#decay isabela

[casitafallz]

Decay Isabela: The only thing keeping me from running away and hiding from society for the rest of my life is spite. I could disappear forever, but there are some bitches whose downfalls I have yet to witness, and I wanna be around when that happens.

[casitafallz-a]

Dante: Do you care if I take the skin off this Furby?

Dante: I want to make him a god. Once he is free of his sinful flesh, he can begin a path towards enlightenment. He will take care of us.

Dante: I also want to softhack his circuits.

Decay Isabela: I literally could not care less but never say anything as frightening as that ever again.

[rosemarytales]

Why I think the Madrigals believed Bruno to be dead

The adults only speak about him in past tense. "Bruno didn't care about this family". As far as she knows, if he's still alive and not back it means he actively still doesn't care about the family, so why not say that? Félix also speaks in past tense ("You better figure it out, because it was coming for you"). Julieta's "My brother Bruno lost his way in this family" makes sense regardless of whether she thought he'd died or not, but to me it does sound very final. Pepa cannot even hear his name without thundering. With the amount of love she has for him, the thought that he might have made himself a happier life in a town that does not shun him should bring her at least a bit of comfort, but she's inconsolable even after so much time. I'm sure there are more examples of this and if I can think of them, I'll add them in the replies.

The door going dark. Now, we know it stopped being lit because he had decided not to use his power anymore, but it makes far more sense for it to be because he couldn't use his power anymore (because he was dead). Casita, much like Bruno, can tell the future, so she knew he was going to use it again, the vow did not really count for anything. Are you telling me that anytime a family member leaves their room and considers not using their power for a while their door goes black?? It makes a lot more sense for the family to have thought he had died. The same applies for Casita not being able to help inside the room: it sounds like a metaphor for the Madrigals not being able to help Bruno anymore.

The deleted scene. In the "Chores!" deleted scene, Félix talks about a fight Bruno had with the family (possibly even the moment he left the family?). In this scene, Bruno displays actual suicidal tendencies ("I wish I was dead!"), and, when he leaves, his room starts rotting and decaying. This scene was removed in the final movie, because it is clearly too dark for kids, but we have no reason to believe that it is not still canon in the universe, as we can see that his room is actually decaying and falling apart. If a family member tells you they wish they were dead and then disappear leaving no trace, it is not a crazy jump to think they are not still alive, especially considering the next point.

Bruno left behind most of his belongings. We do not know how much stuff Bruno had in the first place, but when he leaves his room after the vision, we do not see him holding a bag (or anything really) and even if it's there, it is definitely not a bag big enough to sustain someone leaving their home for good. The stuff he has in the walls was likely gathered long after his family had stopped searching for him. He also has no money and the social skills of a rat, where was he even going??

The room falling apart. Not entirely sure about this, but I think the characters' rooms reflect somewhat the emotional state of their owners (Isabela's room in What Else Can I Do + if I'm not mistaken, Camilo's room is supposed to change colour based on his mood like a chameleon). This is further demonstrated by the stairs, which had been growing for years before Bruno actually left. This is a bit of a stretch, but I think the family could have seen one of two alarm bells in the decaying room: a) Bruno's room was decaying like him (kinda gruesome, but it makes some semblance of sense); b) it did not change at all for 10 years. I don't think rooms change only when their owner is in them, so Bruno's emotional state supposedly not changing for so long is alarming. But again, this point is the one that convinces me the least.

Dolores. Dolores mentions hearing Bruno in the walls three (3) times, in the movie alone: in We Don't Talk About Bruno, at breakfast ("and the rats talking in the walls") and in All of You. It's been ten years and she still mentions him constantly, so she's probably been talking about it since the very beginning, but no one believed her. So, a child keeps hearing their relative who disappeared without a trace in their family home, without seeing him and with everyone saying it wasn't possible. Logical conclusion? It's a ghost.

The family's reactions to him returning. Alma is the most striking. It takes quite a long time for her shocked face to wear off. Julieta is equally shocked as well, like she'd never expected to see him ever again. It could also be she just didn't expect him to come back. Pepa looks relieved, like she'd been on edge for 10 years and can finally know peace. Why would that be? The fact that he's back does not mean they are going to rekindle their relationship, but it does mean that she gets a new chance to show him she loves him, being the first to run to hug him. Her eyebags also show many a sleepless nights tossing and turning, maybe feeling guilty because she hadn't shown him her love enough and she thought she never could again.

Bonus: "The mountains around the Encanto are pretty tall!" In this scene, after Bruno says this sentence, he makes a weird face, like he's already considered how tall the mountains are and he's trying to understand if Mirabel caught onto that.

[themovieblogonline]

Alien: Romulus Review: An Atmospheric & Terrifying Gem

Alien: Romulus, directed by Fede Álvarez, is a thrilling new chapter in the Alien franchise, deftly balancing the elements of science fiction, action, and horror that have defined this iconic series. Serving as a standalone interquel between Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986), this film plunges viewers into a claustrophobic nightmare that both honors its predecessors and stakes its own claim within the franchise. The film is set against the desolate and oppressive backdrop of space, in which a group of young space colonists stumble upon a derelict space station that harbors a deadly secret. The story begins with a drone space probe discovering an organic object among the wreckage of the USCSS Nostromo. At a secret facility, the dormant Xenomorph within the object has become unleashed, posing a lethal potential. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0XDEhP4MQs The narrative focuses on Rain Carradine (Cailee Spaeny), an orphan working on the mining colony Jackson's Star. Rain’s adoptive brother Andy (David Jonsson), a reprogrammed synthetic, is central to her survival. When Rain's contract is unexpectedly extended, she teams up with her ex-boyfriend Tyler (Archie Renaux), his pregnant sister Kay (Isabela Merced), his cousin Bjorn (Spike Fearn), and Bjorn’s girlfriend Navarro (Aileen Wu) to escape to the more hospitable planet Yvaga. The group’s goal: salvage cryonic stasis chambers from a derelict spacecraft. The space station's cold, dark corridors amplify the impeccably crafted atmosphere of tension and impending doom in the film. Every single moment of screen time feels grimy and gross. It's one of the most atmospheric movies that I have ever seen. The cast delivers strong performances that add depth to the film’s relentless pace and intense atmosphere. Cailee Spaeny shines as Rain, portraying her with a mix of vulnerability and resilience that anchors the narrative. David Jonsson as Andy provides a nuanced performance, especially as his character grapples with the implications of his reprogramming and subsequent reset to Weyland-Yutani's directives. Archie Renaux's Tyler is compelling as a flawed but courageous leader, and Isabela Merced brings emotional complexity to Kay, particularly in the later scenes involving the Prometheus strain. Spike Fearn and Aileen Wu round out the cast with solid performances, adding to the group's dynamic and tension-filled interactions. Fede Álvarez’s direction is masterful, capturing the essence of Ridley Scott's original vision while injecting fresh elements that keep the franchise alive and relevant. The visual effects are top-notch, with the Xenomorphs rendered in terrifying detail. The derelict space station Romulus is a character in itself, its labyrinthine structure and decaying interiors heightening the sense of dread. Álvarez skillfully uses lighting and sound to build suspense, making excellent use of shadows and silence to keep audiences on edge. The film’s action sequences are intense and well-choreographed, maintaining a relentless pace that never feels rushed or overwhelming. Alien: Romulus explores familiar themes of survival, corporate greed, and the ethics of artificial intelligence. This is something that the franchise does so well. It explores themes that are way deeper than one would imagine a film about aliens would get and Romulus is no different. Overall: Alien: Romulus is a gripping addition to the beloved saga, blending horror, action, and sci-fi elements in a way that feels both fresh and familiar. Álvarez has created a film that pays homage to its roots while forging its own path, with strong performances, stunning visuals, and a story that keeps you hooked from start to finish. Read the full article

[takhesis]

Dragon-au// plotbunny

Inspired by Dean Leipek's The Dragon Must Die trilogy (but not much in common, just some highlights)

Fantasy-AU , a mix of reality and magical realism

Ancient Dragons live high in the mountains - immortal, intelligent creatures with the gift of foresight. Their worldview is closer to the philosophical contemplation of life; they do not interfere in human conflicts. They are only partially immortal - when the life of the dragon’s body comes to an end, the dragon finds a person and transfers its essence into him. After some time - from several years to decades, the dragon's essence suppresses the human one, and the person becomes a dragon and flies to the mountains to join his brothers. A long time ago, even before meeting Alma , little Pedro was possessed by a dragon, and the boy forgot about it. But when the triplets were born and the city was attacked, the dragon inside Pedro was unleashed. He protected Alma and his (Pedro) children, but the dragon could not and did not want to stay with the people, and returned to the mountains. As a result of the union of a man and a half-dragon , all these gifts appeared; the candle is important - it is a piece of the dragon’s fire that burned in Pedro’s chest. Bruno canonically receives the gift of “Seeing the Future”, goes to the dragons - in age somewhere around the birth of Isabela and Dolores, because in Encanto they are wary of him, because seeing the future is a dragon ability, and in the past for the inhabitants in general turmoil it seemed as if a dragon had simply fallen from the sky and attacked them, killing Pedro.

So, Bruno hangs out in the dragon community, he is treated like a bush or a stone - he is not considered an equal, but he is not persecuted either, reasoning that since he sees the future like we do, he has the right to be here, and in general, everything in life is decay and entropy. And then suddenly Agustin comes to the dragon mountain and tells Bruno that the family urgently needs his help.

On the day when Antonio turned 5 years old, Mirabel ran away from home in the evening, upset, and got lost in the forest, where she came across a dying dragon - and he transferred his essence into her. The family does not want Mirabel  to turn into a dragon and leave them, and they hope that Bruno will help Mirabel curb her dragon essence and remain human (such cases are very rare, but not impossible, if the will of a person is not weaker than the will of a dragon).

Bruno agrees to help. He teaches her meditation and self-control, but the trouble is that Mirabel does not want to remain ordinary, she wants to become a dragon and fly away from this family, where she is treated with slight disdain due to the lack of a gift. Bruno, after listening to her explanations, returns with her to the dragon mountain and finds the dragon that Pedro has become. He agrees to help his conditional granddaughter and conditional son, and teaches her to be a dragon, while Bruno reminds her how to remain human - to be able to fly in the skies on dragon wings and retain human feelings and emotions, because... in dragons, these very feelings and emotions actually atrophy, they are replaced by cold logic.

Meanwhile, rumors are circulating in Encanto. Since Alma is trying to keep everything in the family and prevent the spread of information that Mirabel can become a dragon, the residents decide that dragons have gone crazy and are kidnapping innocent maidens right from their home, someone remembers that Bruno had  “dragon essence” -   the ability to see the future, and makes the amazing conclusion that Bruno became a dragon and kidnapped Mirabel and ate her, which means that all the girls in Encanto are under threat, and even everything in general: after all, any years ago, a dragon attacked the city and burned everything (we remember that for the residents in the turmoil, the appearance of the dragon-Pedro superimposed on the appearance of the invaders, they did not notice they in the dragon’s flame). And someone comes up with the delightful idea of climbing the dragon mountain and defeating the filthy monsters. And so a detachment of not very smart, but terribly brave people rises... and sees two dragons, and Bruno with them. With a cry: “Beat your own, so that strangers will be afraid,” they go on the attack, and at this moment, Mirabel, like a tremulous girl, although with armored scales and a flame in her mouth, loses her nerves, she incinerates them... and in horror flies away from itself. The only thing she dreams of now is to finally become a dragon, not to feel guilt, pain, fear and self-loathing. But she cannot, because these are all human feelings, they are too strong and completely suppress dragon logic and indifference. And she's also, of course, in love with Bruno, because she killed people in the first place to protect him.

Bruno and Pedro are both looking for her, Pedro admits that although he has become a dragon, the memory of the man is still alive in him. They have difficulty finding Mirabel, who has climbed into a completely impassable thicket and lives there in the guise of a person in a hut in the forest, away from people. She sees Bruno and locks herself in the house because she is afraid of accidentally burning him down, because she does not trust herself. Of course, they return her, fly to Encanto - and Pedro, and Mirabel, and Bruno (riding a dragon). Pedro turns into a man, and Alma , seeing her living husband, almost faints with happiness. The love for his wife was stronger than the dragon's essence, and Pedro chooses to live with his family, "until the last of my kind fades away," as he says. Well, Mirabel marries Bruno, yes. Because who dares to object to the dragoness ?

art from Encanto book

[bombasticprimekitty]

Side Story: The Plight Of A Living Home

The family was down. That much Casita could tell.

Not that it can blame them.

For the most part, they were handling it relatively fine. But only when they were together. The very moment they were left alone and that they thought no one was watching was when they fell apart. Their grief let out to the world and yet still cages to the confine of its halls. Their tears soaking its floor, their fingernails scratching its walls, even upturning their furniture when things get too much to bear.

Everyone is trying to be strong for one another. But what Casita knows about humans is that they can only take so much before they break. And when they break they can’t be fixed like it can. They don’t have tiles that can be replaced, or a paint that can be renewed, or a window sill to be changed. Humans are fragile creatures, they need each other to survive.

But it can’t really help them all that much, even when Lord Arceus gave life to it and tasked it to protect and care for them.

It was just that Casita doesn't understand how. It was after all, just a house. An inanimate object.

Alma never gives it a chance to help deal with her grief. Even when she was still grieving for Pedro and taking care of the three infants. The old woman never falters in her decision. Remaining stubborn till this day to carry her baggage alone. Casita had all but given up on trying to comfort her and just help her with whatever task that needed it’s help.

It doesn’t know where to begin to comfort Julieta, whose eyes are hollow and dead, and body seemingly decaying due to the lack of effort on her part to take care of herself, making her not too dissimilar to that of a corpse. Though, thankfully Agustine was there to help her through her hardship, Casita can only hope he takes care of himself as well.

With Pepa, Casita would let her storm through its halls, just letting her grief and rage out, letting the woman destroy any tiles or things with her lightning and wind if it meant she didn’t bottle her emotion up. So she wouldn’t crumble under the guilt and sorrow that her sister fell victim to.

Everything in its halls are replaceable, the family isn’t.

Felix in its opinion was handling his sorrow the ‘best’. He was trying to be productive, constantly going on patrol with the other men. Checking every corner of the Encanto to make sure it is safe, and generally helping strengthen the Encanto’s defenses. But on the other hand, he was spending less and less time in the house, in turn making Pepa worse as there was no one there to help calm her down.

And then there were the kids. Casita didn’t know where to begin with them all. Camilo and Mirabel were easier to handle, while they were sad, a playful distraction was enough to get their minds off of their sadness. Although this method only works with Camilo most of the time while Mirabel only reacts a couple of times, she was unfortunately too wrapped up in her own head to respond to it most of the time.

Luisa had been crying nonstop and had barricaded herself in her room, everyone had tried to get in, to try and comfort her but she had wanted to be alone, even placing a large rock in front of the door so that even Casita couldn't get in. But it had a lot of tricks up its walls, so it had been putting a glass of water next to the crying girl to hydrate herself. She’ll come out on her own when she’s ready, she always does.

And finally Dolores… Out of everyone in the house, she would be the one who takes it the hardest. She was very close to the two of them after all. Isabela her self-proclaimed twin and rival, Bruno her favorite person. And she was dealing with her sadness in the worst way possible. Her mood was all over the place, sometimes she was sad, sometimes she went timid, and sometimes she wasn’t responsive at all. But most of the time she was angry.

Very, very angry.

Many times now, Dolores had snapped at everybody. It doesn’t matter what they did, it just seemed to set her off. She had even yelled at one point, and she never yells as it hurts her ears. Even her partners weren’t safe from her wrath. Though thankfully none of the other kids was ever under her crossfire. But sooner or later, she’ll or someone else will get hurt.

Casita doesn’t know where all the rage comes from. Though it had been alive for years, human emotions and motives still escape it. Finding itself confused whenever they do something that doesn’t align with what they normally do. Like Dolores right now.

So Casita is oblivious to how to help her.

Sometimes, it wishes that Lord Arceus gave it some semblance of a guide to help it traverse through this confusing time. It wishes to do more for the family from just the day to day mundane task. Casita had grown to genuinely love this family, beyond the artificial bonds that Lord Arceus had included in its creation. It doesn’t want to see them sad like this, destroying themselves like this. All of them are falling apart, and through all the chaotic mess of emotions they were feeding it, it feels itself growing weaker and weaker by the day. Experiencing so many emotions through their connections at the same time was… Tiring.

But it was just a house that was born from Lord Arceus' will. It was not designed to handle such heavy emotion. But that begs the question…

What can it do?

[maykr]

Despite sinking 200 hours in that game, I never payed attention to the trespasser epilogue , because frankly I was done of being thrown around by qunari saarebas and whatever it was in one of the library you access through a mirror. Which brings me to the questions. Who wrote this? Who thought it would be a good idea for hawke to come back to Kirkwall? Have they forgotten about meredith? And why they cannot be independent from varric ? Can anyone imagine Isabela, stuck years in Kirkwall, settling there for good? What about Anders ( they probably assume everyone killed him in canon). Fenris in that half decaying house?

[casitafallz-a]

tbh, this is probably the new pallette Decay has for her new room anyway, even with the clear changes in my other post; this is such a nice cool vibe!

Isabela's room in blue! (and green, or turquoise)

[mxssromanoff]

III. I Won't Say I'm In Love

part one | part two

pairing; isabela x fem!reader

warning/s; language

word count; 1.69k

a/n; brain's a little dead but as promised, here's part 3 for this week. enjoy!

part 4 should be up around next week if i'm not too busy by then :)

You swore on your ancestors' grave that if you died in that basement that day, you'd haunt Isabela for the rest of her life and make it so miserable that she'd wish it was the devil she was dealing with.

Because there was no way you'd be telling her the details of what you just wrote in that letter nor were you willing to give it to her. She'd have to yank it out of your cold, decaying hands.

"Drop dead, Isabela," you hissed as you tore the letter up to shreds, making sure that nobody could piece them all together again.

Isabela frowned before her face dropped to a mask of neutrality. She shrugged her shoulders in nonchalance and went to seat on a chaise lounge nearby. “Suit yourself, we'll be staying here until you tell me what you wrote.”

“Mirabel will find me,” you said. “Your prima has super hearing, and papi will be coming home later.”

As soon as you said that, vines completely covered off the only door to your freedom.

“Are you fucking—you know what? I'm not playing your game. I'd be dead before you force it out of me,” you huffed and went to seat in the corner, pulling your blanket tight around you.

“Do you really have to make everything so difficult?” she said.

“I'm making things difficult?” you scoffed. Everything within you was nothing but pain and discomfort, you would have ignored Isabela had she not been managing to successfully pull your strings. “I'm not the psycho who locked us in here!”

“Oh please, like I'm the one who's grown an obsession in writing my name everywhere.”

If looks could kill, she would have dropped cold right that instant. Unfortunately it doesn't so all you could do was huff and turn away from her, body leaning sideways as you opted to face the wall.

“Fuck you,” you mumbled under your breathe, though the dark-skinned beauty seemed to have heard it.

“You'd love that, won't you?”

“Keep your delusions to yourself,” you replied, still not facing her.

You shouldn't have brought her there, you thought to yourself. You just wanted to get rid of her quickly so you could rest, and you were honestly starting to consider other methods to do just that—if only all of them weren't made illegal.

“Hm. Well if you aren't going to tell me about that letter, might as well explore a bit more.”

“Don't touch anything,” you warned. “Everything in here is worth more than your pathet—”

“Such a pretty mirror.”

You turned so quickly that you nearly had whiplash, though you didn't care much for it at the moment as you glared at Isabela.

“Don't touch that—”

Isabela blinked innocently at you over her shoulder before, ever so slightly, touching the surface of the mirror.

This bitch.

You narrowed your eyes at her.

“Oops.” She touched it again, this time tracing a straight line across the mirror with her index finger. She regarded you with a challenging smirk, one that you badly wanted to wipe off that pretty face of hers.

Then she went on to skip to another item with exaggerated optimism.

Your died a little more inside when she stopped in front of one of the mannequins.

“You know, something this pretty shouldn't be kept in here,” Isabela made a show to hold the mannequin, as she turned to face you, angling the display so that it created the illusion of her wearing the golden dress and lifted the skirt to one side. “How do I look?”

You would have loved to tear Isabela into ribbons for blatantly disrespecting a vintage collection from some French noble's unorthodox dress in 18th century France.

However, you'd be lying if you said that she wouldn't look gorgeous in it—then again, it was Isabela, she'd look good in any color of any dress on any style regardless.

She was honestly so beautiful it's painful.

Though, of course, you weren't about to admit that to your sworn enemy.

“Stupid,” you deadpanned. "And get your hands off that before papa rises from the grave to haunt you."

Isabela rolled her eyes and set the mannequin back in its place before setting off to find another object to occupy her time with.

"And what's this supposed to be?" she poked a perfectly conditioned stuffed toy sitting harmlessly on top of another chest. "Something your overseas aunt gifted you?"

"No, but it did come overseas," you said and Isabela turned to you, suddenly curious. Truth be told, you didn't particularly care who it actually came from, however...you've known Isabela long enough to know that she never, for whatever reason—jealousy perhaps, fancied the idea of you getting another person's attention. Not that you were any different, Isabela was just far more obvious in showing it than she cared to admit.

"Oh?" Isabela asked, cold eyes suddenly glued to the object as she now held it in her hands, regarding it with obvious distaste. "Who is it from then?"

"What? You think señorita perfecta Isabela Madrigal is the only one who's allowed to have a boyfriend?" Not that you had any. A line of suitors, sure, both from the village and the ones that your aunt somehow managed to bait into courting you.

Despite that, none ever managed to catch your attention as your eyes were already set elsewhere.

"You have a boyfriend?" the way Isabela turned to you was nearly comical as she gripped the poor teddy bear so tightly that you were sure it would explode soon enough.

"Why? What's it to you?" you replied, coughing a little into your blanketed fist before a thought crossed your mind and you snorted with a roll of your eyes, "Or, did you really think my world revolved around you?"

You had never seen Isabela more pissed in your life even as her lips curled upwards to form a smile without it looking awkward. You supposed acting all perfect for her family did have its merits.

"Just like how you've written your letters?" she said. "Or did you forget why we're here in the first place?"

Well played, Isabela. Way to throw the ball back at you.

"We're here in the first place because you decided that my business is yours to begin with."

"Really?" she replied. "Last I checked every single letter I saw had my name written on them."

Great, now you two were back on phase one.

You shoulders shook with mirth as laughter bubbled up your throat. Isabela only stared at you when you stood up from the ground a little light-headed, blanket falling to your feet, as you approached her while clapping your hands sarcastically.

"Congratulations!" you said as every drop of humor you found in your situation dissipated into thin air. Everything about this whole ordeal was honestly starting to get under your skin and it didn't help that you had a growing migraine. "Isabela Madrigal could read! What next? Do you want to sing the ABC's too?"

"Classy," she replied.

"Are you trying to prove something?" you asked.

"You were never afraid to speak your mind," she said. "What made it different this time?"

"Nothing is different," you said almost immediately, making Isabela's eyebrows raise at your defensiveness. You rolled your eyes. “I'm just gonna wait until you grow enough sense to let us go."

You turned around to retreat back to your little corner. You just wanted to rest and that headache won't go away on its own.

"Sure, run away like the spineless coward you are."

You stopped on your tracks.

"Oh, did I hit a nerve? Because that's what you are," Isabela said. "A spineless coward." She said each word with added emphasis, making you turn to her.

"Call me that one more time—"

"Call you what? A spineless coward?"

You glared daggers at her. If there was anything you hated more than Isabela and confronting your own emotions, it was being called a coward.

"Go on," she said. "Return to your little cocoon—"

"Is there something you want to hear about, Isabela?" you asked her. “What do you want me to say?"

Isabela opened her mouth to speak but you didn't let her.

"Because fine, if you wanted to hear it so badly then let me summarize it for you," you said. "I want nothing to do with you, okay? I hate you and nothing's ever going to change that. Mirabel was right about everything because I am sick of this. I'm sick of you, I'm sick of this thing between us, and I'm sick of everything so yes, I want you out of my life because I hate you!"

You said it, actually more to yourself than her, if only to convince yourself that whatever feeling you had every time you and Isabela weren't busy tearing each other apart never existed.

You thought that maybe if you just said it a few more times or maybe spent a few more sleepless nights writing about it, maybe then it would be real. That maybe every I hate you's you've shared between each other hadn't evolved into something far less hostile over the years.

Yet as you said that, even with how petty your relationship with Isa was, every single word would leave a bitter taste in your mouth, and you especially wanted to take it back the moment Isabela's eyes glazed over.

Her jaw tightened as she crossed her arms over her chest and looked away while blinking back the tears that formed in her eyes.

Guilt pooled at your stomach.

"Fine," was all she said. No snarky remark, no comeback, just a hard, cold, empty...fine. With a wave of her hand, you heard the door creak open. "I'll tell Mirabel to get—"

Your head fell on her shoulder. It wasn't a hug, but it was as far as you could go given your near indestructible pride and the confusing nature of your feelings towards towards her.

You felt Isabela tense with the sudden contact, most likely taken aback as it was the first time you two made any physical contact without being aggressive. You could almost hear the gears in her head working, trying to apprehend the situation and honestly? You didn't blame her.

You did just tell her that you wanted to forget about her existence and even then, you couldn't get your head around the idea that you were preventing her from leaving, the exact opposite of your goal just minutes prior that moment.

You didn't see it, but Isabela's hands hovered around your figure in uncertainty.

I'm sorry, you wanted to say. I didn't mean it.

"I hate you," you said instead in resignation. Don't leave. "I hate you and your insufferable presence."

You heard Isabela sigh as she finally went to embrace you. You melted into her arms and you didn't like how you've never felt so comfortable in your life.

“You're one to talk."

You laughed on her shoulder, suddenly aware of how exhausted you really were. Your senses finally catching up to all of those sleepless nights you spent in the past week.

However, you didn't have much time to dwell on that as the last thing you heard was Isabela calling your name when you fell limp into her arms.

[miracles-and-butterflies]

Antonio: What’s wrong with Mirabel?

Isabela: Philosophy nonsense. Happens every time. Bitch needs to stop reading.

Luisa: No, it’s just her trauma isn’t a great mix with her philosophy books. She just needs a little cheering up.

Dolores: Alright. Mira, look how pretty Casita is! Didn’t Camilo and Antonio do a good job?

Mirabel: Parties are mere distractions from the relentlessness of entropy. We’re all just corpses who haven’t yet begun to decay.

Camilo: Yeah, but... balloons!

[casitafallz]

Lol, so i watched Avatar 2 yesterday and now my brain is like ‘you can do an Encanto AU of that’ and i’m like how and now... i have this idea in my mind of the whole Mulietverse, Encanto family Unit being dropped off in Pandora by The Architects who changed their forms to help hide them, but they still have their magical gifts...

like a crossover, but temporary. Maybe the group needed to hide from a rogue group of Watchers or something so the Architects got involved and hide them all onto the planet when escaping through the timelines/AUs.

imagine Navi-!formed Shifter Antonio turning into a Tulkun and turning back like... how would the reef clan react?? And Decay Isabela! She could probably grow so many Pandiroan plants! tho i’m in debate if she should have flesh arms for the Nav’vi body or have new prostheses, Pariah too; they can’t swim with metal limbs.

with the whole family Unit; kids and babies, they look like a mini clan lol

[casitafallz-a]

Decay AU | Finding Decay

Pariah’s steps echoed as she followed the dot on the scanner; a human life-sign in the middle of nowhere and faint didn’t paint a pretty picture, especially this far from their native Encanto. Stray somewhere behind her as she went but she knew that they had to get to this person before they expired. Aid, if possible. Protocols were simple in this situation; aid them back or bring them in. Recruitment would be offered….depending on the context but she was sure this was just a rescue and return than a recruitment drive.

“How far?” Stray called.

“A hundred meters.” Which in all wasn’t too far but in the dense jungle, it was given the mount of trees around that forced them to take new pathways which certainly added to their step-count.

They weren’t even meant to be here for this detour; it was supposed to be a registration of the AU, add it to the map, check against Wanderer’s Quantum signature to see of her family members were in here and then go home if not. But a faint human life-sign outside of Encanto and not moving, it was a red flag so they had to check it out. No one had a good reason to be this far out from Encanto; she knew that first hand.

Sure, she was only 15 months into her own enlistment but she knew that it wouldn’t settle well on her conscience to not see the end to this; to see if they could help the lost soul by one mean or another.

The scanner dot continued to show though her eyes peered through the dense foliage until she could see a settle of large rocks and boulders that looked recently fallen given how a few had a few dirt encrusted sides facing the touches of dawn; the dot appeared to be in the mists of that.

“There.” Nodding towards it with her chin, Pariah headed onwards, circle around first and she saw the opening in the pile; it was the tree that seemed to be a huge support that pulled her attention more; bent from the weight, it still held and seemed to hold back the weight on its centre to it’s edge.

So Pariah entered into the slither of the gap., keeping herself from touching either side; one wrong move would easily unsettle the weight and cause a full collapse that could kill them both in here.  

Under was dim but she activated her shoulder-light that lit upon the un fortunate soul that she recognised in a heartbeat that lay still with a layer of rock dust coating her..

Isabela.

The dress was a dead giveaway but the plant life seemed to have bloomed around her; it was clear to see the girl’s right arm was pinned by the bounder and the tree looked to be supporting the rest of the rocks from her body. But she could see the signs of life; she was able to be saved.

“Isabela?” Pariah swallowed thickly, grasping onto the fact that while this wasn’t her daughter; seeing her like this was bad… how’d she end up here? Why would she leave her mother? Her family?

“What?” Stray peeked in next, his eyes widening in alarm. “We need to get her out!”

“I know!” Pariah sighed. “Set up your lights and get me a medical pack.” She squeezed herself into the gap, changing her scanner for a bio scan.

A broken ankle and a few fractured ribs but that wasn’t the worse of her issues. Her trapped right arm was unsalvageable. The pressure and the corners of the rock had cut off her main circulation to the limb and… deterioration of that limb was built up of now bacteria that has already begun to break down the muscle and ligament and, Pariah realised that may have been for the better; smaller shards had penetrated through the back of her arm, through the muscle and bone but had also sliced through the main artery.

The rocks now acted like a torniquet.

She’d not live if they just removed her form the rock; some that toxic mess would pump back into her body if they released that limb and she’s most certainly bleed out. And the also matter was they had no way to free her either; they weren’t Luisa and couldn’t simply get her either with protocols in place.

They’d have to amputate the limb to save her.

Pariah spared a glance down to her own prostheses; only 7 months into the new arm, she was getting used to it….but would this Isabela want that?

A medical kit was held out before the light was set to properly see the girl; her flesh hand gently prodded the girl’s cheek; the feel of moss welcomed her though it seemed the girl was entirely out to the world.

Not a good sign.

From the pack, she pulled out a bio scanner and fixed it directly onto the back of the girl’s neck, setting it to take live bio scans of her pulse, breath, blood levels and brain activity. Silence lapsed between them before the data began to make sense; her brain waves were steady and spiked systematically like she was dreaming.

“She’s comatose.” Pariah realised, which mean she couldn’t ask for the girl’s permission to do this. Given this looked entirely accidental, it could be something they’d do without but now… they had to do it and hope the girl was relieved at a new lease of life.

“We can’t talk to her?”

“No. Right now she’s surprisingly stable but… sooner or later that limb’s going to rot. If she’s to survive, we have to amputate.”

Stray swallowed thickly, his young face paling a little. “Would she survive that?”

“We have the tools. Tek’s developed a gel cutter, designed for emergency amputation.”

This was after her own arm, of course because why not invest after the fact. Pariah was a little sore about it but she didn’t fault Stay’s momentary act of fear that had ultimately saved her life. Even at the cost of her arm. She’s rather be a limb down than a statue. Gel-cutters were now part of all new medical cases so she found it easily after flipped open the case.

“We need to prep her for it first so her body doesn’t go into shock.” Pariah pulled out a selection of little bottles and needles, rereading the labels and pulled out the hand-guide to make sure she was doing this correctly.

Stray nodded. “You do that. I’ll prep a tent and get the report ready.”

-

Pariah could see the tent prepped and ready; a simple rolled out bed for Isabela when she was free but there was now a sense of relief as she set the gel cutter into place at the top of the girl’s arm, an inch from her shoulder, where there was no crushed bone but at the border of a break; an point that may make a new arm  installation easier

The Gel-cutter was a dual metallic ring that was two inches wide that would slip around the limb and adapt to fit. Once on and activated, it’d used a energy-based blade to sever through the skin, muscle and eventually into bone before the gel inside activated to act as a tourniquet; sterilising the area from the outside world and keeping the blood inside. The gel’s outer side would harden and attach to the metal rim and the gel itself was also a painkiller among other things, keeping the cut nerves numb directly and the wound fresh for proper surgery at the Watcher Casita and for metal rod installation for prostheses

Rudimentary but it worked in an emergency situation, as it was over and done with in ten seconds. In the case of an already amputated limb, it could fit on the end of a stump and activate from there with just the gel-setting.

In case this Isabela woke for some reason or another, Pariah kept her under anaesthetic nonetheless before she activated the cutter. Last thing she wanted to do was traumatise the girl hallway through. Her eyes stayed to the readings as the ring clicked into place, gripping into the skin like a stable and the second internal ring moved with light.

It only took about ten seconds from activation before the ring flashed and gel began to form and the strain of the girl’s body dropped from it’s position. Pariah pulled the newly amputated sump away, allowing the gel to buff out though the red on the inside was unmistakeable but the gel did it’s job.

There was warmth from blood from the other half but Pariah tried not to think on that as she heaved the girl from under the rock.

Isabela’s weight was a lot but with her prostheses and leg, it was easy to keep going and as soon as she got out of the rock’s tight walls, Stray grabbed the girl’s leg and between them, lay her down onto the roll-out.

Isabela was still out. Her face a little bit more pale and her pulse faster but she wasn’t loosing blood…but she’d need proper medical treatment soon. Now she was out of immediate danger of death, they needed to collect together evidence in their report; that their involvement was necessary and that this girl had no other choice short of death if her choices was not explicitly stated. If not, they’d be heavily punished for contamination and kidnapping from native AU that wasn’t ready for introduction of the Watcher Services.

“So, Isabela… she looks a bit older than expected.” Stray noted, typing fast onto is tablet. Stray took a hold of the bio-scanner readings before imputing a few notes into the report.

“Bio scans put her late 22 years or early 23.” Pariah answered.

It seemed like this world was a post-canonical AU; no news from the main world was quiet but there was that main history people knew and the Watchers kept tight-lipped on what happened following the reconstruction of Casita. Like her own personal history was considered Post-canonical too.  “Relatively healthy…aside from the obvious.” Her brain chemistry was a little off than expected too, imbalanced which did suggest she may have a might higher level of depression than what was canonically expected as well.

Pariah quickly took scans of their immediate area for reference and more of the rock fall and logged it into their report.

“Let’s go.”

-

Isabela felt the world around her gain more meaning as she stirred from the depths of peaceful sleep; drawn back much faster by a low burning sensation through her right arm before the haze of nose assaulted her ears which only seemed to get faster.

“She’s waking up.”

Isabela groaned softy, becoming aware of the light against her eyelids, her head turning away before the light seemed to shift away from it’s intensity.

“Isabela, you’re safe but you’re badly injured.”, The voice was her mothers “I need you to swallow when I press this cup to your lips.”

Hazily, Isabela complied before she felt warm broth seep into her mouth, soothing away the dryness in her throat but the haze in her mind seemed to disappear along with the pain throughout her body though dull aches stil lingered.

Her eyes flickered open, half expecting to find herself in her room with her mother and Abuela standing around, the latter for chiding her for not doubt her injuries but for running away. But… the room she was in was not her bed room. In fact it was entirely unfamiliar.

White walls, the air smelt sterile and there was an array of…machines that were beeping around her. All unfamiliar. This was not Casita. It was a scary realisation and what more was unsettling was the woman attending her bed-side.

The woman standing with the mug; she looked almost exactly like her mother. Kind face and warmth but everything about her screamed not-mother. No familia warmth or touch, not that she had much before but even now, she would have thought her mother would have given her something. But the woman’s hair was much darker; less grey and her attire was consistent of a teal, wrap tunic with a V-neck, two frontal pockets and strangely matching pants that exposed cream boots, attached to her hips was a coloured card. Her hair was pulled back into a familiar bun but… this wasn’t her mother.

“You’re not my Mam.”

“No, I’m not.” The woman agreed. “but I am here to help heal you. Do you know what happened?”

Isabela licked her lips softly, her mind lulling back for a moment. “I…I was trying to get out of Encanto…it was night time.” She hazily recalled. “I… I needed to use my vines to get up over a step part but… I think something went wrong.” It was too hazy to recall the details after that. “I…I don’t remember after that.”

The woman nodded softly. “You were found by two of our workers; they were…exploring the area when they found you under some rocks. It appears that…using your vines upset already lose ground and you triggered a rock slide.”

Isabela frowned intently. “Rock slide?”

“The worse of it was directed off by a creation of thick trees, but a few large bounders… broke the line. You were caught underneath but… it seemed you were able to save yourself with another tree. Now, when you were found, you were trapped under the rubble and pinned.”

Isabela blinked but her eyes dropped from her not-mother to her body; to the lingering aches and the burning but her guts chilled as she realised what she had missed…

“Where’s my arm?!” the beeping around her increased but her mind couldn’t process the fact her arm was gone, she was shirtless, but her top body was wrapped and bandaged up so she could plainly see the stump of where her arm used to be. Her ankle was braced as well and she could feel other supports along her back but… her arm.

“It was amputated on site, the rock that landed on the caused tremendous damage.” The not-mother spoke, her hand coming to her other shoulder, “But they saved you.  Removing your arm was the only way that you could have come out of that alive.”

“I…I need my arm!” She panicked. “My… My gift… I need it!”

“My dear, please, you’re okay and your gift is not lost.”

Isabela shook her head, her body wanting nothing more than to get up… but the woman’s face was oddly soothing, gently holding her into the sheet.

“I know it’s devastating but there are ways we can assist. Right now, your body is still healing. Magic had taken the worst away but I need to monitor and make sure nothing else is missed.”

Isabela sucked in a heavy breath, her eyes filling up with tears. “why?”

“The rock sliced through the main arty, the limb was dead by the time you were found. You would have bled out or suffered septic shock and—“

Isabela shook her head at the details—a problem for future her, “Why am I here? Who are you? Why…why do you look like my mother?!”

The woman sighed deeply. “It’s all a long story and right now, too complicated to explain. I am… another version of your mother, call me Watcher Julieta if you need to call me something.”

“Another version?” That didn’t make any sense. What did that mean?

“It’s complicated. But I promise that we can answer your questions. Right now, you need rest.” The woman raised her hand, reaching for a bag of fluid that Isabela now realised was attached into the back of her left hand. From the mid-point at a port, the woman seemed to slick some sort of needle of fluid into it before her head felt all hazy.

“Sleep well, Isabela.”

[nijishinki]

So another encanto thought. People really need to stop me at some point.

What if the reason behind the multitude of stairs in Bruno’s room was a subconscious desire to keep people from wanting or seeing visions?

After all, who wants to climb that many stairs? Like at first it was for dramatic effect of the magic, like there were still stairs and the sign at the bottom, but as time went on and Bruno became more miserable and wanted to stop having visions, the stairs became even greater and taller. After all, it’s a magic room, why would it do that without there being an easy way to access the further parts of the room? Look at Antonio who has the jaguar and Isabela who can swing herself around her room.

Given maybe it is just for dramatic effect, or maybe it’s because Bruno doesn’t want people to ask for visions. Of course this sucks because if he hides up there he’s gotta go all the way back down. Then, obviously there is that rickety bridge. Like maybe it decayed with the either his chose to “leave” and not use his powers, or maybe it decayed because of the magic weakening.

Or maybe it like that because the room adjusted again when he “ran away”. He didn’t want people to find that vision = room becomes more dangerous.

Or maybe it’s even all of the above!

I also had the side thought that it was his subconscious way of also keeping him away from people as much as it keeps people away from him. He’s “bad luck” Bruno, he should stay as far away from everyone as possible right? (Wrong he’s a wonderful bean) or it’s even him secretly punishing himself.

So that’s that though.

[themovieblogonline]

Alien: Romulus Review: An Atmospheric & Terrifying Gem

Alien: Romulus, directed by Fede Álvarez, is a thrilling new chapter in the Alien franchise, deftly balancing the elements of science fiction, action, and horror that have defined this iconic series. Serving as a standalone interquel between Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986), this film plunges viewers into a claustrophobic nightmare that both honors its predecessors and stakes its own claim within the franchise. The film is set against the desolate and oppressive backdrop of space, in which a group of young space colonists stumble upon a derelict space station that harbors a deadly secret. The story begins with a drone space probe discovering an organic object among the wreckage of the USCSS Nostromo. At a secret facility, the dormant Xenomorph within the object has become unleashed, posing a lethal potential. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0XDEhP4MQs The narrative focuses on Rain Carradine (Cailee Spaeny), an orphan working on the mining colony Jackson's Star. Rain’s adoptive brother Andy (David Jonsson), a reprogrammed synthetic, is central to her survival. When Rain's contract is unexpectedly extended, she teams up with her ex-boyfriend Tyler (Archie Renaux), his pregnant sister Kay (Isabela Merced), his cousin Bjorn (Spike Fearn), and Bjorn’s girlfriend Navarro (Aileen Wu) to escape to the more hospitable planet Yvaga. The group’s goal: salvage cryonic stasis chambers from a derelict spacecraft. The space station's cold, dark corridors amplify the impeccably crafted atmosphere of tension and impending doom in the film. Every single moment of screen time feels grimy and gross. It's one of the most atmospheric movies that I have ever seen. The cast delivers strong performances that add depth to the film’s relentless pace and intense atmosphere. Cailee Spaeny shines as Rain, portraying her with a mix of vulnerability and resilience that anchors the narrative. David Jonsson as Andy provides a nuanced performance, especially as his character grapples with the implications of his reprogramming and subsequent reset to Weyland-Yutani's directives. Archie Renaux's Tyler is compelling as a flawed but courageous leader, and Isabela Merced brings emotional complexity to Kay, particularly in the later scenes involving the Prometheus strain. Spike Fearn and Aileen Wu round out the cast with solid performances, adding to the group's dynamic and tension-filled interactions. Fede Álvarez’s direction is masterful, capturing the essence of Ridley Scott's original vision while injecting fresh elements that keep the franchise alive and relevant. The visual effects are top-notch, with the Xenomorphs rendered in terrifying detail. The derelict space station Romulus is a character in itself, its labyrinthine structure and decaying interiors heightening the sense of dread. Álvarez skillfully uses lighting and sound to build suspense, making excellent use of shadows and silence to keep audiences on edge. The film’s action sequences are intense and well-choreographed, maintaining a relentless pace that never feels rushed or overwhelming. Alien: Romulus explores familiar themes of survival, corporate greed, and the ethics of artificial intelligence. This is something that the franchise does so well. It explores themes that are way deeper than one would imagine a film about aliens would get and Romulus is no different. Overall: Alien: Romulus is a gripping addition to the beloved saga, blending horror, action, and sci-fi elements in a way that feels both fresh and familiar. Álvarez has created a film that pays homage to its roots while forging its own path, with strong performances, stunning visuals, and a story that keeps you hooked from start to finish. Read the full article

[potatowitch]

Six Sentence Sunday (tagged by @pinkfadespirit)

Bit late as it's Monday afternoon where I am, but y'know. That's fine. I've decided to continue in which hawke asks all her friends to move in with her, they're rescuing a very angry cat from a very cold Kirkwall day.

Tagging @5lazarus @noire-pandora @oxygenforthewicked @lesetoilesfous (if y'all want, no pressure)

Merrill and Isabela nod their assent, and Hawke leads the way through the sleety, stinking streets towards the elevators leading to Darktown.

The elevator creaks and whines as they board it. The chains and gears are covered in a layer of ice, and it takes Merrill melting it with a small handheld flame for the controls to finally release and begin their descent into the undercity. Stepping off at the bottom, they’re assaulted with the sounds of metal hitting metal, wailing children and arguing refugees along with the foul stench of waste, decay and desperation. Unlike Lowtown, Darktown is still full to the brim with people huddled around sputtering fires, hunched over as they soothe their starving babies or upend the contents of their stomach into a corner. Hawke, Merrill and Isabela are watched suspiciously the entire time they walk through the twisting alleys, but they’re visibly well-armed enough that no cutthroats or gang members seem in the mood to risk a confrontation.

[violetsareblue-selfships]

F/O List!

Buckle up cause there’s a lot ^^; Also listed on my carrd

Romantic 💖

Link - Legend of Zelda (general) - Tag: ‘my protector 💖🏇‘

Zelda - Legend of Zelda (general) - Tag: ‘a princess’s love 💖👑‘

Sheik - Legend of Zelda (general) - Tag: ‘harp serenade 💖🎼‘

Impa - Legend of Zelda (specifically Hyrule Warriors) - Tag: ‘written in the stars 💖🌟‘

Dark Link - Legend of Zelda - Tag: ‘his angel 💖🗡‘

Ghirahim - Skyward Sword - Tag: ‘glittering diamonds 💖💎‘

Mipha - Breath of the Wild - Tag: ‘iridescent scales 💖🧜‘

Urbosa - Breath of the Wild - Tag: ‘warm safflina 💖⚡‘

Revali - Breath of the Wild - Tag: ‘the wind beneath his wings 💖🐦‘

Sebastian - Stardew Valley - Tag: ‘i’m glad you stayed 💖☂‘

Diluc - Genshin Impact - Tag: ‘I'd Melt For You 💖🍷’

Xiao - Genshin Impact - Tag: ‘Our love transcends 💖🌥️’

Thoma - Genshin Impact - Tag: ‘The Housekeeper's Assistant 💖🍡’

Scaramouche - Genshin Impact - Tag: ‘His Right Hand 💖😈’

Ayaka - Genshin Impact - Tag: ‘Sakura blossoms 💖🌸’

Albedo - Genshin Impact - Tag: ‘A study of love 💖📒 ‘

Kazuha - Genshin Impact - Tag: ‘blanketed by autumn leaves💖🍁’

Beidou - Genshin Impact - Tag: ‘You’ve stolen my heart💖⚓’

Ningguang - Genshin Impact - Tag: ‘I’ll compose us a symphony💖💼’

Beigguang (poly ship) - Tag: ‘A leader; a pirate; and their bard💞🎶’

Heizou - Genshin Impact - Tag: ‘You're My New Dream 💖🔎’

Shinobu - Genshin Impact - Tag: ‘Our Bond is Strong 💖🔪 ‘

Dabi - My Hero Academia - Tag: ‘blue flames in the dark 💖🔥‘

Shigaraki - My Hero Academia: Tag: ‘decay is natural; just like us 💖✋‘

Crushes 💖

Midna - Twilight Princess - Tag: ‘the moon to my stars 💖🌒‘

Sidon - Breath of the Wild - Tag: ‘your love is sunlight 💖💧’

Elliott - Stardew Valley - Tag: ‘we’ll write a happy ending 💖📝‘

Leah - Stardew Valley - Tag: ‘kissed by the sun 💖🌻‘ 

Raiden Ei - Genshin Impact - Tag: ‘An everlasting love 💖🍰’

Yae Miko - Genshin Impact - Tag: ‘forever by your side 💖🦊’

EiMiko (poly ship) - Tag: ‘Our love shines eternal 💞🌸’

Candace - Genshin Impact - ‘Tag: love shields us 💖🌊’

Part-Time F/Os 💖

Elsa - Frozen - Tag - ‘another form of true love 💖❄️’

Shirayuki - Snow White with the Red Hair - Tag: ‘royal blue and apple red 💖🌿‘

Zen - Snow White with the Red Hair -

Obi - Snow White with the Red Hair -

Isabela - Encanto - Tag: ‘a love as soft as rose petals 💖🌹‘

Dolores - Encanto - Tag: ‘(I’ll Be Your) Respite from the Noise 💖🔉‘ 

Platonic 💚

Abigail - Stardew Valley

Penny - Stardew Valley

Sam - Stardew Valley

Generic Stardew Tag: ‘home in the valley 💚🌅‘

Generic Genshin Impact Tag: ‘Friends Come From All Over 💚🌐’

Generic Harbingers Tag: ‘Stronger Together 💚⚠️’

Familial 💜

Toga - My Hero Academia - sister

Camilo - Encanto - brother

Childe - Genshin Impact - brother - Tag: ‘I’ve Got Your Back 💜🎣’

Signora - Genshin Impact - sister - Tag: ‘Sisters Born of the Same Flame 💜🦋’

Klee - Genshin Impact - sister - Tag: ‘The Spark Knight's Big Sis 💜💥’

Zhongli - Genshin Impact - brother / father idk yet - Tag: ‘Shine Like Gold 💜🪙‘

Toriel - Undertale - mother

Generic Encanto Tag: ‘Family is a Gift 💜🎁‘