#Yes Jack listen to the GREAT DECEIVER

[darke15]

Hello, Anna!!!!!!!! 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤 @itsarussian

aww such a nice way to start the chapter..

..with a bucky nightmare :)

You’re welcome 😏

"“Whenever you or Steve think, it’s never a good thing for me.” Bucky scoffed lightly to himself" he's right tough, everytime he's in iìthe middle of it 

Fr tho 

“I’m thinkin’ Romanoff might be right.” OKAY i knooow that clint can't be running around and telling everything BUT i feel like he couldn't hide such a thing from her for long, at least without giving some indication that he knew something more about the whole situation (being a spy aside)

😈😈😈

"She wasn’t their friend, she was a manipulator that had been lying to them from the start." is he wrong though..? >:/

That’s the thing…he’s really not 

can you imagine boone, when they all come clear, giving steve an oscar AHAHAHAH

I can definitely imagine her giving him something 😏

Aunt May is gonna be so mad AND NED AHAHAH poor guys

She gonna be mad mad 

between that freaking voice and the flashbacks constantly playing before her eyes, I feel like I never know what she might do at any moment- THANK YOU BOONE 

She’s gonna be very hard to read for a while 

its been so long since we've seen T'Challa OIIII oh wow we're in that time frame period, i tend to foget where we are temporally

I may have changed the timeline a bit 

... and after watching wakanda forever, this intro for them hits a lil too hard

It hurt me so much 

oh hey dipshit "The entirety of his face was bruised. The cut on his lip was swollen. Each of his muscles felt as if they had been torn and forcibly reformed." AND YOU'RE GONNA GET MORE, BOP BOP BOP

Get him! Get him!!!

oh hii master dipshit *is it worong to say i've actually missed him...*

Nerp I’ve missed him too 

“The question is: Is this new soldier stable? And can we bend him to our will, instead of hers?” GUYS LOOK, THAT ISNT YOU OKAAYYY THIS ISNT THE YOU THAT WE ALL LOV- well i meeeaaaannnn

🤣🤣🤣

“If you cannot manipulate him, use him to manipulate her. Get closer. Make amends where needed and get me my super soldier.” okay, i'll just shut up.

😈😈😈

and ghost having pep talk left and right everywhere she goes GO GET THOSE PEP TALKS while i cry reading them

Fr tho, she needs as many as possible

"If he hadn’t been in on it, they would have made sense." i hate this so much, i hate knowing and not knowing stuff THIS DAMN DUALITY

😬😬😬

"seeing" ghost and jack and the others through Shuri's eyes, how they're still kinda wary, it's so damn clever I LOVE THIS SO MUCH

Yay 🖤😌

already bonding with duke too im asdfghjkl

yessssssssssssssss

its you again stronzo AT THE TOWER TOO uuuuuuugggggghhhhhhh

😈😈😈

WHAT

CHE CAZZO VORRESTI FARE

LASCIA STARE PETER

😃😃😃

i hate and love this so much, darke im in confusion

Oof ouch 🖤

NAT NO

NAT YES!

NOOOOO

YESSSSS!!!

“Show me what you can do, and I’ll teach you everything she doesn’t know.” darke, you know how much i love you…

Yes, I do 😌

the kid was so eager to beat our ghost in medellin, was so thrilled and was talking almost in vengeance terms too for being deceived by her.. i cant imagine if and when Ollie starts to have a more prominent influence on him.. how that is gonna go

It’s gonna be great 

oh my god, was this a flashback of their first shagging sesh “Regret me in the morning, mi amor,” he hummed, hauling a blanket over the top of you, “Stay with me tonight.”

Yessssssss #origins

im gonna go cry in the corner, brb

noooooooooo

“In my culture, death is not the end. And, if you listen closely, you can hear them guiding you.”

“I love your crazy ass. You can do this. We can do this together. I love you, mi amor.” 

wait .. i tried finding this bit in the whole fic... but.... wait ....... IS THIS FOR AFTERMATH ORIGINS

Orrrrrrr is she hearing things 😈

IM NOT OKAY IM NOT OKAY WHO GAVE YOU THE AUDACITY IM NOT O-FUCKING-KAY this is too much to handle

Listen, i’m in charge here. 

BUCKY NO

WALSH IS NOT RIGHT

😈😈😈

with each chapter you get me all giggly and worried and happy and sad and you manage to fill my heart, to make it stop EACH AND EVERY SINGLE TIME

Yay 😃

i was thinking about if this would have been an already finished fic, i would have not enjoyed this as much as i am..  even if I have to wait two weeks between chapters. actually it's probably just having to wait and write the reactions that keeps me this way.. and the pleasure I have with our interactions, oh my.

Thank you Anna 🖤

also was sad thinking about when this fic will reach an end and how i need to start and watch bookbinding videos soon so i can a) have a big ass physical book of it b) i can write and annotate everything eheheh

Don’t remind me! I’mma be so sad when it’s all over 

love youuu

Love you 😘

CHAPTER 85: WAR DOGS 

To all my live reactors,

Please, please, please, hide your reactions under a Read More cut. I don’t want any spoilers floating around. 

&

To all my Anonymous Avengers, 

If you want to react in my asks, feel free. However, I won’t be answering any of them until at least Wednesday if they contain spoilers. 

Thank you,

Darke

┍━━━━━━━━ ★ ━━━━━━━━┑

And, for a moment, a weight was lifted off your shoulders.

For a moment, the air was still.

For a moment, you felt the peace he’d told you about.

The stillness, the clarity, the calm.

The King broke the silence after a moment, “We have a saying here: Rain beats the panther’s skin but it does not wash out the spots.”

You glanced up at him, with a deadpan, “No matter how hard I try, I can’t escape who I am?”

“Something like that.”

“That is not helpful, your Highness.”

T’Challa chuckled, looking you over carefully before reaching over to wipe a stray tear that ran down your cheek, “You have to accept yourself. That is what I mean.”

┕━━━━━━━━ ★ ━━━━━━━━┙

» CHAPTER 85: WAR DOGS 

✪ Bᴀᴛᴛʟᴇ Sᴄᴀʀʀᴇᴅ : Aғᴛᴇʀᴍᴀᴛʜ

♜♠ Tʜᴇ Sᴏʟᴅɪᴇʀ & Tʜᴇ Sᴘʏ

⧗ Tʜᴇ Rᴇᴅ Rᴏᴏᴍ

»Jᴏɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴋᴇ sɪᴅᴇ Tᴀɢʟɪsᴛ

@thexbookxnerdx // @autumn-em // @fadingbakeryfarmoperator // @rhymingtree // @itsmeatballworld // @kippykasey // @turtleedovee // @kamalymaly // @onewithnomightypowers // @y-napotat // @riahmcq // @thequeenofthefallen // @jesuswasnotawhiteman // @fnnshelbys // @knowyourworth-sellyoursoul // @banbananas // @beans-and-toast // @violetvictoriabarnes // @oikawasblueearbud // @itsarussian // @mrsbarnesinmyimagination // @oopsiedoopsie23 // @luhuhzy // @heyimjustlaura12 // @moonlightreader649 // @petalren // @sighmurderbot // @soldat-petala // @useless-creature-213 // @xiyouchan // @kaiblog50 // @bookfeen // @nx-crisis // @aftermatharchives

***if you have a strike through your handle, it wouldn’t let me tag you 😞

[magnificent-winged-beast]

But of course! Listen to Satan is even better.

Cas, cut his tongue...

[twstheadcanons]

Self-Indulgent TWST Geography

A long post of generalised geography headcanons for the world of TWST complete with continents for my own personal needs.  The post divides locations by Continent.

Anyway why is there a homeland whose name is just the definition of a desert.

Continents (and ocean)

Errant - a western continent in Twisted Wonderland. Mzunguko - the second largest continent in Twisted Wonderland.   Yalmae - the largest continent in Twisted Wonderland.   Abíní - a continent West of Errant. Tridente Ocean - the largest ocean in Twisted Wonderland.

Errant

Rose Kingdom – a country in the western region of Errant. It isn’t a particularly large country, and traveling from it to its neighbouring countries is possible via buses or car. Crownsshire – a county in Rose Kingdom Crowns – the capital  of Crownsshire. It is the town Riddle, Trey, and Che’nya live in.  

Land of Pyroxene – a large country in Errant.  Known for its cold, snowy winters and history with legends pertaining to five of the Great Seven. Waldburg – province Vil’s family is from.  Largely influenced by another country within Errant. Argent – a province in Land of Pyroxene.   Verre – a city in Argent.  Trein and Cater are from here.  Félicité Cosmetics originates here. Miroir – a province in Land of Pyroxene.  Has a large outlet mall popular with fashion-lovers and shopaholics.  The Ténèbres brand originates here. Enchantée – a town in Miroir. Jack and Vargas live here, whilst Vil and his father move here. Scharlachrot - a province in Land of Pyroxene. Epel’s Village of Harvest resides here, and is famous for its widespread organic produce.

Isle of Lamentation – island country, its popularised global name is a translation from the isle’s original Nísos Thrínos.  It has robust technological advancements and is the homeland of the popular idol group On the Edge, known for having concerts with elaborate imagery and visual effects from some of the best technicians available.  Due to legends of the God of the Underworld,  dogs are extremely popular on the Isle of Lamentation. Kapnós – capital of the Isle of Lamentations where the Shroud family resides.  

Valley of Thorns – an isolated country small in population, largely consisting of a large mountain range.  The closer one is to where its Queen resides, the colder it gets.  It is said the Valley of Thorns can go weeks with nothing but moonlight. Geimhreadh - technically the name of the forest near the Valley of Thorns’ mountain range, where the Queen makes her home at its peak.  Its name spread to the residential areas nearby.

Mzunguko

Afterglow Savannah – country in Mzunguko,  ‘Afterglow’ acts as a loose translation of its name, Baadaye.  It lies in eastern Mzunguko.  Famous for its royal guards and leading role in nature conservation. Kiburi – a county in the east of the Afterglow Savannah. Mwamba – capital of Kiburi, where the Kingscholar royal family lives. Maisha – a county in Afterglow Savannah, with its capital sharing the same name.   Jioni – a town in Maisha.  Ruggie and his family live here.

Manyoya – county in Afterglow Savannah.  Well-known for a famously expansive library and a high population of avian beastfolk. Uzuri  – a city in Manyoya, where Rook is from.

Yalmae

Land of Hot Sands – one of many countries in the continent of Yalmae,.  Within the country, it’s referred to as Aldif’.  Rich with its magical history and origins of astrology, Aldif’ nurtures Magicians skilled in divination.  It has a vivid musical scene as well. Misbah - governate of Aldif’. Yatamanaa – capital of Misbah, a largely lucrative city within Aldif’ and city where Kalim and Jamil live.

Abíní

Port of Jubilee - a diverse nation where Sam’s family lives, owning an extensive emporium.  A vast amount of cultures reside in Port of Jubilee, many sharing common ancestors and languages with one another. Nanm - province in Port of Jubilee. Sekrè - port town in Nanm that Sam is from.  His family owns an impressive emporium popular with locals.

Tridente Ocean

Coral Sea - a sea within the Tridente Ocean.  Many of coastlines range across countries within Errant, Mzunguko, and Yalmae.  Beneath its waters lies a kingdom sharing the same name as the sea.  

Name Trivia

Continents (and ocean)

Errant - the continent of Errant has the homelands based off movies such as Alice in Wonderland, Snow White, Hercules, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast, and Cinderella.  The name stems from certain scenes in the movie marking a particular moment the protagonists feel out of place or stray off the expected course.

Alice in Wonderland: Alice’s misadventures begin when she makes the decision to follow a strange rabbit, straying off the course of simply reading and studying as her sister wished, where the curious and at worst annoying strange creatures and nature of Wonderland take a turn when she meets the Caterpillar, who questions Alice’s place and identity, and the stress of her situation and being unable to return home overwhelms her emotionally.

Snow White - the horrific moment Snow White, in a state of panic, rushes through a dark forest, where her fears envision hidden horrors within the trees and wildlife.

Hercules - after refusing to listen to Phil’s warnings about Megara being in cahoots with Hades, Hercules faces the devastating fact that Megara (reluctantly) deceived him, and loses his superhuman strength and faith in himself.

Sleeping Beauty - shortly after meeting a man she falls for, Aurora becomes devastated and resigned to her fate being betrothed to a complete stranger out of responsibility for her future and country.

Beauty and the Beast - Maurice’s ventures through a mysterious forest consequently leads him to the Beast’s castle in a desperate attempt to escape cold, only to be imprisoned by the Beast for intruding, ultimately putting the story into motion.  After Belle makes a deal to swap places with her father and free him, Belle starts off terrified and in over her head despite saving her father’s life.

Cinderella - after the mice’s hard work creating a fitting ballgown for Cinderella to enjoy the ball, her stepsisters ruin the dress and Cinderella’s chances of leaving her oppressive family’s home.  Her distress and tears lead her to meeting the Fairy Godmother.

Mzunguko - “circle” in Swahili, the language prominent in Lion King’s names, lyrics, and Rafiki’s dialogue, as well as the official language of Kenya, where much of the movie’s settings take inspiration and blatantly feature.  Taken from the iconic “Circle of Life” song.

Tridente Ocean - “trident” in Italian.  Yes, I hear you.  The author is from Denmark.  The statue is in Denmark.  The movie references the statue in Denmark.  However the surname Ashengrotto and Azul’s mother running a ristorante screams Italian and there’s the overall edgy mafia vibe the Octatrio has going on.  I win this one.

Yalmae -  “shine” in Arabic (يلمع).  I wanted a name that illustrated the vibrant, lively diversity of the continent’s many countries, cultures, flora, and fauna.  Something akin to a name that inspires a welcoming feeling.

Abíní - “morning” in Navajo.  I wanted a name that inspires energy and enthusiasm, like a sunrise in summer.  

Homelands

Rose Kingdom

Crownsshire - just the most painfully English name I could think of.  “Crown” refers to, naturally, the crown of the Queen of Hearts.  Also decided to make the Rose Kingdom its own, smaller, more limited country, instead of allowing its apparent monarchy to leech off 20+ different countries Crowns - do you have any idea how genuinely shocking it is we don’t actually have a town here named this.

Afterglow Savannah

Baadaye - “afterglow” in Swahili.  The official and native name of the Afterglow Savannah.  Interestingly, my findings found translations of it meaning “future” as well, which I consider fitting. Kiburi - “pride” in Swahili, can refer to a ‘pride of lions’ or confidence (often overconfidence). Mwamba - “rock” in Swahili, alluding to the Pride Rock that Mufasa’s pride resides in. Maisha - “life” in Swahili. Jioni - “evening” in Swahili.  This refers to where anywhere the sun doesn’t reach, Simba shouldn’t wander, because it’s too dangerous. Originally, I wanted to go with “Kivuri”, which means “shadow”.  However when I went to double check that ‘shadowland’ was a thing in Lion King, referring to where the Elephant Graveyard is, it’s actually a song from the Broadway musica called “Shadowland”, sung by Nala (Heather Headley). It both mourns the desolate state of the Pridelands under Scar’s tyranny, and narrates Nala’s resolve to leave and find a way to save her people and their land.  The song is absolutely gorgeous, solemn, and powerful, and contributes more than any live-action CGI Disney movie could ever come up with.  Its instrumental composition features the melody lei-motif prominent in the animated film (yes, That song.  the heartbreaking one).  It’s one of my favourites in Lion King alongside “He Lives in You” and “Not One of Us” because I like the ones where the chorus goes off. Please just listen to the Lion King Broadway soundtrack it makes me cry with how gorgeous and heartfelt it is.   Anyway in their money-grubbing ways I hope Disney puts the Broadway on Disney+ so some brave soul takes one for the team to pirate it Manyoya - intended to mean “feather”, but to my understanding it also encompasses “fur”. Uzuri - “beauty” in Swahili.  Nothing too deep here, just something pertaining to Rook.

Land of Hot Sand

Aldif’ - “warmth” in Arabic (الدفء).  Meant to allude to a comforting warmth, kind of hinting that the popularisation of “Land of Hot Sand” more or less leaves the official name lost in translation. Misbah - “lamp/light” in Arabic (مصباح), naturally referencing the magical lamp sought after throughout the movie. Yatamanaa - “wish” in Arabic (يتمنى).  Meant to be bit a bit of a cheeky play on words.  The “wish” inside the “lamp”.

Land of Pyroxene

Waldburg - Wald is "forest” in German.   References the forest that Snow White runs away into after being warned of the Evil Queen’s intentions. Argent - “silver” in French.  References Cinderella’s silver dress. Verre - “glass” in French.  References Cinderella’s glass slipper. Miroir - “mirror” in French.  References both the Mirror of Snow White and the enchanted mirror Beast gives Belle. Enchantée - “enchanted” in French.  Ties into the theme of enchantments, curses, and charms prominent in French fairy tales, and specifically makes me think of the Enchanted Rose from Beauty and the Beast.   Scharlachrot - “scarlet” in German.  References the red colour that hides the infamous green of the poison apple’s true nature.

Isle of Lamentation

Nísos Thrínos - Greek for the isle’s name. Kapnós - “smoke” in Greek.  References Hades’ iconic appearance surrounded by black smoke.

Valley of Thorns

Geimhreadh - “winter” in Irish.  References the winter court of Unseelie fae in Celtic folklore.

Port of Jubilee

Nanm - "soul” in Haiitan Creole.  References the importance of determination and drive prominent in Princess and the Frog.

Sekrè - “secret” in Haitian Creole.  References Dr Facilier’s ulterior motives.

[liloelsagranger]

Night shift - finally a new Rocketshipping-fanfiction

My dear friends,

it’s been a while since I last posted an entry. Let me tell you why and what, besides Covid-19, made me pause from publishing fanfictions over the last couple of months. Of course, Switzerland was very affected by the pandemic and still is today. We had numerous lock-downs or as Swiss people call it “slow downs”. My mother got very sick last year, I almost lost her. The doctors said she would only live two or three more days, but my mom is a fighter. She had to stay at the hospital for months, she endured countless medical examinations, had to take meds and slowly learned to live again. I’m so proud of my mother that she was strong and determined to get better. When she turned back home, I started to take care of her and I hate to leave her on her own, even if we’re talking about half an hour or less. Right now, she’s doing quite good, actually, we’re on vacation and she makes a great effort to participate in life in Italy. She’s my role-model! She will never be the same as before, but she won’t give up, she wakes up every morning to make progress. I prayed for her and her well-being, I prayed every single night she might get another chance and now we’re here at the beach and dining in fancy restaurants. It’s been a horrible year for everyone, a year full of sorrow, tears and desperation, a year where I was constantly afraid, the hospital would call me with some bad news, but she did it! She survived and she fights for her life! So proud! Good news is: I passed my doctoral exams and I’m officially allowed to call myself Dr. phil. des. Melanie C. but that won’t ever stop me from loving Team Rocket so here it is - a brand new Rocketshipping-fanfiction for you guys. LOVE YOU! Night shift

Chapter 1:

It was past ten o’clock when that miserable looking guy entered the diner. He inconspicuously sat down in the farthest corner of the café and immediately hid his face behind the menu card. Nevertheless, Jessie the waitress could make out the pathetic expression on his face, how he was cowering like a whipped dog. She had seen quite a bit in this diner. Drunks, thugs, addicts and other needy people who asked for a sympathetic ear, compassion and understanding, but that guy was different. He suffered terribly, but did not dare to communicate, instead he hid from the world so as not to attract attention and quietly endure his fate. Jessie had to do something about it. Of course, she didn’t want to play the Good Samaritan. She knew the tricks of the men who entered this diner. Most of the time, they told the waitress tall tales, hoping to be comforted, whatever they meant by that. But this young man did not make a shady impressionHe was well dressed, looked well-groomed, and Jessie was especially struck by his bright emerald green eyes, the only thing in his face that had not yet been veiled by grief and sorrow. She decided to do something about his displeasure.

“Did you have a rough day?” she asked while disinfecting the table.

He looked briefly into her eyes and nodded. “That’s one way to put it,” he answered, the gaze immediately lowered again.

This would be a taciturn conversation, but Jessie didn’t give up easily, she was a natural at making even rocks talk.

“Listen! No matter what happened, I’ve seen or heard some things. If I can help you in any way, my name is Jessie and I’m in charge of this table today. Let me just get the gum out from under your seat and get you a cold drink. What would you like?” She pulled a spatula from her apron and rubbed away the remains of the spoiled brats that marred her diner.

‘Wow,’ the young man thought to himself. ‘A strong, self-confident woman who lends a hand herself and who’s not above cleaning up dirt.’ Their eyes met briefly, and he forced a wry smile.

“You know, kid. You can’t rely on anyone. If you want to get everything done, do it yourself and don’t trust anyone. This world doesn’t give you anything for granted!” She briefly wiped the back of his chair before disappearing behind the counter and pouring the young man an ice-cold Coke.

“I have rarely seen you so concerned about a customer. Normally you show yourself aloof and only take the order, so as not to get involved in embarrassing conversations. Must be a really great pike, this pathetic creature in the far corner. Could it be that you’ve got a tiny crush on this guy?” For Eddy, teasing his best friend was the greatest pleasure. He didn’t know her like that. Jessie usually resisted any kind of small talk. This was due to her dark past, when she had repeatedly fallen for advances from men who were never looking for a steady relationship, but for a quick fix. Eddy had witnessed this bad time of his friend, how her heart was broken, how she was badly played with, and how she was simply dropped like a hot potato. Jack was the worst example of them all. While Jessie was already hearing the wedding bells ringing, he was making love to the women of the Strip and deceiving Jessie night after night with other broads. Jessie was devastated when she found out Jack was cheating on her. She was furious, not even at her lying boyfriend, but at herself for having been so stupid as to trust a man.

Jessie gave Eddy a light pat on the head. “Don’t be silly! That time is over. I can take care of myself, I don’t need male support for that. I’m a big girl, I make my own dough, and I keep my head above water pretty well. No, not a chance, I’ve sworn off flirting.” Nevertheless, she caught herself as her gaze wandered to the young man in the corner. “Oh yes, this time is definitely over,” Eddy smirked.

“Jessie, could you bring us a side of fries, please?” Misty’s order echoed throughout the hall. The twenty-year old waved her hands. She was used to speaking loudly, almost shouting, to attract guests to her daily water Pokémon show. Sometimes she walked up and down the streets of the Strip all day in the blazing hot sun, trying to win people for her underwater attraction. As an excellent student, she could have taught at any college, but she had decided early on to get into show business and make her living doing what she really loved, joined by Dewgong and Starmie. Her parents had not agreed with this decision at all, it was wasted talent, they had claimed, and had summarily turned Misty out the door. Since then, she had been struggling through life on her own, but could always count on Jess, the diner and her two best friends, Ash and Brock, young people who were also not favoured by fate.

“Temper your voice, twerp!” Jessie couldn’t help but grin. She spread the ketchup bottles around the table, hoping Ash wouldn’t spill on himself and the diner again. His constant companion Pikachu immediately hopped on his shoulder, grabbed a fry and popped it in his mouth. Ash and his Pokémon were carnies. He had trained his friend well and attracted many spectators with his performance. Most of them felt sorry for the guy and tipped generously. That’s why Ash was able to invite his friends to the diner every night, a place that gave them hope where they could experience security. They were convinced that nothing would ever disturb this idyll and that fate, for better or worse, had taken its course.

“Who’s that guy over there?” Brock wanted to know. He had barely sold chocolate and roses tonight. The others held back, but they were certain that their friend was just too pushy with women and that’s why he only collected rejections instead of green bills.

“I’ve never seen him here before. Must be from another area. I can’t tell you for the life of me why he’s wearing a suit at theses temperatures, he looks pretty pathetic to me anyways,” Jessie replied.

“Maybe his car has stalled,” Ash suggested, “and now he was forced to wander through the desert until the tasty aromas from your diner brought him back from his delirium.”

“Or,” Brock interfered, “he had to flee his own wedding because his wife is a real pain in the ass, unlike our sweet Misty,” Brock oohed at his friend. “Forget it, Brock! You and me, this will never happen!” She gave him a gentle poke.

“Enough now with your naïve speculations! Just let him enjoy his drink. We’re closing soon, so get going,” Jessie dismissed their absurd ideas with a wave of her hand, but at this point no one knew how right Brock was.

Dark thoughts hunted the young man. He knew what he would face at home if he was late. Beatings, torture, rebuke, harassment, were just a few words to describe his failed relationship. Unconsciously, he stroked his scarred arms.

“Can I get you something to eat?” Jessie pulled him out of the maelstrom of bad thoughts, of course she had noticed the wounds, but maybe he had gotten those injuries at work. The young man rummaged some coins out of his pants and let them jingle on the table. “Is that enough for a cheese sandwich?” Jessie hated small change, but she would make an exception for him. A friendly smile, a quick nod, and she passed on the order.

“Something’s wrong with this guy,” she whispered to Eddy. “He’s scarred, bruised and pays with penny coins. Possibly a vagrant.” Eddy couldn’t help but grin. “That guy’s been keeping you busy all night, Jess. What’s the matter with you? Are you getting weak?”

The young man could not overhear the conversation between the waiters, but he was sure they were talking about him. He sure made a rather frightening impression, but that was a private matter and not something you shared with a waitress in a diner.

His gaze drifted to the daily paper, which had two faces emblazoned on it: Butch and Cassidy. He had never heard of this odd couple, but according to the news, theses two were causing quite a stir and were terrifying the Strip.

“Oh, so you’ve already spotted them, those two knuckleheads! They keep the Strip in suspense, and heads roll when the taxes don’t add up,” Jessie served him the cheese sandwich and gave him a slight smile.

“Can I get you anything else?” He thanked her and took a hearty bite of his dinner.

The last half hour flew by and the remaining guests left the diner to spend the night on the Strip, as very few had a roof over their heads. Jessie set about cleaning up and Eddy checked the register.

The young man stood up and made his way towards the door. But before he left the diner, he glanced back at Jessie for a moment. A sigh escaped him. What if…?

Jessie returned his gaze and watched him go until the young man disappeared. She walked right up to his table and found a little note on the receipt.

“Thanks for treating me like a human being, James.” 

[stellocchia]

Ok this is about. Reaaally long ago but I don't think people ever really talked about it but.

Back during Manberg, when Quackity and Tommy talked down Wilbur from blowing everything up. Did Wilbur ever actually mean it or was he just manipulated by Dream afterwards or did he just decide that he now wanted to be a deceitful little bitch to get his way? Because he was betraying them for a while before the 16th.

Like. You remember how the plan was to get Schlatt to sign over presidency to Quackity? Listen it wasn't a great plan but I think it's really fucking clear that Schlatt knew what was up. After all, the date for the last war and the traitor were already set. And the traitor was Wilbur.

Pogtopia made the plan that would have everything ending peacefully and Wilbur apparently just went straight to Dream and told him so it wouldn't work.

The Tnt having been moved to Pogtopia? As far as I remember there was never any proof of that. The only proof we got was Wilbur saying it wasn't there anymore. Wilbur. Yknow. The traitor.

And he just stood there on the Comms with the people that thought he was on their side and acted like it wasn't where he left it.

When Dream announced there was a traitor? Well he knew. He WAS the traitor.

No wonder he seemed like an apathetic prick the whole time. The stage was set and the ending was written, everything else between that didn't matter. It was just bonus scenes.

Remember what Dream said, his deal with Wilbur was that no matter what. Wilbur would blow everything up. Nothing about Eret or Fundy or anyone else mattered and just.

What a cunt (and you know I have many glittery GIFs for this)

This is probably the only other betrayal on the server other than Erets. He deceived people that considered him their allies with the intent to harm them.

Yes. He wasn't complete evil. He cared. He showed that he cared quite often. But also, what does that change? Eret also cared about the Lmanbergians. They thought the war was unwinnable and ending it as quickly as possible while also getting a position of power out of it would be the most ideal possible outcome.

And just. I think it's awful how all these downright cruel actions of Wilbur are glossed over because during the festival he went back for Nikki.

YEAH AND DURING THE 16TH HE WAS OKAY WITH HER POSSIBLY BEING COLLATERAL DAMAGE

Listen. If this was just about blowing up L'manberg he could have been done with it easily. He sneaks out at night and just blows it up without any witnesses.

But no. This fucker is a mentally ill theatre kid.

And he's tragic. He's tragic because that's just how it goes sometimes with selfdestructive mentally ill people. And it's fucking sad. He had people that were clearly willing to help. Tommy was actively trying to help him. A nontragic victory was presented to him on a silver platter. All he had to do was not blow it up. The people around him and especially Tommy presented him with a chance. With an environment where he could heal and recover. But because he is selfdestructive he couldn't fucking accept it. I don't think it ever really crossed his mind to accept it. He is another one of his victims and that's fucking tragic.

But that doesn't negate the fact that he did those things. Yes he was harmed by them too but the thing with the word 'too' is that he was just another one of many.

He deceived people. People that trusted him. People that wanted to help him. People that didn't fucking deserve what they got. And even now that he's revived he's not sorry. And yes, he's still mentally ill but that doesn't make it ok. And just. People keep just. Forgetting how shitty of a person he was. And that's not just unfair towards the people he hurt that's also fcking stupid because he hasn't changed.

There's no reason not to expect the same kind of shittyness again. Because he hasn't changed. And just. I don't know how many people haven't watched season 1 yet but if they are still out there they should at least watch the pogtopia arc because especially with us being from the future, knowing what's going on and what's going to happen? Wilbur just gets worse when looking back.

So, that was another one of my Wilbur rants. You know me. I'll probably be back because I have many very big feelings on this man and how everyone is so quick to jump to his defense because he's not like other villains. He's different. He's just having a rough time. He's just quirky.

Just... Cmon. Yes he's redeemable, he's the most redeemable out of every villain we've had so far but that doesn't mean he's redeemed yet. Or even that he will be. Hold him accountable for his own fucking actions.

Yeah. I do feel that people often with him lean too much on the “he was always evil and corrupt and he was a dictator” or “he wasn’t THAT bad and even if it was, it’s justifiable”. 

Not everyone of course, it would be extremely unfair to say that, but I’ve seen enough takes for both sides. And it’s a pity because it takes away from his character in my opinion. Like, as a character to me he is better as a sympathetic villain that has done so much messed up sh*t and has yet to do anything to be redeemed than he is as just an UWU sad boy. 

Because he did do messed up stuff and he is still doing it. He is manipulative, and he did act with utter disregard to people’s lives before (both with him not knowing if someone would die on the 16th and repeating way too many time to Tommy that him dying was a good thing, which is pretty messed up ngl). 

But on your general point: yeah. That was actually betrayal, but his and Eret’s aren’t the only one. Technically Jack betrayed Tubbo with the whole Nuke thing (or tried to at least) since he was using something that Tubbo openly entrusted him to do something that would have possibly hurt Tubbo. There is also the Red Banquet, an execution masqueraded as an offer of peace is most definitely a betrayal.

That said yeah, those are the only actual betrayals (or attempt at one) that we’ve had that I can think of. 

[theshinsun]

please I Am Begging You do that 20 questions for OT3s with AoKagaKuro

asdfgggdfhjkk ok here we go! prepare for Length...

Who sleeps in the middle?

Kuroko. he gets cold the easiest and likes to be smushed between his two giant bfs. he’s also often the peacekeeper stopping them from kicking each other and stealing the blankets. they both get their share of his ice cold toes and fingers that way, and he’s such a light sleeper that once they’re in that position neither of them can move for fear of waking him up, but none of them would have it any other way.

Who is the best cuddler?

Kagami. he’s like a giant snuggly teddy bear, gives the very best hugs and is always the big spoon no matter who he’s cuddling with. and he’s okay with that. in fact he loves it, whether he’s holding Kuroko or Aomine or both at once, he loves that he can just wrap around them like an octopus and make them feel safe and loved. 

Who gets hurt the most?

Kuroko. Kagami might be the biggest klutz of the three but he also doesn’t bruise easily. meanwhile if Kuroko so much as stubs his toe it turns purple and he’ll be limping for a few days. he’s also the one most likely to get in trouble and get scraped up on purpose, whether he’s skinning his knees trying some new technique he’s not prepared for, or picking a fight and getting decked by someone twice his size, he’s always sporting a new bruise or band-aid and getting chastised by his overprotective bfs who are honestly just as bad... just less likely to show it.

Who acts like the baby?

Aomine. obviously. this guy is an oversized toddler in big boy clothes. he’s always pestering for attention and whines and complains when he doesn’t get his way. he’s a picky eater and can throw actual tantrums if he’s annoyed enough -- and usually the root cause is him not getting enough sleep. he’s also treated like the baby of the family, with both Kagami and Kuroko feeding him and taking care of him, but honestly, neither of them mind it much. 

Who teases the others the most?

also Aomine. he’s especially prone to poking and picking at Kagami because he knows just what buttons to press and likes to get him riled up. he can’t seem to resist taunting and provoking him at any given opportunity, and he’s just as quick to tease Kuroko, when he can. the difference is rather than turning red and potentially starting a fight, Kuroko will just coolly sass him right back and move on with his day.

Who proposes?

I’m sorry but I can only see Aomine being the one to propose (or at the very least, being the first one). under the exterior, he’s a useless sappy romantic and would probably either insist on doing things proper, buying a pair of rings and getting down on one knee and all, OR randomly blurting it out during dinner with no planning or preparation or anything. either way, of course they both say yes. 

Who is the most protective?

Kuroko. looks are 100% deceiving here, he’s physically the smallest but mentally and emotionally, he’s the toughest of the three and he’ll go to the ends of the earth to defend the people he loves. he would absolutely put himself in danger to protect the others and worries about both of them a lot (sometimes needlessly, but there are times they do need it). Kagami and Aomine both put up a tough act, and follow Kuroko around like his personal bodyguards, but don’t be fooled, he’s the one you need to really watch out for.   

Who is the closest to the child? (Whether it be a fur baby, scale baby, or human child.)

either Aomine or Kuroko... probably both equally. they’re very emotionally-driven people who love animals of all shapes and sizes (Kagami would have some trouble if their fur baby happened to be a dog -- and considering Nigou that’s a very likely possibility). both of them would form a strong connection with any baby the group decided to have. that’s not to say Kagami wouldn’t also be close to a child or pet and love them, but he’s just a little bit more distant and guarded than the others and it would definitely take him some time.

Who gives the best advice?

Kuroko. he’s (usually) the only one with a brain cell to speak of, and has a lot of practical knowledge and common sense. he has difficulty separating his emotions from a situation to look at it objectively, so he can be a little biased with what he suggests, but it’s still good advice, just the same.

Who is like a therapist?

Kagami. unlike Kuroko, he doesn’t always know what to say or what to suggest, but he is a good listener, and easy to talk to, so he lets the others vent to him and work through their issues, and often finds himself on the receiving end of a long and cathartic story or rant from one or both of them. he’s also much better at looking at things objectively; nine times out of ten he’ll bluntly point something out that makes the others look at things from a new angle, because it’s so obvious to him as an outsider but they’re too wrapped up to see it.

Who sings B and C to sleep?

Kagami. I hc that he can sing in three different languages (English, Japanese and some Spanish), the others especially like when he sings in English, and he indulges them since he’s probably going to be up the latest anyway. sometimes Kuroko also tries his hand at a lullaby, but he doesn’t have the instant power to knock Aomine out that Kagami does. 

Is the relationship healthy?

I mean... is any relationship completely, 100% healthy? as relationships go, they have a very good balance between them and there’s a mutual, three-way respect that they all maintain with each other. they’ve got problems and character flaws, of course, they’re very different people and things aren’t always going to be perfect, but they love each other and are all willing to put in the work when it comes down to it.

Do A and B have a stronger bond with each other? Or do C and B or C and A have a stronger bond? Or are A, B, and C close together [equally]?

they’re all close with each other in different ways. not necessarily equally all around, just... their individual relationships within the greater whole have different strengths and shortcomings. It breaks down something like this:

Kagami and Kuroko are probably the most stable with each other. there’s trust and affection and good communication between them, and they’re on very equal footing. the trouble is, because they usually work together so well, they’re not very good at reconciling when they don’t, and things can build up between them that they don’t acknowledge until their whole balance crumbles. 

Aomine and Kagami are in tune with each other in a way that’s almost instinctive, they finish each other’s sentences and seem to always be on the same wavelength. they don’t require much from each other, and have a kind of simple ease in each other’s company, when they aren’t getting in each other’s faces. the downside is they aren’t very good at communicating, and tend to avoid difficult subjects and saying what they really mean.

Aomine and Kuroko have history, are probably the most sappy and romantic with each other, and share an almost indescribably intimate bond built up over years, but they’re also the most likely to argue (not just petty squabbling like Aomine and Kagami, or old-married-couple bickering like Kagami and Kuroko, but actually fight and hurt each other). they’re also terrible about enabling and egging each other on and probably get into the most ridiculous situations because they’re somehow the best and worst combination of personality traits at the same time.

Who can be trusted to be left home alone?

Kagami. he’s the only one. do not leave either of the others home alone they will burn the house down, either accidentally or as a result of getting bored and thinking “I wonder what happens if...” (famous last words).

Who cries the most?

Kuroko, by default. he cries about as much as any normal, healthy person would. Kagami doesn’t cry hardly ever, to the point that it’s a little concerning sometimes, and when he does it’s a Big Deal. Aomine cries every now and then, but doesn’t really feel comfortable doing it in front of other people so he’ll usually try to hide it or hold it in.

Who is the softest?

like... physically, or emotionally? you know what, Kagami for both. he’s a great big softy under the tough exterior, and even though he’s the most physically jacked, he’s got enough meat on his bones to have some nice give and be very comfy to lie on.

Who is the shortest?

Kuroko. ....we been knew.

Who is the tallest?

Aomine. again we been knew; he’ll hold that little 2cm sliver of height he’s got on Kagami over his head until the end of time.

Who likes cuddles the most?

Aomine. he will seek out cuddles every chance he gets, he flops down next to both of the others and nudges them like a cat, or just muscles his way into their space until they have to accommodate him or risk falling off the couch. 

Last of all, who sings terribly in the shower?

oh dear god. you know what, I think it’d be really funny if it was Kagami. it’s boggling because he can sing perfectly well, they all know it, but for some reason when he’s alone and using the body wash as a microphone he lets loose and goes completely off-key and it’s awful. the others love it though (even if they’re confused) because it sounds like he’s having fun, at least.

[queerchoicesblog]

Ghost of You (SC Titanic, Zetta x Adele)

So this is my very first SC Titanic fanfic: I am excited to post it and well I suppose I should warn you that probably Zetta x Adele fictions will be rather long as this love story features themes that are very dear and meaningful to me, such as 1. well, obviously the Titanic story, 2. references to beginning of the century cinema (love very old and b&w movies), 3. sapphism and 4. femminism/suffragette movement. It’s basically everything I could have ever asked for. The Gentleman Jack fans out there might find a reference here...

So here I tried to imagine what brought Zetta to write that little note to Adele after basically disappearing. Loved that scene and I had to try and portray her turmoil, her missing Adele but also, as any historical lesbian (maybe not only historical), fearing the strings of society and their effect on their love and her beloved suffragette. Hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I quoted some pieces of dialogue from the original book

Word Count: 2555

Zetta x Adele Tag: @marmolady @animus-and-anima @hayley-carter19 @escako @everlastingchoices @andrxrneda @aestheticsayeed @eleanorwaverrley @indescribablechoices @ahrielstuff @lvcley @nazario-sayeed

________________________

Two rapid knocks on the door then:

“Are you there, doll? Can I come in?”

Richard’s voice abruptly brought Zetta’s back to reality, involuntarily making her jump in her seat.  She blinked twice as if wakingg from a dream and took a quick look around. She couldn’t recall how long she had been sitting at her vanity lost in her thoughts with a brush in her hand. She just couldn’t focus that day as she was haunted by memories of the past. But Richard didn’t have to know, mustn’t have to know. She put down the brush and quickly fixed her hair before adjusting her robe to limit the skin exposure to the minimum: after all, they weren’t married yet…and her heart didn’t belong to Mr. King. Only after that, she answered loud enough to be heard on the other side of the ebony door:

“Sure, darling”

She resumed her interrupted makeup session, pretending to be fully taken by that routine that didn’t bring her the usual joy anymore. She looked at herself in the mirror and put on a practiced smile: it would have been enough to fool her fiancé.

Richard entered her boudoir and theatrically opened his arms as a seasoned professional: he mentioned that he started as an actor before becoming a stellar director.

“My love, every time I see you I’m completely blinded by your beauty. You’re the brightest star in the sky, even brighter than Venus itself” he said moving closer and kneeling beside her chair.

“…And you’re gonna be the most radiant woman at the party tonight. The belle of the ball, la plus belle” he added, courtly taking her free hand and placing a kiss on her knuckles.

He looked up at her with a dashing smile.

“Trés charmant, Richard…but are you done with poetry?” she smirked, retrieving her hand and resuming her previous core.

“Ah, la belle dame sans merci!” Richard exclaimed before falling back to the floor holding a hand on his chest.

“Silly” Zetta laughed and she was soon joined by Richard who stood again and leaned on her table.

“I can’t help it around you, doll, apologies” he shrugged, flashing her another smile.

Zetta had to summon all her acting expertise not to cringe at “doll”. She hated it when every fiber of her being when Richard -or any other men- called her “doll”. Even her first director called her so, even her husband…doll, as if that was all she was to them: a beautiful toy, maybe a collectible but not truly a woman. Not truly Zetta.

Instead, she mirrored his smile and threw him a quick look before methodically applying some rouge on her cheek.

“So, what are you dying to say that can’t wait?”

“Seeing you isn’t a reasonable excuse?”

Richard was a charming man, without doubt. He wasn’t a bad man or so it seemed to her but she had been deceived by men who swore to only want the best for her that it was hardly possible for Zetta to fully trust any of them. And a man could have never won her heart.

As she flashed him just one of her enigmatic smile, he spoke again:

“Fine, you got me: I just wanted to see you and to remind you that our producers are expecting us at Rao’s for dinner in an hour. We should leave soon” he gave an apologetic smile and lowered his voice to a whisper. “Will we be there in time?”

“We will, I promise you” Zetta confirmed then made a show of shooing him away. “Now shoo, call Sabine and let me get dressed or else we will be late”

Richard raised his arms in surrender, laughing. Then he pressed a kiss on the crown of her head.

“I’ll get off of your hair, doll”

Zetta resumed her makeup as Richard moved towards the door. He was halfway out when

“Oh I almost forgot! I spoke to Alan yesterday and he loved the movie: the story of the two sisters reunited in the midst of chaos on the sinking ship is just perfect, so heart-warming-“

“Yes, it truly is heart-warming” Zetta commented, losing focus again.

“The story is real, right? You met at least one of them on board, didn’t you?”

Zetta’s voice lowered as memories started surfacing back.

“Yes, we were…rather close”

“If they survived, we should track them down and invite them at the movie: it would be great if they could talk to the press. Journalists love stories like this: I can see the headlines alrea-“

“We’ll see, Richard. Now please go call Sabine”

She tried to keep her voice from betraying her feelings, but she could feel a rush of anger surging. She would have never handed the Carrem sisters and such a private and tragic moment of their lives to those shameless sharks who go under the name of journalists. The subtle hint of heartbreak and they prey the unfortunate victims like vultures over a corpse: they wouldn’t stop until they had dissected those aching hearts, leaving them to bleed out. No, she would have done everything in her power to prevent this.

The story she wrote down when asked to bring the grim fate of the Titanic on the big screen was fiction: inspired by true facts but fiction. Zetta was smart enough to know that life and fiction are two separate things and that an edulcorated tale of those most tragic hours was all the world could take: the people of New York, who weren’t there that night, would have been overwhelmed by the real story.

Still, when she sat at her desk and started writing a draft of the script her mind immediately turned to…Adele.

She didn’t even notice Richard leaving the room as the silhouette of Miss Carrem clouded her thoughts. Finally alone, her face fell and she shut her eyes as if to prevent the memory from fading away.

Adele, most gracious, fearless Adele…

Her lips curled into a sad smile as she reminisced their first meeting. She was sitting in her suite smoking and listening to James making some pointless speech when the door opened and Teo stepped in followed by Adele. She had the beauty of a Greek goddess and the look of someone who was going through a lot. She clearly felt out of place among finely dressed first-class passengers in the lavish room but she kept her head high. Zetta remembered feeling the urge to know what troubled her but she put on her mask, the sardonic film star ever out of reach. And then…was it a brave move or just an insane one? Adele told her of her arrest, of prison. Everyone else would have hidden from her, a new employer and Zetta Serda…not Adele. She handed her everything she needed to destroy her life as if it was no big deal. Zetta was taken aback and searched her green eyes for any sign of mockery but find none: the stranger girl truly trusted her with her life. That’s when she realized how unique Miss Carrem was.

Adele found a way to her heart effortlessly as if she had the map from the very start. When she placed her hand over hers in the projection room, she startled Zetta: whenever she had made the fatal mistake to show her vulnerable side to anyone, they would have used it against her to make her feel weak or small…clearly in need of someone who would tell her what to do, to guide her. They would have refilled her glass with wine again and again instead of going for the simplest gesture: taking her hand into theirs and comfort her. Making her believe with that touch that everything would have been fine, and she was stronger than whatever life threw her.

For a moment, as Adele held her hand, she felt safe, pacified, something she had never experienced with any of her supposed lovers. She couldn’t even be mad at her secretary when she revealed her James’ plan and the true reason behind his bailing her out of jail. She was shocked, obviously but she also couldn’t believe that Adele, brave foolish Adele, had put her life into her hands again. “I’m perfectly aware of the risk I’m taking by revealing this to you but you deserve to know. I cannot keep this from you” she said, looking her right in the eye.

Those eyes…they took Zetta’s breath away whenever they ignited with the fire sparking inside her. She could have lost herself in their green depths when they gleamed with pride and mischief as she proposed a toast to the vote to women or whenever their eyes met. She got lost in them when their lips touched, and they grew dark with desire. How daring and foolish they had been in the Turkish baths…but she couldn’t bring herself to regret that moment of ecstasy when she felt free and truly loved, for once. She could still shiver remembering Adele’s touch, the way her lips traced down her body with reverence and adoration, the soft moans the tender girl in her arms suffocated hiding her face in the crook of her neck as she melted under her caresses. In those stolen embraces she knew happiness.

How happy she felt whenever Adele was around: just exchanging a brief look across the room would make her heart flutter.

Then other memories surged and Zetta felt tears welling her closed eyes. Her birthday night, that cursed birthday night…Adele and her sneaking away from the party to find a private spot on the deck. The wine, the cold breeze of the ocean, Adele’s silvery laughter at her tipsy enthusiasm, how she craved those sweet lips all night.

“If I’m honest, I don’t even want to reach shore, I don’t want to go back to the party…I just want to stay out here with you. Forever.”

Adele’s tender smile in agreement.

“Let’s just make a tent of this blanket – we can live off seal meat and rainwater”

Her tipsy proposal made the two of them laugh again.

“What about your acting career?” Adele inquired, a smile lingering on her face.

“We’ll make our own plays. Whaddya say?”

God, how those words sounded different now…how she would have given everything to have Adele there to cup her face and give her a slow, deep kiss. But Adele wasn’t by her side anymore…she lost sight of her when her agent and Richard dragged her and James away from the crowd at the New York pier.

She hadn’t written her ever since that day and she felt so impossibly guilty because of that: Adele must have thought she had forgotten about her after all her words of love on the ship. Maybe she felt used, maybe she hated her by now and cursed the memory of her. She would have reasons to hold a grudge to her…the truth was that happiness and love are hard to accept if you have never truly had them before and if they came from a woman loving another woman.

Zetta had tried to write her a thousand time but every time she had made an effort to put her feelings into words, her lines rang hollow. Yet the words that got stuck in her throat when Adele pulled her into a corner and confessed that no matter what happened that night she needed to tell that she loved her were clear in her mind.

The months spent parted from you are the saddest time of my life. I’m haunted by you, the ghost of you. You’re everywhere: even if I’m silent, not an hour passed where I haven’t thought of you. I tried not to, but whenever I closed my eyes, there you were. I love you and I can’t live without you, without your smile, your wit, your touch. I just can’t but how can I ask you to be with me in the dark? I can’t step back from this wedding and I don’t want you to be a secret mistress: that would squalid and offensive when you are the one I want to give all of me. To marry, if that was even a possibility for us so that I could spend every single day of my life with you, waking up with you by my side, taking care of you…making you happy. Your absence makes even breathing hard, not to mention smiling to strangers, “capitalist pigs” as you would say…I even try and talk like you do, you see? But I find myself wondering: will I make you happy if I have to hide our love from the world? Kiss you only behind closed doors? Let you see me marry a man? You’re a free spirit, my love, I don’t want to put you in a cage because our love, our pure love would be a scandal and a scandal would ruin everything I worked for since I was even younger than you. I don’t want you to spend your life as a ghost yet I find myself craving to see your face one more time as living without you is barely surviving but all the light has gone as I lost you.

Suddenly she felt someone placing their hands on her shoulders.

“Let me help you here, Madame”

She opened her eyes and saw Sabine, smiling sympathetically down at her. She tried and failed to mirror her smile as her mascara was now running down her cheeks.

Sabine helped her to her feet and took care of everything. Zetta let her washed up her face and helped her into her shiny evening dress: she felt like a child in the hands of a loving mother. When she was putting on her earrings, the final touch, Sabine handed her a small stack of envelopes.

“The invitations to the movie screening and party” she explained. “It’s October first, I would suggest to send them first thing tomorrow to ensure that everyone get the invitation within reasonable notice. It wasn’t easy to find all the addresses, but I did my best”

“I’m sure you did, Sabine. Thank you for taking care of it.” Zetta said as she checked the succession of familiar names of former passengers and famous colleagues. “I will sign them personally when we come back from the party”.

“Excellent” Sabine nodded.

Then as Zetta placed the stack on her desk, she presented her a single envelope.

“I hope you don’t mind if I requested a faster delivery for this one” she added before bowing her head curtly and leaving the room. “Have a nice evening, Madame”

Zetta read the name handwritten on the last envelope where a different stamp had been appointed.

‘Mademoiselle Adele Carrem’

A lump formed in her throat but she forced herself not to cry and just smile, mentally thanking Sabine: she had found her. Following nothing else but her instinct, Zetta picked out the invitation and signed it with her fountain pen. Then, as Richard called her name, she grabbed a slip of paper and wrote a brief note:

“Please come, my love. I must see you again. Yours, Zetta”.

She folded everything back into the envelope and finally left her room as a newfound hope kindled inside her.

[hollenka99]

A Deal Gone Wrong

Summary: Jackie’s betrayed the others for the sake of bringing Henrik home safely. The aftermath doesn’t go as he expected.

Warnings: Abuse, Anti generally being an asshole

Jackie looking into ways to get Anti's attention quickly delivers results. He is always watching, after all. It shouldn't have surprised him how easy it was to find himself in the demon's presence. It's been exactly 9 months since Henrik was taken. Jackie promised himself he wouldn't allow the doctor to stay captive for as long as he did. It was getting uncomfortably close now. Times were getting desperate. And well, he wholly agreed with what they said about occasions such as these. His reckless plan works. Jackie's too pleased about winning this victory, too relieved to be granted a few days of freedom before delivering on his side of the bargain. He turns a blind eye to how easy it is. At least he's smart enough to write the specifics on paper. Not like he expected Anti to whip out a pen and sign a 'contract'. If you could call it that. He assumes Anti's amusement was due to the ridiculousness of it. Still, anything to feel he has any sway on the glitch. If Anti says there'll be a swap, Jackie can only hope he keeps his word. Henrik comes home, as promised. The first hour or two following his return are the most eventful. Chase and Marvin can't hug their friend soon enough. Jackie bursts into tears against the doctor's chest. The ten days Anti had granted him disappear quicker than he'd like. There is less stress in the air. It doesn't feel like they are scrabbling for peace or normality quite as much. Marvin's plants are beginning to display an vast improvement in vitality. There is also the relief they have another (more competent) doctor assisting in Jack's care. Jackie is happy knowing he's played a part in bringing this about. It's not all great. Chase won't stop joking that they only need to wake Jack up so things can go back to how they were. He knows life will never revert back to summer 2016 standards. Chase didn't even exist until a year ago. Henrik keeps trying to inspect Jackie's injuries. What is he expecting to find? His legs are barely functional, the scars of the living autopsy are still there and Jackie doubts he's regained much weight, if at all. Sneaking in a visit to Jack's bedside only resurfaces the same feelings of guilt he's experienced this week. He's betraying their trust. For a good reason, he reminds himself. For a good reason. Now here they were, standing feet from each other once more. He's mulled over whether to leave a goodbye note. He decided against it. It would only cause them more heartache to know he went willingly. And Henrik, oh he'd have to live with the knowledge this was for him. Jackie doesn't want that. It's made worse by the prediction he won't be himself the next time they see him. He's made his choice. There's no backing out now. "Well, here I am. You upheld your end so... I guess I'll have to do the same." The demon greets him with a malicious smirk. "That's nice to hear. But you don't have what I want." "What are you talking about? You said you'd let Henrik come home if I gave myself up. We agreed on a swap, myself for Schneep." As if to prove his point, Jackie fishes out the note. He forcefully shows it to Anti. The demon inspects it before promptly ripping it until nothing remains but mere shreds. "You weren't listening. I never said I'd take you. You just assumed. Desperate to come back to me, puppet?" "I am not a puppet." "Aren't you? What are the five largest cities in Ireland?" "Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford." Caught off guard, he deadpans the list without resistance. "Returning to me reminds you of..?" "The Temporary Discharge for Ill Health Act of 1913, better known as the Cat and Mouse Act." No, don't smile like that. Don't be proud of his ability to answer questions. It's only a few stray facts he can recite. He is Jackie. Remember that. He's not a puppet. Not yet. Maybe it will be easier to give in once he's back to that lightless room. He can fight for a week or two save face then- he's getting ahead of himself. But his corruption hasn't transpired quite yet. "Alright, I can spout random trivia. So what?" "What are the physiological symptoms of fear?" "Hyperventilation, increased heart rate, increased muscle tension, sweating, hyperglycemia and disruption to the digestive system, among others." Jackie lists the symptoms on his fingers. He knew this from his own experience. It had absolutely nothing to do with Biology lessons or the independent research he felt was necessary to complete. "Good. What should your resting heart rate be?" "I'm physically over the age of ten so... somewhere between 60 and 100 beats per minute." "Oh really? That's very interesting to know. I just counted 87." It's only now that Jackie gains awareness of Anti's fingers pressing slightly too harshly against the top of his neck. He flinches as he swats it away. "I told you to stop. And that's still in the range, you dick." "It's very unhealthy to have it so high. Tell me why you're not normal." "I'm a character?" "That doesn't matter." "I'm younger than everyone else?" "No. Try again." Anti growls, impatience growing. "Oh. I exercise frequently which means I-" His glare is aimed at Anti. Well done, you've making him realise his mistake. The glitch must be so proud of himself. Why is Jackie even answering of his own free will? "Which means I should be closer to 60 beats per minute." "Exactly." "Look, it doesn't matter. I made the mistake of dealing with you. Increased heart rate is also a symptom of stress." "That's no way to speak to the one who took the liberty of educating you." That tone. Oh God, it was that exact tone. Please don't let him have a needle and thread handy. He's sorry. He won't misbehave again, he swears. "Sorry, sir." Anti still glowers for a moment. "I see you finally remembered your manners." "Listen, I can't walk. So no more escape attempts. You won't have to worry about that." "That didn't excuse you from lessons, now did it?" "No, exactly, so we can still do that." "Yet you still managed to leave me." How is Jackie meant to respond to that? "I- Well, you were distracted, sir. I was... I was being resourceful. That's a useful trait, right?" Anti's laughter is broken. It morphs into an amalgamation of giggles, cackles and snickers. He scrutinises Jackie once more before turning away. His gaze is directed to the powerlines surrounding the field. Hang on, he can't just leave! God, this culminating panic was so stupid. No matter how much he tries to squash it, the anxiety grows. Within seconds, he can't stop himself from blurting it out. "Wait, don't go!" This attracts the glitch's attention. He abruptly ceases the increase in fragmentation. The air doesn't feel quite as energised. Anti's head whips around. He's beaming as he steps towards Jackie, closing the distance. "You're as pathetic as ever. Perhaps I should take you with me." Anti muses. "That way you can look my new puppet in the eyes and tell him how you betrayed his trust." "I didn't do anything." Don't say that. Please. Just because it's true doesn't mean he wants to be reminded. "What is one of the first lessons I taught you?" "Don't- Don't talk back?" It's a frown now. "You don't sound convinced." "Don't talk back." He answers firmly. "That's better." Anti gives him a gentle smile. It is swiftly followed by a shove that is nowhere near as gentle. "I could leave you in Tasmania and make you swim all the way home. No cheating this time either. I will personally throw you overboard into the Indian Ocean if I see you trying to stowaway again. I'm sure you don't want that." The glitch crouches down. His hand reaches out towards Jackie's head. The teenager flinches. Anti glides his hand through his hair. Don't relax into it. You have better sources of human contact. This subtle resistance seems to irritate the demon as his hair is yanked into position. Jackie has no choice but to look him in the eyes. "I've had my eye on him for months. Now you've given me an excuse to have him all to myself." The grin falls into a pout. The grip loosens too. "But don't worry! We can be together again one day. I know how lonely you've been without me." How long has Anti's eye had that green glint to it? He tsks in sympathy. The hair stroking resumes. "All those bad habits. Give me some time and you won't have to be lonely again. Can you do that?" No. Fuck off. No way is he going to... going to... He will wait for his master, of course he will. "Yes, sir." Anti rises to his feet. "Good boy. Now, why don't you run home? I have better things to be doing than stand here proving you can't deceive yourself." Jackie doesn't need any more incentives. Racing isn't a pace he is able to maintain anymore. Nevertheless, he travels home as rapidly as his body will allow him. He hadn't brought his keys. In his defense, he believed he wouldn't be coming back. Not to mention he was not about to risk Anti gaining unauthorised access to the egos' home. He bangs on the door like he had eight months ago. They're all clearly beside themselves. No words are spoken before Jackie is practically smothered by Marvin while simultaneously being berated for his disappearance. Where had he gone? Why didn't he think to give them a heads up before leaving? Did he not realise how worried they'd been? Also, had Chase said anything to him about staying out tonight? Jackie doesn't understand. What did Chase have to do with him sneaking out? If the guy had gone to drop off a forgotten toy, that wasn't suspicious. Neither was the prospect of traffic delaying him or Chase secretly heading to a pub. Come on, this was Chase they were talking about. There must be a perfectly reasonable- What about a hallway? Why's that significant? Oh. Oh no.

[askiisoft]

FAN ART FRIDAY: Weird Science

(Banner art by @DokusatsuMurXer)

Summer is finally here! School’s out, the sun is shining, and a record heatwave is sweeping through New Mecca. So, how do you beat the heat? Personally, my favorite way is cryogenically freezing myself for decades in the hope a cure can be found for my debilitating wasting condition. You?

In truth, this week’s theme was going to be “Fun in the Sun”, but then this.

Don’t say I never listen to the fans.

[WARNING: Contains plot spoilers for ‘Katana ZERO’]

by @DmitryDeceiver

It’s true, though--this week has seen a massive surge in fan interest for Dr. von Alvensleben. Still, there was only one place to start: with this gorgeous pixelated portrait by Deceiver. Technically this isn’t even fan art, since Dmitry was the artist who designed Leon in the first place, but let’s consider this the ‘baseline’ before we see how other artists have dolled him up.

—

by @palchiba

Leon: Oooh—gotcha!

Scientist: I got caught—this sucks...

As the artist put it, “the scientist dream duo”. Leon has a little fun with the ill-fated hostage from the game’s introductory mission. Things don’t seem to turn out well for men of science in Katana ZERO...

—

by @moryu

More than the helicopter fight, more than the final boss, what took the longest for me to beat was the final room of the Leon’s Riddler-esque gauntlet: dodging and rolling past ceiling crushers, laser grids and sniper fire in a hand-cramping test of pure agility, all while the best song in game egged me on (yes, it’s the best, don’t @ me). @moryu’s chaotic array of sniper reticules, lasers, and spotlights perfectly capture the feeling being a rat in Leon’s maze, and wanting to wipe that smug grin off his face.

—

by @DokusatsuMurXer

The dilapidated purples and greens of the Slaughterhouse seem to have become Leon’s signature color scheme among fans. The overwhelmingly pure blackness of his silhouette contoured by patches of deathly-pale skin and unkempt high-school stubble make him truly irresistible, am I right?

—

by @shaocixiezi

by @moryu

Chilled “Leben” has begun.

Leon: Son...it’s hot...

Zero: Ugh...

by @55_yamisan

Teach me!!! 

Leon von Alvensleben-sensei

Leon: Hi there, son. It’s me, your dear ol’ papa.  Listen, I don’t fit in this fridge real well, so you might have to pay extra for your electric bill.

Zero: Wow.

※ refrigerator

Thus begins what I like to call the “Leon in Refrigerators” saga. Yes, it seems Leon has moved from his comfy cryopod into Zero’s tiny fridge, where they can spend some quality father-son time together. Among the various memes Katana ZERO has spawned, this one is somehow the least bizarre.

—

by @Jinxsweapon

OK, so this one was drawn before the fandom collectively realized Leon was missing an arm, but that hardly matters in the face of the sheer style on display. Looking like a ghoulish punk-rock villain from Samurai Jack, the chromatic aberration and dialogue box of pure static foreshadow Leon’s ultimate reveal as a pre-recorded phantom, repeating the same messages on loop. Also, purple and green. Called it!

—

by @55_yamisan

Unless skintight turtlenecks and cargo pants are regulation clothing for NULL research staff, I suppose Leon put forth at least the barest effort to follow dress code back in the day as he casually crosses off names of NULL test subjects while reclining at his desk. The attention to detail is awesome, as Leon’s ID card, snack, and pen are all situated to accommodate his one hand--something Yami-san’s put a lot of thought into.

—

by @matsumatsu_kou

“I told you not to.”

Leon, buddy, the first thing you need to know about being a father: never tell your kid not to touch the big shiny button. Here we see Dr. von Alvensleben, awakened and moments from collapsing into a pile of dust. Welcome to the present, doctor.

—

Whew, who thought this would be the longest FAF yet? I’m serious, I haven’t even covered a fraction of the mad lad’s fan art from these past few weeks, but please do check out more work from each and every one of these great artists. See you next week!

If you’d like some artwork featured on a future Fan Art Friday, just use the Submit Button on this blog!

[deeneee]

Lost [Leon x Reader] (PART ONE)

Note: here it is. It is a little sad, but not really. RE4 LEON is just about to be introduced! IM EXCITED! This’ll be a two part or more?? I want to write some action but idk. This is turning out more of a story, but oh well 😂 it’s not really a story, but idk. 

Master List

Previous

“I heard you’re getting a partner for your new mission,” you speak, looking over at Leon who’s sitting at his desk. Leon looked up at you and nodded.

“Yes, I’ve met him before, actually. He’s been training with me,” Leon muttered. You looked over Leon’s partners files on your computer screen, narrowing your eyes.

“Hmmm, Jack Krauser. . . ,” you mumbled and looked at his picture, “he look pretty buff.”

“Yeah, I’ve been told that the mission is pretty dangerous, so they paired him with me.” It’s been almost 2 years since Leon joined your office. For the past couple of months, Leon has been going on pretty dangerous missions, but they’ve all been successful. No doubt about it, Leon is very skilled. So far, he is the most reliable and skillful agent in the agency. His physical experience had also changed a little, like his expression. You’ve noticed that after every mission, he seemed to look more dull and serious. His hair became darker and he also became a bit more sarcastic. He’s lost that innocent look to him and if you were to be honest, it was kind of sad to see Leon change like this. Not that it’s his fault, but it hit you that Leon has seen so much that it’s even taken a toll on his physical appearance. The past couple of months had been hectic for the both of you. Unfortunately, you both lost a member. . .Frank. He disappeared on a mission and was found as a monster later on. It was hard to take in, but it had happened and you couldn’t do anything. You and Leon took it hard and mourned for a couple days. You looked over at the empty desk next to Leon, remembering the times when Frank would always scold you. It hurt, but the best thing to do is keep moving forward, and you knew that this is what Frank would want for you and Leon to do. “You okay?” Leon’s gentle voice broke you from your thoughts and you turned you attention to him. His blue eyes held worry and you gave him a small smile.

“Yeah,” you responded, “just reminiscing.”

“If you feel like crying, you can always come to me,” he patted his shoulder, “you can cry here.” You chuckled, feeling a slight burn making its way to your eyes.

“There’s no way I’m going to cry,” your voice cracked in between as tears blurred your vision. Leon’s eyes softened at the sight of you bringing your hands up to cover your eyes. He quickly walked over to your side and grabbed the chair beside you and sat down, scooting close to you. His gruff hands patted your back as you sobbed quietly. One thing Leon realized is that he hated seeing you cry. The best thing to do was to be there for you.

-skip-

Before you knew it, Leon left for his mission, and it was time for your mission. You were sitting in the helicopter, dressed in your usual fighting attire. You’ve never felt so lonely before, and you weren’t sure why. You looked out the window, watching the world from above. It was beautiful, green, and intriguing. How deceiving the world looked from above. It was just you and the pilot in the helicopter, and the sound of the blades slicing the air.

Right when you got back from your mission, you heard so many things about Leon accomplishing his mission. People were calling him a talented agent, and a hero. You weren’t sure of the details, but he had successfully finished his mission. Unfortunately, his partner did not make it, and after hearing this, you hurried to your office, opening the door. Your heart clenched at the sight of Leon sitting in his chair, back hunched, and face covered with his arms. You quietly walked over and sat on Frank’s seat. His shoulders were slightly shaking, and his hands were clenched. “Hey,” you softly spoke, bringing your hands to rub his back. The best thing to do was to be there for him, and you did just that.

A few minutes later, Leon turns his head and looks at you, his head sitting on his arms. His eyes were raw and puffy, streaks of tears dried on his cheek. “Thanks,” He hoarsely said, and then sniffled. A side of Leon that only you have seen, yet a side of him that breaks your heart. You nodded and gave him a little smile. He got up and wrapped his arms around your frame, “At least you’re back safe.” You leaned into him and closed your eyes, wrapping your arms around him. “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you, too.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” you whispered, and he squeezed you, “I wouldn’t know what to do if I lost you either, Leon.” Just thinking about it drove you into devastation. Leon has been there for you ever since, and if you were ever to hear such bad news; you’re afraid that you’d go on a rampage. Leon is a great friend— a great person, and he deserved a great life. You pulled away from him and gazed into his beautiful eyes. “Let’s survive this.”

——

Time flew by and before you knew it, it was already the year 2004. Time passed, and you changed. You’ve been told that your smiles weren’t as radiant as before, and that you seemed dull. You didn’t have that glow anymore. You could say it kind of disappeared when you stopped seeing Leon. Work made you both so busy, that you never had the chance to talk or see each other. It had been 3 years since you’ve seen him. A long, cold, dark 3 years. You heard that he recently rescued the presidents daughter, Ashley. Definitely heroic of him. You were proud of him. You’ve thought countless times how you wanted to visit him sometime, but you were too much of a wimp to. You were afraid he maybe disliked you, or worse, had forgotten about you. One thing for sure, you’re glad he’s doing fine and alive.

“Hey, you listening?” your martial arts instructor, Luke, questioned. You shook yourself from your trance and shot him a kick to his side. He stepped back and winced, rubbing his side. “I wasn’t asking for a kick, dude,” he muttered and you stood up straight.

“Sorry about that,” you apologized, sheepish. Luke has been your instructor ever since you got into the agency. You felt like letting off some steam, so you invited him for a spar.

“Anyways, Hunnigan is on her way to talk to you,” Luke said, his brown hair drenched with sweat. You nodded and wiped off your sweat with a towel that lay on a chair, near the mat. The thudding sounds of people being thrown on the floor, and yells was all you heard as you took a swig of your water. “So, what’s been on your mind?” You glanced over at Luke and pressed your lips into a line.

“I thought about ‘him’ again. I just miss him,” you admitted and shrugged.

“Oh, right. Your ‘lover’,” Luke cooed, raising his brow.

“No way,” you interjected, “just a good friend.” Leon’s face flashed in your mind and a small smile made its way to your lips.

“Look at that smile,” Luke pursed his lips and you rolled your eyes and shook your head.

“Leave me alone, Luke.” You could hear the clicks of heels approaching and you turned to the door, only to see Hunnigan walking towards you. Today she wore a striped navy blue suit with black heels. Not a bad look for her. “Hunnigan,” you greeted with a nod and she stood in front of you, smiling softly at you.

“Hey, [Name]. I came to tell you that he’s doing fine.”

“Ooooohhh, so that’s how you know your lover is doing fine,” Luke exclaimed.

“I’m glad,” you breathed a sigh of relief, and Hunnigan smirked.

“So, when should I tell him that I know you?” She questioned, pushing her glasses up.

“Y-you shouldn’t,” you retorted and crossed your arms. Luke and Hunnigan looked at each other and chuckled. “Anyways, my mission is in a few days, got any info for me?”

“Ah, right. A woman named Blair Gage is suspected of producing BOW’s in Alaska. You’re instructed to destroy her lab and bring her back alive,” Hunnigan handed you a folder and you took it, looking through the woman’s profile. She had piercing jade orbs and platinum blonde hair in a pixie cut. She didn’t look that intimidating.

“She’s young,” you muttered, looking at her age. She’s 28, which is the same age as you. What could she be doing with these BOW’s?

“You’ll have a huge surprise during your mission. I hope you enjoy it,” the black haired woman nodded and then walked off. You watched her go and narrowed your eyes, wondering what it could be.

“She probably talking about those BOW’s,” Luke joked and you looked at him, shaking his head.

“That wasn’t a really great joke.”

“Yeah, whatever, I’m leaving.”

——-

Finally, it was the day of the mission. Here you were, once again, on a helicopter by yourself and looking over the landscape. Your ear piece made a sound, until you heard Hunnigan’s voice. “Alright, can you guys hear me?” She questioned, and you furrowed your brows.

“What do you—-“ you paused when you realized someone was talking the same time as you. Someone else is on the line? Who the hell?

“Hunnigan, who’s the other person?” A deep voice asked, and it sounded so unfamiliar.

“No time for questions. You both are almost at your destination. Prepare for landing.”

“Whoever you’re partnering me with, I hope they’re cute,” The man commented and you narrowed your eyes. A partner? This is the surprise? He sounds kind of like a jerk. You turned off your communicator and huffed, looking around.

“Who does this jerk think he is?” You questioned to no one in particular.

——

BEEP!

“Oh, she just hung up,” the man said.

“Well, if you hadn’t said that, she wouldn’t have.”

“I must’ve pushed some kind of button,” he muttered.

“You don’t say?” Hunnigan sarcastically remarked.

“I was also being sarcastic, Hunni—-“

BEEP!

“. . .Alrighty then.”

Next

[tres-spades-hotel]

Fake (A KBTBB FanFic) Chapter 1 - A Disaster After Another, Part 2

“I don’t listen to women, especially one who tries to humiliate me in front of so many people. The only solution is to give that back.” The man I encountered at the beginning. He says it loud enough for me to hear and I scowl in return. He laughs and walks off. He won’t get away with this.

As I hear the auctioneer, in a strange outfit no less, I come to realise what this is. A black market auction. Great. I’m being sold. And if I get sold, my ‘owner’ will get all my assets. My Serpents.

“Here is a Japanese woman, fit to do anything you desire. Keep her as a pet, use her for your own gains, the list is limitless. She may be wearing a suit, but there is a woman ready to be dressed by your ideas.”

I feel both disgusted and annoyed that this is happening. Some men in the audience lick their lips while some women whisper into their counter-parts ear.

“Let us begin the bidding.”

5 million. 10 million. The number continues to rise. But it stops at 20 million.

“20 million… so-“ “Wait!” I shout before he can sell me.

“20 million? A measly 20 million is all you can sell me for? You must be joking. I am worth for more than that. Try a little harder and you’ll see.” I say with confidence. It is true that 20 million is nothing compared to the amount of money I earn per hour.

But the audience is intrigued. Excited whispers and chuckles rip through the audience. The auction continues with me at the centre.

“Sold! At 200 million dollars.” A pair of men drag the cage off the stage. Two men, one who I recognise immediately as Ota Kisaki and the other in a red suit who I also recognise as Mitsunari Baba, both wear masks but it does nothing to hide their identities.

The handcuffs come off and I rub my sore wrists.

“Please follow us.” The man in red says, holding his arm out to show the way.

“You’re a weird one. Did you want to be sold here?” Ota Kisaki says. I decide I’m better off saying nothing and I follow them.

When we arrive, I notice that we have walked past my room. The one I have rented out.

“Here Boss. We brought her.” When I enter the room, I see 3 other men lounging around. Everyone takes off their masks. I see all the men whom I have investigated at one point. Eisuke Ichinomiya, Soryu Oh and even a police detective, Mamoru Kishi. He also uses my Serpents but to catch criminals. I didn’t realise he was crooked.

“You have been bought b-” Eisuke begins to say but I put my hand up to stop him.

“I’m going to stop you right there. You have not bought me, this is a slight set back.”

Everyone looks taken back by my statement but Eisuke smirks at me. “Oh?”

“Watch what you say woman.” Soryu tells me in an intimidating tone and face.

“Woman? Is that what I am? I didn’t notice.” I hear snickers from everyone as I put my hand on my hip. “Please, don’t reduce me down to a mere object. Didn’t you hear what I said on the stage? I’m worth far more than you can ever know.” I only speak in a confident voice which just intrigues the men more.

“She’s got you there Sor.” Baba says. Soryu looks at me with annoyance. Eisuke pipes in and says “You’re an interesting one. You successfully sold yourself at triple the amount that you were nearly auctioned for. What makes you think you’re worth more of my time than any other woman?” He crosses his arms and legs, trying to show off.

“Well for one thing, my value is adequately more than your time.” I say with mockery. His eyes narrow and he scowls at me.

“Well we just bought you for 200 million so that must be true in some sense.” Mamoru says, lighting a cigarette. Soryu scrunches up his nose, again, at the smoke.

“So you don’t like women and smoke? I wonder whether you like anything.” I smile, and he looks at me with confusion. But I turn to Ota and Baba who have sat down.

“Those auctions are all yours?”

“Yes. Anything and anyone can be sold.”

“I gathered since I was just sold! What time is it?” I say with urgency. “Nearly 9.”

“Fuck. I have to go to the IVC to meet someone.” I go to grab my phone out of my pocket but there’s nothing there. I feel for my things in my pockets but they’re all empty.

“Where’s my stuff?”

“On their way up I’m sure.” I share a scowl with Eisuke who stands up.

While I check my pockets, Eisuke walks up to me and catches my chin is his hand, lifting my head up to look him in the eyes. “You’ve been bought by us, so you need to choose who will own you.” I unconsciously search his eyes for something. He has sweet eyes but there’s only a harshness behind them.

Looks can be deceiving.

I smirk and say, “I belong to no one but myself.” I pull out a secret phone from the bottom of my boot and walk off, leaving a stunned audience.

--

“Vayy, I have gotten into… a little situation but I will let you know about the information I gather tonight. In the meantime, get 200 million dollars ready in cash.”

“Yes Ma’am. May I ask what it’s for?”

“No. Just have it ready.” I hang up and put my earrings in. Vayy was one of the first Serpents. She has helped me like a personal assistant, a friend and a sister. Vayy means very much to me, just like all the other Serpents. We went to university together and knew about the awful things that happened to me, so she tries to be as protective as her position lets her. But I do understand her concern. And you don’t want to see Vayy mad.

The dress fits like a glove and hugs me like a lover. I put my hair up to show off my back and slip on platform heels to give me some height. I put on a ring bracelet and a wrap-around snake bracelet on my other wrist. Everyone in the Serpent Syndicate wears something that relates to snakes. It’s how we can tell each other apart from innocents. Some have tattoos, jewellery and wearing clothing with snake images on them. I prefer wearing jewellery, but I had a cobra tattoo done on my inner arm.

Knock. Knock.

Who could that be? I open the door and find Baba and Ota have come by with a box in hand.

“Hello, here are the items that were taken away from you before the auction happened.” Ota holds out the box and I take it.

“Thanks.” I say and walk into the room. I open it and find my smartphone, keys and other small items.

“I was surprised to see that you live in a VIP room. But if you have a lot of money, how did you end up at the auctions?” I tell them about what happened earlier in the day and they shrug their shoulders.

“I suppose it’s bad luck that happened. How did they knock you out?”

“I remember being outside, walking past a park when someone knocked me out with a cloth dipped in a drug.”

“I see. By the way, you look absolutely stunning.” Baba suddenly takes my hand and kisses it like a fairy tale prince.

“Hm, thanks.” I reply, taking back my hand and waving it in the air. As if it’s going to make much difference. I wipe my hand on a laughing Ota and his face changes into disgust.

“Ew keep Baba’s saliva off me please.”

“Hey!” Baba looks offended, but I quickly take their ears in my hands.

“Ow!”

“Hey! What are you doing?”

“Stop complaining. This is happening because of your auctions. Do not forget for a second that I can tell anyone and everyone about the basement of the Tres Spades Hotel. Are we clear?”

They nod quickly, and I let go. They rub their ears and run off. I roll my eyes and grab my purse, following them.

--

Wow. It’s extremely extravagant down here and I haven’t even gotten to the entrance yet. The lobby is filled with staff and other guests who do not have the fortune to go to the IVC. I carefully make my way down, but I get a phone call from Henry.

“Mistress, we have Mr. Oshaka making his way to us. What should we do?”

“Shit. That’s early. Tell him to get on a plane to Japan. You all follow and get him to my room in the Tres Spades Hotel.”

“Yes Ma’am.” I give Henry my room details and hang up. Henry and Jack are bodyguards of mine. While Henry is stern and quick, Jack is comical and careful. Jack finds most of his pleasure in men though, which does give Henry the creeps. But they act like brothers and this gives me comfort that I’m surrounded by family.

I take a deep breath and open the double doors. My strides and body language immediately become focused and confident. If you act as if nothing fazes you, nothing will. Everyone turns to stare and watch me, but I only keep my eyes on a certain CEO who seems to think he owns me. Eisuke and his associates turn towards me after hearing my footsteps. I make eye contact with Eisuke and he smirks at me. God his smirk is both annoying and arousing.

I slow my steps as I get closer. When I do, I take Eisuke’s arm and walk away with him in tow. I drag him to the dance floor where couples are holding each other in a ballroom dance. I stop outside the group and pull him towards me, flush to my body, and wrap his arms around my waist. Then I feel him tug me even closer so that I hear his breathing in my ear. I wrap my arms around his broad shoulders, letting my fingers run through his hair gently. I notice many women around us giving me a jealous look and I only smirk at them. We sway to the music as I look over his shoulder.

“Now I don’t have a lot of time as I am on a very tight schedule. A minor setback but this’ll have to do. You’ll help me to get the information that I am seeking and then we can talk about … paying off the debt.” I whisper into his ear and he responds by nipping at my ear and running his large hands up and down my sides. I bite my lip to prevent myself from letting out a moan.

“I’ll help you for now, but later we will discuss very thoroughly about your debt and in what method you’ll pay it off.” Eisuke whispers and licks my ear for good measure. It takes all of me strength to keep quiet.

When I get my voice back I whisper, ”When Mr. Ukara comes up to us, you will just stand by me and look pretty. And pretty things don’t talk.”

“I could say the same about you.” He says. “Shut up.” I murmur.

[neven-ebrez]

I’ve loved reading the differing opinions on 13x07 because really I thought it was some of Buckleming’s best work. I don’t really care for Ketch that much either way but he presented the most thematically recurring theme of a past lover wearing a deceiving face (which I still can’t discuss as a structure point but most of you can guess why now I’m hoping) and we also saw where revealing the falsity lies: with Dean’s instincts and Dean knowing where love lies (for Ketch this is with Mary).

Did we have a lot of plotline? Yes. But were they all cohesive and flowed reasonably well? Also yes. Frankly, I’m baffled by the amount of Cas fans who thought Cas behaved stupidly. That was arguably the best Buckleming ever wrote Cas, who was more a victim of circumstance than behaving in a way that was all together “stupid” of “foolish”. Cas didn’t want to go with the angels so he had to fight them off. Lucifer has a legitimate warning to give Cas, who listened (and expressed annoyance at the situation) but was still wary for reasons he spelled out. He wisely calls Sam and Dean as soon as he can but is quickly interrupted telling them anything important. He is knocked out and captured by a powerful enemy who came with back up. Seriously. For Buckleming writing Cas, that was a fucking dream episode.

And while we had a lot of plotlines going on, they all RELATED to one another, informed the other. It wasn’t the telling of two different stories like S9 was. And while it hastily came together at the end, it still all *did* tie together. We are given tension (though I’d argue not enough focus on this) for Dean’s instincts being right against Sam’s instincts being proven wrong once again (sadly). This makes Sam doubt more about Mary being alive. And Jack being good. It produces brotherly conflict that is neither contrived nor unreasonable. Setting up for how they each will deal with Mary, Jack, and Asmodeus.

I don’t like Lucifer or MP, but Lucifer is being written in a way that is at least compelling. I thought Asmodeus was better this episode too, revealing his true loyalty, which is apparently to himself, which is far more interesting honestly. And while I don’t necessarily WANT Ketch back, I thought he made a good structural Meg replacement (in love with someone but self serving in his own cause).

Kevin was also great to have back, even if he isn’t our Kevin. Michael continues to be the looming big threat in a breath of fresh air. It’s really very entertaining. So yeah. This season continues to be the best the show has had in a fucking long ass time imo. This episode didn’t slow that down or finish that at all.

[sherlockshite]

An Act Within an Act: The Importance of Being Earnest as key in reading Series 4

Alternatively: Deception in the Play that is Series 4 (The Importance of Being Earnest reading)

“The curtain rises. The last act. It’s not over. SH”

I’m going to discuss why this whole series 4 is just an act, such as there are different scenes to form a play. Some of the themes of The Importance of Being Earnest revolve around: duties/responsibilities, religion, morality, societal class, marriage, impressions, deception.

Let me just stress on two points here: deception (fake lives, fake people, and fake names) and impressions. Sound familiar? These motifs can also be found in series 4.

“Lady Bracknell” from Oscar Wilde’s play The Importance of Being Earnest (hereafter, TIOBE) was mentioned three times in The Final Problem.  It was during these three instances:

1)

2)

3)

Thus, it is necessary to know the significance of TIOBE to this show.

[Note: I’ll discuss some important points in TIOBE first, then proceed to using these points in reading scenes from BBC Sherlock. After that, I’m going to draw parallels between the two plays (considering that Series 4 is a play) by discussing the twins, handbag, bunbury, acting, christening]

The Importance of Being Earnest

TIOBE has three acts. Brief summary first. (If you already know about TIOBE, you can skip this part) The first act is the introduction of the characters, where the “Bunburying” by both Jack/John Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff is revealed to us.

Bunburying = is an act, that comes from the word Bunbury, who is a poor, invalid friend of Algernon. Algernon made up Mr. Bunbury, to use as an excuse/alibi (that Algy needs to pay a visit his very ill friend) for him to avoid doing his duties.

In Algernon’s own words: “You have invented a very useful younger brother called Ernest, in order that you may be able to come up to town as often as you like.  I have invented an invaluable permanent invalid called Bunbury, in order that I may be able to go down into the country whenever I choose. Bunbury is perfectly invaluable. If it wasn’t for Bunbury’s extraordinary bad health, for instance, I wouldn’t be able to dine with you at Willis’s to-night, for I have been really engaged to Aunt Augusta for more than a week.”

In the same way, Jack also does bunburying, but with Mr. Ernest Worthing

In town, Jack uses the name Ernest Worthing

In the countryside, Jack uses the name Jack but he has a brother named Ernest

The second act is Algy going to the countryside as he was curious about who Cecily was (the ward of Jack). Thus, to get into Jack’s place, Algy identifies as “Ernest Worthing” to everyone he meets in Jack’s place in the country. This causes a problem, of course, most especially since Jack also arrived during that same day to state that Ernest died because of illness, whereas Algy (dressed up as Ernest) was alive and well, and even inside the place.

The third act is both Cecily (supposedly engaged to “Ernest!Algy” and Gwendolen (supposedly engaged to “Ernest!Jack”) finding out that Jack and Algy were deceiving them with their names. You see, some of the themes of this play is about deception and impressions. The name “Ernest” is a great deal for the two girls, and if this isn’t Jack and Algy’s names, they are to decline the marriage. (Oh, and the views on marriage were also highlighted in this play)

Who is Lady Bracknell then? She is the mother of Gwendolen, and the aunt of Algy (in the end, it will also be found out that she is the aunt of Jack). Her attitude is VERY similar to Mycroft in various ways. (Btw, if you weren’t aware there are so many reasons why Algernon is a parallel for Sherlock and Jack/John for John, some of which are pointed out by @brilliantorinsane here.) 

Thus, we read:

Lady Bracknell = Mycroft

Algernon Moncrieff = Sherlock

Jack/John Worthing = John

Points of similarity between Lady Bracknell and Mycroft:

1.  She checks (interrogates) on Gwendolen’s potential partners

Lady Bracknell  (pencil and notebook in hand): I feel bound to tell you that you are not down on my list of eligible young men, although I have the same list as the dear Duchess of Bolton has. We work together in fact. However, I am quite ready to enter your name, should your answers be what a really affectionate mother requires.  Do you smoke?

Jack: Well yes, I must admit I smoke.

And this goes on. Anyway, it is comparable to this scene:

where Mycroft questions/tests John to get to know if he will be loyal to Sherlock.

M: Could it be that you’ve decided to trust Sherlock Holmes of all people?

JOHN: Who says I trust him?

M: You don’t seem the kind to make friends easily.

JOHN: Are we done?

M: You tell me.

M: I imagine people have already warned you to stay away from him, but I can see from your left hand that’s not going to happen.

Also:

Lady Bracknell: You can take a seat, Mr. Worthing

Jack: Thank you, Lady Bracknell, I prefer standing.

M: The leg must be hurting you. Sit down. JOHN: I don’t wanna sit down.

2. Lady Bracknell’s view on marriage/romance

Lady Bracknell: To speak frankly, I am not in favour of long engagements.  They give people the opportunity of finding out each other’s character before marriage, which I think is never advisable. 

MYCROFT: Well, it’s the end of an era, isn’t it? John and Mary – domestic bliss.

SHERLOCK: No, no, no – I prefer to think of it as the beginning of a new chapter.

SHERLOCK: What?

MYCROFT: Nothing!

SHERLOCK: I know that silence. What?

MYCROFT: Well, I’d better let you get back to it. You have a big speech, or something, don’t you?

SHERLOCK: What?

MYCROFT: Cake, karaoke ... mingling.

SHERLOCK: Mycroft!

MYCROFT: This is what people do, Sherlock – they get married. I warned you: don’t get involved.

SHERLOCK: Involved? I’m not involved.

3. Role of the mother (consequently, the grown-up):

Lady Bracknell is the mother of Gwendolen, and the Aunt of Algernon. She shows authority in the play. She cared for her daughter the most. Such can be found in these:

ASiB:

MYCROFT: I’ll be mother.

SHERLOCK: And there is a whole childhood in a nutshell.

ASiP:

TAB:

MYCROFT: Doctor Watson? Look after him  ... please?

BBC SHERLOCK

The mention of Lady Bracknell three times may suggest  that these are the three acts. The first act started after the explosion. See that the scene after the explosion at 221B is the pirate one. The explosion kick-started the play.

Okay, let’s dissect the dialogues. Replace the word “Lady Bracknell” in these dialogues to “act”. It totally fits in with the Play theory (where a brilliant meta on this was written by @porl0ck here, seriously, go read it if you haven’t):

FIRST *SUB-ACT:

MYCROFT: I’m sorry, Doctor Watson. Any movement will set off the grenade.

MYCROFT: I hope you understand.

JOHN: Oscar Wilde.

MYCROFT: What?

JOHN: He said, “The truth is rarely pure, and never simple.” It’s from ‘The Importance of Being Earnest.’ We did it in school.

WE WERE OFFICIALLY TOLD THAT “the truth is rarely pure and never simple” BEFORE THE ACT STARTED. It was the explosion that started the sub-act (*calling this a sub-act because TFP was the act within the bigger act (the whole of series 4).

(continuation)

MYCROFT: So did we. Now I recall. I was Lady Bracknell.

SHERLOCK: Yeah. You were great.

MYCROFT: You really think so?

SHERLOCK: Yes, I really do.

MYCROFT: Well, that’s good to know. I’ve always wondered.

SHERLOCK: Good luck, boys.

SHERLOCK: Three, two, one, go!

A nod to A PLAY by Oscar Wilde right before the “three, two, one, go!” and the explosion. The explosion in 221B signaled the start of the play. 

Then, 

We see this scene  literally after the explosion. Two points: 

1) No transition as to how we (or how Sherlock, John, and Mycroft) got to this part (specifically, in the British Isles: “RADIO: ... Lundy, Fastnet, Irish Sea, Shannon, Malin, Sherrinford. Sherrinford. Sherrinford.” - These are all islands in the British Isles, except Sherrinford). 

2) Sherlock and John burst out of the window after the explosion and remained unscathed. No scratches. Anywhere. What a way to start the play.

SECOND SUB-ACT:

MYCROFT: It justifies dressing up or any damned thing I say it does. Now, listen to me: for your own physical safety do not speak, do not indulge in any non-verbal signals suggestive of internal thought. If the safety of my sister is compromised; if the security of my sister is compromised; if the incarceration of my sister is compromised – in short, if I find any indication my sister has left this island at any time, I swear to you, you will not.

MYCROFT: Say thank you to Doctor Watson.

GOVERNOR: Why?

MYCROFT: He talked me out of Lady Bracknell. This could have been very different.

MYCROFT: Are you in?

SHERLOCK: Just arriving at the Secure Unit. Explain.

AUTOMATED VOICE: Door opening.

“It justifies dressing up or any damned thing I say it does” = C’mon Moftiss, you didn’t think we’d see through your costumes for your play? The narrative we’re given is the whole show dressed up in a costume for an act. Moftiss, I wonder: what would justify your cover-up/dressing that is this season?

“Say thank you to Doctor Watson” =  John was our narrator for the last three seasons. We knew everything was real because the story was given to us from John’s perspective (or dare I say, eyes). 

“He talked me out of Lady Bracknell. This could have been very different” =  He talked me out of the act. It was John who guided us throughout the past seasons. JOHN has been our narrator. But Mycroft, this is ALL very peculiar, all very different…  right, because we are shown an act.

“Are you in?” = Interestingly, in the second act, the “are you in?” question asked by Myrcroft to Sherlock could also mean another thing, other than Sherlock making his way to see Eurus. Mycroft (the showrunners), saying to Sherlock (the show BBC Sherlock) “Are you in?” =  Are you in the act, are you joining the play? As is depicted, Sherlock continually enters. So he is in. 

We also hear this while Sherlock makes his way towards Eurus’ cell:

An act, within an act. A narrative within a narrative. A dream within a dream. (However you may want to interpret it)

THIRD SUB-ACT:

SHERLOCK: Please, for God’s sake, just stop it.

MYCROFT: Why?

SHERLOCK: Because, on balance, even your Lady Bracknell was more convincing.

SHERLOCK: Ignore everything he just said. He’s being kind. He’s trying to make it easy for me to kill him.

Sherlock: “For God’s sake, just stop it (the act).”

“Even your Lady Bracknell ACT was more convincing” = Where was the act then? It had already been done at this point, as Sherlock wants to stop Mycroft in putting up the act. Mycroft, as we know can also signify Moftiss in this show, just as Sherlock can signify the show BBC Sherlock. Even the ACT was more convincing than the present one. What does this say? It means that there is an act within the act. An act within an act (series 4).

Sherlock to John (aka us, the audience): “Ignore everything he just said. He’s being kind. He’s trying to make it easy for me to kill him” = Funny, didn’t we just think that Moftiss tried to reichenbach this show? Mycroft (the showrunners and even Sherlock who’s in it) are putting up an act so that it would be easier to kill the show.

(continuation) 

SHERLOCK: Which is why this is going to be so much harder. MYCROFT: You said you liked my Lady Bracknell.

JOHN: Sherlock. Don’t.

MYCROFT: It’s not your decision, Doctor Watson.

*****In case you haven’t noticed:*****

Mycroft = Moftiss

Sherlock = BBC Sherlock

John = Us

Dialogue:

Mycroft (bringing up the ACT again, right before he sacrificed himself to get shot): “You said you liked my Lady Bracknell act”

Mycroft (Moftiss): “It’s not your decision, Doctor Watson” = So, yeah, thanks Moftiss for telling us that we’re not actually in control of the situation.

Thus, three people in the room: (the showrunners, BBC Sherlock, and us)

Three people. Three characters.

Other Points of Similarity between TIOBE and BBC Sherlock:

1) Algy’s Mr. Bunbury

1.1) Richard Brook

While Algernon represents Sherlock, we can also read Algy as being Jim Moriarty - Richard Brook as it is stated in his CV.  (Found from Sherlock: The Casebook)

(photo from this post)

We know that Richard Brook is an actor, one which was invented by Jim to sell his story and prove to the world that it was Sherlock was mistaken all along.

KITTY: Of course he’s Richard Brook. There is no Moriarty. There never has been.

JOHN: What are you talking about? (Yeah, John is pretty much us. We were sold a lie, and us being clueless about it.)

JOHN: You read this stuff?

MYCROFT: Caught my eye.

MYCROFT: Saturday: they’re doing a big exposé.

(John reads the announcement at the top of the front page. The headline reads: “SHERLOCK: THE SHOCKING TRUTH” with the strapline “Close Friend Richard Brook Tells All”. The article reveals that it is an Exclusive from Kitty Riley and the text reads: “Super-sleuth Sherlock Holmes has today been exposed as a fraud in a revelation that will shock his new found base of adoring fans. // Out-of-work actor Richard Brook revealed exclusively to THE SUN that he was hired by Holmes in an elaborate deception to fool the British public into believing Holmes had above-average ‘detective skills’. // Brook, who has known Holmes for decades and until recently considered him to be a close friend, said he was at first desperate for the money, but later found he had no” [at which point the text just stops].)

JOHN: I’d love to know where she got her information.

MYCROFT: Someone called Brook. Recognise the name?

Plus:

Rich Brook is the “Bunbury”, or the fake person invented by Jim to make his act/lie more believable and convincing. We are John, who’s feels entirely deceived about this all, as we know who Jim really is, thus, we cannot just make ourselves accept Rich Brook. 

Sherlock’s line in TFP is to call out Mycroft to stop his acting.

TFP: “Please, for God’s sake, just stop it.”

We get it in TRF, when Jim Moriarty claimed to be Rich Brook.

TRF: “Stop it, stop it now!”

Similarly, we cannot be deceived by their act, as we know what the show Sherlock really is, and cannot just accept the Series 4, as it is. I mean, look at all their set-up, their costumes, their dialogue.

1.2) Series 4 Acting:

1.3) Helped by a media tycoon to set it all up? 

1.4) The family pictures:

These are staged. These photos are not how family photos should be taken. More meta on this: 1 2 3 

2) Handbag

There’s also this thing about the handbags.

Jack Worthing as a baby was found in a handbag in Victoria Railway station, in a cloak room. The handbag kept the baby in TIOBE. In Sherlock, handbags contained guns, as pointed out in this post.

Where’s the baby in Sherlock? (Allow me to play with concepts here. In TIOBE handbag --> baby. In Sherlock, handbag --> gun. What if the roles of the contents of the handbags remained the same?) 

Mary naming the baby after her name “Rosamund” was like asking for danger waiting to happen. She’s well-aware of her past. Clearly, there are reasons behind it naming the baby after her “name”. Rosie may be used as a misdirection, or as a weapon by Mary. To the manipulator, everything can be used for utility. Most especially, a baby. As pointed out in others’ metas, Rosie is just a fake baby used as a weapon by Mary to achieve her own goals.

More clues leading that the baby is fake. Look no further, the promo pics are here to save the day. As Cecilia pointed out here and here:

So many wrong things in the promo pics.

3) Twins

In TIOBE, Dr. Chasuble, the rector, was requested by both Algy and Jack to christen them both, so that they would obtain the name “Ernest”. There was even a witty line (which mentioned “twins”) in the play, when Jack asked Chasuble to christen him. 

Chasuble: In fact I have two similar ceremonies to perform at that time.  A case of twins that occurred recently in one of the outlying cottages on your own estate.  Poor Jenkins the carter, a most hard-working man.

Jack:  Oh!  I don’t see much fun in being christened along with other babies.  It would be childish.  Would half-past five do?

Chasuble:  Admirably!  Admirably!  (Takes out watch)  And now, dear Mr. Worthing, I will not intrude any longer into a house of sorrow.  I would merely beg you not to be too much bowed down by grief.  What seem to us bitter trials are often blessings in disguise.

The christening of the twins was never shown in the play (or more specifically in the book, as I read it), but this can also mean Algy and Jack, as they both wanted to be christened as “Ernest”.

Similarly, in the Abominable Bride, we have the concept of twins as well:

WATSON: Holmes, could it have been twins? HOLMES: No. WATSON: Why not? HOLMES: Because it’s never twins. LESTRADE: Emelia was not a twin, nor did she have any sisters. She had one older brother who died four years ago. WATSON: Maybe it was a secret twin. HOLMES: A what? WATSON: A secret twin? WATSON: Hmm? You know? A twin that nobody knows about? This whole thing could have been planned. HOLMES: Since the moment of conception? How breathtakingly prescient of her! It is never twins, Watson.

You see, the "secret twin” or anything “secret” (coughs /secret sister/)  might’ve been intended for this Play (series 4) to work. Jack Worthing never got to know his biological parents as he says that he lost both his parents. (His backstory being a baby left in the cloakroom). 

Jack: I said I had lost my parents.  It would be nearer the truth to say that my parents seem to have lost me

By the end of the play, with the turnout of the events, it is revealed to us by the end of the play that Jack is indeed the elder brother of Algernon. 

4) Killing of brother / friend

Lines in TIOBE (I cut some lines off): (Both Jack and Algy killed their brother/friend to continue with their lies about Ernest and Bunbury flawlessly).

---Jack---

Jack’s killing of his younger brother “Ernest:

Chasuble: Dear Mr. Worthing, I trust this garb of woe does not betoken some terrible calamity?

Jack:  My brother.

Miss Prism:  More shameful debts and extravagance?

Chasuble: Still leading his life of pleasure?

Jack:  Dead!

Chasuble: Your brother Ernest dead?

Jack:  Quite dead.

---Algy---

(Algy is continuing with his lie by making Bunbury appear dead at this point):

Algernon: Bunbury doesn’t live here. Bunbury is somewhere else at present.  In fact, Bunbury is dead.

Lady Bracknell:  Dead!  When did Mr. Bunbury die?  

Algernon: Oh! I killed Bunbury this afternoon.  I mean poor Bunbury died this afternoon.

Lady Bracknell. What did he die of?

Algernon: Bunbury? Oh, he was quite exploded.

Lady Bracknell: Exploded!  Was he the victim of a revolutionary outrage?  I was not aware that Mr. Bunbury was interested in social legislation.  If so, he is well punished for his morbidity.

Algernon: My dear Aunt Augusta, I mean he was found out!  The doctors found out that Bunbury could not live, that is what I mean—so Bunbury died.

The death of a friend... I have seen it in TFP (as narrated by Eurus):

Anyway, my point here is that the “fake” people were killed by both Jack and Algy. There are still lots of discussions on Victor Trevor and Redbeard at the moment, but Eurus’ story tells us that Victor was killed and was replaced with Redbeard, the dog, in Sherlock’s memories. In TIOBE, Algy and Jack killed their fakes to continue with their lies. Might be the same for Sherlock.

5) Christening

Algy and Jack immediately wanted to be christened by the rector to obtain the name “Ernest”, since both Cecily and Gwendolen do not approve of the names “Algernon” and “Jack”, respectively. Thus, they request Chasuble to baptize them to .... continue with their faking? So that they can get away with their lies... For the women they love... Okay. 

We went that far. That far to continue with Mary’s deceit.

In the end, we’re still trapped and watching the act:

The curtain rises. The last act. It’s not over. SH

Even more proof that this series 4 is an act, a lie. They told it to us many times before.

SHERLOCK: Everybody wants to believe it – that’s what makes it so clever. A lie that’s preferable to the truth. All my brilliant deductions were just a sham. No-one feels inadequate – Sherlock Holmes is just an ordinary man.

(They made the act pretty convincing, enough to convince some fans and the mainstream media that it’s ordinary, and not clever as we think it is.)

JOHN: Can he do that? Completely change his identity; make you the criminal? SHERLOCK: He’s got my whole life story. That’s what you do when you sell a big lie; you wrap it up in the truth to make it more palatable.

I would like to add that the Radio Times posted an article yesterday, April 10, with a quote that Moffat liked to write a PLAY. 

Moffat:  And I'd like to write a play because it would be so completely different. My main enthusiasm though is just to be at the beginning of something as opposed to well into it.

We see through your act. 

Please, for God’s sake, just stop it.

Scripts from Ariane DeVere

Tagging some who might be interested (sorry if you don’t want to be tagged):

@a-reocurring-dream @inevitably-johnlocked @goodmythicalmail @worriesconstantly @the-7-percent-solution @monikakrasnorada @ebaeschnbliah @thepineapplering @teapotsubtext @jenna221b @waitedforgarridebs @sister-edgelord @kunstninja @jawnlock-is-real @love-in-mind-palace @mollydobby @tjlcisthenewsexy @graceebooks @ti-ori-se @bug-catcher-in-viridian-forest @teaandqueerbaiting @holmesianscholar @221bloodnun @artfulkindoforder @loveismyrevolution @bluebluenova @bakerstreetcrow @smoljohnlock @antisocial-otaku @welovethebeekeeper @ivyblossom @just-sort-of-happened @shag-me-senseless-watson @thepurplewombat @moriarty @marcelock @kinklock

[dccomicsnews]

John Barrowman is regarded as something of a National Treasure in the U.K. The Scottish born actor and singer is a household name due to decades worth of work on both stage and screen. He’s been a leading man in the West End – our Broadway – and in the  legendary British sci-fi shows Doctor Who and Torchwood, where he played the heroic Captain Jack Harkness. He’s also a successful author, having written audio adventures, novels and even the Malcolm Merlyn comic for DC.

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These days, he is known worldwide as the villainous Malcolm Merlyn from Arrow and DC’s Legends Of Tomorrow.

It’s A Kind Of Magic

He recently appeared at the first ever Heroes & Villains FanFest over in London, where he received a real hero’s welcome. DC Comics News was there to capture all the action, laughter and wardrobe changes. Mr. Barrowman has never been shy, he hit the stage wearing a flowery blue dress over Doctor Who themed TARDIS leggings and sporting white high heels. Vintage Barrowman! A stark contrast to the Dark Archer from the DC Universe. Oh… those rambunctious Thespians.

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The actor sang, danced, joked and entertained for a solid hour. He also answered questions from the fans – including a certain London based DC Comics News roving reporter. I could have written pages and pages on all the Doctor Who and Torchwood related questions, but the name of this website is DC Comics News, so I’ve stayed within the realms of his work within Arrow, DC’s Legends Of Tomorrow and the musical episode of The Flash.

Here are some of the highlights:

JB – Hello London! I’m hoooooome!

Listen, what I’d like to do is… I’d like to go to questions. If you’d like to (ask) some questions please do, as I like to feed off of you. I’m that way inclined, I’m like a vampire.

Fan – What would be your choice of death on the TV show? If you could write the script, how would you write yourself out?

JB – Well she’s just given the plot away, hasn’t she? What would be my choice of death? I don’t know… having sex!

(Raucous laughter and applause)

Fan – You’ve played hero and villain, as Captain Jack and Malcolm Merlyn. Which do you prefer playing?

JB – I don’t answer “Favorite” questions, because once I decide and say what it is, you guys never let me change my mind ever again, right? For me, what’s great about what I do is that you guys come on a journey with me. from Doctor Who being a hero, to Torchwood getting into trouble and even being a little bit of a bad guy sometimes, then to playing Malcolm Merlyn and being a complete villain… that’s what’s thrilling for me as an actor. I get to wake up every morning and go to set and do all of these different kinds of things. It was really easy being Captain Jack and being a hero, but what surprised me most, is when I started playing Malcolm Merlyn it was really easy being bad, I had no problem getting into it. It’s so much fun just to be a total A hole.

Fan – With Earth 2 and the parallel versions of characters, would you like to play a different version of Merlyn?

JB – That was, like, encapsulated in the musical episode of The Flash, which was AWESOOOOOOME! Loved it! I sent an email and said that if you don’t have me in it, you’re stupid!

I’ve never thought about his life in an alternate universe. However, on Legends of Tomorrow, we have the Spear of Destiny, so if he could change reality I think he’d like his old life back. He wants his plane back, he wants his fancy cars, he wants his hand, the life, the wealth, the power. He doesn’t want to keep living his life in the shadows. I think that’s what he’d want.

But if you really want to know Malcolm’s back-history, and the back-story, my sister and I wrote the Malcolm Merlyn comic-book for DC, and that is Malcolm’s lore and story for THE REST OF TIME! Which thrills me to bits. So that to me is what his alternate reality would be. To have what he once had, back in season one and season two.

It’s at this point during the Q&A that your mild-mannered reporter licked his pencil, picked up his note pad and got ready to record the facts.

DC Comics News – The question I want to ask you, as you’ve been thrown hundreds of questions over time – and you’re not shy…

JB – No. (laughter from John and the crowd)

DCN – What’s a question you’ve always wanted to be asked? What’s something you want known that no-one’s ever asked you about?

JB – Wow.

I have been asked loads of questions, I do love the questions and I love to talk. (loud laughter from the audience) I mean… I do. Sometimes it’s hard to shut me up! It’s nice to answer questions about things that I like? Not many people know that I’m a big fan of cars, I like to tinker with cars and like to fix them… (points at blue dress) it shows, right? (giggling)

I cook, I love to cook. I don’t know if I’m a very good cook, Scott (John’s husband) says I am… I never really even taste it first.

(Laughs from John and the crowd)

Those kind of questions. It’s nice to have questions that are different sometimes. So, listen, thanks. That’s why it’s a thrill for me to do these shows, because I like to talk about those things.

DCN – That’s great. You should be able to talk about those things. Everyone knows about John Barrowman the performer, it’s nice to learn about John Barrowman, the man. Thank you.

JB – Thank you!

That question is one I like to throw out there. Sometimes the interviewee has an answer straight away, sometimes  – like with John – it throws them for a few seconds. It’s a question I asked a few of the celebrities I spoke to over the weekend with some fantastic, and surprising results.

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The fate of Merlyn in the Berlantiverse

JB – Malcolm (should possibly) go to jail for a little while, he does his time… and then to come back to Star City and help Oliver. Rather than him coming to Oliver for help, he helps and doesn’t have to do it in secrecy or privacy, and they could be open about having that sort of relationship.

If they wanted me to, yes, I would (do more episodes as Ra’s Al Ghul). I loved being Ra’s and, in fact – don’t tell them – but I kept the ring! When you see it going down in that thing, and it’s melting, it didn’t really melt. It was going down in the water, it looked really cool, right? So when it was down there and they said “Ok, yeah, we’ve got that scene. Move on… ” I went (mimes putting his hand in the water and sneakily pocketing the ring).

Fan – We’ve had Wells some back in The Flash as a hero rather than a villain, is there any chance that we could see Merlyn come back, within The Flash universe as a hero, rather than as a villain?

JB – I don’t know. It’s not up to me, it’s up to the creators and the writers. But you can ask!

So, there we have it. After 5 years playing Merlyn, it looks as though the character has had his swan song… but looks can be deceiving. The questions raised by the fans re: alternate universe versions, a reformed and penitent version, or even the return of the villain we love to hate leading the League Of Assassins, all still mean there’s plenty of scope for the character to come back.

You can’t keep a good bad guy down, so nobody knows for sure what surprises the future may yet hold for John Barrowman within the DC Multiverse.

Merlyn Casts His Spell – Live in London With John Barrowman John Barrowman is regarded as something of a National Treasure in the U.K. The Scottish born actor and singer is a household name due to decades worth of work on both stage and screen.

[sirdeathsheadmoth]

A fun lil game

So back in freshman year of high school (5 years ago now) I wrote a little questionnaire for a friend of mine at the time, bc she loved questionnaires. 

And I just found it. 

Let’s see how my answers changed.

1.  favorite Color- said blue, now i really like some yellows, but blue is still cool.

2. favorite Planet: said Earth, i guess that’s cool.

3. favorite Scent: said vanilla, right now it’s Hyacinth bc mine are blooming.

4. favorite Quote: it’s too scribbled to read (story of my life), but now I guess it’s “THEY’RE MARIGOLDS” - flowerbed vandalized in  The Gay Deceivers

5. favorite Dead Person: again too scribbled; Robin Williams.

6. Role Model: i said P!NK, now I’d say I’m more of the way of Harry Potter acting like Remus Lupin in Order of the Phoenix.

7.Greek or Roman: said Greek, now I like both for their bitchin art.

8. gold or silver: said silver, still silver.

9. platinum or bronze: said platinum, that’s cool i guess.

10. favorite letter (wtf???): said K, i don't even know. 

11. favorite shirt: said tank tops (I have never worn a tank top but i assume I was talking about how it look on other people), sweater i think.

12. eye color: blue, but it’s more green now 

13. favorite hair color: said red, and by red i think i meant cherry red, but I'm gonna say i don't care now. 

14. Cougar or bear; i am entirely certain i wrote this not about animals and decline to answer. 

15. light or dark: light, idk yellow. 

16: hogwarts house: Slytherin now and then

17. hot dog or hamburger: said hot dog, both are great tho

18. would you ever skydive: NO (then and now)

19. Drag queen name: i meant to write it in later but never did, now my name would be Pussyfoot or Karen Compassion.

20. highlighter or sharpie: sharpie, i have no preference now

21. Irish or Scottish: said Irish, now I really don't care

22. roses or violets: said roses, now BOTH I WANNA GROW BOTH

23. summer or winter: said winter, now I like summer more #freeballing 

24. Twilight or Hunger Games: fuck me sideways i said Twilight, now I like neither.

25. team edward or team jacob (sorry that was the sound of my dignity perishing): I said team edward, now i say team get-the-fuck-away-from-supernatural-creatures-trying-to-sex-you (really tho, it was set in Washington, it was only going to be a matter of time before Bigfoot showed up)

26. (falls to the floor in shame) team gale or team peeta: i said team peeta, now i’m more interested in an analysis of gardening themes in the series (really tho, that would be fun)

27. chocolate or cheesecake; said cheesecake ( i was enthralled by the Golden Girls at the time, now i say why choose bring me both

28. Blanche or Sophia (told you): i said Sophia, but I definitely try to be more like Rose now.

29. Glitter in the Air or Good Old Days: I said Glitter in the Air bc it used to make me cry, now I say these are both fantastic P!NK songs and I recommend listening to them. 

30. Drarry or Snarry: I knew this was going to go south eventually. I say Drarry but a healthy Drarry. 

31. SSHG or Dramione: (pauses in shame) i plead the fifth

32. Bennefrost or Damien/Colin: i had forgotten how many obscure pairings i had been into. I'm gonna say both as friendships.

33. Dick,Jason,Tim,or Damien: legit I'm getting whiplash for how much this takes me back. ummm, tim i guess. 

34. corset or bustle (WTF???): i said corset???

35. cut or uncut: (face crumbles in cringe) i said uncut, still a virgin tho

36. Jack Sparrow, filthy in a good way or a bad way: i said good???

37. One Direction or the Wanted: i never really did get into 1D

38. ice cream or cake: i said ice cream and this is still so

39. decaf or caf (i meant regular): this was back when i was first getting into coffee, and there was about a month where i would stay most nights and sleep from sunrise till noon. i like both now, but i know the dangers of caffeine. 

40. what comes to mind when i say “prostate”: i said sex, now i say still not found.

41. diamonds or sapphires: i said diamonds, but i’ve seen neither so idc

42. boxers or briefs: i said briefs, now i say boxer-briefs

43. speedo or skinny dip: i let you guess what i said. 

44. abs or butt: you’ll never guess what i said

45. Jersey Shore or Honey Boo Boo: i declined to answer then, and now. 

46. Classes in Life or Taming Snakes: these were fanfics that i was obsessed with at the time, since then classes in life was taken down for “maintenance” and taming snakes hasn't been updated since like 2014. RIP unfinished fanfics

47.Rise of the Guardians or Teen Titans: I said Rise of the Guardians cause i thought Jack Frost was so hot (pun fucking intended)

I left off a some because they were too embarrassing, but now is the short answer section. I’m not going to type up the questions, but instead just give you the answers i wrote down as a 13 year old. 

- something that would be for the both of me

- yes!

- Monica Monroe

- Yes, constantly ask for the meaning of his works.

- talk to god not me.

- an atheneum?

- (name removed for protection)’s bed: new were up all night partying, eating, and plotting

- Ask god, IDK THAT ONE YET

- Dick Grayson, whatever we did you know it was FUN

- Snarry (actually mortified)

- True! H.S. TY!

- HAWT!!!!

- Dorothy

Well this was a journey. I’m a very different person now, but also scarily still the same. 

[delwray-blog]

CHRISTIANS ARE LIKE SHEEP TO THE SLAUGHTER

STUPID DUMB CHRISTIANS ARE LIKE SHEEP TO THE SLAUGHTER By Pastor Del Wray Something is wrong with America! What was it that destroyed the Roman Empire? Let me suggest three things that caused Rome to collapse. First Rome “Rotted from Within Morally”. Second, she made too much of “Sporting Events” with her large coliseums and third, she “Over Taxed” her citizens. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Today's newspapers are full of stories about the rampant rise in divorce rates; the increasing abuse of children by some parents; increases in the incidence of rape; pornography being read by an increasing number of people; more crimes against property; demands for world government; urgings for national borders to fall; Christian churches being closed because they will not seek licensing by the state; etc. But why are these things happening? Why are all of the legacies of the past, the family, national borders, the right to practice any chosen religion, the right to private property, amongst other things, under such attack? Is it possible that there are actually people and organizations who really want to change the basic order of things? Clues to the answers to these questions can be gleaned from some comments made by people and organizations that are talking about these wide-reaching changes in the nature of our lifestyle. Could it be that American Christians have turned from their Creator? Yes all of the above, but there is an unseen hand at work behind the scenes seeking to destroy American Democracy and rid America of Christianity. American Christians are blindly relishing in their materialism having become lazy and apathetic about this unseen enemy that is out to tear down and obliterate its freedom. They’re like sheep hell-bent to the slaughter, stupid and dumb, blind and deceived, unbelieving and refusing to obey God just as the Jews in ancient times. Any student of the Bible who has studied Holy Scripture for any length of time knows the Church Age ends in apostasy followed by 7 years of Tribulation, 31/2 years of Jewish domination of the world under their false messiah, the Jewish anti-Christ, when tens of millions of Christians will be killed for refusing to follow after this satanic One World leader. It’s estimated that over 200,000,000 Americans will be slaughtered by way of the guillotine and decapitation. After which, begins the second 31/2 years of trumpet and viol judgments known as the Great Tribulation, upon the Jewish nation for rejecting their true Messiah and becoming the instruments of death and slaughter of all those who have been martyred in the name of Jesus Christ and Christianity down through the centuries. Jesus Christ returns in His glory destroying His enemies and reins over the earth for one thousand years, called the Age of Righteousness or the Millennial Kingdom. Then God’s people will be removed from the earth and a New Havens and New Earth is spoken into existence. The Holy Spirit then cries out to John, there on the Isle of Patmos… "And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new..." Rev. 21:3-5 What is wrong with America? The Jews are what is wrong with America. "The Jewish religion as it is today traces its descent, without a break, through all the centuries, from the Pharisees."— Universal Jewish Encyclopedia The very people Jesus spoke vilest about. Today, the Christian church stands at a crossroads. The divine and sacred mission of the Christian faith faces a danger at this juncture in history which is greater than any it has faced in 2,000 years. If the day ever comes when Christians cannot profess their faith as they do today in America, then we will see the beginning of the end. The history of the world, for the past several Centuries and current events at home and abroad, confirm to the intelligent person that there is indeed something wrong with America, a conspiracy is afoot to destroy Christian civilization. The world-wide plot of these diabolical conspirators has been instituted while most Christians have been asleep in front of their pulpits and their TV's. For the most part, the Christian clergy, who should have been in the forefront of exposing this danger, have been indifferent or ignorant and have been the ones who assisted the enemies of Christ in their efforts to destroy us. This ignorance and indifference have dealt a blow to the Christian faith from which many will never recover. Christian fundamentalist believes in The End Times, the Rapture, the physical return of Jesus Christ, Armageddon and the Millennium. I have no argument with those who do just as long as they aren't aiding and abetting the New World Order, as exemplified by the so-called Christian Zionist John Hagee ministries out of Texas. Our shamefully dumbed-down American public refuses to take these warnings seriously, like sheep to the slaughter because they cannot imagine that the betrayal is as huge as it actually is and they are so utterly dependent on what they witness locally, meaning that since they don't see the 20 foot high barb wire fences around FEMA concentration camps in their neighborhoods, they must not exist. Well, just 8 miles from our church is Camp Somerset, an X-WW2 German POW camp being prepared right now by FEMA to be used as a Concentration Camp. I have observed myself FEMA vehicles/trucks coming and going from this camp. Why? Woe to you foolish Americans when they come for you and your family... There should be no confusion in the minds of Christians when it comes to the fundamentals of the faith. The mindlessness and confusion in this country would not exist if it were not for those of the preachers who are allies with the enemy who seeks to destroy them. There are countless Christians who are standing on the sidelines watching as their faith withers on the vine, and their freedom is about to drop into the laps of their enemies like overripe fruit. This cup will become bitterer when they realize that it is the ignorance and indifference of their spiritual leaders which has caused the deplorable condition of Christianity today. When Christians see their leaders in defeat on every front, they too will become confused and afraid. To stop this surrender, the clergy MUST make an about-face, no matter how painful it may be. They must take a stand against the invisible and intangible ideological war which is being waged against Christianity. How stupid can we be? As one preacher said, “we ought to sue our brains for non-support”. Let me say to those who read here, don’t be stupid all your life. America is deaf, dumb and blind when it comes to their spiritual well being, reaping the consequences of our sin. I do not utilize the aforementioned terms in a derisive or derogatory manner to those who may be physically handicapped, but rather I am referring to those millions of Christian in this land of ours who are mentally and spiritually deaf, dumb, and or blind.   Before considering these conditions, it would be wise to look at the definitions of these terms so that we may have a better understanding. DEAF: unable to hear; refusing to listen. DUMB: without the power of speech; bereft of the power of speech temporarily; that which does not speak or is little addicted to speaking. BLIND: lacking the sense of sight; unable or unwilling to try to understand; not controlled by reason; not possessing or proceeding from intelligence; lacking all awareness.   I fully understand that the "remnant" reading this article is cognizant of the matters which I will present herein, but this message very likely is applicable to your friends and family who may appear blissfully unaware of the coming judgment of the Almighty. Are you fulfilling your role as a Christian watchman in accordance with Ezekiel 33:6?   Over the years, since Roe vs. Wade, we have witnessed more than fifty million babies being murdered under the guise of abortion. Sadly the vast majority of these have been babies. We don't see foreigners and strangers having a great number of abortions. After all, more babies mean more public assistance.   Our people whether we like to acknowledge it or not, are under the Law. Those who say the Law was "nailed to the cross" are in serious error. The only thing nailed to the cross were the "ordinances," mostly pertaining to the animal sacrifices, since the Lamb of God was slain for us, there is no need for further blood sacrifices, And our people are deaf dumb and blind.   Violent crime, murder, rape, physical assault, armed robbery, etc. continues to escalate throughout the country and the U.S. Justice Department statistics indicate one such type of crime occurs every four minutes somewhere in the nation. The growth of Hispanic and Oriental gangs in the past decade had been epidemic with senseless initiation-type murders, car-jacking, home-invasions, drive-by shootings, etc. It has reached the point where those who are supposed to protect us are in fear for their own lives. And while our people may appear to be concerned, they are in truth, deaf dumb, and blind.   While the Scriptures are very clear on homosexuality, Lev. 18:22, 20:13, Rom. 1:24-28, et al. We have in the past two decades witnessed an explosion in the open flaunting of such decadent behavior. Prior to that time, these sodomizers dared not parade their disgusting acts in public. Today they have parades in our major cities and special "queer" weekends at "theme parks," and "resorts" and they openly demand "their rights" to do so. In addition, we have elected politicians who openly admit that they are "gay" and who continue to be re-elected by their mainly ungodly constituents. And our people, while they may disapprove, are deaf dumb, and blind. Our God is not mocked! Judgment cometh!   Have you noticed the tremendous growth in pornography, in all forms: print, movies, television, etc. that is sweeping the country? And it is not all "adult" in nature but it is expanding into the area of intimate acts of child porn. Notice if you will the heavy involvement of the Jewish Talmudists in these endeavors. And our people, some of whom subscribe to this filth are deaf dumb and blind.   We are literally being invaded today by tens of millions of aliens and strangers from all of the third world countries of the world. These illegals bring into our nation sickness, filth and disease, and non-Christian traits and living conditions. We have been informed in Scripture that we shall not "put a stranger over thee," and yet today we don't seem to understand this admonition. If our political leaders would listen to, and abide by the Word of God, illegal immigration would cease immediately. Miscegenation/race-mixing is on the increase and why would we expect anything else? Read the history of our people! And yet, most of our people are deaf dumb and blind to what our God states with regard to this.   Our so-called "excellent" system of public education is costing hundreds of billions of dollars every year to achieve nothing better than mediocre or failing grades and dumbed-down graduates. According to the U. S. Dept. of Education, almost 46% of the students who graduate from high school are considered "semi-literate." We have allowed the humanists, the AFT, and the NEA, and dare I say, the "Satanists" to take over our schools. We have "outlawed" school prayer, and removed God from our schools. Yet, even though parents clamor for more educational resources, they are deaf dumb and blind to the many shortfalls. Is it any wonder that many of our people have commenced "homeschooling"? From about 1,000 children twenty-five years ago, home-schooling now numbers almost 8 million children.   As a nation, we have expended huge sums in the "wars," the war on poverty, the war on drugs, etc., and we have obviously LOST all of these. Drugs and Poverty are still with us, and more so than ever. We have exported our manufacturing and industry in the name of corporate greed. Our manufacturing is now done in Thailand, Japan, Ecuador, Guatemala, Nigeria, Cambodia, Peru, India, Pakistan, China, and other nations in Africa and South America. Just look at the labels on most all of the products you buy. We have become an "information" and "service" society! We are a destitute nation who has given our God-given resources to third-world nations that despise us. And our people and our leaders are deaf dumb and blind to the consequences.   We have no morality and ethical levels of conduct left. We see the corruption and greed running rampant among our leaders. We have more lawyers in this nation than all the rest of the world combined. Contrary to Scripture, we have become a "suing" people. And our people, for the most part, are deaf dumb, and blind as to what the Word of God says.   We have expended hundreds of billions of dollars in aid and support to the ungodly Jewish Talmudists. We are even now involved in the war in Iraq at a cost of 2,000+ of our sons, fathers, husbands, mothers, sisters, and brothers. I would like to pose to President Trump, the question asked by Jehu, son of Hanani, of King Jehoshaphat of Judah long ago: "Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord." 2 Chron. 19:2. And the Fundamentalists and Evangelicals and many from Protestantism are deaf dumb and blind. The Zionists reject Jesus Christ, and such conduct was unheard of fifty years ago.   Our churches, for the most part, have become hollow, empty and Godless buildings. Many of the pastors, ministers, and priests follow the traditions of men over the Word of God. Materialism governs the established church. The pastors, ministers, and priests are supposed to be teaching the Word of God, but many have no idea of what the Gospel message is. There are some who deny the "virgin birth" of our Saviour as mere fiction. There are others who question the truth of the resurrection without which there is no salvation for Jew or Gentile. There are others who see nothing wrong with same-sex marriage. There are some who are practicing homosexuals and lesbians. For many of the clergy, it is a career, and not a heartfelt commitment to work for the LORD our God. And our people follow these blind leaders and are deaf dumb, and blind to what the Scriptures say.   We are a sick and troubled nation! We are sick and troubled people!   We are deaf. We don't want to hear about such unpleasant things as I have mentioned in this article. We are mentally and spiritually unwilling to hear.   We are dumb. We don't want to use the power of speech to speak out on the critical and important issues that we face as a people and a nation. We prefer not to get involved.   Some may think that we are religious extremists or kooks, or at best religious intolerants. Remember, whatever the issue, if it conflicts with the Word of God, we have both the duty and the responsibility, and the right to speak out. Use the power of speech!   We are blind. We don't want to see what is going on all around us. Many do not want to search the Scriptures to find out what God has to say about some issue. When you know the truth, you have to react in accordance with the Word, or pay the price of disobedience, and isn't that price SIN? You cannot merely pay lip service to God. God is not mocked!   We have had the "blessings" as stated in Deuteronomy 28:1-14, and now we have progressed to the "curses" section of verses for disobedience. Read this chapter of Scripture and compare what we have been and what we are today.   There does appear to be somewhat of an "awakening" on the part of our people today as they question some of the concerns that I have enumerated herein. And surely, the ultimate solution to all of our problems is to follow the instructions contained in that famous verse of 2 Chronicles 7:14.