#Leonardo Stacked Stone

[remmushound]

Curse of the Clan part 55! @selfindulgenz

Content warning!! Violence, fighting, injury, Blood

Raphael’s team led the charge with no thought of the danger they could be putting themselves in. Cassandra was at his side, giving a confident shout as she held her naginata high in a declaration of war against the one currently destroying her city. Sunita, Draxum, April, and Raphael all soon joined her in the battle cry, their voices joining together in a powerful roar of will.

Krang only laughed, stopping his charge in favor of arming the weapons that lined his body suit and aiming them at the group. “Run run, as fast as you can! Can’t wait to rip you apart again!”

“Ignore him.” Raphael growled to his team. “We’re stronger than him as long as we stick together!”

Krang fired his weapons, purposely missing the group while getting just close enough to make them duck and cover. His laugh was one that could not be easily forgotten, like the monster under the bed crawling out to say hello to the child it had been tormenting.

“Don’t want to do it too soon though. You’re so much fun to play with!”

“Draxum, make us a way up the mouth.” Raphael ordered and Draxum obeyed.

Draxum’s vines shot up from the earth, extending out with a powerful reach to snare around Krang’s mouth and arms. The oni wasn’t amused by this display, giving a frustrated growl as his weapons shifted and rearmed to aim instead at the bridging vines. They didn't have very long to cross the vine bridge before the weapons were online and tore through the mystic plants just as fast as Draxum could replace them, leading to a stalemate of will. The faun had to stay on the ground to achieve such a feat, making way for the rest of the team to try and cross. Each slice and strike and gash to the vines shot back to Draxum, and he felt it as if the bullets and blades were ripping through his own body. There was no damage to his physical form, but the pain was still there, overwhelming. His hooves dug deeper into the stone, nostrils flaring under the pressuring strain, muscles tense and defined. He had to hold it together, he had to replace the vines. There were four lives depending on it, half of them very dear to him. He had to hang on with everything he had.

Raphael’s mind was split thin. Not only was he focused on not getting hit, but making sure the girls didn't get hit either. Sunita had no experience in things like this, and though April and Cassandra could easily hold their own, Raphael still couldn’t help but worry about them more so then himself. He was so focused on ensuring a safe path for them that he didn't notice his own path had ended until he was walking on air, like something out of an old cartoon, and promptly plummeted.

“Raphie!”

Cassandra wanted to jump after him but Sunita was faster. The polymorph moved like pure, conscious fluid, gripping Raphael and surrounding him like a protective geliaton mould. When they hit the ground, they bounced, and Sunita took the opportunity of the new height to stretch out and snare her arms around a traffic light while the rest of her still supported Raphael’s weight. To the snapper, it was like being on a bungee cord that slowly lost its momentum until he was dangling above the intersection like a fly in a spider web. But he was alive, and in one piece.

April knew the charge attempt wouldn’t follow through, and looking ahead showed nothing but promised destruction. The better senses in her told her to fall back, and the vines seemed to sense her apprehension as they slowly wrapped around her middle to lift and guide her to safety back beside Baron Draxum.

Cassandra didn't stop. She wouldn’t stop for anything. Her body wouldn’t let her. All around her were sounds like engines backfiring, time and time and time again in repeat, deafening her senses and leaving nothing behind except what was automatic. What came natural, and what came natural was fighting. Fighting, charging. Her naginata was flaming gold in her hand like a tiny sun that swallowed her in an embrace that encouraged the bravery deep inside of her. She hardly noticed that her feet were treading nothing but air, and she hardly noticed the flash of silver finding hold deep in her side, whisking through her belly and chest. She hardly noticed the pain, the blood, the shredded flesh. She hardly noticed how she was flying and how Krang was getting smaller. She hardly noticed anything until she hit the ground.

~~~

Krang was distracted and that bought Leonardo’s team enough time to strategize, and enough time for Donatello to map out the blind spots of the alien mech. It’s okay, Donatello kept telling himself. He would be okay as long as he didn't see that monster that still tormented his every waking thought.

“Step where I step.” Donatello told the group behind him.

The blind spot was small, but it would be enough for them to get onto the mech undetected. When Donatello moved, the chain behind him moved, and when he stopped, they stopped. Like an army of marching ants, they made their way across the parapet of the building toward the mech. That’s all Donatello could think of it as; the Mech. If he thought of it as the one who was controlling it, he was afraid of what might happen. The mech wasn’t Krang and Krang wasn’t the mech and Donatello didn't dare think of them as one unit. A breath to sooth the burning inside of him, and Donatello jumped.

Clearing the space between building and mech was easy. His brothers and fathers soon followed suit until they were all on the shoulder of the mech.

“Are you sure we’re out of sight?” Leonardo whispered to his twin.

Donatello gave a weak nod that steadily grew stronger and more confident. Leonardo trusted fully in his brother, giving a motion to the younger one to start their plan. Michelangelo gave a smirk as he wrapped his chain around a sheet of peeling metal, securing it tightly and giving it a sharp tug to ensure it was steady. He gave a thumbs up and smiled as confirmation for his older brother.

Donatello took Michelangelo’s hand, and Splinter took Donatello’s, and Leonardo took Splinter’s. They formed a chain that cascaded down the mech’s shoulder and chest, just low enough for Leonardo to be level with the belly latch that Sunita had reported to them. In Leonardo’s chest grew a familiar, tight ball that seemed to reach up with its yarn to strangle the life out of him. Doubt stung his eyes and made them water, each breath like it was taken through a heavy cloth. He had one job; make a rift and get them inside. That was all he had to do. Why, then, was the odachi failing to do that simple job?! Leonardo was slashing and waving it around like he always did to make a rift before, but no rift took form.

No. No— no no no, it had to work! He had gotten past the anxiety, the panic, the worry that had caused him so much trouble to begin with! This should have been easy, as simple to him as cooking was to Michelangelo and fighting was to Raphael and tech-geek stuff was to Donatello. This was mystic stuff, stuff that Leonardo was supposed to be good at! So why wasn’t it—

Something happened. Leonardo felt the familiar pull of a rift but he knew he hadn’t created one. There was no tear in time, blue or otherwise. No distortion, no wavering, no disruption. The air was still solid and in one piece! But still there was something pulling at him with such mystic pressure that, if he were to resist, he was almost certain it could rip him apart. The thought of that fate in his mind was all it took for Leonardo to close his eyes and let the magnetic effects swallow him into a tunnel of warping, space and time bending all around him like looking at an image through a glass. Once he had relented and let the force take him, all he could do was hold onto his father for dear life and hope.

The next thing Leonardo knew was that the group above him was now on top of him, a crushing weight of bodies against his shell.

“Oww…”

“WOW!” Michelangelo was on top of the stack, beaming as he looked around. This was definitely where they had meant to go, and the inside of the mech was even more impressive than the outside. Light seemed to be coming from nowhere, a gentle green glow filling the entirety of the mech. Up and up and up Michelangelo looked, but he couldn’t see the top of the mech at all! “I didn't even see you make the rift! Good job Leo.”

“Can’t breath.” Leonardo felt like a flattened pancake.

“I didn't either.” Donatello hurmed, his eyes darting around in an anxious search. There was no sight of that horrible creature, and the voice hadn’t invaded his mind. That was good right? That meant Krang didn't know they were there, right? “That’s so weird.”

“You’re crushing my old bones…” Splinter groaned.

“Oh! Sorry.” Michrlangelo hopped off the stack, then Donatello, so Splinter and Leonardo were free to breath once more.

“Agh…” Splinter pressed his hands into the small of his back to stretch. “My body don’t bend that way anymore.”

Splinter’s nose twitched. He reached a hand to touch the back of his nape, where he found his hairs sticking up on end. His tail lashed, and something in the pit of his stomach warned of danger; the warning was enough to heighten every sense he had to focus on something jarring, just out of sight. Powerful muscles sliding across metal with a shhhk shhhk shhhk. The crack of jaws resetting themselves. The steady, whistling hiss of a predator to all of rat kind. A snake.

[toloveawarlord]

Pt. 4

Characters: Alara & Mansion Residents

Tagging: @plumpblueberry​ @ihavenotfallenyet​ @lady-moonbroch​ @littlewitty​ @ladyhavilliard​ @miss-wish-a-lot​ @sakura-1819​ @voltage-vixen​ @nad-zeta​ (Please let me know if you want to tagged/untagged from this series)

A/N: Alara is back to win over the tsun musician. Enjoy! Next chapter she is going to meet Jean!

“Good morning, Alara.”

Vincent was the first to greet the girl that continued to clutch onto the writer to avoid any of Leonardo’s attempts to speak to her again. The dining hall only held a handful of the residents, the others having gone about their day or had yet to rise. Spotted around the table was the Van Gogh brothers, both munching away on an enormous stack of pancakes, and another man that she’d yet to be introduced to.

He took a sip of his coffee, violet eyes never glancing in her direction.

“Why are you clinging to Arthur like that? If you aren’t careful, his strangeness will rub off on you.” Theo gave a little jab in between stabbing bites of pancakes covered with enough syrup to nearly spill off the edge of the plate.

A triumphant grin spread across Arthur’s lips as he patted her head with a gloved hand. “Leo gave her quite the scare and she came to me for protection instead of anyone else.” The detail of him being the only one present wasn’t necessary to his story. No matter the circumstances, he was the victor.

“I saved her from a collapsing pile of books.” Leo wanted to make things right but the fear radiating off her small body prevented that. Comte had informed him of her potentially temporary stay, but no amount of warning would have prepared him for how skittish she was.

“I’m sure that rising from the floor like a waking corpse wasn’t frightening at all.” The musician’s comment tossed out with irritation laced in it.

Snickers erupted from the others, drawing the glare of the pureblood in their direction. Leonardo had no retort to the snarky but accurate statement. Sebastian wheeled in a cart to serve the newcomers. “Please take a seat of your own, Miss Alara.” He placed a plate off eggs, bacon, and pancakes in front of the empty chair next to the writer.

Alara reluctantly released her hold on him to be sat on the cushy chair. No more time for frightful glances as she stared at all the delicious food right before her. The young girl couldn’t remember a morning when a fresh, warm meal had been given; leftovers of the adult’s breakfast, however little it was.

All chatter among the ones at the table ceased. The reminder that mornings of bickering and laughter weren’t normal for one among them. Alara attempted to wipe the tears from her face with the back of her arm, over and over as more drops slid down her cheeks. An overwhelming amount of emotion rushing over her. A soft apology slipped out between gasps of air.

Sebastian placed a reassuring hand on top of her head. “It’s quite alright.” He didn’t need to say more, those few words assisting in calming the child down. As she sniffled, the butler knelt to attend to her unbuckled shoes without comment. He’d be sure to keep a closer eye on her.

“Are you leaving already, Mozart?”

Alara turned her attention to the one in question. Violet eyes met hers.

“I’m going to start composing today. In peace, I would like.” Mozart gathered his sheet music and half-filled coffee mug. He didn’t quite understand why the others were so enamored with a young human who cried over breakfast.

No sooner had the musician left, did the others begin to file out one by one. Theo and Vincent going into town, and even Arthur had business to attend to. He’d lingered until she’d had her fill of breakfast. “I’m off to do some writing.” With a gentle smile and a wave, the writer disappeared into the mansion.

The girl gathered up her plate, the only piece left on the long table and carried it into the kitchen where Sebastian was filling up the sink to begin cleaning up. “Can I help?” Alara asked, letting her plate slip into the water and sink down.

“There’s no need for that. You are free to go play—”

“I like the hot water and soapy bubbles. I’ll be really careful!” She flashed a bright smile.

Sebastian carefully considered for a moment before relenting. He fetched a chair for her to stand on, drying the dishes as she finished washing. Her movements were slow and purposeful, and she attentively scrubbed each one. “You’re doing well. I’m very impressed, miss Alara.”

“I used to help Nine clean up. She’d put extra bubbles in the water because I liked to play in them after we were done.” The memory one of the few she had from before coming to France. Alara cupped a heaping mountain of suds, squishing them away with her fingers.

The term one that he’d heard in his studies. “Do you know where you used to live before coming here?”

“Turkey, that’s where Mama said I was born and we lived with Nine for a long time.”

Sebastian dried the final plate and stacked it upon the rest. Their reason for moving to France must have been because of the relationship with her step-father. He decided against addressing it further. “Thank you for your help. I’ll do the remainder myself. If you require any assistance, do not hesitate to ask, as a lady of the house—”

Hopping down from the chair, the girl turned her gaze up to the butler. “Lady?” Her head tilted in thought before she continued, “Miss Lily was the Lady of Estate. She was very pretty but had a scary look whenever she saw me. I was forbidden from going into the big house.” She could only remember once or twice when Lily came around their house.

“The monsieur was married?” Sebastian pieced together the picture that the child wouldn’t have seen.

Alara tapped her finger against her chin twice. “Mama said that she married beau-Pierre and that I should only listen to her and no one else. Aren’t married adults supposed to share a bed?” The staff would talk as if the child weren’t there, but her mother said they were liars.

Implications that a child wouldn’t understand. His original suspicions of a transaction shifted slightly. The mother must have been a mistress. That would explain why the mistreated child had been dressed in a silken nightgown. Should any discover his secret lover, the monsieur could cover it by saying he only cared for the two, a generous gesture to a young lady and child in need.

Behind that façade was a brutal man with a heart made of stone. How shameful, the butler thought. The topic began to wear on the girl before him. Her thoughts shown on her saddening features. Sebastian cleared his throat and retrieved a cookie from the jar. “For your assistance. I appreciate the company. Now off with you.”

Cookie in hand, Alara set off into the mansion. The further she ventured, the more convinced she became that this home was a castle. The hallways seemed as endless as the number of doors leading to various rooms. A library filled with more books than she could count. A parlor with many foreign games. Any open door was subject to inspection. Even though she was inside, the girl wiped beads of sweat from her forehead. It hadn’t been long since breakfast and yet her body felt oh so heavy.

Wandering back to her own room, a door previously closed now stood ajar. The polished marble floor beckoned her inside. A piano sat elegantly in the middle. The desire to press at least one key was overpowered by how exhausted the child was. Alara wobbled as she moved inside, only wishing to lie down.

Would they be angry if she were ill?

The staff of her stepfather would have cursed her for being a bother.

Out of sight behind the curtain that swayed with the breeze coming in the open window, she succumbed to her own weight, dropping to her hands and knees before laying flat on her stomach. Her lashes dragged downward, barely able to remain open. The cool tile soothing against her heated cheek. She could sleep in this very spot.

“Why are you lying on the floor in my music room?” The salty voice laced with slight irritation.

Alara could little more than squeeze her eyes shut in fear of a reprimand.

Mozart placed his sheet music on the piano bench before he approached. Was she attempting to play with him? He couldn’t waste his valuable time on silly children’s games. Narrowed violet eyes softened upon further inspection. Her labored breathing and rosy cheeks signs even he could recognize. “You’re ill. Why are you hiding in here?”

Her small hand patted twice against the tiles. “It’s cold.” A stark contrast to how heated her face was. The chill made the warmth a little more bearable. The girl started to lift her body up with weak movements. “I-I’ll go-”

“You can hardly stand.” He couldn’t understand. The frightful expression that had crossed her features after he’d asked a simple question and now the water pooling in her eyes as if he’d given her a stern scolding. He couldn’t bear to watch her struggle so helplessly.

Quite pitiful.

Stooping down, Mozart scooped the child up, awkwardly holding her slightly away from his body. “I’ll only escort you to your bedroom this once. Do not expect this kind of treatment from me.” The whole room would need a thorough cleaning since he had no idea what she’d touched. For reasons unclear to him, the musician wanted to be sure that the child didn’t suffer unattended.

“You aren’t upset with me?” Alara asked, the first words spoken to him since he’d tucked her into the bed.  She had no memory of the last time someone had put her to bed when sick, always a nuisance to the staff.

“Why would I be? It’s not as though one can control when they fall ill.” How absurd. Children can’t care for themselves, so it’s only natural that an adult look after them when needed.

However, that couldn’t possibly be him.

But upon further searching, there was no one else about to do so. Neither Sebastian nor Arthur, the two most qualified to watch over the sick girl, were in the mansion. Giving a resigned sigh, Mozart pulled an armchair to the bedside. “I’ll only remain until Arthur can treat you.” He’d planned to practice a new piece today, but that could wait, he supposed.

Alara rolled over onto her side to see him better. She pressed her lips together, unsure of what to say. His emotions unclear, but he didn’t look angry. Their eyes met and Alara opened her mouth to speak before promptly shutting it.

“What is it?”

“What was your name again?”

“It’s Mozart, although you cannot refer to me as that in public.” Could a child her age even understand that?

A moment of silence passed between them as her brows knit, the child deep in thought. Rubbing her fists into her tired eyes, she yawned softly. Sleep calling to her, but pale green eyes flickered back to him. “Can I call you Mozzie?” She wiggled from beneath the covers, fighting the inevitable.

Violet eyes immediately turned away to gaze out the window, a hint of pink on his own cheeks. What a peculiar child. The genuine innocence of her question too cute to deny the question. “Do as you wish.” A quiet giggle was all the response he received.

“Do you play that piano?”

For a child that was sick, she had the energy to ask a lot of questions. “Yes.”

“Will you play it for me when I’m better? I like pianos. They make pretty music.”

Mozart reached out to pull the cover back up to her shoulders. She squirmed too much. It would be easier for her to rest if only she’d stay still. “If you’ll close your eyes, I will make time to play one song.” A ghost of a smile tugged at his lips as she gasped and snuggled down, squeezing her eyes shut as if that would aid in putting her to sleep any faster.

He couldn’t bring himself to leave even long after she’d fallen asleep.

“Admit it, you like her, Wolfie!” Arthur teased the musician from the doorway after discovering him with the ill girl. He’d brought her a treat from his trip into town only to learn of her feeling under the weather. It was all too adorable to witness a softer side of him.

Mozart scoffed, abruptly standing to leave. “She’s incredibly helpless. I’ve lost a valuable day of practice.”  He cast a glance down at the girl, resisting the urge to brush her hair away from her features. It hadn’t been horrible to keep her company, but Arthur surely didn’t need that information.

As he turned to leave, a light tug on his hand brought his attention back to the bed. Peeking up from beneath the covers, Alara flashed a tired smile. “Thank you for staying with me today, Mozzie. I feel better already.”

“Rest more or you’ll only end up ill again.”  He had to admit that seeing her smile was relieving. The break from his normal routine may have even inspired the musician to create again. As he exited the room, Mozart stole another glance at their new guest.

Perhaps, it wouldn’t be entirely despicable to have her stay.

[sylvain-writes]

Guarded Hearts and Safe Houses (Leonardo x Reader) Chapter 4/9

Rated: T

Gender Neutral Reader, canon typical violence/injury, light angst, strangers to lovers, supportive family

for @melodiousmelodrama

The way to The Lair is wet and cold. You should have worn rain boots. You should have listened when Leo said they lived in the sewers. You thank god he meant the water runoff and not raw waste, though you can’t imagine the guys living in filth. They were well-mannered and hygienic, as far as their stay at the apartment let you see.

You hear the others before you see them. Loud, heavy sounds of concrete shifting and crumbling. Debris and broken furniture arc through the air as they're tossed from one pile to another. The routine kicks up dust, but does little to repair the home.

“Raph,” Donatello whispers and Mikey jogs toward the mess.

A slab of concrete flies Mikey’s way. “Watch it, bro. I’m too pretty to get busted. Don’t wanna mug like yours to scare off the honeys.”

Raph ignores his little brother’s jokes and tosses another slab with a grunt.

“Here, here, lemme help.” Mikey picks up a few stones and skips one across the floor into the concrete pile. “Little bit o’ brick over there… what’s this-” he lifts a shard of wood for inspection before lobbing it toward a different pile “-a little bit o’ table over there.” He gives his brother a wide, goofy smile, “How am I doin’ so far?”

Raph continues to ignore him.

“Come on, Raphie, this is pointless.”

“It ain’t pointless." Raphael can't look at any of them. He stares only at the rubble spilling into the tunnel. "This is our home. We gotta have a home.”

You take a step forward, careful to stay out of the path of flying debris. “You can stay with us. Until this place is safe. Or until you find somewhere new.”

“Ain’t nowhere new gonna take us." Raphael says, despite your claim. You understand he means long-term. And you know it's true. Even your parents can't house them forever. You can't expect them to sleep on the living room floor and be comfortable.

"...'sides," he grumbles, "Leo ain't leavin', I ain't leavin'."

Mikey picks up a bigger piece of mortared brick and heaves it into Raph's designated pile.

Donatello gives a deep sigh as he watches them give in to the fruitless work. "Let's find Leo," he says to you, not letting himself be defeated yet.

You find Leo in the dojo, kneeling in meditation before a felled tree. The flowering branches and wide trunk must have made a beautiful focal point for the room, before the trunk had been cleaved in two.

Though it goes against your instincts to bother Leo in this place, Donatello urges you onto the large straw mat.

A slow, quiet approach seems most appropriate, and you kneel beside him, mimicking his form. You're sure he's sensed your presence, but he doesn't say a word.

Leo's eyes are closed, his breathing even. It takes you a minute to notice the moisture gathering along the seam of his eyelids.

You wave Donatello off with the gentlest of smiles and wait until he is gone, until you and Leo are alone, before you reach out. You lay your hand atop Leo's as it rests on his knee and you keep it there when he doesn't protest or pull away.

His chest jumps as his breath hitches, but his tears don't fall. His eyes don't open. The only conscious movement he makes is to lift his thumb to hold your hand closer to his.

Pulling Raphael and Mikey away from the rubble isn’t so hard once they see Leo is walking with you. He still doesn’t speak, and no one has mentioned the absence of their father.

“You should grab what you need," you say to the group. "There’s only a few hours until the sun comes up.”

Raphael kicks at a stone and shrugs his shoulders forward. “Gonna leave somethin’ for Splinter, right, Donnie?”

“There’s a message for him," Donnie says, the computer keys clacking under his fingers. "He’ll have to use the emergency cypher, but he’ll know where we are. He’ll know we’re safe and accounted for.”

Mikey shifts his weight and looks up, his wide eyes hopeful. “Can I bring some stuff from my room?”

You nod. “Whatever you want.” You'd never keep him from bringing along a piece of home.

Beside you, Leo tenses, but remains silent.

Raphael and Mikey rush to their room, climbing over rubble and broken furniture to get there. Donatello gives you a short bow and a word of thanks. “We might be a while,” he warns.

You can’t help but yawn as you wave him off. “Go, go. Take as much time as you need.”

“They know the way,” Leo says, his first words of the night. “I can bring you home if you wish.”

You look at him, ready to protest, but see the stoic expression he wears is only a thin mask to hide his pain. “Thank you.”

Leo helps you over dangerous areas of the tunnels, more cautious with you than his brothers were. It’s equal parts irritating and sweet. You handled yourself just fine on the way in, but you let him take care of you like this. It seems like he needs to feel in control of something and this is a little thing you can give.

“You should have worn more practical footwear,” he says when he sees your water-logged sneakers.

“Next time." Gripping his hand, you let him haul you over a pile of rubble.

He catches you at the waist, holding you close for a second longer than necessary before easing you down the other side. “Won’t be a next time.” His words sound final. “I’ve been wanting to move the Lair for a while now. There’s a subway station…”

“Oh yeah?”

“It’s been abandoned for quite some time. I’ve had my eye on it. Didn’t want to move the guys because… well, because the sewers have been our home for as long as we can remember. But I should have acted sooner. I should have told them what I found. I could have avoided this whole-”

“Can I see?” you interrupt his self-depricating rant, knowing that to let him continue on that path wouldn’t do anyone any good. “The subway spot. If you think it’s safe. Can I see?”

Leo turns to face you, to really look at you for the first time since dinner, and offers a slow nod. “Ok.”

The station is a mess. Full of cobwebs and old crates. There’s an abandoned train still on the track. Most of the train's doors have been rusted open. The seat cushions are dry rotted and falling apart. But there’s promise. There are options. And when you turn to Leo, you can see hope.

“I think you should tell them about this place.”

Leo doesn’t argue. He wasn’t going to keep it a secret any longer. Especially not now, when they need this place more than ever.

“I can fix it up with you before you do, if you want. If you think it’ll help.”

Leo doesn’t say anything at that, but stacking old crates against a wall, so you follow his lead.

You leave the heaviest lifting for him, taking it upon yourself to clean out the cobwebs and clear off the platform.

The place will need furniture. And the guys could stand to tear out the train seats to fit each car with a bed and other things to make their rooms more liveable. But you can tell it’s going to be good. They could make it something great.

You look over the station with a feeling of accomplishment. Leo, however, isn’t yet satisfied.

He looks at his phone and swears under his breath. “It’s almost 5. I have to get you home.”

The news comes as a surprise. You didn’t realize you’d been working all night. Each crate stacked and cobweb swept clean had energized you. You’d felt a renewed sense of productivity, a sense of purpose. You were moving toward a tangible goal for the first time in a long time. This wasn’t the same old routine you’ve been walking through at your day job. This was building a new home for new friends.

You follow Leo through the path and up to a set of stairs to street level. There’s a small restaurant beside an alley.

“Won’t they see us? Hear us?” You glance around quickly to see if you've been spotted, but Leo leads you down the alley with an air of calm.

“Old man’s losing his hearing," he says. He makes giving you a boost to the restaurant's low roof look effortless. "His husband’s been bugging him to get hearing aids but he keeps pretending like he didn’t hear him make the suggestion.”

“Funny.”

Leo’s hard frown softens a moment, giving way to the briefest fond smile. “It’s cute.”

“You want that someday?”

“What, hearing aids?” Leo walks past you without giving you a chance to correct him.

You let him lead as your heart twists and sinks. Why had you asked? Even if he wanted love and companionship, they probably weren’t things a guy like him could have. Sure, he can charm the rings off Gram’s fingers. And anyone would admire the passion he has for taking care of his family. But he’s still a mutant turtle. One with rippling muscles and big, blue eyes, a husky voice, and a gentle touch. But, a turtle. Not many people would look past that. It’s likely Leo won’t let many people look past that, if he’d let people see him at all.

[tamtam-go92]

And that concludes Pleasantview-Widespot-SSU fall 2

I just wanted to leave you some notes around what happened this season and the year before ;)

Beare Family: Allegra was first trimester pregnant when the season started and the two of them welcomed their first child, a daughter they named Maya into their lives. Also their lot (it’s the former Dreamer home) experiences a weird bug where there would always be a light snow outside even on warm days. I hope that bug vanishes once it starts snowing in winter.

Burb Family: John and Jennifer aged up into Elders this fall. Jennifer has an affair going on with her co-worker Jared Starchild, but she hasn’t met him this season.

Caliente Family: Don and Nina are climbing their careers. Their daughter Ariana grew up into a child. As an explanation: Nothing of this really was planned. I didn’t want them to become a classic married couple with 1,5 children, a picked fence and a dog. It was all their own doing. Don and Nina both rolled a want to get married during a date. And guess what? After getting engaged they went straight for the next sofa and tried for a baby. I was freaking out when I heard chimes. During Don’s next round I quickly fulfilled his first LTW to woohoo 10 sims so he could get married to Nina the next season. And they did. In their wedding night Don was abducted by Aliens because he needed a logic point for his career and somebody thought it was a good idea to buy the expensive telescope... So I relocated them to a bigger lot and here they are...

Dreamer Family: I know DarrenxCassy gets a lot of hate, but I like them together. They are a very rounded couple in my game and were blessed with an other son, Damian this season. That’s they last child, as Cassy is growing old next season.

Goth Family: Ever since Frida was born, Mortimer and Dina were constantly trying to try for an other baby but I always canceled the interaction. Morty wasn’t getting any younger and I have a one elixir of life per sim-rule and he drank the rest of his in summer. But somehow sims always do what they want and Dina got pregnant through risky wohoo... great... Now they had a son called Moss and Morty died the same evening his son was born. At least he was able to meet his youngest child before death and he was surrounded by family (he also died in platinum aspiration).

Nova Family: Tiffany and Castor are constantly trying for a baby but so far no chimes. I’m not sad about it, since those two are really broke af. Luckily Tiff finally found a job in the medical field. But Castor is still on the search. They won’t get married until Tiff is either pregnant or Castor has a job.

Oldie Family: I skipped playing Herb this season. He’s waiting for Ivy and Orlando to graduate.

Pleasant Family 1: Guess what? Kaylynn got herself abducted this season and since I’ve got a mod that allows female alien pregnancy she gave birth to a little alien boy I called Parker. When Daniel found out that Kay was pregnant again, he retired. He really tries to be a better dad to his sons and helps Leonardo, who is struggling with school, with his homework a lot.

Pleasant Family 2: That’s such a funky household, it’s so much fun to play! Candy has a little bakery she tends on her days off at the restaurant. Val and MS are the cutest couple ever, but have never woohooed! I like that little detail about them. Stone grew into a teen and he’s now a Romance/Fortune sim (after both his grandpas). His LTW is to be a space pirate.

Starchild Family: Heather started off 1st trimester pregnant and gave birth to a little boy during the round - Alonso. Sam and Ty are eagerly trying for a baby too, but no luck so far. They took in the last crops of the year and gave a lot of their crops away to friends. They all are quick to climb the career ladder.

Traveller Family: Nothing interesting happened this season tbh... Laurie really wasn’t planned, again risky wohoo stroke but I’m super glad to have her, she has the cutest little face ever!

Upsnott Family: Those two really are driving me nuts! They are broke as hell and can’t find a proper job. I didn’t like Brit getting pregnant so soon, I couldn’t throw them a wedding party since they had literally no money for the wedding arch. They could merely afford the crib for their baby! And then... they had twins *face palm*. Yeah, a girl and a boy called Matías and María José. I have no idea why the name generator dropped two Spanish names. Luckily at least Josh found a job in the criminal career and can now support his family. The twins also grew into toddlers and they look so cute (broken face template...)

Beech Household: It’s really difficult managing so many students, but they all are doing pretty well. The love triangle between Virginia, Woody and Goldie seems to be interrupted by River, who really has the hots for Ginny. She still has higher chemistry with Woody, but Woody prefers Goldie. Goldie, Ginny and Scot graduated the last day of fall. While Ginny moved back in with her parents and Scot moved in with his boyfriend, Goldie temporarily moved back in with her older brother. But she’ll eventually move in with Woody.

Bright Household: Everything’s good here. I always wanted Lucy and Lilith to be close but in fact... she’s closer with Dirk... Lilith graduated the last day of fall and moved back in with her mother. I’m super exited what happens when she meets Ashley Pitts (knowing their chemistry they share in @katatty’s game...).

Freshman Household: Dixie threw herself a graduation party on the first day of fall and moved in with her fiance. Angela graduated mid-season and moved into the old Broke-Trailer on her own where she’s waiting for Dustin to graduate. Tina and Isaiah have a little something going on, they already did so as teens (they are best friends since their childhood) but neither of them is really for settling down and exclusivity.

Land Household: Alex and Delta met at Lucy Burb’s farewell party and they had such a great chemistry that I had to make something out of it. And of course they savaged each other first things after moving in together. Don’t know where it’ll lead, they just had their first real date but I’m excited.

Oldie Household: They are not so interesting to play as they are very studious and don’t have much contact to the outside. I tried to give Orlando a bit of an NB story and his outfits change between male and female each season.

Beech Family: Daytona has used the last bit of elixir of life so she passed away this season. Sandy has a small clothing store in Widespot that is a lot of fun to play. Hamilton is almost top of his career. Grey grew into a teenager and he’s a Pleasure/Romance sim. That’s gonna be some fun!

Gavigan Family: Such a cute family. But they are a lot like the Travellers, not much is going on for them except for careers and kids. It’s so funny that some families just get one gender as kids. I know a lot of families in real life that are the same!

Hart Family: Penny and Rhett have a really good relationship but both tend to stray sometimes (Penny once had an affair with Don Lothario (of course)). Snow is Skye 2.0. I gave him an alien eye heterochromia, since he’s got nothing from Penny’s alien heritage and I thought that was pretty sad... Rhett and Penny both grew into elders and Rhett topped his career fulfilling his LTW. His new LTW would be to become a professional Party Guest, but I guess that’s not gonna happen. Snow then grew into a teen, becoming a Knowledge/Romance Sim (after his grandpas).

Land Family: I skipped playing Beulah for the same reason I skipped Herb Oldie. At least River is gonna move back in with her after university.

Mann Family: This is such a hectic household... I struggled with getting Rich into golden aspiration so he could have some of the elixir of life, he really needs it. And guess what? I laughed so hard when that fourth baby of Mary was also a girl. But they called her Lana after the decreased grandmother she’ll never meet and Rich is super caring. I’m totally surprised, that he’s such a caring grandfather to all of the girls but he always tucks them in and plays with them. Oh! And of course Ira grew into a teen! She’s now a Pleasure/Family sim.

Roseland Family: Arg, this family has really grown on my heart. I always love Brandi and her kids and I struggle so much finding a perfect partner for her. But when she met Cyd over a mutual friend they had perfect chemistry. Sadly they didn’t get along at first but soon it clicked and now they are joined at their hips. They shouldn’t have had Ella, their calculated amount of kids was three but I just couldn’t deny the mutual have a baby want... Beau will go to college next season and Skip grew up into a teen being Romance/Family like his big bro.

Stacks Family: Those two are constantly trying for a baby, ever since Martin came from College. But somehow Jane isn’t as fertile as I’d expect from a Family sim. On the last day there were finally chimes! Selina is... something. She has a really sharp face, I think because of Martin’s broke face. Her cheekbones could cut through glass!

Swain Family: Dixie moved in with Erik and Jimmy on the second day of fall and they had a wonderful wedding party two days later. Jimmy takes Scot for dates every second day and Scot has rolled a want to get engaged (of course). Erik has a locked want to have a baby, but Dixie wants to find a job first.

[zacklover24]

Chapter Summary: 

“Has anyone seen my necklace, earrings and rings?” Tessa asks, leaving her room, and heading to the main room of the apartment. 

“No.” Was the choursed answered by everyone. Tessa rolled her eyes and surveyed the room. Jacob, Connor and Desmond were all sitting on the couch. While Malik, Altair, Ezio, Leonardo, Henry and Evie were seated at the table in the middle of the island. And by the door were a large stack of bags. 

“I see your newest tattoo is healing up.” Malik comments as he bite into his bagel. 

“Last one I swear.” Tessa tells him as she started to look around the main room. 

“That’s what she said about the knot.” Henry comments, as Tessa rolled her eyes. 

“I thought she said her last one was of the world tree.” Evie asks, nibbling on her doughnut.  

Tessa chose to ignore them as looked at her reflection and all of her tattoos. On her right collar bone was a holly branch, while on the opposite side was the wolfsbane plant. The stem from the wolfsbane and the branch from the holly joined at the base of her throat, to form a circle. Where a red and still healing marigold sat.

Upon her right shoulder was a crescent moon with a cloud backdrop, with silver and turquoise bear sitting down in its left paw was some honeysuckle, while in its right paw, moon stone, while in right's paw it held a moon stone. The image was finished off with some fresh jasmine set by the bear's feet.

Her eyes moved down to look over her right forearm. Here she had images of  a yellow owl and gold colored dove sitting either side of a bowl, with a sun shining upon them. At the base of the sun was a tiger lily, crossing with a piece of indigo, with a piece of onyx drawn next to them.

Finally, she came to the opposite arm. On her inner wrist she had a simple celtic knot, but it was the tattoo above that was most special to her. Here she had a black and white version of a world tree, in its branches was the name ‘Shay Patrick Cormac', while the dates of his birth and death were carved into its trunk. Tessa had personally chosen the colors to match the silver belt buckle that had once  belonged to her brother, but upon his death she had inherited it and would wear it often. Tessa's hand quickly grazed the buckle, thankful that it didn't get misplaced.

“Fuck, we can’t leave till I find my jewerly.” Tessa hisses, as she was looking under the coffee table. 

“We're leaving once mom and dad get here.” Altair corrects. 

“You guys can, I’m not leaving till I find my jewelry.” Tessa quickly corrects him. 

“Tess.” Jacob says as she looked up to see her, gold cross necklace, her gold stud earrings with opals in them and her rings, “I had them. I thought I would polish them for you.” 

“Aww thank you honey.” Tessa says with a sheepish smile, as she put her jewelry on. 

[raindrop-on-a-spiderweb]

Mommy Dearest, Part 2

Patience pressed the gun against Salvatore's head, the metal grinding solid against his skull. "Borghese's a monster;" she said through gritted teeth. "And we can take him down together."

He stared ahead, jaw tight and dark-penciled eyebrows furrowed, before grinding out, "Fine."

She grabbed a rubber-banded stack of cash. 

"Hey, what the fuck are you doing?"

"Consider this a sign-on bonus," she yelled back as she took off down the street, her heels clattering on the cobblestones. Her whole face was flushed and smiling as she pulled the door to her sedan open.

There was already someone in the driver's seat.

Liquid blue eyes met hers'. "Hello, dolcezza."

***

Johnny had been crying all month. Chris wanted deeply to comfort his brother, but he knew Johnny would just push him away. He sat by the oak in the front yard, letting the shade envelop him, his back pressed against the rough bark.

He didn't like thinking about Mama. Whenever he did, he saw her smile, and felt her warm arms, and tasted her cooking, and knew he would never see her again. There was a hole in his life that would never be filled, a hole with dark hair and dark eyes and the intrinsic feeling of a child's love.

All he could think was that Dad was lying. Dad was lying and Mama was coming back. She would come around the corner in a moment, carrying her basket full of vegetables from the market, and he would run into her arms like he always did and feel her warmth and love.

Dad's voice echoed around the front yard. "Giuseppe. Christoforo. Come inside. Your father has something very important to tell you."

***

Johnny's legs felt like they were tied to weights as he trudged across the yard. Why did Mama have to leave? Why? He felt like punching something. He didn't want to talk to anyone, Chris, Uncle Charlie, and especially Dad. He had a feeling dad didn't care at all about Mom dying, and some distant part of him noticed it, and it disturbed him deeply in his child's brain.

Dad was sitting in the living room, and there was a woman sitting opposite him, on mom's armchair.

She looked up at them, and her eyes were big and wide and stained glass-green.

"Children. This woman is going to be your new mother." Dad's voice was sweet and smooth. "You don't have to worry about not having a mama anymore. She's going to love you and you're going to love her."

The woman did not look loving at all. She looked scared. She was holding Fiorella on her lap, and Fiorella was sucking her thumb and pawing at her shirt.

Johnny felt fury rise up in him.

"NO!" he screamed, just as she opened her mouth to speak. "You're not my mama! I HATE you!"

Dad's eyes sharpened, in that way that he knew something was coming, and Johnny knew he was about to regret it, but he ran out anyway. His heart was pulsing with rage and fear. He did not want this woman.

He wanted his mama.

***

The first few weeks took adjusting to.

Patience stung with hate every second of the day, when she wasn't devolving into conniptions with the baby girl crying, spitting up her food, or clinging to her chest. Borghese had pawned her off on her and she was solely responsible for Fiorella throughout the day, being jerked awake by her crying, trying to bounce her on her lap to stop her crying, and trying to stop her from burrowing into her shirt to breastfeed. 

Borghese's two sons did not like her. Chris was cold, and Johnny was angry. Leonardo loved his sons, in a deep and yet distant way, leaving them alone the whole day. Patience limped from her ankle. Fiorella screamed. She wondered with a sudden, embracing horror if this was what her life would be like from now on.

Patience hated the way she felt relief when the door slammed open. She limped over to press Fiorella into his arms, and he responded by pressing a kiss into her lips. "Did you make dinner, my darling?"

"Fiorella was crying. I didn't have time," she gritted out. 

He caught her chin with his hand; his soft, manicured nails digging into her flesh. "Dolcezza," be said in his dulcet tones. "You'll need to learn to handle children and make dinner at the same time. It's part and parcel of being a mother."

Patience did not want to be a mother. She especially did not want to be a mother the way he pronounced it, with a disturbingly lustful gleam in his eye.

"Come now. I'll make some cacio e pepe and we can all enjoy it. Like a big family."

***

Patience sat, stone-faced and wearing a stiff homemakers' dress. She stared silently at her congealing noodles as Johnny and Chris sullenly ate and Fiorella made a mess of her meal.

Leonardo twirled the pasta around his fork, face placid and set. He seemed pleased as punch, the way he smiled at her as Fiorella started wailing. "Dolcezza, the little one is upset. Take her into your arms."

She sullenly hefted the heavy toddler onto her lap, and Fiorella sought her breast again, to her agony and to the unpleasant notice of Leonardo.

He watched her very carefully as Fiorella whined and desperately sought her hidden breast, and she noticed it as she desperately bounced her on her lap.

"You need to be a better mother, mia magnotta. Not a young loose woman. Hold her better. See--"

"She's never gonna be," muttered Johnny sullenly.

Leonardo's sharp blue eyes, and his attention, were diverted. "Giuseppe? Did you say something?"

He was slumped, staring angrily at his noodles. "I said she's never gonna be my mother!"

The silence that followed was deafening. Patience hugged the little girl tightly, and even she had quieted, her dark eyes wide.

Leonardo put down his cutlery and carefully wiped his mouth with his napkin. "Johnny, that's no way to talk to your new mother."

Johnny's lower lip was pooched out. "She isn't my mother."

Patience hated the quiet. It rung in her ears.

"Giuseppe, your mama is not coming back. She is gone. Do you know why she left?" His voice was soft and paternal.

Johnny's wet, dark eyes looked up.

"It's because she didn't want to be your mother anymore. That's the truth. She hated how you acted, Giuseppe. She left because of you."

Johnny watched his plate, eyes brimming and overflowing and his whole body trembling. 

Chris's throat bobbed, and his mouth quivered. His blue eyes were tracking tears down his cheeks.

"She left because you were a bad boy, Giuseppe. She left because you made her leave. And if you aren't grateful, your new mama will leave just like your old one did."

They ate the rest of their meal in silence.

***

"Go read your children a bedtime story," Leonardo told her softly.

Patience stood in front of Chris and Johnny's room, sweaty hands balled into fists. The dim light underneath the door shone dully.

She stepped in.

Chris turned away from her in his bed. Their Mickey Mouse nightlight shone a soft orange light as she sat down beside them. 

Johnny's eyes were still caked with tears as she leaned over him, her hair tickling his cheeks. 

"Once upon a time there was a king. The king was very happy, with his wife and his children. He loved them very much and they loved him."

Outside the window, a moth pressed its legs to the surface, and its wings fanned out as it sought the light.

"They all lived in a grand palace, and his wife cooked him scrumptious meals. Wonderful meals. What did his wife cook him?"

The question lingered, and then Chris murmured, "Spaghetti."

"His wife cooked him spaghetti and their sons ate it all up, every drop. They loved each other and they were so, so happy. And do you know what happened?"

Johnny was listening too, his dark head turned towards her slightly.

The moth batted at the window.

"The king was out in the village and he saw a girl. He didn't know why, but he wanted this girl, and he would do anything to make this girl his own. He went home to his palace and he… and he… he went into a small room and called his wife, his queen, into there. And as soon as she walked in he wrapped his hands around her neck and strangled her to death. He strangled the life out of her and left her in that little room."

The moth lifted its wings and flew away, as if it had never been there at all.

"And he went out and he took that girl, he took that girl from the village and put the queen's crown on her. And he called his children to him. And he told them… he told them…"

Johnny's hand was warm in hers, his skin smooth as she rubbed her thumb across it.

"He told them he had a new queen, and they were to treat her as their new queen, and forget their old queen, and how she loved them, and how it was if the old queen never existed at all."

Johnny's eyes were drifting shut. She held their hands in hers, comforting and warm, and slowly let them slip from hers.

Patience padded down the carpeted highway to the bedroom of her nightly torture. The light of the lamp flickered over her shoulders, her nightgown, her chestnut hair, and her pale, downturned eyes.

***

She tapped the numbers in frantically, the black shiny letters depressing underneath her fingers. She waited as the dial tone rang endlessly in her ears, almost crying at the length of time.

The door creaked, and she whipped around, receiver pressed to her ear. Chris was standing there, and she felt a wave of relief. "Honey, go play somewhere else."

Chris did so, but his mind was churning. The slow affection he had been nurturing to his new mother--Patience, and then the opaque eyes of Dad, and his comforting arms.

Dad was reading the newspaper in the greenhouse. His hair was unruly and curly, the same blond as his. He smelled the same, fresh pressed laundry and perfume.

"Dad?" Ventured Chris.

Dad looked over and smiled, and set down his newspaper to open his arms. Chris ran into them, his eyes shutting tight. The comfort of his father's arms lulled him into ease. "What's the matter, darling?"

Chris swallowed hard. "She… she did something."

Dad was silent as he rocked him, cradling his head in the hook of his arm

"What did she do?"

"She called someone."

***

Patience laid Fiorella slowly down into the bed, praying she wouldn't wake. Her eyes were shut tight, tiny warm body swaddled.

Taking care of a child was hard, constant, dirty work, and she was exhausted. Even more so when his vibrato spoke behind her, "Pazienza."

She stood stock still as he approached her, his arms enveloping hers.

"You haven't been a good girl, have you?" His voice made weevils crawl down her back. 

"Fuck you," she spat. 

"I know what you've done," he whispered in impeccable English. "And for the last time, cease your swearing. It's unladylike."

She stared deep into his eyes, those mirrors that reflected her pale face and pale eyes and--

His hands palmed her breasts through her silk nightgown.

"Trying to call someone… tsk, tsk. A little bird flew off to tell me. Who, pray, were you trying to talk to, dolcezza? Surely not anyone who has an interest in your situation…"

His voice trailed off to a murmur as he slowly thumbed her nipple through the silk. She cast a terrified look at the bed, where Fiorella was sleeping peacefully. "Fior--"

"Don't be loud and wake her up, then." He slowly pressed his finger to her trembling lips. "She's such a lovely baby, isn't she? And you're doing so well taking care of her." His hand slid between her legs. "How about we make her a big sister?"

Patience's mind jolted into horror as she pushed him away. "You killed her," she spat, her voice cracking. "You killed her mother. You're a monster, Leonardo Borghese. A fucking monst--" 

She was cut off by his soft red lips pressing against hers. His arms wrapped tight around her  caging her in, and she felt the hardness of his cock against her thigh. Her spine went stone stiff.

He pulled her towards the wall, hand spidering over her scalp as he rested it against the wall. She lifted a leg to kick him, and his grip turned harsh, yanking her hair. "Don't fight. You don't want to wake up the baby, would you?"

Her gown was already hiked up to her waist, the folds slipping down to pool around her navel as he angled his waist between her arched legs.

The coldness of his zipper startled her, before the heat of his cock made her erupt with agony. He stopped halfway in, shoulders quivering and a sweat-soaked lock of golden hair plastered to his forehead. His length was pulsating between her lower lips, hot and heavy and lustful, and in that split second where she was praying he would pull out he thrust himself fully.

All she could think of was Francesca's face. Every gasp, every thrust made her stricken expression linger in her mind. "Fucking murderer," she managed as he lifted her so high she had to wrap her legs around his waist for balance.

A taut shoulder muscle pressed against her frail chest as he slowly lifted her, then agonizingly let her slide down the wall onto his cock. Every swollen inch of him disappearing into her made her chest soar and her legs numb. She hated how she wanted to curl her body around him and match him thrust for thrust 

His breath fanned over her pale, trembling shoulder, and he pressed a wet kiss underneath her ear as his strong arms held her up.

He was in and out, leaving her empty and then filling her. Her toes pointed pin-straight in the air as he ground her against the wall, his heavy and wet cock digging deep inside of her to nuzzle against her cervix. She knew he was about to spend when his hips tensed.

"Please don't," she sobbed pathetically, trapped between his hard body and the wall, completely immobilized as he prepared to fertilize her. "Don't--don't come inside me--please--please--"

But he was not stopping, and as he held her head, his thrusts became more measured, carefully dragging his flesh against pink ripe insides, and the heaviness of his body, the pressure between her spread pussy lips against the small red nub in her folds as he slipped a soft fingerpad in--

Her back was shivering, she hated it, but a buzz was building up slowly inside her--

He let loose with a short intake of breath, cutting her words off as his seed soaked into her womb. Her thighs relaxed under his strong thrust, every single molecule of his cum pouring into her fertile body.

She let herself slump, arm loosely and unwillingly slung around his neck. The smell of his perfume was sickly sweet, like decaying flowers, and it made her gorge rise even more than the lukewarm seed dripping out of her.

He slowly let her down, her nightdress falling to cover her stained thighs. He let out a deep sigh, and laughed breathily.

"Brush those tears out of your eyes, dolcezza. Once you've borne our first child you'll be thanking me."

***

Patience felt a sharp distrust of Chris after that, although a part of her--the adult part--knew how frighteningly petty that was. He was a kid and he trusted his father, that was all.

Johnny and Chris curled up on the sofa while Patience tried to rock Fiorella in her arms. The baby was used to her presence and never cried when she picked her up anymore--and Patience felt a jolt of disgust when she thought of how easily she was slipping into maternality. Maybe Leonardo was right--she was becoming his perfect brood mare and wife, dressed in her frilled, flowered dress, hair combed and lipstick red and rocking his child in an armchair.

Just watching him on the television made hate cloud her eyes. He was speaking with councilors in the city hall, all older balding men in suits, and he stood out like a jewel. He was putting on a play for the cameras with every word and gesture, pretending to be so concerned with vity issues.

The camera faded away, and then he was talking to a reported outside city hall. "My wife," he said, "left me to go back to Sicily. She found someone else. I loved her, my Francesca, but she was wicked at heart, and it is better she is not raising our children. How many times had I come home to another man's coat on the rack?"

"That's not true," murmured Johnny.

Patience looked over. "Hmm?"

"She wasn't… my mama wasn't bad like that. She was a good mama. She didn't do any of that stuff…"

Chris didn't say anything, but his mouth trembled. She could see gooseflesh on his bare arms underneath his t-shirt.

"I know," she said quietly, putting Fiorella down to toddle. Her hair was growing thick and dark, just like her mothers'.

"What?"

"I know your mom was a good woman. And I know your dad is lying." She went over to kneel by Johnny and Chris. "Listen. What happened to your mom…" her voice died out and she swallowed.

She took their hands in hers and squeezed them. "I'm gonna make things right, for your mom. I promise. I'll fix all this."

Chris's hand was slack in hers, then it tightened to squeeze her back.

From then on, something changed between them. They stopped seeing her as an interloper. They stopped ignoring her sullenly, and refusing to talk to her.

Slowly but surely, Johnny and Chris had begun to accept her into their life.

[aftermathdb]

DEATH BATTLE Review: Leonardo vs. Jason

Many years ago, Leonardo was destined to do battle with Tommy Oliver, but instead did battle with Zitz… And today, we see him do battle with Jason Lee Scott.

Ground rules for this fight: No zords, no turtle-mechs, no teammates. Just a good old fashioned, 1v1 battle to the death.

Leonardo′s Preview.

Beneath the streets of New York, four ordinary turtles were mutated by contact with a strange mutagen, and were trained by a equally mutated Rat-Person who named them after Renaissance artists and trained them in ninjutsu. If that sounds like a parody… That’s because it is…

Regardless, these Genetically Altered Shinobi Terrapins were in need of a leader. Donatello was smart and technical but he wasn’t a strategist for battle, Raphael was too hotheaded, and Michelangelo… is Michelangelo.

So the true leader in blue was chose to lead the team. Though most just call him Leonardo.

Leonardo embodies Bushido. For those of you confused, don’t worry, Boomstick is too. For those of you who don’t understand why ninjas and samurais have a lot of beef, it’s because ninjas were literally made to fight samurais.

And they make a quick note: As there is no “definitive” version of Leonardo to choose from, anything that’s reasonable is fair game. As in, if at least two Leos can/have done it, it’s on the table.

So, no double-mutations, dragon transformations, or anything too out of the ordinary.

The hosts go over Leo’s mastery of martial arts, and his weapons. Essentially, the Ninjaken Swords are just Katanas without the curve. As well as multiple other ninja needs like smoke bombs, grapple guns, kunai and ninja stars, and the works.

And we lead into a Wiz and Boomstick animated segment where… I’m not sure why or how, but Boomstick’s smile looks… better? Maybe it has something to to do with the way the teeth are drawn.

(please ignore the typo. I was in a bit of a rush)

A mixture of both a joke and part of the analysis. I like it.

Leonardo knows how to heal with (a missed opportunity for a Boomstick joke) the ninja magic of self-healing. While not potent enough to fix fatal wounds, it’s still handy nonetheless.

The hosts also go over how Leonardo is fast enough to dodge lightning,

Push over this giant pillar onto a giant mutated cockroach

And was even able to hold back this mutated tyrannosaurs’ bite.

And across multiple timelines, he’s usually the one who deals the finishing blow to the Shredder.

While teen angst and immaturity can hold him back from his full potential, Leo’s one heckuva fighter.

Jason′s Preview.

After 10000 years of being trapped in a magic space dumpster, the evil witch Rita Repulsa was set to conquer earth. So the galactic sage Zordon recruited some overbearing and overemotional humans to defend Earth. And every team needs a leader. So enter the levelheaded martial arts teacher: Jason Lee Scott.

Jason draws power from the Morphin’ Grid, and i order to gain access to it, he just needs to shout out three words.

“It’s Morphin’ Time!”

With this power on his sai-aye-aye-aye-aye-ide

The hosts apparently deduce that the Morphin’ Grid takes the hits for Jason, as evidenced by the sparks.

And after going over the weapons, we go into our next Wiz and Boomstick segment.

And after going over the Power Sword and a whole lot of weapons, and some key weaknesses. Like the whole thing about how they can’t escalate a fight.

So the Power Blaster is off-limits if it’s not actually needed.

But Grid-Enhanced individuals are still strong in their own right. Like when Jason lifted this enormous boulder over his head.

Nice.

Other Grid-Enhanced feats include

Pushing over a boulder weighing in at about 125000 tons, dodging lightning for a bit, and surviving the Power Rangers’ command center exploding.

And while Jason does lose his powers when he takes too much damage, he’ll still be one heckuva fighter. Especially with the power on his si-i-i-i-i-ide!

The Battle Itself.

Luis and Zack are the main animators for this, Leonardo will be voiced by Jon Allen and Jason will be reprised by Alejandro Saab, Audio Lead by Chris Kokkinos, and soundtrack of Teenage Morphin’ Ninja Power by Therewolf. And before we get into it, I gotta say that that track name is awesome!

So the fight starts off with Jason trying to get somewhere while Leo is eating his pizza, and Jason runs into Leo.

Which causes…

The pizza to fall.

Leo calls him out on it, and Jason sees him as one of Rita’s monsters.

And after a quick scuffle, Jason morphs.

So we get into a quick stand-off, and we seriously get into another opportunity where the “Fight Byte” could come back. They don’t have to do it for all of them, they can just choose which ones they do want to use it for.

At least make it a ringtone.

So, right off the bat, Leo narrowly takes speed, as they seem to land an equal number of attacks on each other. But it’s also clear that Jason takes strength early on as well, as he basically shrugs off all of Leo’s attacks.

Jason summons his Power Sword, and we get into a really cool sword fight sequence. Not as cool as Sasuke vs. Hiei’s sword clash, but still cool nonetheless.

And after a quick scuffle, Jason shows off for a bit…

And Leo’s swords break.

Jason goes in for a Tyrannosaurus Charge, and we get a recreation of that scene from Johnny Cage vs. Captain Falcon when the other guy was just blown away from how cool the other guy is.

Leo retreats into the sewer after knocking a drain cover at Jason, and he recovers the damage that was done to him.

As well as getting his newer weapon.

So now we’re at a teleport spam, where Jason is trying to hit Leo, but Leo is just too quick to actually strike.

And once Jason does land a hit, Leo’s shell is stopping him

Leo teleports high up, and we go into our finishing blow in

5…

4…

3…

2…

1…

What’s bonkers here is that Power Rangers have finally ended their losing streak! Woo!

Verdict + Explanation.

After some quick joking around with Boomstick, we get into the reason why Jason won. While Leo has dodged lightning more reliably and had better training, he was simply outclassed everywhere else.

And that training wouldn’t really be that much help because Jason’s morph gives him extra skills to work with. Call it cheating, but whatever. It’s Power Rangers.

Leo can reasonably scale to a Turtle Villain named Baron Draxum in terms of durability.

Now, the Barron survived this 12 ton explosion. Which is impressive, but not compared to Jason who survived the Command Center exploding. That blast was nearly 54 times greater than what Leo could scale to.

Strength was also in Jason’s favor too. While Leo could push over large stone pillars, Grid-Enhanced beings could push around 125000 ton boulders.

It wasn’t as one sided as it might seem though. Leo certainly was more skilled and was faster. If those were the only stats that mattered, that would have gotten him more wins. But Jason ultimately came out on top.

Overall impression.

Overall, this fight really does feel like an interesting episode. It’s definitely one of those “Playground Debates” that you probably would have had if you were a kid watching one or both of these shows.

The fight is interesting, and the dialogue is delightfully corny. The fight is certainly longer than Canary-Sindel, so it’s easier to soak in how each ability and stat stacks against the other. Like I said, speed was only a narrow win on Leo’s end, and it showed because he was able to dodge more easily, but it also showed that strength and durability was on Jason’s simply because he was able to tank any attack Leo threw at him no problem, and was able to basically shatter Leo’s weapons casually.

The soundtrack is awesome, and it definitely makes it feel like an 80s/90s nostalgia trip where your childhood tries to kill the other childhood.

8.7/10.

Next Time…

Well so much for Genos vs. Cyborg or War Machine vs... Uh… Huh. I guess War Machine is like how I view Dinobot. Not a whole lot of options for him that aren’t super shallow.

Is there a fight that you want me to review? - Send an ask/request, and I’ll look into it!

Do you want to read my fanfic based around DEATH BATTLE itself? click here!

Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you next time for…

Cyber Fighter Smackdown.

[snarkysboys]

Chapter Two (part one): The Boys

When Danielle awoke that morning, she could feel a dull ache in her lower back and tail bone. Likely, a nasty purple bruise was already budding across her underside. She groaned and rolled over, reaching out her hand to pry her phone off the table-side charger, but came up empty. She then recalled having lost her phone the previous night. And then she recalled him. The immense, vigilante, sword wielding turtle. Her eyes shot open and she pulled herself grudgingly up to sit on her tender tailbone, her plump comforter splayed along on her lap. Doubtless to her was his existence, as her memories had yet to deceive her at this young age. She wholly dismissed the option of it being a figment of her slumbering subconscious as well. As she replayed the nights events again in her head, she was left with the resentment of not acquiring the anomaly’s name, if he had one, before he disappeared over the rooftops and, presumably, her life. She was doubtful of them ever having a second encounter.

 Danielle rolled her legs off the bed to stand wearily, her tender muscles aching under the weight, and began her journey to the kitchen. The coffee pot was her immediate priority. Billy was already awake and seated on the couch, engaged in a morning talk show. “Morning Dans.” She smiled chipperly, eyes still on the television. Danielle could only grunt a response, never breaking stride. Once everything was set and the coffee began to brew, Danielle hauled herself up on the counter across the machine to wait, her legs and head gently swaying downward. Suddenly, a glint singed her eye as something reflective on the dining room table caught the sunlight to dance on her retina. Danielle focused her attention only to discover it was her cell phone and wallet neatly stacked on the table.  

“Hey!” Danielle exclaimed, hopping off her perch. She grasped her cell phone, bewildered, and noticed a few red splotches now decorated her mint wallet.  

“Oh yeah.” Billy piped up from behind. “I found those out on the deck this morning. You probably shouldn’t leave that stuff out there in case it rains, yo.”  

“I didn't. I’m pretty sure I dropped these last night by the van.”  

“Huh.” Billy stopped to think a moment. “Well guess your guardian angel was looking out for you in more ways than one.”

“Yeah no kidding. Come to think of it, it could have been bad news if the cops had found my things by the crash.”

“Ah yeah, for sure. I wouldn't have been able to bail your poor ass out either.” She snickered. Danielle took a seat at the dining table turning the phone over in her hands, the freshly brewed coffee effectively forgotten. The phone was cheap but durable considering only a few small scuffs now graced the screen.

A few minutes of contemplation and then, “Well, now I can call off work with my own phone.”

Billy smiled devilishly. “Playing hooky?”

Danielle held up one of her bandaged hands. “Gonna have a hard time making pizza’s like this”  

“Valid point”

-----

Danielle’s freshly charged cell phone read 1:53 am. She was standing outside in an alleyway a couple of blocks from her apartment. In one hand, she held a ziploc bag filled with chocolate chip cookies she coaxed Billy into baking. In the other, she held a dual pet-food dish filled to the brim with cat food. Danielle had that whole two birds, one stone mentality. She placed the food dish on the ground as three alley cats had already come out from hiding to circle her feet. “Hey buds, who's hungry?” She surveyed the felines, crouching beside them. “Looks like we got Clubs, Bartleby and Snowman tonight.” She gave the only friendly cat, Clubs, a few pats and a smile before standing and resuming her trip further into the deserted alley.

Danielle took a steadying breath then tentatively shouted out. “Uh... Hello! Renegade turtle guy?! Uhm. If you’re around, I’d like to speak with you.” She couldn’t help but let out a light sigh. This was truly a silly plan on her behalf, but she was unsure of a better way to initiate a second meeting with the turtle man. Ridiculous as it was, she knew she had to at least try. “Hello!! Listen, I know you’re like a superhero or something and probably save people all the time, but I like...I dunno...wanted to thank you, if possible.” Her voice trailed off at the end of each sentence. Her outset confidence was strong though continuously waning with each subsequent word. The night air was still. The only other sound was that of the cats feasting a few feet behind her. Danielle stood planted in that alley for another twenty minutes, periodically shouting up toward the stars in hopes that the proper recipient might somehow hear her in this enormous cityscape. After a while, Danielle squatted down with her back along one of the nearby walls and pulled out a homemade cookie to snack on. In between bites she kept up her feeble messages, discouragement starting to weigh heavily on her shoulders. Little did she know a couple dozen feet above her stood four ninjutsu seasoned terrapins debating whether to answer her calls.  

“So, which one of you is she referring too?” Donatello asked as he adjusted one of his elbow pads.  

“Okay I swear it’s not me.” Michelangelo quickly jumping to his own defense.  

“Like we’re gonna believe that.” Raphael crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes at the youngest brother. Mikey feigned a look of dismay but then immediately put his hands up in surrender.  

“Honest Raph. I’ve been busy all week getting caught up with this new monster comic Donnie got me. It’s about this race of skinwalkers that forms an allegiance with these mole people to-”  

“It was me.” Leonardo curtly cut in. Everyone turned to look at the leader who, in turn, locked his eyes at the girl down below. Raph opened his mouth to counter but Leo continued, “While I was on patrol last night, I came across a solo Kraang droid as he was driving somewhere. I followed him to see what he was up to, but he spotted me and started shooting. I deflected one of the shots back into the tire and it spun out of control, nearly taking that girl along with it. So I helped her out of there.” The other three turned their attention back downward.

Danielle raised her head to the sky again, “Turtle guy I swear I won’t tell anybody about you! I just want to talk.... shit.. I just kinda screamed that for the world to hear. Well, most people would think I’m crazy anyway!” At this point, she shouted that mostly just to reassure herself. And perhaps she was crazy. Sitting out in the darkest hours of night and screaming at rooftops did seem like a particularly crazy thing to do. At this rate, she wagered someone would soon be calling the police on her for public disturbance.  

High above her the bulkiest of the turtles snorted and turned back to his older brother, “I dunno Leo. She’s kinda cute. Maybe you should go down and say hi.”  

Mikey instantly crashed in, his cerulean eyes glistening, "Can we Leo? Please, please please! We could totally always have more friends!!"  

Leo stole a sideways glance at his brother, debating the whole situation. It was always dangerous, for all parties involved, to allow more people into their families' inner circle. Coupled with this, she had such an unprecedented interest in him that Leo was simply unfamiliar with. She did not immediately alert to him that she was a threat. He could rule out her being a member of the foot as her lack of fighting skills against the Kraang was proof enough of that. But his unwavering doubt still lay heavy on the leaders’ shoulders. Even if she wasn’t a physical threat, she could be someone who wanted to trap him and reveal his secret identity to the city, as Master Splinter had warned humans might do. It was always a gamble and Leo had been taught not to bet on his family’s safety if he could help it.

Again, the four brothers heard her voice cutting through the air. “I have a thank you gift! My roommate made some homemade cookies! I don't know if you eat those but I just thought-” Her sentence ran into silence as she didn’t know how to continue. The last of her energy surrounding this plight was depleted and she was ready to throw in the towel.  

“Cookies?” Mikey said. The other brothers all quickly snapped their attention to the youngest, but it was too late. “I love cookies!” He exclaimed as he excitedly launched himself over the lip of the building, sliding down the fire escape.  

“Mikey!” “No!” “Stop!”  

[elegantoutdoorkitchens]

Next Level Outdoor Living

New Post has been published on https://elegantoutdoorkitchens.com/project-portfolios/next-level-outdoor-living/

Next Level Outdoor Living

Beautiful Weather for Grilling Outdoors

The fall season certainly brought the L-Shape outdoor kitchen theme along with the nicer weather. It seemed that we were building one L-Shape outdoor kitchen after another this fall. This project was completed in the Esplanade at Hacienda Lakes in Naples, Florida.

The following components were included:

4.1 CU outdoor refrigerator

4.1 CU/4.5 CU trim kit

Zephyr Cypress vent hood 36” Hood

Blaze Traditional Series 32” 4-burner grill

Smoker box for Traditional & LTE

Blaze 32” door & double drawer combo (under grill)

Under mount sink with high-arc faucet

Single vertical door (under sink)

The cabinet base housing the grill is 9’6″ in length. Coming off the front of the left side, the fridge section will be 6’0″ in length (as measured from the wall behind the grill cabinet). The base is framed with aluminum and wrapped with a wet weather backer board. The façade is the Leonardo stacked stone. The countertop and back/side splashes are a level 3 Fontana granite. Coming off the back of the refrigerator side, the bar overhang is 4″ and the corners and rounds to 10″ at the center. The side/backsplash is 4″ in height, rising to 36″ high for a width of 36″, centered under the hood and behind the grill.

Esplanade at Hacienda Lakes

Welcome to Esplanade at Hacienda Lakes in Naples

Esplanade at Hacienda Lakes is notable for its active lifestyle, resort-style amenities, and intimate neighborhood setting. It is ideally located off Collier Boulevard in sunny Naples, placing residents within proximity of beautiful Marco Island and Gulf beaches, as well as a short drive from downtown Naples, with upscale shopping, dining, and cultural attractions. It’s time to find the setting for life’s next chapter. Your journey brought you here, but it’s not the destination. It’s a new beginning. A world of possibilities unfolds at your doorstep. The only question is why not? Why not an outdoor kitchen to compliment your beautiful outdoor living space? Elegant Outdoor Kitchens is here to help.

Add a Blaze Smoker Box to your Blaze Grill

You have bought a very convenient and efficient gas grill, but there is something lacking in there. It lacks the ability to give the food that traditional smoky flavor. A gas grill is perfect for direct and indirect grilling. Unfortunately, it does not perform well when it comes to smoking. Fortunately, Elegant Outdoors was here to emphasize that information. Our customers decided to add a Smoker box for Traditional & LTE grilling. And they are glad they did. Schedule your on-site outdoor living consultation now!

Beautiful Fontana Granite Counter-top Close-up

Beautiful Fontana Granite Counter-top Close-up

Custom Outdoor Kitchen – Barbecue Island Finished with Leonardo Stacked Stone and Level 3 Gorgeous Fontana Granite

Custom Outdoor Kitchen – Barbecue Island Finished with Leonardo Stacked Stone and Level 3 Gorgeous Fontana Granite

Custom Outdoor Kitchen – Barbecue Island Finished with Leonardo Stacked Stone and Level 3 Gorgeous Fontana Granite

Custom Outdoor Kitchen – Barbecue Island Finished with Leonardo Stacked Stone and Level 3 Gorgeous Fontana Granite

[dove-actually]

Find the Word Tag

tagged by @radley-writes (thank you, friend 💚) to find scream, stone, shame, and silence. 

                                          From Knight Errant:                                _________________________

~ Scream ~

I waited a few seconds, but no silhouette appeared on the roof, and no one jumped off, or screamed. Odd. Perhaps whoever the Prelate had sent was foolish enough to overlook an obvious ambush spot. 

~Stone~

So I’d rented a place in the north-west corner of Oldtown: a small house of old stone thatched with mud, with two uneven-walled rooms stacked on top of one other, and a small kitchen on the side.

~Shame~

“You shaggy mutt,” Cookie scowled, “you bit the lady Sarra. Shame on you!”

The dog put his head on his front paws and gave her a forlorn look from under the table.

~Silence~

“I’ll handle it. You can go back home and tell Leonardo I’m...managing. I’ll challenge the Baron’s claim and win. So just...go away. I don’t want you here.”

She gave a silent little bow and went to ladle steaming porridge into a bowl.

                                         ______________________

Tagging @fairylightsandoldbooks @madmoonink @aschenink @fantastical-wonders @endlesshourglass and @writing-with-roses to find the words: light, lost, threat, and wood(s)

[tajinfruits]

Meta || Zaph’s love

Zaphkiel’s life has been on earth ever since humans started to reason. Every little great invention always needed a little push from celestial hand.

Humans see the spark of a stone against another? Zaphkiels nudges and suddenly fire gets invented. Humans see they can stack materials to create something? Zaphkiel whispers and architecture is born. Humans realize other humans have things the other wants? Another holy nudge, and bartering is born. He makes sure to find the birth of an idea and help humans by nurturing that baby thought and shape it into a grown idea, clearing their minds. It’s been like that since the beginning of time, and almost never he has strayed from his work.

Except when he met his favourite human: Leonardo Da vinci.

To find a mind like Leonardo’s was to find the holy grial. It was like finding human curiosity come to life: magical, divine. Zaphkiel met him at age 17, barely a child between many other talented artists and philosophers, all of who were nurtured by Zaphkiel’s holy help without knowing so. But then, at the sight of such an infant prodigy, his attention was quickly focused on Leonardo.

And, oh, the times around him were always perfect. Never, in the story of humanity had Zaphkiel ever encountered such a creativity, spilled into so many and so different disciplines! Zaphkiel couldn’t catch a breath. Leonardo hadn’t finished a painting when suddenly the idea of a poem birthded in his head, and there Zaphkiel goes, clearing his head to bring that idea into adulthood. Zaph hadn’t even finished growing that idea before another one was born, and he had to stop to build the new one with Leonardo. It was overwhelming at times, in the most beautiful way, to be swong from another painter towards Leonardo, to be helping another scientist and be dragged back to Leonardo. It wasn’t until 1490 when Zaphkiel took a decision: to become Leonardo’s muse. He presented himself as Salai, and spent many years by his side. 25 years where they worked, created, fought and loved too, building a bond stronger than Zaphkiel has ever felt, at least not with a human.

Only once in his life has Zaphkiel been called out on his poor job. Called by no other than his Father, what only could be named as a celestial scolding and an order: to leave that human go, and focus on the rest of humanity that needed God’s knowledge out there. And so, with pain in his heart, Zaphkiel let Leonardo go.

With all the knowledge and divinity Zaphkiel left in his favourite human’s arms, Leonardo was able to continue creating, the holyness from Zaphkiel’s love in him working along with his endless curiosity and philanthropy gave Leonardo many years of creations.

Never again has Zaphkiel strayed like that, forever grateful that his Father allowed him to continue doing his work on earth, and didn’t intervine with Leonardo’s life in a more finite way. Still, every now and then, he visits the Louvre and walks straight to the Mona Lisa, enjoying the sight of Leonardo’s most famous work...

[afleetingimpressixn]

russian classics aesthetic | Leonardo

Repost, don’t reblog

Bold whatever applies to your muse

Brothers Karamazov: orthodox monasteries, deep woods, starry nights, the sound of paper being torn, dimly lit rooms, withered roses, an unfinished letter, piles of books, the sound of shattering glass, ticking of clocks in a silent house, heavy wooden furniture, the air before a storm, the smell of earth, a crowd of people dressed in black, distant murmurs, emptied streets, the fear of walking alone in dusk

Crime and Punishment: coldness of the skin against a blade, slender pale fingers and slightly shaking hands, a red stain blooming on white fabric, lonely steps in a corridor, the slow dripping of water, looking out of the window into the thickening darkness, a single dying candle on the table, listening to one’s breath and counting heartbeats, too many stairs, the desire to be invisible, a subtle memory of kind word

The Idiot: classical statues, wealth covered with dust, a dark house tainted with inherited madness, an unsettling feeling, long walks in a park, useless chatter, a silken ribbon forgotten on a bench, a melancholic face, an unexpected spring rain, the joy of reading one’s favorite book, the clarity of mind after fully perceiving the world around, looking at cloudless sky  

Anna Karenina: fields of crops, flowers brought from an early morning walk, the wind caressing a girl’s hair, a bowl of fruit, the smell of ripe pears, the clatter of a spoon against porcelain when stirring tea, children’s laughter coming from the garden, soft sunlight and white curtains, the sensation of velvet against skin, pearls from a ripped necklace spilling on marble floor, a sudden silence in a room full of people

War and Peace: a glass of wine, the brightness of  a crystal chandelier, white lace, a raging snow storm, the sound of a door being gently closed, the moment of holding one’s breath before walking in a ball room, indulging in looking at a beautiful earring against light, the sound of a saber being drawn, closing one’s eyes for a moment while dancing, the sweet smell of strawberries, a pair of gloves left on an armchair, light scent of powder

The Master and Margarita: the chaos of a lively city, ambient jazz in expensive restaurants, jumping on a moving tram, the sight of Moscow from the roof of a house, yellow flowers in a vase, leaning out of the window, shelves stacked with books, a small tin box with old photographs, strange shapes in the night sky, laughing in the middle of the night on a balcony, colorful posters for a surreptitious magician’s show floating in the wind

Eugene Onegin: a lonely mansion, reading a book in the parlor, faint piano melody lingering in falling silence, long evenings, passing seasons, discussing french novels of the moment, unspoken thoughts, leaning against the door frame, quickly averted glance, eating a peach absent-minded, bright mornings, footprints in snow, a loud gun-shot terrifying a flock of birds nearby  

A Hero of Our Time: byronic boredom, getting up late in the afternoon, the hidden unspeakable sadness of existence, shakespeare’s tragedy opened next to untouched breakfast, cigarette smoke, polished boots, walking with one’s coat wide open letting the night chill break through to the bone, carved wooden chair, fading warmth of the ashes late in the evening, the thought of farewell  

Fathers and Sons: birch groves, morning mist, moss covered stones near a  moor, scientific books, white roses, cheap champagne, shabby pocket-watch, light-hearted irony, a maladroit cello sonata, freshly mowed grass, leaving thoughts come and go, a slow yawn, picturesque plates and bowls filled with traditional dishes, drinking tea on the porch, longing for the future  

Doctor Zhivago: a strange feeling of loss, writing poems in a diary, traveling by train, the hesitation before touching someone’s hand, the gaze of one lost in thought, the warmth of cinnamon, a scarf brightly embellished with flowers, a glass of water, two people listening each on the other side of the door, a threadbare jacket, the tempting void, the evanescent serenity of yesterday  

Dead Souls: horses in a merry gallop, delicious smells mingled, grotesque and bizarre tragedy, luxurious attire cheap soul, masks, a perfumed love letter, the triumph of sarcasm, an unattached wheel rolling down a dusty road, the atmosphere of commedia dell’ arte, puzzling speeches, a baffling caricature drawn on a handkerchief  

Cherry Orchard: a lone chair in an empty room, falling blossoms, old samovar, the unsettling need for change, a mirror reflecting full moon, the disappointment of a glossy object turning worthless after second glance, a piano out of tune      

Tagged by: No one, I’m a dirty, dirty thief

Tagging: @aandag, @alaricseer, @lovexandlonging, @nxxstalgia, @idontkillorphans, and whoever else wants to 

[themusicenthusiast]

Thursday, April 18th, 2019 - Snow Patrol Doesn’t Give In to Technical Difficulties, Overcoming to Satisfy Dallas Fans at the Kickoff Show of the North American Leg of the Wildness Tour

Photos by Jordan Buford Photography The lengthy drought was finally coming to end for the residents of North Texas who were Snow Patrol fans. The headline tour the UK-based indie-rock/alt-rock outfit is currently in the midst of was precipitated by the release of Wildness (out via Polydor Records) nearly a year ago – Snow Patrol’s first new album in nearly seven full years. There was also the tour they did supporting Ed Sheeran’s North American tour last fall, though that provided their fans with but a meager taste of what they craved after Snow Patrol’s years long absence from the Lone Star State. That was all set to change on this Thursday night, the band finally bringing the Wildness Tour to North America – about half of the twenty-one dates already sold-out – with Dallas serving as the launching point for the trek. South Side Ballroom was hosting what was poised to be a spectacular night, the band having already toured extensively around  various parts of the world -- most recently South America -- ensuring they were in prime touring shape, while the break they got afforded them what was surely some much needed rest, allowing them to be in peak form for this next round of shows. While not sold-out, fans packed into the venue in droves, those lucky enough to arrive early getting treated to a delightful set from Ryan McMullan, while the trio that was We are Scientists put on an intense show, being thorough in warming up the sizable audience for whatever the band of the hour had prepared. What was interesting about the audience was how relatively diverse the makeup of it was. There were those who had likely been fans since Snow Patrol’s work became so acclaimed, circa the early to mid-2000s, while others in attendance had probably just been born around that time or shortly before. The single constant among the throng was how elated they all were to finally see Snow Patrol (again), their adoration for the group spilling over.

Several false starts excited the spectators that much more, the lights dimming a handful of times as the stage hands got everything in place, resulting in ample cheers and applause before disappointment set in as the lights illuminated everything once more. Then, at 9:38, it was officially on; a snowflake filling the screen at the back of the stage as drummer Jonny Quinn, bassist Paul Wilson, multi-instrumentalist Johnny McDaid and guitarist Nathan Connolly made their way on stage. Gary Lightbody completed things, the most boisterous fanfare having been saved for the frontman and guitarist who portrayed himself as being rather effervescent, kindly smiling and waving at everyone as he greeted them. It would have made sense that Wildness would be put on full display, allowing fans to experience much of that record in the live environment. However, after so many years away, most fans probably could have cared less about that, instead preferring to hear many of the classics they had missed so. Well aware of that, Snow Patrol opted for the more familiar for their first string of songs, beginning with “Take Back the City”. It was a striking opener on many fronts. For starters, taking the lyrics out of context, it felt like an appropriate welcome for them and to everyone. “I love this city tonight. I love this city always…” One got the sense that they had every intention of leaving their mark on the city; and it also highlighted the superb harmonies the band is capable of. On acoustic guitar duty for the moment, McDaid chimed in along with Connolly and Wilson, the three of them not only providing the backing vocals but also bolstering what Lightbody was doing as he paced around the stage, belting out a few of the lines in an incredibly impassioned manner.

Immediately electrifying, it was evident that Snow Patrol meant business. With that opening number one could feel the magic and compelling nature this music has, the past ten plus years since the release of A Hundred Million Suns having done nothing to diminish it; the intimate rapport with the audience being felt right away. Snow Patrol was there to entertain and deliver a memorable experience for all that had turned out, and they certainly got off on the right foot. That said, the first half of their set was plagued by some technical difficulties. It became more noticeable as they moved along; Lightbody spending a few moments fiddling with some of his equipment in hopes that it just required a simple fix, but to no avail. They handled it like the seasoned veterans they are, though, not even calling attention to it for a while, while the frontman never missed a beat, basically just shrugging it off and going about things as normal.

Prominent as the keys were during “Crack the Shutters”, that spellbinding love song boasted a robust rhythm section, Wilson really grooving to it as he strode around stage right, his movements seemingly calculative, as if he were waiting for the most opportune moment to strike. Indeed, he did as the track approached each crescendo. Upon finishing it Lightbody extended an official greeting to everyone, and also offered some insight to his appearance. Those closest to the stage had probably noticed he was lacking some shoes, instead just going barefoot. “…I’ve been wearing the same shoes for a year…” he remarked, adding that he wound up trashing them after they wrapped their South American tour. The lack of footwear seemed extra enjoyable to him. “Empress” was the first of a decent handful of cuts to be performed from Wildness; and given that it came after some older material, it was nice to see how it stacked up against those past works. This newest release is comprised of some of the most solid songs that Snow Patrol has produced, and even if there was a year’s long gap between albums, their signature sound wasn’t affected. “Empress” alone possesses that stellar indie-rock vibe that has proven to be a hallmark of the bands’ work, while also offering up a healthy serving of rock ‘n’ roll through the steady, pummeling percussion and the roaring guitars, both of which feel bolder than ever. That was particularly true when hearing that one live, the majestic scope of it being enthralling, while it simultaneously provided everyone with some serious rock.

If there was one positive to the trouble they were experiencing on stage, it was that it allowed Lightbody to conduct himself in a more natural manner, his affable demeanor leading one to appreciate the musician even more. He was handed a new guitar after that aforementioned song, laughing after having a quick chat with the tech that brought it to him. “So, I asked our guitar tech if this guitar was working, and he said, ‘You’ll find out in a minute’.” Even if he was dissatisfied with what was happening, he never seemed irritated by it, the quintet just going with the flow and taking things as they were. “This is a very appropriate song for this moment,” Lightbody quipped. “Don't give in. Don't you dare quit so easy…” he crooned as “Don't Give In” got underway, that more restrained number definitely taking on new meaning with the then current circumstances.

It didn’t go off without a hitch either, and again Lightbody just laughed it off. “This is the first night of the tour. Can you sense it?!” he asked afterwards, grinning and chuckling. He said it perfectly though when he stated that everybody was in it together, and that was, indeed, the shared mentality. “Open Your Eyes” capitalized on that. That cinematic masterpiece earned the strongest reaction from the spectators up to that point, especially as it hit its striking final minutes. Motioning with his hands, soon raising his arms into the air, Lightbody silently implored everyone to just let the music course through them and give themselves wholly to the song. They did, most of the crowd echoing along to that final refrain. A few minutes later Lightbody provided some backstory to this leg of the tour, noting they had been scheduled to fly into Dallas from Los Angeles the previous day, though bad weather had delayed that. “Bullshit!” one fan bellowed to that remark, referring to the severe weather that had been forecasted though never came to fruition. “There were, like, four hundred and fifty flights cancelled from LA…” the singer responded. “I was trying desperately to get here…” he added, joking that he was even considering one of Leonardo da Vinci's Flying Machines as a mode of transportation to Dallas. That daylong delay had resulted in them missing soundcheck for this show, Lightbody admitting that was the cause of so many of the problems they were having, owning that reason rather than passing things off on it.

Again, it shed light on who he really is and made him all the more likable. Pointing out a guy closer to the front, he declared it his job for the night to make the stone-faced gentleman smile. “You were dragged here?” Lightbody said as he briefly conversed with the man, realizing his job had just become that much more challenging. So, he did the only thing he could do: he dedicated the next song to the man. “I’m a time traveler from the future, and I met you and this song is about you,” he joked, using that as a segue into “Life on Earth”. Another song orchestrated on a grand scale, it allowed the spectators to fully appreciate the intricacies of Snow Patrol’s music. That was noticeable at every turn this night and it allowed the music to be so much more breathtaking, the way that Connolly, Wilson, McDaid and Quinn so artfully alternated between the more serene moments and the absolute precision they required to cutting loose and demonstrating the full extent of their musical prowess and how dynamic they can be.

That marked the end of the first half of their set, and before carrying on Lightbody swapped out some of his equipment, seeming assured that would remedy the issues and promising the next bit was “going to be great.” The difference was noticeable and immediate. The next number sounded so much clearer; every note, beat and word more pronounced, leading to an all-around lusher sound. It was Snow Patrol in all their glory; and while nothing had sounded bad up to then, it was evident that they firing on all cylinders at that point, eager and ready to make up for everything that they thought they had been lacking thus far. Seizing upon that newfound momentum, they even bridged a couple of the songs into the following one, further empowering themselves. Quinn and Wilson unleashed their full might on “Shut Your Eyes”, the rhythm section sounding surprisingly dominant on that one. Subtle as it was, one could even feel those sonorous notes shaking them; while “Heal Me” stood out as the most pleasantly surprising song of the night. It was self-described as being Lightbody’s favorite new song to perform live, he and his bandmates putting an exceptional amount of gusto into it. The recording itself is great, serving as another perfect example of how well Snow Patrol produces cinematic sounding pieces of work, but live it transcended that. That was present, though all the instruments sounded fiercer, a little rawer than what was captured in the studio, transforming “Heal Me” into a roaring beast that left everyone awed.

The best had been saved for last, those mesmerizing chords that begin “Chasing Cars” eliciting some deafening fanfare that was only outdone when the final line came around and was abruptly ceded to the crowd who didn’t miss a beat in collectively singing, “…Would you lie with me and just forget the world?” That song alone reinforced the staying power that music has, “Chasing Cars” being a song that everyone has surely heard before, even if they weren’t entirely sure who was responsible for it. It has aged exceptionally well over the last dozen plus years, still being a definitive piece of indie-rock (and a timeless one at that), the lyrics epitomizing just what an intimate and honest song should be; Lightbody’s emotional investment in his delivery of those words being unquestionable. “Take care of yourselves; we’ll see you again,” the singer stated as they moved along to the closing track of their 79-minute long set, which concluded in an exuberant fashion; the spectators getting to participate one more time as they sang and clapped along.

A few patrons took their leave at that point, no doubt wanting to beat the masses in getting out of the parking lot, which can be hectic to say the least. However, most were steadfast, certain that an encore was coming and eager to get the most out of this experience. While Snow Patrol did adhere to the routine that the encore has become, Lightbody didn’t hesitate to poke fun at it. Upon returning he joked about how typical an encore was of the arts and entertainment industry, laughing that the performers just go backstage and are like, “…Please, please like us!” he said in an exaggerated and desperate tone. Elaborating further, he even seemed keen on the idea on just playing every song in one setting, though acknowledged people would still wonder why there was no encore, so it’s better to just keep up the charade. McDaid was the only other member accompanying him for the first song of the 9-minute encore; the words “What if this is all the love you ever get?” filling the screen behind them.

The most bare-bones song of the night, it enraptured the audience in a way they hadn’t been at any other point. “What If This Is All the Love You Ever Get?” was another brilliant example of one of their songs transcending itself in the live environment, those lyrics that challenge one to reevaluate any relationship they’re in, to not take it for granted and embrace every aspect of it being exceptionally potent. A truly special moment, it was a pleasure to hear what is one of the best offerings from Wildness live; Connolly, Wilson and Quinn rounding things out for one last enchanting love song that felt like the perfect ending to their relatively brief but incredibly memorable time in Dallas. It may not have been the cleanest show of Snow Patrol’s career, but it was an awesome one nonetheless. You can’t fault a band for any technical difficulties that may occur, so all that is just beside the point. What isn’t beside the point is how resilient the five of them remained in the face of the obstacles that were suddenly thrown their way. I know I touched on that earlier, but it was still insightful to see how they handled it and wonderful that they didn’t let it affect them by getting flustered or upset. You just had to love them even more after witnessing that; and nothing ever sounded terrible out in the crowd.

The well curated set -- one comprised of some of the most stellar material they’ve churned out over their career -- they had planned helped in guaranteeing that everyone was transfixed with what they were playing, the overall structure of it having an excellent ebb and flow that took the listener on an emotional journey. It hit most if not all of the highlights and spanned a respectable amount of time, and while Snow Patrol made the wait fans had to endure well worth it, concertgoers leaving happy and content, it still seemed to pass too quickly, everyone already hungry for more. Hopefully they won’t have to wait as long between the next tour of North America. A significant voice in the indie-rock world for the better part of a couple decades now, Snow Patrol has managed to retain the high-profile spot they managed to position themselves in, and this performance just reinforced why they are still all too worthy of it. Some of the new stuff they played came across as being instant classics of theirs, while the smash hits and old favorites they had lined up were as marvelous now as they were upon first hearing them. Maybe even more so. It’s rare to find music that is capable of continuously impressing like that and that just speaks to how skilled this collective of musicians is when it comes to penning genuine, emotive music that connects with everyone. Something that resonates with the listener at their very core, and because of that, Snow Patrol evoked the quintessential concert experience this night, one where every soul in the building was unified by that music, feeling like they were part of something much bigger, even if it was for but a moment. This leg of Snow Patrol’s tour will run through May 21st, when it concludes at The Wiltern in Los Angeles, CA. Other notable stops include a performance at The Anthem in Washington, D.C. on April 26th; New York, NY’s Terminal 5 on April 30th; The Riviera Theatre in Chicago, IL on May 7th; and The Joint at Hard Rock in Las Vegas, NV on May 18th. A complete list of their tour schedule and additional info for each show can be found HERE; and be sure to check out Wildness in iTUNES or GOOGLE PLAY. Set List: 1) “Take Back the City” 2) “Chocolate” 3) “Crack the Shutters” 4) “Empress” 5) “Don't Give In” 6) “Open Your Eyes” 7) “Run” 8) “Life on Earth” 9) “Make This Go On Forever” 10) “Shut Your Eyes” 11) “Called Out in the Dark” 12) “Heal Me” 13) “Chasing Cars” 14) “You're All I Have” Encore 15) “What If This Is All the Love You Ever Get?” 16) “Just Say Yes” Note: ”The Lightning Strike (What If This Storm Ends?)” appeared on the set list though was not performed.

[aion-rsa]

Best Movies Coming to Netflix in August 2021

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As quickly as the summer movie season of 2021 seemed to come upon us, it’s already about to begin its long, languid slide through the dog days of August into fall. That’s not to say that theaters won’t still have plenty of interesting fare to encounter, with films like The Suicide Squad, Free Guy, Respect, Candyman and The Night House all on deck. Hopefully the other hideous sequel happening at the moment — Pandemic 2: The Delta Variant — won’t set any of these potential hits back.

In the spirit of keeping August entertaining, Netflix is rolling out a slew of new streaming additions as well, including an underrated Spielberg gem, fantastic teen comedies both old and new, a couple of stoner classics and perhaps the finest film from the canon of one of the modern era’s most revered directors. We’ve rounded up our recommendations below, and hope you stay cool and healthy whatever you’re watching!

Universal

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Beethoven (1992)

August 1

Hollywood in the 1990s was a glorious and furry era when studio executives never met a family movie that couldn’t be improved with the addition of at least one animal character. Beethoven is one of the most successful examples of this winning formula. Directed by Brian Levant from a script co-written by John Hughes himself (alongside Mystic Pizza co-writer Amy Holden Jones), Beethoven is basically the story of how a husband and father, Charles Grodin’s George Newton, feels threatened by the attention his family gives their new dog, a St. Bernard named Beethoven.

George eventually works through some of his issues and accepts the charming Beethoven into the family, a process that comes to a head when Beethoven is dog-napped into an animal experiment scheme run by evil veterinarian Dr. Herman Varnick. (Honestly, the plot isn’t dissimilar to the story in cinematic masterpiece Paddington.) The deep supporting cast includes Bonnie Hunt, David Duchovny, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Oliver Platt, Stanley Tucci, and Everybody Loves Raymond‘s Patricia Heaton. The film’s sequel, Beethoven Second, will also be available on Netflix starting on August 1st.

Dreamworks

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

August 1

As one of Steven Spielberg’s most charming and laid-back efforts, Catch Me If You Can is a breezy and star-studded entertainment. The story is loosely based on the real grifts of conman Frank Abagnale Jr., who beginning as a teenager was able to pass himself off as a pilot, lawyer, doctor, and many other things. But really, this is a cat-and-mouse chase movie between a still baby-faced Leonardo DiCaprio as Abagnale and Tom Hanks as the FBI stiff who hunted him down. It’s all good stuff, with the movie enjoying a light touch and fresh take on Spielberg’s favorite subject matter: fathers and sons.

Warner Bros. Pictures

Deep Blue Sea (1999)

August 1

A shockingly entertaining B-movie about a bunch of genetically engineered super-sharks which break out and take over a testing facility, this is horror silliness at its best with great turns from Samuel L Jackson, Thomas Jane, Saffron Burrows and LL Cool J. Partially shot on sets built around the same water tanks used for Titanic, with animatronic and CGI sharks, Deep Blue Sea is action-packed, schlocky fun from director Renny Harlin (Cliffhanger).  

STX Entertainment

The Edge of Seventeen (2016)

August 1

A bit like Lady Bird before there was a Lady Bird, Kelly Fremon Craig’s Edge of Seventeen is an underrated gem that stars a teenage Hailee Steinfeld as a young woman stumbling through an especially awkward time in her life. Steinfeld is terrific in her best performance since True Grit, playing Nadine as a bundle of insecurities, yet still nobody’s victim. Also of special value is Craig’s hilarious and authentic script, which captures the specificity of growing up in the social media age while being near-universal in its accessibility and empathy for a wide ensemble which also includes Kyra Sedgwick, Haley Lu Richardson, and Woody Harrelson.

Paramount

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)

August 1

Just in time for the dog days of summer comes one of the best summer movies ever. Relying on charm and sharp characterization instead of special effects for its spectacle, John Hughes’ Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is a truly great teen comedy that follows the easygoing bon vivant (or secret sociopath?) of a high school’s senior class when he decides to take the day off in the best fashion: by faking he’s sick and then guilting his BFF into giving him the keys to his dad’s Ferrari.

Read more

TV

Should Netflix’s Pokémon Live-Action Series Explore the Franchise’s Dark Side?

By Matthew Byrd

TV

Never Have I Ever Season 2 Review: This Netflix Teen Comedy Deserves to Run and Run

By Louisa Mellor

It’s silly yet curiously honest stuff about the pressures of young adult life, at least in 1980s suburban America, and a beguiling showcase for an ensemble that includes Matthew Broderick in his coolest role, as well as Alan Ruck, Mia Sara, Jennifer Grey, and a seriously stoned Charlie Sheen. If you haven’t seen it yet, you’re due.

Warner Bros. Pictures

Inception (2010)

August 1 Still Christopher Nolan’s most complete and satisfying film to date (yes, even more so than The Dark Knight), Inception is a cerebral sci-fi set of stacking dolls combined with a rollicking James Bond adventure that all happens to be mostly situated inside one guy’s head. Leonardo DiCaprio leads a team of professional thieves who steal things from people’s minds — only this time they’re hired to implant an idea, even if they have to dive deep into the mark’s subconscious to do it.

Mind-bending imagery and several jaw-dropping action sequences are wrapped around a surprisingly emotional core, with only the usual unwieldy exposition there to remind you that there are some things Nolan may never get right.

Lionsgate

The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)

August 1 Based on a novel by crime writer Michael Connelly, this gripping, suspenseful 2011 drama arguably kicked off “the McConaissance,” a shift from rom-coms to more serious roles by Matthew McConaughey that launched a new, largely acclaimed phase of his career.

McConaughey is formidable as attorney Mickey Haller, a slick lawyer who works out of his Lincoln Town Car and undergoes a crisis of conscience as his new case starts to feel disturbingly like an old one. In addition to McConaughey stepping up his game, this Brad Furman-directed thriller is the kind of character-driven, literate melodrama we don’t see much on the big screen anymore — although we see plenty of them these days on, of course, Netflix.

Paramount Classics

The Machinist (2004)

August 1 Director Brad Anderson followed up his cult classic 2001 horror effort Session 9 with this surreal, Kafka-esque psychological thriller. Christian Bale plays Trevor Reznik, whose inability to sleep leads him to cause an accident at his industrial job that costs a co-worker (Michael Ironside) his arm. Already physically and mentally deteriorating, Reznik begins an even deeper descent as he tries to unravel what’s happening to him and why. Bale is intense and viscerally shocking as the emaciated Reznik, with his riveting performance anchoring an atmospheric, visually striking film that is sometimes an exercise in style over substance.

New Line Cinema

Magnolia (1999)

August 1

Boogie Nights pushed director Paul Thomas Anderson into the spotlight, but it was his massive, sprawling jigsaw puzzle Magnolia that made him into a superstar filmmaker. Following multiple narratives and numerous characters all finally brought together by a climactic storm of frogs, this is high art packed with standout moments.

Read more

Movies

Top Gun: Maverick Footage Shows Tom Cruise in Real Jet Behind the Scenes

By David Crow

Movies

Best Modern Horror Movies

By Don Kaye

Tom Cruise is electric as a toxic motivation speaker, Julianne Moore is brittle and tragic as a trophy wife who has grown to love her dying husband, while the burgeoning relationship between Melora Walters’ addict and John C. Reilly’s cop added sweetness and hope to a tale of messed up people and damaged families. Epic.

Sony PIctures

Pineapple Express (2008)

August 1 After its trailer introduced everyone to M.I.A.’s amazing “Paper Planes,” Pineapple Express’s work was already done. It didn’t even have to produce a satisfyingly funny movie on top of that. Thankfully the filmmaking team of Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and David Gordon Green decided to give us one anyway, because Pineapple Express is the ideal of the little-seen-or-attempted stoner action comedy.

Rogen stars as process server and marijuana enthusiast Dale Denton, while James Franco portrays his annoying drug dealer Saul Silver. When the pair witness a murder, they are forced to flee hitmen, a pair of corrupt cops, and worst of all, Danny McBride. The Rogen/Goldberg comedy catalog has very few misses and this one is particularly excellent.

Universal Pictures

Seabiscuit (2003)

August 1

No one would ever accuse Gary Ross’ Seabiscuit of being subtle. With its voice-of-god narration by Ken Burns fave David McCoullough, which helpfully spells out the themes of the movie every few scenes, and its achingly sentimental score and dialogue, Seabiscuit is a Cinderella story which all but asserts its titular race horse ended the Great Depression. Yet Ross captures some of the simple American grandeur of Laura Hillenbrand’s non-fiction source material book, as well as the beauty of this true story where a horse that everyone counted out as worthless was nursed by three men into becoming one of the greatest racing animals of all-time.

It’s the type of feel-good yarn that won people over in the 1930s and which is still winning now. When coupled with a handful of strong performances, including from Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper, Tobey Maguire, and a seriously underrated Elizabeth Banks, you have a crowd-pleaser that actually pleases.

Paramount Pictures

Team America: World Police (2004)

August 1 Roger Ebert’s one-star review of Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s Team America: World Police sums up the film’s nonsensical political stance nicely. “I wasn’t offended by the movie’s content so much as by its nihilism,” the great film critic wrote.

Rog was right to criticize Team America’s incomprehensible worldview. Nearly 20 years later, its seeming position that Alec Baldwin and Kim Jong-Il are equally bad hasn’t aged that well (despite Mr. Baldwin’s best efforts). But it’s hard to argue that the South Park creators’ nihilism doesn’t lead to some great comedy. The novelty of Thunderbirds-style puppets saving the world amid graphic sex acts and voluminous barfing never quite wears off.

The post Best Movies Coming to Netflix in August 2021 appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[tkmedia]

Tale of the tape: Who will win Euro 2020?

10:21 AM ETThe Euro 2020 final is here at last, albeit a year later than scheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and London will stage a heavyweight clash between England and Italy at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.Roberto Mancini's Italy are seeking the Azzurri's first European title since 1968, while England are attempting to win a major tournament for only the second time, having last tasted success at the 1966 World Cup.Both Italy coach Mancini and England manager Gareth Southgate have revived the fortunes of their respective national teams since taking charge in 2018 and 2016 respectively, but Sunday will be decided by the players on the pitch.- Euro 2020 on ESPN: Stream LIVE games and replays (U.S. only) - Euro 2020: Live on ESPN | VAR watch | Pick 'em - Don't have ESPN? Get instant accessWill Raheem Sterling or Harry Kane inspire England to glory? Or will the defensive organisation of Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci pave the way for someone like Federico Chiesa to score another crucial goal for the Italians?Both teams are unbeaten at Euro 2020 and the game appears too close to call. Here's how Italy and England stack up ahead of Sunday's clash.2 RelatedGoalkeeper:So far at Euro 2020, the goalkeeping department has been a position of strength for both Italy and England.Gianluigi Donnarumma, expected to sign for Paris Saint-Germain this month following the expiration of his AC Milan contract, has justified his billing as Gianluigi Buffon's natural successor by providing presence, reliability and stature in goal for Italy.The 22-year-old, at 6-foot-5 inches tall, cuts a commanding figure and he has been beaten just twice in six games. His save of Alvaro Morata's during the penalty shootout win against Spain in the semifinal gave Jorginho the chance to win it.One of Italy's key strengths at the Euros has been the defensive axis forged between Donnarumma and veteran centre-halves Chiellini and Bonucci. Together, they pose a formidable unit.For England, Jordan Pickford went into Euro 2020 with question marks over his reliability. Despite being a consistent performer for England, his club form for Everton last season was mixed, with the 27-year-old making a number of costly, high-profile mistakes.That said, he has once again saved his best performances for the national team and, aside from some wayward passes during the semifinal win against Denmark, Pickford has been outstanding this summer. His reflex saves and ability to quickly get down low to save have led to him conceding just one goal so far, and his kicking has often sparked breakaway attacks. And although he can take risks, he has cut out many of the mistakes that have plagued him at club level. Defence:Both teams have largely operated with a back four, although England played with a back three during the round-of-16 victory against Germany, with Manchester City right-back Kyle Walker moving inside to partner John Stones and Harry Maguire.Italy coach Mancini is unlikely to divert from a back four that has served him well throughout the tournament, although the Achilles injury sustained by Leonardo Spinazzola during the quarterfinal win against Belgium saw Chelsea left-back Emerson promoted to the starting lineup in the semifinal against Spain.Emerson is likely to keep his place alongside Bonucci and Chiellini, with Giovanni Di Lorenzo occupying the right-back slot. Everything is held together and controlled by Bonucci and Chiellini in a defence that went 11 games without conceding a goal until the round-of-16 win over Austria, which Italy won 2-1.England coach Southgate has a variety of options, having rotated over the course of their six games. Walker and Kieran Trippier have both played at right-back, while Trippier started the opening game against Croatia at left-back.Luke Shaw has since occupied that role and has enjoyed an impressive tournament, linking well with Raheem Sterling down the left, and the Manchester United defender is almost certain to start on Sunday. Stones and Maguire will continue at centre-half, but don't be surprised if Southgate mixes up the formation.Midfield:Kalvin Phillips and Declan Rice have been England's defensive midfield pair throughout the tournament and Southgate has so far resisted the temptation to restore the fit-again Jordan Henderson.With the Leeds and West Ham duo performing the double pivot role, Southgate has selected attacking midfielders ahead of them, operating behind centre-forward Harry Kane. Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka, Mason Mount and Jack Grealish have all been handed starts by Southgate, with the coach tailoring his selection to the opposition. Mount is likely to start against Italy, but Southgate could go with any of the other three, or even bolster the area with Henderson, in his starting team for the final.Italy's selection in midfield been more predictable and consistent, with Mancini operating with a three-man midfield throughout the tournament. Jorginho, Marco Verratti and Nicolo Barella have started each of the three games in the knockout stages and are likely to form the same midfield for the final. Jorginho's control of the ball, Verratti's passing range and Barella's threat in attacking positions make Italy the biggest challenge that England have faced in the centre of the pitch.Could an in-form Harry Kane be the difference-maker for England on Sunday against Italy? Photo by Carl Recine - Pool/Getty ImagesAttack:England's main threat has come from Kane and Sterling, with the two forwards scoring seven of England's 10 goals.Tottenham forward Kane failed to score in the group stage, but he has come to life in the knockout rounds by hitting the back of the net against Germany, Ukraine (twice) and Denmark.Kane and Sterling will start on Sunday, but England have other forwards capable of making an impact. Marcus Rashford has been given just 83 minutes' playing time, while Jadon Sancho and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have also been relatively under-used.Italy have outscored England with 12 goals in six games, but they have spread them around the team and have five players -- Lorenzo Insigne, Ciro Immobile, Chiesa, Manuel Locatelli and Matteo Pessina -- on two goals.Immobile is likely to start with Andrea Belotti once again in reserve. With Chiesa having scored twice in two games at Wembley, Mancini may start with the Juventus forward with Insigne or Domenico Berardi as the third forward.Star players:Sterling has been England's most consistent and greatest impact player of the tournament. He has scored goals, created them, won penalties and generally provided a crucial attacking outlet for Southgate's team. His partnership with Shaw has been a big factor and an area that the Italians will undoubtedly look to control.Kane is clearly a match winner, and needs one goal to draw level with Cristiano Ronaldo and Patrik Schick on five goals for the tournament -- though Ronaldo is primed to win the Golden Boot as he is the only one of the trio with an assist to his name. To win the Golden Boot, Kane needs to score at least two goals, or get a goal and at least two assists.Then there is Rashford, Foden, Sancho and Grealish, all of whom could quite easily claim the headlines with a match-winning display.For Italy, the team has been the star, with each area of Mancini's side delivering when it matters. Chiellini has offered a reminder of the beauty of world-class defending, while Jorginho and Verratti have enjoyed great tournaments in midfield.Further forward, Chiesa has delivered big goals at crucial moments, but the strength of Italy comes from the collective unity of the team rather than one or two outstanding individuals.Roberto Mancini's Italy will be looking to win the country's second European Championship, and first since 1968. GettyIntangibles (coaching, momentum etc.):England have never beaten Italy at a major tournament, losing against the Azzurri at the 2014 World Cup, Euro 2012 and Euro 1980, and their last competitive win came in a World Cup qualifier at Wembley in November 1977.But Euro 2020 has been a tournament in which England have ended a number of negative sequences -- they won their opening game for the first time at a Euros, beat Germany in the round of 16 to win a knock-out Euros tie without a penalty shootout for the first time and, by winning the semifinal against Denmark, reached the final for a first time. No team has won the Euros on home soil since France in 1984, so England are also aiming to end that 37-year wait.

The beautiful game lives here. Unlock world-class coverage of top leagues, tournaments and teams. Sign up now to stream soccer on ESPN+FRIDAY, JULY 9 • Cincinnati vs. Columbus (7:30 p.m. ET)SUNDAY, JULY 11 • Italy vs. England (3 p.m. ET) Italy have lost just once in six games against England at Wembley, so the superstitious Mancini will believe that the omens are on his team's side. Italy also won knockout ties against Austria and Spain at Wembley en route to the final.Sunday will be England's 16th major tournament game at Wembley, having won 11 and drawn four of the previous 15. The Euro 96 penalty shootout defeat against Germany in the semifinals is classed as a draw, having been level at the end of play.So going into the game, both teams will believe that Wembley is their lucky ground -- but only one of them will be right.Prediction: Italy 2-1 EnglandIt's a tough one to call, with neither team an overwhelming favourite to win. They are two evenly matched sides, both of whom are carrying their own sense of destiny, with big-game players on each team.England will play to win, while Italy's defensive and tactical discipline means that they can, and will, play to not lose. England simply need to be able to break Italy down without leaving gaps at the back for Mancini's players to exploit.Italy have the experience and game management skills to be able to defuse the home atmosphere and make it a battle of attrition for England, but they also possess the attacking qualities to hurt Southgate's team.If Italy are able to fulfill their game plan, they will win. But it will be close. Read the full article

[sohannabarberaesque]

In this continuation of a previous “Tralfaz” blog post, it was decided to emphasise the reviews from Variety and Daily Variety of the several animated series as were to dominate the 1961-62 network season, with what turned out to be varying degrees of success--mostly negative.

Witness this quite from “Les” in reviewing the second-season debut of The Flintstones in Variety for September 20th:

"The Flintstones" matured sufficiently during its first season to be worthy of an adult as well as a juve following, and it carries enviable momentum into its second semester on ABC-TV in the same Friday evening berth. While basically a situation comedy that owes a certain debt to Jackie Gleason's "Honeymooners," it has the comfortable license to roam into the realm of the preposterous because its characters are animated cartoons rather than live actors. But wisely, Hanna and Barbera never let it get so far out that it loses touch with the plausible. The satirical framework—that of depicting modern life in prehistoric terms—seems plenty durable, and of course it affords endless possibilities for sight gags, such as naming a piano a "Stoneway" and using the serrated fin of a dinosaur as a staircase. The Stone Age situationer stacks up as rough competition for anything slotted against it.

Daily Variety of September 29th had this to say about Top Cat via “Dale”:

Add another telecatoon to burgeoning field with Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera's new concoction of animated cats. Coproducers and directors earlier did much to start the ball rolling with their popular "Huckleberry Hound." Thus, it is something of a disappointment to note new series' premiere episode doesn't quite live up to its predecessor. Show has every delightful element of a kiddie funny but, for the 8:30-9 p.m. timeslot, needs more depth to successfully capture all-family audiences.

General theme, patterned after comedy vein of Damon Runyon's New York characters, involves "Top Cat" ("T.C.") as leader of a lovable gang of alley cats which maneuvers itself through kind of slick activities that generally turn out less profitable than planned. Animation is appealing and, coupled with popularity of several known comics as voices, some charm comes through. Arnold Stang has just the right twang for title voice, with Allen Jenkins, Maurice Gosfield, Marvin Kaplan, Leo De Lyon and John Stephenson fitting well as regulars.

The following Wednesday (October 4th), Variety had “Herm” review the debut episode of Top Cat (”The $1,000,000 Derby”) in these terms:

Is ABC-TV pushing a good thing too far? On the strength of its click with "The Flintstones" last season, the web is now riding with another "adult" animation series out of the Hanna-Barbera studios which previously made its mark with the "Huckleberry Hound" and "Quick Draw McGraw" kiddie-slanted cartoons. But where the moppets are fixated by virtually anything on the tv screen, adult audiences are at least one notch more discriminating and a follow-up to "The Flintstones" would have to be doubly sharp in order to justify another cartoon show.

"Top Cat," on the basis of its introduction last Wednesday (27), did not measure up to the demands of a prime nighttime entry. Based on the antics of a hip-talking flock of easy-living felines, "Top Cat" registered as a simple comic strip with no point of view to give it a special cutting edge. However, there's always the calculation that the millions of grown-ups who turn to the comic strips before the editorial pages in their daily newspapers will find entertainment and intellectual stimulation in "Top Cat."

The scripting for this series strikes a jivey, wise-alecky note in a diluted neo-Runyonesque style. The opening show had occasional flashes of wit, but the patter was generally a routine brand of hip jargon. The characterizations of the various cats were amusing in an elementary sort of way and the story of their attempt to enter a horse in the big race was hardly an example of originality.

Since "The Flintstones" has already exploited the novelty appeal of the cartoon genre, "Top Cat" will have to come up in subsequent weeks with a fresh angle to rate in the bigtime competition.

(In the end, critics would basically savage Top Cat to the extent of such lasting but one season in prime time--but thanks to its eventual move to Saturday-morning (and, later, syndicated) reruns, Top Cat would eventually earn its place in the Hanna-Barbera parthenon. And would return with cameos in Yogi’s Treasure Hunt as the one issuing the weekly treasure-search assignment, not to mention the “Superstars 10″ movie Top Cat and the Beverly Hills Cats, starting in the late 1980′s.

(One final footnote: King Leonardo and His Short Subjects, which was produced by Leonardo Productions for NBC in a tw0-season run starting in 1960, was actually the first fully-animated TV series to be produced for Saturday-morning presentation; Ruff and Reddy, which Hanna-Barbera produced in partnership with Screen Gems, had live-host segments interspersing with the flicktoons, as included some old such from the Columbia Pictures film library; Screen Gems was originally Columbia’s animation division, later to be applied to what became Columbia Pictures Television; in more recent years, Sony Pictures, which has since acquired Columbia, has used Screen Gems as its brand for what are essentially schlockier films targeting lower-income and economically-disadvantaged communities.

(Leonardo Productions would later partner with Total Television Productions to produce, in partnership with General Mills, the likes of Underdog, Go-Go Gophers and The Beagles until they went out of business around 1965.)