#also featuring: peaches

[thelordofgifs]

Ilimbë

Written for @tolkienrsb, as a treat for @ismeneee's stunning art!

Rating: T

Characters: Fëanor, Nerdanel, Finwë

Relationships: Fëanor/Nerdanel

Words: 15k

“There was an Elf,” said Finwë, “of great beauty and cleverness; but he had no wife.”

Fëanor had frowned. Sometimes his father’s stories felt too much like parables; and he did not much like the way his mouth turned down on describing his hero’s marital status. Impossible sometimes not to feel that Finwë was not entirely satisfied with Fëanor, that he was not yearning for something more than what his son could give.

Setting this aside for now, he asked, “What was his name?”

Finwë smiled. “The story does not say,” he said. “Perhaps he had none.”

Fëanor was not much impressed. “All the Eldar have names,” he said.

“I stand corrected!” said Finwë, with a laugh. “He had a name, then, but it is lost to us now. May I continue with the story, please?”

“All right,” Fëanor had said graciously. He did like his father’s bedtime stories, after all.

“The Elf did have a great tusk of ivory,” said Finwë, “near as tall as he was, from one of the mammoths that roamed the lands to the north.” He caught Fëanor’s doubtful look. “They are beasts like the elephants we saw on the plains — but bigger by far, and woolly all over!”

“Why have I not seen any?” Fëanor demanded. “I thought all the beasts of Arda dwell in Aman.”

“They do,” Finwë said, “but mammoths cannot thrive in the warm climes of Tirion. If you journey to Araman one day, you will find them there.” And when Fëanor nodded, placated, he went on, “As I said, this Elf was clever with his hands indeed — perhaps even as clever as you, my Curufinwë! And so from his tusk of ivory he carved an elf-maid of surpassing loveliness; and her beauty was such that he fell in love with her.”

[Keep reading on AO3]

[franki-lew-yo]

James and the Giant Peach is still (mostly) for young children

Despite a single pre-metoo joke and it's uncanny-ish artstyle that's a serious make-or-break-you factor on if you like it, James and the Giant Peach is aggressively a movie for young children. I personally like it as I never find it a patronizing sit for little kids, like Don Bluth's movies from the 90s so often were, but that really is what I think alienates people; the intended audience may be a bit too scared of the visuals (NOT like how they are with TNBC, which kids go in expecting to be scary) where the adult audience who is here for the 'creepy stop-motion' feel like the movie is lacking for not being Nightmare or Coraline, which is unfair. It absolutely scared me as a little little kid but upon finally facing it at, like ten or whenever it was on Cartoon Network's movie show, I realized there was nothing to fear. And that, in turn, was exhilarating. It's such good symmetry that the film is about facing your fears and standing up for yourself because that's exactly what my relationship with it was. It's such a comfort film for me. My og Bluey. JatGP, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Ernest and Celestine = perfect comfort after I watch something serious and/or disturbing.

Half my reason for trying to pied-piper everyone else towards it as it's own merit is I think James and the Giant Peach would hit hard for lovers of weirdcore and dreamcore ala Jack Stauber or @samsketchbook's 'Welcome to Our Dimensional Party'.

That "looks unsettling/potentially disturbing but actually cute or gentle" vibe pairs perfectly with dreamcore aesthetic. We're coming up on it's 30 year anniversary I hope to see a genuine resurgence. If I had it my way and I was Dan Olson I'd make an hour-long look at the movie, the original book and Henry Selick's filmography as a surrealist the way Dan made an hour-lookback at Bakshi's Lord of the Rings. But I'm not. Cause I'm not Dan Olson and I can't build up the nerve to either show my face or figure out how to make videos in two years.

But anyway, about the title of this post (content warning: downer nsfl stuff; mentioning of real life child ab*se cases):

James' life with his aunts hits VERY different when you're an adult and you've watched too much true crime.

It's not intentional on the part of Dahl or Henry Selick. Selick had Mariam and Joanna ham up the screen and they clearly loved every minute of it and Dahl I think was just trying to tell an 'authentic' type fairytale story where the main character has to escape their evil family. Point being- Spiker and Sponge are supposed to be 'evil for the sake of evil' villains who could only exist as hammy caricatures in an already weird story. They aren't supposed to be like the parents in Matilda or the Twits who I'd argue are a little more 'realistic' depiction of awful people...except for the fact that legal guardians like Spiker and Sponge DO actually exist.

There's a heavy implication in the film that no one else in their county even knows James lives with Spiker and Sponge (literally the only people around to recognize James' existence are the bugs when they first meet him!). His aunts seem to make James work out of frustration for having to take him in, like he's a burden and they're making him pay for being one by being their slave. They actively don't feed him except for rotting fish and then shame him for not eating it. The Lane Smith picture book implies that James' parents weren't killed by a rhino but rather it's Spiker and Sponge who put that idea in James' head and use it to control him. And all that BEFORE the beatings which you know are happening off screen.

After the horrifying cases of Ruby Franke, Sylvia Likens and the Turpins, the "every child deserves a parent but not every parent deserves children" reality of it all makes you realize that James probably would have died if he lived with his aunts. Considering how they flip out on him in New York- that boy REALLY needed to escape, giant peach or no.

This is absolutely another reason for why JatGP is a comfort movie for grownups. You have this horrific childhood rescued by loving in-human parents who will kill everyone in the room and then themselves if you touch their human boy. It's like Opal but if Claire found a happier family. Of bugs. None of that was intentional, ftr, but it's what sticks out to me.

[drones-of-innocence]

Traveled Half the World to Say, You Are My Muse...

What if in an alternate universe, Princess Peach was an exchange student studying art?

She might enjoy getting a daily coffee before classes, and particularly over the weekends where she planned to walk around the city in search of her muse.

Until, one day, she finds him.

Her muse appears to her in the form of a man at a coffee shop on a rainy day.

The dreary light from the windows catches the brightest blue eyes she's ever seen, and a frustrated hand combs back dark curls as he focuses on his laptop. A full cup of coffee sits, forgotten, by his elbow.

"Excuse me," she approached him before she can think twice, after blocking the doorway and apologizing to the incoming customers who stumbled into her. A childish sense of shame filled her, and she grasped at the straps of her messenger bag. He glanced up at her with those piercing eyes. Her throat went dry. "May—may I sketch you?"

She sees his eyes dart across her face, to the University's emblem on her shirt, to the messenger bag covered in bright patches. His mustache hides his mouth, so she can't tell what he's thinking behind that even stare.

The lack of a response compels nervous laughter. "I'm an art student. It'd just be really quick. I won't bother you; it's good practice, that's all." the explanation bubbled out of her through his silence. The other people sitting in the shop thankfully paid her no mind beyond a glance or two. She struggled not to force a harder smile.

His eyes narrowed for just a moment. She detected a touch of suspicion in his creased brow.

"Sure. Fine," he said, nodding to the seat in front of him before returning his attention to his laptop.

Relieved, Peach practically sank into the chair. "Oh, thank you. Don't mind me at all, it won't take long." she whipped out her sketchbook and pencil, trying to find a blank page to begin. He didn't answer, reviewing whatever was on his screen.

She started by mapping out the general form of his torso and face. He was quite a short man, much shorter than her, but he had an incredibly sturdy build. He wore a modest sweater, but she could see a hint of definition in his shoulders and chest even through the draping red cloth. She wondered if he was very active. Or perhaps his job demanded a certain degree of fitness.

He seemed older than her, but not by much at all. Maybe he was a recent graduate? She focused a little more on his face, trying not to get distracted by his eyes, to sketch out an accurate shape.

His sharp jawline contrasted with his round cheeks. "You have a very impressive mustache," she said, trying to capture the angles just right. She had never seen such a remarkable mustache. It suited the shape of his face so well that she had a hard time imagining his face without it. He didn't respond except to glance at her, expression still unreadable.

She grazed her pencil over the paper, a ghost of a line indicating a suspected dimple in his cheek. She wouldn't know for sure unless he smiled.

"Your nose is so unique," she murmured, careful to capture the precise form. Such a striking round shape. At this, she noticed him let out a sharp sigh and keep a stern focus on his computer. She was nearly done, though, so she had to persist. Had to get this specimen on paper.

Her education had created an efficient artist out of her. Her lines gained more focus, nearly portraying an accurate likeness.

It was those eyes that had captured her attention in the first place. She traced the shape of his thick brows, framing his face with a soft intensity. Nothing in the cafe could draw her away. Not the constant ringing of the doorbell as people came and went, not the steady noise level from the dozens of conversations around them. Not even the rich scent of the coffee that she so adored. Instead, her nose was more keen toward the fresh, clean scent that she assumed was the man's cologne. Her cheeks grew a little warm.

She just managed to trace the shape of his irises, though her linework could not capture the way the color almost glowed. She had never felt such a spark inside as she did looking upon this man. "Your eyes are so beautiful," she said, looking between him and the page. "I don't think I've ever seen such a bright blue before..." she looked up, only to trail off as she realized he was glaring at her.

"That's enough." The man stood from his stool in a flash, shoving his laptop in a bag. Peach jumped. Eyes wide.

He stopped only long enough to give her a hard look, before he turned and marched out of the cafe.

A few customers turned to look as Peach watched him go. Her heart skipped a beat, an alarmed sting of confusion going through her veins. He disappeared quickly down the street.

She didn't understand. Maybe he was busy and didn't want her to bother him? But if that were the case, he simply could have refused to allow her to draw him, right? Swallowing hard, she looked down at her quick little rendering of the man. His features all together created a soft image, with kind and earnest eyes. But suddenly, all she could see was that icy glare.

The rain picked up outside. Peach slowly put away her book and decided not to explore the city that day after all.

In her morose bewilderment, she could hardly take out her sketchbook over the next couple of days. A few of her classmates noticed and tried to engage her in idle gossip, but she didn't have the heart to pay any real attention.

Her work on the sketch had been solid. When she did take out her book, she would take some time to look at the man, even though the memory of that harsh look twisted the perception of her art.

Where the city had been so colorful and vibrant, it all suddenly seemed so dull and gray.

"Your muse?" her roommate caught her one day going over the lines, and pressed her until she'd explained the situation. "Are you sure he's your muse? Don't you think you might just have a crush on him?"

The suggestion haunted her like his face did in her dreams.

The sun warmed her back when she made her way down the street the next weekend. She caught sight of the cafe, and thought a coffee might do her some good before her excursions for the day. Classes had been long that week anyway; she deserved a little treat.

The bell rang on the door as soon as she walked in. Many people looked up at her on impulse before returning to their own drinks.

Except for him.

In the exact same place she had spotted him before. Those bright blue eyes fixed right on her. Like blue jewels in the sunlight.

Peach froze for a moment before abruptly averting her eyes. Should she leave? This was embarrassing. But an indignance rose up in her chest to fight off the shame. She had just as much of a right to be here as he did. She wasn't going to turn tail just because of some guy.

So she raised her chin, gripped the strap of her bag, and hurried to the complete opposite side of the room as him.

It was only after she had sat down and arranged her books and materials around for her homework that she realized she had forgotten to go to the counter to order herself a coffee.

Well. She had just as much of a right to be here, but she did not currently have the nerve to get back up and show herself and do something crazy like risk making eye contact again. With a deep breath, and heat rising to her cheeks, she got to work scanning over the latest assignment.

The low music playing harmonized with the low hum of conversation in the cafe. Peach tried to make sense of the description of the assignment, but she couldn't quite focus on any of the words.

A cup of coffee and a pastry appeared at her elbow.

Peach looked up. The man, the subject of her thoughts and dread the past week, took a careful step back to a respectful distance. Those pretty eyes focused on her with a hesitant guilt. He had his own coffee cup in his hand.

"I didn't know how you liked your coffee," he nodded to the cup on the table, where he had placed cream and sugar beside it. "But I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry."

Her throat went dry. Swallowing hard, Peach tried to figure out a normal way to sit without fidgeting. "E—excuse me?"

He nodded and took a deep breath. "I was rude to you last week. I believed you were, ah, trying to make fun of me. With all the things you said to me." He glanced at the floor before looking back at her again. "It was a mistake to assume the worst. You seem very kind. I am sorry for how I behaved to you." he tried to smile.

A new light dawned on Peach's understanding. "Oh. Oh, goodness, not at all!" She set her pencils and books aside. "I wasn't teasing you. I'm so sorry if I came across that way; I must have been distracted..."

The man waved her off. "No, please. It was nothing about you. I think you come across as very sweet, Miss. It was my fault."

Very sweet. He thought she was sweet. Peach tried to ignore the furious heat that rose up to her face. She pursed her lips and nodded her appreciation.

He gestured to the coffee and the pastry he had chosen for her. "Please," he said. "I will leave you now. I hope you enjoy the rest of your day, Miss—"

"Wait," Peach reached out. "Um, I just want you to know that I genuinely think that you are handsome. You have the prettiest eyes. And uh, I appreciate the apology. If you want, you could have the rest of your coffee with me?"

The man blinked at her when she moved to make a space for him to sit. She could have sworn she saw his cheeks flush with a little color. He didn't say anything.

She stuck out her hand. "I'm Peach. I'm an art student at the University. But you already knew that." she laughed nervously. "Um, what's your name?"

It occurred to her that he was just as flustered as she was. An excited, hopeful spark lit up her chest.

He reached out to shake her hand. "I'm Mario," he said, and moved to sit down.

O~o~O

[gatoraid]

Dedicating this wip snippet to @mispatchedgreens whose gorgeous baob3i fanart has captured my heart 🥺💕

This is from chapter 2 of my upcoming Bored Accountant Baoxiang fic (the full story will be 3 chapters in total)

Ayushiridara stepped into the balcony and right into Baoxiang’s personal space.

“You take too many smoking breaks,” he informed Baoxiang.

Baoxiang rolled his eyes. He turned around to face Ayushiridara, blowing smoke in his face. As Ayushiridara was coughing, Baoxiang fished out the phone from Ayushiridara’s pocket.

“Hey, give that back,” Ayushiridara yelped.

It was one of those ridiculously large phones with a shiny, dark grey metal surface. As Ayushiridara kept complaining, Baoxiang put in his phone number and took a selfie to save with his contact info.

Finished with his task, Baoxiang turned around and slipped the phone back to Ayushiridara’s breast pocket.

“Message me,” he said, patting the breast of Ayushiridara’s jacket.

Ayushiridara was left standing stupefied, as Baoxiang stumped his cigarette and left the smoking area.

Baoxiang had barely gotten back to his desk, when he received a message from a number he had not saved. It was a dick pic, and he did not have to guess who had sent it.

Baoxiang texted back:

You’re fast

Wait, is that our office bathroom stall in the background?

[fangedbats]

being my friend is fun cause u just get to witness my general dumbassery on a daily basis

[goldensunset]

remember when dvds had little interactive games on them and you'd press the buttons on the remote to control stuff

[cutearose]

I leave the house for one single day and when I come home my entire dash is talking about boops, what did I miss?

[heloflor]

You know, considering that new untitled Peach game is a bit like Luigi’s Mansion with how it puts a Mario character in a new environment with new game mechanics, I’m kinda hoping Peach gets her own original villain the same way Luigi was given King Boo.

Hell, with Super Mario RPG coming back, which has many original characters, and with the characters from the Peach teaser being something other than Toads, it seems Nintendo might be willing to dip their toes into original characters again. So what’s better to start making new characters than by giving Peach her own bad guy ! Also the new Mario Bros game has some new characters as well from the looks of it, so again, it’s possible !

And don’t get me wrong, Bowser is absolutely iconic and I do enjoy the irony of Peach battling against him. But with this game not being a platformer, and again taking into consideration Luigi’s Mansion, it would be a fun change of pace for Peach to have a new villain in her own series (god I hope this game becomes a series of several games!!!). Plus, it seems Peach will be more and more playable in mainline games, meaning more Bowser beat-up from her anyways.

And yes, part of me wants that new villain to be a female character as it's been forever since Mario games has had one and I am very much aware of how people would go crazy over it for the shipping.

(Also going back to Bowser, it’s more of a “me” thing but I always found it slightly weird to see Bowser attack Peach, since he’s supposed to be in love with her (Paper Mario games prove it well) and in all the games she gets captured, there are no indications he ever raises a hand on her. Hell in Odyssey he’s very gentle when putting Tiara on Peach’s head. Also Peach is never particularly afraid of him despite how horrible he can be, which implies he doesn’t physically hurt her.

Fun fact : this is why I headcanon Super Princess Peach as taking place very soon after Super Paper Mario, since the two of them would have just spent weeks working together and getting along. So it would work for Bowser to lose his shit upon getting rejected yet again “despite doing everything right” and thus be willing to fight her. As for 3d World, there’s three other people Bowser can focus on to avoid hurting her)

[hobbinch]

Im curious as to which character smoking weed has caught ur eye, should u b willing to share

It was princess peach lmao

[raintailed]

two sizeable doodle sheets!

[franki-lew-yo]

Honest thoughts entomology-tumblr

*An example of "some other things" may include Nausicaa for featuring bug monsters, A Monster in Paris cause the monster is a giant bug and idk maybe Kung Fu Panda for Mantis. To me though, a single notable main insect character or a subplot involving bugs does not a bug-film make. Also, for the sake of this pole yes arachnids can count as 'bugs' enough so you can put down Charlotte's Web; however Turbo is too far for me. Worms and mollusks can be in bug movies but this is a list made for non-crustacean arthropods.

[confusingwizard]

I so bad want to make a barbarian thats just princess peach. She'd have a reinforced parasol with the stats of a warhammer and function like a totem warrior except the totems are the vibes system from super princess peach.

[channelrat]

oooohhhh green 👁️👄👁️

after loving blue an unhealthy amount for as long as i can remember, green has surfaced and I'm obsessed i just needed to wait until i had a good green icon to match and luckily my girl christina loves her lighting 😌😌

[lunarblue21]

Trailer for Cruel Intentions (entire series but mostly the first half)

Black screen.

Narrator: (Voiceover): There comes a time when friendships are tested

Fade to black, three rapid successions of scenes, each cutting into each other; first scene of Peaches tackling Diego, second scene close up of tusks aiming in on the tiger, only to be blocked by Manny's. Camera focuses on the mammoth standing protectively beside the tiger, protecting him from the Imperial mammoth glowering at them. Third scene, Diego limping off with Manny gazing after him mournfully after their conversation hasn't gone well. Fade to black as narrator's voice begins again.

Narrator: (Voiceover): And the time has come to choose…

One brief instance of a scene, Manny glancing back at the tiger concealed behind the tree, a young sabre cub at his side, watching the mammoths enter the herd, and the two look into each other's eyes briefly before Diego averts his gaze, turning to Axel. Camera focuses back on Manny, with a close-up of his brown eyes, pools of sadness over these events. Cuts to black.

Narrator: (Voiceover) But what will you do? Will you be loyal to your friend of the fire, or instead lust after the honour you desire?

Scene fades in. Camera zooms in on Manny and the black Imperial mammoth Elder Titan, who are talking together, as two animal kids run up to them, their faces streaked with tears and their fur wet with blood. Their voices are muffled as they try and get Manny's attention, but he intently keeps conversing (apparently affably) with the Elder, turning aside to them at the last minute. Upon hearing their news, the camera zooms in on his eyes, which have widened with fear at the children's story. He makes a move to leave and go after his friend; however, he is restrained by the Elder, leaving him no choice but to stay there. Worried, he casts his eyes in the direction of the meadow; and the two kids see it. They glance at each other, taking hope.

Narrator: (Voiceover) What will you do? The choices hang in the balance.

Cut to black.

Music begins (immediate music : Judgement Day – 1:35- 2:01 mayhaps)

Several made up film companies appear (as Fox and Blue Sky might object to theirs being used.)

Elder Titan: (Voiceover) The boundaries are being blurred. I must do something to stop this.

Flash of white and scene fades into a clearing where Diego and Peaches are wrestling each other, the tiger being extra-careful not to harm her. Cuts to the black-furred Imperial mammoth peering at them from behind the bushes, his eyes narrowed in suspicion mingled with anger. Cut to Manny standing in front of the Council of his species. The camera zooms in on slowly him as he speaks.

Manny (Voiceover): I beg to differ! My friend Diego is a strong tiger, he wouldn't let them do any such thing if he was border control guard, and he'd make them obey him. He was the second-in-command of the pack he defected from, on my behalf. My mammoths, he nearly died … to save me.

Scene cuts to Manny and Diego.

Manny: (happily) To think I was nominated for the position of Regent Elder! *punches Diego gently* Just imagine what I can do for our herd if I get elected, Diego.

Cuts to Diego.

Diego: (managing a small grin) I'm happy for you, Buddy. Just don't forget about us, okay?

Cuts back to Manny.

Manny (solemnly) Of course not. (Smiles at Diego)

Music changes (Test Drive from the HTTYD soundtrack 1:18 -2:00)

Cuts to black with writing on screen saying 'When dangers and troubles collide with the herd, their very existence will be put under fire.'

Flash of white, cut to the tigers and Sid and Shelley ducking away just before the black-furred Chief Elder Titan arrives on the scene, his face a thundercloud as he glances around, inspecting the area with suspicious intent in his eyes. Bridging shot of Sid strutting around wearing a hat as he acts flirtatious towards Shelley (even hitting on Ellie briefly before Diego notices and tells him to knock it off). Cut next to Diego teaching Axel how to hunt, tailed closely by Peaches, who insists on learning to hunt as well. Cut to Axel with a smirk on his face.

Axel: Gosh, that's brilliant. A mammoth learning how to hunt.

Rapid cut to the scene of a large battlefield, with Manny raising his tusks in preparation for the onrush as the herd falls in step behind him, with Damien trumpeting a battle cry.

Damien: We shall no longer by our silent, obedient consent live under the rule of "Chief" Elder Titan. Onward, into the fray!

Writing flashes onscreen: 'And they will embark on a journey that will test their very souls.'

Cuts to Peaches running away towards the entrance in the Pass of the Brede that leads out of the valley, tears visible on her cheeks, blood trickling from a wound on her side. Cuts to Manny standing alone under a bright night sky, dotted with white stars shining luminously across the expanse of space. Brief POV shot of Manny's face as he glowers at the stars that mock him in their togetherness.

Cuts to Manny.

Manny: You said you'd always be there for me! But you're not… *He blinks away a stray tear appearing in his eye*

Flash of white, fades into a wide shot of the herd beginning to go their separate ways; Sid leaving with Shelley, walking off into the distance claw in claw, and then the possum brothers departing, glancing back at their sister Ellie solicitously, aware of the sorrow in her eyes. Cuts to Peaches up close, standing next to an older wolf, turning her head upwards to gaze at the stars, noticing the outline of one formerly very dear to her in them, and sighing to herself as a falling star skids across the sky nearby her, although she doesn't see it. Cuts to black.

Title fades in: 'Cruel Intentions'. But it gleams brightly with red light for one minute, and then fades out.

Cuts to ending with a screen fading in saying 'Coming soon to a fanfiction site near you.'

(my apologies for such a long post but here is a taste of my Cruel Intentions series for any of my readers here on tumblr! 'Cruel Intentions' will be crossposted to both ffn and ao3, so I hope you'll tune in on whatever platform you prefer!)

xxxxxxxxxx

Will update this trailer occasionally with links to the books in my CI-verse once they've dropped as well as pinning them to my tumblr profile. :)

CI: Lacrimosa

FFN AO3

[sammydem0n64]

Saw some tweets with similar dialogue to this and. Yeah. This family.

[asterroses]

trying to figure out falling star's shtick and nothing is like . sticking . first he was a duergar now im not feeling it . they were a necromancer now im fucking around w grave domain cleric . and currently hes human [a very fucked up one] and now im debating on mutliclassing . man