#Trade Courses Victoria

[dw-flagler]

what do you think marquis would have named a son and do you think she would be amy? what name would she choose

what would be her cape name. panacea sounds kind of feminine and of course it has to be a really masculine cape name because this is just an excuse for me to make her continually more miserable forever and ever.

i was thinking of this from a "can trans others but not herself" bitter irony perspective with the powers so those would likely remain unchanged.

transfem amy dallon

[impval]

somewhere only we know

Victoria Neuman x Fem!Reader Warnings: death, blood, s4 spoilers.

Just human.

Unlike her with her powers. It was you who was stronger than any Supe. You'd been there for Victoria through it all, from the dirty politics and bloody secrets. Victoria cherished how you were made for comfort, for soft laughter that echoed in home, and for peace.

Those countless hours spent working and campaigning, missing out on time she could have spent with her family, suddenly seemed insignificant. The laughter of her daughter, the sight of you peacefully asleep in the morning, and the carefree evenings watching cartoons together. All the intimate late-night whispers.

The trade-off was clear: information and aid in the fight against Homelander in exchange for her family safety. Wife and daughter. Her own safety was not a concern for Victoria, but she'd paint the whole world red to make certain you and Zoe were protected from harm.

How ironic.

In a matter of seconds, everything goes to hell.

The world tilts sideways for a moment as you are thrown backwards, landing on the ground in a heap of limbs and carpet. The pain feels like an afterthought as the adrenaline courses through your veins.

Zoe, too, is sent flying, hitting the wall next to the door with a loud thud. You scramble to your feet, eyes wide as you take in the sight of Butcher, who now a fucking Lovecraft abomination.

Victoria screams at him, but her words are lost, caught up in the thick tentacles that surround her face. Furious, because she has to survive, for the sake of her family, and scared, because she doesn't know if she can.

You were just mere human. But today you were human with a gun. It was Victoria's idea — and even though you had resisted at first, she had stood her ground. Now you so grateful for it.

Victoria buried her face into the crook of your neck, inhaling. There laid your pulse, the sound of your heartbeats and the temptation of your blood flow. It was an symphony, a song only she could hear. “I won't always be nearby to protect you,” she had warned you. “And people know who you are. So you need to know how to fight back if they come for you.”

You'd like to think your aim has gotten better. You've been training, after all. The weapon is heavy in your hands, cold, but it feels right.

And you could buy Victoria the time she needs to see Butcher. Just a moment, you know, will be enough.

All sound seems to go quiet for a moment when the first bullet leaves the barrel. But your aim is true. Go fuck yourself, Butcher. The bullets tear through the flesh of the tentacles, leaving behind a trail of black blood, thick and viscous as tar.

"Bloody…"

One of the tentacles whips sideways, hitting you. The impact sends you flying backwards once more, pain exploding across your shoulder as you collide with a wall. The gun drops from your hand, clattering against the floor just out of your reach.

The world is a haze outside of the sight of Victoria’s face, her eyes now completely white. She is the most beautiful terrifying sight you’ve ever seen, like some divine, wrathful creature that has finally descended.

And she paints a fucking room red.

You blink, and the room is a mess — walls covered in blood. And the ceiling and the carpet are covered in gore. And, oh, is this... liver? The thick tentacles go limp around Victoria, finally releasing her.

The room quickly begins to fill with a chorus of gasps and exclamations of disbelief and shock as the horror of the situation finally has time to sink in.

The whiteness of her eyes bleeds away, replaced with the pretty brown shade she usually has. Her gaze slides over the carnage she inflicted. Hughie and his band are alive, useless morons, for now.

Her mind goes quiet in an instant in face of her daughter, her child. She all but lunges for Zoe, yanking girl close in a protective embrace. Victoria wraps her arms around her daughter, gently taking hold of her shoulders and searching for any injuries. Zoe is fine, thank God.

And then finally, finally, she registers your presence. Victoria takes a step in your direction almost mindlessly. Pale skin and blood-stained clothes. You look too still on the floor, so small and fragile, and her heart skips a beat. And, god, your shoulder, a bone...

“Darling… darling, look at me.“ Victoria swallows the panic.

“Mom!“

Your daughter appears in your hazy sight, her face streaked with tears and her eyes filled with fear. Zoe was knelt down next to you, small hands fluttering over your wounded shoulder, terrified of causing you more pain and yet desperate to help.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

Victoria can taste bile in the back of her throat— the sharp, acidic tang of horror.

You’re fine, you’ll be fine...

“Get someone here! Now!” She barks, eyes ablaze.

The room erupts into chaos as Victoria’s voice carries over the commotion. She barks orders, demanding that a medic be brought here now, or everyone will suffer.

Victoria’s power is the only thing keeping you alive. The amount of blood you’ve lost should’ve been enough to kill you twice over, but Victoria has been holding onto the last of it, until medics arrive.

Your wife keeps a vigil by your bedside, her gaze fixed on your unconscious form. Zoe often sits with her, resting her head on Victoria’s shoulder. They watch you together, silently counting the minutes. Each hour brings new fears— what if you never wake up, or what if you do but there are complications? And what about physical therapy after you’ve healed, and, and, and..

Despite the severity of your injury, you fight like hell to stay alive. The doctors are constantly baffled by your resilience, but Victoria knows it’s typical behaviour. So fucking stubborn. Unwilling to go down without a fight.

She loves you for it. Her darling wife.

The first few days you spend conscious in a hospital bed are fuzzy and confusing.

Everything hurts— your shoulder is a dull, throbbing ache, and your head is hazy from the medication you’ve been on. But above the pain and the haze, you gradually become aware of a constant presence at your bedside.

They never leave.

Either Zoe or Victoria — or both — will be by your side whenever you are lucid enough to register their presence. Your daughter’s face is pale, and there are dark bags under her eyes — she clearly hasn’t slept much since you were brought here.

But even with your hand in hers, she still looks like a terrified little kid. She is a little kid. It breaks your heart to see her this way and you hate it and despise it. You wish you could go back in time and stop all this from happening.

Victoria interrogates the doctors, gathering every bit of information about your treatment plan and options for therapy. She tries to keep it all together, this is how she copes— control and order.

Hughie tries to see you once, guilt written clearly on his face, but before you can even speak a word Victoria chases him out, white-eyed and seething. Whatever friendship they once had is gone.

Victoria has always known how important you are to her. As her wife and the mother of her daughter, you stood by her side through her darkest moments, accepting all her secrets and actions.

But now?

Victoria’s by your side every step of the way. She watches the doctors change bandages and sit by your side after each operation, determined to learn everything there is to know about caring for you. She studies up on physical therapy and rehabilitation, determined to do everything she can to help you recover.

After time, Victoria relaxes, allowing herself to just be. You joke around and tell stories about your youth, sharing memories that make Zoe giggle and roll her eyes.

After being discharged from the hospital, you all head straight to your safe house — a quiet house in the middle of nowhere. The deal Victoria had made still stands, providing the safety and privacy you've always dreamed of but never dared told her about. And, well, Zoe can now finally fulfill her dream of having a mini zoo.

Your little house is idyllic, small and cozy, just like in the movies that Victoria used to watch with envy, daydreaming of the family life she always wanted. And the little things— trips to the store, indulging in some junk food for dinner, going for walks, admiring the autumn leaves crunching under your feet— these are the things that make life worth living. Even more so since you're now able to fully enjoy them.

There's a strange sort of irony in this situation.

Because of your injured shoulder, you couldn't do much to help. But you often forget that Victoria was raised in an orphanage, she knows how to get things done. The food, supplies, cleaning. It's almost amusing how she becomes the epitome of the perfect housewife without hesitation.

Deep down, you've always longed for a quiet, ordinary life, away from the spotlight, but you had given that up for Victoria, never regretting this choice. And now, all of this feels so surreal.

Your shoulder may never heal back to how it was before, but you manage with bandages, therapy and medication. Life has fallen into a routine. Morning meals, a lot more of family time, a new school for Zoe and remote work for you.

But..there is always a but.

Zoe is plagued by nightmares now, so you stay up with her during the night, literally ordering Victoria to go to bed. Your little girl clings to you whenever possible, afraid to let go. Zoe constantly worries about your health, your wellbeing — always watching over you like a protective little bird.

You knew your wife. Victoria's fear is a quieter one, she keeps her true emotions locked behind iron walls. But you know her well enough to see past that. You feel the tension in her body, the way she holds her breath. You can see the fear in her eyes.

Some things can never truly be fixed, and perhaps you all will be broken in some way forever. But it doesn't matter —

Because Zoe is happy, truly happy, as she pets and plays with her puppy, Frodo, free from the burden of her mother's political status.

Victoria is less exhausted now, and the obscene amounts of coffee she used to consume have been reduced to just one cup a day. She's content to live a simple, peaceful life.

— because you're alive. Your girls are okay. And nothing else matters.

[femsolid]

"Feminists have long avoided putting too much emphasis on the biological differences between men and women, knowing that these will be used against us to classify us as inferior. In doing so, we have painted ourselves into a corner, accepting a politics which continues to regard male-bodied people as the default humans while downplaying the equally important experiences of female-bodied people. We have fallen victim to a patriarchal protection racket, which promised us the right to be considered as something more than walking wombs in exchange for the denial of our existence as a sex class, in much the same way we were promised sexual autonomy and reproductive choice in exchange for waiving any objections to hardcore pornography and the growth of the sex trade. In both instances, men have got what they wanted without delivering their side of the bargain, but still we wait. We don’t want to make a fuss, because to do so would only draw attention to the fact that we remain female, after all. This is gender equality conceived of as a polite lie: men agree to overlook our quite obvious "female inferiority", in return for which we ease up on the demands relating to actual sex differences. As the protagonist of Elisa Albert’s 2015 novel After Birth puts it, ‘Heaven forbid it might be true that female bodies are different [. . .] Because, what? We might lose the vote? Because we might get veiled, imprisoned? Best deny it, deny it, make it to the Oval Office, win, win, win.’ And yet, as we know from 2016, we don’t make it to the Oval Office anyhow.

Meanwhile, older mothers, menopausal women, those with longer back stories, are less willing to pretend sex differences don’t matter, and are terrible at keeping quiet about it. The longer you live in a female body, the harder it is to deny its impact on your position in the world. We are encouraged to believe that any serious acknowledgement of sex difference and why it matters – and particularly any recognition of qualities which female people possess which male people lack – will lead to backlash, but once we examine what female bodies do over the course of female lifecycles, the difference between their socially constructed low status and their actual worth could not be clearer. Ageing can mean the shift from ‘I will be treated badly if I am overly identified with what my (shameful) female body can do’ to ‘My (brilliant) female body did all this, and still I get treated this way?’"

- Hags by Victoria Smith

[threadtalk]

Muslin, that diaphanous cotton of India, is steeped in a bleak history of colonialism, Imperialism, and human atrocity. That's a way to start a Monday, isn't it? But that's the thing about fashion history.

Looking at a gown like this, which dates from the late 1840s, it's easy to get lost in the beauty: the pattern, the layers, the absolute Romantic gorgeousness.

It is, undoubtedly, a work of art, making use of that thin, breathable fabric, with delicate ruching, a genius use of pattern, and a shape that's reminiscent of the 18th century.

The demand for muslin fabric was immense, bolstered by the impact of the British East India Company, beginning in the 18th century. The finest muslins were from the Dhaka region and 2000 thread count *made by hand*. Starting with Marie Antoinette and her famous chemise a la reine, the craze for muslin among the elites of Europe came at a devastating cost--eventually contributing to the loss of the art and the death of millions of people in the regions.

Because once Europeans figured out how to manufacture muslin on their own (as they did with silk, paisley, pashminas, etc) they stopped all trade with India.

And of course, the great irony is that Europeans didn't just take the art and design, but directly appropriated patterns, styles, and more. There's a reason "question beauty relentlessly" is the Thread Talk motto. Lots more info on the subject over at my blog.

© Victoria and Albert Museum, London

[good-chimes]

In honor of Life series four, Life Series Bake Off AU

NEW SERIES LAUNCHES:

Nation charmed by fresh crop of 12 amateur bakers including intensely competitive student GRIAN, ambitious cake artists BDUBS and SCAR, scientific bread experts TANGO and IMPULSE, and ETHO who has no discernible social media presence and, rumor has it, doesn’t officially exist. Married couple JOEL and LIZZIE raise eyebrows—will they be able to compete against each other?—but this is settled when Lizzie immediately announces she would murder Joel in real life to win and has bought the kitchen knife set for it, and Joel lovingly declares he keeps an axe under his pillow in case this happens.

The judges as usual are renowned cake chef PEARL, bread expert MUMBO, and our two inimitable presenters: BIGB, beloved by the nation for his gentle reassurances of weeping contestants, and MARTYN whose main contribution is his trademark eyebrow waggles as we find out from the judges who’s in trouble this week.

TART WEEK (1)

Tart week gets off to a strong start, with contestant REN charming both the judges and Martyn with his exquisite tarte au citron and his total inability to let a double-entendre go to waste (‘I’m just a tart triumph all over’ he proclaims, to Martyn’s immediate delighted riposte ‘Mm, but what do you do on the weekends?’). Law student JIMMY is not so lucky when a misreading of the recipe leads to ten times the correct amount of butter and a catastrophic oven meltdown. Star baker goes to early favorite BDUBS for an exquisite three-tier tart showstopper.

Week one elimination is, of course, the hapless Jimmy, and the recaps are united on two fronts: it's always nice to see someone on the show who reminds you of your own midnight experiments, but holy shit Jimmy, did it not give you a clue when the melted butter started pouring out of the oven like you’d stabbed the spirit of margarine to death in there. Jimmy's butter meltdown becomes a meme and he sells T-shirts; Joel immediately posts a picture wearing one.

CAKE WEEK (2)

Week two brings cake week and an impressive performance from SCAR, who embarks on a showstopper Baked Alaska in the shape of a snow-covered mountain. Tranquil in the face of GRIAN’S constant disparaging comments about his whisking technique and browned meringue, Scar perseveres and is crowned star baker for the week, while Twitter immediately declares Grian the villain of the season. A contingent of viewers theorising ‘could this be flirting’ are swiftly shouted down on social media and retreat to a dedicated subthread on a cookery forum.

Last week’s star baker BDUBS seems distracted by his new-found friendships with the quiet ETHO, who spends hours on the surprisingly unambitious Victoria Sponge. A conspiracy theory emerges that Etho invented the Victoria Sponge, refuted by weak counterarguments like “cannot possibly be true” and “he would have to be several hundred years old.” Meanwhile the nation is won over by JOEL and LIZZIE’S chemistry as they trade quips and spatulas, unfortunately Joel is eliminated after a jam mishap, at which he declares “at least I went out after Jimmy.”

TEA-TIME WEEK (3)

Tea-time week brings florentines and shortbread, but it’s a sad week for love as REN is out after his overambitious scones fail to impress. “I’m heartbroken,” Martyn announces, and cannot be consoled even by Scott’s superb showstopper petite-fours. Ren was a good sport to the end, everyone agrees. Ren spotted at a Covent Garden coffee shop with Martyn three weeks later.

HALLOWEEN WEEK (4)

The mood is jovial for Halloween week, with judge MUMBO in fake vampire fangs while ETHO bakes cookies in the form of anatomically correct skulls. LIZZIE starts off with adorable witch-hat cupcakes in little witch hats, then spends the rest of the episode precisely and effortlessly crafting a blood red mirror glazed sachertorte which the presenters refuse to look at because it “makes them uncomfortable”, and is subsequently awarded star baker for the most genuine aura of threat ever achieved by a cake.

Meanwhile GRIAN and SCAR continue to genially snipe at each other throughout. TANGO asks BDUBS to turn his oven off at a crucial moment; unfortunately Bdubs forgets and then blames Tango for relying on him, leading to the charred mess of Tango’s showstopper and a social media uproar dubbed “OvenGate”. Bdubs alternately sorrowful and dramatically dismissive. This cruel betrayal knocks Tango out of the tent; a public petition is started for his reinstatement.

WEDDING WEEK (5)

Puppet theater designer CLEO has her star turn in wedding week with ranks of beautiful marzipan figurines on all her bakes. An intense rivalry develops between her and wedding-enthusiast BDUBS, who declares his magnificent fondant confection a dry run for his impending marriage to ETHO, a stranger he met ten days ago. When asked by presenters how much of this is a joke, Etho laughs and says “I guess?”, which leaves the nation none the wiser. Unfortunately IMPULSE’S canapes are considered uninspired and he is uninvited from both the wedding reception and the series.

BREAD WEEK (6)

The feared bread week comes around and all the artistic cake-makers wobble badly. SCAR and GRIAN just scrape through, but CLEO’S triumph last week turns to tragedy despite the trouble she has gone to to model a realistic centaur out of sourdough. Bdubs makes an impromptu speech to camera about how she was robbed but he intends to triumph in her honor.

MEDIEVAL WEEK (7)

The experimental medieval week takes the bakers on an outdoor camping trip where they will attempt to build their own stoves and use them to replicate historical bread techniques. BDUBS’S enthusiasm for this and his drive to impress ETHO turn out to be his downfall as, distracted, he builds a stove that bleeds heat and fails to brown his bread. Etho meanwhile excels at both the survival and breadmaking aspects, leading to a divide on Twitter on whether this level of competence is hot or just very concerning, potentially the cake equivalent of a serial killer. The Victoria Sponge theory is raised again. Etho alleviates some concerns by getting lost three times in an open field over the course of the episode, which loses him enough baking time that dark horse SCOTT pips him to the post of star baker.

WINTER WARMTH WEEK (8)

Week eight arrives and five bakers remain: LIZZIE and SCOTT are known to be good all-rounders, ETHO is the reigning technical expert, SCAR remains the favorite on the cakes side, and GRIAN is mainly known for his habit of constantly sneaking spoonfuls of Scar’s cake mix so he can mock the taste. Social media opinion is divided into “Grian is a good baker actually”, “Grian is only still in because of executive meddling”, and the small but determined contingent of “no guys we really think they’re flirting??” who have emerged from their cookery subthread unbowed and with compilations of video evidence.

The set gets cozy with winter warmth week. Brandy-based showstoppers are the order of the day, and LIZZIE wins the episode by crafting a biscuit unicorn with a mane you can set on fire. ETHO invents an intricate brandy plumbing system to shoot flaming alcohol above his plum pudding—this attempt is in fact a good deal too successful and instead sets MARTYN’S hair on fire. GRIAN comes to his aid but ends up adding more brandy. Judge PEARL extinguishes the flames with a bowl of cinnamon milk. The judges are clearly not feeling merciful when it comes to the scores and Etho’s run comes to a premature end.

DOUBLES WEEK (9)

Some old favorites return for doubles week, where each of the remaining four bakers is helped out by an eliminated contestant on the other end of the phone. GRIAN for once assesses the limits of his own talents and asks to pair up with ETHO, a plan that immediately pays off when the contestants are challenged with a tricky technical that sees them baking the perfect pumpernickel bread. SCAR, having asked to pair up with BDUBS, is quickly underwater as neither of them understand yeast.

Scar’s floundering proves too much for Grian, who belligerently passes along his pumpernickel tips from Etho, saving Scar’s technical enough for him to scrape through. When challenged by Martyn, Grian grudgingly admits, “I just want Scar to stay in, okay?” Some recaps clear him of his villain status; others are still convinced it’s a fluke.

Meanwhile SCOTT turns in an efficient technical with help from CLEO and also JIMMY, who is apparently sitting in Cleo’s living room just to heckle Scott. LIZZIE calls on husband JOEL, but a combination of overconfidence and flirting distracts them both, leading to a burnt crust and Lizzie’s elimination from the final four.

MERINGUE WEEK (Final Episode)

In the finale, SCOTT, SCAR, and GRIAN face off over a series of escalating meringue-based challenges. Whatever alliance sprung up between Grian and Scar in the last episode is clearly water under the bridge as the two of them obsessively steal each other’s ingredients and annoy each other into trivial mistakes. This escalates into a noisy quarrel over the main challenge of the week: an edible diorama of a cactus ring. Scar’s attempts to ‘aesthetically correct’ Grian’s mountain diorama leads to Grian melting his sugar-spun cacti with a crème brulée torch.

The two are no longer speaking by the showstopper, where Grian embarks on a desperate attempt to make up points with an ambitious trifle in a castle-shaped wall of macarons while Scar builds his own grand macaron diorama. The clock ticks down. Scott is creating an impeccable strawberry pavlova. The trifle is going badly. Grian is covered in sugar and regret. BigB pats him reassuringly on the shoulder.

At the last moment, Scar sacrifices half his perfect macarons to donate to Grian’s diorama. Grian, for once lost for words, grabs his apron and kisses him right in front of Martyn’s swiftly-derailed countdown. “Grian had a beautiful artistic vision,” Scar says sentimentally afterwards. “You have to respect the craft!” They snog behind the tasting table. Mumbo gamely attempts to award points. Pearl in a laughing fit behind the cameras. Martyn and BigB solemnly wrap up the shot with Martyn’s best cake-based innuendoes. Grian and Scar do not notice.

Scott wins the series. He got so many more points on the cactus ring technical.

[gayuu-the-necromancer]

Ikevil Male Leads in a Job interview

WARNING: This is a joke, please don't act like this in your actual interview!

Liam:

Interviewer: "Tell me about yourself."

Liam: "My name is Liam Evans. I'm a stage actor for the past X no. of years and also works as assassin behind the scenes. I was forcefully put into a mental hospital at a very young age after I was accused of killing my parents and my butler and also burning my family mansion. Due to this, I get frequent episodes where I go completely crazy and do things out of curiosity."

Interviewer: *WTF!!?*

William:

Interviewer: "What are your strengths and weakness?"

William: "Well...I can give orders to people and force them to do whatever I want by just looking into their eyes."

Interviewer: ".........Are you implying that you possess, leadership skills?"

William: "I won't necessary call it a leadership skill because I love seeing people being free and being the master of their own actions."

Interviewer: "..........."

Interviewer: "..........O-Okay, then what are your weaknesses?"

William: "Strawberries."

Interviewer: "........."

William: "....fufu....I'm sorry, that's the only thing I can't share?"

Harrison:

Interviewer: "So Mr Harrison, why do want this job?"

Harrison: "Honestly, I just wanna a job because I want to avoid going to home because there is this annoying old man in house who constantly gives me tasks in the name of Queen Victoria."

Interviewer: "....Was it supposed to be a joke?"

Harrison: "You tell me. Am I lying or saying the true?" *takes out his strawberry milk can*

Interviewer: ".........."

Elbert:

Interviewer: "So Mr. Greetia, how do you put an elephant inside a refrigerator?"

Elbert: "..............Does putting an elephant inside...makes it beautiful?"

Interviewer: "Excuse me?"

Elbert: "I have preserved many animal skins before.......but never an elephant. .....Do you think an elephant is beautiful...?"

Interviewer: "..........Ha?"

Alphonse:

Interviewer: "Can you work under pressure?"

Alphonse: "Of course. Not only working under pressure, I can also help others in my team to work effectively."

Interviewer: "Oh, how?"

Alphonse: "I can give them blissful dreams to help them relieve their stress."

Interviewer: "B-Blissful dreams...?"

Alphonse: "Want to find out? *removes his gloves* Let's have fun together, shall we?"

Interviewer: "NO!" *runs away*

Roger:

Interviewer: "Can you tell me about a time you had to deal with an unsatisfied customer?"

Roger: "As a part of my job, I do encounter various types of patients. But there is this one bastard who is always ungrateful. He's my regular customer and always comes to me for check up and no matter how much I work hard to treat his injuries and lung problems, this son of bitch calls me a quack and then smokes right in front of me! After I treated his lungs! Seeing him makes me wanna pull out my gun, shoved it his mouth and shoot him. But I have to control myself because I'm a doctor."

Interviewer: ".............."

Roger: "Your heart rate is fast....are you okay?"

Ellis:

Interviewer: "So tell me why you quit your last job?"

Ellis: "Well....I was doing a contract job with my previous employer. But no matter how much I tried, I just couldn't make my boss happy."

Interviewer: ".....................Huh?"

Interviewer: "E-Excuse me...what kind of job were you doing before?"

Ellis: "I was working in a trading company as my boss's assistant and carry out whatever orders my boss gives me. It could range from simple collections to straight up assassination and cleaning up. But no matter how much I worked hard, my efforts couldn't bear a fruit. I couldn't make my boss happy....*sad face*

Intervierwer: "E....Erm...."

Ellis: "Will you give me a job here? I promise I'll make you the happiest person in this entire world." *smiles*

Interviewer: *runs away feeling embarrassed*

Ellis: "Did I make them sad too?" *sad face*

Jude:

Interviewer: "Phew....that was a lot...In my entire career, I have never interviewed a bunch of weirdos....*sighs* please call the next---"

*gunshot*

Interviewer: "WHAT THE HELL!? Was that a gunshot!?"

*Door opens*

CEO: "Please! please help me! He's after my life!"

Jude: "Where's that bastard who stole my money? You think you can steal my money and get away huh? Now how should I punish you?"

CEO: "Mr. Jude....please...I'm sorry...I just wanted to start my own company..."

Jude: "If you wanted to start your own company, you should have done it with your own money, you jackass. *lights his cigarette while standing in front of the 'no smoking' sign board* Tch....Usually, I would let Ellis handle these kinds of errands, but now I have to do it myself."

Interviewer: (Wait....so this guy was Ellis's...previous boss)

Jude: *Shots the CEO in the head*

Jude: "Now I'm taking over your company. Since it's technically build from my money" *laughs manically*

Interviewer: *faints*

Jude: "Hm? *looks at the fainted interviewer* What the?"

[thecarnivorousmuffinmeta]

Hello! Been reading your twilight posts recentlt and was wondering what you think might have happened if James had killed Emmett in the ballet studio, particularly how it would have affected Rosalie/her dynamic with the Cullens?

Bella feels horribly guilty to learn that her stupid plan to save her mother (who had not been kidnapped) as well as the fact that she drew James's attention in the first place (which would not have happened had she not intruded in the Cullen's world where she feels she doesn't belong) got someone killed. Not just someone, either, but one of the Cullens, Edward's beloved brother, and Emmett who seemed so nice for all she didn't know him that well.

Bella is devastated and feels increadibly guilty and horrible.

This is made worse by Rosalie's (understandable if not ideal) reaction where I imagine she blames Bella to her face. This never would have happened if Bella had not been involved in their lives, not come to that baseball game, or if they hadn't saved her from that stupid van/killed her the night after like Rosalie wanted to. Rosalie feels as if she's traded Emmett for Bella and she hates that.

Edward of course blames Rosalie for having the worst reaction possible and actively driving Bella into a depression.

I imagine Rosalie leaves, Edward clearly isn't leaving Bella (as I imagine he'd want to hold on a little longer/this wouldn't be the New Moon wakeup call for him) and she wants time on her own to grieve/not get into fights with Edward over whose fault it is that Emmett died. No doubt Rosalie also blames the family somewhat as if they had sided with her and chosen not to protect Bella, Emmett would be alive. It's understandable why they wanted to protect Bella but it also was dangerous and risked someone dying for what. Rosalie needs some time to process alone.

Bella now feels she's driven Rosalie out of the family, this makes her guilt even worse.

I imagine Bella actively tries to avoid the Cullen household that summer (unlike canon) as being there reminds Bella of what happened/she believes it reminds the Cullens of what happened...

Honestly, I think Bella dumps Edward. She tries to hang on to him but as the weeks go by and his family is clearly falling apart, and it's all her fault, and he's sitting there being so sweet when she just effectively murdered his brother...

I don't think Bella could do it, it'd be too much and she'd double down on "Edward deserves better than me". Especially when she can justify that Edward can't read her thoughts, he's clearly too good to ever blame her when she deserves it, and she can say to herself "Edward doesn't realize how awful of a person I am."

So, Bella breaks up with him so that he can have someone better, his family can move, and they can heal. Edward is shocked and horrified but in the midst of his despair and depression remembers that this was what he wanted, he wanted to leave Bella eventually and her doing it versus him might be better. So, Edward leaves immediately and steals all her pictures/every gift he ever gave her.

Bella sinks into her New Moon depression immediately (made worse by Emmett's death and the fact that Bella did this herself and now is weak for wanting to take back her decision and oh god she's the worst person on the planet).

The Hallucination Edward times are even more fraught as Bella feels doubly guilty in that she shouldn't want to summon Edward and yet she can't live without him. I imagine this results in even riskier behavior as Bella genuinely thinks she should die and gets closer and closer to actively wanting it.

Bella probably succeeds in killing herself.

(The Jacob thing here... I don't know if he could help because the thing is Bella despises herself so much/feels so guilty and Jacob has no context for understanding this even if he becomes a wolf (added that Bella now is responsible for people dying because Victoria is actively hunting her) that I don't think Bella can use her friendship with him to claw her way out of depression.

He'd probably just make her feel worse given he shifted because of Victoria which is because of her and have we mentioned Emmett is dead?)

I imagine Alice does not tell Rosalie in part because Rosalie's not near her when it happens also because... well... bad history and Alice blames Rosalie for this mess.

This means no one tells Edward.

Edward's suicide is thus put off for as long as he feels he can live without Bella. When he breaks and goes to check on her, he discovers she's died and goes to Volterra to kill himself where no one is able to stop him from breaking the law.

[chatonarya]

BI Drama CD First Impressions

As I posted yesterday, the first disc of the Break The Ice drama CD was uploaded for free listening on Youtube, all 77 minutes of it. Now that I've listened through the whole thing, I think I can conclusively talk about it a bit. Beware spoilers, not for BI specifically but for the changes they made in the adaptation.

First off, the decision to open up with the conversation between Enciodes and Gnosis where Gnosis tells Enciodes to let him instigate the power shift is an interesting one. Rather than revealing this plot twist at the climax of the story, they lay it out clearly from the beginning that the whole thing is a play orchestrated by the two of them, and Kjera, who is the narrator, even calls it that. There's also some additional dialogue where instead of Enciodes remaining silent in the face of Gnosis's decision, he agrees and says "Let's start the play." While on the one hand, I enjoy the emotional weight of the original scene where Enciodes is unhappy about Gnosis's decision and the effects it will have on him, but aware that Gnosis's mind is made up and won't be swayed, he does not verbally protest. On the other hand, without visual sprites, I understand that they needed to have Enciodes say more in this scene, and I do in fact enjoy just how dramatic it is; I've long since referred to them as a pair of drama queens and it's actually kind of funny to see it laid out like that. It also adds a bit to the scene where Enciodes meets up with Gnosis again and proclaims that they've won, so now he's no longer against Gnosis's actions from the start. While opening with the twist changes the emotional denouement somewhat, I suppose at this point everyone already knows it from the start.

There's also a few nice bits of exposition added that I think enhance the overall narrative. For instance, Monch mentions to Gnosis that Rhodes Island has helped not just Ensia's Oripathy but Aurora's as well, and Aurora's position as one of the Karlan Trade-sponsored students is emphasized. She and Gnosis also discuss a job listing for the Browntails, explaining how she infiltrated the Browntail household. It's also explicitly stated that it was a train accident in which Olafur and Elizabeth died, something which I don't think was ever stated in that exact combination of words in the game text (simply that they died en-route to the Browntail trap house, but it can be inferred that it was a train accident). Ensia also talks at length about how Enciodes founded Karlan Trade with Gnosis and the work they've done, and even drops a date that I can't seem to recall seeing in the text anywhere--she mentions that Enya became the Saintess five years prior to present day, meaning that it happened two years after Enciodes's return to Kjerag from Victoria. I need to double-check this, but I cannot recall getting a solid date like that for when the rift in the Silverash family happened. It would also mean likely that Ensia's infection happened thenabouts too.

Speaking of Ensia, it's absolutely adorable how she rambles on and calls Enciodes and Gnosis her two onii-chan. She seems really quite fond of Gnosis despite the latter probably maintaining a somewhat detached relationship with her. I wonder if he did the emergency first-aid and treatment on her when she first got infected.

On the subject of the voice acting, it is, of course, superb. I appreciate how Doctor's voice sounds very smooth and androgynous. Ratatos and Sciurus both sound very fitting for their characters. Chester sounds somewhat young to my ears and Valais sounds older, and Gulo doesn't sound nearly as brutish as I imagined and Arctosz not as deep, but these are simple observations and aren't detractions. I was surprised how timid Enya sounds during the Tri-Clan Conference, as I'd always imagined her speaking with a frosty venom to Enciodes rather than hesitance, but I suppose it's understandable as she isn't fully sure of herself there as she is later on.

It's also a joy to hear Degenbrecher. I absolutely adore the way her JP VA plays her, and here as well she maintains a curt aloofness tempered by a hidden wry edge through which her hidden sense of humor peeps out. It's also cute how she speaks in a gentler tone of voice to Ensia.

Midorikawa and Konishi are of course great. They play their characters fantastically. Konishi renders Enciodes as stoic as he always appears, and Midorikawa gives Gnosis this perfect clipped voice that is integral, in my mind, to his character. The moment where Gnosis storms out of the conference room is the moment where Midorikawa gives him this perfect snarl, and when Enciodes is concerned for the consequences their play will have for Gnosis, Enciodes sounds distinctly softer and reluctant. He plays Enciodes with very subtle changes that you have listen closely to catch.

I've also always been a fan of Courier's voice, so hearing more of him was very nice. The decision to make Kjera the narrator was a good one as well, I think. Who better, after all? There's also a cute moment where Aurora asks Doctor if they want a princess carry this time and they decline.

I want to say that the order of events is pretty much the same, but they may have moved a conversation or two around for the sake of exposition and clarity, and I'm fine with it.

Overall, I'm very happy with it so far. I think the decision to adapt BI into a voice drama was a good one, as much as I would've loved to see it animated: it's mostly a political drama without much action, and its story is being told quite well here. Inevitably, some things are lost and gained in the transition of medium, but I'm glad that they didn't just follow the BI script word-for-word but rather have clearly adjusted and added and streamlined where necessary.

I'm looking forward to the rest!

[greenygal]

Due South s1 recs, part 4

The Blue Line

Thirty-Seven Percent, by Luzula (Fraser/Mark Smithbauer, one-sided)--In which Mark causes a sexuality crisis in teenage Fraser, which he addresses by secretly reading the research of Alfred Kinsey. Because Fraser.

Astray, by Sproid (Fraser/Mark Smithbauer)--In which teenage Mark is very enthusiastically into Fraser.

Five Times Benton Fraser Hugged Someone and Meant It, by jaywright (Fraser/Victoria, Fraser/Ray K)--The Mark section of this is so sweet.

Special, by DesireeArmfeldt (Fraser/Mark Smithbauer, unrequited)--In which Mark feels guilty and therefore does not sleep with Fraser in Chicago. Angst and woe!

On the other hand, in these stories Mark absolutely does sleep with Fraser in Chicago:

Old Friends, by Ultra_Chrome (Fraser/Mark Smithbauer)

Our Track Record, by Luzula (Fraser/Mark Smithbauer)

Second Chances, by Lomelinde (Fraser/Mark Smithbauer)

What We're Thinking, by Sproid (Fraser/Mark Smithbauer)

In which Ray just wants Fraser to be happy after Mark leaves:

Hockey Night in Chicago, by dmarley

Too hot for this kind of thing, by belmanoir (Fraser/Ray V)

Five Things Benton Fraser Lost in the Apartment Fire, by ifreet--So...all those carefully collected trading cards? Yeah. I'm so sorry.

Interlude, by china_shop (Fraser/Mark Smithbauer, unrequited)--A vacationing Fraser asks Mark to look over a promising local kid; there's a little reminiscing--Fraser’s grandmother has the best line in the story and she’s not even in it--a little hockey, but no actual sex. Sorry, Mark.

Hawks and Hands, by Dira Sudis (Fraser/Mark Smithbauer, Fraser/Ray K)--A lengthy Fraser/Ray K AU in which most of the characters are in hockey (although Ray V is still a cop). Filled with sex, hockey, and a slow-growing mystery about the death of Fraser's father.

Ice, by twistedchick--So this is my recs list, and if I want to rec a Sports Night crossover about a romance between Dan Rydell and Mark Smithbauer, then I will! Fraser does turn up in one section to be very charming, but I am genuinely here for the Dan/Mark.

***

The Deal

Father Confessor, by Keerawa (Ray V/Angie, Ray V/Fraser (one-sided), Ray V/Stella)--This is an outside POV fic that runs from Ray's childhood through post-canon; I'm putting it here because it has a fair bit about Zuko, including Ray talking about what happened to Marco Mitrani. (Warnings for Catholic homophobia.)

All the other recs deal with the events at the end of the episode (no Frannie, that's for next ep)

Weight, by sdwolfpup

Most powerful is he, by mercuriosity

Regret, by sdwolfpup

Odd-Numbered Nights, by MSSalieri

****

Heaven and Earth

(note: I feel that “Heaven and Earth” should be before “An Invitation to Romance”, and it’s my list so it will be!)

Layaway, by Keerawa--Frannie discovers why she's not what Fraser wants.

During Frannie’s confrontation with Ray, she hears what’s underneath the words:

Conversation, by Aimee (Fraser/Ray V)

Heaven and Earth, by amosanguis (Fraser/Ray V)

Conviction, by china_shop (Fraser/Ray V)--“Ray was forced to admit that not only did he have a type that included guys but, even worse, he had the same taste in guys as his little sister Frannie.”

Long, Slow Drift, by Belmanoir (Fraser/Ray V)—An amazing look at Ray's POV on this episode, placed in the context of his history and family relationships, and of course his feelings for Fraser.

“All he knows is that when he tries to think about dreaming, he gets a sudden urge to duck.”

***

An Invitation to Romance

subatomic particles bursting in the air, by facingthenorthwind--A look at some things Fraser might have been thinking in the garbage truck scene.

A Searching and Fearless Inventory, by Nos4a2no9--A consideration of a different reason Fraser might not drink. Not otherwise related to the episode, but it's an interesting idea and I'll take this excuse to include it.

[theyonagoda]

Cutlery of the Franklin Expedition

Here’s a (non-definitive, of course) list of crew on the Franklin Expedition who got their hands on officers’ cutlery. It’s not absolute proof that these men outlived whoever had these forks and spoons beforehand, but I do feel like it’s rather telling. Why did they take them? If it’s to preserve the precious silver plate of these cutlery, why scratch in their names? Perhaps these silverware could’ve served as potential trade offerings? Or maybe to serve as a metaphorical trail of breadcrumbs, for the discovery of officer’s cutlery, often adorned with distinctive crests, can alert others to their presence? Perhaps they simply held some sentimental value. Either way, it’s quite interesting to think about how they ended up where they did.

“WG” (William Goddard, Captain of the Hold, Terror / William Gibson, Subordinate Officers' Steward, Terror) -> John Franklin’s spoon (Purchased in Cape Norton)

“WR” (William Rhodes, Quartermaster, Terror / William Reed, Private Royal Marine, Erebus) -> John Franklin’s fork (Found in McClintlock’s Boat Place)

William Wentzell, Able Seaman, Terror -> John Irving’s cutlery fork, John Franklin’s tablespoon (Purchased in Repulse Bay and Cape Norton respectively) We can rule out it being an “MM” for Magnus Manson because Magnus wrote differently.

Cornelius Hickey, Caulker’s Mate, Terror -> James Fairholme’s teaspoon (Purchased in Repulse Bay)

“TT” (Thomas Terry, Boatswain, Erebus / Thomas Tadman, Able Seaman, Erebus) -> John Franklin’s spoon (Found in McClintlock’s Boat Place)

William Closson, Able Seaman, Erebus -> John Franklin’s fork (Purchased in Cape victoria)

“C” or “J” in opposite orientation -> John Franklin’s dessert spoon (Purchased near Pelly Bay) (We can rule out officers who have their own cutlery, as well as Closson.)

“I.W,” which nobody on the two boats had the initials of, could be “JW” or “TW” -> John Franklin’s dessert spoon (Found in an abandoned boat in Erebus Bay)

Given that most of these cutlery were obtained through trade with local Inuit years after their owner’s deaths, it’s not really a reliable way of determining which paths were traveled by whom, but it’s quite interesting nonetheless. 

[variousqueerthings]

Me and @gjdraws were talking about how it would have been great to have an inverse scene of fraser and irene talking to back when ray and victoria met, but it'd end differently of course

ray and victoria = openly despise each other, hostile AF, pretty textually Ready To Kill And Maim

fraser and irene = mutual respect, could lead to friendship, but at the very least understand that they both want the same thing (for ray to be happy) and can come together on that. that being said they could trade very veiled bitchy barbs at one another given the right circumstances

secret third is ray and meg = two cats in the same home who sometimes get on but also sometimes bap each other off table counters for the hell of it

[scotianostra]

25th January marks the annual celebration of Burns Night - a time to celebrate Scotland's favourite son, and world renowned poet and song writer Robert Burns who was born on this day 1759.

I have covered Oor Rabbie on may occasions so on this day I hope to bring you a few facts about Scotland's National Bard and his legacy.

Known as somewhat of a ladies man, Burns is known to have fathered 12 or 13 children, depending on the source, to 4 different women. His last born child, Maxwell, was born on the same day as his funeral 25 July 1796, meaning his wife Jean Armour missed his send off.

As a lad growing up in Ayrshire, Burns was always fond of supernatural stories, most of which were told to him by an old widow who helped out on his father's farm. These stories no doubt had an influence on his writings in the future and perhaps were the inspiration for his classic masterpiece, Tam O'Shanter and the lesser known Adress to the Deil and Halloween. Even in these poems he flattered the fairer sex with his words, this from the latter poem.....

The lasses feat, an' cleanly neat, Mair braw than when they're fine; Their faces blythe, fu' sweetly kythe, Hearts leal, an' warm, an' kin':

Of course Burns also gives another of his favourite subjects a mention in this verse, "the deil himsel," Look it up it's another guid yin!

Burns didn't always want to stay in Scotland - he hoped to move to the Caribbean island of Jamaica. Although following the success of his poetry collection 'Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect' (or the Kilmarnock Edition as it is known), he opted to move closer to home, settling in Edinburgh for a time.

For all his fame, Burns never forgot his humble roots. His love for farming stayed with him throughout his life and his writing often dealt with issues affecting the poorer classes, notably highlighting the need for greater social equality. Indeed he is known as the Ploughman Poet, a nod to his farming life.

And on his legacy, Burns has gathered some very famous fans since his passing, US president Abraham Lincoln could recite Burns’ works by heart. Bob Dylan says that ‘A Red, Red Rose’ by Burns is his source of greatest creative inspiration and Michael Jackson song Thriller is said to have been inspired by Tam O'Shanter.

In Japan at pedestrian crossing you don't get beeps like here in Scotland, they play a rendition of the Burns song ‘Coming Through The Rye’.

There are more statues in honour of Rabbie than any other male figure in history, only surpassed in total by Queen Victoria. (I am not including religious statues).

In 2005 Robert Burns was the first person ever to feature on a bottle of Coca Cola, about a million were made they currently trade for around £10 and I have one, unopened in my kitchen cupboard.

Arguably Burns most famous song, Auld Lang Syne, has appeared in over 170 Hollywood films including The Apartment, It’s A Wonderful Life and When Harry Met Sally. , but he only rewrote the verse, he sent the poem to the Scots Musical Museum in 1788 indicating that it was an ancient song but that he'd been the first to record it on paper. The phrase 'auld lang syne' roughly translates as 'for old times' sake', and the song is all about preserving old friendships and looking back over the events of the year.

In the US city of Atlanta, there is a life-size imitation of Burns’ first home in Alloway, South Ayrshire, although it doesn't have the famous thatched roof.

In Scotland, there are some 20 official Burns memorials dotted around the country, from Aberdeen to the final resting place of Burns in Dumfries, which commemorate his journey from Ayrshire to ��Auld Lang Syne”.

‘My Heart’s in the Highlands’ was translated and adopted as the marching song of the Chinese resistance fighter in the Second World War.

In 2009 STV viewers voted Robert Burns ‘The Great Scot’, beating the likes of William Wallace, Robert the Bruce among others.

There are Burns Clubs scattered across the globe, but the very first one, known as The Mother's Club, was founded in Greenock in 1801. They held the very first Burns Supper on what they thought was his birthday, January 29th 1802, only to discover that his birthday was actually January 25th!

Since then Burns suppers have been held worldwide.

I know some of you out there will toil to understand some of Burns's poetry, don't fear you will find the Best of Robert Burns, translated into the "de'il's tongue" just Click here...

The song Ae Fond Kiss, was one of my mums favourites the words "Never met-or never parted, We had ne'er been broken-hearted" are inscribed on her grave......"

[anew-flame]

Just wanted to post my Trespasser epilogue for my Inquisitor, Rhaella Trevelyan. This was my very first playthrough of any Dragon Age game, and I’m happy with my choices! Might do a second playthrough with everything exactly the same because I’m not ready to say goodbye 🥺

Under a cut to preserve your dashes plus hide spoilers:

In short, the Inquisition was disbanded. Some were relieved to see the unpredictable organization dismantled. Others prepared to remember the Inquisition’s good works and the many lives it saved. Those who had served returned to their former lives, knowing they had stopped a great evil from destroying the world…and hoping that the peace for which they had fought remained, once the Inquisition was gone.

With the Dragon’s Breath disrupted and any hope of a swift victory dashed, the Qunari retreated back to the North. Few knew what debates were waged in Par Vollen, but not long after the Exalted Council, the Qunari launched new attacks against Tevinter. Their aggression caught the already unstable Imperium off guard. Tevinter was soon mired in a war many feared could spread across Thedas.

The Exalted Council remained intact, advising Divine Victoria on important matters. Cassandra served for several years. While she often disagreed with Leliana’s policies, the former Right and Left Hands of the Divine shared a mutual respect and worked well together.

Cassandra also spent time in the Hunterhorn Mountains north of Orlais, where she worked to rebuild the Seekers. For a time, the new Seekers remained reclusive, showing no interest in worldly affairs and working to a purpose few outside their order could guess.

The end of the Inquisition as it had been sent shock waves through the College of Enchanters. Madam de Fer ably played on the mages’ fears. New followers united to build a new circle — with Vivienne as its Grand Enchanter — in direct competition with the College. What the Circle lacked in numbers, they made up for in political connection; soon they were a force to be reckoned with. The two institutions settled into an uneasy coexistence across the South, vying for power.

After the Exalted Council, Leliana devoted herself fully to the Sunburst Throne and her dream of reshaping the Chantry. Within a year, she removed restrictions surrounding Chantry priesthood, allowing men and women of all races to be initiated and ordained. The decree was followed swiftly be her decision to return the Canticle of Shartan to the canonical Chant, a move that divided Andrastians deeply. A rebellion to renounce her and return the Chantry to its former state arose, beginning first in Orlais, then spreading to other parts of Thedas. Divine Victoria was resolute, holding her ground even after several unsuccessful attempts on her life. Seemingly unconcerned with the assassination attempts, she held up the hostility leveled against her as proof that she was on the right path.

With the Inquisition disbanded, Sera joined the Inquisitor in officially retiring from scaring people in high places. By formal account and agreement, both would lead boring, safe lives nowhere special doing not much at all. And with that comforting lie, those in power continued their fragile lives as though all was back to normal. Meanwhile, Red Jenny, an entirely separate person not at all collectively embodied by Sera, the inquisitor, and countless friends continued to make a difference, or just have fun, where and when the impulse struck.

With frequent visits to her Widdle, of course.

Perhaps most unnerving was Sera’s standing offer to the Divine: “When the nobs piss about with your Left Hand or Right, call on Red Jenny to give them two fingers.”

Varric took up the role of Viscount and, with the help of his friend Hawke, rebuilt Kirkwall’s damaged infrastructure. Under his rule, the city-state finally resumed its place as the major trade hub of the Free Marches. He continued to ignore all mail from both the Merchants Guild and the Prince of Starkhaven.

With the inquisition disbanded, the Bull’s chargers returned to taking jobs throughout Orlais and Ferelden. Fighting demons and clearing out the remains of Venatori forces, the Iron Bull did his part to restore order to Thedas.

Many of the jobs brought the Chargers close to the Imperium’s border, where, from time to time, in a border-town villa… Bull and a certain Tevinter magister would spend a few hours together before life pulled them apart again.

After the Inquisition disbanded, Cullen and the Inquisitor retired to private life together. Unburdened by the restrictions of their offices, they continued doing good works on their own terms. That is, after a long-overdue visit to Cullen’s siblings, who were overjoyed to meet their new sister-in-law.

Dorian returned to Tevinter to take his father’s place in the Magisterium. As rumors flew about the Imperium’s infighting, Dorian was spoken of often as a voice of resistance against corruption. Along with Magister Maevaris Tilani, he formed a group called the Lucerni to restore and redeem Tevinter — a fight many thought hopeless.

Those fighting by Magister Pavus’s side noted that he kept in constant contact with the Inquisitor via message crystal. Whether for vital information or for moral support, these talks seemed to give Dorian the strength to continue his fight.

On one occasion, Venatori forces ambushed Dorian, who likely would have died had not an unnamed mercenary band led by a Tal-Vashoth warrior crossed Tevinter’s border and mounted a dangerous rescue operation. The mercenaries left a trail of freed slaves and dead Venatori in their wake, enabling Dorian to escape. When asked about the Tal-Vashoth in question, Magister Pavus declined to comment.

Them Rainier was shown mercy when none was deserved, and set on a path of redemption. This gift, so compassionately given, needed to be shared. Freed from his obligations to the Inquisition, Rainier traveled Thedas, giving hope to the condemned and the forgotten.

In the deepest prisons and pits of Thedas, he found, if not goodness itself, its potential. By showing faith in those who had none, Rainier lifted them up and made them into something better than they were.

With the Inquisition disbanded, Josephine made her farewells and returned to Antiva and her family. She was soon approached by an agent from the House of Repose, whose assassins had been killed by Inquisition agents on Josephine’s behalf. Far from being offended, the House of Repose was inquiring as to whether Josephine might have need of their services. She quickly persuaded them she had no need for assassins, but instead hired them as guards for the Montilyets’ new trading vessels. Rivaini pirates looking to rekindle an ancient feud soon learned that the Montilyets’ ships were not lightly boarded, and her house prospered greatly.

Cole returned to the Fade, saying that there was more pain coming, and that he knew where Compassion would be most needed. He promised that his friends in the Inquisition would remember him… and that where the hurt was greatest, he would help.

After the events at the Winter Palace, elves left the Inquisition under mysterious circumstances, as did elven servants across Thedas. None could say where they went, but those who believed the Inquisitor’s story about Fen’Harel wondered just how large the Dread Wolf’s forces were... and what the ancient elven rebel had planned.

[innytoes]

Any pairing(s) you like + Pirates AU!

-Okay but Pirate Queen Rose and her first mate and husband Ray sailing the seven seas and picking up Found Family along the way.

-Of course the ship is named The Dahlia.

-Of course the sails are purple, if you're gonna be a pirate you gotta be a little bit Extra, right?

-They have their crew, which mostly consists of Rose's former band. Turns out nobody wants an all-female troubadour band, and pirating is much more lucrative anyway.

-They pick up Luke first, who ran away from home to become a musician and see the world but is having trouble with the whole 'seeing the world' thing because he refuses to sell his lute to fund his travels but playing for tips sucks. Rose is like: eh he has strong arms he'll be useful.

-He is, once he stops being seasick for like a week straight.

-Ray comes home with young Reggie one day and Rose takes one look at the puppy dog eyes on both of them and is like: fine you can keep him but you have to find him a job.

-Turns out Reggie is great at navigation and calculating the best and most efficient way to travel.

-Willie comes to Rose with an offer: he will give her all the routes and information on the Covington Trade Company's ships for the next two months if she grants safe passage to him and the sweet merchant boy who he's fallen in love with.

-Of course she says yes, because Fuck Covington and also 'aww young love'.

-Victoria has no idea what you're talking about, her sister died at sea a long time ago. Very tragic. She fell for some fisherman boy and they got caught during a storm and never returned. She definitely does not take note of horrible people charting vessels that should be ransacked and send them to a certain little seaside pub known to be safe or pirates. She's just writing a letter to her cousin... Rosalie. Yes it's a family name.