

[dustedmagazine]

Dust Volume 10, Number 1

Finnoguns Wake

Wow, it’s been 10 years since we started Dust, our monthly collection of short reviews. During that time, we’ve covered hundreds of records that might have otherwise slipped through the cracks — from obscure CD-Rs handed off at live shows, to long-lost reissues dug out of attics and basements, to the maniacally focused output of the micro-labels we love to even, occasionally, semi-major releases.  Our conclusion: It may be hard times for music criticism, especially the paid variety, but it’s an excellent era for listening to music.  Here’s what we’ve uncovered to kick off the next decade.  Contributors include Bill Meyer, Jennifer Kelly, Ian Mathers, Andrew Forell, Justin Cober-Lake, Bryon Hayes, Patrick Masterson, Alex Johnson and Christian Carey.

Dave Bayles Trio — Live At The Uptowner (Calligram)

Good things are happening around Milwaukee. That’s where Dave Bayles practices his crafts as a jazz drummer and educator (actually, he teaches in Kenosha). This recording documents his foray into band leadership, which was hosted by the Uptowner, a neighborhood tap that’s been serving drinks since the 1880s. The recorded evidence suggests that despite it being the kind of place where you can holler at the Packers on a screen, when the music’s playing, people listen. Bayle, trumpeter Russ Johnson and bassist Clay Schaub justify their attention throughout this collection of mostly original, bop-aligned themes, which they execute with a little early-Ornette flexibility and healthy servings of direct, swinging lyricism. Johnson in particular does yeoman’s work, drawing out nuanced, patient solos that are likely to induce you to forget to open your mouth, just like the audience on this entirely ingratiating live recording.

Bill Meyer

Cy Dune — Against Face (Lightning Studios)

Very late on Seth Olinsky (from Akron/Family)’s dance/noise/punk experiment, but holy wow, what a belching, squelching, head-whipping sharp turn it is. If Akron/Family took gentle folk songs right off the rails, Cy Dune starts in chaos and ends in angsty cyber-age freefall. The trip typically takes one or two minutes, though the unironically named “Don’t Waste My Time” extends for three. Within that time frame, bass note bobble, snares snap, guitars twist and Olinsky shouts in terse syncopation, breaking occasionally for non-Jude-like “na-na-na-nahs.” “Against Face” wallops hard and fast, pounding toms tethering wild squalls of guitar. “No fun, no fun, no fun,” howls Olinsky periodically, but it definitely is. Fun.

Jennifer Kelly

Dual Monitor — HARD19 (Hardline Sounds)

Say what you might about Rinse FM, the station’s leadership (read: they of the coffers) continues to do a service to the UK’s ecosystem of independent radio by way of keeping afloat other institutions. One such example was its buyout and relaunch of the old pirate station Kool FM; another was its unshuttering of beloved Bristol station SWU.FM last April. Part of the latter’s reinvigorated lineup is the duo of Fliss Mayo and Zebb Dempster, aka Dual Monitor, and their latest release caught my ear for its attention both to percussion amid propulsion and to its high-grade bass weight. “Level Up” might be the winner for me, but the pitch-black plunge of “Left/Right” and “Quattros Oxide” are grooves to behold, too. The airy D&B twist of “Switch It” is also unmissable, a lovely bit of work to close out the four-tracker. Good for a run of 200 from a label worth watching, it looks like you’re still not too late if you do a little running of your own to go grab it.

Patrick Masterson

Eluvium — (Whirring Marvels In) Consensus Reality (Temporary Residence Limited)

Matthew Cooper has made and released plenty of music since 2016’s False Readings On (much of it under the Eluvium name) but in some ways the compact, masterful (Whirring Marvels In) Consensus Reality feels like the first capital A Eluvium Album since that one. As with 2007’s Copia, it leans into the orchestral side of Cooper’s work (this time remotely collaborating with various musicians over the last couple of years), resulting in everything from the phantasmagorical choral/vocal work on “Void Manifest” and the dense arpeggios of “Vibration Consensus Reality (for Spectral Multiband Resonator)” to the solo piano miniature of “Clockwork Fables” and the whirling swells of the closing “Endless Flower.” At this point Cooper’s work is often too varied and colorful to be described as drone, and too active and involving to really be ambient; it’s just Eluvium music, and it’s wonderful to have more of it.

Ian Mathers

Finnoguns Wake —Stay Young EP (What’s Your Rupture)

Stay Young is a debut four-track EP from Australian songwriters Shogun and his mate Finn Berzin who rejoice in the name Finnoguns Wake. You’ll find no knotty linguistic experiments but for lovers of energetically melodic indie guitar bands, there are joys to be had. The pair, who share vocals, guitar and lyrics, meet somewhere between the concise attack of Shogun’s former band Royal Headache and the anthemic end of Britpop. The first three songs zip by with guitars abuzz, the rhythm section driving hard and the voices high in the mix. “Blue Sky” manages to feel satisfyingly loose atop its rigid drumbeat. “So Nice” reconfigures the riff of Husker Dü’s “Terms of Psychic Warfare” to good effect, with Berzin sounding tonally like young Dylan. “Lovers All” moves along like a rougher version of The Buzzcocks. The one misstep “Strawberry Avalanche” aims for Britpop grandeur with the misguided self-belief of late Oasis. Shogun takes his “melting ice cream” metaphors as seriously as Liam treats even his most absurd attempts to top big brother. Thing is you can picture the song working for an audience, so hats off. Stay Young is a promising introduction from a band that feels it like has more and better coming.

Andrew Forell

Lamin Fofana — Lamin Fofana and the Doudou Ndiaye Rose Family (Honest Jon’s)

New York-based producer, DJ and visual artist Lamin Fofana had a big 2023, with two releases on the famed Honest Jon’s imprint and a third for the illustrious Trilogy Tapes in addition to a Resident Advisor mix. That second Honest Jon’s album came in the form of this collaboration in early December with the Doudou Ndiaye Rose Family, an mbalax group of some notoriety in Senegal and descendents of the Dakar drummer, composer and band leader best known as master of the sabar drum family. It fits, though the exact nature of the collaboration is unclear — this is very much a percussion workout of the highest order with only a deft tinge of Fofana’s electronics providing light, cosmic buoyancy to the music, a quartet of meditations ranging between four and 12 minutes long. The most frenetic of them, at least for a spell, is “Bench Mi Mode III: Spectrum,” but even that one has its share of field recordings to lend a more immersive, consuming quality to the listen than pure rhythmic impulse. If you’re unfamiliar with any of the parties involved, you’ll thank yourself in short order for giving this a go.

Patrick Masterson

Fortunati Durutti Marinetti — Eight Waves In Search Of An Ocean (Quindi (ITA) / Soft Abuse (USA))

Dan Colussi’s latest release under the Fortunato Durutti Marinetti moniker, Eight Waves In Search Of An Ocean, is eminently listenable, engaging and, if paid proper attention, engrossing—although not always comfortably. His vocals never stray far from sprechgesang and the instrumentation tends towards warped mid-tempo. There are bright washes of keys; flute and string inflections; careful, elastic bass lines with steady, shoulder-danceable drum patterns. It’s easy to be lulled by the rosy, if somewhat baroque settings, until an ascendant burst of synthesizer or dramatic pause intrudes to break the spell. You may find yourself unsure, rewinding to find out what you might’ve just missed. In this way, the experience of the album can feel akin to a single, continuous performance with brief variations, rather than a straightforward collection of songs.

One such variation, adding perhaps the most friction to Eight Waves… is “Smash Your Head Against the Wall,” which, while not concussive, does make your ears perk up at its clawing guitar chords and the stark imagery that Colussi nearly spits out: “it’s a nest of vipers pissing on each other…and anyone else who’s around/would love to fuck you over if they can/and this community’s request/for the presumed benefit of all/is smash your head against the wall…a delta of corrosion/disorder/and decomposition.” I quote at some length, but there’s plenty more. Though a sonic departure from its surroundings — think Bill Callahan’s “Diamond Dancer” dropped into Destroyer’s Kaputt — “Smash Your Head…” is emblematic of a record that rewards the delayering effect of multiple listens.

Alex Johnson

Ghost Marrow — earth + death (The Garrote)

There is a patience to the songs on Aurielle Zeitler’s third record as Ghost Marrow, but it’s the patience of a predator stalking its prey. All seven songs here started as improvisations on the Juno-60 synthesizer, but by the time they’ve been arranged into these shapes (almost entirely by Zeitler, who adds effects and guitar as well as her voice) they feel focused and intent on the listener. The Bladerunner-esque sweep of “mother of the end” and the increasingly un-gentle blasts of static breaking into the title track both land somewhere between unsettling menace and a kind of holy severity. By the time the closing, ten-minute “microcosm” erupts into clouds of guitar and distant screaming, suddenly sounding a lot more like Sunn O)))’s Black One than the rest of the LP might make you expect, it’s clear that Ghost Marrow is intent on honoring both sides of her title.

Ian Mathers

Brian Harnetty — The Workbench (Winesap)

Composer Brian Harnetty has created memorable work by digging into cultural archives. Shawnee, Ohio (2019) uncovered layers of memory from Appalachia, while last year's Words and Silences drew on recordings of Thomas Merton for sustained contemplation. For his brief EP The Workbench, he takes a different approach, mining deeply personal moments for a individual revelation. He begins with items that his father had repaired — a watch, a radio — and adds in voicemail messages, all in conversation with an evocative quartet. Eventually he ends the piece with his father's breathing as he sleeps in hospice, a quiet outro that finds mournful but understated peace.

The 11-minute track moves so smoothly that singling out key moments almost misses the point; it's a single movement to honor a relationship while reflecting on the brevity of time and the artifacts that persist amid mortality. When a repaired music box overtakes the musicians for the final lift, it feels natural, because of course the reparations done in life will outshine our ability to articulate their meaning. Harnetty's compositions before that never falter. His use of bass clarinet (here played by Ford Fourqurean) provides the essential gravity. Violin and cello weave through the piece with his own piano lightening the composition as needed. A reworked instrumental track allows for a wordless exploration of the same topics. An accompanying video covers the workbench itself, the artifacts presented in themselves, a tangible and visual part of the legacy. It's a short statement from Harnetty but one that lasts.

Justin Cober-Lake

 Nailah Hunter — Lovegaze (Fat Possum)

Nailah Hunter plays lots of instruments on this lush and twilit debut full-length, but two define its sound. Her voice, to start, is cool and effortless and strong, prone to flowery embellishments and capable of soaring crescendos without strain. She might remind you of Sade, in the poised, unruffled quiet bits, but she can belt, too, filling cavernous sonic spaces with bright untethered flourishes. The other instrument is the harp, more common certainly in classical music but not as unusual as it once was in rock and soul. But unlike Joanna Newsom who laces her tunes with folk-echoing arpeggios or Mary Lattimore who finds a celestial drone, Hunter employs the harp to scatter pizzicato shards of crystal in velvety nocturnal textures. The harp litters her moody atmospheres with star light, cold, glimmering pinpoints of sound. It contrasts in a striking way with the warmth of her voice and the pulsing, irregular syncopations of dance-like drums. These are oddly shaped elements that ought not to fit as snugly or as wondrously as they do, but they do.

Jennifer Kelly

Ernesto Diaz Infante — Bats In The Lavender Sky (Ramble)

Bay Area guitarist Ernesto Diaz Infante has always been a restless sort. Nonetheless, this album feels like a bit of a curve ball, albeit a welcome one. The improviser ensconced himself in a San Francisco recording facility named Next Door To The Jefferson Airplane Studios, but did not take the trip you might expect given a choice like that. Instead of a west coast psychedelic vibe, he has gone natural, nocturnal and New Zealand-ish. Put another way, this album mines territory similar to Roy Montgomery’s mid- to late-1990s work, with a little bit of user-friendly Mego thrown in. Repetition leads to contemplation; this music won’t move you at bat velocity, but if you happen to be floating on a slow-moving air mattress while they fly overhead, it’d make just the right soundtrack.

Bill Meyer

Joy Orbison — “Flight FM” (XL)

flight fm by TOSS PORTAL

Getting married and having a kid really seems to have opened Peter O’Grady up over the past few years. After starting his own label in 2017, he came out with an album (2021’s Still Slipping, Vol. 1), has dropped a handful of singles exploring various strains of UK dance music, and even mined the archive of his glory days for a comp of loosies long thought lost or forgotten (last year’s Archive 09-10). Far from the reserved, elusive producer he broke so big with “Hyph Mngo” as, Joy O has instead blossomed into an approachable, seemingly well-adjusted guy who just wants you to enjoy music the way he does — and what better way to do that than with this heavyweight cruiser that rolls as deep as his best material from the SunkLo days. Concocted in a car on the way to a festival, it took some badgering from Four Tet (who has some unreleased work of his own to wrap up, while we’re on the subject) for him to finish it… but thank goodness he did. The best part about this is that we skipped the Aliasizm radio rip and the endless speculation on what it was called and got straight to the release. A simple, speaker-wrecking ode to the pirate station from which it takes its name, you couldn’t start 2024 (or 2012) any better. Variation on an oft-repeated refrain lately: It’s a shame Fact isn’t around to report on it.

Patrick Masterson

Matt Krefting — Finer Points (Open Mouth)

Finer Points by Matt Krefting

Students of the northeastern U.S. freak scene know Matt Krefting for his endeavors both written and aural. His critical ear has spilled ink across the pages of The Wire magazine and Byron Coley’s Bull Tongue Review, and his sonic exploits harken back to the turn of the millennium with the studied quietude of Son of Earth. These days, Krefting makes surprisingly musical constructions using cassette decks and other tape-adjacent curios, coaxing murky melodies from spools of ferric material. Finer Points comprises layers of dusky fuzz, sandblasted environments and warmly lit instrumental passages. A lonely organ features prominently across many tracks, its doleful moan warbling slightly as Krefting’s malfunctioning tape deck motors strain to maintain a constant speed. Standing out from the nocturnal scenery is “A Double Request,” in which multiple plucked string instruments coalesce into a swampy dirge. There’s a sense of evolution at play as the parts cycle through, forming melodies that shift and tumble before falling apart entirely. This is a common theme throughout Finer Points: Krefting subtly and gradually alters the scenery. The slow unfolding creates an intoxicating glow that permeates the entire experience.

Bryon Hayes

Thomas K. J. Mejer / Uneven Same — Saxophone Quartets 1 2 5 6 7 (Wide Ear)

Uneven Same – Saxophone Quartets by Thomas K.J. Mejer

If you’ve heard of Thomas Mejer, it’s most likely because he is a rare specialist in the contrabass saxophone. In that capacity, he’s contributed tonal heft and textural complexity to the music of Phill Niblock and Keefe Jackson. But for this album, which was mostly performed by the all-female saxophone quartet, Uneven Same, he applies a nuanced comprehension of the potentialities of other saxes founded upon the advances made by improvisers to composed music that operates that is carefully textured and glides more than it grooves. Manuela Villiger, Eva-Marta Karbacher, Vera Wahl and Silke Strahl realize his long, layered lines and carefully buffed sonorities with exquisite poise. Mejer also uses overdubbing to realize four more pieces, all part of a series entitled “Resonating Voids,” on his own. By turns rough, thick, and aquatic, its elemental earthiness balances Uneven Same’s more airborne performances.

Bill Meyer

Melted Men — Jaw Guzzi (Feeding Tube)

Melted Men are an enigma that no amount of online sleuthing can crack. The only information about them online is their Discogs page and a live show review from 1997. In that bizarre performance, Melted Men was a duo from Athens, Georgia. Apparently now, 25 years later, they’ve swollen their ranks, even roping in members from as far afield as continental Europe. With Jaw Guzzi, the anonymous outfit offers up a pair of side-long audio head trips. Warped, heat haze-distorted cassette detritus sidles up to blown out exotica and disjointed Martian funk beats. There’s a hefty dose of collage on display, with mutant vignettes that serve as rickety bridges between more tuneful passages. It’s these doses of song form that will extract bobbing heads and wobbly bottoms from the most adventurous listeners. Melted Men imagine a world where the jump cut jumble of Seymour Glass intersects the ethno-punk chaos of Sun City Girls and the junk shop proto-industrial bleat of early Wolf Eyes. It’s a world that this writer wouldn’t mind visiting frequently.     

(Note: Melted Men are such a mysterious bunch that they’ve asked Feeding Tube not to post any audio on Bandcamp or elsewhere on the internet.)

Bryon Hayes

Nehan — An Evening with Nehan (Drag City)

Nehan is all-star Japanese noise/drone/experimental ensemble led by Masaki Batoh and drawing members from Ghost, Acid Mothers Temple and the Silence. The disc in question presents two side-long improvisations which use as a starting point the 9hz brain wave emitted from a test subject. You can get a sense in the video above of how the experiment worked, as a dancer’s synaptic impulses feed into an elaborate synthesizer set up, turning whatever was in her head into long, pulsing drones. It’s a bit austere in its pure form, but the record elaborates, adding percussion, especially gongs and bells, and a wizened-kazoo-like wind instrument, something that might be a bagpipe and other sounds. It’s not entirely clear how much of what you hear comes from the brain waves and how much comes from the free interplay of the musicians, but maybe it doesn’t matter. The result is slow-moving and mysterious, with dramatic surges of drums and wandering threads of blown sound. The human brain is a notoriously mysterious organ but who’d have thought it could general all this instrumental turmoil? If you’d told me this music was sourced from sun storms or tidal currents or tectonic shifts, I’d have believed that, too.

Jennifer Kelly

Colin Newman and Malka Spiegal—Bastard (Swim ~)

Colin Newman’s Bastard created quite a stir in 1997 when first released. This nine-track, all-instrumental album, leaned heavily on a still mostly underground drum ‘n bass aesthetic and was a far cry from Wire’s terse, melodic outbursts. It also was Newman’s first project after Wire went on hiatus, billed as a solo effort, but actually a close collaboration with his partner Malka Spiegel. This expanded reissue gives Spiegel due credit and fills out the context with 12 additional contemporaneous tracks.

The original album still sounds fairly austere, with clean, clipped drum cadences, locked-tight guitar loops and abstract surges of synthesized sound. The amusingly named “Slowfast (falling down the stairs with a drumkit)” allows the use of distorted guitar, but only in quick, percussive blots. The guitar sound becomes an element of percussion, but not the important one—an antic skitter of drum machine dominates the cut. “Spiked” strips a funk riff down to cubist blocks, a bass sliding woozily between sharp-cut breakbeat drums. None of this is so surprising now, in the wake of techno, house and all its variants, but people weren’t expecting it, least of all from a post-punk progenitor, in 1997. The reissue adds a bunch of other tracks, many of which hew much closer to how you probably think of Wire. “Automation” adds a sinuous, down-in-the-mix vocal to its pop-locked rhythms. “Voice” bristles with guitar dissonance and bobs with dubby bass. “Tsunami” floats euphorically on sawed-down guitar feedback, a good bit like My Bloody Valentine but dancier. And “Cut the Slack” sounds like a Wire song, deadpan chants running into shouted aggressions and layers of guitar shimmering around undeniable hooks. The extra tracks make Bastard sound less like a 100% departure and more like a gradual evolution—and they are very much worth hearing all on their own.

Jennifer Kelly

Ethan Philion Quartet — Gnosis (Sunnyside)

Gnosis by Ethan Philion Quartet

Here’s a welcome surprise. As a rule, bebop-rooted jazz is not the place to look for excitement in 2023, but the rules change when Ethan Philion is on stage. On this record, his second as a leader, the Chicago-based bassist helms a quartet that combines high energy with rhythmic grace and a thorough commitment to the mechanics of the music being played. The latter point might not sound so thrilling, but it is key, since it results in performances that can be appreciated for their cohesion as well as their outward-bound vibe. Philion’s debut was a tribute to Charles Mingus that felt a little too polished; this time, the soloing by all parties (alto saxophonist Greg Ward, trumpeter Russ Johnson, drummer Dana Hall) evince both vigor and rigor.

Bill Meyer

Rick Reed — The Symmetry Of Telemetry (Elevator Bath / Sedimental)

The Symmetry of Telemetry by Rick Reed

The Symmetry Of Telemetry is Rick Reed’s pandemic album. Methodologically, it’s hard to say how much that matters, since the Austin-based electronic musician’s practice already involved patiently collecting and sifting through shortwave broadcasts and then combining them with performed electronics. But the slow-motion uneasiness of “Dysania,” the alternately abraded and bulked-up bumps that introduce “Leave A Light On For Tony,” and the disconsolate, fizzling tones that occupy most of “Space Age Radio Love Song” certainly feel like that time felt. But there’s more to this music than downer vibes. Reed knows how to layer and arrange sounds so that an apparently static passage yields event upon event anytime you decide to listen into his compacted constructions. He also knows how to make waiting pay off, and while it would be spoiling things to tell you what he does, suffice to say that if you listen, you’ll know it when it happens.

Bill Meyer

Jason Roebke Quartet — Four Spheres (Corbett Vs Dempsey)

Four Spheres by Jason Roebke

When bandleaders like Mike Reed, Jorrit Dijkstra and Jason Adasiewicz have needed a bassist who could toggle easily between swing and abstraction, they’ve called Jason Roebke. Such calls, along with everything else a person has to do to maintain a life, mean that years might pass between Roebke’s turns as a leader. But when he does, you can count on them to be deeply considered and not quite like anything else going around. This quartet applies his trademarked fluidity to investigations of the tension between fixed and changing elements. Cassette recordings of electronic noise and metronome beats form nodal points within these pieces around which Edward Wilkerson Jr’s reeds and Marcus Evans’ drums surge and churn in overtly expressive fashion while pianist Mabel Kwan and Roebke shift their weight between fixity and flow. The sound is occasionally reminiscent of the more skeptical, interrogative side of the AACM, and particularly Roscoe Mitchell, but Roebke’s points of inquiry are purely his own.

Bill Meyer

Ned Rothenberg — Crossings Four (Clean Feed)

Crossings Four by Ned Rothenberg

This is some understated, shape-shifting stuff. On clarinets and alto saxophone, Ned Rothenberg matches a tone that’ll make you want to let your ear linger to phrasing sufficiently fluid to motivate them to get up and follow the music. The other three musicians in his Crossings Four are Mary Halvorson on guitar, Sylvie Courvoisier on piano and Tomas Fujiwara on drums. They and Rothenberg are well-matched in attitude, since everyone has chops to flex, but no one flashes them gratuitously. Although this is the quartet’s first recording, there are decades of shared experience and a myriad of interconnections between its members. This enables them to realize a variety of improvisational approaches, from droll and grooving to fractured and abstract, with ease. The moments when a signature lick pops out tend to be lures, inviting the listener to follow them as they disappear into matrices of brisk, nuanced interaction.

Bill Meyer

San Kazakgascar — Too Many People (Lather)

Too Many People by San Kazakgascar

The album title augurs misanthropy, but that’s not borne out by the sounds. This Sacramento seven-piece spares little time for sonic bleakness, and the sounds they choose to make reveal a robust curiosity about the music of other places. Disciplined west coast psych guitars converge with skronk-willing, souk-conscious reeds upon rhythm frameworks that suggest someone’s spent some quality time listening to Gary Glitter, the Meters and wherever it is that Chris Forsyth bottles his choogling spirits. The lack of vocals keeps them from saying anything you really wish they’d take back, and the commitment to a steady groove makes this a record you’ll want to hear on the go, so cash in that download code! But there are also lulls founded upon dust-blown acoustic picking, making this just the record to play when your Firestick won’t load and you’re back to watching that all western, all the time station, but you can’t stand to hear that bullshit cowboy dialogue anymore. Yeah, make up a Western in your own mind where the land defenders win and finish the day celebrating to the tunes of “Crockett Creek.”

Bill Meyer

Secret Pyramid — A Vanishing Touch (BaDaBing!)

A Vanishing Touch by Secret Pyramid

Amir Abbey often writes songs, but on A Vanishing Touch, he composes ambient music inspired by J Dilla’s Donuts. The two seem like strange projects to associate, but it is more the inspiration of Dilla’s jabbing beats that Abbey reconceptualizes to enliven the texture. The best track, “Whim,” is built around soaring textures amid just such rhythmic punctuation. Abbey also moved away from the long gestation period afforded his songs to greater immediacy. There is an improvisatory sensibility here that, rather than moving Secret Pyramid sideways, seems like a useful development.

A Vanishing Touch includes a wide range of synth sounds and doesn’t stint on yearning dissonance. As the ambient revival long exceeds its initial incarnation, it is up to artists like Abbey to reconceive it. Mission accomplished.

Christian Carey

Setting — At The Black Mountain College Museum (www.settingsounds.com)

at Black Mountain College Museum by Setting

Setting is Jaimie Fennelly (Mind Over Mirrors), Nathan Bowles (Pelt, Black Twig Pickers) and Joe Westerlund (Megafaun, Califone), and At the Black Mountain College Museum is the trio’s ultra-quick follow-up to their debut album. Recorded at the end of the brief string of dates that celebrated its release, it dives deeper into their blend of propulsive grooves and not-too-plush, not too rough textures in almost aquatic fashion. This music moves a bit like an otter might, drifting when the current does the necessary work, and then pointing head down with a vigorous kick into deeper and more turbulent eddies. The three multi-instrumentalists stick together, sonically speaking, so that you’re less likely to tune into their interactions than into the place the sounds take you.

Bill Meyer

Strinning & Daisy — Castle And Sun (Veto)

Castle and Sun by Strinning & Daisy

In a sax and drums duo, there’s nowhere to hide. If a musician lacks ideas, stamina or reciprocity, a duo will lay their deficit out for all to hear. Alternately, if they have what it takes, tuned-in listeners will know. The latter scenario is the case here. Swiss tenor saxophonist Sebastian Strinning and Chicagoan drummer Tim Daisy have known each other since 2019, when the former resided for a spell in the latter’s city. But they don’t have a lengthy shared history, so there’s an element of trying things on for size in this session’s dynamic. Each musician draws upon his diverse approaches in a series of mix-and-match explorations as tumbling lines meet steaming forward energy, hushed, textured tones part a curtain of metal sounds, and animal utterances confront circuitous patterns. Captured with three-dimensional palpability and spaciousness by engineer Nick Broste, their exchanges connect with both mind and gut.

Bill Meyer

Tiger Valley—The Celebration (Hausu Mountain)

The Celebration by Tiger Village

Cleveland based producer Tim Thornton’s latest album Tiger Village album, The Celebration, collects ten cheerfully constructed pieces capturing the chaotic joy of domestic life and music making under a feline regime. Random cat energy infuses Thornton’s music; languid relaxation gives way to manic activity, while parcels of affection turning into aloof, spiky demands for attention proffered with claws and cries. Both “Cat’s Up” and “Cat Chew” celebrate the beasts’ mercurial nature. The former is an insinuating strut constantly distracted by random shiny objects, sudden noises and those odd moments of fixation upon unseen emanations. The latter slinks about, looking you in the eye as it knocks your stuff off the desk and tramps across your keyboard. Across the other eight tracks, Thornton juxtaposes eight-bit squiggles, snatches of ambient melody, treated samples of his daughter’s voice, techno beats and machine detritus into a sometimes delirious delight. Quite lovely, though prone to scratching.

Andrew Forell

True Green — My Lost Decade (Spacecase)

My Lost Decade by True Green

Nine clever, loosely strung songs from Minneapolis novelist Dan Hornsby buzz and rattle like lost cuts from Pavement or Silver Jews. “My Peccaddilloes” is especially slanted and more than a little disenchanted, a rambling picaresque of guitars, drums and wheedle-y vocals. The chorus, if that’s what you call it, hits hard, though, “It’s a dog eat dog/said the dog with the taste for dogs/every man for himself/said the man for himself.” The music dissolves in your ears, mess of things that sting and bash and hum, but the lyrics are sharp and packed with reference. “You’re a hopeless diamond, and it’s rough,” yowls Hornsby in his kicked dog tenor, and that about sums it up.

Jennifer Kelly

Michael Zerang & Tashi Dorji — Schiamachy (Feeding Tube)

Sciamachy by Michael Zerang & Tashi Dorji

Sciamachy is named for the practice of fake fighting; if you make it to theater school, you might be able to take a class in it. The cover image augurs metal, but this mock battle between Tashi Dorji and Michael Zerang is improvisational to the hilt. What else can one do when faced with an instrument that’s one of a kind? Zerang is generally known as a percussionist, but on this occasion, he played something called Queequeg’s Coffin, which was devised to be both instrument and prop for a puppet theater performance of Moby Dick. It is a coffin-like box with a crank on one side, somewhat like a hurdy-gurdy without keys. It’s not precise, but it kicks up a great, raw racket of higher and lower pitches that sound like someone sawing open said coffin. Dorji’s response is to lean into texture, complimenting the coffin’s abrasive protests with Sonic Youth-like chimes, chain-in-the-skillet clanks and blinking feedback cadences. This music will have you picking imaginary splinters out of your clothes for the next week; how many records do you own that can make a similar claim?

Bill Meyer

[jules-has-notes]

2013 Napa Valley A Cappella Extravaganza — VoicePlay live performances

In January 2013, VoicePlay were the professional headliners to a roster of collegiate and high school a cappella groups at the 8th annual Napa Valley A Cappella Extravaganza. The event is a yearly fundraiser for Napa High School's choral program, hosted by their Vocal Music Workshop a cappella ensemble. These audience-view videos give a taste of the live concert experience.

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As indicated by the "Hello!" screen, this song is often their opening number for live shows. It's a great, energetic introduction to their playful sound, but doesn't get too far into the shenanigans that might startle the uninitiated.

Details:

title: Don't Stop Me Now

original performers: Queen

written by: Freddie Mercury

arranged by: VoicePlay

My favorite bits:

the slow build that gently eases you into things

Their choreography's not elaborate, but they do it well, and it allows for a bit of individuality to shine through.

the breakdown section culminating with ♫ "Any tiiii-IIIIME" ♫

the driving triplets in the ♫ "No one can stop me" ♫ section

Earl's soaring riffs

That big finish!

Trivia:

This song was the closing section of VoicePlay's Queen in 5 Minutes medley almost six years later.

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As much as mainstream pop culture might turn up its collective noses at boy bands when they're at their height of popularity among tween girls, there's no denying that a lot of beloved oldies have their origins there. And no wonder. Pop music is darn catchy and fun by design. VoicePlay makes these selections even moreso with their antics.

Details:

title: boy band medley

original songs / performers: "ABC" by The Jackson 5; [0:50] "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" by The Beatles; [1:30] "My Girl" by The Temptations; [2:18] "Sherry" by The Four Seasons; [3:16] "YMCA" by The Village People; [3:50] "You Got It (The Right Stuff)" by New Kids on the Block; [4:12] "I Want It That Way" by Backstreet Boys; [4:52] "Bye Bye Bye" by *NSYNC; [5:23] "What Makes You Beautiful" by One Direction

written by: "ABC" by Berry Gordy, Freddie Perren, Alphonzo Mizell, & Deke Richards; "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" by John Lennon & Paul McCartney; "My Girl" by Smokey Robinson & Ronald White; "Sherry" by Bob Gaudio; "YMCA" by Jacques Morali & Victor Willis; "You Got It (The Right Stuff)" by Maurice Starr; "I Want It That Way" by Andreas Carlsson & Max Martin; "Bye Bye Bye" by Kristian Lundin, Jake Schulze, & Andreas Carlsson; "What Makes You Beautiful" by Savan Kotecha, Rami Yacoub, & Carl Falk

arranged by: VoicePlay

My favorite bits:

thirty-something Earl being able to recreate the sound of preteen Michael Jackson, holy heck

the way the choreography gets more complex as they move through the eras of music

making hand gestures to signify members of the Village People during YMCA

"I hate you guys." :(

the ♫ "wah-wah-wah-wah" ♫ harmonies transitioning from NKOTB to BSB

hamming up their roles in the "Boy Band 101" section

🎉 Party poppers!!! 🎉 (Which they got in trouble for a year later.)

Trivia:

Having this medley in their repertoire may have given them an advantage when "Bye Bye Bye" was chosen as the battle song for their first episode of The Sing-Off.

Tony was, in fact, the first one from this configuration of VoicePlay to leave. Not to go solo, though. He wanted to be home with his family and focus on growing PattyCake.

The guys updated this medley and filmed a full music video for it as the result of a Patreon poll in 2019.

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What happens when you take a country music classic, kick up the tempo a bit, and infuse your performance with an air of competition between bandmates? You get this, a favorite among VoicePlay fans.

Details:

title: Elvira

original performers: The Oak Ridge Boys

written by: Dallas Frazier

arranged by: Geoff Castellucci

My favorite bits:

the opening harmonies from the trio

Eli nudging Earl to take the lead, resulting in Geoff going to pout next to Layne

Layne pointedly staying out of whatever's happening, but still keeping an eye on things

everyone's feigned surprise for the "Earl can sing low, too" gag, especially Geoff giving his best dramatic chipmunk

Earl's breath control on that long note and the ensuing huff to refill his lungs

Geoff's wide stance and shoulder wiggle to prepare for his high notes

those lush ending chords

Trivia:

Home Free liked this version of the song so much that they asked Geoff to help create an arrangement for them to record with The Oak Ridge Boys.

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You'd think a cappella fans might be sick of this song, given how frequently it was used on Glee. But, as usual, VoicePlay bring their own talented twists to this classic rock song and make it something fresh. This recording is missing the first verse, but it still has most of the best parts.

Details:

title: Don't Stop Believing

original songs / performers: "Don't Stop Believin'"; [0:54] "Open Arms"; and [1:02] "Any Way You Want It" by Journey; [0:46] "Oh Sherrie" by Steve Perry

written by: all songs written by Steve Perry in collaboration – "Don't Stop Believin'" with Jonathan Cain & Neal Schon; "Oh Sherrie" with Randy Goodrum, Craig Krampf, & Bill Cuomo; "Open Arms" with Jonathan Cain; "Any Way You Want It" with Neal Schon

arranged by: Layne Stein & Geoff Castellucci

My favorite bits:

the gradual layering in the polyphony section, using other Journey / Steve Perry songs to fit inside the rhythmic gaps…

…culminating in that huge chord (Are we sure there are only five of them?)

their use of silence during the unison section

the camera panning around to take in the well-deserved standing ovation

Trivia:

VoicePlay filmed a full video for "Don't Stop Believin'" a few years later when they were the featured guests at Camp A Cappella 2016.

They later did a full version of "Any Way You Want It" as part of the second round of their Partwork series.

For a couple years, Eli also sang with a Journey cover band called Raised On Radio in between VoicePlay gigs.

[algebralianism]

Hi, do you like Algebraliens?

If so here are three good Algebralien blogs

@ask-number-pals

@ask-owo-four

@ask-the-host-trio

enjoy :)

Yes, very, very much. Four is my favorite and beloved. /qp

[kevin-prudente]

“Once upon a time, there were three little girls who went to the police academy. And they were each assigned very hazardous duties but I took them all away from all that and now they work for me. My name is Charlie.”

Those famous words were heard every week from 1976 to 1981 during Charlie’s Angelsopening credits. As each of the iconic characters flashed on screen flaunting perfectly feathered hair, audiences couldn’t wait to see the gorgeous agents kick some proverbial “rear end.”

With it’s mixture of humor, action and strong women, it’s no surprise that the show is still a cult classic today — even inspiring three Hollywood adaptations in 2000, 2003 and 2019. But the original Charlie’s Angels cast of iconic crime-fighting ladies still leaves a lasting impression on audiences.

Here, take a walk down memory lane and see how the talented Charlie’s Angels cast used strength, intelligence and style to shattered stereotypes, leaving a lasting legacy of girl power.

Who was cast in the first season of Charlie’s Angels?

Season one of Charlie’s Angels cast Farah Fawcett, Jaclyn Smith and Kate Jackson in the lead roles. The beauties played a trio of police academy graduates — Sabrina Duncan (Jackson), Jill Munroe (Fawcett), and Kelly Garrett (Smith) — who were forced to do menial police tasks. Frustrated and unhappy, the women joined the Charles Townsend Agency and became private investigators for the man behind the namesake company.

Who Did the ‘Charlie’s Angels’ Stars Marry? See Their ’70s Loves

While you never actually saw Charles Townsend’s face on the show, renowned actor John Forsythe lent his voice to the memorable part. John Bosley (played by David Doyle), Townsend’s associate, sent the Angels on their assignments after Townsend’s voice relayed the case over speakerphone.

Looking back at the strong message that the Charlie’s Angels sent to viewers — that women can be both powerful and beautiful — it’s not surprising how popular the beloved show would become throughout the years.

What other actresses joined the Charlie’s Angels cast?

While Fawcett, Smith and Jackson were in the groundbreaking first season, a host of other talented actresses joined the set during the show’s five-year run. In fact, Faucet only acted in the first season and was replaced by Cheryl Ladd, who played her younger sister. Shelley Hack joined in the fourth season and Tanya Roberts made her debut in the fifth and final season.

Cameron Diaz played Natalie Cook, the goofy and klutzy Angel. She eventually meets and develops a crush on a guy named Peter while working undercover. Jenny McCarthy also auditioned for the role of Natalie. Diaz recently appeared in 'The Counselor,' in which she had a very memorable scene with a car. Next she'll play Miss Hannigan in the big screen version of 'Annie' and appears alongside Leslie Mann and Kate Upton in the women's revenge comedy 'The Other Woman.'

Former child star Drew Barrymore played Dylan Sanders, the rowdy tomboy of the Angels. Barrymore co-produced and cast herself in the film.

Barrymore garnered acclaim for her role as Little Edie Beale in the HBO feature film version of 'Grey Gardens' a few years back, and made her directorial debut with 'Whip It.' She recently appeared in 'Big Miracle,' and can be seen next reuniting with her 'Wedding Singer' and '50 First Dates' co-star Adam Sandler in the rom-com 'Blended.'

The role of tech-savvy and clever Alex Munday was incredibly tough to cast, and Lucy Liu really nailed the part. Before she got it, Angelina Jolie was approached but bowed out when she admitted she didn't like the original series, and Thandie Newton was locked in until freak weather conditions delayed her on the set of 'Mission: Impossible II.' Dozens of other actresses were considered before Liu took the role, including Salma Hayek, Liv Tyler, Penelope Cruz, Ashley Judd, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet and Reese Witherspoon ... and that's not even half of them.

Liu played O-Ren Ishii in Quentin Tarantino's 'Kill Bill' films and voiced Master Viper in the 'Kung Fu Panda' films. She recently appeared in 'The Man with the Iron Fists' and currently plays Joan Watson on 'Elementary,' CBS's Sherlock Holmes show.

Performers include: Annie Ilonzeh, Minka Kelly, Rachael Taylor, Ramon Rodríguez, and Victor Garber.

TV show description:       Three young, beautiful women work for mysterious millionaire Charles “Charlie” Townsend (voice of Victor Garber), the owner of the Townsend Detective Agency who enlists them to solve crimes in Miami. 

Abby Sampson (Rachel Taylor) is a wealthy socialite turned world-class thief. Her beauty has always turned heads but it’s her quick wit and acerbic sense of humor that really makes her stand out. 

She and her four older siblings grew up on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in a world of privilege but, all that changed when her father was exposed as a Bernie Madoff level swindler. A rebel, Abby studied safe-cracking and high-end cons and her stealing ended up getting her disowned by the family. She fell in with a bad crowd and her life was in pieces until, two years ago, Charlie stepped in and offered her a job. She has almost no contact with her family but uses her high-society connections, her ability to get into any building anywhere, and her skills as a con artist to help with the cases.

Kate Prince (Annie Ilonzeh) is a former Miami police officer who fell into corruption. She ended up losing both her fiance and her career. An incredible athlete, Kate possesses a razor-sharp intellect, and has the body of an Amazon. Raised by her widowed mother, she helped her family survive, attended Miami Southern University on a basketball scholarship, and then joined the Miami Police Department.

Kate excelled as one of the youngest detectives in the department and fell in love with a fellow officer, Detective Ray Goodson. She was later recruited into the elite Fight Organized Crime Unit (FOCU) and spent long months undercover. Rampant corruption within the Unit slowly wore her down and she began taking kickbacks and developed a serious drug-addiction. Her relationship with Ray broke down and they eventually broke up when she was arrested following a sting operation. 

With Charlie’s help, she pulled her life back together. She moved in with her family and joined the Agency full-time. Kate’s background helps her analyze crime scenes efficiently. She has an encyclopedic knowledge of the city’s criminal population and her network of informants spans Miami’s social spectra.

The third member of the team was Gloria Morales (Nadine Velazquez), a disgraced army lieutenant with a penchant for explosives. When a tragic accident claimed her life, the two remaining Angels are convinced to partner with Eve French (Minka Kelly), a hot-headed street racer and Gloria’s childhood friend. 

Eve’s parents were aid workers in El Salvador and were killed in the civil war when she was five. She spent the next five years at an orphanage before escaping the country with her best friend Gloria. They survived on the streets of America until they located Gloria’s uncle, Oscar, who taught them about cars and life in the States. They were eventually recruited into a notorious gang of high-end car thieves. They stole a Lamborghini one night and ended up hitting a cab and killing the driver. Eve let Gloria escape. Gloria joined the Army while Eve went to jail for four years. From orphan to car thief to inmate, Eve’s learned to adapt and survive in any environment.

Also working with the team is John Bosley (Ramon Rodriguez). Smart and handsome, he can hack any computer and charm any lady. Originally from the boroughs of New York, Bosley used his incredible hacking skills to pull pranks and later to amass a $57 million fortune spread across eight bank accounts in five countries. He lived in a $10 million penthouse apartment in San Francisco and had properties in Tuscany and St. Barth’s. When the IRS opened a very high-level investigation, Bosley’s jet-setting lifestyle came to a crashing end. 

Only Charlie’s intervention saved him from a very long prison sentence and Bosley’s worked for Charlie ever since. His hacking skills and technical knowledge are put to good use as a detective. He’s Charlie’s right-hand man, the Angels’ support, and the face of the Townsend Detective Agency. 

Series Finale:     Episode eight — They Are Not Saints While jet-skiing on their day off, the Angels come across an unconscious man (Jason Pendergraft). Eve revives him through mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and they discover he has amnesia. Attempts on his life are later made while the Angels protect him and help him discover his true identity. They discover that he is a Los Angeles Police Officer. Eve takes a liking to the man and Bosley’s feelings for her become apparent. First aired: Did not run on ABC.

In July 2018, it was announced that Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott and Ella Balinska would play the leading trio of the fighting team and that Banks would also appear as a Bosley, with the film featuring multiple characters by that name