#commander tung

[r1-jw-lover]

Chinese Idioms and Proverbs

What if swords in Mulan 2020 had actual Chinese sayings instead of “loyal, brave, true” as engravings. 

1. Hua Mulan:

日久见人心 (rì jiǔ jiàn rén xīn)

This is actually just the second half of the proverb "路遥知马力，日久见人心", which translates to “distance tests a horse’s strength, time reveals a person’s character”. I’m only taking the second half for simplicity’s sake. Besides, 日久见人心 on its own manages to cover the meaning & intention behind the whole saying in my opinion. 

日久见人心 (“time reveals one’s heart”) beautifully encompasses Mulan’s story of disguising as a man in place of her father to go to war solely out of love for her father, all while proving her capabilities along the way and coming to slowly accept & embrace her truest expression of her self, making this saying more than worthy to be engraved onto Mulan's new sword.

2. Hua Zhou:

逆境出人才 (nì jìng chū rén cái)

逆境出人才 has the meaning of “adversary breeds talent/flair”. This saying could reflect in some way Hua Zhou’s adamant attitude when faced with life’s situations/decisions, e.g. insisting he must serve the army even though he’s frail & had done his part before. (I like to speculate his stubborn determination was the reason he managed to accomplish much & got far as a soldier during his prime, therefore earning his sword engravings and becoming highly-regarded in the military.)

However, I chose this proverb not as much because I think it would be suitable for Hua Zhou’s character, but rather for how it will affect Mulan’s journey in her training to become a soldier when she took her father’s sword to war. (It’s the sword with the most screen time, by the way.) The engravings would serve as a reminder as well as an encouragement for her to strive to be the best warrior she could be. 

As Mulan develops as a person, the old "逆境出人才" nicely transitions into the new "日久见人心" in poetic fashion. Plus, both would go along neatly with the “pattern” of five-character sword engravings running through the Hua family, in this case. 

3. Commander Tung:

否极泰来 (pǐ jí tài lái)

For Commander Tung, 否极泰来 (meaning “peace comes after extreme evil”) would sound really cool & badass for a general like him (one who’s played by Donnie Yen no less) to the point where I feel like he would totally own it on the battlefield without a question. 

4. Sergeant Qiang:

惩前毖后 (chéng qián bì hòu)

Remember that second-in-command who’s strict and uptight about Mulan & her comrades’ performance and was given the “we’ll make a man out of every single one of you” line? I did. 

惩前毖后 (literally “punish first, prevent later”) has the meaning of criticizing or learning from past mistakes to avoid future ones and preventing them from happening again. Very fitting for Sergeant Qiang’s personality, and it gives extra insight into why he acted so strictly towards the new recruits. 

5. The Emperor:

尽忠报国 (jìn zhōng bào guó)

You may recognize this saying because it was popularized by Chinese folk hero & semi-historical figure Yue Fei (similar to Mulan). As you can tell, 尽忠报国 has everything to do with “loyal devotion to your country”. 

While such an engraving is befitting of an emperor’s sword, I think it would be hilarious seeing the other main characters having sword engravings that have their own poetic/badass meanings whereas the Emperor’s is probably the most basic shit you could put on a sword. 

6. Chen Honghui:

知音难觅 (zhī yīn nán mì)

Considering Chen Honghui’s role in Mulan’s journey, I think 知音难觅 would make a unique sword engraving for him since this idiom is one that’s about friendship.

The idiom means “an intimate friend is hard to find”, and seeing that Honghui had been nothing but an ally of Mulan through and through, there’s no other saying best encompassing his character. Since he’s staying in the military, I like to believe he would go on to become a leader that’s known to be supportive, encouraging & even caring not only to his peers but also his juniors as well. 

Tagging @delphiniumblooms :)

[mulan-lover]

There's not a moment I'm awake where I do not think about the missed potential of Mulan and Commander Tung's mentor-mentee dynamic from the 2020 movie (something which I tried to rectify in my own fanfic canon rewrite).

I mean, putting aside the obvious like Donnie Yen being completely wasted in the film despite getting second place in the cast credits after the lead actress herself, Disney has had the opportunity to flesh out a dynamic that wasn't explored at all in any other Mulan-related media.

Over years and years of adaptations and retellings, Mulan has had close relationships with her father, her love interest, her friends and comrades-in-arms, even her sisters (by blood or by oath) and whichever Emperor/Khan/ruler of her time, but never did she really have a mentor. If such a character even exists, if he doesn't backstab her in battle down the line his only contribution to the story is trying to matchmake male-Mulan with his daughter and that's it.

Commander Tung also have these scenes, but you also have someone who had had history with Mulan's father and turns into a mentor/second father figure for Mulan, who cares and looks out for her and maybe even proud of her until her true gender is revealed. He feels betrayed but still cannot bear to execute her so he disowns her and throws her out of the army, but not for long because he turns back around to support Mulan at the end of the day.

I couldn't stop thinking about the prospect of Mulan and Commander Tung's dynamic being the focus of the movie, how delicious and emotional and raw it could have been especially standing in contrast to Mulan's focal relationship with her father. But the director/creative team is too focused on the "girl power" marketing and we all know Disney is too stupid and lazy and money-hungry and downright evil to begin with and I feel like I'm giving way too much credit when I'm putting in more creative effort than any of these professionals.

[edenesth]

ATEEZ as Disney Princes

Pairing(s): disney prince!ateez x disney princess!reader

Word Count: 14.4k

A/N: The title says it all. I thought it'd be fun to do something like this for the first time, deviating from my usual one member per story format teehee. Special thanks to my one and only, my pookie, @itstheghostofmypast, for helping me decide which Disney princes San, Mingi, and Wooyoung should be💘

ATEEZ MASTERLIST

Hongjoong ↠ Li Shang (Mulan)

• Leadership • Discipline • Protector •

"The Huns have struck here, here, and here," the senior General Kim pointed to the map, his voice steady and commanding. "I will lead the main troops to the Tung Shao Pass and stop Shan-Yu before he destroys this village. You will stay behind and train the new recruits. When Chi Fu believes you're ready, you will join us, Captain."

"Captain?" Hongjoong repeated, his voice filled with disbelief. This was the moment he had been dreaming of for as long as he could remember. He had trained the hardest and longest among his batch, fighting tirelessly to prove his worth to his commanding officer. It was finally his time to shine and demonstrate his capabilities.

"I believe you will do an excellent job," General Kim affirmed.

"Oh, I will. I won't let you down, sir," the younger man replied with determination.

It was during the Imperial dynasty in China that, as the Huns attempted to invade, the nation plunged into war. Yet, not all hope was lost. The young and fiery Captain Hongjoong was assigned to take charge of the new recruits. He would motivate them and push them to reach their full potential. His ability to inspire and lead by example would soon become evident as he transformed a group of untrained soldiers into a disciplined unit.

⁞

Throughout the training, Hongjoong enforces strict discipline among his soldiers. He sets high standards and expectations, ensuring that the recruits develop the necessary skills and physical conditioning through rigorous exercises. His disciplined approach is crucial in preparing them for the challenges ahead.

You would know this firsthand. Despite your best efforts, you had lost hope, feeling out of place because, at the end of the day, you were not a man. But Hongjoong didn't know that. No one in the camp knew.

"You're unsuited for the rage of war. So pack up and go home," he had said, shaking his head in disappointment as he stalked off.

There was something about him that made you want to fight harder, to prove that you could do what the other soldiers could. To his pleasant surprise, he emerged from his tent the following morning to see your fellow soldiers applauding you for successfully completing the toughest task in the camp.

This was exactly what he wanted to see.

You used to fear him for his harsh and uncompromising behaviour, but now you understand. In the face of war, no one would show you kindness or consideration. Captain Hongjoong was doing exactly what he needed to prepare everyone for that reality.

⁞

"You think your troops are ready to fight?" Chi Fu scoffed. "They wouldn't last a minute against the Huns!"

Hongjoong scowled, clenching his fists. "They completed their training."

"Those boys are no more fit to be soldiers than you are to be a captain. Once the general reads my report, your troops will never see battle," Chi Fu sneered, gesturing for the younger man to leave.

"We're not finished!" Hongjoong called out, grabbing the man's arm.

"Be careful, Captain. The general may be your father, but I am the Emperor's counsel. And I got that job on my own. You're dismissed," Chi Fu said snarkily, pulling open the flap of his tent.

There it was—the comment Hongjoong hated most. Being called the son of General Kim. He had heard enough whispers of nepotism, undermining his hard-earned success. He didn't want to be seen as just the general's son; he had worked tirelessly to earn his position.

He stormed out of the tent, surprised to see you standing there. "Hey, I'll hold him, and you punch," you joked nervously, but he frowned and continued walking. "Or not." You bit your lip as he walked away. "For what it's worth, I think you're a great captain."

His steps faltered for a moment, and he turned to meet your eyes briefly. In that fleeting glance, his eyes seemed to show what looked like a hint of appreciation before he continued on his way.

At least someone still believed in him.

⁞

And that someone was… a girl.

Hongjoong discovered this during the mountain battle when the Huns ambushed and you saved him. You had lied, fooling everyone, even him. How dare you? How dare you… try to save your father's life by volunteering to fight in the war? After the initial feelings of disappointment and betrayal, he realised just how brave you were—a quality that put cowardly men to shame.

Not only that, your perseverance had ended up saving China, something he couldn't have done without you.

Guilt overwhelmed him after leaving you behind, injured and alone on the snowy mountain, after you had risked your life to save his. The image of you lying vulnerable and exposed in the small tent haunted him—your hair finally let down, revealing your true identity; your petite frame contrasting with the fabric tightly wrapped around your chest to hide your gender. In his emotional turmoil at the time, he had abandoned you. But if he could do it over, he knew he would have done everything differently to protect you.

That's why he was determined to make up for his mistake by protecting you now, even though he knew deep down that he would have protected you regardless.

"Where is she?! Now she's done it! What a mess! Stand aside! That creature's not worth protecting," the Emperor's counsel screeched, trying to push past Hongjoong, who was shielding you. He gestured toward the destroyed portion of the palace from your earlier battle with Shan-Yu and his men.

The captain stood his ground. "She's a hero."

"She's a woman. She'll never be worth anything."

"Listen, you pompous..." Hongjoong growled, grabbing Chi Fu by the collar.

"That's enough!" the Emperor roared, breaking the two apart. The focus shifted to what was truly important: the fact that the war was finally over, thanks to a certain female warrior.

⁞

While Hongjoong possessed exceptional leadership skills, discipline, and a protective nature, he still had moments of foolishness.

"You, uhh... you fight good."

Was that all he could muster? After everything you had been through together, perhaps you were overthinking it. Maybe he didn't see you in that way at all. Maybe you were just another good soldier to him.

"Oh. Thank you."

Like an idiot, he watched you depart, a sense of longing tugging at his heart. Unbeknownst to him, the Emperor appeared beside him, clearing his throat before speaking, "The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all."

"Sir?" Hongjoong blinked in confusion.

"You don't meet a girl like that in every dynasty," the Emperor remarked, indirectly calling the captain a fool, shaking his head in disbelief before returning to the palace.

Finally grasping the meaning behind His Excellency's words, Captain Hongjoong hastily mounted the nearest horse and rode swiftly to your family estate. He should have recognised the affection he felt for you sooner. Gosh, he truly had been clueless.

He arrived just in time to interrupt your tearful reunion with your father. "Uhh… you forgot your helmet!" he stuttered, turning awkwardly to the elderly man beside you, the one you had gone to war for. "W-well, actually, it's your helmet, isn't it? I mean…"

You suppressed a smile, feeling your heart flutter as you understood his obvious reason for visiting. Stepping closer to him, you reached out to accept the helmet. "Would you like to stay for dinner?"

He blushed. "Dinner would be great."

Seonghwa ↠ Prince Charming (Cinderella)

• Gentlemanly • Graceful • Loyal •

"Miss! Are you alright?" the prince called out after helping you rein in your horse, which had been racing out of control. You huffed in frustration. "I'm fine, but you nearly scared the life out of him."

He frowned, confused. "Who?"

"The stag," you replied incredulously. How could he act so innocent when he and his group had been hunting down a poor creature? "What did he ever do to you to deserve being chased like that?"

His Highness struggled to suppress the smile tugging at his lips. The way you spoke of the animal as if it were a dear friend was endearing, and he could see that you genuinely cared for the animal. Not many girls your age, at least those he had met, would show such compassion. "Miss, what do they call you?"

Your smile faltered, memories of the cruel names your stepmother and stepsisters used flashing in your mind. "It doesn't matter what they call me."

"You shouldn't be this deep in the forest alone," he pointed out.

"I'm not alone. I'm with you, Mister...?" you said lightly, before pausing and glancing at him curiously. "What do they call you?"

Realising you had no clue who he was, he chuckled. "You don't know who I am?" His expression softened when he saw that you truly didn't recognise him. "Well... they call me Seonghwa. At least, my father does when he's in a good mood."

There was something refreshing about meeting someone who didn't know his royal identity, and he felt strangely free at this moment. Determined to keep it that way, he quickly came up with white lies to conceal the truth. Just then, you noticed the group of men who had been hunting with him gallop by, and you swallowed nervously. "You'll leave the stag alone, won't you?"

He paused, captivated by your sincerity and beauty—both inside and out—before nodding slowly. "I will."

⁞

"If I must marry, why not a good, honest country girl?" Seonghwa slyly suggested, posing for his portrait as part of the preparations for the royal ball, where he was expected to find a bride. Ever since meeting you that day in the woods, you hadn't left his thoughts.

The Grand Duke barely held back a chuckle. "And how many strong alliances will this 'good, honest country girl' provide us? How will she strengthen the kingdom? We are a small nation surrounded by powerful states, Your Royal Highness, and it's a dangerous world."

His Majesty sighed at the man's sarcastic tone and approached his son. "Listen, boy. I want to see you safe—and the kingdom secure."

Seonghwa's expression darkened at the gentle rejection. "Alright, Father, but on one condition. Let the invitations go to everyone, not just the nobility. The wars have brought grief to all of us."

That was all it took to set things in motion. "A ball for the people, a princess for the prince," the advisor muttered, unaware of how determined His Highness truly was. His plan to see you again was falling into place.

Days later, as you wandered through the town market, you heard the town crier make the announcement. "Know that in two weeks, a Royal Ball will be held at the palace. At said ball, in accordance with ancient custom, the prince shall choose a bride. Furthermore, by the prince's request, it is hereby declared that every maiden in the kingdom, be she noble or commoner, is invited to attend. Such is the command of our most noble king."

Eager to see the apprentice—at least, that's what he claimed to be—whom you'd met in the forest just the other day, you rushed home to share the news with your stepmother and stepsisters, brimming with excitement. But, of course, things were not going to unfold the way you had hoped.

⁞

"You shall not go to the ball!" were your stepmother's cruel words after she ripped apart your mother's old gown.

Yet here you stood, in front of everyone in the grand hall, now adorned in a magical gown and sparkling glass slippers, thanks to your fairy godmother. The prince's face lit up the moment he saw you, gazing at you like you were the most beautiful girl in the world—and to him, you were. No one could ever compare.

"Mr. Seonghwa," you called softly as the crowd parted, allowing you to approach him. His heart melted at the sound of his name on your lips. "It's you, isn't it?" he asked, smiling. "It is," you replied with a smile of your own.

Gathering his courage, he swallowed nervously. "If I may—it would be the greatest honour if you'd allow me to lead you in this first dance."

Your heart fluttered, and you nodded. With your permission, he wrapped his arm around your waist, pulling you close. The proximity made your breath hitch as your hand rested on his shoulder. He spun you around, and for a moment, you caught the eyes of the crowd. "They're all looking at you," you whispered, turning to face him again.

He smiled softly, shaking his head. "Trust me, they're all looking at you." In that moment, nothing else mattered to him but you. Holding you close, he couldn't tear his eyes away, not even for a second. He could stay like this forever.

⁞

"So, you're the prince!" you exclaimed as he led you away from the crowd into a secluded room, offering you both a moment of peace and quiet.

"Not the prince, exactly," he replied with a playful grin. "There are plenty of princes in the world. I'm just a prince."

You chuckled softly. "But your name's not really Seonghwa, is it?"

He laughed. "Oh, it is. My father still calls me that—especially when he's not too irritated with me."

As you both shared a laugh, your eyes landed on a portrait hanging on the wall. "Is that you?" you asked curiously, moving toward it.

He sighed. "Ugh, I hate how I look in paintings. Don't you?"

You shrugged. "No one's ever painted my portrait."

He paused, his gaze softening as he looked at you. "No? Well, they should."

For a brief moment, time seemed to stand still as you stared at one another, neither wanting the moment to end. Reluctant to part from you, Seonghwa led you out into the palace garden.

"What's bothering you?" you asked, noticing the flicker of concern in his eyes as you strolled down the grassy paths.

He forced a smile. "When I go back, they'll try to marry me off to a lady of their choosing. I'm expected to marry for political advantage."

You gave him a gentle smile. "But surely you have a right to follow your own heart."

He sighed, wishing that were true. Not wanting the evening to end just yet, he guided you to a hidden spot. "A secret garden," you murmured in awe, stepping into the beautiful, secluded space. In the centre stood a swing, and at his insistence, he pushed you gently, laughing together until one of your glass slippers slipped off.

Like the gentleman he was, Seonghwa immediately knelt down to help you put it back on. Once it was secure, you found yourself sitting close to him, your breaths catching as he remained on his knees, gazing up at you.

"Won't you tell me who you really are?" he asked softly, a hint of desperation in his voice.

You swallowed nervously. "If I do, everything might change."

His expression tugged at your heart. "I don't understand... Can you at least tell me your name?"

You hesitated, then whispered, "My name is—"

The loud chime of the clock rang out, striking midnight. Panic surged through you. "I have to go! It's... hard to explain. Thank you for a wonderful evening. I've loved every moment!" were your final words as you hurried away.

⁞

"Miss, you are requested and required to present yourself before your king," said the captain of the royal guard, as your cruel stepmother finally unlocked the door to your attic room.

The king...?

That could only mean Seonghwa, with his father having recently passed. Despite your stepmother's desperate attempts to stop you, she could no longer keep you from meeting him. With nervous breaths, you made your way down to the living hall where he waited. Would you be enough? There was no magic to help you now.

"Who are you?" he asked, holding the single glass slipper in his hand.

With a deep breath, you finally spoke your truth. "Your Majesty, I'm no princess. I have no carriage, no parents, and no dowry. I don't even know if that beautiful slipper will fit. But if it does, will you take me as I am? An honest country girl who loves you."

A soft smile spread across his face. His loyalty has only ever been to you and only you from the very beginning. "Of course I will. But only if you will take me as I am."

In that final moment of truth, you sat before him just like that night, and without hesitation, Seonghwa gently slipped the shoe onto your foot. It fit perfectly. After searching the entire kingdom to find you, you were finally here, his at last.

A few days later, you stood beside him in a wedding gown, facing the people as their queen. "My Queen," he whispered, cupping your face amidst the cheers of the crowd.

"My Hwa," you murmured, just before he pressed his lips firmly against yours.

Yunho ↠ Prince Phillip (Sleeping Beauty)

• Brave • Romantic • Strong-willed •

"We want you to go pick some berries! Lots of berries! But take your time, dear. Don't wander too far, and remember—no talking to strangers! Goodbye, dear," your three godmothers chimed in unison as you waved them off. They were so charmingly silly, and though you knew they were up to something for your 16th birthday, you played along and agreed to leave the cosy little cottage you'd grown up in.

What you didn't know was that your godmothers were feeling bittersweet. After the celebration, they would be returning you to your true parents—the king and queen. They had kept you hidden all these years from Maleficent's curse, and now, believing it was finally safe, they prepared to send you home. Or so they thought.

Completely unaware of this, you happily made your way to the forest where you often spent your days, swinging the empty basket in your hand and singing a familiar tune.

Not far off, Yunho caught the sound of your voice—the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. He pulled his horse to a stop, biting his lip in wonder. "What is that? It's... beautiful." Turning toward the source of the melody, he couldn't resist. "Come on, let's go find out."

In his haste to reach you, his horse galloped ahead, easily leaping over a low log—unfortunately, not quite low enough for the prince. Yunho yelped as he was thrown into a shallow pond, landing with a splash. He groaned, unamused, as his horse sheepishly returned, having noticed his rider was no longer on board.

So much for chasing the magical voice. Now he was stuck with wet clothes, needing to dry off before he could continue his search.

⁞

"Why do they still treat me like a child? They never let me meet anyone..." you sighed, speaking to the animals gathered around you. "But guess what? I tricked them. I have met someone—a prince. He's tall, handsome, and... so romantic. We walk together, talk together, and just before we say goodbye, he takes me in his arms, and then..." you teased with a playful smile. "I wake up."

"Yes, it's only in my dreams."

Pushing aside your wistful thoughts, you continued to sing softly while gathering berries. But to your surprise, another voice joined in—a deep, masculine voice. Before you knew it, a pair of arms gently mirrored the way yours had been swaying in your daydream.

"Oh. Oh!" you gasped, pulling away as you realised this wasn't a dream. A man was standing before you, real and not imagined. Not wanting to frighten you, he kept his distance and bowed politely. "I'm terribly sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

You blinked, trying to calm your racing heart as you took in his features—he looked exactly like the man you had seen in your dreams. "Oh, it's not that... it's just that you're a..."

As you instinctively stepped back, he gently reached for your hand. "A stranger?" he finished for you, and you nodded. Before you could pull away, he smiled and held on softly. "But don't you remember? We've met before."

"We... have?" you whispered, your voice faltering.

He nodded, a cheeky grin spreading across his face. "Of course. You said so yourself. Once upon a dream."

You couldn't help the smile tugging at your lips as you turned away, amused by how he cleverly quoted your song. At first, you resisted, but soon you found yourself in his arms, dancing to the tune you had been singing. Except this time, you were no longer alone—you were dancing with him.

As if caught in a dream, you eventually leaned into him, resting your head on his shoulder as the two of you stood beneath a tree, gazing out at the beautiful view. His voice was soft when he asked, "Who are you? What's your name?"

"My name..." you started, staring up into his eyes, momentarily mesmerised by them. You almost gave him your name, but then reality hit you—you didn't even know him. With a gasp, you pulled away from his hold. "No, no, I can't. I—I have to go! Goodbye!"

Yunho panicked, not ready to let you slip away. Call it love at first sight, but he knew, deep down, you were the one. "But when will I see you again?" he called out, his eyes filled with longing as he watched you retreat into the forest.

"Tonight! At the cottage in the glen!" you blurted out, against your better judgement. Deep down, you couldn't bear the thought of leaving and never seeing him again either.

⁞

"This is the happiest day of my life!" you exclaimed, admiring the beautiful dress and the delicious cake your godmothers had made for you. "Everything is so perfect. Just wait until you meet him!"

"Him? Y-you've met a stranger?" one of the fairies asked, concerned.

You smiled dreamily. "Oh, he's not a stranger. We've met before—once upon a dream."

The fairies exchanged worried glances, their hearts breaking as they realised... you were in love. "Oh no, this is terrible. You're already betrothed."

"Betrothed?" Your heart sank.

"Since the day you were born, dear. To Prince Yunho."

You frowned in disbelief. "But that's impossible! How could I marry a prince? I'd have to be..."

"A princess," they finished for you. "And you are, dear. Tonight, we're taking you back to your father, King Stefan."

Shaking your head, you struggled to process the sudden revelation. "But... I can't! He's coming here tonight. I promised to meet him."

"We're sorry, child, but you must never see that young man again," one of them said softly.

It felt like a cruel joke. Just when you had finally met the man of your dreams, it all crumbled. That night, you cried yourself to sleep, your 16th birthday turning into something far from the magical day you had hoped for. And it was only going to get worse.

With a curse of eternal sleep.

⁞

"Oh, come now, Prince Yunho. Why so melancholy?" Maleficent's sinister voice echoed through the dungeon as he lifted his head, his hands shackled in heavy chains. She had trapped him during his visit to your vacant cottage and now kept him imprisoned on her Forbidden Mountain. "A wondrous future lies before you," she mocked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You, the destined hero of a charming fairy tale come true."

With a wave of her hand over the glowing crystal ball atop her staff, she smirked. "Behold, King Stefan's castle." A vision slowly materialised in the crystal, and his heart sank.

"In the highest tower, dreaming of her true love, lies the princess," Maleficent sneered. "But in a cruel twist of fate, this sleeping beauty is none other than the peasant girl who won your heart just yesterday." Her grin widened as the image shifted. "In an ageless sleep, she rests, untouched by time. A hundred years will pass in the blink of an eye for a steadfast heart."

The crystal revealed an older, wearier version of His Highness. "And now, the gates of the dungeon open, and our valiant prince rides forth, tall and noble, to wake his love with a kiss—proving that true love conquers all!"

Her wicked laughter filled the air as the prince surged to his feet, straining against the chains. The revelation hit him hard—you were his betrothed all along. His heart shattered at the sight of you, cursed to an endless sleep. But he refused to wait idly for a century. No matter the cost, even if it took his life, nothing would stop him from reaching you and breaking the spell.

⁞

Through trials that nearly cost him his life more than once, Yunho pressed on, driven by a love that burned stronger than fear. Every step, every swing of his sword, had been for you. Now, as he climbed the winding staircase of the tower where you lay, his heart pounded louder than it ever had. Strangely, facing you was far more terrifying than battling a dragon or plummeting from a cliff.

What if his kiss didn't wake you? What if he wasn't the one you dreamed of all this time? His mind raced with doubts, but all of them vanished the moment he laid eyes on you.

There you were, peacefully resting, untouched by the passage of time. His breath caught in his throat as he knelt beside you, his hands trembling slightly, almost afraid that if he reached out, you might disappear like a fading dream. Gently, he lifted a hand to brush your hair away from your face, his fingers lingering as they drifted down to caress your cheek. The softness of your skin beneath his touch made his heart clench. God, you were beautiful. Even in this endless sleep, you were breathtaking, and the thought that you were his—the one his heart had longed for—was almost too much to believe.

Ignoring the wild rhythm of his heartbeat, he leaned in closer. He hesitated, his lips hovering above yours, terrified and hopeful. Slowly, he closed the distance, pressing his lips tenderly against yours, his touch as gentle as a whisper. Time seemed to stand still. His entire world narrowed down to that single, precious moment.

Then, something incredible happened. He felt you stir, your lips moving ever so softly in response to his. Tears welled up in his eyes as he pulled back slightly, his gaze searching your face, desperate to see the miracle of your awakening. "Please," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion, "come back to me."

A soft smile played on your lips as your eyes fluttered open. "I'm here, stranger," you murmured. Yunho let out a tearful laugh, pure joy flooding his heart as you wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him in for another kiss. Nothing had ever felt so perfect.

Yeosang ↠ Hercules (Hercules)

• Strength • Determination • Humility •

A scream pierced the air, and without a second thought, Yeosang urged Pegasus to dive down past the clouds toward the waterfall, where a damsel was clearly in distress. This was it—his first real chance to prove himself as a true hero. Soon enough, he'd restore his godhood and join his parents back in Olympus.

"I swear, Nessus, put me down or I'll—" you growled, struggling in the grasp of the River Guardian, a centaur who was supposed to be an ally on your mission for Hades, but he was proving to be more trouble than he was worth.

"Ooh, I like 'em fiery," the creature sneered, pulling you closer as you tried in vain to wriggle free.

The hero-in-training gasped, his blood boiling at the sight of you being manhandled. Not on his watch. Ignoring his trainer's advice to assess the situation, he charged forward recklessly. Phil groaned. "This kid is losing hero points fast!"

"Halt!" Yeosang called out, though his voice wavered when Nessus towered over him. "Excuse me, sir," he continued, much to the centaur's surprise. Who was this polite little pest? "I'll have to ask you to release that young la—"

You shot him a frustrated look. "Keep walking, junior."

He blinked, confused. "But... aren't you a damsel in distress?"

"I'm a damsel, I'm in distress," you snapped. "I can handle it. Have a nice day." Despite your sarcastic smile, you were still stuck in the centaur's grip, struggling to break free.

Yeosang, however, wasn't one to give up so easily. A bit flustered by your brush-off, he unsheathed his sword. "Ma'am, I think you might be too close to the situation to—" Before he could finish, Nessus sent him flying across the field.

After several clumsy attempts and a lot of trial and error, he finally managed to free you from the River Guardian's hold, though you both ended up soaked in the river. Quickly, he lifted you out of the water as if you weighed nothing and set you gently on a nearby log. "Oh, gosh, miss, I'm really sorry. That was... kind of dumb."

"Yeah," you replied with a crooked smile, wringing out your hair. Before you could say anything more, he dashed back into the fray. You smirked, amused by his naive determination and innocent sense of righteousness. It had been a while since you'd seen such a genuine do-gooder. "Is Wonderboy here for real?"

⁞

"So, did they give you a name to go with all those rippling pectorals?" you teased, bending over to adjust the skirt of your dress.

The hero's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water as he stared at you, now bathed in the golden light of the sunset. You were a sight for sore eyes—more beautiful than Aphrodite herself, he dared to think.

He chuckled nervously, stammering like a shy schoolboy. "Uh, I'm—I… uh…"

You smirked, standing back up and retrieving the shoes he had been awkwardly holding for you. "Are you always this articulate?"

"Yeosang!" he blurted out, watching you walk away. "My... my name's Yeosang!"

Making your way to a nearby log to sit down, you glanced up at him with a playful grin. "Yeosang, huh? I think I prefer Wonderboy."

He bit his lip, completely unaware of how poorly he was hiding his emotions. It was obvious to anyone that he was completely mesmerised by you. "So, how'd you get tangled up with that..."

"Pinhead with hooves? Oh, you know how men are. They think 'no' means 'yes' and 'get lost' means 'take me, I'm yours,'" you quipped, your voice dripping with sarcasm. He blinked, clearly confused by your response. You rolled your eyes and gestured toward his trainer. "Don't worry, shorty here will explain it to you later."

Phil shot you an irritated glare, but you just waved him off. "Well, thanks for everything, Yeo. It's been a real slice."

You had barely taken a few steps when the hero called after you again, his voice full of determination. "Wait! Can we give you a ride?"

You glanced at Pegasus and Phil, both clearly unimpressed with you, and smirked. "Nah, I'll be fine. I'm a big, tough girl. I tie my own sandals and everything."

Leaning in, you gave him a quick boop on the nose, chuckling as he stood there with that dreamy smile still plastered on his face. "Bye-bye, Wonderboy."

⁞

You hadn't expected to see him again so soon, but there he was, and you had to act fast. Running up to him, you let out a false cry. "Please! Help! There's been a terrible accident!" You hated dragging him into this, but with Hades holding your freedom hostage, you had no choice. You had to lure him into the trap.

The hero's face brightened the moment he saw you, your name escaping his lips with excitement. After his earlier failure in Thebes, seeing you lifted his spirits. He needed this—he needed you.

"Wonderboy! Yeosang! Thank goodness!" you exclaimed, stumbling into his arms with an air of desperation. His grip on you tightened protectively, his eyes wide with concern. "What's wrong?" he asked, his voice full of worry.

Sniffling, you wiped your fake tears away. "Outside of town... two little boys. They were playing in the gorge. There was a terrible rockslide. They're trapped!"

"Kids? Trapped? This is my chance! Come on!" Before you could object, he had already hoisted you onto Pegasus despite your protests. "No, wait! I... I have a terrible fear of heights!" But it was too late—you were already in the sky, holding on tightly as the wind whipped past.

When you finally arrived, he noticed how shaken you seemed. His brow furrowed in concern. "Are you okay?"

You nodded weakly. "I'll be fine." But even then, he gently pulled you close, helping you down. The flutter in your chest was unwelcome—you shouldn't feel this way. You stayed back, watching as he rushed forward, unaware of the Hydra waiting to destroy him. Hades had set it up perfectly, and this was Yeosang's end. You should have focused on your own survival, but you couldn't help whispering under your breath, "Get out of here while you still can..."

Despite everything, he wasn't deterred. Time and again, he fought against what seemed like a certain defeat, his determination unshakable. Even after facing near death, he refused to give up, ultimately defeating the monster.

As much as you hated to admit it, seeing him fight with such bravery and resolve stirred something inside you. His courage, his power—it only deepened your admiration for him.

⁞

"Wow, what a day," Yeosang said with a wide grin, descending the stairs into the picturesque garden. "First, that restaurant by the bay, and then the play!" His voice was animated, clearly still buzzing from the events of your date. Meanwhile, you struggled to maintain your smile, Hades' voice echoing in your mind with his latest demand. His patience was thinning after so many failed attempts. Now, he wanted you to find the hero's weakness.

When he turned to you, thanking you for such a wonderful time, you winced inwardly. "Don't thank me just yet," you muttered, setting your plan into motion. You deliberately tripped on the stairs, conveniently falling into his strong arms.

"Oops! Weak ankles," you murmured, biting your lip as you savoured the feeling of being so close to him. His grip was firm yet gentle.

"Yeah? Maybe you should sit down for a bit," he suggested like the gentleman he always was, carrying you over to a bench and setting you down with care. But how long would he stay a gentleman?

You shrugged, letting one of your dress straps slide down your shoulder, flashing him a seductive smile. "So, do you have any problems like this?" you asked, testing the waters as you slowly lifted one leg onto his lap. "Weak ankles, I mean."

His eyes widened, and he cleared his throat, gently but firmly pushing your leg back down. "Oh, no. Not really..." he stammered, inching away while you leaned in closer.

"No weaknesses at all?" you teased, pressing against his chest. "No trick knee? Ruptured discs?"

Yeosang just chuckled nervously, his face reddening. Instead of falling for your flirtation, he reached over and pulled your strap back over your shoulder. "Nope. I'm... fit as a fiddle," he said, quickly moving away toward the fountain, where he clumsily tossed a coin and knocked over a statue.

You sighed, walking over to him. "Wonderboy, you're perfect," you muttered with a teasing laugh. Time seemed to freeze as your eyes met his, a flicker of something different passing between you. Biting your lip, you quickly looked away. Maybe, just maybe, he really was different from the men who had hurt you before.

⁞

"You know, when I was a kid, I would've given anything to be just like everyone else," Yeosang said softly, his eyes tracing the path of a shooting star across the night sky.

You scoffed, crossing your arms as you moved away to sit by the water, staring at your reflection with a bitter frown. "You wanted to be petty and dishonest?" You knew what people were like—you were one of them.

His smile faltered. "Not everyone's like that."

"Yes, they are," you whispered, more to yourself than to him.

"You're not like that," he said gently, appearing behind you. You smirked, feeling a tightness in your throat as you tried to keep your emotions in check. "How do you know what I'm like?" you croaked, wishing he'd stop making it so hard for you.

"All I know is you're the most amazing person with weak ankles I've ever met," he teased, his voice full of warmth. You chuckled until he continued, "When I'm with you, I don't feel so alone."

You avoided his gaze, your heart aching. "Sometimes it's better to be alone."

His smile faltered again. "What do you mean?"

You swallowed hard, your voice barely a whisper. "Nobody can hurt you."

He sat down beside you, reaching out to take your hands in his. "I would never, ever hurt you."

If only he knew...

Before you could say anything, he was already leaning in. Against your better judgement, your eyes fluttered closed, anticipation hanging between you. But just as your lips were about to meet, Pegasus and Phil appeared, breaking the moment and pulling Yeosang back to his training.

"I'm sorry for getting you in trouble," you murmured, feeling conflicted.

He just smiled, shaking his head, and handed you a small flower, gently pressing a kiss to your cheek. As he walked away, you were left behind—completely a mess.

⁞

"Wonderboy, why did you…?" you croaked, your voice weak after returning from death—literally. Yeosang had been crushed when he learned of your betrayal, discovering you had been working for Hades all along. But as you sacrificed yourself to save him, he realised none of that mattered anymore. Why hadn't he thought deeper about your reasons? If only he had understood that maybe you didn't have a choice.

In his selfless determination to exchange his life for yours, he had finally become a true hero. Tears welled up in his eyes as he helped you to your feet, pulling you gently back into his loving arms. "People always do crazy things when they're in love," he whispered—the same words you had said to him before your death.

So, he had felt the same all along.

"Now, at last, my son, you can come home," Zeus said, resting a proud hand on Yeosang's shoulder as he gestured to the now-open gates of Mount Olympus. The hero, now a god, beamed as the other gods swarmed him, celebrating his return.

From afar, you watched with a fading smile. Of course, he belonged to a different world. You were foolish to think you could ever truly be with him. "Congratulations, Wonderboy. You'll make one heck of a god," you whispered to yourself, turning to walk away.

But while the heavens rejoiced, Yeosang only had eyes for one person. His heart sank when he saw you leaving. "Father, this is the moment I've dreamed of my whole life, but…" He trailed off, racing after you and catching your hand. "A life without her, even an immortal life, would be empty. I… I wish to stay on Earth with her. I finally know where I belong."

And with that, he pulled you into his arms, the divine glow fading as he leaned in, his lips meeting yours at last.

San ↠ Kristoff (Frozen)

• Down-to-earth • Hardworking • Quirky •

"I was just wondering... has another young woman, maybe the queen, passed through here?" you asked, trying to sound casual, even though the bitter cold from Elsa's winter had you shivering uncontrollably. You were gathering what supplies you could from Wandering Oaken's Trading Post on your journey to find your sister. You needed to fix this, and to do that, she had to return to Arendelle.

"The only one crazy enough to be out in this storm is you, dear," the store owner chuckled, and you offered him an awkward smile. Before you could respond, the door suddenly swung open and slammed shut just as quickly. A man, completely covered in snow—literally—stepped in with a weary sigh, shaking off the frost by the entrance.

"You and this fellow," Oaken added, gesturing to the newcomer.

Without a word, the man walked straight to the counter, forcing you to step aside awkwardly. "Carrots," he muttered, stepping closer.

"Huh?" you blinked, confused by how close he was.

"Behind you," he clarified, and you realised you were blocking the carrots he was reaching for. Feeling a bit foolish, you quickly moved aside. "Oh! Right, sorry."

Through his conversation with the store owner, you caught a crucial piece of information. "The North Mountain..." you murmured to yourself, eyes narrowing in thought. That must be where Elsa had gone. At least now you had a lead—north it was.

"That'll be forty," Oaken said, ringing up the man's items.

"Forty? No, ten," the man countered, clearly unimpressed.

Deep in thought, you barely registered the tense negotiation between the two, both stubborn and unwilling to compromise. You only snapped back when you heard the man explain his dilemma—he sold ice for a living, and in this weather, he wasn't making any money. "Look, ten is all I've got. Help me out."

Before Oaken could respond, you jumped in. "Wait, just tell me one thing. What's happening on the North Mountain? Did it seem… magical?" There was desperation in your voice.

With an exasperated sigh, the man pulled down his scarf, revealing, to your surprise, a strikingly handsome face. For a second, you had thought him a brute. "Yes! Now back off while I deal with this crook."

Big mistake. The store owner stood up from his seat, towering over the both of you like a giant. "What did you call me?" And before the man knew it, he was tossed out of the shop—minus his carrots.

⁞

"Nice duet," you quipped, pushing open the door to the shack where you heard the man from earlier, now singing and impersonating his reindeer, Sven.

Startled, San jumped up defensively, only to relax with a sigh when he saw it was just you. "It's you again. What do you want?"

Taking a deep breath, you stepped forward with determination. "I want you to take me up the North Mountain."

He remained unimpressed, sinking back down to resume his sleep. "I don't take people places."

You should've known it wouldn't be that easy. "Let me rephrase," you said, tossing a bag at him. He jolted up, wheezing from the impact. "Take me up the North Mountain," you repeated more firmly, though you softened a little as he raised a brow. "Please?"

Sven started sniffing the bag, drawing his attention. San opened it to find the tools he'd been after. You bit your lip. "Look, I know how to stop this winter."

With a sigh, he pulled his beanie over his face. "Ugh, we leave at dawn." Just as you were about to celebrate, he added, "And you forgot the carrots for Sven."

Frustrated but undeterred, you hurled another bag at him, this time hitting him square in the face. He grunted in pain, sitting up again. Your eyes widened in panic. "Oops! Sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean—" you stammered before regaining your composure. Clearing your throat, you declared firmly, "We leave now. Right now." You turned and marched out, letting out a breath of relief the moment you were out of sight. He really was intimidating.

Unbeknownst to you, he watched you leave, eyebrows narrowed. Not out of anger, but something else—a mix of mild annoyance and, oddly enough, admiration. You were quite the character.

⁞

"So, uhh, tell me—what made the queen go all ice-crazy?" San asked, trying to pry some information as the two of you sat on his sled, the cold winter night biting at your skin.

You gulped, unsure where to begin. "Well... it was kinda my fault. I got engaged, and she freaked out because I'd just met him that day, you know? She refused to bless the marriage and..." You trailed off, noticing the way he was staring at you.

"Wait, hold on—you got engaged to someone you just met that day?" he asked, his face a mix of disbelief and judgement.

You nodded, waving it off like it was no big deal. "Yeah, anyway, I got mad, she got mad, she tried to leave, and I grabbed her glove..."

He blinked and turned fully towards you. "Hang on! You're telling me you got engaged to a guy you just met that day?"

"Yes," you sighed in frustration. "Pay attention. The point is, she always wore gloves, so I figured maybe she has a thing about dirt or something."

San couldn't believe what he was hearing. You'd agreed to marry someone you'd only met that very day? Even if that someone was a prince, at the end of the day, he was just another man. The idea of it baffled him to no end. He couldn't help the surge of protectiveness that welled up in him. Sure, you seemed a little silly and unhinged compared to the girls he'd met, but you were still an innocent young woman—too trusting for your own good. And that could get you in serious trouble.

If judgemental had a face, it was sitting right next to you. "Didn't your parents ever warn you about strangers?"

You paused, the comment sinking in, and shifted uncomfortably, inching away from him. "Yes, they did. But Hans isn't a stranger."

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. That led to a back-and-forth about how much you really knew the Prince of the Southern Isles. The more you talked, the more San found himself silently shaking his head at your naivety, though he couldn't help but feel a small, growing fondness for you, as crazy as your story was.

Suddenly, he stiffened. "Stop talking."

You scoffed, still mid-argument. "No, no—"

Before you could finish, he slapped a hand over your mouth. "No, I mean it," his voice tense, eyes scanning the dark forest ahead.

⁞

"Wolves?" you asked anxiously, your heart pounding so hard it felt like it might leap out of your chest. "What do we do?"

"I got this," he said, busy moving around like he knew exactly what he was doing. But your nerves wouldn’t let you sit still. "Just… don't fall off and don't get eaten."

You frowned, stepping up beside him. "But I want to help!"

"No!" he barked, pulling you back.

"Why not?!"

"Because I don't trust your judgement!"

Your jaw dropped. "Excuse me?"

"Who marries a guy she just met?!" he shouted as he pushed you behind him and kicked away a wolf that had nearly pounced on you.

"It's true love!" you yelled back, swinging his guitar wildly. Startling him, but you managed to knock another wolf away. "Woah!"

Slightly impressed, he froze for a second, but in that moment of distraction, a wolf sank its teeth into his jacket, pulling him off the sled. You gasped, screaming, "Santiago!"

He grunted, grabbing onto the sled's rope, and glaring up at you. "It's San!"

"Ow!" he yelped as the wolves bit into his back. Despite barely knowing him, your heart dropped, hoping he wasn't seriously hurt. In a burst of quick thinking, you grabbed a bundle of cloth, lit it on fire, and threw it at the wolves, scaring them off.

As you regained control, you realised the sled was speeding toward the edge of a mountain. Your breath caught in your throat—the only way to make it across was if the reindeer jumped. "Get ready to jump, Sven!"

San shot you a look. "You don't tell him what to do. I do!" He shoved a bag into your arms before tossing you onto Sven's back. As you neared the cliff's edge, he shouted and cut the rope tying the reindeer to the sled. "Jump, Sven!"

After landing dangerously close to the mountain's edge, San's sled lay in ruins below, and he muttered something about just having paid it off. The narrow escape from death weighed heavily on you, especially when you saw him lying on the ground, an arm thrown over his eyes in sheer exhaustion. He was so done.

"I-I'll replace your sled and everything in it," you mumbled, guilt creeping into your voice. "And... I get it if you don't want to help me anymore." With a heavy sigh, you turned and started walking away, your heart sinking. Of course, he wouldn't want to stick around now. You'd caused him nothing but trouble, and he hadn't even volunteered to come with you—it was all your fault.

San groaned in frustration, his reindeer nudging him persistently, nodding toward your retreating, disheartened figure. "Of course, I don't want to help her anymore," he grumbled, sitting up. "This whole mess has cured me of ever helping anyone again."

"She'll die out there on her own," Sven's eyes seemed to say.

"I can live with that," San muttered, though his voice lacked confidence.

"But no new sled if she's dead!" The silent reasoning gnawed at him.

He slumped, casting an irritated glare at Sven. "Sometimes, I really don't like you." But as he heard you stumbling and fumbling your way through the snow, likely still trying to reach your sister, he rolled his eyes in dramatic defeat before shouting, "Hold up! We're coming!"

You turned around, your face lighting up before playing it off coolly. "You are? I mean... sure, you can tag along."

He chuckled, shaking his head, though he couldn't quite hide the smile tugging at his lips. Maybe, just maybe, he found you... kind of adorable. In fact, you were probably the most adorable person he'd ever met, if he were being honest. Not that you needed to know that. Hans was a lucky guy... maybe.

⁞

As the journey dragged on, San found himself increasingly drawn to you in ways he hadn't anticipated. He had written you off as reckless, even naïve. But the more time he spent by your side, the more he found himself softening.

It began with the small things—your silly jokes, the way you smiled at him even in the direst of situations, and the surprising concern you showed for his struggling ice business, despite the weight of your own problems. A part of him tried to deny it, chalking up his protectiveness to simply being a decent person. Yet, as the days went on, the truth became harder to ignore, especially as you started to weaken.

The first time he truly noticed was when you faltered, clutching your chest as the icy curse gripped you. His heart clenched painfully at the sight of you, pale and fragile in a way that scared him. At first, he didn't understand what was happening—until he saw the streaks of white creeping into your hair. His stomach twisted in fear as he watched you shiver uncontrollably.

San tried to fight it at first, keeping his feelings hidden behind casual smiles and forced reassurances. He'd wrap you in his cloak, telling himself that he was just looking out for you like anyone else would. But inside, he was terrified. Each time you winced or stumbled, the protective instinct inside him flared, and it became harder to ignore. He wanted to hold you, to keep you safe, but he told himself that keeping his distance was for the best.

Until it wasn't.

After watching you grow weaker, he couldn't stand it any longer. You were so cold, so frail, barely able to keep yourself upright. Your hair had turned almost entirely white, and the violent shivering never stopped. When you could no longer walk on your own, San didn't care anymore. He scooped you into his arms without hesitation, cradling your fragile body against his chest. Your icy fingers clung weakly to his sleeve, barely able to hold on.

Perhaps the trolls had been right. Maybe what you needed was true love's kiss. The thought sent a wave of fear through him, not because he doubted it, but because he wanted it to be him. Holding you close, trembling as he tried to keep you warm, he swallowed hard, fighting back the lump in his throat.

"We've got to get you back to Hans," he whispered, though the name felt like a sharp blade twisting in his chest.

"A-are you g-gonna be okay?" you asked, voice weak and trembling as you struggled to stay conscious. Your eyes fluttered open, full of worry, and San's heart ached even more.

He forced a smile, though the pain in his chest was undeniable. "Don't worry about me," he said, though the crack in his voice betrayed him. He couldn't tell you the truth—that the very thought of giving you to Hans was tearing him apart.

⁞

As he left the castle gates, his arms now empty without your fragile form, the weight of his feelings bore down on him, suffocating. Even Sven could sense it. His reindeer nudged him softly, as if to say, you can't let her go.

San clenched his jaw, shaking his head at the reindeer's knowing gaze. "No, Sven! We're not going back! She's with her true love."

But none of that mattered the moment he noticed the fierce snowstorm suddenly engulfing Arendelle. His eyes widened with panic as he realised something was terribly wrong. Without a second thought, he sprinted back toward the castle, his heart racing, your name ripping from his throat as he shouted through the howling winds.

Snow and ice whipped through the air, blinding San as he fought against the wind, desperately searching for you. His heart pounded in his chest, each beat louder than the roar of the storm. Then, through the blizzard, he saw you—a frail figure swaying weakly amidst the violent storm.

His breath hitched, a strangled cry escaping him as he realised how dire your condition was. Your hair was completely white, and your skin had started to turn into a translucent blue, as if turning to ice. Panic surged through him, and without hesitation, he dashed toward you, every muscle in his body straining against the storm.

You took tiny, shaky steps towards him, your voice barely audible above the howling wind. "San..." The way you uttered his name sent a jolt through him, a painful reminder of just how close he was to losing you. He pushed himself harder, the distance between you seeming to stretch endlessly.

"Hold on!" he shouted, though he wasn't sure if you could hear him over the storm. He could see the effort it took for you to move, each step a struggle against the encroaching ice.

Just when he thought he might finally reach you, you changed direction abruptly. His heart stopped as he watched you rush towards your sister, trying to protect her from Hans. The realisation hit him like a thunderclap: in your attempt to shield your sister, you were sacrificing yourself.

He watched in horror as you turned completely into ice, your form crystallising before his eyes. The storm seemed to quiet for a moment, a heavy silence descending as you stood there, frozen.

Desperation clawed at him, and he fought through the storm to reach you. When you returned to your normal state, he was already there, cradling you in his arms. He refused to be a coward again, not after everything you had been through. The fear of losing you was unbearable, and he was determined not to let go.

Holding you close, he buried his face in your hair, breathing in your warmth, feeling your heartbeat against his chest. "I'm not letting you go," he whispered fiercely, his voice breaking with emotion. "Not now, not ever. If you'll let me, I'll hold you close forever."

His heart ached as he clung to you, the world around him fading into insignificance. The storm may have raged on, but in that moment, all that mattered was you.

Mingi ↠ Flynn Rider (Tangled)

• Charm • Wit • Adventurous •

"Is this… hair?" Mingi croaked in confusion as his eyes fluttered open to the unexpected realisation that he was tied up. The last thing he remembered was climbing up a tower hidden in the forest to escape from the royal guards and the Stabbington brothers.

"Struggling…" came a feminine voice from somewhere in the shadows. "Struggling is pointless."

He furrowed his brows. "Huh?"

"I know why you're here, and I'm not afraid of you," you said, gripping your frying pan tightly as you slowly emerged from your corner and finally stepped into the light.

Oh me, oh my. What do we have here?

The intruder looked genuinely confused as he took a moment to register your appearance. You were a sight to behold, that much was undeniable, but you were also threatening him with a kitchen tool, and truthfully, he wasn't very into that.

"Who are you and how did you find me?" you asked, glaring at him.

But man, were you beautiful.

"Uh huh…" was all he could muster.

Frustrated, you repeated yourself, raising your weapon higher. "Who are you and how did you find me?"

Clearing his throat, he began his rehearsed speech for situations like this. He had yet to meet any lady who wouldn't fall for his charms. As much as he would love to hang around, he had more important things to do. "I know not who you are nor how I came to find you, but may I just say…" He looked down momentarily, then met your gaze again with a rather... questionable expression. "Hi. How you doin'? The name's Flynn Rider. How's your day goin', huh?"

To his surprise, your hostility persisted. "Who else knows my location?" you demanded, aiming the pan at him.

Man, how did the smoulder not work?

⁞

Mingi let out a long sigh, staring ahead in exasperation as you ran circles around him with boundless enthusiasm. Lord, how did he get himself into this? He was stuck in this ridiculous situation because he needed the crown he had just stolen from the palace. The deal was simple: he would take you to see the lanterns and bring you back.

But he had no time for that.

Determined to avoid the whole ordeal, he hatched a foolproof plan. He would take you to the Snuggly Duckling, a tavern with a motley crew of thugs and ruffians. Surely that would scare you off.

As you twirled around, he muttered under his breath, "This is going to work. It has to work."

You paused mid-spin. "Did you say something?"

"Nothing!" he replied, forcing a smile. "Just… thinking about how much fun we're going to have."

He let out a sigh of relief as the Snuggly Duckling came into view. He couldn't help but grin at the look of horror that flashed across your face when you saw the rowdy tavern. This was going perfectly.

"You don't look so good, blondie. Maybe we should get you home, call it a day. This is a five-star joint, after all. If you can't handle this place, maybe you should be back in your tower," he said, trying to sound sympathetic while suppressing a smirk.

Just as he thought his plan was working, Mingi cursed under his breath as the main door slammed shut, and a burly man pressed a "Wanted" poster of him against it.

"Is this you?" the man growled, squinting at the poster.

Crap, crap, crap. This is not good.

The thief's eyes widened in dread as he moved the man's finger off the painting of his nose. His heart sank even further. They had gotten his nose wrong... again.

"Now they're just being mean," he muttered to himself, more upset about the artistic injustice than the actual danger he was in.

⁞

The last thing Mingi expected happened. As the thugs closed in, you suddenly began to sing a silly little song about having a dream. At first, he stared at you in disbelief, but then something miraculous happened. The roughest and toughest of the bunch started to join in, swayed by your infectious innocence and charm.

A reluctant smile soon spread across his face. As impractical as it seemed, your innocence had saved you both. "I can't believe that worked," he muttered, watching the formerly hostile crowd now swaying together harmoniously.

But the relief was short-lived.

The doors burst open, and royal guards flooded the tavern. "There he is!" one of the guards shouted.

"Time to go!" He grabbed your hand, pulling you towards a hidden exit. The chase led you to a dangerous cave, the sound of the guards echoing behind you.

The thief's adventurous spirit shone brightly as he led you through perilous situations, always thinking on his feet and embracing the thrill. He expertly navigated the cave, his confidence never wavering even as the path grew treacherous.

But things took a dire turn when the cave began to collapse. Rocks tumbled down, trapping you both under the debris. Water started to fill the cave, and panic set in. Despite his fear, he remained focused. He pulled you out of the water when you dipped back under, refusing to let you drown.

"Hey, there's no point. It's pitch-black down there," he said, gently moving some hair out of your face, his eyes filled with a rare vulnerability.

You felt a pang of guilt as you saw the hopelessness in his expression. "This is all my fault," you whimpered. "Mother was right. I never should have done this. I'm so sorry, Flynn," you cried.

He sighed, gazing at you sobbing pitifully before whispering, "Mingi."

"What?" you turned to look at him, confused.

"My real name is Song Mingi. Someone might as well know."

You smiled softly through your tears. "I have magical hair that glows when I sing."

His eyes widened in exasperation. "What?"

⁞

Just as he thought he couldn't possibly be more amazed, his admiration and affection for you only grew. He watched in awe as you healed his injury with your glowing hair, the pain ebbing away under your touch. Listening to your story, he saw the depth of your courage and determination, traits he deeply admired.

For the first time in his life, Mingi felt comfortable enough to open up about himself. He let down all the walls he had built over the years, sharing his dreams, fears, and the loneliness that had always shadowed him. Something had changed since then, and neither of you had been more certain about your feelings for each other than on the night of your birthday.

He had kept his promise and taken you to see the lanterns. As you both floated on the water, surrounded by the magical glow of thousands of lanterns, he realised that seeing you happy meant more to him than the riches he had dreamed about for so long. This moment, this connection, you—mattered more than anything.

The thief realised that none of the money or recognition would ever mean anything if it meant being without you. Perhaps Flynn Rider was so much more than just a witty and adventurous prince; he was also a romantic at heart. This truth became painfully clear as he prepared to sacrifice his own life to free you, the love of his life, from the clutches of your kidnapper.

On the verge of his own death, he made a heartbreaking decision. He would rather cut your hair, stripping it of its magical properties before you could save him, than allow Mother Gothel to use you any further. With a swift motion, he severed your once-blonde hair, watching as it returned to its original colour.

"Mingi!" you cried, watching in despair as the magic faded. You pulled him into your arms, cradling his face. "No, no, no. Mingi," you pleaded desperately. "Look at me. I'm right here. Don't go. Stay with me."

He smiled weakly, his strength fading. He cupped your face with a trembling hand. "You were my new dream."

Your heart shattered as tears streamed down your cheeks. His hand fell limp beside him, his eyes closing as his life slipped away.

"And you were mine," you whispered, your voice breaking as you held him close, the pain of losing him overwhelming.

⁞

But things took a miraculous turn. Your magic, which had always been tied to your hair, still remained in the essence of your tears. As you cried over him, a single tear fell onto his face, glowing brightly before seeping into his skin.

Suddenly, his breath hitched, and his eyes fluttered open. Life returned to him as the magic worked its way through his body. You gasped, pulling him closer, barely able to believe what was happening.

"Mingi!" you exclaimed, joy and relief flooding your heart.

He looked at you, his eyes filled with wonder and gratitude. "You're magic," he whispered, holding you tightly. Without another word, he pressed his lips firmly against yours, pouring all his love and thankfulness into the kiss.

As he held you close, he silently thanked the heavens for granting him a second chance at life. He vowed to start over and be a better person for his princess. At that moment, everything felt right, and he knew that his new life with you would be the greatest adventure of all.

Wooyoung ↠ Aladdin (Aladdin)

• Energetic • Street-smart • Charismatic •

"Hey! You there, stealing from my brother!" the merchant barked through the bustling market as you handed two starving children the bread you had taken.

You blinked, caught off guard. "Stealing? No, I—"

"You either pay, or I take the bracelet," he sneered, his hand reaching for your mother's bracelet clasped around your wrist. "Let go of me!" you cried, struggling in his grip.

Before the situation could escalate, someone swooped in and pulled you free, placing you protectively behind him. "Easy, Jamal," the young man said calmly, trying to diffuse the situation. But the merchant only glared at you. "Kalil turns his back for a moment, and this one," he jabbed a finger toward you, "steals the bread!"

You huffed in frustration. "Those children were starving!"

The young man sighed, turning to you and lowering his voice. "Do you have any money?" You shook your head. He smiled softly, then gripped your bracelet. "Okay, trust me." Something in his gaze made you feel secure, so you did—against all odds, you trusted him.

You watched in disbelief as he removed your bracelet and handed it over to the merchant. "Here, this is what you wanted, right?"

The merchant grinned, satisfied. "Yeah, thank you!"

"And here's an apple, for your troubles," the young man added with a grin, tossing the merchant a fruit before quickly pulling you away, ignoring your protests. "Hey! I'm not leaving without my bracelet!"

He pulled you closer as you hurried through the market. "You mean this bracelet?" he murmured, revealing the very same bracelet in his hand. Instantly, your worry melted. "Come on."

As you both moved, you suddenly heard the merchant shout behind you, "Wooyoung! Jung Wooyoung! Thief!"

You turned, your breath catching. "Are we in trouble?" you asked. He smirked, his confidence unwavering.

"Only if we get caught."

⁞

"I can't believe..." you trailed off, staring at the breathtaking view from his balcony. "I can't believe we actually did that. That I did that. That we made it out alive!" you exclaimed, still reeling from the intense chase that had led you here. You couldn't shake the memory of him holding your hands, guiding you to safety.

"Thank you... for getting me out of there. Wooyoung, right?" you smiled bashfully, and he rubbed the back of his neck, a little shy. "You're welcome..." he gestured toward you, waiting for your name.

You froze for a split second. "I... I'm Dalia," you blurted out, using your handmaid's name as a cover. No one could know your true identity—not even him.

"Dalia... from the palace," he said, his tone more knowing than surprised. You stayed silent, your back to him. How did he— "Only someone from the palace could afford a bracelet like that," he continued. "And that silk? It's imported, comes straight to the palace from the merchant ships. But not for most servants, which means... you're the handmaid to the princess."

You sighed, finally turning to meet his eyes, a small smile on your lips. "Impressive."

"If you think that's impressive, you should see the city from up there," he said, pointing to the second floor of his humble home. You didn't need to be told twice and eagerly headed up. "Agrabah... it's beautiful. I really should get out more."

He chuckled. "You should tell the princess that." Your smile faded slowly. "The people haven't seen her in years."

Your fists clenched slightly. "They won't let her. Ever since... the queen was killed, the sultan's been terrified. She's kept locked away."

He looked down, a touch of sadness in his voice. "Seems like everyone's been living in fear since then. But the people of Agrabah loved her. The queen."

Your heart warmed at his words. "They did, didn't they?"

As the conversation shifted to his past, you were saddened to learn of the hardships he had endured. He sighed deeply. "Every day I hope things will change, but it never seems to. Sometimes, I feel like I'm just..."

"Trapped," you finished for him, your voice soft. "Like you can't escape what you were born into?" He nodded, meeting your gaze. For a moment, you thought you could trust him. But that hope wavered when he struggled to return your bracelet at your departure.

"So you are a thief," you said, your voice tinged with disappointment. "I'm so naive."

⁞

"But Dalia, I was born for more than just marrying some useless prince!" you argued after meeting yet another potential suitor from Skanland that afternoon.

Your handmaid sighed. "If you had to marry a useless prince, you could certainly do worse than this one. He's tall, handsome, and yes, a bit dim, but it's just a marriage. Although, I suspect you'd rather marry that boy from the market," she finished, and you scoffed.

As she went off to prepare your bath, there was a knock at your door. With a frown, you opened it. "Can I help you?" you asked, and the person turned around. Your eyes widened in shock. "You? You! What are you doing here? Get in here!"

Wooyoung smirked. "I came to return your bracelet."

"My bracelet? Where is it?"

"On your wrist," he replied, and you gasped, glancing down to see it securely in place. "Wait, how did you get past the guards?" you asked in disbelief.

He grinned mischievously. "That was tricky, but I have my ways. While the princess is out, how about a stroll? We can chat."

You crossed your arms, half-irritated, half-amused. "You are unbelievable," you muttered, annoyed at his audacity but even more so at how attractive he was. "You can't just break into the palace and act like you own the place!"

"If you don't have anything, you've got to act like you own everything," he shrugged, flashing a grin. You stared at him, realising you'd never met anyone like him—because no one was like him. "So, what do you say?"

"No! You need to leave, now!" you insisted, pushing him toward the door.

"Fine, but I'm coming back tomorrow," he said confidently. "Meet me in the courtyard by the fountain when the moon is above the minaret." He gestured behind him, and before you could react, he removed your hair clip, waving it teasingly. "To return this."

Your breath caught when he leaned closer, gently tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. His voice was a whisper. "I promise." Perhaps you were a fool; you should have known better than to believe him.

⁞

The next time you saw him, you barely recognised him, thanks to the Genie's magic. He was now Prince Young of Wonderland—a clumsy prince who seemed to be trying to "buy" you with his riches, or at least that was what he said, as he awkwardly stumbled over his words. His first impression was far from impressive, and despite his best efforts, nothing he did seemed to win you over.

After countless failed attempts, he finally realised what he needed to do: just be himself. "There's a whole world beyond these books and maps. You should see it."

"How? Every door is guarded," you replied, a bit wistful.

"Who said anything about a door? Sometimes, princess, you just have to take a risk," he said with a grin before climbing over your balcony and leaping off. You gasped, your hands flying to your mouth, heart in your throat. "What just happened?"

Moments later, he reappeared on a floating carpet. You sighed in relief. "Is this…?"

"A magic carpet? Yes," he smirked, offering his hand. "Do you trust me?" Your heart skipped a beat as those words echoed something familiar. "What did you say?" you croaked. He repeated, his eyes steady on yours. "Do you trust me?"

You hesitated before nodding and placing your hand in his. "Yes."

As the carpet soared over a village, you watched the people below celebrating around a fire. You smiled as the prince draped his coat around your shoulders. "Of all the places you've shown me, this is the most beautiful."

"Sometimes, you just have to see it from a different perspective," he replied. You shook your head gently. "No, it's them—the people. They make it beautiful. And they deserve a leader who understands that. I don't know why I think it could be me."

He turned to you, his expression sincere. "Because it should be you."

"Do you really think so?" you asked softly. He reached out, gently tucking a strand of hair behind your ear, and for a moment, you froze. Only one other person had done that before—

"Does it matter what I think?" he asked, breaking the spell.

By the end of the night, you learned he was who you had suspected all along, though you were now convinced he had been a prince from the start. Wooyoung, caught up in the joy of the moment, kissed you goodnight, only to later drown in constant guilt and worry that the lie he was still hiding could ruin everything.

⁞

But none of that mattered when you discovered it had all been a lie. Even caught up in the battle against Jafar, Wooyoung was still the one you trusted most. And you knew you were right to trust him because, despite the difficult situation, he chose to return to your side and protect you. His actions proved his genuine care for you.

Your feelings for him deepened when he made his third and final wish. Instead of using it to abolish the law that required the princess to marry royalty, he selflessly used it to free the Genie.

"You shall be the next sultan," your father said. "As sultan, you can change the law." He gestured to where Wooyoung had stood moments earlier, but now he was gone. Your heart sank, and your father gently nudged you. "Go after him before it's too late."

And you did just that.

Breathless, you found him only a few steps outside the palace, your hair clip still in his hands. "Stop, thief! Your sultan commands it!" you called after him, your tone teasing.

He turned, biting his lip and holding up the clip. "Sultan? Does that mean I'm in trouble?"

Your heart fluttered at those familiar words. With a smile, you approached him. "Only because you got caught," you whispered before kissing him. The crowd around you erupted in cheers as he pulled you close, returning your kiss with equal passion. At that moment, he realised his wish had come true after all.

Jongho ↠ Prince Eric (Little Mermaid)

• Kind-hearted • Brave • Dependable •

"Max! Come here, boy," the man on board called out to his dog, who had momentarily been distracted by your presence near the side of the ship. Your eyes widened as you took in his striking features—he was human. You'd never seen one this closely before.

Carefully staying hidden, you continued to watch as an elderly man stepped forward to quiet the crew. "Silence, silence. It is now my honour and privilege to present our esteemed Prince Jongho with a very special, very expensive, and very large birthday present," he announced, gesturing toward a massive object draped in cloth at the center of the ship.

"Ah, Grimsby, you old beanpole, you shouldn't have," said the handsome man, whose name you now know to be Jongho and that he was... a prince.

The old man smiled bashfully. "I know. Happy birthday, Jongho." With that, the cloth was pulled away to reveal a heroic statue of the prince. Instead of reacting as Grimsby had likely hoped, the prince grimaced slightly. "Uh, gee, Grim..." he cleared his throat awkwardly. "It's, uh... really something..."

"Yes, I commissioned it myself. I had hoped it would be a wedding gift." Grimsby's tone was hopeful, but Jongho just chuckled. "Come on, Grim. Don't start. You're not still upset that I didn't fall for the Princess of Glowerhaven, are you?"

"Oh my, it's not just me. The entire kingdom wants to see you happily settled down with the right girl."

Jongho smiled, leaning against the railing. "Well, she's out there somewhere. I just... haven't found her yet. But trust me, Grim, when I do, I'll know. It'll hit me, like lightning—no question about it."

Your heart fluttered as you listened from just below. You'd never felt this way about any merman, but you wanted to be that girl for him. He seemed so near, yet impossibly far at the same time.

⁞

Perhaps he shouldn't have said those words—maybe he jinxed it. What started as a cheerful celebration turned into chaos within seconds, as lightning struck and set the ship ablaze.

You watched anxiously from the sidelines, praying he'd be alright. But your heart sank when you saw him dive back into the ocean from a lifeboat, only to return to the ship to save his dog. Though he managed to rescue the pet, he put himself in grave danger, trapped as the ship exploded. Gasping, you swam toward him, just in time to see him weakly cling to a plank before slipping into the water.

Without hesitation, you dove in, gripping his larger frame and fighting through the waves to bring him to the surface. With sheer determination, you swam to shore, finally laying him on the sand as the sun began to rise.

"Thank goodness, he's still breathing. He's... beautiful," you whispered, gently brushing his wet hair and caressing his cheek. As you sang softly, a familiar tune you'd often hum when dreaming of life on land and now... of him, you saw his eyes flutter open. He smiled at you, placing his hand over yours.

Before you could say a word, you heard Grimsby's voice echo along the beach. In a flash, you were gone before Jongho could fully grasp what had happened.

"Jongho! Oh, Jongho! You really enjoy testing my poor heart, don't you?" the old man grumbled, helping him up.

"A girl... she saved me. She was singing... with the most beautiful voice," the prince murmured dreamily, his eyes still scanning the horizon. Grimsby chuckled. "Ah, Jongho, I believe you've swallowed a bit too much seawater."

You watched from afar, your heart aching as they walked away. Did he feel the same way you did? Was this... love? Because you missed him already.

⁞

Humming the melody that had lingered in his mind ever since you rescued him, Jongho was interrupted by the sudden arrival of his dog. Max sprinted across the sandy beach, barking and leaping excitedly at his owner. "What's up, boy?"

The dog darted forward, and without hesitation, he chased after him. You gasped when Max ran up to you, quickly scooting back onto a rock to keep your distance from the unfamiliar animal.

"Max? What's gotten into you?" the prince's voice called out as he appeared, just in time to see his dog circling you. His breath caught when his eyes landed on you. "Oh... I see."

"Are you alright, miss?" he asked softly, stepping closer. "I'm sorry if this troublemaker scared you. He's harmless, I swear..." His voice trailed off as he looked from his dog to meet your eyes. "You look... familiar. Have we met before?"

You nodded immediately, a beaming smile lighting up your face.

"It's you, isn't it? The one I've been searching for," he murmured, gently taking your hands in his. "What's your name?"

But when you opened your mouth to speak, no sound came out. That's when it hit you—you had given your voice to Ursula in exchange for legs, and now had only three days for Jongho to kiss you with true love's kiss, or else you'd belong to the sea witch for an eternity.

"What's wrong?" he asked, concerned. You pointed to your throat, shaking your head. "You can't speak? Oh..." His expression fell. "Then you can't be the girl I thought..."

Frustrated, you frantically waved your hands, trying to show him that you were the one. In your desperate movements, you lost your balance and stumbled forward—right into his strong arms.

"Woah, careful!" he said, holding you close to steady you.

For a moment, the world seemed to freeze as the two of you stood still, his arms wrapped securely around your waist while your hands clung to his shoulders. He gazed into your eyes, his expression softening. "You've been through something, haven't you? Don't worry—I'll help you."

⁞

Despite finding your quirks a bit odd, Jongho couldn't help but be charmed by your playful nature. On top of that, you were easily one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. He had noticed it when he first met you, but after the maids had cleaned you up and dressed you like a princess, he could barely tear his eyes away. For a moment, he even forgot about the girl he had been searching for, now looking forward to spending the next day showing you around town.

Time flew by, and your second day on land seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. You wandered through the streets together, hands intertwined, sharing meals, dancing, and laughing. Each moment felt magical, filled with heart-fluttering closeness that made it feel like the two of you were already a couple. It was the best day of your life, a world apart from anything you'd ever known. It would've been perfect—if only he would just kiss you.

But there was still time, and you held on to hope. That evening, he took you on a romantic boat ride, and it felt like the moment was finally about to happen. He leaned in a few times, but each time, he hesitated, as if reminding himself you weren’t the one he thought he was looking for. Your heart sank with every pause. Still, after learning your name and feeling a deeper connection, he came so close...

Close enough for Ursula to interfere.

That night, he stood outside, looking melancholy as he hummed the same song that had haunted him since he was rescued. "Jongho, if I may," Grimsby said gently, approaching him. "Sometimes, the best match isn't a dream girl, but someone of flesh and blood—someone warm, caring, and right before your eyes," he suggested, gesturing toward your room, where you were absentmindedly brushing your hair with a fork once again.

Jongho chuckled softly, shaking his head at your antics. Perhaps Grimsby was right. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if you weren't the girl he had been searching for... after all, you made him happy. But before he could think further, a woman named Vanessa appeared, casting him under a spell that blinded him to everything—especially you.

⁞

Wiping away your tears, you knew you had to find a way to get to him. Your heart was shattered when you heard he was marrying another woman, but deep down, you should have known something was off. Of course, it was the sea witch and her wicked schemes.

Thankfully, Max, the loyal dog, seemed just as frustrated with Vanessa as you were. He aggressively tugged at her dress, refusing to leave her alone. In the chaos, her seashell necklace—the one that held your voice—fell to the ground and shattered. At last, the spell was broken, and you could speak again. The moment Jongho heard your voice, recognition filled his eyes. "You're the one. It was you... all along."

You nodded, your voice trembling with emotion. "Yes, Jongho. I've been trying to tell you."

"No! Stay away from her!" Vanessa screamed, but the prince ignored her, pulling you close and leaning in to kiss you. Before he could, you gasped, falling to the ground as your legs transformed back into a tail. Ursula's wicked laughter echoed as she returned to her true form, slithering towards you and grabbing hold. "So long, lover boy," she hissed.

His heart nearly stopped as he watched the witch drag you into the depths of the sea. But he wasn't about to lose you again. This time, he would fight with everything he had to save you.

And he did. The battle was fierce and exhausting, but he remained determined. Jongho cleverly commandeered a ship and steered it straight into Ursula, risking everything to put an end to her reign of terror.

Even in his exhaustion, he didn't rest until he found you. This time, you had legs—real, permanent ones—granted by your father after seeing the love you shared. And when he finally reached you, he pulled you close, refusing to let go. "I'm sorry I made you wait so long, but I'm yours now if you'll have me."

I'm aware the format for each story is kinda inconsistent HAHA but that's because this has been in the works for a while now, and the time taken to finish these one by one was long enough for me to develop a new style for nearly every story when I get to them.

Not sure if this was any good. While proofreading, I realised there's a chance this might not make much sense for readers who have not watched these movies. But y'all, let me know your thoughts! <3

General ATEEZ Tag list:

@aurasblue @marievllr-abg @itsvxlentine @minghaoslatina @huachengsbestie01 |

@evidive @weedforthoughtz @minkiflwr @cheolliehugs @ho3-for-yunho |

@the-kpop-simp @itstheghostofmypast @vantediary @green-agent @skzline |

@sharksandminhos @writingwieny @heyitsmetonid @tinyteezer @hollxe1 |

@pandabur666 @vampzity @tournesol155 @lilactangerine @oddracha |

@haven-cove @idfkeddieishot @vic0921 @vnessalau @apriecotte |

@bangtannie7 @vtyb23 @khjoongie98 @scuzmunkie @anxiousskylar |

@bunny4yungi

All Rights Reserved © edenesth // DO NOT REPOST, TRANSLATE, PLAGIARISE OR REPURPOSE.

[xtra7s]

hello!! i adore your writing style and wanted to ask if you maybe would like to write a reneé rapp fic where instead of lola tung she takes fem!r to the stage and sings one less lonely girl?? and they could already be in a relationship or not either way i think that could be cute!! thank you<33

𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥 ─── 𝘙𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘦 𝘙𝘢𝘱𝘱 𝘹 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

Synopsis: Renee sings to her girlfriend on stage during her Halloween show.

Content: Renee Rapp x Fem!Reader, fluff, Renee is Justin Bieber(confirmed)

Word Count: 700

a/n: AHH THIS IS SO CUTE, im sorry if its too short, tried to add more to make it longer. hope u enjoy gorg!

masterlist

The atmosphere was alive with anticipation as the grand concert hall brimmed with eager spectators, all awaiting the entrance of the night's headlining act — Renee Rapp. The air was thick with excitement, whispers of admiration echoing through the venue. Little did the audience know that tonight's performance would be unlike any other, a tale of music and love waiting to unfold.

As the lights dimmed and the first chords of the music reverberated through the hall, Renee made a spectacular entrance, clad in the unmistakable style of Justin Bieber. The crowd erupted into cheers, their excitement reaching a crescendo as Renee took command of the stage with a magnetic presence.

Renee's performance was nothing short of mesmerizing. Her voice soared, effortlessly hitting every note, as she flawlessly navigated through a setlist that spanned genres and emotions. The audience was caught in the spell of her musical prowess, every song a testament to her versatility as an artist.

Throughout the performance, Renee danced and interacted with the crowd, creating an electric energy that charged the room. From high-energy pop anthems to soulful ballads, she showcased the depth of her talent, leaving the audience in awe of her captivating stage presence.

As the setlist reached its zenith, a hush fell over the crowd, and the opening notes of "One Less Lonely Girl" began to play. The audience erupted into cheers, recognizing the iconic Bieber tune. It was then that Renee's mischievous smile hinted at the surprise that awaited.

Midway through the song, Renee's gaze shifted to the front row, where Y/N, her girlfriend, stood among the enchanted spectators. With a twinkle in her eye, Renee descended from the stage, capturing the attention of everyone in the room.

Taking Y/N's hand, Renee led her onto the stage, seamlessly blending the line between performer and audience. The crowd erupted into cheers, their excitement now intertwined with the unfolding love story. Renee guided Y/N to a chair that had mysteriously appeared at the center of the stage, setting the stage for a moment that would be etched in the hearts of those present.

As Y/N settled into the chair, Renee took a step back, gazing at her with a mixture of adoration and playfulness. A girl rushed on stage and handed Y/N flowers, making Y/N's mouth open in shock as the spotlight focused on Y/N and Renee as she began to sing the heartfelt lyrics of "One Less Lonely Girl," pouring her emotions into each word.

The audience fell into a loud cheer as Renee's voice filled the space, creating an intimate atmosphere that transcended the boundaries of the stage.

With every verse, Renee moved around Y/N, her movements choreographed to express the depth of the song's sentiment. She would occasionally reach out, gently cupping Y/N's face or intertwining their fingers, creating a palpable connection that resonated through the venue. The crowd, initially swept up in the spectacle, now watched in awe as this private, intimate moment unfolded on the public stage.

As the song reached its pinnacle, Renee knelt before Y/N, holding her hand and serenading her with a tenderness that resonated through the venue. The crowd, initially swept up in the spectacle, now watched in awe as this private moment unfolded on the public stage.

In the final moments, Renee rose to her feet, her eyes never leaving Y/N's, the concert hall erupted into thunderous applause, appreciating not just the performance but the genuine connection that had unfolded before their eyes.

Still holding Y/N's hand, Renee delivered the closing lines with heartfelt sincerity. The crowd erupted into thunderous applause, appreciating not just the performance, but the genuine connection between the two women who had shared a musical love story on stage.

As the final notes faded away, Renee and Y/N shared a knowing smile, their hearts entwined in the melody of love that echoed through the concert hall, leaving an indelible mark on everyone fortunate enough to witness the enchanting performance.

[call-me-rucy]

ELENA IS HERE! My girl, how have you been!! She's cut her hair, I love that!!

The Vorkosigang is back assembled! (Except for Ivan, poor Ivan).

And Mayhew!!! And Tung!!! Wow the team is really back together!! I'm so happy that I just know this won't last a chapter.

Plan A (...) was to flee at once to the Ariel, now on picket-station, and declare the revolution.

This sounds so Miles idk if Tung has rubbed off on Miles or the other way around.

"To bang his commander's wife?" Elena's eyes sparked. "Anyone's wife? I knew then he wasn't level. If my oaths meant nothing to him, how little did his own?"

SAY IT!! Although this feels very Barrayaran, for all of Elena's hate to her home planet.

Right, Gregor is hearing all this for the first time. I guess he heard a censored version at the end of TWA but he must be amazed at the notion that Miles really did have a fleet as his command.

If anyone could point me to an essay and/or paper and/or tumblr post about the naismith/vorkosigan identity crisis Miles has, I'd be very grateful.

"I think . . . should you become refugees on Our behalf," (Elena, Miles saw, heard that official capital O too, as Tung and Mayhew of course could not)

I love the writing I love the writing I love the writing

I loved her once. Who is she now? Could one choose not to fall in love all over again with this new person?

I LOVE THE WRITING!

Elena being so quick on her reasoning that this will just end up as another treason charge for Miles. I hope that our old friend Greg can help if (when) that time comes.

Mercenary Gregor. Now that's an AU if I've ever seen one. I've tried searching for it on AO3 but all I've found is an alarming frequent use of the tag "Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies".

"I hear their new second officer is a Barrayaran. You might be able to swing some help, there."

This is plot. I'm sure. But Idk how. It's not gonna be help so what is it. Ungari's people?

OH CAVILO IS WITH THE RANGERS OKAY. They're so gonna run into them.

"Strange," said Gregor, looking at Elena—at the new Elena, guessed—"to think you've had more combat experience than either of us." "Than both of you," Elena corrected dryly.

YES!! TELL THEM!!! Elena is not my favourite character only because Cordelia exists, I think.

"Your friend can pass as a fleet soldier," Tung told Miles. "For you, I found a box."

Miles deserves a hug too.

Almost over, says Miles, in page 230 of a 400 page book.

Aaaaaand, here's the trouble.

Cavilo is the elf lady?!?!?

METZOV?!?!?!?! METZOV??!??! I'm sorry, Metzov?!?! Works for Cavilo?????

I HAD SPENT THE LAST FOURTH OF THE BOOK WONDERING WHAT NARRATIVE PURPOSE THE FIRST FOURTH OF THE BOOK SERVED AND OMG HERE IT IS. How could I not see it. This is. I have no words. I love Lois McMaster Bujold.

[timetravellingkitty]

Mulan 2020 sucks lol

Written and edited by yours truly

So, Mulan 2020 happened. And I am disappointed. Seriously disappointed. It is utter garbage. I would genuinely prefer it if I watched Mulan II 5 times in a row, and that's saying something.

There is so much to talk about because this has so many issues. I don't think my brain can handle a movie as bad as this for some time. It is a disgrace to the original animated movie.

(Who cares about spoilers?)

And yes, I can and I will compare it to the original movie because it is a remake. It is totally valid to see where this fell flat and where the original succeeded. I'm not saying it has to be like the original cartoon, that is stupid. As I mentioned, it's to highlight the failures of this movie.

Besides, even if we forget the fact that it is a remake, this movie is still horrible.

INTRODUCTION

Mulan 1998 is a classic. It has great visuals, an awesome soundtrack, wonderful and compelling characters, a great message and a cool plot. It's just a great movie in general. It is an adaptation of The Ballad of Mulan, a Chinese legend. Both the legend and the animated movie are about a young girl named Mulan who disguises herself as a man to take her father's place in the army to fight back against an invasion.

As big of a success Mulan was, Chinese audiences thought some things were weird. For instance, having a dragon be a comic relief character, given that dragons are highly respected in Chinese culture. So of course, Disney decided to try another shot, claiming that they wanted to be more culturally sensitive, accurate and closer to the original ballad.

Mulan 2020 is a remake of the original animated movie, and was marketed to be more "accurate to Chinese culture and the Ballad". This claim is, of course, false, because they failed in that aspect. Say what you will about the cultural inaccuracies in Mulan 1998, but at least it was a great movie. Besides, Mulan 1998 didn't pride or market itself on being culturally accurate, the way Mulan 2020 did, so there's that.

CHANGES

I don't mind some changes. And honestly, if there's one thing I appreciate, it's that it isn't a carbon copy of the original (looking at you The Lion King 2019).

Li Shang's character is divided into two characters: Commander Tung and Mulan's love interest Honghui, apparently in light of the Me-Too movement. This is a dumb reason. Disney wasn't comfortable with a superior having a relationship with a subordinate? The hell? The romance between Shang and Mulan was only insinuated at the end, when Mulan wasn't even a part of the army anymore, so there's that. Also, Mulan gave her consent, so I don't know what they’re talking about.

Mushu isn't present in the movie. I can see why though. He contributed quite a bit to the soul of the animated version but a CGI dragon would be very distracting. Also, the director said that removed him to achieve a more realistic tone.

Grandma? No grandma. Mulan has a sister though, who only exists to mess stuff up.

The Huns are replaced with the Rourans and Shan Yu is replaced with Bori Khan.

Mushu is replaced with a phoenix, who acts as an emissary for the ancestors

There are no songs, except in the end credits, which isn't a bad thing. The instrumentals of the songs in the animated one play during some scenes (I'll talk about the music, don’t worry)

CHARACTERS

The characters in this movie are so boring. Our lead character Mulan lacks the charisma her animated counterpart had. She's utterly bland, uninteresting and poorly written. In the original, she knew she wasn't physically strong and that she couldn't solve her problems with her strength, so she used her intelligence and wit. She excelled by working hard and being strong willed and determined. This Mulan is a well rounded character.

Mulan in the live action is given Chi powers (Chi is a big part of Chinese medicine, in case you didn't know). Honestly, I wouldn't be as mad at Mulan being given superpowers, had they actually done this properly! Chi isn't like midichlorians, it's something that flows through everyone. Mulan is naturally born with dumb superpowers and has to hide them because as her dad says, " Chi is for warriors, not for daughters”. There is a problem:

It has been mentioned many times that Mulan needs to hide her superpowers otherwise she will be shunned and ostracised. Then why doesn't she get more repercussions everytime she uses her powers? The worst thing that happens is little Mulan getting looks of disgust when she uses them. On other occasions, when she is now a part of the army, she uses her powers in training and she doesn't get any backlash? What the hell?? Then why even bother in the first place?

The only way for this narrative to work is if Mulan got more repercussions for using her powers.

If I were to make the line "Chi is for warriors, not daughters," work, I would make it go something like this:

*At the end of the movie when Mulan comes home*

Dad: Didn't I tell you that Chi is for warriors, not daughters?

Mulan: "I am a daughter, but I'm a warrior too."

(Yes, I know this is similar to a scene in Avatar: The Last Airbender, but this would be better, tbh. Also, watch Avatar: The Last Airbender)

Let me compare the training montages from both movies.

In the animated one, there is an absolutely AWESOME montage of Mulan training side by side with her companions, slowly gaining their trust. She climbs the pillar with both medallions by using her wit, not by brute force. This Mulan worked hard. Besides, the fact that "I'll Make A Man Out Of You" plays over this is the only thing that makes it better (banger song, thank you Donny Osmond)

In the live-action, Mulan is supposed to lift up buckets and climb on top of a mountain. There are also other training scenes, but those aren't very important. In these scenes, she succeeds with the power of CHI. WHY? Mulan here just achieves her goal because she is oh so special. She didn't work to achieve her goal at all, because she is perfect. No struggling or development here at all.

Mulan in the animated version was more concerned about saving her father. Mulan in the 2020 version is a dumb patriot who can't even do patriotism right ("I know my place. It is my duty to fight for the kingdom and protect the Emperor") How very empowering.

In short, live-action Mulan can do no wrong. She has no flaws, no personality and no charm. Everything comes to her pretty easily, because MAGIC.

Li Shang's role in the live-action is divided between Commander Tung and Mulan's love interest Honghui, as mentioned before. Both of these characters are flat, dumb and boring. Tung exists to tell Mulan to cultivate her Chi and to train these idiots (and to offer his daughter’s hand in marriage to her, unaware that Mulan isn’t actually a guy, but eh). Honghui is there to be a stupid love interest, who gives us an “I am Spartacus” moment.

The witch is by far the most interesting character. She actually has more than one side to her, has SOME kind of depth and you can even feel sorry for her. She is supposed to serve as a foil to Mulan, given that both have similar powers. In case you've forgotten (which is something I wouldn't blame you for), she's an outcast who's now working with Bori Khan. Why is she an outcast? Because of her Chi. The witch has said many times that she could kill Bori Khan in a snap, then why doesn't she kill him? Because she needs acceptance? What the hell? She decides to pull out the whole "We're the same, you and I," stupidity to Mulan, and I can see that. It's just that the writers just didn't put much thought into it. “It’s too late for me” because you saw a woman leading an army of men? Also, why does she warn Mulan that Bori Khan is coming? Unless she's playing both sides, except her motivations aren't made clear enough for this to make sense. Finally, she dies for the dumbest reason. God, it just makes me so mad. She had so much potential, but no. They just had to mess her up.

Bori Khan? MORE LIKE BORING KHAN. Not much is there. His animated counterpart Shan Yu was scary and contributed to some of the darkest moments in the movie. This guy over here is just...nothing. That's all I have to say.

Mulan's sister is only there to mess up the meeting with the Matchmaker. What a stupid change. First off in the animated version, it's Mulan who messed up, because she isn't perfect. She fails at being stereotypically feminine AND masculine, but in the live-action, she literally pulls off a Spiderman cafeteria scene, and the blame is put on the sister. In the animated movie, this scene is groundwork for Mulan wanting to prove herself and going on a hero's journey, providing depth to her character, but in the live-action, she's perfect. What is the point? (I know this section was supposed to be about the sister, but eh). The sister doesn't provide anything else to the movie, so thanks! I hate it. Moral of the story: Girls can do anything boys can, as long as they have superpowers. If you are born special like Mulan, you can be respected, whereas if you are like the sister, you have no significance and in the end, you can just fit in and be irrelevant. Congratulations!

The live action group of guys Mulan met and befriended in the army lack the charm and comedic timing of their animated counterparts. That’s it. Seriously. I have nothing more to say about them, because they don't really have anything going on. I don't even know why they are included, because their contribution is nil, save for them blandly speaking lines from the animated version’s songs ("I don't care what she looks like, I care what she cooks like"), which is seriously cringe.

The dad is there to tell Mulan that Chi is for warriors. A shame, because I really liked the dad in the movie. He was a source of wisdom for Mulan, whose greatest honour was having her for a daughter. In the live-action, he just takes the sword that Mulan is given at the end of the movie. The mom is meh.

The emperor is also meh. At least he was wise and cool in the animated version, but here he just does bed sheet kung-fu.

Did I mention that the dynamics between the characters are unnatural, forced, awkward in a bad way and in no way indicates any chemistry between them? Oh yeah, I didn’t, until now. They don’t establish much when it comes to emotion.

Simply put, Khan (Mulan’s horse in the animated version) had more personality than all of these characters combined

PERFORMANCES

Liu Yifei as Mulan was a pretty terrible choice. She is just a block of wood, who has absolutely no range, and this isn't because of the writing. She is genuinely bad, and is regarded as one of China’s worst actors (I kid you not). She just can’t emote.

Jet Li as the emperor is meh. But hey, he doesn’t have much to do, so eh.

Jason Scott Lee as Bori Khan is fine. He doesn’t suck, but he lacks the command and authority of a character who is supposed to be intimidating, but I guess it has something to do with the writing of his character.

Donnie Yen is a martial art legend, but unfortunately, he doesn't have much range as an actor.

The best performance of this movie is that of Gong Li, who played the witch. Honestly, she is charismatic, charming and has an idea of what she is doing.

To save everyone’s time, simply put: most of the performances are bland and mediocre. Partly due to bad writing and partly due to most of the actors not being, well, good at acting.

CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL ACCURACY

So Disney went all “we like cultural and historical accuracy”, which is nice. For example, the Huns are replaced by the Rourans, a real tribe in China around the time Mulan was supposed to be alive. They also removed the hair cutting scene, because as iconic and awesome as it is, it doesn’t make sense. Chinese men wore their hair long too. You know what? I like these kinds of changes. I appreciate accuracy. If only Disney didn’t pride themselves on their accuracy when they got almost everything else wrong (They somehow got Mulan's house wrong lol). I don't know jackshit about Chinese culture so just go watch that Xiran Jay Zhao video it's very swag

THE BALLAD OF MULAN

In a surprising turn of events, this isn't accurate to the Ballad, like they had marketed it to be (I know, I’m shocked too). In a reference to the Ballad, Mulan is riding a horse and she sees two rabbits running side by side. She goes home and tells her family that she saw 2 rabbits, and she thinks that one was male and the other female, but she wasn't sure. This just misses the entire point of the Ballad.

Long story short, Mulan in the Ballad is actually a seamstress. She joined the army in her father's place. She defeats the barbarians and goes on a ten year long campaign with her friends, after which they meet the Son of Heaven (a sacred imperial title of a Chinese emperor). He offers her a high ranking position, which she refuses, because she just wants to go home. She returns home and her family welcomes her. Sometime later, her friends come to visit her, and they find out that she is actually a woman. The friends are shocked because she has been in the army for 12 years and in those 12 years, they didn't even realise that she was a woman.

Mulan then replies:

The male hare's feet hop and skip

The female hare's are muddled and fuddled

But when two hares are running side by side

How can you tell the male from the female?

Which is where the poem ends.

So, Mulan just going on, judging those rabbits like that makes absolutely no sense. The Ballad is about how no matter how different men and women look, when they live and fight amongst each other, who gives a damn about the differences? You know what would have made sense though? If Mulan got off her horse, went close to the rabbits, examined them, and then made the conclusion that one is male and the other is female. This would actually be sticking to the message of the Ballad. Also, why do they make it ambiguous as to whether she accepts the high ranking position? I assume for a sequel (yes, God save my soul). Here we can see another example of its impeccable accuracy to the Ballad.

THIS ISN'T EMOTIONAL AT ALL

Everything that made the original film good has been stripped away. Every moment that is meant to be emotional is very dull. For example, the scene where Mulan makes the decision to take her father's place in the army is supposed to be a very powerful scene. Mulan is risking it all just so her dad can be safe. She might be killed if discovered, and her family would be dishonoured.

When Mulan comes back from the Matchmaker, she has a moment of reflection while singing "Reflection". This is the beginning of her personal journey, discovering who she is. In this, after Mulan comes back from the Matchmaker, she doesn't have a moment of reflection. The army immediately shows up. Am I really supposed to believe that Mulan feels bad about this? That Mulan is really struggling?

When Mulan’s friends are singing, it suddenly shifts to the striking scene of the burnt village. This, in my opinion, is the best use of tonal whiplash. From this point on, things are getting serious, and the emotional weight of this tragedy is felt. In this, they just randomly show up at the village.​​ There is no seriousness (stop trying to tell me this movie is adult, mature and serious, it just looks like that on the surface).

Their attempts at being emotional are poor and unconvincing, and ultimately, the end product is an emotionless, soulless, depthless entity.

THE MUSIC

The director mentioned in an interview that she didn’t add songs into the movie because it is “unrealistic to break into song when you're in war”, and I don't think I’ve heard anything more false (apart from the concept of a flat Earth). Even I, who isn't going into war anytime soon, know this is false. They instead inserted instrumentals from the original film. Except, it's very weirdly placed. The instrumental for Reflection is placed when Mulan is fighting the Rourans after she reveals herself to be a woman. Like, there isn't any context. In the end credits, they had the original song "Loyal, Brave and True" sung by Christina Aguilera, which was nice. I don't really have much to say in regards to the music. The music is overall forgettable.

THE ACTION

The action may seem weird, but this kind of martial arts is a part of the Wuxia genre, which is what they were going for. Well, they failed. The choreography is bad, the CGI is bad, EVERYTHING is bad. Honestly, if you want a good Wuxia movie, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon exists. The action is here stupid and stiff.

OTHER DUMB STUFF

Why does Mulan take her armour off before going into battle? That is just stupid. Can't you just take the bindings off? Also, WHY OPEN YOUR HAIR-

Mulan really likes kicking spears (and pointy stuff in general). Seriously. It’s weird.

The CGI is okay I guess, I don't know. The phoenix in some scenes looks pink to me. There are some pretty visuals though.

It is very obvious that there is a green screen used in the scene where Mulan and her friends find the burnt village. And it looks bad. Pretty ugly. It looks bad. The green screen looks bad.

The war strategy is just weird. I can't really say anything about it in text form because how am i supposed to describe it, help- (she literally teleported behind the bad guys in the avalanche scene-).

I like how the animated film, which had a dragon as a comic relief and other silly stuff, is more mature than this.

For what joy does Mulan get another sword from the army? Also, shame the dad is all “oh look at the values written on the sword, they are honourable” even though in the original the greatest honour was having her for a daughter.

How was Mulan even able to tell the gender of the rabbits?

Why not just try to send a warning to the Emperor that the Rourans are coming to get him?

Why does Commander Tung let Mulan lead them-

I AM SO DONE

Well, I think I have said everything I wanted to about this movie. I know I havent talked about its controversies but honestly, I am done. I am so done with this. This document took 5-6 months of my life. I am kind of proud of this, and there isn't much I have done to be proud of. I did procrastinate on this a bit, and I had stuff going on, but finally, I am done. In the future, if I remember something, I'll add it here, but I think that is unlikely. I never want to watch or even go near Mulan 2020 again. It's horrible, and there is barely anything redeemable. I hate it here. It’s been reported that a sequel is in development. If it’s true, of course I’ll watch it, how else am I supposed to validate my self hate? I am also, of course, the resident “friend who suffers for everyone else’s entertainment”. If you want a live action remake of Mulan, Mulan: Rise of a Warrior exists. Go watch it, it’s free on YouTube with subtitles. I really liked it.

If you’ve somehow made it this far, thanks for reading. I congratulate you for putting up with whatever this is. I would also like to take a moment to congratulate myself for actually committing to this. It was painful yet fun to complain about this to the best of my ability. If anyone wants to add anything to this, feel free to do so. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m out. I have lost my faith in humanity, and I have other things to complain about.

[leeenuu]

Ukrainian soldiers watch as smoke billows during fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces in Soledar, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Wednesday, January 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Libkos)

Destroyed shops in Bakhmut on Monday, January 2, 2023. The city in eastern Ukraine has been heavily contested for months. (Nicole Tung/The New York Times)

A local resident runs past a burning house hit by the Russian shelling in Kherson, Ukraine, on the Orthodox Christmas Eve, Friday, January 6, 2023. (AP Photo/LIBKOS)

A Ukrainian serviceman writes an inscription reading "Happy New Year" on a mortar shell before firing towards positions of Russian troops, in the outskirts of Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Friday, December 30, 2022. (REUTERS/Anna Kudriavtseva)

Satellite view of damaged apartment buildings and cratered fields from fighting in Bakhmut, Ukraine, Wednesday, January 4, 2023. (Maxar Technologies/via REUTERS)

A woman peers between apartment block buildings during bombardment, in the frontline town of Bakhmut, Ukraine, Tuesday, January 10, 2023. (REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne)

Ukrainian military medics carry an injured Ukrainian serviceman evacuated from the battlefield into a hospital in Donetsk region, Ukraine, Monday, January 9, 2023. The serviceman did not survive. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Serhii Kaharlytskyi showing his wedding photo from 16 years ago in his ruined home in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, January 10, 2023. Serhii lost his wife Iryna Kaharlytska during the latest Russian attack on Kyiv's tranquil Solomianskyi district on December 31. For Serhii Kaharlytskyi, a 42-year-old Kyiv carpenter, his ruined home’s kitchen stands at the center of his family’s traumatic memories of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Kaharlytskyi and his 10-year-old son had a narrow escape when a Russian missile landed outside on New Year’s Eve as they watched television together. Iryna wasn’t so lucky. She was in the kitchen preparing a meal. She didn’t survive. (AP Photo/Roman Hrytsyna)

Commander of the Ukrainian army, Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, gives instructions in a shelter in Soledar, the site of heavy battles with the Russian forces, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Sunday, January 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Roman Chop)

Children play along the side of the road, in Bakhmut, Ukraine, Thursday, January 5, 2023. (REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne)

[ghost-b0i]

A/o : I'm really sorry I'm late to post it, I have a lot of school work lately. I do have the start/layout/general Idea for all the fanfics written down already I just can't find time to actually write them and edit them, promise I'm trying to get everything out by mid November (hopefully).

Ganer: smut

Pairing: Izuku x afab!reader

Warnings: bdsm(for me it's soft, but everyone has their limits), dirty talk, possessive Deku, pet names ([my] [littele] [dirty] slut, whore, slave, dog, pet, thing ect'), unprotected sex, oral sex (both receiving), toy play(but plug, dilldo,vibretor) , teasing, fingering (f receiving), role play(idk if it counts but umm ye), hair pulling, mirror sex.

Honestly been waiting to write this one cuz one of my fantasies is to be fucked in a maid dress and to have someone dominate me. I've been wanting to write it for like a month but never found the time to,

If spooktober isn't the best time for this fanfic idk what is, (maybe KinkTember but idc)

Btw: reader is wearing the outfit in the picture and deku is dressing up as punk.

"Are you really gonna wear that to the party?" Izuku asked, his eyes scanning up and down your body as his cheeks turned pink.

"Yeah" you said, resting one of your hands on his sholder while dragging your fingers up his arm "is there a problem with my outfit, Mr. Deku?"

"I-I m-mean, It's your body, you're free to wear whatever-" he said, stumbling on his words as he started to play with the end of your dress,his eyes following the end of the leash you had connected to the matching choker on your neck, watching as it swaying from side to side.

"-but you'll prefer it if you were the only one to see me in this?" You cut him off "that's a bit selfish doesn't it?" You smirked; watching as his eyes drift up to finally look at yours, his hand pulling down on your leash and bringing you to your knees with one hard pull,

"I'll be as selfish as I want to when it comes to you" his hand held your chin up, making you face him as the words slipped like venom from his mouth "you are mine, and only mine"

His lips crushed onto yours before you could even react.

"Now how about being my good little slave and doing as I say, huh?" His question sounded more as a command then a question "get up" Izuku ordered and watched as you moved.

He got up and bent you over the make up counter, making sure the both of you can see your face in the mirror, your hands holding you in position as his hands explored the feeling of the fabric stretched to your thighs before wondering underneath your dress and moving it up to expose the lower part of your body.

His hand cupping the flush of your ass before squeezing and slapping it, leaving a red hot mark on your soft skin.

"What a slut" Izuku smirked, two fingers following the fabric of your tounge, sliding against your arching core and feeling the wet spot that was created on the fabric, "wet already?" He chuckled at your blushing face.

He moved the tunge aside and pushed one of his fingers inside your cunt, sliding it in and out before sliding another digit inside.

"Look at yourself" he pulled your head up by your hair and made you look at your face "I'm only getting started and you're already looking like your about to cum" a dark chuckle left his trout, "look at yourself" he pulled harder on your hair "such a dirty whore"

He let go of your hair and slapped his palm against the already pink plush of your ass cheek before bending down to his knees, his big hands holding onto your thighs, thumbs spreading the soft plush and reveling your cunt at the process.

His tongue dragging slowly from your clit to your cunt before buring it between your walls. A deep groan leaves his trout at the taste of your arousing, the sound vibrates against your pussy.

Lewd sounds leaving your lips as you moaned his name, your breathing becomes heavier as the knot in your stomach gets tighter, knees feels weaker by the second.

You let out a whine as Izuku slaps the side of your thigh when you start moving back and forth, trying to take more of his tounge inside your dripping cunt.

Izuku takes his tounge out of your core and slide it between your folds, the end of his tounge tickling your clit as he moves his head from side to side.

"P-please" A stuttered whine drags from your lips as you feel your orgasm approaching.

Izuku chuckled at your lazy attempt of begging "you really think I'd let you cum so fast? Darling I'm just getting started on teasing this preety pussy of yours" he left a soft kiss on your inner thigh before getting up and walking to the closet.

You looked at the mirror to see him come back with a green dilldo and a black but plug in his hand along with a bottle of strawberry flavored lube.

Izuku put the stuff on the makeup counter before pulling your tung down before taking the lube and halding it above your ass, tilling the bottle aside and letting the shiny liquid fall down on your skin; watching as the lube made it's way between your ass cheeks, he tilted the bottle back up and left it back on the counter Before rubbing the pad of his thumb against the thight hole of your ass before pushing it in and fingering you with it, stopping when you let out a shaky moan. He pushed the plug inside, watching your thight whole taking it inside you.

He took the dilldo and and slammed the vacuum bottom at the floor and helped you take off your dress.

"Now how about being the good little slave you are and give me a show" he whispered in your ear before placing a soft kiss behind your ear and sitting at the chair next to the cabinet, the dilldo stack to the floor in front it for him to watch whatever you'll decide to do with it.

You stood up and walked between his thighs, bending down and placing a kiss to his lips, the tip of your fingers drawing a light line from his knee to the tent between his legs, gripping onto his dick and giving it a light squeeze before opening the batten and freeing his thick member from the thight fabric, sliding both his jeans and boxers down to his ankles.

He smirked as you pushed your body up, giving his dick a long slow lick, from his balls to the tip of his dick before getting back to your full hight. Your chest in front of his face, your hard nipples visible through the black half see-through fabric of your bra.

You opened the bra in front of his face before throwing it onto the floor next to him and grabbing onto his rough hands and placing them on both sides of your waist, before guiding them up to your chest.

Izuku is quick to pull you closer to him, his mouth sucking and nipping on one of the hard nubs, the other resting on your lower back.

A trail of saliva connected between his mouth and your nipple when he pulls away to look at your lewd expression.

"I want you to fuck yourself on that dilldo and stopping whenever you're close, you'd cum when I'll give you permission to"

You obeyed. Spreading your folds and Grinding against the dilldo, the silicone toy brushing against your clit, your arousing smired all over it's side.

Finally, you put the tip at your entrance, looking at the now black haired man sitting in front of you, his dick in his fist, sliding slowly up and down his thick member as he watched you fall onto the toy, the dilldo stretching your walls as you ride it, your chest jumping every time you fell down on the dilldo.

Teary eyes and a swollen lower lip from how many times you stopped yourself right before your orgasm, your legs already shaking and your knees are red from the movement against the wooden floor, you looked at Izuku, who was fucking his fist at the sight of you, his head lolling back, teeth biting down on his bottom lip as straps of cum shot onto his chest and abs.

You stare at the sight of him; Dark emerald orbs scanning up your body before meeting your eyes, his hand slide to pat his lap, sighing you to sit on it. You follow and sit on his lap, your juices drip down your thigh as you stand up.

"Now how about being a good maid and clean the mess you made?" His question sounds more of an order then a question, but you follow,

Your tounge dragging on his skin to collect his cum, one hand on his shoulders and the other on his lap to balance yourself; you made your way down before getting off his lap and onto the floor, leaving a wet spot on the scarred skin.

Dragging your tounge from his balls to his tip before placing one hand on his thigh and the other gripping the base of his cock while you sacked on his pink tip, teasing him by not taking it as far as you can into your mouth; your first fucking the base of his cock. You took half of his length in when you felt him twitching and kept sucking that length. A heavy groan escaped his trout when you took him as far as you could before running your tounge down his length to suck on his balls, your fist now moving up and down his entire length.

The groans and moans leaving his lips only made the itch at your cunt stronger, wanting to ride his thick member until your legs gave up to scratch it.

You could feel him twitching in your hand, your eyes wondered up to look at him.

A dark blush covering his cheeks and ears, his bottom lip already red from how much he was biting it.

You stopped sucking on his balls, leaving a pop sound in the process before taking his whole length into your mouth. You knew he was close by how much he was twitching, and you were right.

A choked moan left his mouth as he painted your trout white, choking you in the process. His hands gripping on the chair and it takes everything within him not to fuck your mouth through his orgasm.

He pulled your head back by your hair, forcing you to look at him. Your mouth is open, tounge hanging out with a string of saliva connecting your tounge to his tip.

"Such a good fucking pet" he growled "how about I'll fuck you real good as a reward for being this good of a pet"

You nodded "p-please"

He smirked before signing you to sit on his lap and you follow. Izuku spreads your legs before pushing two digits inside your arching cunt, your walls tighten with every thrust of his fingers, curling against the spongy spot of your G-spot.

Izuku knows you, and he knows your body, It doesn't takes him long to make you squirt, the sweet moans and pleas leaving your lips like music to his ears. He takes the two fingers out and spreading them wide

"See that?" You can feel his hot breath on your jawline "I'm the only one who can make you this wet. The only one who can make you squirt and cum this hard"

He press a soft kiss to your lips while sliding his arm under the back of your knees and lifting you up before throwing you on the bed.

Izuku grabbed on the back of your thighs and practically fold you in two, pushing part of his weight onto the soft plush. Your thighs pressing against your chest, making it harder to breathe as if it wasn't hard inaf already.

You can feel him rubbing against your entrance,

"P-Pleaseeee" you whined "Fuck me alreadyyyy"

You could see him smirk before feeling him pushing his whole length inside at once, feeling as if he's splitting you in half. The sharp pain dragging tears to the corners of your eyes.

"So fucking thight for me" he groaned, his head tilting back.

"Such a good little slut for me" he praised as he started moving "fuck you feel so good"

Slow thrusts slowly grew faster. The sound of skin clapping filled the room along with the moans and groans leaving the both of your trouts.

The knot in your stomach grew tighter as you felt your orgasm approaching, your walls squeezing him tighter and tighter with every thrust.

Your hands gripped tight on the mattress underneath you as you screamed his name so loud you could swear the whole naghiberhood heard you.

"My pretty little slut cumming already?" He teased "Damm, you're really are a whore, huh?"

His grip got tighter "fuck if your gonna keep squeezing this hard on me I'm gonna- ngh! - fu-ah!-ck"

His thrusts become faster and harder, bruising your cervix with every thrust before painting your insides white, fucking your sweet cunt through his orgasm.

"You've been such a good pet for me" he praised before pulling out, watching his cum purring out of you, "fuck, your making me want to eat you like a snack"

He bent down to sit on his knees, placing your thighs firm on his shoulders before licking your pussy clean. Tounge teasing your clit before dragging on the edges of your inner lips, making you beg so much your trout hurt before letting you cum by fucking your cunt with his tounge.

For him you were better then any drink in the world.

Izuku placed a soft kiss to your thigh before smirking at your lewd expression.

"You did so well for me tonight" he praised and stood up, benting down to your hight to place a sloppy kiss on your lips and tacking some of your hair behind your ear, "how about I'll make us a nice worm bath?"

[adversitybloomed]

🌸  ┊ Small Headcanons:        Injuries of a Hua. (this is a personal headcanon based post. please do not steal. kindly note that this headcanon may contain triggers related to injuries and does go into semi-details in relation to said injuries).

Injuries throughout ALL VERSES:

at four years old, after the Lunar New Years Festival within her village, Mulan had decided that she would befriend the Moon Goddess Chang'e and climb to the highest point of her families rooftop in order to properly greet her. however, due to the late night hour, and her lack of abilities, she lost her footing and ended up falling upon her left arm which resulted in it breaking. stubbornly, while she was being fussed over, the young child promised herself to learn to climb better.

when she was six years old, Mulan had long since been practicing her skills at climbing and decided, like she did on most days, go up to a tall point of a tree in order to grab some plums. however, little did she expect that someone would be traveling the road to get to her home, and the sound of running hooves spooked her as she twisted upon the thin branch and fell once more. luckily her father, who had been away for two months due to being called to the Capital, had noticed the fall and brought not only his horse to a halt, but also the horse of his friend and fellow soldier, Commander Tung Yong. though she broke no bones, she had lost her breath for a few moments as she laid upon the hard ground watching as her father came to her aid and brought her home.

by the time Mulan was fifteen years old, she had dealt with her fair share of bullies who went after both herself and at times her younger sister due to the fact that they were not a rich family, but instead a military family. the bullying often came from young rich noble ladies, most of whom traveled to the country side when their families wanted to leave the capital for a time. most times, she could ignore them, however, she found that they went a step too far when her younger sister had been pushed into the waters and nearly drowned while they laughed. because of this and the fact that no one but her had seen it, she took it upon herself to punish them, leading her to pull a trick that tampered with a bridge and allowed it to collapse while they were on it during a social event. though none were injured, one of the noble families found out and complained to Hua Li, who took it upon herself to punish Mulan harshly, so that they would not bring this up to a legal matter and harm her in a worse way. this resulted in Mulan receiving what would be a capital punishment at home, one that resulted in a beating using thick bamboo against her back with 20 strikes. though Mulan accepted the punishment without complaint, the result of it made it difficult for her to do much for nearly half a month, leaving her in pain during her recovery. no scars were left on her body, for Hua Li and Hua Xiu spent a great deal of time making sure she received the right treatment for it.

each verse, Mulan has been stabbed, however the age changes depending on the verse. the location of the injury and the scar always remains the same, for it is by her lower left hip, near the pelvic inlet region, close to where her ovary is. the injury is scarred due to the fact that she received poor treatment for it and it resulted in an infection.

note: Hua Zhao was not present for this, he was away on the battle field, and returned home with a injury himself that left him needing a cane to walk.

Injuries of a Past Life (all verses that do not take place in a purely modern era. these will be her warrior verses, with slight alterations in her princess/assassin verses.):

when Mulan had just turned sixteen years old, she took her father's place in the army and began her campaign as a solider. within her first battle, she was stabbed with a blade by a skilled fighter, the piercing of the sword landing upon her lower left hip, near the pelvic inlet regions, close to where her ovary is. due to the time frame and her drive to save her people, she did not properly treat the wound and instead ripped a piece of her dirty clothing and stuffed it into where she was stabbed. after, she wrapped as tightly and as quickly as she could before once more returning to battle. she continued this form of treatment for a while, for she could not find someone to look at it after she was banished. However, upon returning and saving China, she finally got seen by a physician, however, due to the time frame, the wound got infected. because of this, it is now a visible scar upon her body, one that can be felt if she traced it.

note: due to this injury, she began to learn medical practices so that she could not only prevent this from happening again, but also too help her fellow soldiers upon the field, if need be.

after two years within the military, when she was eighteen years old, Mulan had completed her advance training and began her service as a Military General. Upon one of her missions, she was fighting to save a village from a raid when a well trained assassin had used the tricks of fog with the touch of heavy rain, and struck her left shoulder with a poison arrow that pierced through the back of her armor. due to the location and the strain of a bloody battle, she had to ignore the injury and instead cut the back off it off so that it did not hinder her fighting in any way. it was not until much latter that she had time to even remove her armor and check on the injury. with it lodge, she had no choice but to cut it out herself (for at this time, she could not trust the trauma physicians and they busy with the other injured), using a star cutting method to loosen it from her muscle. too late did she realized that the arrowhead was poisoned, and though she had training with managing poisons throughout the two years, it resulted in a slow recovery and left her with a star shaped scar.

Tales of a Modern Era:

on her fourteenth birthday, an enemy of her father's had broken into the farmstead and attacked the Hua women. protecting her family, she killed the man, but not before receiving a stab wound upon her lower left hip, near the pelvic inlet region, close to where her ovary is. despite knowing not to pull the blade from the wound, she did so in order to save her younger sister from being harmed and threw the knife that stabbed her into the heart of the man. her father had arrived home moments later, and upon seeing what happened, ran to his daughter who collapsed. putting pressure on the wound, he brought her to the hospital which resulted in a small surgery to help properly close the wound. however, because of the treatment, she got a staff infection which resulted in a scar.

Tales of a Cultivator (slight alteration):

its important to note that Mulan returns home to visit her family each year, mostly during holidays and birthdays.

this alteration has a lot to do with the fact that on her fourteenth birthday, an enemy of her father's, who was part of a Demonic Cultivation Clan, had broken into the farmstead and attacked the Hua women. protecting her family, she killed the man, but not before receiving a stab wound upon her lower left hip, near the pelvic inlet region, close to where her ovary is. despite knowing not to pull the blade from the wound, she did so in order to save her younger sister from being harmed and threw the knife that stabbed her into the heart of the man. however, she did not get treated by a physician who knew how to take care of a Cultivator and it resulted in her not only getting an infection, but so too a scar from the ordeal. it did not help too that despite her father wanting to get her proper treatment, she was stubborn on the matter and simply told him that she was recovered, despite the fact it was a lie.

this alteration is due to the star shaped injury she received from an arrowhead. due to the fact that she was never in an army, she still received this wound due to a battle that she faced, one in which was thanks to an assassin sent to kill her. due to the location of the injury and the fact that she had cut the back of the arrow and fought with the poisoned arrowhead lodged in her left shoulder, it left a scar.

[tenaciouspostfun]



3



Main navigation

Home

Top Stories

Latest Stories

The Tempest.

The Mystic Wind Blows.



By Robert M Massimi. ( Broadway Bob).Published 2 minutes ago • 3 min read



Robert M. Massimi.

One of the many things about the greatest writer of all time, William Shakespeare, is that he wrote for all people, and, as such, all people can be intertwined into his plays. In fact, many of Shakespeare's plays, even prior to the "woke" culture that we currently live in, had inter-racial casting.

In this version of "The Tempest" the director John Gordon had both Prospero , or now Prospera (Nancy Rich) as the former duke of Milan; and Alonso, now Alonsa (Alice Marks) as the queen of Naples. Gordon on many fronts had some dynamic results from his characters, and although Rich was very inconsistent in her performance, many others were standouts; especially in a small space which is the Gural at ART. Under a bare stage (Craig Holmes), the focus is on the words and the actors.

"The Tempest" is a rarely seen play either on Broadway, off Broadway or even off off; Macbeth, Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet usually get those honors. This summer I had the privilege of seeing Twelfth Night at Axis, this too like "Tempest" is rarely seen. Both plays are deep, require a lot of attention to the plot and action.

In one of The Bards last plays written, a tempest has Prospero, daughter Miranda (Cam Grey), and two servants: Caliban (Coleman Shu-Tung) and Ariel, an excellent (Bellamy Woodside Ridiger). Ridiger was worth the price of admission! Where Tung is miscast, Ridiger commands the stage with his dance, his mystique, his ability to flutter above the play itself. As the play is based on magic, music and song, betrayal and revenge, the last act, a play within a play in scene IV, the play ratchets up both in language and tone.

One of the problems with this "Tempest", however, is that the play was written as a Folio, here Gordon does not present it as such, rather as a play putting the actors front and center, as well as all their issues front and center making for confusion at times. Whereas the Folio dealt more with fable, creation; in this work, Prospera did not represent Shakespeare, who is at the center, who gave his sign off to magic and its stage interpretations after writing "The Tempest". Instead, it brings a different story to the modern audience that we had to navigate through and make our own decisions at to what the actors are trying to portray before our eyes. It was not always clear to us what and where the plot is headed.

Cam Grey not only was a terrific Miranda, she also did a fantastic job with the music direction (I am assuming the sound as well). The sound resonated in both the storms and when the magic... the mystic side of the play came out. The sound hit the soul, it permeated throughout the theater. To me the sound was the most attractive part of the play. The costumes too by Janet Holmes captured the mood of this often overlooked Shakespeare play. The lighting design by Eric Nightingale was just ordinarily efficient. So much more could have been done with the lighting, especially with the deft sound in this play. Nightingale could have made this much cooler to watch.

Smoke and Mirror Theater put on a timely piece here. Where revenge and insurrection against a legitimate government are the basis of "The Tempest", written back in the early 1600's, much hasn't changed today! Today we have law-fare against people who want a better system, we have corruption at our law enforcement who spy on citizens who disagree with their opinions; even try to throw people in prison for misdemeanors. Shakespeare, a conservative in his political beliefs knew even back then what a crooked government looked like. That is one of the reasons he was so great in his writing!

art

About the Creator



Robert M Massimi. ( Broadway Bob).

I have been writing on theater since 1982. A graduate from Manhattan College B.S. A member of Alpha Sigma Lambda, which recognizes excellence in both English and Science. I have produced 14 shows on and off Broadway. I've seen over700 shows

Reader insights

Insights submitted by your readers will appear here.

How does it work?

Comments

Allow comments on this story

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.



Share your thoughts…(Optional)

Comment

Keep reading

More stories from Robert M Massimi. ( Broadway Bob). and writers in Geeks and other communities.



The Butter and Egg Man.

"The Butter and Egg Man" was written in the 1920's and is currently performing at The Wohl Center on the upper west side. Written by the great George S. Kaufman, Out of the Box Theatre Company has produced the original 1925 work in two acts and 2 scenes in each act.

RMM(BB

ByRobert M Massimi. ( Broadway Bob).2 months ago in Geeks



Intern or insurance man

I can’t lie to you, I am a huge Grey’s Anatomy fan before I was a huge Gilmore Girl’s fan. So when I eventually added Gilmore Girl’s to my list of comfort shoes, I was so excited to see some familiar faces! Currently on my fourth rewatch, and of course, restarted the series mid August as I get ready for fall. I’ll I’m missing is my homemade pumpkin spice cold brew and a comfy sweater. (Speaking of, I have created a Lorelai influenced outfit I could use some tips on so remind me to post that!)

J

ByJazzy7 days ago in Geeks



Rings of Power

Prime Video’s Rings of Power season 2 will be released on August 29th. All 8 episodes of season 1 are currently streaming on Prime Video. But in case you don’t feel like a binge watch before you jump into season 2, or if you thought you remembered everything and then realized that you really really didn’t, we are here with all of the information that you need to know about season 1, before heading into season 2.

AC

ByAlexandrea Callaghan7 days ago in Geeks



Keeping the Ticket

With the ticket in my hand, it felt like a diamond album. He had given it to me. Just right there with his medium brown hand into mine. I knew this was his only ticket and that he wouldn’t be able to go to Firefly. Just to grasp the ticket made me remember him forever. This was 2013. The festival would rise and swell with the rhythms and vibrations of the various bands and performers.

SS

BySkyler Saunders7 days ago in Psyche

Written by Robert M Massimi. ( Broadway Bob).

Find us on social media

Miscellaneous links

Explore

Contact

Privacy Policy

Terms of Use

Support

© 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

[mulan-lover]

Masterlist

Time Will Reveal One's Heart 日久见人心

Summary:

A war breaks out in the north, an Emperor's decree is passed, and a daughter disguises herself as a man. MULAN 2020: A CANON REWRITE

Things to take note:

Focus on Mulan & Commander Tung, Mulan & her father Hua Zhou, Mulan & her comrades (not just Honghui) A lot of flashbacks, many callbacks to previous existing media, canon-typical violence and war, found family, no chi, no magic creatures, no animal companions, no romance, plenty of historical inaccuracies, has swords and Chinese language Plot changes abound, entire cast gets a makeover i.e. a personality and character development and Chinese names, Xianniang deserves better and so does Mulan and everyone else

Author's Note:

Hope you guys can check my fanfic out and tell me how do you find it. Feel free to leave a comment below any chapter or drop an ask on this blog, as long as you are respectful about it.

Chapter 1: Arrival

Chapter 2: Training

Chapter 3: A New Turn

Chapter 4: Bonding

Chapter 5: Call to War

Chapter 6: Aftermath

Chapter 7: Before the Storm

Chapter 8: Avalanche

Chapter 9: Revelation

Chapter 10: Decision

Chapter 11: Rescue Mission (current wip)

Chapter 12: Peaceful End (final chapter)

[rygoespop]

The King of Street Fighters: Terry vs JP (Chapter 2)

Scene opens up right where it left off, as Terry makes his way inside Shadaloo Tower

Terry: Hang on guys, I’m coming! *he runs inside*

Bison and JP observe Terry making his entrance in the tower

JP: He’s in the tower Lord Bison, what do we do? Do we summon the guards to stop him?

M. Bison: No! He would easily beat them, so I propose a challenge to him

JP: Who?

M. Bison: You

JP: Me?

M. Bison: Yes, I want you to stop him before he gets to me

JP: *bows* By your request Lord Bison *he heads off to face Terry*

Soon, Terry hurried inside through a ruined lab

Terry: Almost there!

Suddenly, JP unleash a Psycho Wave, causing Terry to get back

Terry: Who’s there?!

JP: *emerges from the shadows* So, we finally meet at last, Legendary Wolf of South Town

Terry: Who are you?

JP: I am JP, but to some, Johann Petrovich, I am the Second in Command of Shadaloo

Terry: So, your Bison’s accomplice?

JP: You could say like that, but I’m afraid I can’t let you through

Terry: Is that so? How about a match? If I win, you will let me through so I can confront Bison, but if you win, I’ll surrender

JP: I always look forward to a challenge

Both Terry and JP get in their fighting positions

Terry: You think that cane is gonna stop me?

JP: Didn’t you learn how to respect your elders? *swings his cane towards Terry*

Terry: *dodges* Yeah! My mentor, Tung Fu Rue!

JP: Fascinating!

Terry: And in fact, he was my Father’s mentor! *uses Burn Knuckle on JP*

JP: *defends himself from the Burn Knuckle* Is that so?!

Terry: Yeah, and you remind me of Heinlein!

JP: I don’t know who that is!

Terry: Oh you’ll find out! *uses Power Wave on JP, and this time using Burn Knuckle again*

JP: *blocks the Power Wave* Pah, is that- *gets punched in the gut by Terry* What the?!

Terry: Raaaaugh! *uses Burn Knuckle again*

JP: Hmph! Impossible! *defeated*

Terry: It’s over! I won! Now let me through

JP: A deal is a deal, I shall let you through *opens the elevator for Terry*

Terry: Thanks *enters the elevator and heads to the the top floor, Bison’s Throne Room*

In Bison’s Throne Room

M. Bison: I’m anticipating his arrival soon

Soon, Bison was Correct, Terry opened the Elevator Doors

Terry: Bison!

M. Bison: *smirks* Ah, the Legendary Wolf, I been waiting for you, let the showdown begin

Scene cuts to black, indicating a showdown

Story End

[innernightinfluencer]

MOVIE TITLE: (MULAN)

SETTING- Mulan movie is in ancient China, specifically during the Northern Wei dynasty, from lush forests to vast plains, as Mulan embarks on her journey to save her family and bring honor to her name.

CHARACTERS

1. Mulan: Played by Liu Yifei.

2. Hua Zhou: Played by Tzi Ma.

3. Commander Tung: Played by Donnie Yen.

4. Xian Lang: Played by Gong Li.

5. Chen Honghui: Played by Yoson An.

6. Emperor: Played by Jet Li.

7. The Rouran Leader: Played by Jason Scott Lee.

PLOT - the story follows a young woman named Mulan who disguises herself as a man to join the Imperial Army in place of her ailing father. As China faces an invasion from the Rouran army, Mulan must harness her inner strength and embrace her true potential to protect her family and bring honor to her name. Along the way, she faces challenges both on the battlefield and within herself as she grapples with her identity and learns the importance of courage, loyalty, and selflessness. With the help of her fellow soldiers and her innate abilities, Mulan rises to become a legendary warrior, ultimately saving her country and earning the respect of all who know her true worth.

THEME - Mulan revolve around identity, empowerment, and the importance of family and honor. It explores the idea of staying true to oneself, even in the face of societal expectations and adversity. Mulan's journey is about discovering her own strength and abilities, as well as the courage to embrace her true identity and make sacrifices for the greater good. Additionally, the film highlights the value of family bonds and the pursuit of honor and duty, both to oneself and to others.

PLOT: (MULAN)

EXPOSITION - (Mulan), the audience is introduced to the protagonist, Mulan, as well as her family and the setting of ancient China. We learn about Mulan's close relationship with her father, Hua Zhou, a respected warrior who is struggling with his health. The exposition sets the stage for Mulan's journey, as she grapples with the expectations placed upon her as a woman in a society that values tradition and conformity. It also foreshadows the imminent threat of invasion from the Rouran army, which will ultimately propel Mulan into action to protect her family and bring honor to their name.

RISING ACTION - Mulan disguises herself as a man to take her father's place in the Imperial Army, knowing that he is too frail to survive the rigors of war. She trains rigorously, facing challenges and obstacles as she struggles to conceal her identity while proving herself as a capable soldier. Along the way, Mulan forms bonds with her fellow soldiers, including her ally Chen Honghui, and earns the respect of her commanding officer, Commander Tung. Meanwhile, the threat of invasion from the Rouran army looms ever closer, heightening the tension and urgency of Mulan's mission. As Mulan's skills and confidence grow, she must navigate the complexities of war and confront her own inner conflicts, all while striving to protect her family and country.

CLIMAX - Mulan reveals her true identity as a woman to her fellow soldiers and confronts the primary antagonist, the Rouran leader, in a pivotal battle. Embracing her inner strength and using her exceptional martial arts abilities, Mulan faces off against the Rouran leader in a dramatic showdown that determines the fate of China. This moment represents Mulan's ultimate triumph over adversity and her emergence as a legendary warrior, fulfilling her destiny and bringing honor to herself and her family.

[heavenboy09]

Happy Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 To You

The Distinguished & Honored & Legendary Chinese Actor / Martial Artist / Action Director & Politician Of All Of China 🇨🇳 🇭🇰

He was born on 27 July 1963 in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. His mother, Bow-sim Mark, is a Fu Style Wudangquan (internal martial arts) and Tai Chi grandmaster, while his father, Klyster Yen (甄雲龍), was a newspaper editor. 

When he was two years old, his family moved to Hong Kong and then to the United States, settling in Boston when he was 11. He attended Newton North High School.

His younger sister, Chris Yen, is also a martial artist and actress, and appeared in the 2007 film Adventures of Johnny Tao: Rock Around the Dragon.

He is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, action director and politician. Regarded as one of Hong Kong's top action stars, Yen is widely credited for bringing mixed martial arts (MMA) into mainstream Asian cinema by choreographing MMA in many of his films since the early 2000s.

The first Chinese UFC champion Zhang Weili stated that Yen's films introduced her to MMA. Yen has displayed skill in an array of martial arts, being well-versed in Tai Chi, Boxing, Kickboxing, Jeet Kune Do, Hapkido, Mixed martial arts, Taekwondo, Karate, Muay Thai, Wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Hung Ga, Sanda, Judo, Wing Chun, and Wushu. One of the most popular film stars in Asia of the early 2000s, Yen is consistently one of the highest-paid actors in Asia. 

Yen earned HK$220 million (US$28.4 million) from four films and six advertisements in 2013.is credited by many for contributing to the popularisation of Wing Chun in China. He portrays Wing Chun grandmaster Ip Man in the Ip Man film series, which has garnered box office success and led to an increase in the number of people taking up Wing Chun, with hundreds of new Wing Chun schools being opened up in mainland China and other parts of Asia. Ip Chun, the eldest son of Ip Man, even mentioned that he is grateful to Yen for making his family's art popular and allowing his father's legacy to be remembered.

 He has also gained international recognition for playing Chirrut Îmwe in Rogue One (2016) and Xiang in XXX: Return of Xander Cage (2017), as well as Commander Tung in Mulan (2020) and Caine in John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023).

Please Wish This Legendary Chinese Actor Of Incredible & Legendary Talents A Very Happy Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊

YOU KNOW HIM

YOU BETTER KNOW HIM

& IF YOU DONT. YOU SURE WILL LEARN TO LOVE HIM

THE 1

&

ONLY

IP MAN STAR HIMSELF 👊

MR. DONNIE YEN 💴 - JI DIAN AKA

DONNIE YEN 👊🇭🇰 AKA IP MAN

HAPPY 60TH BIRTHDAY 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 TO YOU MR. YEN & HERE'S TO MANY MORE YEARS TO COME ...

#DonnieYen #IPMan #MartialArtist

[superpowerprayer]

I worshipped Satan then met Jesus in Prison! 😮 | O-Tung's Testimony

Worldwide Revival. Please Pray For. Dedicate and Rededicate your life to the Lord Jesus Christ. FATHER I BELIEVE THAT YOU SENT YOUR SON JESUS CHRIST TO DIE ON THE CROSS FOR MY SINS. I BELIEVE THAT HE DIED, AND WAS RESURRECTED, AND IS COMING BACK TO JUDGE THE LIVING AND THE DEAD. FATHER, I REPENT.FORGIVE ME OF ALL MY SINS. COME INTO MY HEART AND MAKE ME YOUR CHILD. IN THE NAME OF YOUR SON JESUS CHRIST. Thank you for saving my soul. AMEN Neville Johnon / The Academy of Light ��/ Prophecy https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTA9JOYHK1xwo6fVqslF832pq7X2ZK3OP Sadhu Sundar Selvaraj / Prophecy / Angel TV     https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTA9JOYHK1xxWWpNCBcMNZh_wgq9Io63D Dr Bruce Allen / School of Translation / Prophecy https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTA9JOYHK1xw_MXN157uQWUUrckfqYkz6 Steven Francis / Jesus My King Church / End Times Remnant https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTA9JOYHK1xxYAFP-LxKq26XwBf0PTQ5v Prophet Michael Van Vlymen / School of Translation https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTA9JOYHK1xzwww3X6okxZp_D2Arn6-cO Trey Smith / Bible History / Prophecy Movies https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTA9JOYHK1xwdppFhJu3QBIURlc29Y5Dr War Room Prayers / Take Control of Your Life https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTA9JOYHK1xztyt0YgLmOg1HmNuZ0_Mqz Speaking in Unknown Tongues  / What does it Do? //  Sadhu Sundar Selvaraj   https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTA9JOYHK1xzKzsQnqrHdfzXv-5dw4lUX Worship Worship Worship Praise Music / Shekinah Worship Center https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTA9JOYHK1xwbLuba-6eBCVoan0Giz6pi Worldwide Revival. Please Pray For Heavenly Father in the Mighty name of Jesus Christ Destroy  every Demonic plot against  Me, My Family, My Church, My  City, and My Country. In Jesus name In Jesus name In Jesus name Satan, Lucifer, Every Demon, All Witch Craft, Sorcery, Every Principality, All Spiritual wickedness in High places, Prince of the Power of the air, Dominions, every Unclean Spirit, every Infirmity, Chief Prince, all Generals, all Captains, all Centurions, every Watchmen, Principalities and every other Devil. I rebuke you in Jesus name. I cast you out in Jesus name. I cast you Down in Jesus name. I Bind, Cage, Chain, Mute, Muzzle, Gag,  Cut you All Off, Destroy, Strip and Ruin You All. I Nullify All of Your Actions forever and ever In Jesus Christ name. I take back all of the permission that I have given you in the past to operate in me and through me. I take my Authority back right now by the Blood of Jesus Christ and as a Son or Daughter of The Most High God. I render you all Powerless in my life from now on in the Mighty name of Jesus Christ. The Holy Bible States in Phillipians 2:10-11 " That at The Name of Jesus Every knee shall bow of Things in Heaven and Things on Earth and things Under the Earth And Every Tongue Shall Confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. To the Glory of God The Father.” I now command you All to Bow Down on your knees and confess with your mouths that Jesus Christ is Lord. Father God Destroy, Strip, Ruin, Confuse and Cast Down the demonic kingdom in Jesus name. Most High God,  His number is 644, Jesus, Emmanuel, Holy Spirit, Almighty God, Father and His Power Aleeth. Please Forgive Me of Every Sin that I have ever Committed and Thank You for dying on The Cross for Me. I Give You All of the Praise Honor and Glory forever. Lord Thank you for hearing and honoring my prayer and setting me free. Please Lead me and guide me from now on. Amen My Two Sons Died on the Same Day  Then This Happened //  Timothy J Douglass Sr https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTA9JOYHK1xx1BarkXoAwPMqN00JTmCzl Be My Friend On Face Book / Super Power Prayer / Timothy J Douglass Sr / End Times Prophecy / Prayer / Worship https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010641464829 Psalms 91 / Prayers for Protection https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOZKQz7rnHg&list=PLTA9JOYHK1xyRxubnpND6QgEz3gQwWVzO Pornography  / How does It Affect People? https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTA9JOYHK1xxJt8OhUtotFuDsUUkPYHAk The Two Witnesses  / Who are They? When will They Come? https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTA9JOYHK1xyc_hth4h79wUwXnboxh1P- The Deep State  / What is It. What Does It Do? https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTA9JOYHK1xzGURojGv9GCjREs76WpYix The New World Order / When will it Be here? What Is It? https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTA9JOYHK1xzRwm0kqwUVT3mKiUUlsa8N The Rapture / When will It Happen? What Is It? https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTA9JOYHK1xzmsDhXQkE877-JiBxg-SG-

[casbooks]

Books of 2023

Book 8 of 2023

Title: Rice Paddy Recon Authors: Andrew R. Finlayson ISBN: 9781476618180 Tags: AC-130 Spectre, B-52 Stratofortress, Battleships, Bess Clements Abell, Camp David, CH-46 Sea Knight, Che Guevara, CHN China, CHN Hak Lee Shipping Company, CHN Hong Kong, CHN Kai Tak Airport, CHN Mao Tse Tung, CUB Cuba, Espionage, F-4 Phantom II, FAC, FRA ADT FFL 13th Demi-Brigade, FRA ADT FFL French Foreign Legion (Légion Etrangère), FRA Senegalese Tirailleurs, From LAPL, FSB Pony (Vietnam War), GBR England, GBR London, GBR Sir Robert Thompson, GBR United Kingdom, Hill 344, Intelligence, Jose Castillo Chavez (Cuban Guerilla), KHM Cambodia, KHM Cambodian Army (Vietnam War), KHM General Lon Nol, KHM King & President Norodom Sihanouk, KHM Operation Rock Crusher/Toan Thang 42 (1970) (Vietnam War), KOR ROKMC Republic Of Korea Marine Corps, LAO Laos, Lyndon B. Johnson, LZ Hambone (The Dog Bone), MACV Advisory Teams, Martin Luther King Jr, Military Intelligence, Nungs, OV-10 Bronco, Regis Debray (French Marxist), SpecOps, SPIE Rig - Special Patrol Insertion and Extraction, Tamara Bunker Bider (East German Guerilla/KGB), US CIA Central Intelligence Agency, US CIA Charles O. Stainback, US CIA Daren Flitcroft, US CIA Felix Rodriguez, US CIA Inspector General Charles J. Timmes, US CIA Merle Pribbenow, US CIA SAD SpeUS CIAl Activities Division, US CIA Ted Shackley, US CIA Tucker Gougelmann, US MACV Military Assistance Command Vietnam (Vietnam War), US USA 1st Cavalry Division, US USA 22nd Infantry Regiment, US USA 22nd Infantry Regiment - 3/22, US USA 22nd Infantry Regiment - 3/22 - C Co, US USA 25th ID, US USA 69th Heavy Construction Group, US USMC 1st Medical Battalion, US USMC General Samuel Jaskilka, US USMC III MAF Marine Amphibious Force (Vietnam War), US USMC United States Marine Corps, US USN USNA Naval Academy, USA Green Berets, USA Special Forces, USAF Colonel Edward Lansdale, USMC 1st Force Recon Co, USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Beach Nut (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Crazy Bone (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Forefather (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Hireling (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Hunt Club (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Icebound (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Killer Kane (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team May Fly (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Night Scholar (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Off Spring (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Paddle Boat (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Paddle Boat II (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Penny Wise (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Pickwick Paper (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Pony Team (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Puppet Show (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Recline (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Report Card (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Saddle Bag (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Scandinavia (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Screen Test (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Serviceman II (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Steel Rim (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Third Round A (Vietnam War), USMC 1st Force Recon Co - Team Trailer Park (Vietnam War), USMC 1st MarDiv, USMC 1st Recon Bn, USMC 1st Recon Bn - E Co, USMC 3rd MarDiv, USMC 3rd Marines, USMC 3rd Marines - 1/3, USMC 3rd Marines - 1/3 - B Co, USMC 3rd Recon Bn, USMC 5th Marines, USMC 5th Marines - 1/5, USMC 5th Marines - 1/5 - C Co, USMC 5th Marines - 2/5, USMC 5th Marines - 2/5 - E Co, USMC 5th Marines - 2/5 - F Co, USMC 5th Marines - 2/5 - G Co, USMC 5th Marines - 3/5, USMC 5th Marines - 3/5 - K Co, USMC 5th Marines - 3/5 - M Co, USMC 7th Marines, USMC 7th Marines - 3/7, USMC 7th Marines - 3/7 - I Co, USMC Aerial Observers, USMC Camp Pendleton, USMC Colonel Terry Allen, USMC General Herman Nickerson, USMC General Ormond R. Simpson, USMC General Ross T. Dwyer Jr, USMC HMM-364 Purple Foxes, USMC Lt. David "Hot Rod" Hundley - HMM-364, USMC Marine Barracks Washington (8th and I), USMC Washington Barracks Guard Co., USN USS New Jersey (BB-62), Vietminh, VNM 1 Doan Cong Bu Street, VNM 1968 Tet Offensive (1968) (Vietnam War), VNM 1969 Mini-Tet Offensive (1969) (Vietnam War), VNM A Shau Valley, VNM A Vuong River, VNM An Bang, VNM An Bang Plateau, VNM An Chuo Dao Mountain, VNM An Gao Mountain, VNM An Hoa, VNM An Ta Border Station, VNM Antenna Valley, VNM Ap Ba, VNM Ap Bon, VNM Ap Doi La, VNM Ap Phuoc Thuan, VNM Arizona Territory, VNM B-32 Special Forces Camp, VNM Ba Manh Canal, VNM Ban The Dao, VNM Base Area 112, VNM Base Area 116, VNM Base Area 354, VNM Battle of Hue City (1968) (Tet Offensive) (Vietnam War), VNM Bau Anh, VNM Ben Cui Rubber Plantation, VNM Ben Dau, VNM Ben Giang, VNM Bien Hoa, VNM Binh Dong Province, VNM Binh Duong Province, VNM Binh Thanh, VNM Boi Loi Woods, VNM Camp Reasoner (Vietnam War), VNM Cao Dai - Trinh Minh The, VNM Cao Dai - Yellow Dragons, VNM Cao Dai Giao Tung - Le Van Trung, VNM Cao Dai Religion, VNM Cau-Khoi Rubber Plantation, VNM Cay Me, VNM CIA Air America (1950-1976) (Vietnam War), VNM CIA Phung Hoang / Phoenix Program (1965-1972) (Vietnam War), VNM CIA Region I Headquarters - Da Nang (Vietnam War), VNM CIA Region III Headquarters - Bien Hoa (Vietnam War), VNM Command and Control North/FOB-4 (Vietnam War), VNM Cu Ban, VNM Cu Bon, VNM Da Nang, VNM Dai Hiep, VNM Dai Khung, VNM Dai Loc District, VNM Dai Viet, VNM DeGhia, VNM Deo Le Mountain, VNM Dien Bien Phu, VNM DRV Lao Dong Party, VNM DRV NVA 21st Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 2nd Division, VNM DRV NVA 2nd Division - 21st Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 2nd Division - 31st Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 31st Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 368th Artillery (Rocket) Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 36th Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 38th Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 40th Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 5th Division, VNM DRV NVA 7th Division, VNM DRV NVA 90th Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 9th Division, VNM DRV NVA Front 4, VNM DRV NVA Group 44 - Quan Da Provincial Unit, VNM DRV NVA Military Region 5 - MR5, VNM DRV NVA North Vietnamese Army, VNM DRV NVA Unit 559 (Supply), VNM DRV VC 1st Regiment, VNM DRV VC COSVN Central Office for South Vietnam, VNM DRV VC Mobile Battalion C-40, VNM DRV VC Quang Da Unit, VNM DRV VC Rear Service Group 83, VNM DRV VC Section 7 / D46 Ground Reconnaissance Battalion, VNM DRV VC Spy Pham Xuan An, VNM DRV VC Sub-Region 2, VNM DRV VC Viet Cong, VNM Duc Duc, VNM Duc Duc District, VNM Duc Hotel, VNM Duc Xuyen District, VNM Duong Minh Chau District, VNM Freedom Hill PX, VNM French Indochina War (1946-154), VNM Geo Coc Mountain, VNM Go Dau Ha, VNM Go Noi Island, VNM Ham An, VNM Henderson Hill, VNM Hiep Duc, VNM Hiep Thien Dai, VNM Hieu Duc, VNM Hieu Thien District, VNM Highway 1, VNM Hill 1026 (Ap Bang Mountain), VNM Hill 1031 (Ban Co Mountain), VNM Hill 1143 (Yang Brai Mountain), VNM Hill 132, VNM Hill 232, VNM Hill 244, VNM Hill 31, VNM Hill 327, VNM Hill 332, VNM Hill 34, VNM Hill 350, VNM Hill 364, VNM Hill 374, VNM Hill 375, VNM Hill 381 (Nui Khuc Son), VNM Hill 406, VNM Hill 452, VNM Hill 481, VNM Hill 485 (An Chau Dao Mountain), VNM Hill 545, VNM Hill 551, VNM Hill 65, VNM Hill 734, VNM Hill 845 (Nui Mat Rang), VNM Ho Chi Minh Trail (Vietnam War), VNM Hoi An, VNM Hon Nui Tau, VNM Huu Chanh, VNM I Corps (Vietnam War), VNM Kham Duc, VNM Khanh Ly (Singer), VNM Khe Con, VNM Khe Dienne, VNM Khe Houa, VNM Khiem Hanh District, VNM La Thap, VNM Lanh An, VNM Lao Dong Party, VNM Liberty Bridge, VNM Long An Province, VNM LZ Barnes (Vietnam War), VNM LZ Finch (Vietnam War), VNM Marble Mountain, VNM Mau Chan, VNM Mau Chanh, VNM Mau Chung, VNM Michelin Rubber Plantation, VNM Minh Tan, VNM My Dong, VNM My Hiep, VNM My Hoa, VNM My Le, VNM My Loc, VNM My Phu, VNM My Thanh Dong, VNM Nhgi Thuong, VNM Ninh Long, VNM Nong Son Coal Mine, VNM Nui Ba Den (Black Virgin Mountain), VNM Nui Ben, VNM Nui Da Beo, VNM Nui Do, VNM Nui Duong Thong, VNM Nui Hon Sai, VNM Nui Mo Cam, VNM Nui Ro, VNM Nui Son Ga (Charlie Ridge), VNM Ong Thu Slope, VNM Operation Arc Light (1965-1973) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Cliff Dweller II (1969) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Durham Peak (1969) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Henderson Hill (1968) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Meade River (1968-1969) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Muskogee Meadow (1969) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Taylor Common (1968-1969) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Union I (1967) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Union II (1967) (Vietnam War), VNM Phouc Hoi, VNM Phouc Ly, VNM Phouc Tuong (Dogpatch), VNM Phu Bac, VNM Phu Khuong District, VNM Phu Lac, VNM Phu Loi, VNM Phu Nhuan, VNM Phu Phong, VNM Phuoc Hoi, VNM Phuoc Ninh District, VNM Phuoc Tan, VNM Quan Hoa Vang District, VNM Quang Nam Province, VNM Quang Tin Province, VNM Quang Tri Province, VNM Que Son Mountains, VNM Que Son Pass, VNM Que Son Valley, VNM Revolutionary Development Program (Vietnam War), VNM Route 1, VNM Route 14, VNM Route 22, VNM Route 239, VNM Route 26, VNM Route 29, VNM Route 4, VNM RVN ARVN 1st ID, VNM RVN ARVN Airborne Division, VNM RVN ARVN Army of the Republic of Vietnam, VNM RVN ARVN CIDG Civilian Irregular Defense Group, VNM RVN ARVN MSS Provincial Military Security Service, VNM RVN ARVN Provincial Interrogation Center, VNM RVN ARVN RF/PF Regional Forces/Popular Forces (Vietnam War), VNM RVN Binh Xuyen Pirates, VNM RVN Chieu Hoi Program/Force 66 - Luc Luong 66 (Vietnam War), VNM RVN DIOCC - District Intelligence Operations Coordination Center (Vietnam War), VNM RVN Kit Carson Scouts (Vietnam War), VNM RVN Ngo Dinh Diem, VNM RVN Nguyen Van Thieu, VNM RVN PIOCC - Provisional Intelligence Operations Coordination Center (Vietnam War), VNM RVN RVNP CSDB PRU Provincial Reconnaissance Units (Vietnam War), VNM RVN RVNP National Police, VNM RVN Spy Vo Van Ba, VNM RVN SVNAF Da Nang Airbase, VNM RVN SVNAF South Vietnamese Air Force, VNM RVN USA CRIP Combined Reconnaissance and Intelligence Platoon (Vietnam War), VNM RVNP CSDB Can Sat Dac Biet Special Branch Police, VNM Saigon, VNM Song Boung, VNM Song Cai, VNM Song Con, VNM Song Ky Lam, VNM Song Thien Yen, VNM Song Thu Bon, VNM Song Vam Co Dong, VNM Song Vu Gia, VNM Tam Hoa Refugee Camp, VNM Tan Phuoc, VNM Task Force Yankee (1968-1969) (Vietnam War), VNM Tat Lay Mountain, VNM Tay Ninh, VNM Tay Ninh East Airfield, VNM Tay Ninh Embassy House (Vietnam War), VNM Tay Ninh Province, VNM Tay Ninh West Air Base, VNM Thach Bich, VNM Thanh Hai, VNM Thanh Xuyen Refugee Camp, VNM Thon Ba, VNM Thu Bon, VNM Thua Thien Province, VNM Thuong Duc, VNM Thuong Duc Special Forces Camp (Vietnam War), VNM Tu Pho, VNM US MACVSOG (1964-1972) (Vietnam War), VNM USMC Combined Action Platoon (Vietnam War), VNM USMC MMAF Marble Mountain Air Facility, VNM USN Officers Club - The Stone Elephant (Vietnam War), VNM Vietnam War (1955-1975), VNM Vinh Thanh Valley (Happy Valley), VNM VNQDD, VNM Vung Tau, VNM War Zone C, VNM Xom Ba Ao, VNM Zia Rong Rating: 4 Stars Subject: Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.Specops.Marine Recon

Descriptions:  A young U.S. Marine officer recounts his experiences of the Vietnam War over a nineteen month period. He graphically describes what it was like to perform three distinct combat missions: long-range ground reconnaissance in the Annamite Mountains of I Corps, infantry operations in the rice paddies and mountains of Quang Nam Province and special police operations for the CIA in Tay Ninh Province. Using Marine Corps official unit histories, CIA documents, and his weekly letters home, the author relies almost exclusively on primary sources in providing an accurate and honest account of combat at the small unit level. Of particular interest is his description of his assignment to the CIA as a Provincial Reconnaissance Unit (PRU) advisor in Tay Ninh Province, where he participated in several secret missions as part of the controversial Phoenix Program. The name and contribution of the CIA's most valuable spy during the war, the famous "Tay Ninh Source," is revealed.

Review: Finlayson’s 2nd book is a huge shift from his first. It spends more time talking about his experiences as a Marine company commander, as well as his time with the PRU. It gives a really good insight into the CIA/PRU program from his myopic perspective, as well as a bit about the Cambodian Incursion. 

He was thrust into a situation without the proper training or expertise, did the best that he could, and he readily admits his failures, which is important for a book like this. He’s very heavy handed with his beliefs though, even to the point of breaking off a friendship with a noted English scholar on the subject of warfare for their differing views. 

It’s worth a read, and is a good follow up to his first book.