#christine horn

[mature-melanin]

I see why Charles was fcking around... Mabel chocolate ass look gooid 😍

[geekcavepodcast]

Classified Trailer

Ella is a fifteen year old student in Oakland, California. After being arrested at a protest, Ella avoids incarceration due to the influence of her stepmother and her stepmother's connections. Part of the deal, though, includes Ella having to move in with her father and stepmother in Johannesburg, South Africa, for the remainder of her secondary education.

Classified is directed by Kagiso Lediga and stars Imani Pullum, Christine Horn, and Sule Rimi.

Classified hits Prime Video on August 22, 2024.

[jbaileyfansite]

Fellow Travelers (1x04)

[syfysource]

LOST GIRL 4.10 "Waves"

[whatithinkaboutdarkshadows]

Episode 450: That man who says he is Barnabas

Haughty overlord Joshua Collins and his long-term house-guest the Countess DuPrés have summoned good witch Bathia Mapes to lift the curse that has made Joshua’s son Barnabas a vampire. Meanwhile, Barnabas has bitten his second cousin Millicent and gone to the waterfront to find another victim. Bloggers Danny Horn, Patrick McCray, and John and Christine Scoleri have said so much so well about this…

[st-just]

The Stand by Christine de Vielmond

[thesconesyard]

Yeehaw!

When the Cactus Blooms

11. Wicked Horns

McCoy had vague memories of the night before. His mouth was dry, yet his tongue had a thick coat and his head pounded in protest as he sat up. He swung his legs over the edge of his bed.

“Ugh,” he moaned.

He blinked his eyes against the light coming through his window.

“Oh hell!” he exclaimed as he realized. How late was it? Despite the pounding headache he quickly stood up. And quickly sat back on his bed, gripping the sides of his head.

A flash of Scotty holding him up came back and his face heated.

“I’m a fool,” he muttered.

Ten minutes later he snuck himself into the main house through the back door. Voices were laughing in the dining room. McCoy had absolutely no interest in putting up with Jim or his asinine jokes at McCoy’s expense. He slipped as quietly as he could towards their guest’s room. At least he could do one chore and check on the girl’s progress.

He knocked softly and heard an equally soft voice tell him to come in. He sighed in relief at the cool darkness in Jaylah’s room. The curtains had not been opened yet.

“Good morning,” McCoy said as he entered. “How are you feeling today?”

“Hello Doctor. My head hurts less.” Jaylah had a soft voice, but he could hear fierce pride in it as well.

“Glad to hear it,” he said, stepping to the bedside. “Alright if I take a look?”

Jaylah gave a small nod and turned on her side so he could see the injured spot.

“I need a bit of light, ok to open the curtain a little?”

“Please,” Jaylah said.

He opened it and came back to the bed.

“You look terrible,” Jaylah told him as she got a better look at him in the light.

“I’m sure,” he said gruffly. “You look much better this morning. Think you wanna get up today and meet everyone else?”

“How many others are there?”

McCoy crossed the room and brought back a chair. He sat facing her.

“Besides myself and Christine, seven.”

“You are family?” Jaylah asked, giving him a strange look. What was that in her eyes?

“No,” McCoy said. “But yes? Kinda? We’ve all come from different places, but this is our home now.”

They chatted for a while. McCoy told her about the others on the ranch and Jaylah asked plenty of questions. Finally another gentle knock sounded on the door and Christine came in a moment later carrying a tray.

“Oh Leo! I didn’t expect to find you in here,” Christine said in surprise.

“Don’t suppose you’ve got any coffee left out there?” he asked.

“Ha! I made nearly a gallon knowing how you’d most likely be feeling this morning! Should have left you on the ground by the creek.” Christine’s tone was accusatory, but he knew her concern was there too.

“Sorry Chris,” he said sheepishly.

“It’s alright,” she said after getting the tray settled in front of Jaylah. “I understand.” She set her hand on his shoulder. “I’ll be right back. I’ll bring you something too.”

The thick porridge Christine had made for Jaylah and the black coffee went a long way towards improving how McCoy felt. He left the room to let Christine help Jaylah dress. Her clothes were dirty and torn. They had borrowed something from Uhura as Christine was too tall compared to the shorter girl.

Jaylah was cautious in her movements as she entered the living room where McCoy waited, and she looked around herself with wide eyes.

“Jim was left the ranch by his parents,” he said.

She walked to a glass fronted cabinet and looked in. McCoy shared a look with Christine at the small noise that left the girl.

“We can go out to the garden, Uhura is probably out there,” Christine said.

“And it’s shaded,” McCoy added, wanting to keep Jaylah from too much sun.

“Is this our guest?” Uhura turned as she heard them coming up the garden path.

“Jaylah, this is Uhura,” McCoy introduced them.

“So nice to meet you,” Uhura came forward and held both of Jaylah’s in greeting.

A chirp made them all look over, and Keenser came around the corner of the house, followed by three birds.

“And this is Keenser,” McCoy said. “He did some sitting up with you the other night.”

“Yes!” Jaylah exclaimed. “When I woke up!” She smiled at the short man. “Hello! Thank you!”

“Better?” he asked.

Jaylah nodded enthusiastically.

“Careful there,” McCoy said with a laugh.

“Good,” Keenser said and continued on his way.

Jaylah looked after him in surprise.

“He doesn’t talk much,” Uhura told her.

“Did you need some help?” Christine asked Uhura.

“Please,” Uhura told her. “I’m so glad you’re up and feeling better,” she said to Jaylah.

“The others are probably having a break about now,” McCoy said to Jaylah. “We can go over that way?”

“Please!” Jaylah said, nodding goodbye to Uhura and Christine.

McCoy was right and they found the others lounging in the shade at the side of the stables.

“Bones!” Jim called spotting them first. “Is this our guest finally?”

“Bones?” Jaylah asked, turning to McCoy.

He rolled his eyes. “A dumb nickname. This is James T. Kirk, owner of the Enterprise ranch.”

“It’s Jim,” Jim said. He came forward with his hand out. “So pleased you’re doing well. You are welcome here as long as you like.”

“Thank you, James T,” Jaylah said.

Before Jim could correct her, McCoy moved on.

“This is Spock and Hikaru Sulu.”

Both men greeted the young woman.

McCoy’s face warmed as he turned to the last person sitting in the shade. The memories from the evening before hit him again.

“This is Montgomery Scott. He and—” McCoy looked around. “Where’s Chekov?”

“Who knows?” Scotty chuckled.

“He and Chekov were the ones who found you and brought you in,” McCoy continued.

“Thank you Montgomery Scott,” Jaylah said solemnly.

“Aye lassie. Yer welcome. And it’s Scotty,” he corrected her.

Before anyone could say more, a loud yelp reached them.

“That was Pavel,” Sulu said, jumping to his feet. The others got up and followed quickly.

Around the stables they could see to the east pasture. Chekov was there, jumping up and down and holding onto himself, continuing to cry out.

“What’s wrong?” Jim called as they got closer.

Chekov’s face reddened as they all came near.

“Daisy got me,” he said sheepishly.

“Who is Daisy?” Jaylah asked.

“One of our young cattle,” Spock said.

“Where’d ye get hit lad?” Scotty asked, though they could all see Chekov was holding onto his bottom.

Chekov’s face got more red.

“You dumb sonofa…” McCoy muttered. “Come on kid, I’ll fix you up,” he called over.

“And Miss Christine can sew up your pants,” Scotty laughed as Chekov climbed over the fence.

“This is the last member of our crew,” McCoy said to Jaylah. “Pavel Chekov.”

Chekov’s blush had reached his ears as he moved past Jaylah, murmuring a hello as he did.

[frontmezzjunkies]

Coal Mine Theatre's "Infinite Life" Throbs With Stellar Performances and Layered Responses to Pain

#frontmezzjunkies reviews: @CoalMineTheatre's #InfiniteLife by #AnnieBaker d: #JackieMaxwell w/ #ChristineHorne #NancyPalk #BrendaBazinet #JeanYoon #KyraHarper #AriCohen #theaTO #CoalMineTheatre #TorontoTheatre

The Toronto Theatre Review: Coal Mine Theatre’s Infinite Life By Ross She enters, looks around at the row of lounge chairs that typically would be positioned on a pool’s edge, and makes her choice. In muted mustard, she starts to read a thick book about another woman making difficult choices, as a second makes her way in. Then, a third, until enough souls have arrived to fill almost every…

[zonetrente-trois]

Bruce (Rob Archer) with sushi.

[wornoutspines]

Fellow Travelers (Pilot Review) | Love in the time of...Obstacles

I finally got to it and boy oh boy did #FellowTravelers managed to surprise me. #JonathanBailey and #MattBomer are amazing in this show and there's a subtle jock in the pilot that I like. #TVSeries

CAST Thomas Mallon (Novel) & Ron Nyswaner (Creator)Matt BomerJonathan BaileyJelani AlladinAllison Williams Review Bailey and Bomer brought my attention to this show, didn’t know what it was about when inquiring about the book – which was so close to the show’s premiere – that I decided to just jump in. It starts in 1986 in a nice suburban area where we meet Marcus Gaines on his way to visit…

[truthfulpoint]

Halloween (inspired by true events

This story is inspired by a Halloween experience.....names have been changed for obvious reasons…..

It must have been because it was Halloween. Violet just didn’t do things like this. She was a nice girl. She was a disciplined girl. She had a good job and a lovely apartment. She visited her parents regularly. She fed her cat and went to the gym and sent thank you cards to people who gave her gifts. It was Halloween, though, and sometimes when you put on a costume it just changes you. It changes you enough to do something crazy, if only for one night. Originally she really didn’t want to go to the party. She didn’t even have a costume, but her friend Christine had brought over some rabbit ears and said “Just put on the sluttiest thing you have and you can be a Playboy bunny or something!” The thing about Violet was that she had these tits. She was a somewhat plain girl, cute, but in a girl-next-door sort of way. She had very large breasts for her frame, though, and she spent a lot of time hiding them and generally hating them. As she looked through her closet, she considered that Halloween was one of the few times in the year that she could actually show them off. After all, Violet really didn’t know many people at the party and what could it hurt? She found a very skimpy pink top. It barely even fit over her breasts and showed several inches of cleavage. She put on her best bra, the one that really pushed her tits together and put on the low cut pink top. Looking in the mirror, she blushed a little. It wasn’t shocking for Halloween, but it was shocking for her. She pulled on a pair of jeans, chickening out on the mini skirt. Then she placed the rabbit ears on her head and applied a little too much makeup. Violet smiled at her reflection. She looked like a slut. When the two friends arrived at the party, it was like being back in college. A lot of people were milling about with red plastic cups in their hands. Everyone was a little drunk, which made Violet uncomfortable because she didn’t like to drink. Drinking made you lose control and do stupid things and she wasn’t interested in doing that. A dark-haired man with dark glasses eyed Violet as she walked in. He wasn’t really wearing a costume, just a pair of devil horns. Christine saw Violet looking back at him and told her “Oh, that’s James.” Christina sort of smiled a little. “We went out once or twice.”

“What’s he like?” Violet asked innocently, trying not to look back at him as he smiled at her and continued to stare.

“Oh, he’s nice enough… a little too kinky for me.” Violet wanted to ask what she meant by that, but Christine went to get a drink. Violet went to follow her but bumped into a sandy-haired tan-skinned guy wearing a black robe, like the killer in the Scream movies.

“Hi there, I’m Peter,” he said smiling wide and staring at her tits. Violet felt like everyone was staring at her that night and the feeling was both embarrassing and a little powerful.

“Oh, I’m Violet,” she sort of mumbled with a smile.

“Your costume is hot,” he said with a grin. She didn’t reply. The dark-haired man with the devil horns came over and stood next to Peter. The two of them sort of smiled at each other.

“Who’s your friend?” Peter looked her up and down, eating her up with his eyes.

“This is Violet. She’s a Playboy bunny, right?” Peter asked with a laugh.

“I’d buy that issue. I’m James,” he said with a grin, moving in on her a little.

Violet looked around for her friend, Christine, but she was no where to be found. Violet was pulled into a conversation with James and Peter. The topic started with what they all did, but moved quickly to sex and never left.

Violet wasn’t used to this. They were being so forward and she didn’t know how to react. She thought she was probably supposed to smack them or something, but she enjoyed the flirting like this. She was sort of getting addicted to their eyes on her body. A break from real conversation. The embarrassing rush of being an object for a little while. Peter was cocky and sort of a jock, but James was smooth and intelligent. Peter looked at her body all night, while James liked to look into her eyes and guess what she was thinking.

As they spoke, Violet found herself being moved by them around the room. They would back her up a little by moving in on her, and before she knew it, she was next to a door. Peter looked at James and opened up the door. James took Violet’s hand and led her in.

“What are we doing?” she asked with a nervous laugh.

“We want to kiss you,” Peter replied with a chuckle. The room was dark and messy. Clothes on the floor, a computer on a desk in the corner, a low bed near the window. Violet’s eyes were moving quickly around, judging the environment, looking for her escape route. Peter closed the door behind him and turned around with the same cocky smile. James had a predatory grin that matched his devil horns. The devil pushed her back and she tumbled to the low bed. Sitting up, wide eyed, Violet was eye-level with two belts and two zipper and four big hands. Violet started to breathe a little faster.

The two men looked at each other, communicated something with their eyes. Violet looked up at them trying to figure it out. Peter chuckled a little. His eyes were right on her cleavage. James was looking right into her eyes, though.

Violet wasn’t sure where to look or what exactly to do. Her heart was racing. This was it. She’d had fantasies about this, but it was different with two strangers in some house she’d never been to. She thought she should probably end it soon, maybe just kiss them. But the man in the devil horns leaned down and slipped his hand onto her shoulder, then around her. He pulled her head back by her hair. Suddenly, he was kissing her.

His kisses were a little rough and a little insistent, but his lips were soft. When she was kissed right, Violet’s mind sort of wandered away and she tended to do things she knew she shouldn’t. When he opened her lips a little with his tongue and then swirled around in her mouth, tasting like candy and a little beer and heat, she felt herself falling. When the second pair of lips touched Violet’s shoulder, her body locked up for a second. The reality of it started getting her scared as well as very wet. Usually a kiss on her lips really got her started. And if a guy knew how to kiss her neck, she would totally melt. When Peter started sucking on the skin just under her ear while the devil horn guy kissed her deeper and hungrily sucked on her lips and tongue, she felt a new level of desire. It was like Violet couldn’t control herself anymore. Four hands roaming all over her. Peter was aggressive and rough. James had knowing hands that floated over her skin and nails that dragged up her back and down her arms. Each man alone would have made her swoon with their attention, but both at the same time were making her mad.

Peter touched her breasts for the first time and he chuckled hoarsely.

“Fuck, your tits are perfect,” he whispered as he squeezed them and lifted them and his thumbs hunted for her nipples though the thickness of her shirt and bra. As Peter grabbed and rubbed her breasts, James took her hand and pushed it against the crotch of his jeans. He was hard and although she wasn’t sure how far she wanted to take this, Violet couldn’t help holding the firm shape under his pants and wanting it. There is something so intimate about the first time a man unzips his fly and pulls out his cock. It is usually in some intimate moment and you are seeing a part of someone that has been hidden that you may have felt a little and wondered about. This was new, though. This was two strangers. When there was a cock in front of Violet, she could focus on it. She could worship it. She could suck it and savor it and hold it and own it. Two cocks made everything different. They both pulled at her attention. They surrounded her. She felt compelled to hold each one, go back and forth between them. The demands of it made her dizzy. The world became hard and throbbing. The smell of their bodies was overwhelming. The feel of their coarse hair and the rawness of all that skin; it was all too much, but she couldn’t stop. Sitting, Violet jerked the two of them off a little. She wasn’t really sure how far she might go. One of them, she couldn’t even tell which anymore because she couldn’t look up, moved closer. She couldn’t take her eyes off of the two cocks. Violet licked her lips. She was a good girl, but she did love to suck cock. She really shouldn’t, but when he moved closer, the head of his cock just brushed her lip. She just held the two of them, feeling the heat and hardness of them. She closed her legs tight. She really shouldn’t. She didn’t know them. Peter reached forward and pulled her hair. Her mouth opened and James moved forward, slipping the head of his cock between her lips. Once it was in her mouth, there was no more thought of what was wrong or right. There was only the taste of his skin, the feel of his length and the power, of making him gasp as her wet tongue slipped under his sex. She closed her eyes and sank into the rhythm of it. Filling her mouth with saliva to wet the pushing and pulling. The build up that she needed. She couldn’t keep her eyes shut for long because she felt Peter’s hardness in her other hand. When James pulled away and Peter moved forward, Violet was breathing hard and fast. Peter’s cock was fatter, slightly rougher and darker skinned. She licked the head of it, her hand slipping up and down James’s cock, still wet with her saliva. Peter’s hips bucked as she licked the head. He wanted her badly. He wanted her to envelope his cock in her hot mouth. She liked that. She teased him, tightening her lips and just sucking a little on the head, letting it pop in and out of her mouth. She looked up for a moment to see James watching her. A wave of dirtiness washed over her, so much she almost stopped, but she didn’t. She had a job to do. She sucked Peter’s cock, slipping in as much as would fit. She wet it down so it slipped in and out smoothly. She worked the shaft with her hand and sucked the tip and then gave it long strokes with her mouth.

“Fuck,” he gasped. She smiled a little between strokes. James moved closer so that both cocks were directly in front of her face, so close the two men’s hips were touching. She moved back to James, his cock feeling cooler that Peter’s. She sucked James fast and deep, nearly gagging, then she went back to Peter. Back and forth, back and forth, until the only thing she knew was cock and thickness and wet tips and hands in her hair and on her neck and shoulders.

“I need to fuck this chick.” Peter said between gasps. Then suddenly the two men were moving quickly around her. Peter lifted Violet up so that she was standing and pulled off her shirt.

“Fuck, that’s what I’m talking about.”

He squeezed and massaged her breasts groaning at the feel of them as James moved behind her and started unhooking her bra.

“They’re huge,” Peter marveled as he pulled off the bra. Violet was getting nervous. This was all going fast. Kissing and touching and even a little sucking was one thing, but she wasn’t sure she could fuck a total stranger, let alone two. But his hands were so hot on her breasts. Her nipples being played with made her bite her lip. Then James started working on her pants as Peter pulled off her shoes. The two of them were taller and stronger and she felt like a rag doll being pushed between them. When they were done she was only wearing her panties and the two of them were standing in front of and in back of her. A hard cock pressed against her stomach and another against her back. James kissed her and Peter reached around and squeezed her breasts from behind. He took her nipples and pulled on them a little, testing her sensitivity. She knew she should tell them to stop, but every time she thought of it, the thought would get washed away by fingers and cocks and wanting. The next thing she knew she was on the bed again, this time on her knees.

“What the fuck? She’s soaked right through her panties! Her thighs are wet. Jesus Christ, she fucking wants it.”

She didn’t even know who said it; her face was burning and eyes were closed. She knew she should really stop it, but then she was being pushed down farther, her ass up in the air and her head almost level with the bed. Then James’s cock was pressing against her lips again. It pressed and slipped against the wetness of her lips and she couldn’t help it. She opened her mouth and it slid in, pushing her back into the rhythm and the taste of him. Peter was pulling down her panties and she knew she had to stop it. She struggled a little but the cock was in her mouth and when Peter got the panties down to her knees, he rubbed his fingers around the wetness of her and found her swollen clit and then she was overcome. The finger on her clit, the cock in her mouth, Peter leaned over and with his other hand rubbed her tit and pinched her nipple, harder now, a little too hard.

Her hips bucked and the two of them laughed.

“Damn, she has a nice ass, too,” James said. She could feel the vibrations of his voice through his cock.

“Hell yeah, she’s built to fuck. Perfect,” Peter replied as if she couldn’t even hear. Then the first spank landed on her ass. The two of them laughed. Another spank, harder. James’s hands came up to her shoulders, holding her still. She was breathing fast out of her nose, but she needed to keep sucking. She braced herself for another slap but then felt the hot hardness of Peter’s thick cock rubbing against her.

She had to stop this, she thought. She had to, but he was sinking into her. She shouldn’t, but his hands were on her hips and James was holding her shoulder, and then he was holding her by her hair, and his cock was pushing into her mouth as Peter pushed right into her cunt. Then the whole thing became unstoppable. She was trapped between them, sucking, being fucked, her senses overloading and her body being pushed and pulled and used. They were pistoning in and out in the same rhythm. She felt helpless to them and helpless to the itching building frightening pressure inside of her. She had never really come from just being fucked, but this was new. This was so overpowering. It just kept pounding from every direction.

“Fuck, she is so tight,” Peter said, his voice straining.

“And she doesn’t stop sucking,” James added.

Peter’s fingers grew tighter on her hips and his thrusts started harder and faster and wilder. James was pumping into her mouth and he was gasping. They were both making grunting noises and spilling out curses and moans. They both started ramming her faster. Violet felt this rush and this fear and then she was coming hard, trying to keep sucking, but James pulled out of her mouth just as she let out a loud moan.

She was still coming when she felt the hot shots of come on her cheek and neck. Then she felt Peter pull out of her and felt more hot jets of come all over her ass and back.

Then there was emptiness. She was lying on her stomach, soaked, spent, and used. Everyone was panting. James brushed her hair back and she looked up to see his eyes, a little kinder now and his smile. The devil horns were just visible above his now tousled hair.

“We’ll make sure nobody comes in here. You should get cleaned up.” Violet swallowed hard, the shame pouring down on her, and at the same time, her chest welling with invigoration. She had an adventure, a wild new adventure. Lifting herself back up on her knees, she arched her back.

“But you didn’t get to fuck me yet,” she said, with a smile. The two men smiled and the dangerous game started up again

[boatmediatourney]

🚢Boat Song Lineup & Links🚢

*links are on the boat emojis. most of the artists listed are specific to the linked versions, and many are folk songs with no single or known author. all the links are youtube links.*

🚢 32 Down on the Robert MacKenzie (Due South), Paul Gross

🚢 A Pirate Looks at 40, Jimmy Buffett

🚢 A Sailboat in the Moonlight, Billie Holliday

🚢 The Ballad of Gilligan's Isle (theme song)

🚢 The Ballad of Harbo and Samuelson, Shanghaied on the Willamette

🚢 The Bonnie Ship the Diamond, The Corries

🚢 Bluenose, Stan Rogers

🚢 Boat on the River, Styx

🚢 Canadee-i-o, Nic Jones

🚢 Come Sail Away, Styx

🚢 Day-O (Banana Boat Song), Harry Belafonte

🚢 Friggin in the Riggin, The Sex Pistols

🚢 Ghosts of Cape Horn, Gordon Lightfoot

🚢 Go to Sea No More, The Dubliners

🚢 The Good Ship Kangaroo, Planxty

🚢 Hard on the Beach Oar, Johnny Collins

🚢 Haul Away Joe, The Eskies

🚢 Highwayman, The Highwaymen

🚢 I'm on a Boat, The Lonely Island

🚢 I'm Shipping up to Boston, The Dropkick Murphys

🚢 James Craig, The Maritime Crew

🚢 The Last Bristolian Pirate, The Longest Johns

🚢 Leave Her, Johnny, Leave Her, Coda

🚢 The Leaving of Liverpool, The Dubliners

🚢 The Little Boat, The Wiggles

🚢 Lord Franklin, Pentangle

🚢 Lowlands Away, The Corries

🚢 Lukey, Great Big Sea

🚢 The Mariner's Revenge, The Decemberists

🚢 Marie Christine, Gordon Lightfoot

🚢 The Mary Ellen Carter, Stan Rogers

🚢 Mingulay Boat Song, The Corries

🚢 Mr. Andrews' Vision ("Titanic: A New Musical"), Maury Yeston

🚢 The Mistress, Dramtreeo

🚢 My Sails Are Set (One Piece live action)

🚢 Orinoco Flow, Enya

🚢 Overture/Prologue/The Launching ("Titanic: A New Musical"), Maury Yeston

🚢 The Pacific, Dave Malloy

🚢 The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything (Veggie Tales)

🚢 Proud Mary, Ike and Tina Turner

🚢 Race to be King, Seth Lakeman

🚢 Rolling Down to Old Maui, Stan Rogers

🚢 Roll the Old Chariot (sea shanty)

🚢 Round the Cape, The Longest Johns

🚢 Row, Row, Row your Boat (nursery rhyme)

🚢 Running Down to Cuba, Colm McGuinness

🚢 Sailing, Christopher Cross

🚢 Sailor's Farewell (sea shanty)

🚢 Santiana, The Longest Johns

🚢 Santiano, Hugues Aufray

🚢 Saturday, Jonathan Eng and Stephanie Hladowski

🚢 Save the Whales!, Country Joe McDonald

🚢 Ship in a Bottle, Fin Argus

🚢 Ship of Fools, The Grateful Dead

🚢 Song for the Bowdoin, Larry Kaplan

🚢 Song of the Volga Boatmen, Soviet Army Chorus & Band

🚢 Son of a Son of a Sailor, Jimmy Buffett

🚢 South Australia, Johnny Collins

🚢 Tow Rope Girls, Daniel Kelly

🚢 The Wellerman (sea shanty), Nathan Evans

🚢 The Wild Cape Horn, Friends Of The Shipyard and Fisherman's Fayre

🚢 The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, Gordon Lightfoot

🚢 Warlike Seamen, Jerry Bryant and Starboard Mess

[tinytalkingtina]

Illusory Courage

Written for the @steddiemicrofic July challenge prompt #2, using the word "one" and 1,111 words.

In the same universe/same characters as my other DnD microfic, but intended as a standalone story showing how they met, no prior reading required.

1,111 words | Rating: T

CW: Dead Chrissy Cunnigham, brief description of a Vecna'd body

Tags: Fantasy DnD AU, Tiefling Steve Harrington, Anti-Tiefling racism, Steve Harrington has bad parents, Half-elf Eddie munson, pre-Steddie, past Chrissy Cunningham/Eddie Munson, first meetings

Ao3 link

Stephen Harrington, heir to the barony of Loch Nora, left Lord Carver’s manor scowling. This fief was the same as the previous one. A dead body, found with the eyes gouged out and limbs twisted into unnatural angles. Except unlike the previous poor peasant boy, this time a noble had fallen victim to some sort of dark magic. It was certainly unusual for a Lord’s wife to vanish during the night, only to be discovered amidst the cows come morning. Unfortunately, Lord Carver had precious little to give them, beyond claiming the Lady Christine had been acting “distracted” as of late.   “Why are you so upset Steve? We were a full day’s travel out. It’s a tragedy for sure, but it’s not like you could have foreseen this happening.” Dustin urged his pony forward as fast as the old girl could go, laden down as she was with all of his contraptions. “Dustin, it’s Lord Harrington when we’re in public. You’re my official squire, we have to keep up appearances. And it’s not entirely that the Lady died, it’s how Lord Carver spoke about her, like she was some sort of trophy. He barely knew her. Now come on, I want to see the field she was found in before it gets too dark.”  Steve indulged in a ruffle to his squire’s hair. He reflexively pushed down the twinge of guilt; no one could possibly notice his horns hidden inside the matching decorations on his helm, or feel his claws when he kept them filed short and blunt. His tail remained tucked out of sight beneath layers of chain mail and plate. Even so, the thought of detection sent a trickle of fear down his spine. He needed a chance to perform penance for his family’s misdeeds. If he could snuff out enough evil, perhaps he could outweigh their crimes that proclaimed themselves for all to see on his body. And maybe, just maybe, his mother might look at him with something other than bitterness and disgust when he forewent his illusory magical mask at home.

Shoving his feelings aside, he herded Dustin towards the pasture as the last rays of light touched the tree tops. “Just as a precaution, you should set up an alarm spell. Don’t want to be caught unawares by anyone—or thing.”  Dustin nodded and scrambled off to set up a perimeter. Steve had sat through an explanation how the spell-infused gadget used stones attuned to the correct magical frequency before, but the engineering went over his head. He trusted his squire to do a good job though, and thanks to Dustin’s contraptions, he had an easier time swinging his weapons at monsters. Steve made his way to the center of the field, stopping short when his ears picked up someone singing. The tune, full of grief and longing, was nothing short of enchanting. He spied the singer, crumpled onto the ground next to the scorched crater marking where the Lady had been found. Steve approached slowly, one hand on his sword. But the clanking of armor alerted the singer, and he startled. Oh, the singer was beautiful. Even dimmed by tears, those big dark eyes were just as expressive as his voice. Steve caught sight of an ear that gently tapered to a small point poking out from the riot of curls atop his head. Oh, an elf. That certainly explained the features. Summoning upon long-ago tutoring, Steve managed to offer an only slightly clumsy greeting in Elvish. But the elf just blinked those wide eyes at him in confusion. “I don’t understand whatever it is you just said, but you should leave, stranger. There was a death here last night, the Lady of the manor, she—” His voice cracked. “She’s dead.” “Yes, we have been advised of the situation, my good elf. We were the ones sent to investigate.” “Of course he thinks I’m an elf,” the singer muttered to himself as he ran a hand through his hair.

As he did, a glint of metal caught Steve’s eye. Looking closer, he spied a thick silver band inlaid with a dark stone. One that looked suspiciously like the ring Lord Carver had raged about losing to petty thievery when they recovered Lady Christine’s body. “And it appears we have something to investigate. Care to explain how the late Lady’s ring ended up on your hand?” The would-be thief’s pretty face hardened as he took a challenging step forward. Steve stepped back in equal measure, a practiced look of haughty disinterest on his face. Any discomfort perfectly hidden away beneath the mask. His father’s voice echoed in his ear: Keep your distance Stephen. Despite your…affliction, you’re still of noble birth. “I know it’s hard for you nobles to consider this, mi’lord”, the thief said, spitting the word out as if swearing. “But whatever you’ve been told, not all us common folk are out to steal whatever our grubby little hands touch. Chrissy—the Lady, gave this to me. She engraved my name on it, even.” He brandished the ring, and sure enough, in delicate handwriting, an “Edward” was scratched onto the inside. “Fine then, my apologies. If you were truly close to the Lady, perhaps you can assist me in questioning the Lord further.” This Edward lifted his chin defiantly. “Don’t think I’m going to help you give that hollow bitter man any closure. Or did the noble sitting in his fine manor not tell you? He officially banished me from these lands a full month ago for ‘enticing his sweet Lady’ to wickedness. Wasn’t supposed to stick around much longer, but it seems that freaks like myself don’t get happy endings with those we love, do we. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” Edward began to retreat without looking. Before Steve could warn him, he stepped directly into the crater. As soon as he crossed the boundary, a chill wind circled, carrying with it distorted bell chimes and chittering. Steve’s sword glowed: some sort of necromancy was afoot, and now this half-elf was its target. Steve gritted his teeth. “I’m not about to turn you in. But unfortunately for you Edward the Banished, you’ve just been marked by something evil, and I can’t permit that evil the opportunity to hurt you or any others. But I promise, by my oath, I’ll do everything I can to protect you and try to avenge your Lady.” Edward blinked those large eyes at him, his expression full of fear and anger. Steve sighed. This wasn’t going to be easy, adding an unwilling soul to his party. Hopefully, this man would continue to keep his distance until the evil was dispatched.

Tagging some folks who've shown interest in ST DnD AUs, feel free to ask to be removed!

@augustjustice @hornedqueenofhell @puppy-steve @devondespresso

[operafantomet]

What are your “This is obviously super photoshopped but I still love it” pic?

Probably a lot of the Czech brochure photos. They are so pumped and saturated and with effects added, but I kinda like them. Take the boat scene how it appears in the brochure:

VS an actual live photo:

Or the descend to the lair from the brochure:

VS an actual live photo:

So yeah. Those and the other Czech brochure photos are good candidates for "obviously photoshopped but I like them still".

There's also been lots of re-used main frame or photos in West End, but where they have swapped the old lead for the new one. Some of them are quite bad, others may look convincing until you compare it to the original photo. Ramin Karimloo on the Golden Angel (left) compared to Peter Jöback on the Golden Angel (right) reveals that they didn't get Jöback's size right. I mean, the actor should never be bigger than the sculpture! Yet, the photo of its own is rather cool. It's just the comparison that makes it odd.

Another classic is the various takes on the early 2000s Final Lair kiss photo. I believe the original showed John Owen-Jones, Rachel Barrell and Oliver Thornton (left). It had various incarnations where they kept the Phatom, but swapped Christine and Raoul. The one to the left feature - I believe - Celia Graham and Michael Xavier. Rachel Barrell's body has been kept, but the head is changed. For Raoul they've added a brand new photo. Giant looming Raoul at the gate doesn't really make sense, but it's a composition I like still.

And if tooting my own horn... I still love the total of this absolutely photoshopped photo of Teresa de Zarn in Canada:

[whatithinkaboutdarkshadows]

Episode 531: A blazing light