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josefavomjaaga · 3 years

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Happy birthday, Maréchal Brune!

And again a marshal about whom I knew nothing before, except for his name and his sad ending. Born in 1763, he was a couple of years older than Napoleon and most other active marshals, and he seems to have kept most of his republican ideals even under the empire, which of course made him look suspicious in Napoleon’s eyes.

Some informations about his early years I found in yet another book on Google, volume 4 of »Histoire de la vendée militaire« by Jacques Crétineau-Joly, Paris 1850.

Guillaume Brune, born in Brives-la-Gaillarde on 13 March 1763, had been destined for the bar by his father, a lawyer himself; but, giving in to his taste for poetry, he neglected the study of jurisprudence. The Revolution arrived: Brune threw himself into it with enthusiasm. In 1790, as a printer, he suffered unforeseen losses which forced him to abandon his business. War was imminent. Brune enlisted in the 2nd battalion of the Seine-et-Oise volunteers. On October 18, 1791, he was elected adjutant-major; and he began his military career under adverse auspices, but fortunate then. He was accused, we should say praised, of having dipped his hands in the blood of the Princess of Lamballe. It was a crime of which Brune was innocent, and he had only the republican weakness to permit this to be attributed to him; and this man, robust and a fine soldier, led the armies to victory.

His description in a military history of the Vendée is due to the fact that Napoleon in 1800/01 sent him there to finally pacify the royalist uprisings. If the rumours the author refers to here, namely that it had been Brune who had carried the Princesse de Lamballe’s head on a pike under Marie-Antoinette’s prison window, really already were attached to his name at this time, they would come back to haunt Brune in the worst possible way: During the »White Terror« under the Second Restauration, when Brune stopped in Avignon on his way to Paris, a royalist mob recognized and brutally killed the alleged murder of the Princesse de Lamballe.

But that’s actually not the story that I wanted to tell. Because at the moment I’m in desperate need of anything even remotely nice or funny. So here’s Brune in 1807, as commander-in-chief during the siege of Stralsund in Sweden, at a meeting with probably the wackiest monarch of the era, who went officially insane a few years later, Sweden's King Gustav IV. (Taken from von der Lühe, »Militair Conversations-Lexikon«, Vol. 7, Adorf 1839)

Since the Swedish warships off Colberg treated the French troops in a hostile manner, contrary to the terms of the armistice, and Stralsund became the rallying point for ranched and newly recruited Prussians, Marshal Brune asked for an explanation of this violation of the treaty, whereupon the King proposed to him a personal meeting at Schlatkow, which took place on June 4. In this meeting he made the strange offer to the French Marshal to unite with him against Napoleon and to recognise the Bourbons.

Brune: So, about those ships and your support for the Prussians, I cannot let that pass.

Gustav: Oh, yes, yes, sorry about that. Listen, how about we become allies and bring the Bourbons back on the French throne?

Brune: … N-no? … Is this a trick question?

And of course, because I do that for all the marshals, a look at the »presents« Brune received while he was in Stralsund, taken once more from Francke »Aus Stralsunds Franzosenzeit«:

Brune himself started on a small scale: for the time being, he was content to seize a silver chess set from the city's art collection. Of course he only borrowed it for the duration of his stay here, but just as naturally he took it with him when he left.

O, come on. Who knows if it was even intentional. These guys were awfully busy! Mistakes happen.

Well, that was for the time being, the rest followed: on September 15, the Marshal's secretary, Berne, informed the Council that His Excellency expected a considerable gift, i.e. at least 100,000 francs, as a proof of gratitude for the care with which he had treated the city. This sum was therefore necessarily raised and sent to the Marshal with an obligatory letter, in which, at the express request of the latter, the 100,000 francs had to be described as a small compensation for the costs of the journeys which he had made in the interest of the city of Stralsund and the province. For Monsieur Berne, who was held in high esteem by the marshal and even called him »tu«, the small sum of 500 louis d'or, which the city honoured him with, also coincided with this occasion.

Incidentally, shortly after Rügen had been completely evacuated by the Swedes, Brune was recalled from here in disgrace. The reason for this, it is said, was that he had allowed General Toll to transfer his army to Skåne, while he could force it to surrender by carrying out the already prepared landing on Rügen.

In a footnote the author adds:

He never received another position until Napoleon's first fall; only in the 100 days when he rejoined the Emperor was he given command of a detachment in southern France, which was disbanded after Napoleon's second abdication. When the Marshal then travelled to Paris, he was attacked and murdered in Avignon by the mob of that city, which had been incited against the Bonapartists, or, as others say, when he realised the impossibility of escaping the angry crowd, he killed himself with a pistol shot.

It seems there’s no escaping Brune’s tragic death. As to the reasons for Brune’s disgrace, I have found several other explanations, the easiest probably being that Napoleon was ridding himself of people he feared might oppose his more and more authoritarian policies. An interesting variant has Napoleon using as a pretext the fact that Brune, during the negotiations in Stralsund, spoke only of the »French army« and not of the »army of the Emperor and King«. A capital crime, of course.

#napoleon's marshals #guillaume marie-anne brune #happy birthday

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safarigirlsp · 3 years

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💘 Valentine’s Day Fics 💘

✨and other Romantic stories✨

Valentine’s Day

Heart Shaped Box by @safarigirlsp

Lover by @safarigirlsp

I Put A Spell On You by @safarigirlsp

A Lecture on Love by @safarigirlsp

Queen of Hearts by @safarigirlsp

Flip vs Cupid by @safarigirlsp

Roses are Red by @safarigirlsp

Snow Bunny by @safarigirlsp

Ten Minutes by @mrs-gucci

Unwrapped by @historyandfandoms50

Make Good on Your Promise by @historyandfandoms50

What are You Waiting For by @hopeamarsu

Words by @hopeamarsu

Too Hot In The Duck Tape Tonight by @clydesducktape

Home by @sacklerscumrag

Specters and Sorrow by @direnightshade

Owl Always Love You by @iamakiller

5 Times Flip Ruined Valentine’s Day (and 1 Time He Didn’t) by @babbushka

Change of Plan by @babbushka

Valentine’s Day with Pale by @babbushkald

Valentine’s Day with Mob Kylo by @babbushka

Valentine’s Day with Flip by @babbushka

Trying to get Pregnant for Valentine’s Day by @babbushka

Valentine’s Day with Medieval Kylo by @babbushka

Valentine’s Day Masterlist by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Valentine’s Day Proposal by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Valentine’s Day with Flip (Cupid) Prompt by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

First Valentine’s Day with Flip Prompt by@in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Paul Valentine’s Day prompt by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Freezing by @roanniom

Deserving by @roanniom

Stupid Little Day In February by @roanniom

Clean Finish by @the-wayward-rose

My Only Sunshine by @mariesackler

Valentine’s Day with Kylo, Clyde, & Charlie by @maybe-your-left

Candy Shop by @mrs-zimmerman

Valentine’s Day with Flip by @glassbxttless

Valentine’s Day with Clyde by @glassbxttless

Valentine’s Day with Charlie by @glassbxttless

Valentine’s Day Present HCs by @maybe-your-left

Valentine’s Day HC’s by @feed-the-rats

Valentine’s Day Dinner HCs by @safarigirlsp

Romantic Historical AUs

When I do Valentine’s Day, I always seek out historical and regency romance. So, although these are not Valentine’s Day specific, these are going on my list!

A Valentine’s Surprise by @babbushka

Love & War by @safarigirlsp

Regency Kylo in Love by @safarigirlsp

A Lecture on Love by @safarigirlsp

Just for Him by @saamanthaaaxx @samanthaaerynbarlowe

Regency Sackler by @direnightshade

Kylo Ren but he’s Mr. Darcy by @ohiobluetip

At the Touch of Your Hand by @barbers-glimmerin-darlin

How You Met by @zimmermansbrat

The Proposal by @zimmermansbrat

Wedding Night by @zimmermansbrat

New Viscountess by @zimmermansbrat

All Tied Up by @zimmermansbrat

The Bear and The Maiden Fair Masterpost - Jacques Le Gris by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Beautiful Beloved by @babbushka

Kylo Throwing A Ball for You ficlet by @babbushka

Extravagant Gifts prompt by @babbushka

Picnic prompt by @babbushka

Breaking Your House In prompt by @babbushka

Undressing You Prompt by @babbushka

Alright by @babbushka

Illusions by @babbushka

Victorian Magician Kylo ficlet by @ babbushka

Kylo the Malevolent - Collaboration with @babbushka

Outrun the Devil by @safarigirlsp

Masquerade Balls & Elegant Events

Satan Wears Burberry by @safarigirlsp

Bloody Valentine by @safarigirlsp

A Dance with the Devil by @safarigirlsp

Hit on Me by @safarigirlsp

Mistletoe by @safarigirlsp

A Valentine’s Surprise by @babbushka

Invitation Only by @babbushka

Fixing Kylo’s Bowtie by @babbushka

Opera with Mob Kylo prompt by @babbushka

Kylo Arranging a Play for You by @babbushka

Kylo Throwing A Ball for You ficlet by @babbushka

Attending a Charity Ball with Lawyer Kylo by @babbushka

Attending a Gala with Flip by @direnightshade

After the Gala with Flip by @direnightshade

Distraction by @ohdamnadam

Attending a Gala with Clyde by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

ubi amor, ibi dolor by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Banquet by @mariesackler

Are You Flirting with Me? by @ohiobluetip

Dinner Party by @roanniom

Mine by @daydreamsofren

Public Pound by @maybe-your-left

Banquet with Emperor Kylo by @babbushka

Proposals

A Sharpened Wit by @safarigirlsp

The Hunt by @safarigirlsp

Joyeux Noel - by @safarigirlsp

Timeless by @safarigirlsp

Unforgivable by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Kylo Proposing by @babbushka

A Beach Day to Remember by @mrs-gucci

The Happiest Man by @historyandfandoms50

When You Wish Upon A Star by @historyandfandoms50

Now and Forever by @historyandfandoms50

Silent Night by @han-not-solo

Triple Feature by @the-wayward-rose

Paterson Proposing by @direnightshade

Clyde Proposing by @direnightshade

Winter Proposal from Clyde by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Dan Proposing by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Charlie Proposing by @babbushka

When They Know by @ohdamnadam

The Cuddle Clause by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Weddings

Forgiven by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

The Bear and The Maiden Fair Wedding Night by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Runaway Bride by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

The Guys Ruining Your Wedding Masterlist by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

How to Fall in Love by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Flip’s Wedding by @feed-the-rats

Wedding Night by @rynwritesstuff

A Walk In The Woods by @mariesackler

Tennessee Whiskey by @finn-ray-nal-beads

How Deep Is Your Love? by @finn-ray-nal-beads

Charlie’s Wedding by @babbushka

Wedding Date by @glassbxttless

Attending a Wedding with Clyde by @driversmutbucket

Bedding by @babbushka

Paradise is with You by @historyandfandoms50

The Number One Rule by @safarigirlsp

Aphrodisiacs

Good, Good, Good, Better by @babbushka

Banquet with Emperor Kylo by @babbushka

Evidence by @clydesducktape

Juicy by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Fairy Wine by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Here There Be Monsters by @safarigirlsp

Extra Romantic or Sexy

Petal Punch by @mind-p0llution

Flip Kissing You in the Rain by @mind-p0llution

PDA by @ohdamnadam

Lipstick by @ohdamnadam

Dirty Dancing by @ohdamnadam

Sip of Sunshine by @contesa-lui-alucard

Have Ya Ever Gotten A Massage Before? by @adumbdryer

Extracurricular by @roanniom

Push by @roanniom

Warmth by @roanniom

Survival Skills by @roanniom

Flirting with Clyde prompt by @cas-backwards-tie

You’re It by @mariesackler

Body Work by @hopeamarsu

Senses Series by @hopeamarsu

Lake Tahoe by @finn-ray-nal-beads

Charlie’s Lingerie by @contesa-lui-alucard

You’re Mine by @contesa-lui-alucard

Releasing the Venom by @contesa-lui-alucard

I Will Soothe You by @contesa-lui-alucard

Strawberry Fields by @contesa-lui-alucard

Kylo Loving You prompt by @contesa-lui-alucard

Burnt Toast by @contesa-lui-alucard

You’re So Beautiful by @contesa-lui-alucard

Alone with You by @sacklerscumrag

Mine by @feed-the-rats

Love Language Series by @zimmermansbrat

Delicious by @carloswilliamcarlos

12 Types of Kisses with Charlie by @carloswilliamcarlos

12 Types of Kisses with Clyde by @carloswilliamcarlos

12 Types of Kisses with Kylo by @carloswilliamcarlos

12 Types of Kisses with Paterson by @carloswilliamcarlos

12 Types of Kisses with Dan by @carloswilliamcarlos

Centerfold by @babbushka

Mornin’ Lovin’ by @babbushka

Paris Vacation with Mob Kylo prompt by @babbushka

Giving You A Ring by @babbushka

Jealous Emperor Kylo by@babbushka

Sex on the Beach by @babbushka

Anniversary with Charlie by @babbushka

Charlie Eating You Out by @babbushka

PDA with Charlie by @babbushka

Morse Code by @babbushka

Afterglow with Flip by @babbushka

Flip Tickling You with His Goatee by @babbushka

Flip Knocking You off the Bed by @babbushka

Dinner & A Show by @babbushka

Flip Hitting on You by @babbushka

Picnic with Flip by @babbuhska

Service Oriented Flip by @babbushka

Holding Hands with Flip by @babbushka

I’m Your Husband by @babbushka

You’re Dangerous with That prompt by @babbushka

Make a Wish prompt by @babbushka

Good, Good, Good, Better by @babbushka

Thunderstorm by @babbushka

Emperor Kylo Worshiping You by @babbushka

Kylo Finding You Swimming by @babbushka

Kylo Returning Home Early by @babbushka

Weak with Love by @babbushka

Gentle & Soft by @babbushka

Flip Running His Goatee Along Your Thighs by @babbushka

Mr. Steal Your Wife Logan by @swiggytip

Pregnant Sex with Clyde by @rynwritesstuff

Clyde Comforting You After A Nightmare by @ohiobluetip

Juicy by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Amortentia part 1 by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Amortentia part 2 by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Amortentia part 3 by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Giving Clyde Flowers by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Flip Needs Your Panties Off by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Dan Worshiping You by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Romantic Flip HCs by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

How Flip Knows He’s In Love by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

How the Guys Know They Love You and How They Tell You by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Garupe’s Thoughts on Love by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Dad Bod Clyde Masterlist by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

ubi amor, ibi dolor by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Jacques Winning a Race for You by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Love Letter from Jacques by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Jacques’s Emerveillement by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

A Drinking Song with Jacques by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Clyde as Summer by @theobscuritywrites

Divertissements by @direnightshade

Home by @direnightshade

Kissing in the Rain by @direnightshade

Wires by @direnightshade

Soulmate HCs by @direnightshade

The Guys Being Romantic with You by @jynzandtonic

Not Enough Thoughts by @jynzandtonic

Best Things About Flip by @the-wayward-rose

Flip Could Get It by @the-wayward-rose

Flip Zimmerman NSFW Alphabet Series by @the-wayward-rose

ABC

FGH

IJK

LMN

QRS

WXYZ

Forever by @safarigirlsp

Just Perfect by @safarigirlsp

Boone County Brunch by @safarigirlsp

Peach by @safarigirlsp

Zodiac Signs by @safarigirlsp

Fragrance HCs by @safarigirlsp

Fairy Tale AUs

Happily Ever After by @babbushka

Happily Ever After Part 2 by @babbushka

Prince Philip ficlet by @babbushka

Spellbound by @babbushka

A Duel to Remember by babbushka

A Comedy of Eros by @safarigirlsp

Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire by @safarigirlsp

Dashing through the Snow - by @safarigirlsp

The Tetrawizard Tournament by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

The Tetrawizard Tournament part II by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

The Tetrawizard Tournament part III by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Sinner’s Serum by @mrs-gucci

The Heartbreak Prince by kylorenvevo

Once Upon A Dream by @carloswilliamcarlos

Wizard Kylo by @maybe-your-left

Blessings and Curses by @miraclesabound

Little Red Riding Hood with Jacques Le Gris by @in-silks-and-flesh-and-leather

Potterverse Fics

Hades & Persephone AUs

Fateful Ties by @kylo-renne

Verdant by @starlightsearches

Verdant Part 2 by @starlightsearches

Hades/Persephone ficlet by @babbushka

Modern Hades/Persephone HC’s by @tashastrange89

Extras

Valentine’s Day Memes

Horrible Valentines

Valentine’s Day Graphics

Valentine Edits

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good-rwbyaus · 4 years

Note

Au where Whitley has actually been running the bank accounts since he was young and keeping the group financially viable

#Rising Snow AU - mod lilac - [ next ]

1. Beginning

It started when his father, smelling like expensive liquors and overbearing perfume, shoved a packet of folders at him and stated “You deal with it. Your father has a hang- headache” before staggering off back to his bedroom to sleep off yesterday’s social gathering.

He was ecstatic. His father began to trust him to handle things in the company. Before he was a mere fixture in the company, only present to speak pleasantries and let others know that Jacques Schnee had a well-bred son. But now he had responsibilities and power.

Whitley Schnee, soon-to-be-heir of the Schnee Dust Company since Weiss didn’t seem to care about it and Willow just left to join Atlas, will show everyone his worth, starting with.... a whole lot of complaints about their customer service.

_______________________________________

2. Complaints

“This motor is covered under warranty. I still have the original receipt. You have to take it back.”

“Sorry, but the warranty only covers usage in automobiles. You said you tried installing it in a motorcycle, so your warranty is void.”

“...A motorcycle is an automobile, sir.”

“Look smartass, you’re getting on my nerves. You’re not going to get a refund from the Schnee Dust Company, got it?”

“Excuse me!? I want to talk to your manager. Now.”

“I am the manager. Now stop wasting my time.”

“Wh-”

Click.

Whitley’s eyebrows creased sharply as he closed the Scroll. He took slow deep breaths trying to get rid of the anger trembling through his body. A Schnee is like ice. They do not show their rage unless they can leverage it for their purposes. His teeth gritted once more and relaxed.

Those two-faced bastards. He knew the customer service staff were no good when they started fawning over him, telling him that “of course they got complaints when they couldn’t fulfill their requests” or “we got everything under control.”

In reality, they were all just disgusting liars who couldn’t do their job. If he hadn’t been suspicious of them, they might’ve gotten away with it. Those people had to be removed before they truly caused an incident; he cannot let such unsightly things remain.

He picked up the phone.

________________________________________

3. Fired.

“You can’t do this to us! This is going against our contract.”

“Just because you’re your father’s son doesn’t mean you have any power here.”

“You’re going to speak to my lawyer about unfair dismissal, kid!”

It’s funny. The half-dozen or so people who were fawning over him just hours earlier were now cursing and shaming him. Of course they were angry. He just told them they were all fired a couple minutes ago and stopped saying anything when they started yelling like a mob. His lips trembled, trying to stop himself from smiling.

Gods. He was so angry that he’s finding humor in it. Do they really think they have power here?

Bang.

A bald-headed tall man - the manager he spoke to last - slammed his hands onto his desk, looming over him as if to intimidate him with the threat of physical violence. The noise made him flinch slightly, breaking his facade of calm and causing the other guy to smirk mockingly at him.

Bastard.

This farce has gone on long enough.

“Okay. You can keep your jobs...”

Immediately, the six people leered triumphantly with the one at the head of the pack messing his desk up proudly stood up.

“Good kid, see you know when you’re in the wrong.”

“Yeah, smart like your father,” said the man at his desk about to pat him on the head. Immediately, he swatted the man’s hand away.

“...as I gather the audio logs for our lawyers to peruse and determine how much damage you’ve done to the company’s image.”

That silenced the room better than a dead body being found in it.

“If you didn’t do anything wrong, you’ll have my apologies and a bonus for your troubles. But if you’ve damaged our image... well, a company’s face is priceless - but I can definitely try to get back some recompense.”

He lifted a finger which everyone else in the room followed.

“That’s your first option. The other option is to resign quietly, and I will not pursue this in the future. You can take the time to think about it.

“You can-”

“You’re all dismissed. If you linger around a second longer,” he glared at the group, “I’m going to assume you’re taking the first option and want to be escorted out.”

Immediately, upon realizing who had the actual power in the room, the group of six began to scramble out of the room, but just as the bald-headed manager exited out the door, Whitley spoke up. The words caused the man to stiffen up.

“Except you. You don’t get an option, manager. You're fired. Wait to hear from my lawyers.”

He steepled his fingers together, a vicious satisfied smile on his lips.

________________________________________

4. Security Card

...Okay. That was scary. He honestly thought that baldy was going to hit him at the very end. In the future, he was going to have a bodyguard in the room or Klein just in case. He loosened his vest slightly, the cloth sticking to his back from the cold sweat.

It was weird though. Why did something like customer service go all the way up to the level of the President?

Wasn’t that something for managers or department heads to solve?

“Maybe it’s just a test from father,” Whitley spoke out loud. He shook his head.

Yeah, that was probably it.

----

Little did he know that his carelessly stated statement was caught by a hidden camera in his room.

----

The next day he found a folder on his desk and a white card with the label of 00 on it.

________________________________________

5. Assignment

“Hey, Klein,” Whitley asked cautiously as the loyal man handed him a glass of water, “Did father come into my room yesterday?”

He didn’t know what to make of the butler at times or how to treat him. Father said never to treat the help too kindly or they’ll take advantage of it, but Klein was someone he knew since he was born. He’s never seen him be anything but loyal and attentive. He wasn’t like the people he just dealt with.

Maybe he would’ve just dismissed him as just the help, but after having seen a very recent example of two-faced people, he couldn’t quite agree with his father’s assessment of Klein.

“Your father has gone on va-,” the man paused upon seeing the contents on the desk, particularly the white card on his desk. “That card?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a card like this before,” Whitley replied, “What does it actually do?”

Klein stared at the card quietly before saying, “Only the Master of the House could’ve given you that card. It will open every lock and file in the Schnee Dust Company. It means the Master has given you authority second to them.”

“Father must really trust me after I got results, right?” he proudly stated as he started shuffling through the documents. In doing so, he missed Klein’s smile, both proud and pained at the same time.

The cursory review made his self-praising words die in his throat.

“Wait...He wants me to solve all these?!” Whitley yelled. It wasn’t that the entire packet consisted of a single problem. The entire seventy-two page packet was a large list of overdue problems and documents that required his attention.

“Where’s father?”

“He’s currently on vacation. He won’t be here for a month.”

“Didn’t he just go on vacation two weeks ago? There should be someone to substitute while he’s gone?”

“...No, sir. This is how it always has been.”

“Haha. You’re joking. Or is this part of the test, Klein?” He laughed but it soon died on his throat, seeing the man’s grim face.

“I will not lie to you, young master.” Klein remarked before adding with a nudge of his head, “There’s a note.”

He’s right. There was. The script was in cursive; it would’ve been elegant and soft if it weren’t for the shakiness in it.

‘You have the right idea. Sometimes problems need to find the right people.’

________________________________________

6. Delegation

This was stupid. The purchasing of toilet paper or whether it had to be 2-ply or 3-ply or setting the price of bubble-gum at the employee store did not need to pass through the president’s desk.

Hell. It’s like anything that involved the tiniest amount of money or required the slightest authority needed to make its way to his desk.

This was not a functional solution. He’ll die of exhaustion by the end of the week if that continued.

And the answers from the department heads were incredibly unhelpful.

‘It has always been this way.’

But it hasn’t. Looking through the records only he could access, everything changed when his father inherited the company from his grandfather. His father first fired anyone that disagreed with him and then diverted anything that looked like it involved money up to the very top. Maybe it was important back then, but those measures certainly didn’t need to be used now.

His father ruled with an iron fist when it came to the company. No one dared to challenge his authority now.

His father was smart. Intelligent. These actions didn’t match that. Was this just another one of his tests? He wanted to believe that, but...

‘The only person you can trust is yourself. Everyone else can betray you. Even family. Only trust others if you have power over them, that is trust.’

...It did match what his father would do. And if there was nothing else he learned from all those official dinners and parties, he knew how to read people, especially his father and his mercurial temper.

With how many of these documents have been untouched and unread, what exactly is his father doing?

Come to think of it. When was the last time his father sat in front of a computer instead of going on vacation or to one of his many dinners with his business associates?

He shook his head. Impossible. His father definitely worked hard. How else would this company be standing if he was that neglectful? Maybe these files were just like the 5% of untouched work since he had so much wor-

His screen flickered as he clicked on another file. The pillar of red pointing downwards made him pale.

[ next ]

#honorable-asshole #mod lilac #whitley schnee #willow schnee #rwby au #rwby fic #fwby #rising snow au

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recentanimenews · 3 years

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The Case Study of Vanitas - Crunchyroll Winter 2022 Spotlight

It's finally time to head to Gévaudan with the vampire Noé and the human doctor Vanitas, who is dedicated to saving the vampires! The second half of The Case Study of Vanitas kicked off on Friday, with the start of the 2022 winter season. But before that, allow us to introduce you to the anime series with this spotlight.

Official Website

Navigation

Launch Info

Official Trailers

Synopsis

Characters and Cast

Staff

Additional Info

Launch Info

Launch Time: January 14

Territories: North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, CIS, MENA and India

Show Page

Official Trailers

youtube

Synopsis

In nineteenth-century France, humans and vampires coexist. The young vampire Noé is traveling to Paris in search of The Book of Vanitas, which is said to be capable of unleashing a curse upon all vampires. On an airship, he finds himself embroiled in a strange incident. It is Vanitas, a human calling himself a vampire expert, who appears before Noé in the ensuing chaos. In Vanitas’s hands is the very book that Noé has been searching for: The Book of Vanitas… Following this encounter, the curtain is set to rise on this tale of vampires, curses, and salvation…

Characters and Cast

Vanitas

VA: Natsuki Hanae (Tanjirou Kamado in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba)

Noé Archiviste

VA: Kaito Ishikawa (Tobio Kageyama in Haikyu!!)

Jeanne

VA: Inori Minase (Itsuki Nakano in The Quintessential Quintuplets)

Luca Oriflamme

VA: Shino Shimoji

Dominique de Sade

VA: Ai Kayano (Akari Kawamoto in March comes in like a lion)

Maître

VA: Akira Ishida (Zeref aus Fairy Tail)

Murr

VA: Miyu Komaki

Dante

VA: Tarō Kiuchi

Johann

VA: Kōji Yusa (Gin Ichimaru in Bleach)

Riche

VA: Riho Kuma

Naenia

VA: Kaori Nazuka (Kiyoko Shimizu in Haikyu!!)

Veronica de Sade

VA: Yōko Hikasa (Emi Yusa in The Devil is a Part-Timer!)

August Ruthven

VA: Toshiyuki Morikawa (Kazuma Soma in Fruits Basket)

Louis de Sade

VA: Miyuri Shimabukuro (Nozomi Onda in Farewell, My Dear Cramer)

Roland Fortis

VA: Kengo Kawanishi (Gen Asagiri in Dr. STONE)

Olivier

VA: Tomoaki Maeno (Veldora in That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime)

Astolphe Granatum

VA: Ayumu Murase (Kage in Ranking of Kings)

Chloé d'Apchier

VA: Rie Kugimiya (Taiga Aisaka in Toradora!)

Jean-Jacques Chastel

VA: Daiki Hamano (Gorou in DARLING in the FRANXX)

Staff

Original Creator

Jun Mochizuki

Director

Tomoyuki Itamura (Hanamonogatari, Koyomimonogatari, Owarimonogatari, Nisemonogatari)

Series Composition/Script

Deko Akao (Noragami, After the Rain, Dungeon of Black Company)

Takayo Ikami (Isekai Cheat Magician, Magical Girl Site)

Character Design

Yoshiyuki Itō (Fullmetal Alchemist, Soul Eater, Space Dandy, Concrete Revolutio)

Chiyo Nakayama (Demon Lord, Retry!)

Chief Animation Director

Yoshiyuki Itō (Soul Eater, Space Dandy, Concrete Revolutio)

Art Director

Shingo Kanai (Hortensia Saga)

Background Art

Kusanagi (Bungo Stray Dogs, Fullmetal Alchemist, No. 6, Non Non Biyori, Platinum End, Prince of Stride: Alternative)

Color Design

Izumi Takizawa (Bakemonogatari, Nisekoi)

Director of Photography

Ying Ying Zhang

Editor

Rie Matsubara (March comes in like a lion, Pretty Boy Detective Club, KAGUYA-SAMA: LOVE IS WAR, Godzilla Singula Point)

Sound Director

Kazuhiro Wakabayashi (Blue Exorcist, Bungo Stray Dogs, Mob Psycho 100, The Seven Deadly Sins, Soul Eater)

Sound Effects

Shizuo Kurahashi (Cowboy Bebop, Dororo)

Sachiko Nishi (SK8 the Infinity)

Music

Yuki Kajiura (Fate-Franchise, Fena: Pirate Princess, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Black Butler, Sword Art Online)

Opening

Cour 1: "Sora to Utsuro“ by sasanomaly

Cour 2: "Your Name“ by Little Glee Monster

Ending

Cour 1: "0 (zero)“ by LMYK

Cour 2: "salvation“ by MONONKVL

Animation Production

BONES

Additional Info

The vampiric steampunk series The Case Study of Vanitas is based on Jun Mochizuki's manga of the same name. Mochizuki is also known for the 24-volume fantasy work Pandora Hearts, and both it and The Case Study of Vanitas are available in English via Yen Press.

OP1 - "Sora to Utsuro“ by sasanomaly:

youtube

-------

Joseph Luster is the Games and Web editor at Otaku USA Magazine. You can read his comics at subhumanzoids. Follow him on Twitter @Moldilox.

By: Joseph Luster

#Anime #News #Latest in Anime News by Crunchyroll!

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mrs-gucci · 3 years

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hump day funday masterlist

here’s a list of all the works I wrote as part of my hump day funday event!

(this is an ongoing list that will be added to as I write!!)

a ** indicates SMUT and/or SMUTTY CONTENT.

A Full Examination [1.9k words] (Dr. Charlie Barber x Reader) **

doctor!charlie with a breeding kink??? him just absolutely ravishing you and of course with his medical knowledge he knows exactly which position is best and how to make sure his cum stays oh so deep inside you using his cock

Beneath The Stars [1k words] (mob boss!Maurizio x Reader) **

There’s no way I’m gonna let you wear that in public. - Why not? - Cause it would be a shame to rip off such nice material in front of so many people Wider baby. I said wider. Both for Mob Boss!Maurizio if you can please

Sinner’s Serum [1.3k words] (Jacques Le Gris x Reader—Hogwarts AU) **

You and Hogwarts Jacques agree to try love spells or potions on each other to spice things up during a long weekend. Take it wherever you want! (I would prefer things that don’t have themes of cheating or infidelity and adultery, but I hope that’s not rude to ask! I love your fics!) Thank you for taking requests! 💛

Anatomy Lesson [1k words] (Dr. Charlie Barber x Reader) **

NO CUS BREEDING/PREGNANCY KINK GOING BRRRRR dr. charlie cumming in you, watching it leak out, AND FINGERING IT BACK IN OVER AND OVER IM SO SORRY I HAD TO SHARE BYE

Steam In The Locker Room [3.1k words] (boxer!Flip Zimmerman x Reader) **

Scream for me. I want everyone to know who’s making you feel good. Please for boxer Flip 😍 Or with Tell me how much you like this. Tell me how good I make you feel! Same person for boxer Flip

Returning Your Letter [1.78k words] (Captain Hook!Kylo Ren x Reader)

I would fucking love to read anything with Captain Hook Kylo! I saw this and thought it’d be nice if he wrote some some romantic letter while at sea but instead of waiting for your response, he shows up and takes you away on his ship instead? “Is it fair to say that you read the love letter and that this means ‘yes’?”

I Just Couldn’t Wait (Dr. Charlie Barber x Reader) **

doctor!charlie breeder nonny here okay but the prompt w “look at what you’ve done to me. i’ve had to deal w this all day.” cus reader sent dr. barber a pic of her tummy and he could clearly see the bulge from her dildo. she said she just wanted to be full but he was working:((( and once he gets home he just goes crazy like… something about it just sent him over the edge. 😀 i’m so sorry IM SORRY DOCTOR!CHARLIE NONNY HERE I JUST NEED TO LET THIS OUT the punishment for that pic tho… hair pulling, slapping, spitting like the doc is just so worked up and he cannot stand it. i like to imagine he doesn’t hold back at all. think about it😳like.. c’mon!

Rescheduled (OBGYN!Dr. Charlie Barber x Reader) **

Maybe we get rescheduled with the new hotter than sin obgyn Charlie when the regular doc calls out sick

Natural Insemination (OBGYN!Dr. Kylo Ren x Reader) **

A smut with Kylo who is a doctor, the patient sees him because she wants to get pregnant.. and he is the one to do it 🔥

Phone Booth (mob boss!Kylo Ren x Reader) **

Happy Hump Day! I would love to read Mafia Boss Kylo trying to corrupt Rookie Cop female reader and the shenanigans they get into

This Win Is For You (boxer!Kylo Ren x Reader)

Omg boxer!Kylo would be AMAZING like him just training for a big match later that week & he promises you he’ll win it for you 🥺 and then you go to watch the match and he DOES and dedicates it to you im sobbing

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unfortunate-stranger-losers · 5 years

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Six Baudelaires AU, Part Two {AO3} {Masterlist} {Part One}

Chapter Twenty → in which Sunny drives a Firetruck

“So.” Violet said, adjusting her hair ribbon, “How do we get this baby open?”

They looked up at the fountain, which looked like a massive, cawing bird. “Mah,” Sunny said, which meant, “Maybe we could take a sledgehammer to it.”

“First of all, we’d need a sledgehammer,” Lilac said, “And second, that could hurt whoever’s inside.”

“Must be cramped.” Solitude said, eyeing the size of the fountain. Then she let out a small cry as Babbitt leapt from her pocket and jumped to the ground. “Babbitt! No!”

“Babbitt!” Violet and Klaus also called as the frog hopped to the edge of the fountain, peering into the water.

Lilac ran forwards, picking up the frog, only for them to start chirping and gesturing up. “Wait. I think they have an idea.” Lilac said. She followed the frog’s gaze, and then smiled. “Good Babbitt.” The frog happily chirped, and she said, “We’re going to need to stand on each others’ shoulders.”

“Why?” Violet asked.

Lilac moved over to Solitude, giving her back her frog, and then she said, “We need to get to the beak. No words can come from this sad beak.”

They all looked up at the open mouth of the fountain, and Klaus said, “Genius.”

“Good Babbitt!” Solitude said, as Violet put her down onto the ground. Klaus dropped Sunny, too, as Violet quickly climbed onto Lilac’s shoulders.

“You know,” Violet said, as Klaus ran over to try and climb onto her shoulders, “I could probably scale the statue.”

“We’re not risking it.” Lilac said. “Klaus, careful. We don’t want you to fall.”

“That’s likely, but I think I’m good.” Klaus said. Then he giggled. “I’m thirteen now, I’m all grown up.”

“Nope. Still baby.” Lilac said.

Klaus finally got to Violet’s shoulders, and he reached up, barely able to grab the edge of the beak.

“Maybe there’s a lever or switch inside.” he said, and then he slipped and fell off of Violet’s shoulders.

“Klaus, you absolute disaster!” Violet shouted, as she and Lilac fell back.

Klaus gripped onto the edge of the beak for a moment as his sisters fell to the ground and swore, and then the bottom of the beak began to lower, and Klaus found himself falling, too. Lilac managed to jump to her feet and catch him before he could hit his head on the edge of the stone fountain, and she placed him onto the ground in time to watch the beak finally open all the way.

And then the bird split in half.

It opened up, its sides swerving apart, and the Baudelaires saw three very dirty kids blinking in the sudden light, before turning to their rescuers.

“Duncan!” “Isadora!” “Nick!”

The Baudelaires leapt to their feet as Solitude let out a squeal of excitement, but as Duncan started to move, Lilac said, “Be careful! You could slip, you don’t want to fall!”

Duncan smiled as he cautiously stepped onto the edge of the fountain. “Nice to see you, Lilac.” he said, his voice a bit hoarse.

Klaus ran forwards, pulling Duncan off the fountain into a tight hug. Duncan laughed, as Isadora carefully stepped out, too, shooting smiles at the Baudelaires.

“You got the poems!” Isadora said.

Violet helped her down, and said, “We did! How did you think to use messenger crows?”

“It was Duncan’s idea.” Isadora said. “He remembered doing a report on messenger birds from some books we stole from Mother’s study.”

“It was damp from dew,” Duncan said, “And there were always crows on the fountain. We’d wait until one landed and then we’d wrap a wet couplet around its leg. The paper dried overnight and fell from the tree. But it was Isadora’s idea to use couplets as a code.”

“We overheard the villagers talking from the fountain and figured out you’d be at the Nevermore Tree, wherever that is,” Isadora said, “So we’d be able to send you messages!”

“It was brilliant.” Lilac said, beaming.

And then, quietly, they heard Solitude say, “Nick?”

Slowly, the Baudelaires turned back to the fountain. Nick was standing at the edge of the statue, staring down at the water, almost in a daze. He didn’t make any move to jump out, instead still looking like he was trying to process something.

“Nick?” Lilac called, and Nick looked up slightly, and his siblings realized just how awful he looked. His pinstripe suit was torn and tattered, his hair was a mess, he had some kind of bruise on his cheek, and worst of all, he had the same haunted look in his eyes that the Quagmires had when they’d been in the elevator shaft.

“Nick, hey.” Isadora slowly pulled away from Violet and Lilac and stepped closer to the fountain, her voice very soft. “Your siblings found us. We were right. They found us.”

“What’s wrong with him?” Lilac asked, terror in her voice. “What did they do?”

“He’s just…” Duncan paused.

Isadora finally got Nick to take her hand, and he stepped down from the fountain, shaking as he landed on the ground.

“Nick!” Solitude ran over to him, holding up her arms to try and get him to pick her up. He stared down at her silently, eyes wide.

“We think they drugged him or something.” Duncan muttered, as Klaus stepped away to get to his brother. “But we’re not sure, he- he might just be in shock.”

“He kept trying to escape.” Isadora said sadly. “They… they didn’t like that.”

Nick finally leaned down, picking up Solitude and holding her cautiously. Soli hugged him, and muttered, “Missed you! Love you!”

“I…” Nick tried to say, his voice scarily shaky and quiet.

Klaus walked forwards, carefully putting a hand on Nick’s shoulder. Nick jumped and turned to him, and Klaus said, “Hey. Happy birthday.”

Nick stared at him in confusion, and then he said, “It’s our…?”

Violet raced forwards and hugged him and Klaus tightly, and Sunny ran up to grab onto Nick’s leg. Nick stood stock-still, but he didn’t protest or try to pull away as his siblings embraced him.

Lilac carefully stepped forwards, before turning to the Quagmires. “Are you okay?” she asked.

They nodded. “Now that you’re here.” Isadora said.

“We took notes on everything we learned. From the book and from…” Duncan bit his lip. “Well, like we said, our captors like to brag.”

“We have everything.” Isadora said. “All their crimes, everything they said-”

“Everything about the real VFD.” Duncan shuddered.

“We wrote down what we think is true.” Isadora said. “Whenever they let us out at night to eat and stuff like that, we’d write when they weren’t looking. That’s when I made the couplets, and when we took all our notes.”

“Meaning you, um,” Lilac said awkwardly, “All heard us get arrested for murder?”

“Yeah,” Duncan said, leaning onto Klaus’s shoulder, “And it sucks that wasn’t actually Olaf. We were hoping you’d actually killed him.”

“That man was named Jacques Snicket.” Isadora said.

Lilac narrowed her eyes. “Snicket. That sounds… familiar?”

Duncan and Isadora shared a glance, and to the Baudelaires’ surprise, Nick flinched and also shared the triplets’ look. “Well, that’s not a surprise.” Duncan said. “He was the brother of a man who-”

“And,” Violet interrupted, pulling away from Nick for a moment, “We have to leave.”

The group paused, and then they heard what she had; the sound of an angry mob approaching.

“I think they noticed we broke out of jail.” Lilac said nervously, running to pick up Sunny and giving Nick a quick side-hug.

“You think?” Klaus said, grabbing Nick’s arm as they ran, and using his other arm to grab Duncan’s hand and pull him along. Isadora picked up Sunny and followed closely as they all heard the sounds of a mob grow closer.

“Quick question,” Violet asked, as they rounded a bend, “Is it dinnertime?”

“Is that important?” Duncan asked.

“Might be, depending on whether or not our escape route is taking off.” Violet said.

“Taking off?” Isadora’s eyes widened. “Just what are you planning?”

“Depends on- shit!” Lilac turned a bend, and swore as she realized they’d hit a dead end.

“If we go to the right,” Klaus said, “We can climb the fence into the firehouse yard.”

“Will that help?” Duncan asked.

“There’s a firetruck. If we can get it out of the yard, we can drive away.” Klaus said.

“There’ll be a ladder on it.” Lilac said. “We can use that to get to Hector’s Self-Sustaining Hot Air Mobile Home.”

“A Self-Sustaining Hot Air Mobile Home?” Isadora asked.

“Long story short, it’ll get us out of here.” Lilac said. She raced to the right, and then took Sunny from Isadora and held her up. “Climb over the wall, Sun. Someone get Solitude over. Girls, bring something to help us get down.”

“Uh, might not have time for that,” Klaus said, as they heard the sounds of the mob getting closer.

As they listened, they could hear Olaf shouting, “What do we want?” and the crowd responding, “To burn children!” over and over.

“This town seems nice.” Isadora said.

“Alright, we’re climbing the fence.” Lilac said, as Sunny hauled herself over. “Klaus, we’ll hoist you up. Violet-”

“On it.” Violet said, helping Klaus grab onto the top of the fence.

“Alright, Duncan, Isadora, can you climb?”

“Oh, definitely.” Isadora said.

“I spent so much time chasing Quigley and Isadora up trees that I better know how to climb.” Duncan said.

“Good, I’ll help Nick and Soli. Hurry it up before they find us.” Lilac raced over to Nick, who was staring at the fence blankly as Solitude clung incredibly tightly onto him. “Okay, Nick, we’re going over.”

Nick bit his lip and nodded.

Lilac tried not to cry. “You think you can climb it?”

He nodded, and then Soli said, “No! I don’t wanna let go!”

“Solitude, you just need to let go for five seconds.” Lilac said. “And then we’re safe, okay?”

“No!”

Lilac looked towards the sound of the approaching mob as Klaus and Isadora managed to climb over the fence. “Solitude, please! Do you want to get burned at the stake?”

“No-”

“Then I’ll hold you over the fence, and then help Nick over. Okay?”

Solitude hesitated, and then she slowly held out her hand. Babbitt leapt onto her palm, and she carefully placed them onto Nick’s shoulder. “No lonely?” she said, and Babbitt chirped. Nick barely moved, only glancing at the frog as Lilac took Soli and held her over the fence. She could see Violet’s hands reaching from the other side; her and Duncan must’ve crawled over while Lilac was distracted.

“Okay, Nick, I’m going to help you up, and then I’ll go over.” Lilac said. “Okay? Nick?”

Nick nodded, putting a hand on Babbitt and glancing between Lilac and the fence. Lilac had never, in her whole life, seen him this quiet.

She took a deep breath, and then ran forwards and hugged him. Nick flinched, and she said, “I’m going to protect you. I won’t fail again. I promise.”

Nick didn’t respond, so Lilac pulled away and walked him towards the fence. He jumped and grabbed onto the top, and she quietly made sure he got over alright before she climbed it herself. As she jumped to the other side, watching Solitude run back over to Nick and beg to be picked up again, she said, “Is everyone here?”

“I think.” Violet glanced behind her towards the firetruck. “We can use that to get out, if we can get it past the fence.”

Lilac did a quick headcount, and then said, “Wait. Where’s Sunny?”

The siblings glanced around, and Klaus muttered, “Goddamnit.”

“Where the hell-” Lilac began.

“Shh!” Isadora raced over and slapped a hand over her mouth, and Lilac realized why in a moment.

“What do we want?”

“To burn children!”

“When do we want it?”

“Now!”

“What do we want?”

“To burn children!”

“That sounds a bit too close for comfort.” Duncan said.

“We have to hide.” Violet said. “If they look over the fence…”

“We have to find Sunny. Sunny!” Lilac called.

She stopped calling, though, when she heard Isadora cry out, “Nick!”

Nick was backing away from the fence, eyes wide, gripping onto Solitude so hard his knuckles were white. Isadora ran forwards, and Lilac realized then that he was shaking uncontrollably.

“Nick, Nick, it’s okay!” Isadora said. She reached forwards, grabbing his face. “Look at me! Look at me! Duncan-”

Duncan ran over, putting a hand on Nick’s shoulder, as Nick said, “They’re going to find us. They’re going to catch us. They’re going to find us-”

“No! No, they are not going to catch us again!” said Isadora. “I promise, Nick, they’re not going to hurt us again.”

Klaus slowly turned to his other siblings, looking just as horrified as they all felt. Then he moved over to Nick and said, “We’re protecting you, okay? We’re-”

At that moment, the window to the firetruck lowered, and Sunny leaned out, calling, “Westman!” which meant something like, “Get in the truck, now!”

“Sunny?” Lilac called, confused, even as she moved to help Duncan and Isadora push Nick into the back of the truck.

“Now!” Sunny shouted for emphasis, and Violet and Klaus started running, too. As soon as all of the kids had jumped into the back of the truck, Lilac peered over the window into the seats, to see that Sunny had managed to strap thick boots to her legs with some wires, and she had just turned on the engine.

“Oh…” Lilac began.

“...no.” said Violet, also realizing what was about to happen.

And Sunny shifted the truck into drive and hit the gas.

The children let out cries of shock as Sunny drove right through the fence, causing it to loudly topple as the truck burst out. They heard shouts and screams, and Lilac and Duncan peered over the edge of the truck to see the mob of VFD villagers parting ahead of them, running to avoid the firetruck. Count Olaf and Officer Luciana, at the head of the mob, had slid to the side, and were watching in shock as the children drove away.

“Your sister drives?” Duncan asked.

“Apparently!” Violet said.

Sunny swerved the car to avoid a building, and the kids screamed as they landed hard against the wall. Solitude clung to Nick, and Babbitt let out a nervous chirp, and Klaus shouted, “Sunny, keep your eyes on the road!”

Then Isadora looked up and said, “And also on that balloon house, I’m assuming!”

They looked up to the sky, and saw what she had; far up above them was Hector’s Self-Sustaining Hot Air Mobile Home, floating several feet away from town.

“We can still make it!” Lilac said. “Sunny, just- oh, shit.”

Sunny let out a groan as one of her wires snapped, and a boot toppled under the seat, falling off the gas pedal. The truck started to slow, and Klaus glanced behind them to see that the mob was still following them. “Oh shit, oh fuck…” he muttered, immediately sliding in front of Nick.

At that moment, Solitude pushed Babbitt onto Nick’s shoulder and said, “Hold this!” She immediately started running, jumping over Lilac and crawling through the window and onto the seat beside Sunny. Then she slid to the floor and jumped on the gas pedal, causing them to take off again.

“Why the hell are our baby sisters driving a firetruck?” Lilac shouted.

“I don’t know, but at least we’re getting away!” Violet said.

They drove out of the village and into the long, bright desert, barely staying on the road as Sunny and Solitude swerved. Violet jumped to her feet as they got close to the home and called, “Hector!”

They saw Hector peer over the edge of a basket, calling, “Baudelaires!”

“Lower a ladder!” Klaus called. “We’re coming up!”

Hector disappeared, and after a moment, the mobile home stopped mid-air, and a rope ladder was tossed over the side. Solitude moved away from the gas, and Sunny hit the brakes and then pressed a button, causing the ladder on the firetruck to ascend.

“Alright, Quagmires, you go first.” Lilac said. “We’ll grab the girls and try to distract the mob.”

“How are they still following us?” Klaus asked, peering over the edge of the truck to see the crowd of people following them out of town.

“They’re very determined to set us on fire.” Violet said. “Much like me and Nick at camp last year. Alright, hurry it up. We haven’t got all day.”

The ladder finally stopped, and Isadora said, “You should all go first-”

“Hey,” Violet said, punching her shoulder slightly. “Who was just kidnapped? Go ahead, we’ll be right behind you.”

Isadora bit her lip and nodded. She gave them all quick hugs, and then he started climbing as fast as she could.

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” Duncan asked, looking mainly at Klaus.

Klaus nodded, squeezing his hand. “We’ll be fine. Hurry up, we’ll follow.”

Duncan smiled at all the siblings, and then, as they turned towards the crowd again, he swiftly kissed Klaus on the cheek, and then ran to the ladder. Klaus froze and blushed a moment, but could only shoot Duncan a smile before the mob got a bit too close.

Violet grabbed a fire hose and yelled, “Stay back! This hose is at extreme power!”

“That’s right!” Klaus said. “I’ve read about hoses, and-”

“Long story short!” Lilac shouted. “This will knock you off your damn feet if you don’t stay back.”

“Aqua.” Sunny said, as she and Solitude crawled to the back of the truck. “There’s no water in this truck.”

“Shh.” Solitude elbowed her in the ribs.

The mob did pause, looking concernedly at the children, but Olaf, in the front of the group, merely smiled. “Look at that, friends and neighbors!” Olaf called. “The Baudelaire murderers have their own accomplices!”

“Burn them at the stake!” chanted Officer Luciana, coming forwards.

Lilac instantly leapt in front of Nick, who worryingly was barely moving, just sitting stock-still and staring in horror at the mob. “Touch him again and I’ll burn you!”

“Klaus, take Sunny,” Violet said, “I’ll help Nick and Soli up next.”

Klaus nodded, picking up Sunny and starting up the ladder.

“Now, now-” Luciana began, taking a step forwards.

“Get the hell away from us!” Violet shouted, aiming the hose.

“Oh, please,” said Officer Luciana, and she then pulled something out of her belt. “We can stop you without moving any closer.”

Then she held up a harpoon gun and took aim at the balloons holding up Hector’s Home.

“No!” Violet and Klaus shouted, just as she fired.

A small harpoon hit a balloon with a loud pop, and the Baudelaires turned to see the Home shake slightly. Isadora, who was halfway up the rope ladder, almost slipped, only barely managing to keep her hold. Duncan managed to grab the bottom of the rope ladder as it swung, trying to steady it before starting up himself.

“Don’t!” Lilac shouted, horror creeping into her voice. “The home will fall! They’ll die!”

“What do we care?” said Luciana. “We’re burning them at the stake anyway.”

“No!” Klaus shouted.

“Duncan, Isadora, climb faster!” Violet shouted.

“If she keeps popping balloons,” Lilac said, “That house will fall, and the Quagmires will fall with it.”

And then, quietly, they heard Nick say, “Then we have to let them go.”

They turned and saw him, still leaning against the wall and staring into nothing, but he had a slight look of determination in his eyes.

“He’ll kill them.” Nick said quietly. “If we go with them.”

They all understood. Slowly, Klaus looked up at the triplets, seeing that Isadora was helping Duncan into the basket. They were safe now.

“Hector!” Klaus shouted.

Hector peered over a basket edge. “Yes?”

“Take off!” Klaus cried. “Go higher, so the harpoons can’t get you!”

“But how will you reach the Home?” Hector asked.

“We won’t!” Lilac shouted. Then she turned towards the crowd and said, “Hold your fire! We’re coming down!”

“No!” Duncan shouted, even as Klaus climbed down the ladder.

“What are you doing?” Isadora cried.

“We’re taking care of you!” Lilac called.

“We love you!” Violet shouted, as she watched Solitude lean over to press a button and lower the ladder.

Unfortunately, Officer Luciana simply raised her freshly-loaded harpoon gun and took another shot.

“No! Stop it!” Violet cried as Klaus reached the back of the truck, also stepping in front of Nick, who was starting to shake uncontrollably, throwing his arms over his head. Solitude raced to sit beside him, grabbing his leg. “Stop it! We’re surrendering! They’re innocent!”

“And so are we!” Klaus added, dropping Sunny behind him to sit by Soli and Nick.

“Does it look like I care?” said Luciana.

“Aim for the handyman!” cheered Olaf.

“No! Stop!” Lilac shouted.

Violet got an idea, then, and she called, “Hey, isn’t that a mechanical device?”

“Mechanical device?” shouted a Councilmember, and suddenly the mob grew furious, some of them moving in front of Officer Luciana and Detective Dupin.

“Rule #67 clearly states that no mechanical devices are to be allowed in town limits!” shouted an Elder.

“I’m stopping criminals!” cried Luciana.

“You can’t break rules to arrest rulebreakers!” said Mr Lesko.

“Burn them!” shouted Ms Morrow.

At that, Sunny crawled back through the window of the firetruck, re-tying the boots to her legs, taking extra care to make sure the string held.

While the mob was distracted, Duncan and Isadora leaned over the basket, and Isadora shouted, “You can still reach!”

“No, we can’t.” Lilac said, knowing that this was only a temporary distraction, and there wouldn’t be enough time to raise the ladder and reach the mobile home. “I’m sorry!”

“We’ll see you again! We promise!” Violet shouted.

“Love you!” Solitude cried, curling up against Nick.

Duncan and Isadora shared a quick look, some kind of silent communication as the mobile home kept rising. Then they leaned over, this notebooks in hand. “Take our commonplace books!” Duncan shouted.

“They’ve got everything in them! About the fires, about the Snickets, about VFD!” Isadora said. “About our parents!”

The children then heard a loud squeaking, and they looked around to see the cloud of crows flying towards them, carefully maneuvering past the balloons. The people of VFD stopped moving, looking up in wonder at the crows’ migration, and Duncan and Isadora took the moment to throw down their notebooks.

That’s when Officer Luciana took off her helmet and shot again.

Her harpoon curled through the air, piercing both notebooks, sending the pages scattering in the wind. And then it hit a crow, which let out a pained caw before collapsing to the ground. The other crows screeched and flew faster, flapping far away.

“You’ve injured a crow!” called an Elder.

“You broke Rule #1!” cried another.

But the Baudelaires didn’t pay attention. They were catching as many pages as they could, and once they had them all in their hands, they looked up at the balloons, which were sailing away.

“Goodbye.” Klaus said quietly.

“Goodbye.” Violet said softly.

“Bye!” called Solitude.

“Goodbye!” Lilac shouted.

“We’ll see you soon!” Duncan shouted, as they drifted away.

“We won’t leave you forever!” Isadora declared. “We’ll find you! We promise!”

And with that, the Quagmires were gone.

The Baudelaires glanced back, to see Count Olaf and Officer Luciana- oh fuck, now that her helmet was gone they could clearly see who she was- race out from the crowd. “We’ll catch a ride outside of town!” Olaf called.

“Is that Esme Squalor?” shouted Ms Morrow, confused.

“Our chief of police is Esme Squalor?” shouted Mr Lesko.

“Not anymore!” Esme cried, flipping them off and running off with Count Olaf, laughing hard.

The Baudelaires stared after her in shock, and then Lilac said, “Sunny. Drive.”

Sunny needed no more encouragement. She hit the gas, and the firetruck burst down the road, leaving behind the village of VFD forever.

“Sunny, keep driving.” Violet said. “Olaf seemed sure he had a ride, so his henchpeople must have a car. We’ll have to hope we can outrun them.”

Sunny nodded, though she glanced nervously behind her and said, “Nick?”

Carefully, the Baudelaires all turned towards Nick, once they’d stuffed the Quagmires’ notes in a safe place. He had barely moved since the Quagmires left, and he was still staring into nothing; he looked like he barely even noticed Solitude and Babbitt snuggled up against him.

“Nick, hey? Are you okay?” Violet asked, scooting closer to him.

He didn’t respond, so Solitude crawled onto his lap, staring up at him with concern. “Nick? Nick! It’s Soli! We’re safe!”

He still didn’t say anything, but he did shake slightly as Babbitt jumped off of his shoulder to explore the truck. He flinched as Klaus stepped closer to him, sharply turning towards his twin as he knelt in front of him.

“Nick.” Klaus said, eyes welling with tears, as Lilac also moved closer, her face paling quite a bit. “Nick, what did they do to you?”

Nick just stared at him. He didn’t even move.

Klaus stared back, and then his gaze hardened, and his siblings had never seen him look so furious.

“I’m going to kill them.” Klaus vowed, and he meant it. “I’m going to kill them, Nick.”

Nick’s eyes widened, and for several seconds, he looked like he physically could not process what his brother had just said.

And then he started to cry.

Klaus held out his arms, and Nick picked up Solitude and buried his head in his brother’s chest, sobbing as his brother hugged him as tight as he could. Violet and Lilac raced forwards, and soon they were all embracing and sobbing and refusing to let go.

#asoue #asoue netflix #asoue movie #a series of unfortunate events #six baudelaires au #six baudelaires official fic #the vile village #mine #my fanfic

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pistachiolan · 5 years

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I finally had time to read the Ante Up and let me as something... WHY NOBODY TALKS ABOUT JACQ AND SHAWN?!?! I don't care that they're just backround (or idkwhat is called) characters! Their reletionship status just as important as the others, people!

I mean... Dinner boyfriends? 👀✨

I'm glad someone pointed them out tbh, big uwu energy

#Ask #sophiefrye22 #Egosmobau #Egos Mob au #Mob AU Shawn #Mob AU Jacques #egoshipping #Jacques x Shawn #Shawn flynn #Jacques von Schneeplestein

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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Once Upon a Time in America Is a Movie That Can Never Be Too Long

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Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in America is as epic as The Godfather, gorier than Goodfellas, and as streetwise as Mean Streets. It tells a full history, from childhood to old age, street hustles to political suicides, community toilets to opium dens. The version which is right now available on Netflix has been amazingly restored by Italy’s Bologna Cinematheque L’Immagine Ritrovata lab. I don’t think I have ever seen the film so clear, and it is a perennial to me, as is The Godfather.

It’s true, even the most devoted gangster fan and cinephile doesn’t watch Once Upon a Time in America as often as The Godfather, and it’s got Robert De Niro at his most gangta. For one thing, Leone’s film has never been as accessible. It is not shown regularly on any kind of broadcast channel, and even the film’s own producers thought it was too long for people to sit through. Pop culture history makes it sound like Once Upon a Time in America had a short version that ran 10 hours and a long version that ran a week.

How Long is Too Long for Once Upon a Time in America?

The truth is, Leone did have up to 10 hours of finished cinematic material, which he cut down to six hours. He wanted to put it out in two parts, much like the initial saga of The Godfather was extended into a sequel. Leone’s original vision for the film was two 180-minute motion pictures which would be shown on consecutive days. After the initial run, he planned to edit the two parts down for a general release which would run as one four-hour and 29-minute film.

Film distributors convinced Leone to release a “Director’s Cut” feature at a running time of 3 hours and 49-minutes, with no intermission, which was the version shown at the 1984 Cannes Film Festival (Martin Scorsese led the push to restore the original version, which was shown at Cannes in 2012, though it’s still missing 18 minutes). This version caught on in Europe. But American audiences saw an even more butchered cut in 1984. The U.S. financial backers, The Ladd Company, founded by actor Alan Ladd’s son, cut 90 minutes from the already-edited film, bringing it to two hours and 19 minutes. But they also restructured the film, cutting the flashbacks-within-flashbacks to present the story chronologically.

This most affects the opening, which is an extended action sequence told with the expressionism of a silent film and the nihilism of post-war Italian neorealism. It is a bit of a jumble coming out of an opium dream. Noodles is on the run, behind in the game, and stoned out of mind. The flashbacks create a cognitive dissonance, and the audience experiences the freefall in a visceral way. By the time they land, it’s in the beginning of a story, which may all be an opium dream. The longer version did play at art cinemas in the U.S. Having seen both on their initial release, this writer preferred the long version of the crime classic, but will admit, they could have answered a phone in the opening sequence before it rang 30 times.

I’d Watch an 8-Hour “Making of” Documentary on This

The production of the film is worthy of a star-studded documentary itself. Leone devoted most of his adult life to getting it done. He turned down The Godfather to make it. Once Upon a Time in America is the final entry in Leone’s “Once Upon a Time” trilogy. It followed Once Upon a Time in the West (C’era Una Volta Il West) (1968), and Once Upon a Time in the Revolution, which came out in 1971 as Duck, You Sucker!. One of the first America drafts was written by Norman Mailer, the author of the novel The Naked and the Dead, and Marilyn: A Biography, the 1973 Marilyn Monroe biography which first speculated the Hollywood icon had been killed by the FBI and CIA. Leone told American Film magazine the novelist was not “not a writer for movies,” but wasn’t satisfied with a screenplay until the end of 1974.

Leone first became interested in making Once Upon a Time in America while making Once Upon a Time in the West. He came across the book The Hoods, which is described on its cover flap as “a notorious mob boss of the syndicate tells the full inside story of hired killing and crime operations.” Published in August 1952, it was very open about Jewish gangster life during the 1920s and ‘30s. It was written by Hershel “Noodles” Goldberg under the alias Harry Grey.

Goldberg also wrote the 1958 book, Portrait of a Mobster, about Jewish mob legend Arthur “Dutch Schultz” Flegenheimer. He wrote The Hoods while serving time in Sing Sing prison. Leone met with Grey in a New York City bar, according to Christopher Frayling’s 2012 book, Sergio Leone: Something to Do with Death. The author was still in hiding from his former mob associates. The renowned Spaghetti Western director didn’t find a heroic figure like “Paul Muni in Scarface or James Cagney in The Public Enemy,” in the bar. Instead there was a poor man “with a machine gun in his hand and a Borsalino on his head.”

I’d watch a 12-Hour Version of the Original Cast of the Unmade Film

Leone began casting in 1975. When The Hoods begins, the leading characters are teenage criminals. Richard Dreyfuss was first cast as young Noodles. The older version of the character was to be played by James Cagney, who hadn’t made a film since Billy Wilder’s One, Two, Three in 1961. He wouldn’t make another until 1984, the year Leone’s film was finally released, when he appeared in Miloš Forman’s Ragtime. That film also stars Elizabeth McGovern, who plays adult Deborah in Once Upon a Time in America. French actor Gerard Depardieu was cast as young Max, and the part would pass to veteran actor Jean Gabin, an icon of French gangster films.

This is true dream casting. Dreyfuss made his mob movie bones playing Baby Face Nelson in Dillinger (1973) and would go on to become an acting institution. Cagney was an acting legend, who began his career creating young gangster icons. Judging from the outstanding acting performances Leone got from Hollywood Golden Age actors like Henry Fonda, it would have been a masterwork.

Leone brought out unsuspected feats of greatness from veteran actors who had been subject to the rules of mainstream cinema. It would also be wonderful just to watch Cagney and Gabin create onscreen dynamite together. Meanwhile Gabin is probably best known as the lead in Jean Renoir’s 1937 antiwar masterpiece, La Grande Illusion. But that was also the year he played “The Prince of Plunder” in director Julien Duvivier’s Pépé le Moko (1937). That gangster-in-hiding title role established him firmly in French crime cinema, and it should be seen by any fan of Casablanca or Algiers. He also starred in Jacques Becker’s mob film Touchez pas au grisbi (Don’t Touch the Loot) (1954), and plays the capo of the Manalese crime family in director Henri Verneuil’s The Sicilian Clan (1969).

I would gleefully binge 10 hours of Gabin and Cagney rehearsing.

And I Could Watch the Final Cast All Weekend

I’d also binge rehearsals for the cast that ultimately wound up filming Once Upon a Time in America. Robert De Niro, as grown-up David “Noodles” Aaronson, was in his prime. He was already gangster film royalty, having played in The Gang that Couldn’t Shoot Straight (1971), Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets (1973), and as young Vito Corleone in The Godfather, Part II. His Jake La Motta took a career-killing dive for the mob in Raging Bull (1980). But while De Niro also proved he could play psychopaths like Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver (1976), that part was better filled by his co-star.

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By Don Kaye

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The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone Proves a Little Less is Infinitely More

By Tony Sokol

James Woods, who plays the adult Maximilian “Max” Bercovicz, created one of the most convincing sociopaths of crime cinema in The Onion Field (1979). He also brought one of the sleaziest characters in science fiction to David Cronenberg’s 1983 cult masterpiece, Videodrome. For gangster and crime film fans, De Niro and Woods together are like seeing Cagney work with Edward G. Robinson in Smart Money (1931), Humphrey Bogart in Angels with Dirty Faces (1938) and The Roaring Twenties (1939), or George Raft in Each Dawn I Die (1939).

While Joe Pesci’s crime boss Frankie Monaldi is so authentic in Once Upon a Time in America that it looks like he was picked out of a lineup, Burt Young’s performance as his brother Joe Monaldi is pure cinema verité. He almost makes you want to take a shower. The only relief comes from watching Treat Williams as a union leader who takes a bath.

Tuesday Weld, who plays Carol, is an icon of licentious cinema. She was Stanley Kubrick’s first choice to play the title role in Lolita (1962), and the wildest orgy enthusiast in Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977). Weld started acting as a teenager in the 1956 jukebox musical Rock! Rock! Rock!, and brought more tension than Steve McQueen and Ann-Margret combined in the 1965 gambling classic, The Cincinnati Kid, which also starred Edward G. Robinson. Quentin Tarantino would probably be proud to recommend Weld’s filmography as a film binge subject.

Once Upon a Time in America also began production in 1980 but was scuttled by an Actor’s Strike. It would have seen Tom Berenger and Paul Newman playing the Noodles characters. For Max, Leone considered Dustin Hoffman, Jon Voight, Harvey Keitel, John Malkovich, and John Belushi. Brooke Shields was set to play young Deborah, which went on to be Jennifer Connelly’s film debut. She would go on to play in Labyrinth (1986) with David Bowie, as well as to an acclaimed career as an adult in movies like Requiem for a Dream (2000) and win an Academy Award for A Beautiful Mind (2001).

What’s in a Bad Reputation?

The Godfather is briskly paced, relatable, and every sequence is perfectly framed. Had Once Upon a Time in America been split into two parts, as the director intended, it may have become just as iconic. Coppola saves the Corleone family backstory for the second film, where it sits comfortably as it mirrors one rise with another.

In today’s environment, where binge-watching is the norm, Once Upon a Time in America should be reevaluated on that basis. People are more accustomed to long-long form entertainment, because they have readily available short-form at their fingertips on apps like TikTok. Alejandro Jodorowsky wanted to make a 10-hour adaptation of the science fiction novel Dune. He got the same blowback as Leone.

“Myself, I make an enormous project of a film that will not be a normal film, 14, 16, maybe 19 hours,” Jodorowsky told Den of Geek while promoting his film Psychomagic. “Hollywood thought I was crazy. A picture [should be] one hour and half or two hours, no more. But now, with series television, you see eight chapters. The short pictures are dying, it’s not anymore necessary. We need to make a serious chapter, you know? Ten hours.”

Today, Jodorowsky’s Dune would be a Netflix miniseries–or at the very least two films, as enjoyed by director Denis Villeneuve. Once Upon a Time in America is far more watchable than its legend declares, and Leone was a filmmaker who should have been afforded his cut. “He was a real artist of industrial movies,” Jodorowsky told Den of Geek. “You need to be very intelligent to do that, and he did it. The picture, all of his pictures, I love these pictures.”

I have watched The Godfather, The Godfather, Part II, The Godfather, Part III, Mario Puzo’s The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone, the box set collectors’ edition of The Godfather Saga, and still have a recording of the first time the film ran with all the deleted scenes restored. I will watch them all again. But there is room for more than one Gangster Epic. Once Upon a Time in America’s reputation as a sloppy, overlong film is undeserved. It bears repeated viewing.

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#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

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fayeisnowwriting · 6 years

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8, 9 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 20

(I love you)

8. Which OC is your favorite?

DAMN. What kind of question is this, my word. I’ll go by WIP.

Vanishing Act: Victoria because of her personal growth.

Laws of Immortals (series): Vincent because of his heart, all he’s gone through and his dedication. And love for black. (I admit I also have a bit of a soft spot for Julius because he’s so open to being himself)

Absit Omen: Striker because despite all the trash he has to go through in this story he’s a ride or die with Deborah.

Coded: THADDEUS. Because he’s the voice of reason and the goth dad of everyone. Also love his marriage, 10/10 relationship goals, he loves Dante.

9. Which OC is an absolute pain to write?

Lol not long ago I wrote that it’s Keith Reeds from Coded because he’s damn stubborn. I can do as many OC development exercises and prompts, AUs, memes, anything, and I still struggle to get a hang of him. You can read my wails here.

11: Share the last paragraph you wrote.

That’d be from Coded, and it was the following:

“He hates me.” Victoria said, drinking from the mug. Thaddeus took a very deep breath and said, “…yes.” Victoria clinked her nails with the mug and looked down.

“I never meant to let you guys down.” she whispered, then wiped a stray liquid drop from the corner of her mouth, “I was scared but…I let it take the best of me.”

“You did.” Thaddeus replied

“I don’t want to be like Titus.”

“You’re not.” Victoria turned to look at the mob boss, “For starters, you came back to us.” Victoria offered him a shy smile as Thaddeus went on, “Titus only thinks of himself and didn’t think twice about sacrificing his own friends. You came back to us, even after such a mistake, to own up to it and help. Oh, Vicky,” he pulled her into a hug, which she reciprocated by resting her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes, “You could never be like Titus.”

“Thanks, Thaddeus.”

12. Share a dumb line from an old WIP.

Although I delete old WIPs unless I keep working on them (which means I can’t find lines per se from old WIPs), I can tell you that Absit Omen was originally called “Trixie Trillian and the Soul Hunters” and was about a 20 something year old named (you guessed it) Trixie Trillian that had to hunt down specific souls and bring them to Death before some other guys got them in exchange of seeing her brother one last time. It was going to have a sequel, “Trixie Trillian and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” but I got bored with it and abandoned the WIP until I adapted the plot and characters to today’s Absit Omen.

14. How long does it take you to write 500 words on a good day? On a bad one?

On a good day, 500 words come to me in an hour an a half, approximately. On a bad day, it takes me all day. Literally. There’s no in betweens.

15. How do you name settings/characters?

It depends, and varies on each case. I generally start by guiding myself with the setting of the story.

With Laws of Immortals, which is set in 2001-2009 England, I firstly looked through baby names databases/pages for English names for some characters, and kind of…felt it? Idk, I just would go like “don’t like Bruce…don’t like Ethan…don’t like Harold…hm, Derek’s fine. Ok, MC’s name is Derek. Derek what?…don’t like Harrison…don’t like Georges…don’t like McDonald…Wells? Derek Wells? Sure, why not.” Of course, there’s cases where I had to change the database to either another country (Jacques, Julius and his real name, Xitlali, Adam, Stefan, Paul) or another time era (Vincent, Marbella, Sylvester) because of other cultures in England and, y’know, vampires. I use real places in England/London so I didn’t have to make much up.

Coded is a sci-fi cyberpunk story where I had to make up settings as well as some names, so I used the “feeling” method a lot. I also took words on my native language (Spanish) and either changed the order or took away/added letters to already existing words to make names or surnames (one of the rebels is called Halley Kaderno, for her surname I grabbed the word “cuaderno”, notebook, and started to play around with it until I got “Kaderno”, or simply replacing an “a” with a “u” for Pandu). Some characters felt alright when I made up their names, others felt better with “normal” names that were adapted to this universe. It was pretty similar with places. I gave myself a bit more freedom to use “normal” names in Vanishing Act since it’s set in a steampunk-meets-1920′s world, so while there’s folks named Walter, Gabrielle, Zoe and Anna, I also wanted interesting names for the people in the circus, like Magnus and Balthazar.

Absit Omen is a mix of these two because while the town is set in fictional Sento, California (and, I admit I used the help of a generator for this one), people’s names were sought in baby name websites and I would just go through them until I found the one that would fit. Except Striker’s. Striker’s name came to me in a dream, no joke. And the AngerPassion’s was a headache to come up with. Had to read a whole lot of angelology and demonology for their name and the other angels’.

17. How far along are you in your current WIP? How long have you been working on it?

I’m not as far as I’d like to be due to college and my own negligence when sitting down to write. I used NaNoWriMo in November 2017 to progress Laws of Immortals but real life got in the way, and pretty much the same happened during Camp NaNoWriMo earlier this year. However I’ve discovered that when I have people waiting and expecting for a new part of the story I’m writing, it’s easier for me to produce because I want people to enjoy something I made, so hopefully a tag for my art and telling more of my friends will help me write more.

As for the second question, I’ve spent on average 2 or 3 years per WIP because I like to take my time when fleshing them out, creating characters, settings, plot, etc. I want things to be ready and clear before writing.

20. What’s the most time you’ve ever spent on one WIP?

…this is the saddest answer I’ll ever give with my writing, it’s probably the two weeks in last year’s NaNoWriMo lmao that’s bad, but in those two weeks I progressed considerably so I know that if I organize myself this year and work daily and with discipline, I can progress much faster and maybe even finish one of my WIPs.

#vanishing act #absit omen #Laws of Immortals #Coded #frank1ewrites

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miss-mesmerized · 4 years

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Delphine de Vigan - Ich hatte vergessen, dass ich verwundbar bin

Am 20. Mai wird sich alles ändern, etwas Großes steht bevor. Das zumindest hat die Wahrsagerin Mathilde prophezeit. Nun ist der Tag gekommen und die Witwe und dreifache Mutter geht ihm gespannt entgegen. Doch zunächst ist alles wie immer: Métro und RER verspätet, dann verstopft, dazu noch eine Frau, die beinahe vor ihr kollabiert. Viel zu spät kommt sie zur Arbeit, nur um dann festzustellen, dass eine Kollegin jetzt in ihrem Büro sitzt und sie in das fensterlose Kabuff neben der Toilette ziehen muss. Es hatte sich abgezeichnet, seit Monaten schon war die Stimmung zwischen ihr und ihrem Chef vergiftet. Zeitgleich eilt Thibault durch die Stadt. Auch sein Tag hat mäßig begonnen, denn endlich hat er sich von Lila getrennt, die dies kommentarlos akzeptierte. Nun hetzt der Notfallmediziner von Patient zu Patient, erschöpft und kurz davor, selbst zusammenzubrechen. Die Wege der beiden kreuzen sich immer wieder, doch werden sie sich begegnen und die Vorhersage wahr werden lassen?

Delphine de Vigans Roman ist im Original bereits 2009 erschienen und stand im selben Jahr in der letzten Runde um den Prix Goncourt. Auch die Verfilmung aus dem Jahr 2015 wurde positiv aufgenommen und mit mehreren Preisen ausgezeichnet. Die Autorin fängt in ihrer Geschichte das typische Pariser Großstadtleben ein: métro, boulot, dodo. Die beiden Protagonisten sind lange im öffentlichen Raum unterwegs, ohne dort jedoch die Menschen um sich wirklich wahrzunehmen und werden dabei selbst ebenso unsichtbar; die Arbeit nimmt nicht nur den Großteil des Tages, sondern auch der Emotionen und Gedanken ein; das Privatleben kommt chronisch zu kurz, weshalb Beziehungen kaum gepflegt und notwendige Entscheidungen immer wieder verschoben werden.

Neben der Frage, wann bzw. ob Mathilde und Thibault sich begegnen, steht vor allem der Konflikt zwischen Mathilde und ihrem Vorgesetzten Jacques im Fokus der Handlung. Aus für sie nicht nachvollziehbaren Gründen hat er sie im Laufe der vergangenen Monate isoliert, immer mehr Verantwortung anderen übertragen und sie systematisch vom Kommunikationsfluss abgeschnitten. Es ist Mobbing der schlimmsten Art, was er betreibt und die Folgen zeigen sich bei Mathilde: sie ist erschöpft, schläft nicht mehr und schon der Gedanke an die Arbeit bereitet ihr Unwohlsein. Die Personalchefin ist keine Hilfe, die Kollegen haben selbst zu viel Sorge um ihren Job als dass sie ihr zur Seite stehen würden und Jacques verweigert jedes Gespräch, so dass der Grund für sein Verhalten im Dunkeln bleibt.

Thibault wiederum hatte sich bewusst gegen das Dasein als Hausarzt entschieden und doch trifft er manche Patienten, die die Notfallnummer wählen, immer wieder. Es sind die Einsamen, die Alten, für die der Besuch des Arztes oft ihr einziger menschlicher Kontakt ist. Auch das sind Abgründe der Stadt, vor denen gerne die Augen verschlossen werden, weil sie niemand sehen möchte. So sehr er seinen Beruf liebt, diese Begegnungen laugen ihn aus.

Die Handlung oszilliert zwischen den beiden und je näher man ihnen kommt, desto mehr wünscht man ihnen, dass die einsamen Seelen sich treffen und finden und die Leere des jeweils anderen füllen können. Authentisch und überzeugend fängt Delphine de Vigan die Einsamkeit unter Millionen von Menschen ein, sie schildert ein Leben, in dem die Menschen funktionieren und gar nicht die Zeit finden, ihr Dasein und den Sinn ihres Lebenskonstrukts zu hinterfragen. Der Großstadtlärm übertönt diese Fragen und ebenso die kaum hörbar leise schlagenden einsamen Herzen.

https://missmesmerized.wordpress.com/2021/02/12/delphine-de-vigan-ich-hatte-vergessen-dass-ich-verwundbar-bin/

#delphinedevigan #ichhattevergessendassichverwundbarbin #roman #rezension

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bergeandtheverve · 5 years

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Ardéchoise Jour 3

Vendredi 21 Juin 2019

156km - 3248m D+ / https://www.openrunner.com/r/10109333

7H00, après une nuit en mobil-home au camping de Belos, on s'équipe de nos vêtements les plus secs et on file au petit-déjeuner. L'unique radiateur grille pain du bungalow n'a pas permis de totalement sécher nos affaires trempées de la veille alors tant pis, on fait nos bagages et le linge humide qu'ils contiennent sera étendu ce soir en espérant qu’il fasse plus beau 155km plus loin à Lachamp Raphaël.

Aujourd’hui c’est la journée redoutée, annoncée la plus coriace de notre périple. On attaquera par un profil en dent de scie avec quelques petits cols à passer puis la longue -mais régulière- ascension de 21km jusqu’au col de Meyrand qui nous hissera jusqu’aux crêtes, au km 85 après quoi on restera au dessus de 1000m et il nous restera 1300m de D+ à plier.

Il fait 15°c mais le soleil est présent, Jean-Claude est en cannes ce matin - comme souvent en début d’étape - il mène notre petite troupe jusqu’au village de Jaujac, km 15, où on est accueilli par un homme en habits de curé qui nous promet l’enfer si l’on ne s’arrête pas prendre un petit café à son banquet. Café donc, et quelques madeleines /‌ tranches de quatre-quarts. On enchaîne jusqu’au prochain ravito : 3km plus loin dans le amo de Saint-Cirgues-de-Prades.‌‌ On est accueilli très chaleureusement sous le soleil par quelques locaux qui avaient préparé un superbe décor rétro, des antiquités à moteurs: vieilles mob’ et anciennes bécanes entre voitures à pédales vinyles et minitel.

Nous arrivons à Prades à 9h10, ravito ici aussi et leur spécialité à eux c’est l’eau minérale, on ne peut pas s’y tromper, il y a des panneaux en forme de gouttes d’eau tout le long de la route depuis 5km. On enchaîne par le premier col de la journée : le Col de Farges, 3km à 7%. A‌ 10h40, Km 49, nous traversons le splendide village de L’Argentière avec ses vieilles pierres et son centre historique.

Au km 63, 3h35 après notre départ ( oui on n’est pas des ingrats, nous on prend le temps de discuter aux ravitos ! ) nous attaquons le dur. Comme toujours dans les montées, chacun est à son rythme et on se retrouvera au sommet.‌ Gilles - alias socquette légère - n’est déjà plus en vue après quelques virages.‌ Jean-Claude est quelques centaines de mètres derrière et je roule en compagnie de Daniel; depuis deux jours - 280km - que nous roulons ensemble, il semble que nous ayons tous les deux la même allure et quand ce n’est pas le cas, le moins en forme des deux parvient tout de même à prendre la roue de l’autre. La route est déserte, je ne me souviens pas avoir croisé plus de 10 voitures en 21km d’ascension. Le soleil qui brillait depuis ce matin s’est caché derrière un gros paquet de nuages noirs qui menacent.‌ On espère que ça passera à côté. Après une photo au sommet du col de Meyrand on enquille histoire de faire le plus de distance avant que ça ne nous tombe dessus.‌

Nous passons le col de Bez et 1km avant l’arrivée au col du Pendu le ciel s’abat sur nous, une rincée au moins aussi franche que celle qu’on a pris la veille sur le finish avant le camping de Beloc. Au moins 70 cyclistes se sont abrités dans l’épaisse forêt qui borde la route au sommet du col. On décide de s’y réfugier avec Daniel et on y retrouve Gilles puis on fait signe à Jean-Claude de nous rejoindre. Nous sommes à 1400m d’altitude, mon GPS indique 9°c alors qu’il faisait 21°c 30 min auparavant, dans l’ascension. On patiente en se disant que ça va se calmer mais l’heure tourne et il pleut toujours autant.

On se décide donc à repartir malgré la flotte et le vent qui nous fouette le visage. On ne voit pas loin devant soi, crispés sur les poignées de frein dont l’efficacité a totalement disparue on repère le tracé de la route grâce aux trajectoires des vestes de pluie fluo des cyclistes devant nous. Après 2km à peine de descente la pluie nous a glacé je ne sens plus mes doigts, mes chaussures sont gorgées d’eau froide, Gilles appuie fort sur les pédales probablement pour se réchauffer et il file loin devant, Daniel et Jean-Claude sont derrière, j’apprendrais pas la suite que Jean-Claude n’avait pas de vêtement de pluie, il ne parvenait plus à contrôler ses grelottements qui secouaient son guidon. A 3km du sommet, toujours dans la descente, la providence place sur notre route une auberge “Le Mas du pas de l’âne” où je decide de m’arrêter, j’attends Daniel et Jean-Claude qui ne se font pas prier non plus. On espère y retrouver Gilles à qui on envoie un SMS pour qu’il ne nous attende pas dans le cas où il aurait tracé jusqu’au prochain ravito.‌ En passant le portail on comprend qu’on ne sera pas seuls.‌ Plus d’une centaine de vélos entreposés partout dans la propriété et autant de cyclotouristes qui ont trouvé refuge, entassés ici. Les aubergistes nous accueillent chaleureusement et nous prenons place sur les longues tablées où l’on nous sert des pâtes bolognaise qui sur le coup m’ont paru être les meilleures de toute ma vie. Nous nous réchauffons au coin du feu et on fait sêcher tout ce qu’on peut.‌ Les serveuses nous offrent même un sac poubelle pour en faire une cape de pluie - et une jupette- à Jean-Claude.

Après presque 1h passée dans cette auberge, la pluie a pratiquement cessé dehors et nous nous motivons pour repartir. Encore 60km et 1000m pour aujourd’hui. Nous avons convenus avec Gilles - qui nous a patiemment attendu de longues minutes au ravito avant de voir notre SMS‌ - que nous nous rejoindrions directement au gîte du soir autour d’une bière.

Le reste du parcours s’effectuera dans les nuages jusqu’à l’arrivée. La vue depuis ces routes désertes perchées en haut des crêtes est vraiment belle.‌ Nous avons le droit à de longs tapis de bitume tout neuf à travers la campagne, entrecoupé ça et là de quelques coups de cul. Les effets conjugués de la fatigue des jours précédents, des ascensions du jour, de la pluie et du froid commencent à se faire sentir à l’approche des 30 derniers km.‌ Daniel et moi sommes moins bavards, on avale des pates de fruits quand on sent venir la fringale, vivement la bière et la nuit de ce soir. On trouve quand même encore la force de faire les cons et de taper un sprint là au milieu de nulle part devant une petite maison blanche à l’endroit où déjà l’an dernier Daniel avait joué le sprint avec les Tigers de l’ardéchoise.

Presque 10h après notre départ, nous arrivons au gîte, une ferme entourée de chevaux.‌ Gilles, arrivé depuis déjà un sacré bout de temps nous raconte sa fin de parcours et nous présente Jacques, son compagnon de route du jour : un belge fraîchement retraité, qui en a encore sous la pédale et qui n’a pas sa langue dans sa poche. On fera une bonne partie de la route du lendemain avec lui. Place à l’apéro, pas de bière ce soir finalement mais c’est tout comme : Pastis ou Muscat et en prime un bel orage qui nous plongera quelques minutes dans le noir.‌ On débriefe tous ensemble autour d’un bon dîner et on file se coucher pour être en forme pour le finish demain sur Saint Félicien.

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