#and I'm pretty sure that I missed a lot of them

[tealvenetianmask]

Visual Parallels: The Full Moon and Mastermind

It's mad scientist mode time ya'll.

The visual references to other episodes in Mastermind are wild. People have already beautifully pointed out how the duet sequence references Blitz's "Truth Seekers" hallucination and "Just Look My Way," and makes the two inner worlds mesh.

"The Full Moon" is also heavily referenced. I first noticed it in this shot of Stolas . . .

Which is repeated quite similarly a few times in the trial scene, and looks a lot like . . .

The camera angle (if there were a camera) is pretty much identical.

This made me realize that the whole sequence (the duet and Blitz getting pulled away afterward) has them positioned with Blitz facing Stolas and Stolas's back to Blitz, with a similar distance between them to what we see in "The Full Moon."

And as I rewatched both, I saw more and more.

An attempt by Blitz to touch Stolas, and Stolas not turning around, having already decided his course of action.

(Is anyone noticing a similar color palate yet?)

And a forced exit, based on a decision that Stolas makes:

So this very well might show that Stolas is holding a lot of the power in their relationship. But also, the similar elements in these scenes aren't identical- they simply rhyme.

There are some interesting differences with Blitz's physical expressions of desperation. Even though he's set away from Stolas against a bright red background when he's expressing himself in both.

In "The Full Moon," well . . .

He's guarded. His hands spend a lot of their time in fists. He's moving toward Stolas but not giving all of himself until it's too late.

But in "Mastermind . . .

It's like he's drawn by a magnet to Stolas while being forcibly pulled away. He's fighting the forces that would keep them apart, that would harm Stolas. He's fighting with everything he has. His hands are open the whole time he's fighting. The walls are gone.

Doors are also interesting in their contrast.

In "The Full Moon," we see Blitz bursting into the room like this:

In "Mastermind," the door behind Stolas serves as Blitz's exit point, but the camera angle, again, is very similar . . .

I don't know what to make of this one, honestly, except that these moments seem to reverse each other. I think there COULD be symbolism here (barriers and who creates them), but I'm not sure there's enough evidence that it's intentional like the others.

Now for a few key things "Mastermind" has that "The Full Moon" needed. Our boys weren't ready yet, but now they are.

Obviously the duet . . . but did you notice that their movements synchronize too? They're not looking at each other, but literally and figuratively, they're in tune.

2. Eye contact. FUCKING EYE CONTACT. It's so brief you could miss it.

There's recognition there. They each see that the other feels the same way.

Even though Stolas never turns around, and still has A LOT to learn about Blitz, they meet at the core of the matter. "Harriet, don't get on that train. It's going to London, and I CANNOT BE WITHOUT YOU."

[luckyofthelawnvariety]

You know what sure, I'll make a list of things I didn't realize about Etho before, after watching his entire Hermitcraft s10:

he is really good at designing little aesthetic details

he enjoys being a little menace to the other hermits (and is used to them giving him shit back, he actually expects it)

(an interesting example of the above is him attempting to tease joel with the statues, but when he realizes joel took it seriously he backs off and gives him his own statues)

he'll branch out on occasion and try something new he hasn't done before (the statues of hermits, armor stands)

he is such a perfectionist my goodness

he isn't a fan of overloading a space with details. he IS a fan of smoothing out build details so they flow into each other as much as possible (see how much he messes with the details on the bridges and gateways, making things the same colors etc)

he will kind of just poke at a problem until he figures it out. this applies to things other than redstone too.

ngl a lot of the redstone goes over my head (I break technology on a good day) but he's very good at breaking it down into chucks, to where I feel I could replicate a lot of what he makes, even if I don't entirely understand it.

on a similar note, the way he and tango both will just...put things together in such a way where you just stare at the result. frogger is insane and wonderful.

also, hilarious how worked up he gets defending his silly setup and decisions. tbf I am the exact same way but it's fun to see (I have a computer that I used until, I kid you not, it couldn't go longer than 10 min without shutting itself down. I am also the problem, mr. mic-stand-tissue-box)

he has his favorites to go bother, of course bdubs, but gem is also a favorite now, and doc and beef you can tell he thinks are fun to mess with

he has a lot of respect for other hermits? honestly it's in a chill way but he likes to go check things out and he'll back off if he feels he's overstepped. which should be standard but still, glad to see it.

he will join in on the bit, but he's normally pretty calm about it unless he likes it

disclaimer: don't mean anything by this, but sir you eat the same sandwich for lunch every day and will mimic sounds and vocal inflections you like. why are you me.

he is so petty. it's easy to miss if you aren't paying too much attention but he is SO petty, he is cleo levels of petty and judgmental.

he also will compliment people when he is genuinely impressed. sometimes it will be only to his viewers, but honestly the hermits are etho fans anyways so they'll probably get the message.

this man LIES. it's more obvious in the life series, and it ties into the pettiness and being a menace to other hermits, but he will straight up lie, especially if he thinks it's funny

he's a builder as much as he is a redstoner. it's not this way in every series but he has an eye for design and is good at enacting it, he just also has the ability to just make a build without making it super nice. (some builder hermits I'm pretty sure are incapable of letting themselves build something genuinely ugly. even bdubs stupid house in secret life is good...while etho can value practicality over pretty)

he'll pick up little things from other hermits, either in videos or actions. he's really open to learning. unless he's currently being petty. (see: he does intros similar to gem now, he'll adapt little redstone things he sees other hermits using, or little build details)

he is also really chill about teaching and giving advice, in that he'll tell you what he thinks could be better, same as he judges himself pretty much. sometimes he'll hold back, but he's in it to help you out and help you improve

he likes puzzles :)

he is always thinking of ways to improve, either himself or what he's making or the game of minecraft itself

he gets irritated with himself when he's having trouble with something. he's extremely stubborn and will sometimes out stubborn himself

on a very similar note: he is EXTREMELY competitive (see: giving himself a nosebleed doing cub's maze, not stopping until he gets the highest possible score on impulse's grass game, ALL OF DECKED OUT)

he likes doing things for his friends tbh. he really liked making frogger for the hermits, he likes figuring out new things that the hermits will use. I notice this more as a gem watcher, because the way etho was pretty much like "look at this, look what I did!" to gem about the trident farm...the hermits are hilarious

overall, here for a good time, and a slightly petty and perfectionist time, but a good time. and if he gets to bother the other hermits, or has to put up with the other hermits bothering him, so be it

in summary: I've always been a gem main, but I guess I'm a gemboy and an ethogirl now

[s3renascorner]

Have you ever tried this one?

MDNI!!

Noah Sebastian x fem!reader

Warnings!: oral (f receiving) p in v (don't be like them and use protection!) Pet names, cursing, mentions of being tipsy. I think that's it.

Not proofread! so sorry for shitty grammar.

You

"Noah are you finally ready!?" You yelled from your room to your roommate and best friend. You heard heavy footsteps approach your room as Noah walked towards your room, he stops right at your front door and says "damn can't you be a little more patient? I was just finishing up" you quickly grab your purse and put on your shoes, you open up the door revealing yourself to Noah. "no Noah I can't be, we have to be there early so we can get merch remember?" Noah's eyes slightly widen as he takes in what you're wearing, a very short light pink sparkly mini skirt with a matching top and platform boots resembling a stage outfit Sabrina carpenter wears. "You look, extremely good ya know?" He says looking at you up and down. "uh huh thanks now lets go" you say rushing.

After the concert had started Noah was definitely sure he was going to tease you at home after the concert especially after hearing you say "come right on me, I mean camaraderie" well, until the song 'juno' started playing and Noah quickly got what the song was about but what he didn't expect was the position part, Sabrina laid on the floor lifting one leg then swiftly going into the splits, you had jokingly told him that you had apparently "never tried that one in your life" obviously this was supposed to be a light hearted joke especially with the amount of teasing this man gave you every day, but he took it another way, those words making him feel warm and weak, in that moment he thought about you laying there for him completely at his disposal, doing everything and anything for him. He wouldn't lie and say that he's never thought about you in another way than more than friends or that he's never thought of you bare before him doing so many sinful things to-and with him but damn, right now he just wanted to take you away and fuck you til your dumb in the back of his car.

After the concert had ended and you guys got back in the car (well, barely since you were tipsy) Noah couldn't stop thinking about what you had said, it was stupid really, but the fact that just thinking about you in that same position, making you cum until you were seeing stars and just have you. "I actually think that this is the best night of my life" you slurred while giggling. "oh really? And why is that miss I love to scream horny lyrics?" You dramatically gasped and put your hand on your heart, "you wound me sir, and also you listen to the weekend, that's wayyyyy worse than just saying I'm so fucking horny"

sir. That word alone made his cock twitch, not because he likes being called that but because he wants to hear you call him that again and again. "I guess your right" he clears his throat "well, we should get going traffics gonna suck either way right?" He tries to change the topic, You hum in response "well I mean yeah but why don't we wait for a while? Everyone's gonna be headed the same direction and we don't have to be up early tomorrow, plus if I get motion sickness while being tipsy, well that's not gonna be pretty so lets just, wait it out." That wouldn't work for Noah, he just needed to take a cold shower and relax cause if not god knows he would be struggling especially with how you act while tipsy. Last time he was alone with you while tipsy it ended up in you talking about how no one was good for you and that you couldn't even have sex because it didn't feel right, and yes you did cry on him that day. Noah wasn't going to push the idea of going back home since he knew you were gonna make him agree with you either way. He just needed to figure out how to distract himself.

"you okay? You seem tense... Like a lot." You said putting a hand on his shoulder, "uh yeah I'm fine just a little tired that's all." "Um..." You said trying to come up with something. "well you can sleep in the backseat with your head in my lap for you to be comfortable" "um, sure" he said, he climbed into the back of the car and sat down waiting for you to come climb in the back, once you did you accidentally fell on his lap, your skirt rose up and you felt his semi hard on. "Shit, sorry noah" your faces had matching flushed cheeks and that nervous look in your eyes, you tried to move away so you could sit down on the seat but his grip was firm holding you in place. You looked at him nervous and slightly excited, he started lightly caressing your exposed thighs not realizing you half exposed ass since he was so focused on your face and on every little expression that changed. The air felt hotter and your senses had heightened feeling every bit of him covered body except for the hand that was on your thigh that's the thing you could feel the most. The moment felt like eternities but was actually mere seconds. "Y/n?" "yes?" You said barely above a whisper.

"hypothetically if I were to kiss you right now, what would you hypothetically do?" His question took you aback, was he actually going to do this? "Hypothetically, I think I would want more than just a kiss." His eyebrows slightly raised and he nodded just a tiny bit, he carefully but quickly lifted you up and positioned you so you were straddling him. "So... About what you said inside, you've never tried that? Ever?" He said a teasing smirk on his lips. You gulped trying to understand what he was trying to do, "no... I haven't like ever." "would you like to?" Your eyes widened, your breath got heavier, jesus this man could make you nervous in a second.

"What?" "Would. You. Like. To. Try. It?" He put punctuation at every word, soaking up the fact that he could get you like this without even doing anything. "y-yes" you said basically breathless, Noah didn't say anything he just slowly lifted your skirt and made sure that you would be prepared.

He leaned in leaving a peak on your neck going all the way up until he reached your lips and asked "may i?" After you nodded just wanting some kind of touch he leaned in, lips touching yours as if he was testing the waters first. you both had a good rhythm it was slow and passionate, god knows how long you've been wanting to do this with him, his hands started to ride up your thighs to grip your ass, once he did you slightly gasped which gave him the freedom to slip his tongue into your mouth tasting you properly. He slowly moved his hips against yours trying to get some friction as he couldn't get enough of you, your hands were tangled in his hair making it disheveled and messy but he didn't give a shit about that with you like this.

"Fuck Noah, I need you" you moan out breathlessly. "need me to what princess?" God that nickname could make you fold any day, "i... I need you inside me" he nodded quickly and laid you down in the backseat slowly stripping you of your clothes, every layer he took off weirdly felt like a layer of the feelings that you two had for each other was being exposed and shown, with no lies nor any doubts, and sure you could've expected this to just be another quick fuck but it wasn't, it was love and passion that you two had been holding on to and keeping a secret for the years and years of your friendship.

Noah gazed and admired your naked body taking everything in as if he were never to see it again, he softly kissed up your thighs and stopped at were your core is to ask "are you sure?" You nodded but responded with a quick yes because you knew he needed a verbal answer "green if you're okay, yellow if you need to slow down and red if you want me to stop. Ok?"

"ok." Noah placed a soft kiss on her core earning him a soft whimper from you a signal that he could keep going, he left kitten licks still just warming you up until you had finally had enough and had asked him for even more which was what he was waiting for. He, to put it bluntly, ate you like it was his last meal making you say his name like a prayer. You felt that familiar knot in your stomach tightening begging to release, "Noah I'm gonn- can i-" you barely muttered out "cum for me baby, let go." euphoria washed over you, making you feel like you weren't real. "you still with me princess?" Noah asked making sure you were ok, his hands rubbed up and down your thighs the feeling making the sense of touch come back. "Yeah, yeah I just I need you inside me noah." Noah smirked and for one last time kissed your thighs each two times, "your wish is my command doll."

He sat up and stripped himself of his clothes, you couldn't help but stare at his bare self, you'd imagined him before but god it was better than you'd expected. "take a picture it'll last longer" he teased "oh shut it" you said, he grabbed your legs and pulled you closer to him hooking a leg on his shoulder the other resting on the seat as you laid on your elbows, this was a surprise because you didn't think he would actually do the position you just thought he was joking or teasing you like always. "what are you doing?" He raised an eyebrow "I told you we would do it." You just shut up and bit your lip as he positioned himself to your entrance. He slowly slid in making sure you adjusted to his size before starting to thrust, when you gave him the signal he started moving at a slower pace but quickly picked it up when he heard the first whiny moan you let out, it felt fucking magical for a lack of words, every thrust and moan that you both let out was so intimate and special because you both knew that it was just for you two, not for anyone others ears to hear, not for anyone other to feel how deep he went and how fucking wet you were for him it was just, the two of you.

You could tell he was about to cum when his thrust got sloppy and fast, you weren't to far behind either the second knot in your stomach getting tighter and tighter waiting for you to cum, you walls tightened against him and you started basically chanting his name, your hands intertwined as your head fell back as your breath got unsteady. "Fuck doll, I'm gonna come." You squeezed his hand "come for me noah" you both let out groans as you came at the same time, his hot seed filling you up until you were leaking cum. He collapsed on top of you breathless but so fucking satisfied and so were you. "We- we should probably get home shouldn't we?" He held onto you tighter "in a bit"

The next day...

You were scrolling on your phone through tiktok while laying on Noah's chest when a video of the concert from yesterday popped up, specifically the juno position part, you watched as Sabrina raised her leg while asking the question "have you ever tried this one?" remembering last night. Noah spoke up as he heard and just said-

Yes we did.

[teaguehq]

Of course I think you'd crush it as an ape! You're a great actor, so there's no doubt in my mind about that. It's not official yet, but there's definitely talk of a second film and don't worry, I'm putting your name into the mix for sure! Like you said, either way, it'd be a lot of fun just to mess with people and make them think you were part of the second film. Though I really hope we get to work together for real sometime, since you do seem like an incredible person to work with. Oh, no doubt at all since it's all a bit like movie magic with the CGI that looks so realistic and is so fun to play out at the same time. See, that's how I feel, that we have to keep our parents on their toes and amuse them at the same time, which we can do even if they won't admit being amused. It's just the amount of time spent that everything with ape mannerisms becomes such a habit that's difficult to break. I appreciate the vote of confidence that I'm not moving around like a chimp anymore either! It's a natural thing to miss characters you've spent so much time with, right? Plus Oberyn was such an amazing character too, so I can't blame you there! Are you feeling the same way about Mister Fantastic since you guys are officially wrapped now? The excitement for The Last of Us is so well earned when it's a great show, and though I'm not looking forward to well, certain spoilers, there's no doubt it'll still be so impactful given the rest of the show. I'm the same way, just grateful every time I get to step onto a new set and to be doing what I love as well. I am indeed, and the project's going pretty well! I think I've just hit the stage where I feel like we've been filming forever, but it's been a great one to work on so far. How about yourself, aside from all the promo? I told Joseph this and I'll tell you again, Gladiator II was incredible! | @josepedro

oh, i've no doubt that people in my family that are not in the industry thing that i've lost my mind -- so you're right, it's useful to have other actors that understand what you're going through. wait, you'd think i'd crush it as an ape? that's the sweetest compliment, thank you! also, heard the good news that a second one is in the cards! so don't forget to toss my name out there, alright? i'm laughing at the idea of starting a rumor saying i'm going to be in the second one, but not really be in it -- just mess with people! but thank you for saying you'd tell everyone i was great to work with. i can't be having anyone think i'm a diva, right? see, i had a feeling a lot of people wanted to see the magic behind the film because it's so damn interesting, you know? i just love everything you guys likely had to do and i can't help but want to know more. oh, i have a feeling you made your mom laugh no matter what she says. my mom always acts like she's sick of me and my antics, but i know she's secretly laughing. that's very true, and sometimes things are just harder to shake then others no matter what, and being a whole different species is one of those things that i know would be hard to shake. though after seeing you so much on set with joseph, and seeing you in salem, it's safe to say you're not moving around like a chimp anymore! you're not crazy at all saying you miss some of the characters that you've played, because i'm right along with you in missing some. i still miss oberyn, and he was very hard to let go, and that feels like ages ago! thank you for saying that, and i'm glad you're excited for the last of us to come back, because i'm excited for everyone to see season two! it does feel good when you live the dream as an actor, sometimes i'm still shocked this is my life. but every new project that i take, i can't help but be excited for every single one of them! i know you're working on a project right now, which is why i don't see that pretty face of yours on set anymore. how's that going? || @teaguehq

[thezombieprostitute]

Unwanted - Part 6

Summary: Your life is no longer yours. You've been forced into becoming a different species of human. Bought and paid for, what can you do but follow orders and obey your Alpha?

Warnings: Allusions to surgery, human trafficking, kidnapping; Angst; Depression; Suicidal thoughts. Let me know if I missed any!

A/N: Reader is described as big & tall, is female. No other descriptors used.

A/N2: This series is revived thanks to @the-slumberparty's December Daze Challenge. The prompt: Sharing New Traditions.

Word Count: ~1.7k

Part 5 -- Part 7

Series Masterlist

It's taken about a week but you tell Natasha you think you're ready to meet some other people. She promises to start with just one person, Sam, her Beta and the Community Manager. While Steve and Nat could work well with small groups, Sam could work with just about any size group and had the ability to coordinate packs and keep the community running, if not thriving. Nat's pretty sure it's part of why the three of them make for such a good pack together, they compliment each other's strengths and make up for their short comings.

"You're actually arriving at a good time," Sam tells you. "We're getting ready for our Solstice Celebration. It'll be a good way to introduce you to the community."

"Won't that be a little overwhelming?" Nat asks on your behalf.

"If she were a part of the celebration, sure." Sam turns to you, "the majority of the community will be dancing and singing in celebration of the days getting longer. But, if you're okay with it, we'll have you with the kids who are still learning the steps and the words."

You nod, not bothered at all by being put with the kids. It's been forever since you've interacted with any and, even before the operation, you enjoyed taking care of them.

"With everyone's focus on the celebration, it should be easier on you," Sam continues. "You'll be meeting a lot of people, yes, but you won't have everyone's attention."

Nat nods in her understanding, "good play, Sam."

Sam winks at her and she smiles. Even if you didn't know they were mates their behavior would have given it away. They're actually very sweet together.

"Will I need to wear anything specific? Do I need to cook? What all is expected of me?" You mentally start going through your meager possessions trying to think of what might be appropriate.

"Maybe in the old days," Sam tells you. "But we've adapted to the times, and not just for the sake of those who weren't born into this life." You give him a puzzled look and he explains, "it seems like ever since humans found out people like us exist they've been trying to figure us out, experimenting on us, and the like. Nat, Steve and Bucky, who you'll meet later, were all natural born like myself but they got operated on 'for science' or other such bullshit." He squeezes Nat's hand as she snuggles against him.

"And then there are cases, like you, where some of our own, in a misguided attempt to save our species, have made others to be like us. Usually they result in betas, but you're existence is evidence that they're getting better at controlling designations."

You face drops a little as you absentmindedly start rubbing on the scars on your neck. Two mating glands forced into your neck and two scent glands forced into your wrists. All of them pumping you full of unknown hormones that caused changes that even more surgeries helped make permanent.

Your thoughts are interrupted by two pairs of arms holding you tight. "Sorry about that," Sam hurriedly apologizes. "I didn't mean to spark the bad memories. Just wanted to let you know you're not alone while giving you some answers for what to expect."

"I understand," you nod.

Nat interjects, "I'm still willing to hit him if you want me to."

That makes you laugh, and they let go of you as they continue talking about the Solstice Event.

Sure enough, your presence at the Solstice Event is met with great acclaim, but it's in bits and pieces as everyone is busy with preparations. The only person who doesn't leave you alone is a little girl named Grace. She's excited she's not the oldest person sticking around the kids.

"I'm already 11," she tells you. "If Papa had been able to bring me here sooner, maybe I'd be with the other middle-schoolers."

"Why isn't your Papa here learning as well?"

"He was accepted into the packs several years ago. It's only recently that he was able to bring me in."

"I wonder why that is," you muse.

"It's because I'm an outsider," Grace grumbles. "Papa was taken when I was little. Apparently he was like you, and they hurt him. But he ended up here! And he met Curtis, my new Dad! So now I have two parents again! But Papa says he had to fight to get me here because I'm...I'm not..." You interrupt Grace with a big hug and she seems to settle down. "Are...are you purring?" She gasps.

The realization startles you. You didn't even know you could do that! Yet you both know that's what you were doing.

"I'm...I'm sorry," you stammer. "I didn't realize I was doing it."

"That's amazing!" Grace counters. "I didn't know I could be affected by it! Dad's Alpha purrs sometimes help against nightmares but they're nothing compared to what you did!"

Heat rushes to your face. "I'm not sure what I did was appropriate, though," you whisper. "I don't want to mess up social conventions or something."

"Let's get Ms. Nat, then!" Grace runs off before you can catch her.

Taking Nat and Sam's earlier warnings into consideration you do your best to keep your emotions under control. You don't want to throw off the celebration or get more unwanted attention because you're distressed. You go through some of the breathing techniques Nat helped you learn.

"I couldn't find Nat so I brought Papa instead," Grace declares, interrupting your thoughts.

The first thing you notice about Grace's Papa is his deep blue eyes that have a tinge of wildness to them. His smile is polite, but also genuine, you see where Grace gets hers from. He's wearing a scarf around his neck, reminding you of Grace's mention of his past being similar to your own. You wonder if you could ask him where he gets his from.

He holds out his hand, "I'm Jefferson, Grace's father."

You take his hand in yours, giving him your name. "Nice to meet you." That's when his scent hits you. It's like you opened up a tea and spice cupboard, a little chaotic but very pleasant. You have to fight the urge to go for a deeper scent.

Jefferson seems to pick up on your reaction and he immediately releases your hand. He takes a moment to steady himself before coughing, "so Grace tells me your purring helped her calm down?"

"Oh, yes," you admit, embarrassment burning your cheeks. "We...neither of us knew if it was okay for me to do that or not. I don't want to disrupt things, even out of ignorance."

"It's absolutely okay," Jefferson assures. "If there's anything I've learned in the years since..." he touches his scarf before shaking his head. "If there's one thing I've learned since...joining this community, it's that taking care of each other is always allowed. You were taking care of my little girl. Thank you for that."

You breath a sigh of relief, calm taking you over. Jefferson's eyes widen a little as he takes in your scent. "I think I can tell why Grace was able to relax so much with you. You're a very...sweet person."

You smile shyly, "thank you."

"Papa, can you stay with us? You can be the one to each us the dance moves, right?"

Jefferson laughs, "I suppose in the spirit of the Solstice, of sharing new traditions, I could ask Curtis to teach you."

"Oh, even better!" Grace runs off, you assume to go find Curtis.

As soon as she's out of sight, Jefferson turns to you, his expression serious. "I had to work for a very long time to get them to find Grace and get her away from her adoptive parents. Had to beg, plead, damn near put a gun to someone's head to get her back in my life. Do be careful with her."

"Of...of course. I...I'd never...I wouldn't..." you stammer, caught off guard by his sudden change.

He smiles again, "just being careful. She's my life and you're a stranger."

"Of course," you nod.

When Grace returns she's got a giant of a man in tow. His bright blue eyes are shining with happiness as lets her lead him around. He gives Jefferson a little kiss as a greeting, his smile never wavering, until he caught your scent.

"You're the new Omega," he says, eyebrows raised. He turns to Grace, "and you're telling me she helped you where I couldn't?" Grace nods, smile wide.

He holds out his hand, "I'm Curtis. It would be an honor to teach you and Grace. I'll go ask Sarah if it would be okay for me to take over the tutorials."

"Th--thank you, Curtis." When you take his hand to introduce yourself your hit by his scent as well. It's the scent of a walking into a warm house on a cold day. Combined with Jefferson's, you feel like you're wrapped up in a warm blanket, drinking hot tea as it snows outside. It's the most comforting combination you've ever felt.

You quickly back away, head full of unwanted thoughts. "I'm...I'm not sure I should be out here."

"Are you okay? What's wrong?" Grace is quick to grab your hand and try to pull you in for a hug. "Are you sure you can't stay and learn with me?"

"Um..." you look from her to her parents, both men are looking at you with knowing expressions.

"It'll be okay," Curtis soothes, rubbing Jefferson's cheek. "We'll just make sure you've got plenty of space for fresh air, okay?"

"You sure?" Jefferson whispers to him.

Curtis nods. "We'll let her have some space as she learns. Grace can be her primary teacher."

Grace hops up and down, "yes, please!" She turns back to you. "Please?"

You smile a little, "I don't know how anyone could say 'no' to that face."

Part 5 -- Part 7

Series Masterlist

Tagging: @alicedopey; @delicatebarness; @dontbescaredtosingalong; @icefrozendeadlyqueen;

@irishhappiness; @lokislady82;

@lolitsthings @peyton-warren; @ronearoundblindly ; @startcarvingdarling; @thiquefunlover63

[lonelylittledot]

Wicked

~ a Wicked scholar's thoughts on the movie

Okay. I had detached myself from any feelings about the movie truly years ago, and so I walked into the movie theatre with really low expectations.

My overall opinion: it was not a bad adaptation. I'd expected to give it 3/10, it turned out as a solid 6.5/10.

Here are just a few things that stuck out to me:

The landscapes - didn't hate them but didn't like them.

The costumes - amazing. Pretty much every outfit slayed. I feel like they could have been even a bit more extravagant, but they were great as they were. - As for Elphaba, I think my favorite outfit was the first Shiz dress and the post-Popular outfit. - Glinda's bubble dress was exquisite, and I really liked her Emerald City ensemble, although I do miss the yellow dress, I feel like it doesn't get enough love

I liked Ariana's G(a)linda surprisingly a lot. Maybe it's because I know she's a huge Wicked fan, but I felt like her love for the source material really showed.

I wasn't really sold on Cynthia. Don't get me wrong, she has a truly fabulous voice, and she absolutely did shine in the big, loud parts - but overall, I wasn't a fan of her versions of the songs. She looked and acted great, though.

Michelle Yeoh, the woman you are. Fantastic casting, no notes.

Jonathan. Oh, dear, Johnathan Bailey. Looks? Hot. Vocals? Gorgeous. Vibes? Flawless. I wish he'd played the role a decade ago, because he does look forty and not college-age, but I think everything else about him truly makes up for it.

Speaking of - I liked that Fiyero got just a few tiny little additional scenes/lines, really helped to flesh out his character more.

Grammar-nazi Elphaba, my beloved.

Listen, I have shipped Fiyero and Elphaba since I was 14. And I'm not going to stop now. I stan them, I loved their chemistry in the movie, I will ship them until the day I die.

The direction on G(a)linda/Elphaba - hella gay. But I didn't quite feel their chemistry, neither friendly nor romantic. It was okay, but didn't blow me away.

IDINA AND KRISTEN???? love love love love my og queens

The movie dragged on. A lot. This is my only really big criticism, unfortunately it's a really important one. I think they could easily have made the whole musical into one 3h long movie, and it would have been much better for the pacing. - there weren't even that many added scenes; and a lot of the additions were pretty good, actually - some were totally unnecessary though. like the guards chasing Elphaba and Glinda and the whole balloon shenanigans? - similarly, many scenes were just unnecessarily stretched out; with the camera staying too long in one place or one moment being dragged out way too long - some of the songs just had slightly longer (like 2 bars?) breakes between the choruses added for no reason

Defying Gravity. This is the same thing as one of the previous comments, but I feel like it deserves its separate mention. The pacing in that scene (or, here, more like a collection of scenes) was extremely off, the song losing all of its momentum by being chopped up into pieces. And the way they made us wait for the iconic vocalization at the end; I honestly thought I'd die of boredom.

Sometimes I felt like the movie couldn't decide if it wanted to be more stage-y and theatrical, and lean into the whole campy vibe, or more cinematic and "naturally" acted; and sometimes it switched weirdly between the two.

There was one single thing that looked way better onscreen than onstage. The Lion cub. In the movie, he looked extremely cute, tiny little adorable darling baby kitten. Way better than the creepy-ass puppet they use in the show.

There were many more tasty little details that I simply couldn't remember/write down, or else I wouldn't have been able to pay any attention to the movie. Once it's available, maybe I'll rewatch and dissect it in more detail (I should also finally watch the 1939 Wizard of Oz, it's a CRIME that I still haven't! I'm sure people who know it well could also see many references in the new Wicked - even I noticed the ruby slippers in Popular, for example!).

Summing up this unnecessarily long rant:

It was not a bad adaptation; although I doubt it will make many people into Wicked fans. At the end of the day, it's clearly a story made for the stage, and even though it was transferred to the big screen fairly well, I think it still belongs in the regular theatre, not the movie one.

[clubsmarties]

He rolled his own eyes and scoffed. "Right, must have missed that when you said you hadn't explored much around the island and work took a lot of your time." She had forgotten whatever she told him he'd keep and remember on any given day. "Seriously you're gonna run out of excuses not to come on adventures with me. No worries though, even if we spend a whole day at the library will be a pretty good day." All that mattered was her company. He'd take any day with her as long as they were doing random shit together.

"Listen, it's a nice sentiment and I do appreciate it but I don't want to give a random stranger false hope when I know my heart won't be in it." It was currently taken by Liz. And the last thing he wanted was to string along someone else who he knew he wasn't going to end up falling in love with like he was with Liz. "I'm basing it off the movie. Had a kid. Also, you're thinking we're exactly like them. You're a smart ass like Scully though so you've got that going." He said it in a teasing tone. Realistically no one had ever gone toe to toe in wits with him before. Until Liz.

"Mm no it's her tracking skills poking out. Sometimes she does it if she sniffs out a chihuahua. Dolly isn't fond of those little dudes." The thought of Liz being a girl scout was adorable. "I'm sure you would have. It is not as boring as some people make it out to be. I always think it's because some people don't know how to do some of the tasks. I learned how to make fire once so that was fun."

"All they see is her sex symbol status." Wally rolled his eyes and shrugged. "I like that. It's a nice way to think about it. I hope so. I miss her some days." A fact that had rung true with him. He laughed amused and shrugged. "I'm in the wrong field altogether."

He scoffed and made sure his eyes were clearly visible. "Okay. That just sounds like jealousy coming for my hair. Just because of that I think I'll keep growing it longer. I'm putting that down in my calendar as we speak. Can't leave before I head to Tahoe. People think every city is touristy when you're here. Traffic is annoying."

"Too late. I got you a gift. No take back. It really is a small thing I promise. Just saw it and thought of you. You may like it." He chuckled softly and hummed. "A beach day for my favorite fur girl is going to be her favorite day. Oh, that would be fun. I bet Charlie and Anna and Orion would have a very fun day if you took them. If you go to the Disney hotel. You can borrow my Disney hoodie too. It's also at your place. I forgot I left it there from one of our late nights."

"Wildfire comes from a race horse mother. They want to see if she can race but she's too young. Jockeys are around but haven't taken her on. She's friendly and loves to gallop around the field. When we go we can take a lap around so you can see her go around. I think she's my favorite horse. As for the cave, would it pique your curiosity if I said it was a glo in the dark cave, bright ass lights?"

Hazel eyes rolled as she thought of plenty of interesting people. She was just a husk of interesting things, not interesting herself. It was how she was raised to be and the very last thing she would admit to anyone was that she did enjoy his visits, they helped her sometimes see things that she hadn't considered. "Have you ever stopped to think that maybe I already did that mountain and don't feel like doing it again?" She hadn't but Elizabeth was also trying to create a little bit of distance.

There he went again, saying things that made her feel, strange. Convincing herself that he meant that because she was in Hawaii with Dolly and his family nearby, that was what he meant. That he couldn't wait to be back home with the people he cared about. The small twinge of an accent made her smile. "I'm not insistent, I just thought you two would like each other is all. Forget it." She sighed as she snuggled against Dolly, scratching behind her ear. "Sully?" She laughed it all off as a notion of someone falling asleep. "Not sure if you actually watched it, things didn't go well for those two. I'm sure that you would want something better than that."

Elizabeth didn't make it a habit to keep up with pop culture and popular things, the only time she took the time to watch and research things was when her target was a fan of it. There was no easier way for an in than to talk to someone about something they loved. It just happened that one had loved Sci-Fi, she remembered the hours of watching X-Files and Star Trek just to try to get their attention. It paid off in the end but it was now knowledge that she would never forget.

"Ah, I had wondered what that was. I had assumed she had smelled something or trying to find something." Dolly had done it a couple of times and Elizabeth had just chalked it up to a dog thing, a maybe she saw or heard a squirrel thing. It was easy to forget that Dolly had been trained before. "Nope, never been. Never long enough in any place to do things like scouts. I'm sure I would've crushed it though."

There was something about not letting a person rest when they were dead that it made her irrationally upset seeing as she didn't know the actress personally. "I guess but keeping those conversations from ever beginning feels like a disservice to her."

This talk made her remember their talk at the lighthouse. He always seemed to find a way to open her up to things she hadn't talked about before to anyone else. Things she hadn't pondered before and things he wanted to share with her. "In Iceland, people believe that when you dream about a loved one they are comforting you in a way. Coming to bring you happiness and care for you. That the connection you share with them is still as strong even if they are no longer physically there anymore. I'm sure it's Nana telling you that she's still watching over you." She wasn't sure where that had come from, she never had actually believed those things growing up, just listened and absorbed all her dad had told her. At his confession that he did in believe, she smiled. "You are in the wrong department."

Dolly falling asleep in this position kept Elizabeth from getting up, not wanting to wake the pup up, forcing her lay in bed and actually sleep. With a small shrug, she acted like he hadn't read her so clearly. "I think maybe your hair is just a little too long. Maybe I don't like your long hair." Or those dimples but that would be another lie and she was too tired to try to pretend to not to be lying. "Ah," she knew exactly where, she pretended that the thought of Wally looking like Smokey the Bear didn't amuse her. Him in flannel sounded like a funny idea too, never having seen him in that before. "Near the border, huh? If you have a moment, you should see Tahoe. People think it is too touristy but it's actually really pretty and there is also a mansion there that's a state park now." She was spouting suggestions now, trying to keep from thinking about how she missed the woods and also how much she missed him. A feeling that she hated at the moment.

"A gift? No, I don't need any, please don't. It's okay." A warm feeling came through her knowing that Wally had thought about her enough to not only get information about her case but to consider getting her a gift as well. "Not much, I have a couple of appointments tomorrow and if we can squeeze it in we might go down to the beach for a while. Also going to check out that hotel with those Disney characters, as thinking about having Anna, and Charlie come out with Orion sometime and that place seems nice."

To keep him talking so he could tire himself out and fall asleep, she decided to keep talking about this week he had suggested. "Okay, tell me about Wildfire. And that giant cave, that's not me agreeing to it, just me wanting to know more about it."

[inkskinned]

one of the things about being an educator is that you hear what parents want their kids to be able to do a lot. they want their kid to be an astronaut or a ballerina or a politician. they want them to get off that damn phone. be better about socializing. stop spending so much time indoors. learn to control their own temper. to just "fucking listen", which means to be obedient.

one of the things i learned in my pedagogy classes is that it's almost always easier to roleplay how you want someone to act. it's almost always easier to explain why a rule exists, rather than simply setting the rule and demanding adherence.

i want my kids to be kind. i want them to ask me what book they should read next, and i want to read that book with them so we can discuss it. i want my kid to be able to tell me hey that hurt my feelings without worrying i'll punish them. i want my kid to be proud of small things and come running up to me to tell me about them. i want them to say "nah, i get why this rule exists, but i get to hate it" and know that i don't need them to be grateful-for-the-roof-overhead while washing the dishes. i want them to teach me things. i want them to say - this isn't safe. i'm calling my mom and getting out of this. i want them to hear me apologize when i do fuck up; and i want them to want to come home.

the other day a parent was telling me she didn't understand why her kid "just got so angry." this woman had flown off the handle at me.

my dad - traditional catholic that he is - resents my sentiment of "gentle parenting". he says they'll grow up spoiled, horrible, pretentious. granola, he spits.

i am going to be kind to them. i am going to set the example, i think. and whatever they choose become in the meantime - i'm going to love them for it.

[timdrakesbussy]

7 y/o Sebastian: Can we turn on the night light?

7 y/o Abigail: And have a beacon for monsters to come for us? Think again, Sebastian!

[worlds-worst-ships]

I only know three of these and I know this is gonna make a lot of people start crying in the comments "oH My gOd, yOu'Re sUcH a WiLlY hEaD fOr hAviNg a DifFeReNt OpiNiOn tO mE, i'M tElLiNg-" SHUT UP. I'm called worlds-worst-ships for a reason, you whiny noob.

Anyways, under the cut;

Anyway, Mark and Amber is basically my pet peeve. Everything always being your fault, when you don't talk to them for ten minutes your partner is already chatting up someone else at a party, and when you actually have a good reason for needing a bit more time to yourself, its never, ever good enough. Sure, Mark probably should've been more straight up, but I think that literally risking your life and almost dying to save the world every week is a pretty good reason for missing a few dates. I see people everywhere saying this situation ain't toxic, and thats because this sort of shit is NORMAL these days. Be perfect, never miss anything unless you're literally dead in a ditch, or you ain't shit. Even if you're dying of a heart attack, they'd better find your body crawling to go see your girl with a gift in your hand, cuz otherwise if she's anything like Amber, she will spit venom on your name in the eulogy, trust me.

Joker and Harley is straight up every girl in my local area. Joker has committed every crime known to man, many of which were committed on Harley, and she still can't get enough of him. I swear, girls like Harley don't use Tinder, they use Crimewatch, and even after years of the same shit they run crying to everyone else as if they're in any position to help them while guys like Joker are on the same crud until the day they die, its more than toxic, its downright hazardous. And before someone says "oH mY gOd, yOu'rE ViCtIm bLaMiNg, i'M GoiNG tO sPaM rEpOrT yOu fOr 15 HoUrS a DaY oN aLl Of yOuR sOciAlS bEcAuSe I CaN't FiNd tHe X BuTtOn oN mY BrOwSeR LiKe A NoRmAl pErSon", know that I have always said Harley's story makes zero sense. She was living a normal enough life, no glaringly obvious points in her life that would've whittled away her self worth to the point where a loony like Joker could get to her like that, so her falling in love with him isn't a product of some mental health issue, she's literally just a dumbass.

At least with Light and Misa, Light doesn't do consistently heinous shit to her. He at least provides for her to some extent, tries to keep her happy (albeit for his own ends, but still), he's never hospitalised her, cheated on her, (I wouldn't count that thing with that woman in the hotel room, as far as I can remember, no juices were exchanged, he just strung her along for the case), and overall, Misa's situation is actually at least somewhat bearable compared to the others. I've been in the Mark/Amber situation and would rather die than live like Joker and Harley, so yeah, Light and Misa take it for me.

Toxic heterosexuality

I'm not sure what we're voting for honestly, interpret it how you want. (And explain your choice in the notes for fun!)

btw I only know 3 of these ships so don't yell at me too much if one isn't toxic

[girlrandomstuff]

i was just coming to cry about (this) fictional father&daughter relationships, you just don't get it, they mean so much to me i can't even articulate

[wonder-worker]

"[Elizabeth Woodville] was the only member of [Crown Prince Edward of Westminster's] original 1471 council not already on the king’s council and her name headed the list of those appointed as administrators in Wales during Edward’s minority. [She remained on the council after it was expanded in 1473 and granted significant new governing and judicial powers]."

"In 1478 Prince Richard [of Shrewsbury] married the Mowbray heiress. Like his elder brother he had a chancellor, seal, household and council to manage his estates. His council, like that of Prince Edward, comprised the queen [Elizabeth Woodville] and a group of magnates and bishops, few of whom were Woodville supporters [...] It was Elizabeth who mattered, for Richard resided with her and Rivers treated his affairs as their own."

-J.L. Laynesmith, The Last Medieval Queens: English Queenship 1445-1503 / Michael Hicks, Richard III and his Rivals: Magnates and their Motives in the Wars of the Roses

[sebastians-alterhuman-archive]

Not sure exactly but kinda just went f it sometimes this year and rolled w it

Uhhh western style ig? In terms of build something like those depictions at least

Unsure specifically for both but general alterhuman community a lot earlier than the draconic community, first alterhuman identity I discovered for me was vampire

Don't really know

They're pretty cool I think if I'm understanding right

No, at least for now I'm not sure my stance on past lives being a thing or whether I personally have experienced any past lives, but if others believe they have then the concept at least exists for them even if not everybeing

Varies on what's there but the features I've noticed in numerous times is horns, wings, tail, claws, scales, eyes, and one time a less defined full entire body felt dragon with no barriers between physical body and phantom body at all

Not sure yet for dragon, but fish has felt somewhat dragony so maybe that

Unless I just haven't discovered it yet or it changes, no. Visually fire would fit but it doesn't feel correct for me either

Have somewhat of an idea. Maybe around 4 metre long wingspan and like- body longer than a horse but not as tall? Guesses mostly, only wing size is fully clear in comparison to the human body

Yeah, I'd say so. Names, pronouns, and also physical things like plushies, keychains, goal of shark stuff, etc

Don't know, just feels natural like most of my other types to me

For draconity there's only been one really intense dysphoria moment so far, but that does count as a yes

Unsure but other types forest feels right so maybe forest for dragon too idk

Unsure

I find it all really nice generally, managed to land in a positive pocket(?) of the general community as a whole

Do grunts and growls count?

Same answer as 17, almost missed this one

A general alterhuman pack yes, it's mostly therian though and a lil inactive but a pack is a pack and I'm happy

Most at home specifically in my little den (my room) a lot, going down to the park can be fun though

Growing up if a book didn't have dragons I wasn't gonna read it. I'll read more than just dragon books now but two good ones there are the Wings Of Fire series and the Talon Saga. First more all ages but the other is a young adults 5 book series. Other media I like the dragons in Game Of Thrones and House Of The Dragon but don't plan to watch either regardless, for one I do watch though Legend Of Vox Machina has some cool dragons

Not to my knowledge I think, maybe

Don't know what it is, but maybe physical and psychological like the rest I have?

Yes, dragon is a more recent discovery among them all. Mentioned the first one, vampire, earlier into this

Not yet but I have ideas for future

A mix? Idk

I think sapient

Yes, shown before elsewhere here

No

Hmm, not sure, maybe?

AAAAA this took longer than planned, but finally got through it. More than 16 minutes, I don't know beyond that

dragonkin ask game

hey there! since this year, the year of the dragon, is getting to its end, i decided to come up with some questions for dragonkin and other draconic beings in the alterhuman and plural community. these can be used for personal use in blogs and are free to use for "draconic question of the week" pings on discord, for example. i will explain the reason for those and what i plan to do with them below the questions after the cut. i hope you will have fun with those.

questions under the cut

1. when did you find out you are a dragon?

2. what kind of dragon are you?

3. when did you join the dragonkin/alterhuman community?

4. what are some unique features of your dragon self? can be related to your body, your powers or your behavior.

5. what do you think of the representation of dragons on earth?

6. do you have memories of being a dragon in a past life or concurrent life?

7. what do your shifts look like, if you have any?

8. what does your species' diet?

9. do you have a breath weapon? if yes, which one?

10. do you know your dragon body's size?

11. do you hoard?

12. how does your draconity influence you irl?

13. do you feel species dysphoria sometimes?

14. what did/would your habitat look like?

15. are you territorial? can be a place(s) or other beings.

16. what do you think about the dragonkin/alterhuman community?

17. do you use a special vocabulary related to your draconity?

18. does your species have a special language or alphabet?

19. do you have a pack/clan or are you on your own?

20. where do you spend the most time? outside in nature or in your cave (at home)?

21. what is your favorite dragon media? is it a book series, a show, a video game or something else?

22. have you ever met a dragon like you or similar to you?

23. do you consider your identity spiritual, psychological or something else? do you use these labels at all?

24. do you have any other identities beside being a dragon?

25. do you own any gear (tails, horns, jewelry etc.) related to your draconity?

26. how does your species communicate primarily? do you use speech, sounds/vocals and/or body language?

27. is your dragon self animalistic/feral or sapient?

28. do you have a visual description of yourself or something that looks similar to your dragon body?

29. do you have any body modifications (tattoos, implants etc.)?

30. are there any dragons/other dragonkin who inspire you?

31. free space

the reason i made this ask game is because i will try to answer every one of the questions during the last month of the year of the dragon. this is a sort of "dragonkin ask game/challenge", and you can try it too, if you want.

thank you for taking a look <3

[buttercup-art]

hey

[disposal-blueeee]

from this thing lolz

ty to @cherry-207 for the idea !! XPP

vargas by zarla-s

[sysig]

Bad time of it, all things considered (Patreon)