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kewpidity · 4 months ago

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answer every question on the proship ask meme POP QUIZ [or is it pro quiz??] i wanna knoooooow

@teacupballerina @hopscorched @emile-hides

sorry it took so long to get to these! gonna post em all together and give two answers where it makes sense since some of these are repeats!

1.) What is your favorite problematic theme/trope that appears in a lot of your ships?

its literally so basic in the grand scheme of problematic stuff, but i love a teen girl x older man, especially when she's in charge lol. i also like things like 'damning secret' (basically people going through forced proximity because they both know something they'd get in a lot of trouble over if it got out) or just forced proximity in general also a fan of one of the characters going insane with covetous love and lust that drives them to do all kinds of fucked up shit about it and also! a handy chart of one of my All Time Dynamics, kid x creature (im counting pompep)

↷↷↷

2.) Are there any problematic tropes that squick you out?

i dont really like anything involving cheating, DV, or hardcore rape/assault, feels bad man

3.) First problematic ship since you joined the proship community?

tbh ive never really Not been proship, it was the only logical thing to me, so this answer is kinda tricky- i guess i could say when i Actively started interacting with other proshippers? but tbqh i dont really remember sorry jklfsdk

4.) First ever problematic ship? (you didn't have to know it was problematic then)

quiche and ichigo from tmm is literally whats wrong with me it fucked up the chemistry of my brain when i was like 12

5.) Ship you don't think it all that problematic, but the rest of your fandom hates?

idk if this really counts Exactly but im baffled to this day by the divide the ML fandom has over the different love square dynamics, please explain to me how every combo is good and wholesome, except for marinette x chat noir, which is somehow bad and degenerate, like even the people working on it make jokes about it like what do you mean its the same gd people???

some others come from spop, where people will try to convince me that hordak x entrapta is abusive despite being one of the healthiest dynamics in the show, or how bow x glimmer is Practically incest cause they. grew up together??? spop discourse was Nuts

6.) Cutest, most vanilla ship you are into.

hmm probably my crossover ship for berry and adrien, they're downright saccharine

7.) Ship the antis in your fandom like, but you think is hella problematic?

Absolutely no hate to the people who like these but oh my god yall there are others but these are always the first two that come to mind

8.) Ship that is (presented as) cute in canon/fanon, but you think is problematic anyway.

kinda just the same ones i just listed tbh

9.) Problematic crackship?

as someone who deals almost Exclusively in rare pairs and crack ships, most of them lmao but if we're going with like. Probably Worst all across the board, its whatever is going on with cedrιc, elyοn, and phοbοs from w..i..t..c..h the depravity that we never got to fully explore with these three is off the charts

10.) Are there any problematic ships that are your NOTPs?

i do not care for wιllιam x mιchael aftοn- p sure its popular in fnαf proship spaces but im just never could come around to it other than that i cant really think of any- usually i only notp things because the fans piss me off about it, and i dont generally have that problem with other proshippers

11.) Darkest fandom you are into?

im really into old rpg horror games in general, and Those get Super Dark, so probably that!

12.) Least dark fandom that you are into!

sοfia the first, but rest assured im Making it problematic

13.) Rec a dead dove fic!

im so sorry but put on the spot, every single fic ive ever read and held dear has suddenly totally absconded from my brain and i cant recall literally any of them

14.) Song that reminds you of one of your pairings!

here just have some playlists i put together for some of them so i dont have to choose anything specific: Grim x Mandy Gaz x Zim Mabel x Bill Snufkιn x Jοxter and my general problematic playlist you'll like em

15.) Silliest reason you've been told not to ship a ship.

'its not canon' is the dumbest shit i've Ever heard and yet somehow is super pervasive in fandom

#and thats everything! hope the answers are interesting #half the reason this took so long was fighting with formatting and actually loading pictures in i hate the new tumblr editorrrr

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centrally-unplanned · 4 months ago

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I played silly 90's eroge game VR-DATE Simulator May-Club, which some lunatics made a browser port of, as I saw people mentioning it on the dash. First off, these old eroges occasionally get remasters, and I just don't understand why they toss out the aesthetic of these things when they do:

You got rid of all the bold pixelation highlights! My dithering! You got rid of the framing box UI!? Look at how they massacred my boy -_-

Seriously those UIs are one of the greatest legacies of the PC-98 era, I am curious as to why they were so common (probably due to limitations on resolution flexibility, so they wanted to keep the main screen defined in scale, but I am just guessing). All ports should preserve them, but I do think there is a development limitations there; modern VN engines aren't quite built for it.

I found the game charming because it is a very comedic game - the main dude wants to bone before starting his corporate wagecuck conglomerate job, and finds a VR world where people date anonymously. So hijinks ensue and you spend tickets to go spin some plates, but half the time you meet up with girls you talk about gender discrimination in the corporate workplace? The difficulties of work-life balance? Handy tips on how to double-tap your company expense accounts for some light financial fraud at hostess bars? And those things are also played for laughs, it just isn't what I expected to find given the tone.

Early dating sim games are often funny this way because they were incredibly expensive - I don't have a price source for this one specifically, but they could approach ~$100 USD and that is in 1990's dollars. Which meant that their market was mainly just working adults, this wasn't primarily teens slipping lunch money over the counter. So the work is full otaku, but a niche of otaku such that you get a certain kind of blend of silly tropes and more adult jabs.

By the way, the game was actually localized to the US, in the 90's? I don't have a rock-solid source but apparently the explicit scenes for two of the routes were removed due to the designs of the characters in question. Which uh:

Yeah, not shocked at that choice.

I found it weird that this "VR world" just looks like the regular world?

Explicitly so, our main dude comments on it. Which you would think, okay, its a budget thing right? This way you get to portray the real world and the VR world with the same assets as you walk through both. But you pretty-much never do that; 99% of the game is in the VR world. So why have that plot detail at all? It made me notice it, and now I am questioning why they went with something so un-VR-like for the setting.

It really doesn't do much with the VR setting alas, though I didn't do all the routes. I love 90's era "the future will be virtual" stuff, but this one didn't deliver on much of any vision for what that would be.

I also can't check out all the routes quickly as I could not find any cohesive Let's Plays of the game. Normally that is how you experience all of these games these days, given their propensity for padding and difficulties in emulating. Maybe I should solve that problem myself lol. Since I did have to play it, shoutouts to Ben Woodhouse from 2003 for your GameFAQs guide and beautiful ASCII calendar of appearance times for helping me get through it

Anyway Akiho is best girl fuck your sexist bosses and get 👏that 👏bread👏; she absolutely has the best collection of facial expressions and her ending has a real touch of heart to it, respect.

#VR date may club #pc-98 era my beloved

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fictionandtheatre · 1 year ago

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Hello!

Indeed I do follow you on tumblr! I didn’t think you remembered, I’m on here so infrequently these days. I’m honored.

Anyway! I would like to start this exchange by saying that I adore your writing. It has been a real treat reading your latest story! In the chapter you just posted, you talked about plotting the kidnapping plot. How did you prepare that? Did you look for sources of inspiration or do you just wait for your own ideas?

I’d also like to ask about POV switching. Do you ever get stuck because a detail you want to include can’t be expressed by a certain character? Like, you’re loving this thought that Spock has, but, blast it, you’re writing from Jim’s POV so you can’t use it. Has that ever happened?

Here’s hoping this finds you in good spirits!

Best Wishes. BT/Robyn

Hello!! Haha, yes, I remembered ur username after seeing it both here and ao3. Thanks for all these great questions! My answers got kinda long, so I've put a read more. Also, for other followers, the story in question is Trial By Fire - a pon farr, ace Spock fic.

The kidnapping plot started as a random thought. I was part way into writing the pon farr scenes, and thought "ooh what if Jim gets kidnapped afterward by logic extremists? That would be fun!" But I wanted to have some background behind it, rather than just having a random kidnapping. So, thinking about how to justify this kidnapping, I built up the entire Admiral Sevrin plotline, Jabilo and Uhura sections, etc. Kinda wild how that one thought is responsible for like half the fic lol.

As for how I come up with the ideas in general, it's a combo of my own thoughts, and inspiration from Trek and other stories. I was really interested in the logic extremists when they appeared in Discovery season 1, and I always thought they would make a great villain for a fic! I hadn't seen them used very much either, and I do like to explore the underused elements of canon. I also find that I get a lot of my ideas from reading other works and thinking, "wait, they should do this thing instead" or "but what about...!" and then I just write from that place. Building from a preexisting concept can be super helpful to diving into the writing, I find - which is probably why fanfic works for me.

For POV switching, I'm not sure if that exact problem has come up. But I definitely have written scenes from a character's point of view, and found they didn't go anywhere or felt really bland. That happened during the "chasing after Sepel in the tunnels" section of Trial. I wrote that scene originally from Jabilo's POV, but it just didn't work. I needed Spock's angst to really move the emotions of the scene along - and Sepel's fanaticism too. Switching perspective can be a handy trick tho! It's helped me break writer's block a couple times.

Thanks again for these questions! I love ranting about my own writing lol. Feel free to ask any more that come up! :)

#asks #answered #btmotley #fanfic #writing #my writing

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cerseiwexler · 1 year ago

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Beatriz + 1, 9, 25, 26, 32, 35, 39, 48, 49, 50

1. How does your character think of their father? What do they hate and love about him? What influence - literal or imagined - did the father have?

beatriz has two dads! they’re polyam w/ her mom before her mom passes away while committing a bank robbery. beatriz loves them both dearly — like no matter what little family conflicts may get stirred up, there’s always an undercurrent of love. during childhood she doesn’t always understand that they did everything they could to protect her mother and she battles some resentful feelings, and then i’ve mentioned before that she has what we now know is a mood disorder and during adolescence when her symptoms are really getting bad for the first time she lashes out a lot. but she admires them both very much, admires their grit and the hard work they do, admires the way they’re able to be so tender with their loved ones despite not exactly being Gr8 People overall.

9. What about political beliefs?

she is a socialist. big supporter of labor unions, big supporter of building community resources, big supporter of mutual aid. those beliefs are only solidified when her husband dies because people really pull together to support her and her daughter and she sees the value of maintaining those community ties firsthand.

25. What are their hobbies and interests?

she likes to work with her hands! sewing, embroidery, and crochet are all things she takes to with pride. later in life she does a bit of woodworking too, when her husband is gone — he taught her a little before passing away and she likes to keep in touch with his memory that way. not so much a hobby but she becomes handy at minor home repairs as well.

26. What does your character’s home look like? Personal taste? Clothing? Hair? Appearance?

she lives in the countryside in a two-story house not far from her daughter’s ranch. it’s dark and cluttered — kind of like the shadowy old house on the outskirts of town that everyone has superstitions about the old lady who lives inside. taste tends to value function over form, though she has a soft spot for lace, embroidery, and yarn work in her clothes and home textiles. wears lots of long skirts even well after the time when they’re fashionable bc that’s what she grew up in. keeps her hair in the same sort of polished styles she wore in the 40s throughout the rest of her life. she has thick dark hair, relatively fair olive skin that tans a few shades darker in the sun, blue eyes, and stands about 5’7”-ish with an unimposing build.

32. How does your character react to stress situations? Defensively? Aggressively? Evasively?

she spirals and gets paranoid/anxious for days, weeks at a time depending on the level of the stress. sometimes she also panics and makes snap decisions. sometimes these snap decisions include killing a man! and that’s just how the cookie crumbles sometimes.

35. Do they always rationalize errors? How do they accept disasters and failures?

her motto, informed by living through the dust bowl and great depression, is to just keep moving. when things go wrong it’s easy for her to start catastrophizing in her mind, but she’s also able to keep her forward momentum and push through the problem. you gotta do what you gotta do yk and she believes that wholly.

39. What do they like to ridicule? What do they find stupid?

people who can’t admit when they need help. she tries to find solutions to problems as quickly and efficiently as possible (as mentioned above) and sometimes recognizes that includes calling in reinforcements. people get stubborn sometimes and dig in their heels and insist they can do it themselves, and she kind of tuts and shakes her head and sits back and waits for them to fail. and yk in her environment there are a lot of folks who do really physical jobs that can be dangerous, she’s certainly heard tales of people biting off more than they can chew and paying the ultimate price.

48. How are your character’s gestures? Vigorous? Weak? Controlled? Compulsive? Energetic? Sluggish?

slow, deliberate, elegant most of the time — she likes to say as much as possible with the subtlest body language. she can become frenetic and even a bit twitchy when manic though, as u do.

49. What about voice? Pitch? Strength? Tempo and rhythm of speech? Pronunciation? Accent?

she has a low voice, often quite calming, and speaks very deliberately as well. not slow necessarily, but contemplative. her accent is unique as a result of her heritage + the people she grows up around coming from all different places. there are elements of a cowpoke drawl, elements of a spanish accent, and elements of a mexican accent all present.

50. What are the prevailing facial expressions? Sour? Cheerful? Dominating?

i hate to reuse a word but “contemplative” is a good one. it isn’t a furrowed brow or a particularly stormy look, but it’s a deep one — a serious one. when she smiles it’s often without teeth; a big grin is rare, though not unheard of.

#aworldofyou #asks #THANK U there were so many i feel like i’ve done some Character Development (TM) here #my ocs

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thorntonkrell-blog-blog · 3 months ago

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Okkaayyy. This might seem a little teachery but it's just my brain whispering to me and asking questions that typify the kinds of questions that probably interest other people some of whom become English teachers and happen to share both the Questions and answers" to the brain whispers with other people known as "students" and the whole shebang fits somehow into the puzzle of language arts.

Ya feel me?

Let's start with the usual procedure for creating a fake epiphany which means we're gonna start with a setting

Lynn and I were at a restaurant with (you pick em) almost any of my friends and or relatives when the subject of teevee enters the conversation which usually leads to movies and acting or as they used to say....

ACTING

When reaching that stage of the conversation my brain whispers questions and answers come back to me which I try to share but usually end up stammering, stuttering and Ya knowing as I try to get my point across particularly when trying to differentiate between artistic interpretations

Vocabulary is part of the problem because as my Latin teacher used to make us say every day, you can't speak the language if you don't know the words so the more words we know the better we can delineate our differentiations and contribute more than the usual "she was great" or "she sucked". When we more descriptive words it's nice if the other folks know the meaning of the words as well...that's why sometimes we go back to start with defintion in pursuit of commone reference which in itself can be frustrating and annoying.

I can eliminate the stammers and hiccups and "ya knows" and try to get to the essence of the answer to the brain questions in a declarative sense that doesn't resemble either the brain questions as they were delivered or the spoken word that I stutter through.

This is where writing comes in handy.

Are you ready for some writin'?

It's gonna seem expressionistic because nobody actually speaks like what follows but some folks are so good at preparing extended sound bites for telepromptery that what seem to be lectures are delivered with humanity not robotery and appear more naturalistic then they are which means it doesn't sound so much like somebody reading somebody else's words as it does somebody spontaneously speaking from her heart and soul.

Here we go....

Teleprompter light blinks green....

Acting is a multifaceted art form that encompasses various styles and techniques, each offering a unique approach to portraying human experiences. Naturalism, expressionism, and improvisation are three distinct approaches that provide different lenses through which actors can explore and present characters. This essay delves into these styles, comparing their methods, exploring common pitfalls, and offering examples of actors whose performances illustrate these concepts. Additionally, we will examine how Shakespeare’s works intersect with these acting styles and highlight how actors like Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro excel in both naturalistic and expressionistic performances.

Naturalism in Acting

Naturalistic acting aims to create performances that reflect real life with authenticity and subtlety. The primary objective is to make the audience believe that they are witnessing genuine events, as if the actors are living their characters' experiences in real-time. Naturalism involves a deep understanding of the character's inner world and presenting it in a way that feels organic and believable. Method acting falls into this category as does underplaying.

Characteristics of Naturalistic Acting:

Internalization: Actors immerse themselves in their characters’ psychological and emotional states, ensuring that their performances reflect the characters' true feelings and motivations.

Authentic Dialogue: The dialogue should flow naturally, mirroring how real people communicate, without overtly dramatic or contrived expressions.

Subtle Behavior: Actions and gestures are understated and aligned with the character's personality and situation, avoiding exaggerated or melodramatic behaviors.

Examples of Naturalistic Performances:

Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront (1954): Brando’s portrayal of Terry Malloy is a quintessential example of naturalistic acting. His performance is characterized by its subtlety and authenticity. Brando’s ability to convey Terry’s internal struggles and moral dilemmas through nuanced expressions and understated dialogue exemplifies naturalism. His method of internalizing the character’s conflicts makes the performance feel genuine and relatable.

Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver (1976): De Niro’s portrayal of Travis Bickle is another notable example of naturalistic acting. De Niro delves deeply into Bickle’s psychological state, presenting a performance that feels raw and unfiltered. His use of subtle gestures and internalized emotions creates a character that is both complex and believable, reflecting the essence of naturalistic performance. Even in the midst of madness and hysteria, Travis seems calm.

Cate Blanchett in Blue Jasmine (2013): Blanchett’s performance as Jasmine Francis demonstrates naturalism through her intricate portrayal of a woman grappling with personal and financial crises. Her ability to convey Jasmine’s emotional turmoil with authenticity and subtlety underscores the naturalistic approach, allowing the audience to connect deeply with the character’s struggles.

Expressionism in Acting

Expressionism, in contrast, focuses on portraying emotional and psychological experiences through stylized and often exaggerated means. This approach emphasizes the internal states of characters, using symbolic language and heightened emotions to reveal their inner worlds.

Characteristics of Expressionistic Acting:

Exaggeration and Symbolism: Performances may include heightened emotions and symbolic actions to reflect the characters’ psychological states.

Focus on Internal Conflict: Expressionistic acting centers on characters’ internal struggles and existential issues, often employing stylized elements to convey emotional depth.

Artistic Interpretation: The use of artistic techniques and abstract representations highlights the emotional truths of the characters.

Examples of Expressionistic Performances:

Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951): In contrast to his naturalistic role in On the Waterfront, Brando’s performance as Stanley Kowalski is a striking example of expressionism. His portrayal includes intense physicality and emotional extremes, capturing the raw and often chaotic psychological landscape of his character. Brando’s use of heightened emotional states and symbolic gestures reflects the expressionistic nature of the role.

Joaquin Phoenix in Joker (2019): Phoenix’s portrayal of Arthur Fleck in Joker exemplifies expressionism through its focus on the character’s psychological breakdown and emotional extremes. Phoenix’s performance is marked by exaggerated emotions and symbolic actions, effectively conveying the intense internal conflict and existential despair of his character. The stylized elements of the film further enhance the expressionistic quality of his portrayal.

Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind (1939): Leigh’s performance as Scarlett O’Hara includes expressionistic elements, particularly in her portrayal of emotional extremes and internal conflicts. Her use of exaggerated gestures and intense emotional reactions highlights the dramatic and symbolic aspects of the character’s psychological state.

Step away from the podium

That's good for now.

Spray and pray rarely sticks so let's backoff and buzz awhile before we get back, jack.

And play it cool boy, real cool that is if you intend to be naturalistic in your meditation of such differentiations of artistic interpretations.

Or something like that.

We'll be back

In the meantime here's some of the brain whisper questions that should be confronted in your reading and subsequent intellectual chilling.

How do we navigate the challenge of articulating complex ideas in social settings? Why is it difficult?

What are the key differences between naturalism and expressionism in acting?

How does the process of writing differ from spontaneous speech in expressing ideas?

How do actors balance the demands of naturalism and expressionism in their performances?

How can vocabulary and precise language enhance our ability to communicate artistic ideas? Confronting these brain whispers will help guide our exploration of acting styles, the writing process, and the challenges of communication, offering readers a rich blend of personal reflection common reference and analytical insight.

Improvisation in Acting

Improvisation introduces a different dimension to acting, characterized by spontaneity and creativity. Unlike naturalism and expressionism, which often adhere to established styles and techniques, improvisation involves creating dialogue and actions on the spot. This approach can enhance both naturalistic and expressionistic performances, adding a layer of authenticity and dynamic interaction.

Characteristics of Improvisational Acting:

Spontaneity: Actors create dialogue and actions in real-time, responding to their fellow performers and the evolving situation.

Creativity and Flexibility: Improvisation allows actors to explore new facets of their characters and scenes, leading to unexpected and dynamic moments.

Real-time Interaction: The ability to adapt and respond to the immediate context fosters a sense of authenticity and engagement in performances.

Examples of Improvisational Performances:

Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting (1997): Williams’ role as Dr. Sean Maguire showcases his improvisational skills, particularly in the famous bench scene with Matt Damon. Williams’ spontaneous dialogue and real-time interactions contribute to a genuine and emotionally resonant performance. His ability to adapt and respond to the moment enhances the naturalistic quality of the scene.

Bill Murray in Groundhog Day (1993): Murray’s performance as Phil Connors demonstrates improvisation through his quick-witted and spontaneous responses to the repetitive nature of the character’s situation. His improvisational approach adds a layer of humor and authenticity to the performance, capturing the essence of Phil’s evolving emotional state.

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler in Parks and Recreation (2009-2015): Both Fey and Poehler showcase their improvisational talents in their roles as Liz Lemon and Leslie Knope, respectively. Their ability to think on their feet and deliver spontaneous, humorous dialogue enhances the naturalistic and comedic aspects of their characters, contributing to the show’s dynamic and engaging performances.

Common Pitfalls and Tic Tricks

In striving for naturalism, some actors rely on superficial techniques, known as tic tricks, that can detract from the authenticity of their performances. These pitfalls include:

Overusing Repetitive Gestures: Excessive fidgeting or manipulation of props can appear contrived rather than genuine.

Frequent Swearing: While strong language can reflect intensity, overuse may seem like a shortcut to convey rawness without real emotional depth.

Exaggerated Emotional Reactions: Overacting or amplifying emotional responses can undermine the character’s true emotional journey.

Clichéd Behaviors: Mimicking stereotypical behaviors or speech patterns may feel inauthentic and reduce character complexity.

To avoid these pitfalls, actors should focus on deep character development and subtlety. Genuine naturalism and effective improvisation come from a thorough understanding of the character and the situation, leading to nuanced and organic interactions rather than relying on superficial techniques.

Shakespeare’s Influence

Shakespeare’s works represent a rich intersection of naturalism and expressionism. His plays feature poetic and symbolic language—hallmarks of expressionism—while also presenting complex, psychologically nuanced characters suited for naturalistic interpretations.

Naturalistic Aspects in Shakespeare:

Character Depth: Shakespeare’s characters, such as Hamlet, are multi-dimensional and exhibit a range of emotions and psychological complexity, allowing for naturalistic portrayals.

Realistic Dialogue: Despite its poetic nature, Shakespeare’s dialogue often reflects genuine human concerns and interactions.

Expressionistic Aspects in Shakespeare:

Symbolic Language: Shakespeare’s use of metaphor and imagery often leans towards expressionism, exploring existential themes and psychological states.

Emotional Extremes: The portrayal of intense emotional and psychological experiences aligns with expressionistic techniques.

Examples of Shakespearean Performances:

Laurence Olivier in Hamlet (1948): Olivier’s portrayal of Hamlet demonstrates a blend of naturalism and expressionism. His performance captures the psychological complexity of Hamlet’s character while also employing stylistic elements to emphasize the emotional extremes of the role.

Ian McKellen in Richard III (1995): McKellen’s performance as Richard III showcases expressionistic techniques through his use of heightened emotions and symbolic gestures. His portrayal brings out the psychological depth of the character while also incorporating naturalistic elements to ground the performance.

Judi Dench in Macbeth (1979): Dench’s portrayal of Lady Macbeth combines naturalistic depth with expressionistic intensity. Her performance captures the psychological and emotional turmoil of the character, using both subtlety and heightened expression to convey Lady Macbeth’s internal conflict.

Brando and De Niro: Masters of Versatility

Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro are exemplary actors known for their remarkable versatility, seamlessly transitioning between naturalistic and expressionistic performances.

Marlon Brando:

Naturalistic Performance: In On the Waterfront (1954), Brando’s portrayal of Terry Malloy is a masterclass in naturalism. His performance is marked by its authenticity and subtlety, capturing Terry’s internal struggles with a nuanced approach. Brando’s ability to convey complex emotions.

Of course nobody ever gave tongue to the resposnibilities and demands of ACTING better than did Shaksepeare in Hamlet.

"Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue."

"Give it an understanding, but no more."

"For any thing so overdone is from the purpose of playing, whose end, both at the first and now, was and is to hold, as 't 'were, the mirror up to nature."

"In the very torrent, tempest, and, as I may say, whirlwind of passion, you must acquire and beget a temperance that may give it smoothness."

"Suit the action to the word, the word to the action; with this special observance, that you o'erstep not the modesty of nature."

"Use all gently; for in the very torrent, tempest, and, as I may say, whirlwind of passion, you must acquire and beget a temperance that may give it smoothness."

Let’s apply this advice to sections of the essay to refine and enhance the writing:

Characteristics of Naturalistic Acting:

Internalization: Actors immerse themselves in their characters’ psychological and emotional states, ensuring that their performances reflect the characters' true feelings and motivations. (Suit the action to the word, the word to the action.)

Authentic Dialogue: The dialogue should flow naturally, mirroring how real people communicate, without overtly dramatic or contrived expressions. (Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue.)

Subtle Behavior: Actions and gestures are understated and aligned with the character's personality and situation, avoiding exaggerated or melodramatic behaviors. (Give it an understanding, but no more.)

Examples of Naturalistic Performances:

Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver (1976): De Niro’s portrayal of Travis Bickle is another notable example of naturalistic acting. De Niro delves deeply into Bickle’s psychological state, presenting a performance that feels raw and unfiltered. His use of subtle gestures and internalized emotions creates a character that is both complex and believable, reflecting the essence of naturalistic performance. (In the very torrent, tempest, and, as I may say, whirlwind of passion, you must acquire and beget a temperance that may give it smoothness.)

Expressionism in Acting

Characteristics of Expressionistic Acting:

Exaggeration and Symbolism: Performances may include heightened emotions and symbolic actions to reflect the characters’ psychological states. (For any thing so overdone is from the purpose of playing, whose end, both at the first and now, was and is to hold, as 't 'were, the mirror up to nature.)

Focus on Internal Conflict: Expressionistic acting centers on characters’ internal struggles and existential issues, often employing stylized elements to convey emotional depth. (Suit the action to the word, the word to the action.)

Artistic Interpretation: The use of artistic techniques and abstract representations highlights the emotional truths of the characters. (Give it an understanding, but no more.)

Examples of Expressionistic Performances:

Characteristics of Improvisational Acting:

Spontaneity: Actors create dialogue and actions in real-time, responding to their fellow performers and the evolving situation. (Give it an understanding, but no more.)

Creativity and Flexibility: Improvisation allows actors to explore new facets of their characters and scenes, leading to unexpected and dynamic moments. (Use all gently.)

Real-time Interaction: The ability to adapt and respond to the immediate context fosters a sense of authenticity and engagement in performances. (In the very torrent, tempest, and, as I may say, whirlwind of passion, you must acquire and beget a temperance that may give it smoothness.)

Examples of Improvisational Performances:

Common Pitfalls and Tic Tricks

In striving for naturalism, some actors rely on superficial techniques, known as tic tricks, that can detract from the authenticity of their performances. These pitfalls include:

Overusing Repetitive Gestures: Excessive fidgeting or manipulation of props can appear contrived rather than genuine. (For any thing so overdone is from the purpose of playing.)

Frequent Swearing: While strong

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ciaossu-imagines · 4 months ago

Note

Finally responding to your messages. Sorry that they’re so late, just wasn’t able to gather the energy until now. Yes to you loving wikis because I do as well. Like it’s amazing that those people can always nicely summarise the chapters or episodes of the series since summaries are something I’ll always struggle with and they’re really handy when it comes down to needing a bit of info for my stories as well. And that makes sense. Thanks for saying that 😊 Yeah. Like it makes no sense and it will forever wonder why they decided to make that arc since yeah, like I said, the other ones are pretty decent. There is one mini-arc though, before The Key of The Starry Heavens arc, that I also didn’t rewatch because it’s for me just a bit too weird but yeah, the characters that appeared in that arc appear in the Starry Heavens one as well so if you also don’t want to watch those episodes, I definitely recommend reading those summaries so you’ve got all the context. But it is nice to hear that you’ve found some good fan fics that do succeed at doing it 😊 No problem 😄 Yeah. I have all these ideas of how many messages it might be and it’ll be nice to see which idea’s the closest 😅 I see. I don’t blame you. And that does sound so horrible and indeed out of character since all of their actions always just seem so real so it wouldn’t make sense. I’m currently at chapter 230 and nothing to do with what you said has happened so if it is true, it’ll probably also be quite late into the story with no good / long build up. But yeah, I’m seriously hoping that it isn’t because I don’t want that for Jyugo or any of the other characters involved (as in, for their characterisation).

I’m also going to answer your other admin chatter message here if that’s okay so they’re nicely together and I don’t have to send too separate ones. And of course it’s alright that it’s super-late since yeah, this message is really late and I never mind waiting. I see, that does suck. Though here’s to praising wiki editor yet again since every Haikyuu!! episodes has a manga-anime differences section that’s definitely useful. I really do hope that one of your websites / apps does get it because it’s really something that I’d love for you to read at some point. It’s still a bit more than a hundred chapters and slightly over 400 if you want to read from the beginning but yeah, I hope that one day you’ll get the chance the read it because the arc after nationals is so good when it comes down to Hinata, but also nationals is so great when it comes down to Bokuto. Also I’ll forever love what he said before the match because it’s so funny in the way that he just confused everyone around and was so proud with what he said 😭 Can I send those images to you? He’s just adorable. But yeah well, after the Battle at the Garbage Dump of course and yeah, there’s another match besides Fukurōdani’s one that’s also really important so I’ll forever hope that you can read it for yourself one day. And yeah, I think you’ve been writing them pretty in character since I could always imagine the characters you wrote about in those scenarios.

Please, don’t feel at all bad for taking your time to reply! I’m the queen of super-late replies, as you well know and I fully accept that not only do people have lives outside of tumblr, but people can just have low energy, both mentally and physically, and just not feel up to responding right away and that is perfectly okay 😊 I really do think it’s really amazing how dedicated fans put in so, so much work into creating these wikis, doing the formatting, finding and making sure the information is correct and everything else that goes into creating a wiki. Which makes it a real shame when bots go in and destroy what used to be good wikis (*cough* KHR *cough*). I suck at summaries myself, but only because I bloat when writing. I couldn’t keep a summary short and concise, I know myself well enough to admit that. Of course! And yeah, most of the filler arcs in shows make no sense to me. I know it’s commonly done as a way to avoid catching up completely to a manga or to extend seasons of what they want to be big-name, super popular series, but in most cases, the filler arcs are generic, badly done, and nonsensical. That’s great to know, so thank you for giving me the heads up. If I get around to watching the Fairy Tail anime all the way through after reading it, I’ll try the mini-arc and if I don’t like it, I will probably just read the summaries. Honestly, there’s so much really amazing fanfic out there. I don’t think it’s really talked about or appreciated as much as it should be – that we have thousands and thousands of these amazing stories that fans have created for us, of so many different types and styles and genres, and it’s so incredibly easy, as of current day, to find a fic that scratches whatever itch you have. I have so much appreciation for the big name fandom writers, for the small little fandom writers who create these little hidden gems, for really all fanfic writers. I am proud to say I am finally caught up and have replied to everyone, including you. Now it’s just getting down to the task of clearing the inbox and building that queue that I need to get done and, as of writing this, that’s what I’m working hard on, when I’m not at my job! I’m really glad to hear that, as of the point you are at, nothing like that has happened. It makes me much less scared when it comes to doing the reread. Currently reading Iruma and One Piece now, then moving on to Saiyuki after I finish these last 50 chapters of Iruma (I read fast, thankfully), but Nanbaka is the next one after that.

I have no trouble at all with you grouping the messages together! It makes complete sense to me, honestly. And thank you for saying that, though I assure you that your message was not what I would consider late at all! I am with you in that hope, though like I said, once I finish all the series I can get for free, I might have to bit the bullet and pay the like, $10 a month for a month or two and use Shonen Jump’s manga reader to read Haikyuu!! and Demon Slayer both. It just sucks because, again, it limits me to only 100 chapters a day and if I’m seriously sitting down to read, I can easily do that and more. Of course you can send me those images and geek out about the scene! I like it when anyone does that with shared fandoms 😊 Thank you so much for saying that! That really means a lot to me and makes me very happy! I always worry and just want to do all these amazing characters justice!

#admin chatter

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alexversenaberrie · 7 months ago

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@jennadknowsbest-blog

I must say he was a challenge, somehow making arts with lady characters is much easier :)

This is Mirta’s brother Alexi:

Name: Alexi Paz Djarin-Kryze

Gender: Male

Pronouns: He/Him

Year of Birth: 12 ABY

Place of Birth: Mandalore

Parents: Din Djarin and Bo-Katan Kryze

Siblings: Grogu(adopted), Mirta, and Isabeth

House: Kryze

Clan: Mudhorn

Titles: Prince of Mandalore, Duke of Concordia

Appearance:

•5’11

•Light olive skin (Caucasian X Latino)

•Athletic

•Short face

•Shaven

•Straight, short, brown hair.

•Green eyes

•Visible freckles on both sides of his face.

Notable Skills:

•Combat: Like the rest of his family, Alexi is well-rounded in various combat styles. He’s been well trained in the use of Westar blasters and quarterstaffs.

•Athleticism: Due to constant training under his father, Din Djarin, Alexi is very athletic like the rest of his family clan.

•Intelligence: Above-average intelligence, excelled well at both the newly reestablished Royal Academy as a youth and in training with his clan.

•Weapons Expert: Alexi is extremely talented in the field of weaponry. He can build various types of weapons for different variations of combat. They include blasters, pistols, explosives, and sabers.

•Piloting Expert: Due to constant training under his mother, Bo-Katan Kryze, Alexi is an expert pilot skilled in the helming of both The Gauntlet and the N1 Starfighter.

•Diplomacy Skills: Alexi is a strong advocate for Mandalore’s ability to maintain its independence but form alliances with any New Republic-based planets that are open to provide support through trade, education, and peace-keeping treaties.

•Force Sensitive: Yes, like his brother, Grogu. Has the ability to heal most fatal wounds and illnesses and can communicate with the dead through the force.

Additional Information:

•Youngest of triplets to sisters Mirta and Isabeth.

•Has trained with Cal Kestis to learn how to use, control and appreciate his force sensitive abilities. Yet, he has no intentions of ever joining any type of Jedi Order.

•Can wield the Dark Saber like his sister but chooses not to possess it.

•Has created dozens of weapons for the Resistance when Mandalore joined forces with them on their mission to stop the First Order.

•Has forged most of his family clan’s weapons.

•Has a tight-knit relationship with his family clan.

Strengths:

•He’s a great diplomat who can help Mandalore forge alliances with leaders from different planets.

•He’s open minded when it comes to other cultures across the Galaxy.

•Can always seek guidance from the dead, via, the force, to help him solve problems that he might struggle with.

•Just like his brother, Alexi’s force-healing abilities can always come in handy when someone is sick or injured anytime and anywhere.

•He’s extremely compassionate like his father.

•He’s incredible when it comes to his knowledge and skills with weaponry.

•His piloting skills have proven to be a great asset in both combative and diplomatic situations.

Weaknesses:

•Extremely emotional

•Quick tempered

•While he’s a great pilot, he does lack skills in engineering ships.

•He’s so compassionate that sometimes, people take too much advantage of him for it.

•Absent minded at times partially because he’s often buried in his work with weaponry.

•Has a reputation for instigating public fights with senators who doubt Mandalore’s ability to be an independent sovereign.

Armor:

•Helmet: Similar to his father’s in terms of its design, it features a decal that almost resembles his mother’s headband. On top of it is the “Kryze” signature that can be seen at its center.

•Chest and Neck Pieces: Alexi has an identical chest piece that his father has but features an armored neckpiece that once belonged to his maternal grandfather, Duke Adonai Kryze. The decal on the chest piece is his mother’s Nite Owl signet.

•Groin: None

•Pauldrons: Similar to his father’s but features two different signets. The left features his mother’s Mythosaur signet and the right, his father’s Mudhorn signet.

•Guantlets: Similar to Axe Woves’ but with the ability to fire blasts of energy at targeted figures to stun them and deactivate droids. They also enable him to use grabbel lines when a situation calls for it.

•Hand Armor: Similar to Tristan Wren’s.

•Thigh/Hip Plates: Forged by his sister, Mirta, his hip plates are similar to that of a fallen Wren Mandalorian warrior from the Imperial Era.

Knee Armor: Forged by his sister, Alexi’s knee armor set almost resembles his father’s but with a few modifications that would enable him to shot a flamethrower out of them in midair.

•Shin Guards: None, but he does have calf gaiters where his shin guards used to be before he lost them in an accident.

•Foot Armor: Similar to his mother’s old foot armor from the end of the Republic Era.

•Jet pack: Similar to his mother’s.

Armor Color Scheme:

•African Gray

•Beskar Silver

•Gray Blue

Soft Parts:

•Similar to his father’s.

Belt:

Similar to Axe Woves’.

Weapons in Possession:

•1 Westar Blaster

•His own lightsaber he forged with his brother.

•A few explosions he created himself.

#submission

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toukatan · 3 years ago

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You read every gojohime fic???? That's amazing!!! What are your favourites?

hello anonie! i guess i can say i’ve read at least a good 80% of all the fics, at least. probably. most likely because the fic tag at the start of the year was tiny and now the community’s grown so much there’s almost 600 of them. that’s insane to me. like hello?

i have a lotta fics that come to mind, that i should honestly make a master post on because i love them all. so here are a few many that came to mind immediately as i typed this up.

gojohime fic recommendations!

multichapter

limitations by ohmytheon

“Parenthood chooses you," her mother used to tell her, but Utahime never understood that saying more than the moment she realized she was pregnant with Gojo Satoru's child. They were never meant to be something serious - never meant to be more than they were - and yet they both suddenly find themselves in a world that doesn't care about their desires - and that brings them closer in a way that no one else can understand. It won't be easy and it won't be kind to either of them, but it appears as if the universe has other plans for them

no one is what they were before by ohmytheon

The world broke when Gojo Satoru turned on jujutsu society. It's not the hopeful place it was before, but Utahime has never been one to give up. Until she's placed in a dangerous position directly in his path, and she finds herself trapped in a web that doesn't seem intent on ever letting her go.

and touch me like you never by ohmytheon

In public, Gojo is a special grade bastard, especially to Utahime, and has been all their lives. He knows exactly what insults to throw and what buttons to push to drive her up a wall. In private, however, he's got quite a few other things to tell and show her, which only makes things more confusing. It would be easier if she could avoid him entirely, but for some reason, he won't let her go entirely.

gravity by aerfei

This is Utahime, fierce and indomitable, and this is Satoru, who despite holding the world’s regard, still craves something that Utahime has had all her life. Coming together is sometimes an act of desperation, and sometimes a deliberate choice. Or: An Iori Utahime character study, through the lens of her relationship with Gojo Satoru, starting from the beginning and ending at the Goodwill Event arc. Manga spoilers and (at least 95%) canon-compliant through (at least) chapter 135.

count every single leaf in autumn by florieneofthesea

“I told my family we’re dating.” Utahime’s hand hovers over the door. “What?!” (or: Gojo tells his family that he's dating Utahime to get them off his back, so of course they invite her to the dreaded family dinner™)

favourite colour by otherthingsonhold

At 28, Satoru Gojo's responsibilities only start to multiply. With his clan looking to him to lead the family, and the balance of the universe in his hands, Gojo isn't thinking of much else. But when his mother brings something to his attention, the only thing Gojo can do is follow through. But how is Utahime Iori part of all of this?

gojo catoru by ashittywriter

Utahime is tasked to catsit a suspiciously large Persian dollface cat with pristine white hair, the most boop-able nose, and to top it off the cutest cerulean eyes. Too bad the cat also happens to be her idiotic colleague Gojo Satoru.

at the tail-end of spring by florieneofthesea

Utahime doesn't expect to remember her ex's number off by heart but it comes in handy when she's a little less than sober outside a club in a city she's not familiar with and her battery on three percent. She just wishes things turned out differently for them. (Or, post-break up exploration where outer forces refuse to let them have their happy ending.)

a second chance by onewordmore

In another world, it wasn't Geto who sneered down at humanity, regarding them to be worthless monkeys that deserved to die. In another world, it wasn't Geto who openly defied the Jujutsu Council and brought down terror and fear to all. In another world, it wasn't just Amanai Riko who died that day, amidst the cheers and delighted cries of the insane. And Utahime was going to learn, first hand, the consequences of her own death.

from you to me by onewordmore

A drabble series regarding Gojo and Utahime. From fluff to smut to angst to love. This is going to have it all.

oneshots

oceansize by aerfei

The marriage is arranged by their families, small clans both, with all their hopes and traditions laid gently upon the shoulders of their only heirs -- and yet, this distance is impassable.

under the cover of darkness by ohmytheon

It takes a little alcohol, early morning hours, and a game of truth or dare for Gojo and Utahime to admit some difficult truths to each other.

risk/reward by ohmytheon

No punishment had ever been more effective in making Gojo do his actual job than receiving praise from his secretary - or more grueling than when Utahime withheld it.

like a good roommate by ohmytheon

Utahime has a problem: her bed wasn't delivered to the new apartment. Her ridiculous roommate, Gojo, has a solution - but he's kind of panicking on the inside.

aware of us by halspur

“We did alright, didn’t we?” Gojo put his phone down after taking several dozen photos of Tsumiki walking across the stage, his eyes soft. “I mean, we were just kids, too.”

love song by halspur

“Because you’re weak.” Gojo said, muffled into the thin skin of her throat. “I can’t leave you alone.”

tear you apart by halspur

“I don’t want to be mean to you,” Utahime’s cheek was pressed into his spine, her voice muffled. “I like you.”

cuddles are for clean boyfriends by just_trying_my_best_everyday

Utahime finds Gojo Satoru sitting right behind the door, blindfold hanging on his neck, completely soaked in blood and petting her cat with both hands. And he stinks.

honey by florieneofthesea

Gojo Satoru experiences love a decade before he fully realises it.

roots by florieneofthesea

At the start of winter, Utahime starts to cough up blood. She thinks maybe its just the lingering damage from her last mission, but the coughing persists and it starts to scratch her throat, and itch at her lungs and when she finally makes the trip to Tokyo to ask Shoko for her help, she doesn't even get the first word out. Shoko welcomes her at the entrance to Tokyo Metropolitan Technical School and Utahime hacks up a single, pale blue petal, smattered with blood. She stares down at the flora on the ground and wonders if she's been cursed. Utahime looks up, and Shoko's eyes are wide.

to have and to hold by ashittywriter

“M’sorry," Gojo said his voice slurring at the end. "But please go away, I have a girlfriend." Utahime blinked in confusion. What the fuck?

souvenir by PrettyKittyLuvsU

“Aha!” Gojo tugged something out of his pocket, his long fingers curled around it as he held his hand behind his back. His other hand waved before him, a cheeky grin splitting his lips. “Ora, ora! Hold out your hand.” Utahime stared flatly. “Ora, ora!” Gojo persisted, continuing to wave his hand as he grinned. “Hold out your hand already!” Utahime scowled at the hand swaying infront of her face. She had half a mind to slap the man instead, but her students were closely watching. Even Gojo’s students, the second years mainly—for Sukuna’s vessel was apologizing profusely as the brown haired girl continued kicking him while the quiet one made no effort to stop her— looked in fascination at whatever ridiculous souvenir Gojo wanted to hand her. Utahime slowly lifted her arm, already planning on throwing the thing back in Gojo’s annoying face. Gojo gets Utahime a very special kind of souvenir. Set during the start of the Goodwill arc.

dayum this exposes me huh? i do be reading a lot but what can i say i love to see it. all these fics are amazing, to the writers y’all are doing fantastically like my goodness you be really putting ya girl in a loop with some of these fics with your plot-lines and doing it flawlessly. can’t thank them enough for them, their hard work and time!

be sure to show the writers some love and support with comments, bookmarks and fight that dayum kudos button when it smiles at you because lemme leave more—

i think they’d really really appreciate it when they hear the bing and be sure to check out all of their stories including the ones in the pairing tag! happy readings 😙✨

#there’s so much more. i gotta make a master post but yeah send your love to the writers #they’re amazing and deserve all the love and support #🤍💫✨#gojohime #fic rec #anon #asks #replies #nitatalks

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mlwritingprompts · 2 years ago

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Submitted prompt: In which Marinette's Miraculous-Tracking Yoyo could have saved the day.

A series of plots made thanks for a scene in the earlier episodes of the show, where Marinette uses her yoyo to track Adrien's whereabouts when he was Chat Noir in Copycat.

It sure would have come in handy when...

(Warnings for temporary character death: Gabriel and Felix)

----

1: Not waiting for the Bee-Queen. (Style Queen divergence)

As Marinette felt secure that no one is watching her and was sure her parents won't notice her, she quickly transformed and leapt out of the house, her goal clear:

To get back the Bee miraculous she had ended up losing during the fight with Style Queen.

Opening her yoyo, she activated the tracking function in it, and targeted the Bee miraculous' whereabouts.

This function can't work on Hawkmoth's miraculouses because he might try to track her back, but she felt secure in this attempt.

The map showed her the Bee miraculous' icon, telling her that it had not fallen into the hands of Hawkmoth and his allies, and she moved towards it.

It barely took her a minute to find herself in front of Chloe's home, groaning as she felt the trouble it might come from this, but she still pushed and entered.

She got the miraculous in the end, even if Chloe made a fuss about it.

Too bad Marinette was not in the mood to be patient with her.

Marinette successfully got the miraculous, and if Chloe kept complaining about it for days, well, it was Chloe's problem, not hers.

----

2: Catching the Traitor.

After Marinette detrasformed and retransformed back, she opened her yoyo, still reeling at the betrayal of who she believed was Adrien.

She felt her heart sink as she couldn't find out any of the miraculouses, as tears started coming from her face.

In desperation, she quickly opened the tracking function of her yoyo, hoping it might not be too late.

That maybe the miraculouses were "technically" still not in the villain's hands.

Multiple icons appeared on her yoyo, as she breathed in sheer relief, and without wasting any more time, rapidly leaped as fast as she could towards the miraculouses, and in less than a minute, she finds herself jumping in the air right above the Agreste mansion.

Too desperate and emotionally hurt, and maybe still affected by the Risk akuma, she didn't think of anything before she slammed into the roof using her body, shattering it and going down...

And finding herself in front of an untransformed Gabriel and Felix who had just now detransformed from the sight of things.

She didn't hesitate, deciding to deal with the consequences later, and attacked.

Her yoyo, sharp and fast, killed Gabriel in a second, along with Felix, their faces showing shock and horror.

Taking a moment to breathe and ignoring the red and the bodies around her, she rapidly took away Gabriel's miraculouses, along with the ones on his desk, and from Felix's body, before casting the Cure.

And when Gabriel and Felix came back, they only could see a furious Ladybug who was glaring at them.

"So, before I deal with you both,"

She spoke with unrestrained rage, clearly barely holding herself.

"Is there any reason for why you thought terrorism was a great idea,"

Gabriel paled.

"and betraying me and the heroes, was a great idea?"

Felix now paled.

As they both looked at the wrathful superhero before them, they know that she was not kidding.

----

Ah, the tracking function; something that would have helped Marinette quite a few times. But it sure is treated as nonexistent, except that one time Marinette used it to save Adr-

Oh...

Because it was Adrien who was in trouble back then, that they literally made this function to save him.

But Marinette can't use this to actually help herself, right?/s

She is only allowed to use something if it can help Adrien, right?/s

What a great show, am I right?/s

#Miraculous Ladybug #ML writing prompts #ml writers salt #Show!Miraculous #Show!Marinette #Show!Adrien

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readerinsertfanfiction · 3 years ago

Text

Love Deduction

Fandom: Ikemen Vampire

Character: Arthur Conan Doyle

Prompt: Arthur is smart, but also a giant dumbass, case #93478123238. Written for the birthday of a certain @tsubaki3192. WERE YOU EXPECTING A HIDEYOSHI FROM ME? HAH. Happy birthday, I’m not that predictable.

Warnings: Mentions of coffee, a lot of coffee. Some of his general insecurity and some mansion bullying.

Length: +1K

If Arthur were to be a superhero his superpower would be: deduction; the distillation of a conclusion, an answer, based on the facts presented and observations made. It was quite a handy little power, he would assume. The glance of an eye of interest, the press of a pair of lips seduced. If one opened their eyes and read a lot there was little the world had to hide, he found. All answers were presented one way or another if one just sees it. And so Arthur Conan Doyle found himself to be quite the hero at figuring out the lusts and wiles of a person, picking up those attacked by the enemy named boredom.

This was no story of a superhero, however. Arthur was far from a superhero, or even anything as interesting as a villain. No, Arthur found himself to be much more boring than that; a mere presence in the world with too many dreams and ideals and a fragile heart on top. He just happened to possess a good amount of logic and some wit, but nothing to make his deductions appear as a superpower, nor with the ability to make out what you were thinking. In fact, if Arthur Conan Doyle had to call himself anything, he would name himself a side-character. Which was perhaps why he related to Watson so well rather than Sherlock.

“Now, I predict that there will be cake tomorrow,” he had casually announced, a not-so subtle hint to what tomorrow was going to be. The house had been in a bustle, with everyone buzzing around to ensure that the preparations for such a special day were all set into place. It was not everyday that a mortal they had grown so attached to was to celebrate growing older. With the amount of personalities housed within the mansion it was also quite hard for any of them to keep their secrets their own and so Arthur found little reason in discretion.

“Cake, what cake?” Sebastian had repeated after him, playing the fool when all in the room knew that to be fruitless. The author left the butler to be, not missing the signs of fatigue lining the ever-busy man’s face, or that of anyone else, and he knew that his showed as well.

“Apple or caramel, perhaps both, Toshiko?” Dazai was ever so quick to distract you, making sure that he was within hearing distance of a certain scientist who scoffed and mocked the man scornfully for the apple caramel joke.

It did indeed distract you, but with the attention turned towards the wrong individuals rather than his who was looking for yours so intently.

“Just so you know, there won’t be a dog. Having one of you is more than enough,” Theo had followed up with a smirk, this time earning a huff and puff from your side as you tried to argue that you were not a ‘hondje’ as the Dutchman liked to call you. A dreadful nickname, Arthur could tell, knowing full well that it was in bad taste in several ways.

But still your eyes never turned to him, not even addressing him in the room. The author felt quite ignored by now, as he wondered if you were avoiding him or just not interested in him in the way you interested him.

So Arthur started to deduce, sipping his umpteenth cup of coffee that day as he tried to make eye contact with you, counting the times that you broke it off, or tried to break it off, or maintained it.

Unfortunately, all he counted were missed opportunities, for your eyes were occupied by anything but him.

“Cara, I found the pigments you were looking for,” Leonardo had said, sweeping in when you had a bit of a breather between your job and the other men vying for your attention.

“Do you prefer the white accent, or to mute it a bit more?” Comte questioned, busy in his own preparation for your birthday.

“Are you still working on that paper? I can help,” Isaac offered when he finally managed to declaw himself from the ever so cumbersome Dazai, followed by a quiet Jean and Mozart that tried to inquire to you about some other details about the various hobbies you maintained and the day to come.

“Do you want to come out with me?” Vincent asked you so sweetly at some point when you were finally done with work. And with the summer season fully blazing the sun was up longer as well, allowing for a beautiful sunset dyed in romantic colours that the artist loved to catch with you by his side.

All Arthur could conclude from that was the fact that he deduced plenty of missed chances whilst he was drinking away his cups of coffee and racking his brain for a pretty story to pen down for you. A time he spent observing without growing any the wiser about what he meant to you.

“Arthur?” You were suddenly in his face, eyes blinking and hand waving, earning a start from the author who realised that he had let himself be caught off guard. It was followed with a frown and your hands pulling the cup of coffee out of his hands before Arthur managed to press a ‘love’ out of his throat, his breath still caught and hitched while he watched you tug at him.

“Off to bed with you,” you had told him in slight annoyance and Arthur wondered if he had done something wrong, still trying to observe you, his deductions still whirring as he felt his mind fog up, the caffeine doing its job as his heart started to race when he was set in bed.

“I bet you haven’t slept a wink since you started preparing,” came your accusation and the author wondered how you had managed to figure out that he was working through the nights to work out one particular plothole in his story.

To this the man had an answer, his smile falling easy on his lips as he pulled you closer. “Are you offering yourself between my sheets?” he teases, earning a flush in your eyes as you peel yourself away from the man, “how bold of you,” he sings, but he allows you to move away nonetheless as another huff escapes you, adorably annoyed as much as you were flustered.

“Don’t mind this old chap, I’m fine once I figure out how I figure out the little confession scene.”

And there he shot away his own chance, handing out a golden opportunity as he let you go once more. For why would you want to spend more time with him if there were so many others whose love you could indulge upon? Arthur had long since made amends with the fact that you wouldn’t ever be his alone, not needing his deductions to know that he stood no chance.

“But I do,” you counter him, suddenly stubborn, or rather, you always had been. Stubborn in the most inopportune times as Arthur feels hope flare up while he watches you with his eyes, reading you, or trying to read you. It was a bad habit of his, he knew, but one he couldn’t stop as he continued to observe the way you moved, sitting down at his bedside as you pressed a hand onto his.

“I care, because I like you,” you bluntly state, earning a look of surprise from the man. Arthur wondered if you knew what your words meant, how they could be read, but you pressed on undaunted.

“Is it wrong of me to care?”

For once he had no answer for you, blue eyes wide as a flush of pink spread across his face. He knew what he looked like and Arthur cursed himself and his heart for actually blushing. Observation could be easily misunderstood, but logic told him that you were clueless as ever, whilst his heart was what betrayed him the most.

“My dear,” he forces a smile on his face instead as he muffles away his many thoughts and forces himself to deduce further, “how do you so easily solve all of my problems?”

And with that Arthur would have flown to the table, to write out the exact scene to solve his little problem in the logistics of a story, dismissing your flustered and surprised expression as something of overwhelm from his own passion and excitement if it wasn’t for that hand holding onto his rather firmly followed by the most surprising combination of words:

“You are an idiot.”

If Arthur was a superhero his highest stat would be intelligence, maxing out the bar of logic, to which the special ability of deduction came free. However, with that great strength there was a reasonable weakness. Arthur alway supposed that it was because he was the biggest ‘loser’, never meant to be a main character of sorts. But what he never deduced was that he might actually play the role of the clueless love interest instead, bad as he was in recognising or acknowledging your confession to him.

#ikevam arthur #ikevamp arthur #ikemen vampire arthur #ikemen vampire #ikevam #ikevamp #ikevam x reader #ikevamp x reader #ikemen vampire x reader

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fanfic-cave · 3 years ago

Text

Injured Pt 1.

Rating: SFW/PG-13

Word Count: 1.6k

Pairing: Subtle hint to Hunter x Fem Jedi!OC

Warnings: Shootout/skirmish, swearing, I might hurt your favorite TBB character dont kill me yet

Summary: You commissioned the bad batch to take you to Dantooine for your own personal mission in search of a Jedi temple. How will this ex-Jedi war veteran trying to hide from the Empire help the rogue clones when they inevitable get caught up in the fight? And who will get hurt?

Authors note: I had this fun idea of writing an action piece with TBB, and I've had some more fun ideas with a Jedi OC getting caught up in their shenanigans. My first draft was kinda long winded, so i'm making this a 2 parter. If this gets well received enough to make me feel more confident in my writing (like 20-30 likes or smthing) ill post part 2 :)

ALSO im a big KOTOR fan so there's the tiniest tiniest hint to that ("jedi temple" and "Bol") with being on Dantooine.

Okay now for real, enjoy!

edit: thanks for the notes! link to pt 2 here

Your speeder zoomed by quickly, passing some local Bol ranchers. Dantooine was full of them, and farms too. The rural planet was actually quite peaceful, that was, until the empire arrived. Now that they were governing over citizens, they began cracking down and enforcing strict trade and farming laws. You interacted with some of the locals, and despite the clone wars being over they didn’t seem to have much love for the new Empire.

The Bad Batch had come to make a supply run, trade for food and fuel on the very small landing station, and also to escort you to Dantooine per your request (you had paid them too). Instead of paying with credits for their supplies, they had to do some “manual labor”, helping the local farmers. Based on how quiet they had been on your comm link, you thought they had been quite busy. You had your own objective here though, one you had just completed. Now you needed to leave.

You got closer to the station, and saw a high count of imperial troopers. You swore under your breath, and suddenly you felt like the items in your pack weighed more, or would suddenly burst into flames. Kyber crystals don’t catch fire, you told yourself. I think.

You pressed your comms and began to speak “I’m en route to the ship, and we’ve got imperials at the station, I hope you’re ready to take off.”

Silence.

“Kriff!” You said aloud. You slowed the speeder to a stop. The strange group of rogue clones were known for finding trouble. You had really hoped they wouldn’t find any while traveling with you.

“Tech, Echo, Hunter? Does anybody copy?”

You heard explosions in the distance.

Kriffing idiots! You shook your head in frustration and put a hand around your vibroblade holstered at your hip. It didn’t take the force to know they were behind this.

“You’re about to have some more company” you heard Hunter over the comms, blaster fire in the background.

“What the hell did you do??”

“Get to the ship, we need to make a fast exit, with or without you.”

More profanities went through your head. You engaged the speeder, faster than you were going earlier. You could hear blaster fire. You had been making a beeline to the ship, prepared to avoid the troopers, but something tugged at your mind.

They’re in trouble. You were a very intuitive person, partially because of your training as a Jedi, and also because that was just in your nature. You thought for a moment, contemplating what action to take.

Trust your gut.

You swerved and headed straight for the fighting. You slipped your mask on, and pulled up your hood. You saw some troopers marching towards the fighting, blasters in hand. They hadn’t noticed you were heading straight for them.

Glad I came to save your asses. You thought. Well, you needed them to pilot, so you were saving your ass too. One trooper turned, and pointed at you. The others started to notice too.

You set the speeder to continue forward without needing your foot on the accelerator, and balanced your feet on the seat. It kept accelerating in speed, heading straight to the center of the 10 or so troopers. Just before their blasters fired, you leaped off the bike gracefully, launching yourself high in the air. The speeder crashed into one trooper, and spun into another 3.

You landed with no problem, and prepared for action. You dodged several blaster shots, and pulled out your vibroblade. You dashed toward a trooper to the left, and cleanly sliced at a weak point in the armor. He clutched his side, and fell to the ground. One came behind you, grabbing your elbow. You shoved your elbow into his face, and heard a crack. He staggered back, and you ducked to avoid another blaster shot, getting a quick slash into the trooper you had just elbowed with a flick of your wrist.

You jumped and did a backflip, effectively avoiding another wave of blaster fire. On your way down, you stabbed another trooper in the side, and grabbed him, using him as a human shield to block more oncoming shots. You sheathed the sword, grabbed his hand holding the blaster, and shot towards an oncoming trooper. He fell down, and you fired at the remaining two who charged, and they were quickly out of the fight. You released the trooper you used as a meat shield. The entire group was now down and injured, not able to fight.

You dropped the blaster and started to run towards the main fight, but then you halted as a thought occurred to you. You crouched down to a fallen command trooper and took his comm links. This might come in handy. You continued forward, shoving the unit in your pack. You resumed your dash towards the source of the previous explosions. You first saw Crosshair, providing cover fire while taking cover himself behind a transport.

“The cavalry’s here” you said on your com link. Next you saw Tech, using two blaster pistols. He was close to Wrecker, who was throwing barrels at a group of troopers. You think they were filled with grain. Hunter and Echo were circling the troopers, trying to get a good flank while Wrecker was effectively distracting them. Hunter spotted you and spoke through comms “What are you doing? Get to the ship!”

You ignored him, and pulled out the blade again. You managed to ambush some troopers and sliced through them easily, taking down 3 in less than a minute. “You should thank me, I just took care of the reinforcements heading this way.”

You saw a knife hit the chest of a storm trooper you were just about to stab through the shoulder. Hunter emerged from behind you and retrieved his knife from the now fallen trooper. Show off, you thought.

“Why didn’t you go to the ship?” Hunter demanded.

“I had a feeling you guys could use the help.” You replied.

He looked at you for a moment after you said this, and with his helmet on you couldn’t get a read on what he was thinking. You thought he might be shocked at what you said. You noticed a trooper approaching you two, lining up a shot on Hunter. You quickly grabbed a stray blaster from a fallen trooper and shot him down. Hunter was quick too; within a second of your shot, he shot another trooper not too far away. He looked back to you, and gave a quick nod in thanks.

“What did you guys do to attract the Empire?” You asked suspiciously.

“Well to put it simply, we severely disabled a facility belonging to the Empire as a form of payment. They appear to be quite agitated with us.” Tech replied through comms.

You ducked to avoid another blaster shot, Echo returned the shot and the trooper fell. “Gee, you think so?” You spoke sarcastically.

“We need to retreat and get back to the ship.” Echo spoke, taking cover a few feet away.

“Where’s Omega?” You interjected. You looked around for her, still not seeing her. “Back on the ship, the mission was too dangerous for her to come.” Hunter replied.

You sighed as blaster shots continued to go off in the background. “What's the plan?” You heard Crosshair speak through comms. He sounded annoyed, but he almost always sounded annoyed to you, amongst other things.

Hunter thought for a moment, and then he addressed the group. “Alright, Crosshair, you’ll provide cover fire while we retreat. We’ll need some more noise too-”

“I’ve got something that can help with that.” You interrupted. “Give me some cover.” You raised up the blaster you had grabbed, then ran over to Tech, firing shots as you went. Hunter and Echo emerged from their cover to fire at the troopers nearby you. Once you arrived you ducked down behind cover and threw the stolen comm link to Tech.

He caught it with both hands. “An imperial com unit?” Tech looked at it curiously, then shifted his eyes to you. “I thought you might be able to use it. Think you can cause some mayhem with it?” You asked curiously. Tech inspected it for a quick moment. “Oh yes, this should work.”

“Alright. Wrecker, Sera, keep the troopers off Tech. Echo and I will try to keep them on us. When Tech gives the signal, we move.” Everyone got their weapons ready, Echo nodded. “No problem!” Wrecker said enthusiastically and gave a thumbs. You also nodded as confirmation that you were ready.

Echo started firing at troopers, Hunter pulled out his knife and began alternating between slashing through troopers and shooting with his blaster. Wrecker was closer to you and actually picked up a trooper and threw him. You provided some cover fire and stayed close to Tech. He was fiddling with the unit.

“How much longer?” You asked after a minute passed. “Almost…” Tech said. You felt a sudden sense of urgency, and lifted your head up, searching around. “Somethings not right-”

Hunter leapt out of cover and ran over to Wrecker, who was laughing and enthusiastically throwing some heavy boxes at the troopers. “Wrecker, get down!”

You heard shots fire, and they were different. Wherever it made contact, there was a small explosion. This was some heavy fire power. The blasts made a sweeping arc. It fired towards Crosshair, who had to roll out of the way. You and Tech ducked as a shot came your way. You were knocked back a few feet from the closeness of the explosion. You lifted your head up and saw Echo was okay, and then you looked for Wrecker and Hunter.

Wrecker managed to avoid getting hit, he was to the right lying on the ground behind cover. Hunter wasn’t as lucky though. It looked like he took some blaster fire, and fell to the ground on his back. He was holding his side, and you saw blood on his hands.

#tbb #the bad batch #star wars #tcw #the clone wars #Echo #Hunter #Crosshair #Wrecker #Tech #Empire #Dantooine #Action #Fanfic #hunter x reader #bad batch x reader #Jedi #Ex Jedi

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galaxy98 · 3 years ago

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With the recent confirmation that we'll get to see more of Yunan and Olivia in season 3, I thought it would be nice to give a little rundown of a certain idea I had for a story prior to the trailer. Will I ever go through it, maybe not. For one thing, I have so many ideas that I want to do on AO3 so some things may have to be sacrificed. Not only that, but despite the episodes having a limited runtime, thus having less depth, it's likely going to turn out better than what I put out. That and it would be less convoluted. So here's a bullet list of the idea:

The working title for the fanfic is called Lady and the Newt. I wanted to go with Lady and the Merc or Lady and the General, though the former didn't made sense since Yunan is not a Mercenary. Also since it's a Disney show, I thought it would be funny to make the title a tongue-and-cheek reference to Lady and the Tramp.

The best way to describe this story is 2 lesbians on the run. There's also a butch and her daughter but we're not there yet.

Obviously, this would take place after True Colors, but based on the clips I've seen, it would've been drastically different.

For starters, it would begin with Olivia and Yunan trying to find a way to escape Newtopia. While Yunan is more concerned about finding a way out, Olivia didn't want to leave Marcy behind. At the same time, Yunan is also reluctant, albeit in denial, of wanting to go back there since she felt betrayed by both Andrias and Marcy, despite the latter being a child who was just being manipulated.

However, Olivia feels like she's complacent in letting this all happened, so she wanted to back there for the sake of ridding herself of that guilt. In other words, the both are still shooken up about the whole revelation.

They would eventually escape, but it will be a hollow victory.

This would be the first time we get to see Yunan without her armor. She took most of it off when trying to save an unconscious Olivia from drowning. By the time they set up camp, she will chuck her medals into the river in anger. She does keep the claws since they might come in handy, but other than that, she's completely vulnerable.

The fanfic would explore on the aspect about the expectations and pressure that Newtopia places on its society and how Yunan and Olivia were both affected by this mentality. Yunan ran away from home when she was in her teens because of her strained relationship with her family (Something that I will get into later on) and how due to being found by Andrias was she able to show off her skills that would work her way up to the ranks and then eventually the youngest general in the army, Scourge of the Sand Wars, Defeater of Ragnar the Wretched, yada yada yada. However, you would see why her family relationship was dysfunctional due to the infighting with her sister and mother who just happened to be a famous artisan (hint hint). Prior to becoming general, she felt like she had nothing to show for and that being a part of the court made her felt like she was special. But the problem is that she feels like she's nothing without the rank. So while Yunan constantly introduces herself because it's effective, it's also because that's all she has.

Olivia, on the other hand, didn't want to be a part of the court. The only reason she has that title in the first place was because her family already had connections to Andrias's so she was basically forced into the role. Royalty never particularly interest her but because she was so ingrained into the role, she ended up living a very isolated life. It's why she has a very stoic demeanor. Only when there's nothing else to do does she masks off the whole facade after keeping appearances for a whole day. During the night after they escape, she would lament about where it all went wrong.

There would be a retcon where Olivia originally planned on running away from Newtopia and she wanted Yunan to come with her. But with the combination of Yunan's commitment to the general rank, taking care of Marcy Wu, and then the events that soon follow, it never came to be. Olivia wondered if going through with that decision would've only make things worse.

There would be flashback chapters where we get to see the dynamics between the newts and the 13 year old girl. Any one of them involving Yunan would be an explanation as to why she initially felt betrayed by Marcy's actions. It's only later on in the story did she reconcile with those feelings.

Most of the story consist of them trying to get far away from Newtopia as possible, all while the fear of Marcy's fate lingers. In tale of dramatic irony, they assume that she may have escaped along with the others. But once they found refuge at Wartwood, they notice that Sasha was the only that's still here. That's when they figured the out news. Again, dramatic irony.

So that thing I mention about how there's also a butch and her daughter in this story, well here's what I mean. Priscilla and Pearl are the additional characters in this journey. The reason for their inclusion is because I had a particular subplot in mind. I loved the headcanon of Priscilla being Yunan's older sister because the potential dynamic makes so much sense. During their childhood, they were both competing for their mother's love, despite the fact that she didn't want them to fight. So due to jealously and the strained sibling relationship, it prompted Yunan to run away.

On an unrelated note, you can check out my poem fanfic on AO3 called O' Sister Of Mine. It explores the dynamic between Priscilla and Yunan as siblings.

The entire subplot would be about Yunan and Priscilla trying to repair their sibling relationship after years of fighting and not seeing each other. When her and Olivia cross paths with the two of them, Priscilla initially rejected their offer of going together. Because of Yunan and Olivia's status, she was worried that it was not only going to put a target on her back, but also her daughter's, which is the last thing she wants. But since they can't stay in one spot, they have no choice but to go together.

I think by looking at the pattern of where this story is going, the entire lesson is about not taking things for granted and being the change you want to be. The three girls may be the main focus of the show, but this fanfic explores on the side characters who were affected by the events.

Well there you have it. This is mostly just a rough draft of ideas but it does get the main gist across. Like I said before, this likely isn't going to see the light of day, especially when Matt Braly's crew is going to come up with something better than I can. This is one of those big AO3 projects that I'll have to keep on the shelf, at least temporarily when I don't have a lot on my plate right now.

But if you want to express any interest in me doing this in the future, feel free to reblog or leave a comment in the notes.

#amphibia #general yunnan #lady olivia #fandom discussion #writing

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x0401x · 4 years ago

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Jeweler Richard Fanbook Short Story #14

Feel free to message me about possible corrections, and please consider supporting the creators by purchasing digital copies of the official releases: Novel || Manga || Fanbook. In case anyone is feeling generous: Ko-fi | PayPal. ( ╹◡╹)っ’･*

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Santa Invasion

“What’s this?”

“Ice cream.”

“Well, I can tell that much just by looking, but...”

“To be precise, it is an ice cream cake.”

A gigantic ladybug was sitting on the low table. Its vivid red and dark brown-like black shades were definitely berries and chocolate. The back was decorated with flowers like marguerite. It was adorable. And huge. It was a hemispherical cake that looked like a basket ball cut in half, the name of a store from Dogenzaka printed on its box. It was 7PM. The last customer had left, I was done with the cleaning and all we had left to do was closing the store. It was still the second week of December, so the mayhem of making provisions for winter presents was a few ways ahead, but the number of clients was increasing little by little.

Just what on earth would this beautiful jeweler come up in such times?

Due to a habit of his from whenever he had something that was hard to say aloud and thus failed to speak up, Mr. Richard Ranashinghe de Vulpian had a serious crease forming just slightly between his brows. It made me feel at ease. This guy didn’t make a face like this when he was burdened with something that was actually difficult to say. He would speak more bland and expressionlessly instead.

“This is a little souvenir.”

“Are you going to a customer’s place after this?”

Richard’s reply was a gentle “no” in English.

He’d been often speaking a mix of Japanese and English lately. When English-speaking customers came by, he would switch completely to English as if for practical assessment, so I was desperate just to keep up with listening to them. I was grateful for having him as my English conversation teacher.

“A certain good-for-nothing who works with finances is currently in Japan, so...”

“Ah, Jeffrey-san, is it? He seemed so busy last time... Sorry, forget what I just said.”

“No need. That is a correct interpretation, so it is nothing to apologize about.”

Despite saying this, Richard’s facial expression did not seem even remotely satisfied as he swiftly took an indigo envelope out of his pocket. It had no seal, so it must have been handed over to him. The content was a pop-out card, and under a paper-craft cake colored with gold leaves and uneven printing, it was written in very tasteful Japanese: “I’m going to hold a party at the hotel, so come over. I’ll be waiting.” The date of the party was today and the place was the room of a luxury hotel in Tokyo. A home party? No, a hotel party.

The title was “Richard’s birthday party”. The plate of the pop-up cake didn’t say “Merry Christmas”. It said “Happy Birthday”.

Christmas Eve on the 24th was this beautiful shopkeeper’s birthday.

As I returned the card to him, a crease once again formed between Richard’s brows as he said with an unsparingly decisive tone, “How very embarrassing.”

“Doesn’t seem so much like it from your face.”

“Because I practiced making it. But this is extremely embarrassing. I think it is not something that warrants going through the trouble of arranging a plane ticket.”

“I wonder if anyone else will be going.”

“It seems Chieko will attend. I received an e-mail yesterday saying, ‘I am going to show up as a surprise so please take care of me’.”

“Is that even a surprise? Well, okay.”

Chieko-san was Richard and Jeffrey’s private tutor in the past and I was acquainted with her to some degree. I wondered if Homura-san, who had married her daughter, was also coming. No, not happening. He was a customer of Etranger, so Richard would probably feel abashed if he did so.

“If it goes on like this, the people lying in wait in that room will just gang up into an assembly to celebrate me.”

“What even is ‘ganging up to celebrate��?”

“They are ganging up on me. I likely will not be able to say anything other than ‘thank you very much’. I need reinforcements. If you would like, could you come with me?”

“Me too? That okay?”

“Of course. The party starts at 8PM probably because it coincides with Etranger’s closing hours. That British safe-like man is not narrow-minded enough to leave you out.”

It was written there that the party would begin at 8PM. We had 30 minutes. There was no spare time to make a pudding. What to do? What should I do?

Richard was apparently unable to let my groaning an “ngh, ngh” while deep in thought go unnoticed. “If it is impossible for you, just say so right away. I know that you are at the final stage of studying for your exams.”

“That doesn’t matter. Why didn’t you tell me a bit earlier about this? If I knew, I could’ve made preparations for it... Aah, is that why?”

“It is. I recall saying that you should refrain from being overly distracted.”

“I don’t think a ‘celebration’ is ‘overly distracting’, though.”

“Anything is fine, so please answer. Will you come or not?”

He didn’t have to go as far as asking me something like that.

I bowed in a way that wouldn’t cause any hairs to fall onto the ice cream ladybug. “I shall humbly accompany you.”

“Very well.”

“Sorry, but before that, I gotta go to the toilet for a bit.”

I hastily rushed to Etranger’s restroom and unlocked my phone in a flash. I then tapped on the e-mail app. Of course, the destination could only be one person.

“Help. I’m sorry but I just got informed about the birthday party, so I have no present.”

Jeffrey-san.

The contents of the message were not at all on a level that someone should send to the person they owed their life to, but he would understand.

The reply came in a matter of seconds. As expected, he worked fast.

“Good evening. I have everything, so there’s no problem if you come empty-handed. There will be champagne, canapés, chicken pie and cake, and I plan to have chocolate fondue coming up at the end.”

There was a proud smiley emoji at the end of the text. It seemed this was going to be a big deal.

Richard would probably have work tomorrow, and he wasn’t the type to get wasted or stuff his face with sweets in the middle of the night. It seemed I also wouldn’t have to worry about dinner. It made me feel sorry. This was the same old pattern. This course of eating and seeing good stuff amidst the confusion of the moment made my stomach hurt when I thought better about it.

“Don’t you know anything that Richard wanted?”

The response came after a moment, “My bad, but nothing comes to mind. How about you give him what you want most?”

What I wanted most. I could only think of refill shampoo and new socks. I’d be ashamed of giving things like that to Richard. After all, this was a mixture of birthday and Christmas party—

Just as I was thinking this, a genius inspiration sprouted in my head. It wasn’t the best solution. Not at all. But I felt it could work. This was too obvious, but if only I had the necessary materials for it, I could do it immediately.

Making up my mind, I came out of the restroom, apologized for making Richard wait, and as we rode to the designated address on the jaguar, I had him stop the car in front of a mass retailer for a moment. I told him I wanted to buy refill shampoo for my home. Richard was exasperated, but didn’t have any suspicions in particular.

We arrived at the hotel, got into the elevator, and on the way to the party venue, I made sure to walk a bit behind Richard. Staying out of his sight was essential.

When he opened the door to the suite, sure enough, Jeffrey-san and Chieko-san were waiting inside. Giving off a relaxed atmosphere, a room-service feast even bigger than what I had imagined from the phone call was waiting on the table for the main guest.

“Happy birthday, Richard. Chieko’s here too. Surprised?”

“Of course. Very surprised. Extremely.”

“Hmm, by the looks of it, I guess there was some information leak. Well, that’s okay! Where’s Nakata-kun?”

“What do you mean ‘where’? He’s right here. Seigi... Seigi?”

My eyes locked with Richard’s. I had locked them with Jeffrey-san’s before that. I was grateful that he had done me the favor of not laughing.

I politely shook my head at my boss, who was making a flabbergasted face. “My name is Santa.”

What I had bought at the mass retailer was a handy Santa makeover set. The three-piece set consisted of a hat, a put-on beard and a Santa costume, but I hadn’t had time to change into the costume, so it was folded up in my bag. I intended to borrow the suite’s bathroom to put on the costume. If I at least had my face ready, I could somehow make it work.

Richard was dumbfounded. It was the obvious reaction. But I wanted him to forgive me for this. After all, it was December and today was a party day.

“I’m Santa Claus! I came from the North Pole. Please take care of me for today!” After introducing myself, I thought that maybe this wasn’t an exemplary self-introduction for Santa, but it was already too late.

Jeffrey-san, who completely livened up the mood whenever he got excited, went along with the joke, saying, “Wah, Santa-san, thank you for coming from such a faraway place!”

I was grateful for that one. And that was how I got away with playing the role of a worldwide mascot-like old man character from the Arctic for the day. The ice cream cake brought by the star of the party was a success, and we had a toast with both champagne and royal milk tea. Chieko-san was wearing a kimono, the remade peridot brooch on her chest.

It had already been more than half a year since then, but to my body, it felt like even longer ago.

My location had moved from Japan to Sri Lanka, as one would expect, and I was busy fully enjoying a spring in which white temple flowers were blooming in Kandy, my new home. But for some reason, Santa was here. A beautiful blond, blue-eyed man slipped in and out of sight, but his outward appearance was that of Santa Claus. It was the kind of Santa costume that you could buy at the costume section of any mass retailer. One of the sad things about unmatched beauty was the fact nobody could actually claim that his natural beauty was ruined by the look. The brilliance of his blue eyes, which looked like they could suck you in, was the same as ever.

“I am Santa Claus. I came from the North Pole.”

“But now’s a hot time of the year.”

“Santa Claus is a symbol of summer in the Southern Hemisphere. I do not think it is particularly strange.”

“T-That might be true. Well, then... what’re you doing?”

“Santa does what Santa does. The tradition of Santa Claus, much like the language of jewels, has a wide variety of legends to it depending on the region, but either way, the role of a saint who grants blessings to little children, women and those in need is a guise commonly demanded in society. And for you, here it is.” Saying this, “Santa” offered me a plastic, loose stone display case that I was all too familiar with. There was a red stone stuck between the cushion and transparent lid. “Can you identify this gemstone?”

“Tourmaline, I guess. Red tourmaline.”

“Good for you. Did you know that it has one more name?”

“Rubellite.”

“Perfect. Large, pinkish-red tourmalines are called by that name, and it is a stone of which huge carved crystals have been loved as works of art, such as the amulet of Empress Dowager Cixi and the Romanov royal treasure, the ‘Strawberry Pendant’.”

As I peeked at the stone inside the case, humming that it was pretty, the beautiful jeweler cleared his throat and started over.

“Just as people’s feelings dwell within beautiful stones, this one is filled with the feeling of celebrating the start of your new life, from your family back in Japan, your friends and your superior at work, with whom you have a relationship other than the aforementioned and that neither of us knows how to define. Santa is wholly thankful for being in the position to bestow you with such a gift. I forgot to say it, but happy birthday. Nakata Seigi-san. I sincerely pray, all the way from my home in the Arctic, that this year will be a fruitful one for you.”

“Thank you. Seriously, thank you for always, Richa...”

“Santa. I am a passing Santa.”

“Then let’s go with that. By the way, if you’re Santa, where are the reindeers?”

When asked this, the man in disguise answered with a cool gaze that the reindeers were using stealth technology nowadays so that they wouldn’t be found by radars, hence they couldn’t be seen. He had it down to the details.

“It’s been about ten years since the last time Santa-san came around. I’ll take good care of this. Santa-san, you take care of your body too. I’ll ask my boss next time I see him about the person who gave you this stone.”

“You should. Well, then.” With a bow, Santa left for a car parked in the courtyard. I probably wasn’t supposed to see him off. I’d feel bad for the stealth reindeers.

The red stone stayed in my hand.

I had told a white lie. It hadn’t been ten years since Santa had last showed up. This was the first time ever since I was born. In my home, there was always someone playing the role of “Santa”, such as Hiromi, Grandma and Nakata-san, so they never tried to tell me nice lies. Nakata-san probably just followed Hiromi’s way of doing things, though. The fact I thought up something like that last December, when Jeffrey asked me what I “wanted most”, might not have been unrelated to this. At any rate, to me, not even once was there any supernatural existence who would leave toys by my bedside if I were a good kid. Until this day.

After a while of standing by the garden, where it was always summer, and listening closely to the cries of birds with my eyes closed, I unlocked my phone. The Wi-Fi range of the house seemed good, and so I could send e-mails immediately. The contents were simple. The destination was my boss, Richard.

“Santa came to my place. But he left so quick that I couldn’t make him tea.”

The reply soon came: “Are you half-asleep?”

If he really thought that I was half-asleep, then maybe I should delay the reply for a few more minutes, I thought, but I didn’t write anything further. The house’s cleaning was half-assed and I had to check the security. I also wanted to know as many of my neighbors as could.

Together with the feeling that I had suddenly been given something I had forgotten, and that I didn’t even know I had forgotten, I put rubellite in the jewelry safe and stepped out into the Sri Lankan provincial city. I had nothing to fear and no hesitation. The ill feeling that I’d be living here alone had disappeared. After all, Santa had come by. Far from elementary school, I was now an adult who had already graduated from university, and it currently wasn’t December but May, where the only anniversary I could think of was my own birthday, yet Santa had come by. Such an impossible thing had happened.

So I could do my best, I thought.

And so, I could be getting ahead of myself, but I began thinking about my plans for this December. Would there be a second chance for Santa to appear? If not, I wanted to make one. I decided to fuss over the outfit a little more and prepare proper gifts this time. Then I’d tell him stories about jewels and try to make him laugh a lot. That, too, was Santa’s duty.

#housekishou richard shi no nazo kantei #housekishou richard #jeweler richard #the case files of jeweler richard #nakata seigi #richard ranashinha de vulpian #richard ranashinghe de vulpian #richard #jr short story collection #jeffrey claremont #novel #tsujimura nanako #yukihiro utako #my translation

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