#follow-up to alexander shipping out

[xbinksc]

RUMOURS AND REVELATIONS

PT 2

⭒❃.✮:▹Nicholas Alexander Chavez

SUMMARY: singer Y/N and co-star Nicholas face rumors of romance amid their chemistry and rising fame, navigating media scrutiny while strengthening their bond. Where will all this take them?

WARNINGS: real mushy at the end, looooong

A/N: Requests are open! Still can’t figure out how to make a master list rip someone help me…Enjoy🤍

✧༺༻∞

In a surprising turn of events, Monsters star Nicholas Alexander Chavez and singer Y/N were seen enjoying a cozy night out at a popular cafe in Los Angeles last night. The duo, who play alongside each other in the upcoming series Grotesquerie, appeared to be having a great time, laughing and taking pictures with fans, sparking speculation about their off-screen relationship.

Eyewitnesses described the pair as "playful" and "affectionate," with Nicholas even wrapping an arm around Y/N during photos—a move that sent fans into a frenzy!

This public outing comes just days after news broke of Nicholas’s breakup with his ex-girlfriend, prompting fans to wonder if the split was influenced by his growing bond with Y/N. The timing has many fans theorizing that "The Boy Is Mine," Y/N's latest hit song, is a not-so-subtle nod to the love triangle drama.

Sources close to the pair have revealed that they have been spending significant time together both on and off set, which has only added to the swirling rumors. An insider claims, “They have an undeniable connection. It’s clear they enjoy each other's company.”

The pair’s chemistry has been undeniable throughout filming, leading fans to question whether their relationship is purely professional or if there's a budding romance behind the scenes. Social media is buzzing with reactions, with many supporters urging the couple to "just be together already!"

While neither Nicholas nor Y/N has officially commented on their relationship status, their fans are eagerly awaiting any updates. For now, the rumors continue to heat up, leaving everyone wondering: Is it just a friendship, or is there something more?

Stay tuned as we follow this developing story!

INSTAGRAM

@/ynuser: werk ♡

Comments

@/user gorgeous gorgeous girl

@/user I need the next ep of grotesquerie NEOW😵‍💫

@/zaralarsson trying not to say mother

- @/ynuser donatella VERSACE💜

@/user girl please tell me the rumours are true I won’t snitchhhh

@/nicholasalexanderchavez 🤓

-liked by @/ynuser

@/user my new flex is I met Nicholas and y/n last night😛

@/kyliejenner obsessed with u😍

@/user okayyyyy Nicholas I see you👀

- @/user we need a ship name ASAP

- @/user bro they’re so cute I cannot

- @/user not y’all supporting a homewrecker

COMMENTS TURNED OFF

IRL

The night was heavy with a storm, clouds gathering like dark thoughts in the sky. Nicholas sat in his living room, the flickering light of his candles casting dancing shadows on the walls. He stared blankly at the flick of his phone screen, each notification a new reminder of the whirlwind that had enveloped his life. Articles dissected every moment with you, twisting your innocent laughter into scandalous headlines.

A sudden, frantic knock shattered the stillness. His heart skipped as he opened the door, revealing you, your face streaked with tears, vulnerability spilling over in the soft glow of the hallway light.

“Y/N!” he exclaimed, pulling you inside and closing the door behind you. “What’s wrong?”

“I can’t do this anymore, Nicholas,” you gasped, your voice trembling as you sank onto the sofa, burying your face in your hands. “The rumors… they’re unbearable. And I keep thinking about your ex—she must hate me. I don’t want to be the reason for any hurt.”

Nicholas moved to sit beside you, concern etched across his face. “You’re not a homewrecker, Y/N. This isn’t your fault.”

“But I met her. I saw how hurt she was,” you whispered, your eyes brimming with regret. “What if she thinks I came in and ruined everything?”

Nicholas felt a pang of sorrow for both women, caught in a whirlwind of feelings beyond their control. “You didn’t ruin anything. Our relationship had its own complexities. It’s not fair to blame you.”

You looked up, your eyes searching his. “Then why do I feel like I’m drowning? Every article, every rumor, it all makes me feel like I’m stuck in this web. And I can’t stand the thought of you being hurt because of it.”

The tension in the room hung thick, an unspoken truth waiting to be unraveled. Nicholas took a deep breath, his mind racing with a thousand thoughts. “Maybe we should talk about where we stand. We can’t keep avoiding it. This anxiety… it’s tearing us apart.”

Your gaze softened, and you nodded slowly. “You’re right. We’ve let this consume us. But where do we even begin?”

“Let’s start with the truth,” he suggested, his heart pounding. “What do we really feel about each other?”

The question lingered in the air, almost fragile in its intensity. You hesitated, your heart racing. “I care about you, Nicholas. More than I thought I could. But I’m scared. Scared of what this means, and how the world will react.”

Nicholas leaned closer, the space between the both of you crackling with a mixture of tension and longing. “I feel the same. You’ve become so important to me. I don’t want to lose you, but the noise outside… it makes everything complicated.”

“Do you think it’s worth it?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper. “Can we really separate our professional lives from this… whatever this is between us?”

He considered your words, weighing them carefully. “We can try. But we need to be honest with ourselves. We can’t let the pressure of the world dictate our feelings.”

Your expression shifted, a flicker of hope igniting in your eyes. “So, we give it a real shot? Just… discreetly?”

“Yes,” he replied, a smile breaking through the weight of the moment. “We can keep our lives separate while exploring this connection. I want to see where this can lead us without the distractions.”

The relief washed over you like a balm, and you took his hand, the warmth of his touch igniting something deep within you. “You make me feel seen.”

“You make me feel understood,” he admitted, his heart swelling. “In a world that often feels chaotic, you’re my calm.”

Just as you both began to find your rhythm, the storm of stress outside began to seep in. “But what if people don’t understand? What if they twist our relationship again?” Your voice trembled, a hint of frustration creeping in.

Nicholas felt his own anxiety bubble up. “Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if we just ignored them. We can’t let every rumor dictate our reality!”

“That’s easy for you to say!” You shot back, your voice rising. “You’re not the one facing the scrutiny every single day!”

“Neither are you! We’re in this together!” he countered, the tension escalating as your emotions collided.

You both paused, the heat of the argument hanging in the air like a taut string ready to snap. You took a shaky breath, your eyes wide. “Wait… are we really mad at each other?”

Nicholas blinked, realization dawning. “No, we’re not. We’re just… stressed. This whole situation is making us take it out on each other.”

You nodded, the tension slowly dissipating. “You’re right. I didn’t mean to snap. It’s just all so overwhelming.”

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I get it. We’re in the same boat, fighting the same storm. Let’s breathe for a second.”

“Let’s breathe,” you echoed, the weight of the moment shifting from confrontation to understanding. You took a few deep breaths together, grounding yourselves in the presence of each other.

“Maybe we should focus on what we can control,” Nicholas suggested softly. “Like how we communicate. We don’t have to let this stress tear us apart.”

“Agreed,” You replied, a small smile breaking through the remnants of tension. “We’ll work through it together.”

You shared a moment of silence, your hands intertwined, the soft rhythm of your breaths echoing in the space between you. Each pulse of your hearts seemed to sync, bridging the gap of uncertainty that had kept you apart.

“Can we just enjoy being together without all the noise?” You asked, your eyes sparkling with a blend of mischief and sincerity.

“Absolutely,” he replied, a grin tugging at his lips. “Let’s find joy in the little things—coffee dates, late-night talks, quiet moments where it’s just us.”

As you spoke, the heaviness of the outside world began to dissolve, replaced by a gentle warmth. Laughter bubbled between you, lightening the mood as you reminisced about your time spent on set, the shared glances and stolen smiles that had made everything feel electric.

Nicholas found himself enchanted by your laughter, a sound that felt like music, lifting them both above the fray. “You know,” he said, a playful glint in his eyes, “you owe me a karaoke night. I expect a duet.”

“Deal,” you replied, laughing through your tears. “But only if you promise to keep your mic in check. No sudden high notes!”

Your playful banter melted into deeper conversations, the night unfurling like a flower, revealing petals of honesty and vulnerability. You spoke of dreams, aspirations, and fears, each revelation drawing you closer together.

But as the clock ticked on, reality loomed like a specter at the edges of your newfound intimacy. “This isn’t going to be easy,” You said, your expression sobering. “The world won’t stop watching.”

“I know,” Nicholas replied, his voice steady. “But we have to stay true to ourselves and each other. As long as we communicate, we’ll find our way through.”

You smiled, a warmth spreading through your heart. “Then let’s take it one step at a time.”

The moment stretched between you, a fragile yet beautiful thread connecting your hearts. “What if it doesn’t work out?” You asked, your voice barely above a whisper.

“Then we’ll still have this moment,” he replied, his gaze unwavering. “This is ours, regardless of what happens later.”

As the night deepened, you shared a quiet moment, eyes locked, the understanding between you solidifying into something undeniable. In the midst of chaos, you had carved out a sanctuary, a bond that felt like the softest whisper against a storm.

When you finally stood to leave, a mix of reluctance and exhilaration coursed through you. “This was… everything I needed. Thank you for being here.”

Nicholas walked you to the door, feeling the glow of possibility surrounding him. “I’ll always be here for you. Remember that.”

With a shared look of promise, you stepped into the night, the world outside still tumultuous but your hearts intertwined in a newfound hope. As Nicholas closed the door behind you, he felt the glow of possibility surrounding him.

[jennicatzies]

Okay so we're doing this.

Since some people are interested. I bring you

Oh brother. Where do we start.

Your average timeloop au I believe. Au where everything is scripted and the cast's fates are pre-determined. And doomed to live through their mistakes over and over again. BUT there are a few twists to it.

Centered mainly around Burr and Hamilton, as they're the stars of of our little show. In varying levels of literal. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a "ship" au. I do admit I like hinting at it though fjdkfjrkfk

If you can't tell I'm a big big fan of tspud

Mass yappery/somewhat proper details under the cut

Here's a quick rundown (oh no) of the main plot

Everyone in this universe is... well, pretty much identical to canon in terms of looks and plotline. That's until our deutragonist and Narrator, Burr, slowly experiences more and more hints of dejavu in each loop that follows, until eventually he's just. Aware. His mind slowly becomes less and less wired to the script and script only. In simpler words, Burr is the most aware/conscious of their situation out of all the cast.

Burr realizes that. Oh shit he's the only guy aware of what they're going through. Not even the main character is aware. Well this took an interesting tur

Wait hold on what do you mean Alexander is not aware.

Well uh, slowly but surely, a little after Burr, Hamilton gains his own consciousness. He is *less* in control compared to Burr, but just enough to be able to conspire with him fjhdjfhdl

They've been trying to send eachother signals throughout "the play" until finally they're both just conscious enough to respond to eachother off script or well. Actually converse and not have to rhyme or have a melody to it every time they do.

I'm bad at words. Their main goal? Undoom themselves from the narrative! The conflict/obstacles? Oh. Oh brother. Everything.

And now. the masterdocument of all the worldbuilding and more to be added.

that up there will be updated accordingly. woaw

[katerinaaqu]

Ismarus! Ismarus!

Another random inspiration I dedicate to my friend @artsofmetamoor Title inspired by the cry of Alexander the Great's army when they ellegedly telled "Thalatta! Thalatta!" ("Sea! Sea!") out of delight to reach the sea while here it is spoken in a different manner altogether

Odysseus was feeling his stomach unsettled and that was not normal for a man like him who as used at the movements of the ship. The storm was very severe after they left Troy. Perhaps, though, it wasn’t the storm itself that made him feel seasick but rather the timing of it and the conditions that brought the storm to their way.

“The storm happened right after the departure from Troy…divided us. Gods, this godsforsaken war! Blasted war!”

He remembered he prayed to Athena for forgiveness on the events that occurred at Troy. His brain was still turning like the top making his already turning stomach even more unsettled than it should be. All the scenarios, all the “what if”s and “what if not”s were roaming around his mind like the voices in the nightmares he was getting!

“I should have said something!” he thought for a billionth time to himself, “That girl was innocent! Blasted Achilles! Blasted Neoptolemus! Blasted war! I should have said something in the council! I should have stopped them! Agamemnon tried! Why not I? Why not I?”

For some reason he was numb; the massacre of Troy had taken all life out of him. Upon the news of the interpretation given by Calchas that the spirit of Achilles demanded his own tribute, Odysseus couldn’t react. He couldn’t say a single word of objection to the council. He had found no reason or energy to oppose anymore… He remembered Polyxena, the way her eyes became glassy with death as Neoptolemous pierced a knife through her tender heart. He remembered he had to hold her down. He realized all he could do was to plead for them to give her a painless death! Hecuba went mad in sorrow in his arms…he still remembered her screams! He still remembered the cries of Astyanax as he fell off the walls…he remembered the accusations of Andromache at Troy! His stomach turned again and this time he couldn’t keep it in. He leaned to the edge of the ship to throw up whatever contents he had left in his stomach (which wasn’t much, he noticed. He barely had some acid in there for they hadn’t eaten anything for days because of the storm!). He felt Polites’s arms to his shoulders.

“You okay?”

“Yeah…” Odysseus lied mopping his mouth with his hand, “It is this blasted storm! And we haven’t eaten anything for days. That is not good for seasickness…”

His lie came easily to his lips. Many of his men also suffered after all so it wasn’t completely unbelievable. Polites nodded as well so that would be enough for now (even though he knew Polites had heard him moan in his sleep many times over as nightmares plundered his mind ever since the sacking of Troy or the events that followed it). He looked around and inspected the sad condition of his companions. The storm had blown off several of their provisions too and the rich gifts from Troy, or some of them at least. They probably also lost a couple of slaves in the sea. At least he noticed all his 12 ships were together so their fleet wasn’t divided from their own, even if he lost sight of all the other fleets of the Greek army.

“The gods are angry! Gods please…please have mercy on me! I just…wanted to go home… I didn’t know… I didn’t want any of this to happen!”

He was lying to himself and he knew it. He was ready to pay the price. Truly he never expected how high it would be but deep down he knew that just his ploy with the horse was bound to cause some anger to the gods. He just hoped that Athena, who blessed his wits with inspiration, would somehow be by his side. However after the slaughter and the human sacrifice, he couldn’t hear her voice anymore. What was worse, the winds divided them and the southern wind brought the severe storm that pushed them towards the north instead of the Aegean islands as they originally planned, so that they could travel south. And the storm had caused not only damage to the ships, but also made them lose plenty of provisions. It was obvious that they were out for some failure or some sort of a misadventure because of those.

“Blasted Troy!” he thought again, “You stole 10 of my best years! You stole my son from me, my wife and my home and now you pushed me to the edge! You made me a criminal to the eyes of my goddess! Blasted Troy I hope your ashes will never revive again! May you and your holy walls never raise their heads again like it happened after Heracles!”

“Now where the hell are we?” he wondered out loud, shading his eyes with his hand to see afar

“I do not recognize these waters…” Eurylochus said apprehensively, joining them, “I see no land around”

“But I do, look!” Odysseus pointed out

Eurylochus squinted his eyes to see (Odysseus feared that he was becoming a bit near-sighted with age. He was actually surprised his own eyes remained sharp as always). Indeed there was a land formation coming up from before them.

“You’re right!” Eurylochus said excited, “Finally we get some land to stop! Inspect the damages”

Odysseus leaned against the hull in deep thought.

“Last night the skies were dark. I couldn’t use the stars for guidance but the last time we were in Troy we had southern wind. It didn’t seem to change drastically so we should be heading north”

“You think of the island of Tenedos?” Polites asked

“No, this seems longer coastline than that. From where I am standing, looks like the mainland.”

“Hold on, are you telling me we are heading to Thrace?” Eurylochus suddenly seemed worried

“Most likely” Odysseus agreed gloomily

“Dammit!” Eurylochus mumbled, “We are heading towards enemy land again, then?”

“Perhaps. Not all Thracian tribes sided with the Trojans at the war but, truth to be told, they did support the Amazon raid. They didn’t have a reason to stand against them”

“So, in short, we’re screwed?”

“Perhaps…” Odysseus mumbled again feeling nauseous once more, “Perhaps not”

“Either way, we have no choice” Polites stated the obvious; “We need to stop to land. Our provisions are not enough to support us till the islands the way we are and we will need to inspect the hulls and ropes”

“Yeah…” Odysseus agreed, “Elpenor, jump on the craw’s nest! Your younger eyes will be useful now! Tell me what you see!”

Elpenor immediately obeyed, climbing to the mast from the ropes. He might have been the youngest but also he did have some good geography knowledge. Odysseus appreciated that. He looked towards the horizon and soon enough he could detect taller walls around a city, no doubt, surrounded with mountains. He didn’t need to have knowledge to know what it was.

“ISMARUS!” He announced on top of his lungs, “ISMARUS!”

“Shit!” Eurylochus mumbled banging the hull of the ship

Odysseus had to agree. They didn’t know much on Ismarus apart from its strategic importance for the Thracians. However he also knew that the people in it were called Cicones, the tribe of people that was spread across Thrace but called Ismarus some sort of capital city for them. He also knew they didn’t like to share their wealth with outsiders and they had no reason to like the Greeks. Quite frankly, they preferred to guarantee a safe passage to the Amazons for Troy rather than sheltering the Greeks on their way there. Once more he gagged, for some reason, causing Polites to try and support him at the sudden move but this time it was certain there was nothing in his stomach to come out so he just sighed to collect himself.

“Damn…” he mumbled more to himself than anybody else, mopping some sweat off his forehead with his hand

“Do you need some wine?”

“No, thanks Polites. I am fine. This is just a….reminder. No worries”

The land of Thrace came in sight and so did the walls of Ismarus. Odysseus could see from afar that the walls were consisted on a rough stone base and clay and wooden upper parts. He rubbed his beard in thought. He could see the smokes of the chimneys too. He couldn’t see much from inside the city itself but he noticed some clay outlines of the houses and some hay roofs like an average coastline city. It was nothing like the strong structure of Troy that was for sure. The city was built almost directly on the beach, making the position really strategic for someone who wanted to connect themselves with the sea, however the back was protected from the winds by the rough Thracian mountains. In theory it was cutting the line of escape from the people who wanted to flee from an upcoming catastrophe of their city. He gasped at his thoughts.

“What in the blasted hells of Tartarus am I thinking?! We just got out of a slaughter of a city and all I can think of is what we can use if we need to raid this place! What’s wrong with me!?”

The war was still in his system, he knew. Sacker of Cities, that’s how they called him back in Troy. Apparently he was thinking like one all the time now. Apparently his men were reading his thoughts or they were having a similar train themselves for Polites came close to him, leaning his large body next to him to the ledge.

“What do you think, Odysseus? Shall we raid this city?”

Odysseus scoffed and forced a smirk to his face.

“You just got out of war, Polites and you already fear you are losing your touch?”

“I’m just saying” Polites shrugged

“Polites is right up to one point, Odysseus” Eurylochus agreed, “The Cicones have no reason to offer us anything and they are half-barbarians. Maybe they do not know the customs of hospitality”

“Don’t they worship Apollo as their patron god?” Odysseus pointed out

“Irrelevant” Eurylochus pointed out, “They didn’t help us at the war now did they? They guaranteed passage to the enemy”

“I mean, who wouldn’t be afraid of the Amazons, Eurylochus?”

Odysseus stretched himself, breathing in the air.

“Either way we need to stop and inspect the damages. I say we send an embassy and ask for Xenia before we do something.”

“They won’t give it”

“Irrelevant. We need to go by the traditions that separate us from the barbarians, Eurylochus. If they push us too hard, we will make this place burn!”

The words came to his mouth much easier than what he thought they would. Sacker of Cities then…what people in Troy chanted about him was true after all.

“Should we announce our presence then?” Eurylochus snickered

“Oh, I am sure they know we are here. They saw us coming from a mile away! Our crimson sails are not exactly a discreet sight and they have a clear view at the sea!”

As if on the cue there was a shine or sheen of metal coming from the wall. A watchman had moved. Odysseus knew they knew they were here. So far so good, he thought, we shall tie to the bay, go about our business like nothing happens and ask for a share. If that doesn’t happen then damned this city be! They indeed beached their ships and climbed down to inspect. To their good luck most of the parts of the ship were intact. Just a few repairs to the ropes and all would be done; all would be as good as new.

“Gear up, just in case” suddenly Odysseus ordered, “We have company”

A neighing horse was what got their attention, when they managed to catch a glimpse of a man riding like the wind towards the city. Great…Odysseus thought, the meeting would happen sooner than expected. He caught a glimpse of Eurylochus reaching for his hunting bow. He stopped him with his strong hand upon the wood.

“Easy there, Eurylochus!” he said strictly, “Hold your blood lust for now and wait for it. We are being announced”

“But…we are helpless!”

“We are over 500 men experienced in war with our equipment intact. We must not act like headless chicken. But prepare yourselves just in case. Shooting the man now, will bring warriors at our steps, not ambassadors”

Apparently he was right for after a few hours, while he and his men were eating some dried fruit and bread they had with them, they heard the horses once more but this time they were more than one. Odysseus eyed them and placed the helm over his brow. He nodded to Polites and Eurylochus to come closer and to one or two captains from the other ships. They approached the riders on foot. Odysseus noticed their colorful clothing and their tattooed bodies. His resolve that they would actually give them hospitality was not determined in the first place but now he was almost certain they wouldn’t.

“Hello there!” he greeted the entourage, “I hope I am speaking to an embassy of peace. We are travelers and we seek shelter”

The man on the horse didn’t come down. He only barked some words in his dialect, which Odysseus didn’t recognize to its totality.

“Look…given that we do not speak your language and I can possibly recognize one or two words here and there, I suggest you to bring us an interpreter if we are to talk openly here”

He didn’t know if that was what his tone was doing; maybe he was coming off as more aggressive as he wanted to, the man on the horse spat at his feet. Odysseus looked up at him.

“Great…” he mumbled ironically, “This negotiation will not get us far. I seek passage for myself and my men. In the name of Zeus and Xenia. We bring gifts to exchange. We desire only provisions and hospitality”

“I will give you gifts!” said the man in his heavy Thracian accent

“Ah, marvelous. So you DO speak our language” Odysseus said mockingly again, “We are making progress”

“Your banner I recognize!” the man said again in his broken Common Greek, “You raid Troy, that did you!”

Oh shit… Odysseus thought. Our reputation precedes us. The man seemed furious.

“Outsiders have no place here. More Greeks who raided Troy!”

Odysseus’s eyes darkened. It was as if just the mere mention of Troy was bringing all his blood to his head; making his pulse practically hammering inside his eardrum.

“I understand you despise us and our nation, that much is as apparent as the sun above, my dear friend. I wouldn’t make such preposterous offer unless it was of outmost importance and a matter of survival for me and my men. You protect your city and I protect them. Our interests should be aligned instead of colliding”

Odysseus realized that war was inside him. He knew the man was not fluent in Greek so he felt like using every official or long word he knew, hoping to confuse him, impress him or piss him off even further. He didn’t know which. Apparently happened the latter for the man spat at his feet once more, glaring daggers at them.

“You and your kin go!” the Cicones ambassador roared, “We give no shelter to traitors here!”

“Careful, my dear man” Odysseus now replied feeling his patience running short, “Zeus punishes those who disobey his law! And you speak to those who, as you said, stepped their feet into the holy castle of Troy! Your little town will not be that difficult to take, that much I guarantee you!”

“Leave this place!” the man replied

He stirred his horses and trotted away. Odysseus remained silent for a second. Yes, the insult was great to take, even if he deep down knew indeed they had no reason to like them in the first place.

“Captain” Eurylochus spoke again, “Shall we gather up the captains and negotiate our next move?”

A tiny essence of smirk played to the corner of his lips. He wasn’t sure if it was some weird eagerness and battle fever or whether it was just himself being sarcastic at his own attachment to that. Either way his eyes followed the trotting entourage of Thracians going back to their city.

“Sure…why not?” he heard himself whisper.

*

“The city doesn’t seem overly protected” one of the captains pointed out, “That could indicate protection from the inside. I am not sure if I would risk a confrontation at the walls”

“I double that” another one said watching at the rough sketch of the area they drew upon the sand, “Maybe we can lure them out at the field”

“Haven’t you seen them?” Eurylochus pointed out, “They don’t use carriages or chariots. They fight directly from the horses! Odysseus’s chariot was damaged into the storm but even if it was ready now it will be hard for it to navigate at the plain”

“Odysseus, how many people do you estimate the city to have?” one of the captains asked

“Hard to tell” the king of Ithaca admitted, “The city seems well-built but not too big. Worst case scenario it would be of around 4000 people”

“The odds would still be 4-1” Eurylochus pointed out, “We are not enough for it. The odds are not bad but they are not very good either”

“Indeed which is why I hope the most optimistic estimation is the correct one. Let’s say around 2000 people”

“But, Odysseus you count in women and children?” Polites asked

“Yeah that’s right. If we say they are around 2000 in there then logically half should be women and children”

“That leaves is around 1000 men and possibly a portion of them are warriors”

“That makes the odds 2-1” Eurylochus spoke again, “Sounds much better for us”

“Yes…if they remain within the walls…”

“We must send a scout team just in case, to see the weaknesses around it”

“Guys!” Polites now came in, “We are talking as if we shall begin the attack already!”

“Do you see another option, Polites?”

Odysseus hummed in thought.

“Well…in theory we could avoid the bloodshed if we took the course across the mainland or till we meet the islands…”

He made a move with his hand as if saying “maybe”

“How many provisions do we have?”

“Maybe for one week?” Polites suggested, “And that would be if we reduced our food to the minimum and hunted”

“In a Cicones forest?” Odysseus commented, “Right…”

“Perhaps fishing then?”

“That could work but it is not sustainable on the long run” Odysseus thought out loud, “We have also the slaves, the men and the horses to feed. In theory we could make it to another port before our provisions ran out but…”

“What guarantee do we have that we won’t run in the same problem?” Eurylochus pointed out

“Exactly. And besides…” once more that almost automatic smirk played to the edge of his lips, “The refusal of hospitality when someone makes plead to the gods has consequences. They know it! There is plenty of food there for sharing and we have things to return their hospitality with but…”

He hit his fist on the ground.

“Yes, I believe we must charge as soon as possible while the sword is flaming hot!”

“What are you planning?” Eurylochus asked again, “Surround the city?”

“It could work but we will run out of provisions before they do and we are cut off from the rest of the world here. I will not risk it all in a siege”

“And I refuse to spend another day waiting for cities to fall! I’ve had enough! Gods refuse to help us. We need to do something of the situation we got ourselves through. Our men are too many to feed. I cannot risk another open sea passage!”

He caught himself making excuses about it to himself; as if trying to justify the actions that he was already planning but in the end of the day perhaps it was true after all; he was the Sacker of Cities; a man of war. Perhaps that was what was left of him after the massacre…after all the atrocities he had to indoctrinate or perform in the holy city of Ilium. Athena was by his side back then; other gods were as well. He knew it was wrong what happened and yet the gods were with them. He didn’t understand why now…why now they refused to hear his prayers or rather he didn’t want to accept that the whole ploy would turn against the entire fleet and not just against him! He was afraid and worried; what if that indeed befell upon his family? What if the sin he prayed so much to Athena to protect his family from was to be fulfilled? What if Athena didn’t heed his desperate plea at Troy? Because Achilles wanted a concubine and because Calchas couldn’t keep his mouth shut!

“Agamemnon! Gods, Agamemnon now I understand you! This man predicted not a single good thing for us in his entire life! He made us both monsters who sacrifice virgins to the void! Cursed his name! Cursed his legacy!”

Polites smirked, unaware of the turmoil in his soul.

“That’s right! We have Odysseus with us! He took Troy in one night! I am sure this will be child’s play for him!”

“Why, thanks for the faith, Polites…” Odysseus said ironically, “I hope I will live up to your expectations!”

“You already have a plan?” Erilochus now pitched in, flabbergasted

“Perhaps…” Odysseus murmured thoughtfully, rubbing his beard, “I might have something but we need to organize ourselves quick”

“Yes sir!”

“And we kill no women and children!” Odysseus said, his eyes suddenly darkening

“Polyxena…Astyanax…Hecuba… No! No more women and children! Penelope… My sweet Telemachus…Ma… No, no more women and children!”

“Yes sir” the others agreed

“No rapes, no violations! Am I clear?”

“Yes, sir”

“As for the city…”

He stopped. His eyes were bottomless. His heartbeat was steady. The nausea of guilt had passed; suddenly giving his gut the weird sensation of the bloodlust he felt in battle when fighting for his life. However now it felt different.

“…Burn it down!”

“Yes! Let it burn! This and all the allies of Troy! Cursed city! If only it was never founded by the immortals! If only it never rose again from the hands of mighty Heracles! Yes, let them burn! All of them!”

“Yes sir!”

Odysseus filled a cup of wine. He took half a sip and raised it up.

“And let the blood of their men be upon their hands! So it was written, let it be done!”

He poured the rest down to the sand. The red liquid was almost immediately absorbed in the golden sand of the unfriendly land. It only left a red stain behind.

Like the blood that was shed in war.

~*~*~*~

Cicones were tribes of Thrace and Thracians were known for their great skill in riding horses among others. The exact location of Ismarus is not known although it is connected to some landscapes in Thrace.

So arguably one of the most controversial to the modern eye action that Odysseus did after he left from Troy was the conquest of the city of Cicones Ismarus. I am surprised I do not see more people talk about it!

In the Odyssey, Odysseus doesn't specify the reasonings behind the attack but it is left to be assumed that it was for piracy; so that they would plunder provisions for the safe passage. I tried to see how that would befall so I started the story with the general outline and then try to figure out how they would go.

Odysseus referring to the contempt and to Adromache or even to some events, it is a wink to my story Guilt Part2 The momet of madness of Hecuba are based on sources such as the tragedy Hecuba and other roman sources but also a wink to a fic that I had in mind for the far future, kinda like a light spoiler.

Like before as I mentioned to my gift story to @dionysism once more got inspired by the same composer Kostas Kapnisis for this one. Specifically for the scene where the Cicones spy runs to warn the city, I was inspired by the piece "Ξεσηκωμός" ("Rise Up"):

Language or dialect barrier between Thracians and Odysseus was just another thing I thought I could add to make the story more believable. Also Odysseus being kinda an ass as well even if he is suffering deep down.

Usually I do depict his positive traits and sneak in his negative (for example in my story about their escape from Polyphemus). So now we have also a bit more negative traits with sneaking in some positive as well.

The Cicones being a potential ally of Troy or at least assisting them is purely my invention here in an essence that Thrace and places like Themyscyra (if that is among the Skythians) are close to each other geographically and potentially culturally too at some cases.

Odysseus mentions "more than 500 men" because undoubtedly they did suffer losses at Troy. Just the bare minimum they could (probably around 10% of them or around 80 men)

Part 2 might be coming back soon.

Sorry if I forget anyone.

A small mention to amazing people that honored me with comments, feedback or reblogs before:

@simugeuge @loco-bird @smokey07 @adrift-in-thyme @marieisnothere12 @dilutedh2so4 @freetyphoonglitter @tunguszka20 @ilov3b00kss0much @fangirlofallthefanthings @cr4zy-cycl0n3 @superkooku @shafeeyaart @hermesmoly @insomniphic @blueflipflops @venomspecs @theyugiohfanartistwritersblog

[whencyclopedia]

Alexander Hamilton

Alexander Hamilton (1755/57-1804) was a lawyer and politician, often recognized as a Founding Father of the United States. He served as George Washington's aide-de-camp during the American Revolution, before going on to become the first US secretary of the treasury and a leader of the Federalist Party. He was mortally wounded in a duel with Aaron Burr in July 1804.

Early Life

Alexander Hamilton was born on the small island of Nevis in the British West Indies on 11 January 1755 or 1757; most modern scholars favor 1755 as his birth year, based on the discovery of a 1768 probate paper that listed his age as 13. He and his older brother, James, Jr., were born out of wedlock to James Hamilton, the wayward younger son of a Scottish laird, and Rachel Faucette Lavien, a married woman who had abandoned her husband after years of unhappy marriage. The couple lived together for several years until 1765, when James Hamilton abruptly deserted his family, either because he had run out of money or because he knew his continued presence would leave the still-married Rachel vulnerable to charges of bigamy. In any case, Rachel was left destitute. To provide for her sons, she opened a modest shop on St. Croix, purchasing her merchandise from her landlord. In early 1768, both Rachel and Alexander contracted yellow fever; while the boy soon recovered, the mother succumbed to the disease on 19 February.

The orphaned Hamilton brothers were sent to live with a cousin, Peter Lytton, but this situation would end after only a year when Lytton committed suicide. The brothers were then split up; James, Jr., was apprenticed to a carpenter, while Alexander found work clerking for the merchant house of Beekman and Cruger. Still only a teenager, Hamilton excelled at his various tasks, which included tracking cargo, helping to chart courses for ships, and calculating prices in multiple currencies. In 1771, he was even left in charge of the firm for five months while the owner was away. Hamilton was a voracious reader who aspired to write works of his own and penned several poems in the early 1770s. In the autumn of 1772, he wrote a letter to his father in which he detailed a hurricane that had recently devastated St. Croix. The letter found its way into publication in a local paper, the Royal Danish-American Gazette, leaving readers dazzled with its vivid and bombastic descriptions:

It seemed as if a total dissolution of nature was taking place. The roaring of the sea and wind, fiery meteors flying about it in the air, the prodigious glare of almost perpetual lightning, the crash of falling houses, and the ear-piercing shrieks of the distressed, were sufficient to strike astonishment into the angels.

(quoted in Chernow, 37)

This essay would prove to be one of the most consequential of Hamilton's life; upon learning that its author was only 17, local community leaders pooled their funds to send the promising young man to college in North America. He landed in Boston in October 1772, before going on to New York City, where he would enroll in King's College (present-day Columbia University) the following year. Hamilton was insatiably ambitious and dove into his studies, which included a classical curriculum of Greek and Latin as well as rhetoric, history, mathematics, and science. His academic career would soon be interrupted, however, by the rising tensions between Great Britain and the Thirteen Colonies over the question of American liberties, particularly that of taxation without representation. Hamilton became swept up in the Whig (or Patriot) movement, writing a series of anonymous pamphlets in which he defended the Boston Tea Party, supported the actions of the First Continental Congress, and condemned Parliament's Intolerable Acts. He opposed the mob violence often displayed by fellow Patriots; on 10 May 1775, he saved the college's Loyalist president, Myles Cooper, from an angry mob by speaking to the crowd long enough to allow Cooper to escape.

Continue reading...

[rollercoasterofshitposts]

RAMBLE TIME BUCKLE UP

SPOILERS AHEAD FOR TRIALS OF APOLLO AND BASICALLY EVERY PERCY JACKSON BOOK EVER BUT MOSTLY TOA, ESPECIALLY THE BURNING MAZE.

TLDR at the end.

spoilers start now ok bye

Here are some facts that we know for sure:

1. Percy Jackson is named after Perseus, the Greek hero who killed Medusa.

2. Perseus is one of the only, if not THE only Greek hero to not die tragically.

3. Rick Riordan is VERY careful about how he uses names throughout the series, something he addresses from the very beginning when Percy gets to camp. Percy says Zeus’s name (or Kronos’s, can’t remember which and I’m lazy right now) and the sky rumbles, and Chiron warns Percy that names have power and to use them carefully. Later, in Tartarus (if I’m remembering correctly), Percy and Annabeth are wary of using names because of their proximity to monster respawn points.

4. The only other main character named after a Greek hero is Jason Grace.

Here are some things we can assume, based on Rick’s writing style and the details he has given us:

1. A character’s name will tell you something about them. That’s a Riordan near-guarantee.

1a. For example: Piper being a reference to the Pied Piper since she can get anyone to do anything for her, even follow her off a bridge.

1b. Or Magnus and Alex being confirmed from the beginning because Rick mentioned that he stole the name Magnus from Cassandra Clare. (She wrote The Mortal Instruments, which contains a gay couple named Magnus and Alec (Alexander).)

1c. Or Leo being named after the great inventor Leonardo daVinci (not confirmed, but they’re so similar it’s hard to believe otherwise).

1d. A castellan is the governor of a castle who enforces the law around the land. They also have military responsibility. Luke Castellan. nuff said.

2. NAMES HAVE POWER IN THIS UNIVERSE. Sally literally named Percy after a Greek hero to keep his roots close in a subtle way, but she purposefully picked a Greek hero that lives.

2a. HUGE example: Castor and Pollux. In myth, sons of Jupiter. Castor is mortal while Pollux is immortal, and Castor dies. (Slightly irrelevant but Rick loves taking notes from other authors so: In The Hunger Games, part of Katniss’s film team. Castor dies, Pollux lives.) In PJO, sons of Dionysus. Castor dies during Battle of the Labyrinth, while Pollux lives.

The one exception to this rule is Jason Grace. Or so I thought.

If you read the myth pertaining to Jason (Golden Fleece, Argo the First, Medea, etc) you find out that Jason of the Argo dies when he falls asleep on his ship underneath the rotting mast and it falls and kills him. There’s a lot of other stuff that goes down, but for the sake of being succinct, here’s a link to the myth for your perusal:

The only other SUPER MEGA IMPORTANT DETAIL from this myth: Argo Jason, by cheating on Medea, falls out of favor with Hera, while in PJO/HOO, Hera actively names Jason 2.0 and claims him as her champion. (despite him being. Y’know. The proof of her husband being a jackass to her. quality time with the stepmom right there.)

Putting this all together:

1. Sally purposefully named Percy after a Greek hero who lived, indicating fear that he would die if she chose a different name

2. Names have power and Rick puts meaning behind every single name he uses.

3. Jason dies in The Burning Maze.

The real kicker is that they both die in the same way: having lost everything, with so much still to do, dying a completely avoidable death because they weren’t paying attention to what was going on behind them. There’s differences, obviously, because Jason Grace is actually a good person, but those are inconsequential as the big picture is all the same. (We see these similarities happen A LOT with Percy, especially when he kills Medusa.)

We should have known. Rick laid out all the pieces for us from the very beginning, even (possibly) going so far as to straight up tell us that one of the seven would die (again, not confirmed, I saw it in a meme and maybe his twitter? idk im ty ty).

so:

TLDR: Rick Riordan left a gigantic trail of breadcrumbs that should have clued us all in to the fact that Jason was gonna die long before it happened.

And no, I will never shut up about Jason. Justice for my favorite white boy.

[coolest-capybara]

Maniculum Bestiaryposting Challenge: Miscellaneous Sea Creatures!

I think I actually managed to fit them all in this time! Our little Codex Manesse boys went on an ocean adventure. The drawing is inspired by medieval illustrations of Alexander the Great diving beneath the sea.

Starting at the top, we have:

Blochmokan

There is a sea monster called the Blochmokan, which has huge wings. When it sees a ship under sail on the sea, it raises its wings over the water and tries to keep pace with the ship for three or four miles; when it fails to keep pace, it lowers its wings and folds them. The waves carry it, exhausted, back to its home in their depths.

To the left of the boat:

Kearmoltirs are known by that particular name or word because they follow the sound of men’s voices, or gather in schools at the sound of music. There is no swifter creature in the sea. For they often leap through the air over ships; but when they play beforehand in the swell and leap headlong through the mighty waves, they seem to foretell storms. There is a species of Kearmoltir in the River Nile, with a serrated back, which kills crocodiles by cutting into the soft parts of their bellies.

To the right (and possibly in the wine):

The Gurnwatlea is so called because it is delicate and very tender; they say that eating it curbs lust; eating Gurnwatlea can also impair your vision; men who often eat it give off a fishy smell. If you soak a dead Gurnwatlea in wine, those who drink the liquor afterwards develop a loathing for wine. Another kind of Gurnwatlea gets its name because it is extremely agile. For when it is aware of the way in which fishermen have set their nets for it, it does not delay, but pulls back, then leaps over the net, so that you can actually see the fish fly.

Directly under the boat:

The Olnranming is so called because its snout is pointed; it sinks ships by piercing them with it; Radwahrekhs are so called because they have a serrated crest; they swim under ships and saw through their keels.

Centered below, the Alrittraes:

The nature of this animal is such that when it feeds, it opens its mouth and breathes out from it a kind of sweet-smelling odour, so that when smaller fish scent it, they gather in its mouth. When the Alrittraes feels that its mouth is full, it closes it suddenly and swallows the fish. Alrittraeses are beasts of huge size, so called because of their habit of drawing in and spouting out water; for they make waves higher than other sea creatures [etymology redacted]. … for it is alleged that the females conceive by intercourse.

Finally, bottom left and right, the Shikwaewik and the Meldilragg, respectively:

Its wolf-like greed for fish gives the Shikwaewik its name. It is a tricky fish to catch. It is said that when it is finally surrounded by the folds of the net, it ploughs up the sand with its tail and, hidden, swims through the net.

Meldilraggs are commonly called swine, because when they seek food, they dig under the water like swine digging into the ground. For they have what serves as a mouth around their throat, and unless they immerse their snout in the sand, they cannot gather food.

[scotianostra]

On October 2nd 1263 the Battle of Largs took place.

Before I go into the full details it is thought that anywhere between 1200 and 2,000 ships set sail from Norway to vanquish the Scots, can you imagine how they would have looked sailing round the islands on the West coast? It must have been an amazing, if frightening sight!

Another thing, when I posted on this before, pointing out thta there was no real winner on the battle on the day, someone came back with a comment that we di win the battle and he wished people would stop saying we didn’t. Well my understanding of it, and it seems to be backed up by many historians, is that while the Norsemen were repelled they were far from beaten. They mustered back on Orkney to regroup, however their monarch, King Håkon IV fell ill and died in the Bishop’s Palace, Kirkwall, putting an end to the campaign.

Scotland took advantage of circumstances when Haakon died in, it would eventually mean the end of Viking influence over the west of Scotland.

Much more interestingly, The Battle of Largs also gave rise to the legend of how Scotland’s national flower, the thistle came about.

When the Vikings had first begun raiding across the North Sea 400 years earlier, there had been no king of Norway and no king of Scotland. Their often savage raids evolved over time into trade and settlement. By the early 1200s both countries were united under powerful and ambitious kings.

When you hear of the Hebrides most only think of the Western Isles, the Outer Hebrides, and maybe Skye but the region known as Innse Gall also included islands such as Bute and Cumbrae on The Clyde estuary, very close to the Scottish mainland. Isle of Man, Shetland and Orkney Isles were also held by the Norsemen.

Haakon IV and Alexander II of Scotland were born within a few years of each other and came to the throne around the same time. They were both ambitious and were keen to extend and maintain their Kingdoms. It was Bute and Cumbrae that Alexander II had his eyes on. Alexander however had died on Kerrera of fever after sailing the west coast with a powerful fleet in 1249 in order to meet the Norwegians in battle.

Things calmed down for a while, probably due to the new Scottish King, Alexander III being a young boy when acceding to the throne, partly due to a struggle for the Scottish throne that included the Comyns and Mac Williams.

By 1263 the infighting was over and matters turned once more to pushing for control of The Hebrides. The dispute with the Alexander III over the Hebrides induced Haakon to undertake an expedition to the islands. Having learned in 1262 that Scottish nobles had raided the Hebrides and that Alexander III planned to conquer the islands, Haakon went on an expedition with his formidable “leidang” fleet in 1263, having become accustomed to negotiating backed by an intimidating fleet. The fleet left Bergen in July, and reached Shetland and Orkney in August where they were joined by chieftains from the Hebrides and Man. Negotiations were started by Alexander following Norwegian landings on the Scottish mainland, but were purposely prolonged by the Scots.

The 59-year-old Norwegian king - an old man by the standards of the day - took personal command of the fleet. For Haakon, this was unfinished business. The chance to crush Scottish ambitions in the Hebrides once and for all.

In Orkney, a Viking stronghold, his already powerful fleet was joined by local forces. Haakon led his fleet through the Hebrides, island by island, demanding allegiance.

By the time he reached the disputed territories of the Clyde, he had around 2,000 ships and up to 20,000 men at his command. It was a force that would have rivalled the Spanish Armada of 300 years later.

Alexander, based down the coast in Ayr, knew he could not defeat Haakon at sea but if he could stall long enough then the autumn weather might do what his forces could not.

Haakon sent envoys to demand Alexander withdraw his claims but the Scottish king spun out the negotiations.

On 1st October 1263 the weather broke.

The storm was so sudden and so powerful that survivors could only imagine it had been conjured up by sorcery. Haakon’s fleet was scattered, with several ships driven ashore under the noses of local militia.

The next morning Haakon managed to get onshore with 1,000 men to salvage the ships and their cargo. That was when the Scots pounced.

Haakon’s bodyguard got the king back to the safety of the fleet but on the shore the Norsemen were collapsing in disarray. Finally a long ship managed to get ashore to reinforce the beleaguered rearguard and the Norsemen made a stand.

The Battle of Largs petered out into a long distance and sporadic shooting match. Neither side had won. There was no decisive victory, just the usual grim reckoning in warfare.

But if the skirmish fought on the Clyde coast did not decide anything, the aftermath would.

The Norse king’s options were limited. Winter was approaching, his supplies were low and his men were getting restless.

He agreed to disperse the fleet and spend the winter in Orkney. He would return in the spring to have his bloody revenge on Alexander.

As I have already said, it didn’t happen, their new monarch, King Magnus' rule brought about a change from the somewhat aggressive foreign policy of his father. In 1266 he gave up the Hebrides and the Isle of Man to Scotland, in return for a large sum of silver and a yearly payment, under the Treaty of Perth, by which the Scots at the same time recognised Norwegian rule over Shetland and the Orkney Islands.

[spencers-abit-weebish]

3 Minutes and 3 Seconds

XxX

Warnings: Typical COD violence, Incorrect information about Nymphs,

The One Where: Ghost Team pair up with a Nymph to take down a crime lord and his team at a Gala event

Pairing: Ghost x Fem!Reader

A/n: I know a lot about Nymphs and Greek Mythology I swear, i just put out somewhat false information for the sake of plot

xXx

“Nymph, meet the Ghost Team, boys this is Nymph, she’s been leading the operation on Brühl for months now, so be respectful” Laswell said over the speakerphone.

Ghost team had re-grouped after their newest target Josiah Brühl made a deal with the Cartel in Mexico. Brühl was apparently not only making nuclear weapons under the table but also had created a drug that while does give you a high at first, overdosage was easy on it and killed you painfully from the inside.

“Nymph, Price and Ghost are in charge of this team, so while you’re leading this operation I still need you to play nice” Laswell said in a warning tone.

“Gosh fine mom, what’s next you’re gonna tell Osborn I’m bruising egos?” You reply sarcastically.

“Actually I’m about to call him-”

“Wait no I’m sorry I’ll play nice, please don’t tell Osborn” Laswell hangs the call up with a laugh making you sigh heavily.

“Is Osborn your superior?” Price asked.

“Osborn is my partner, he’s my hacker, and a really annoying one at that” You said causing everyone’s phones to go off at the same time with an annoying alarm. “Okay I’m sorry you’re a delight!” You yell taking your phone out of your pocket tossing it onto the table causing it to turn off along with everyone else’s.

“Osborn?” Soap leaned forward looking at your phone. A picture of you and Ossy appeared on the screen. He was sitting at his computer and you had your arms tossed over him winking at the camera.

“Ossy get off my phone” You said causing your phone to shut off. “He’s also a bit of a prankster” You inform as you grab your phone pocketing it.

“So they call you Nymph” Ghost states. You look up at him meeting his greasepaint gaze, you tilted your head to the side almost in familiarity and fondness.

“Yes sir” You state proudly. You loved your call sign.

“Why?” He asked curiously.

“My First mission out of basic training I was trailing an enemy ship underwater and I held my breath for 18 minutes before taking each person out one by one, second mission I was in a jungle taking out Russian-soldiers from the trees, third mission I was undercover at a Russian auction and they had ‘hired me’ to perform before the auction. My call sign was almost Siren because of that mission but Ossy recommended Nymph and my team associated that with me more. Nymphs are creatures of any aspect of nature and some are associated as Sirens, I’m a creature of whatever nature you put me in. I'm a nymph” You shrugged.

“Her most impressive mission was in the mountains of Serbia, caused an avalanche with just her voice taking down a terrorist group” Price said making you grin proudly.

“Do you usually work alone?” Rodolfo asked.

“Most of the time it’s just me and Osborn, but I have my own team that I usually lead. My captain, Castagnoli, mainly does solo missions so since I’m his Lieutenant I’m usually in charge, obviously when I’m solo as well Os is left in charge” You explain. The team is left with well impressions of you.

“If that’s all I’d like to regroup tomorrow so we can come up with a game plan, Brühl’s second in hand is throwing a Gala in a few days and I want us there” You state. Price nods his head gesturing for the boys to leave.

“Uh could one of you guys show Nymph to her room, it’s right down the hall from Vargas and Parra” Price said.

“Come with us preciosa, we got you” Alejandro said. You smile grabbing your bag following the two Mexican men out.

“We’re having dinner around 2000 if you wanna join us” Gaz offered as you all walked out the room.

“In the mess hall or out the base?” You asked.

“Out the base, there’s a nice grill down the road from the base” Soap added.

“Sure thing, I’ll meet you guys in the commons” You smile. The task force leaves you with the two Vaqueros to take you to your room.

The team waited for you in the commons. You walked in wearing normal jeans and a cropped hoodie with boots. You had your holster attached around your waist with a glock in it and your badge on a chain attached to your dog tags.

"You always walk around showing off your package?" Alejandro asked gesturing to your gun.

"You guys don't?" You asked causing everyone to lift their shirts showing the gun tucked into their jeans. "You all look like some sort of bootleg street gang walking around with your glocks in your pants" You teased causing Ghost and Price to lift their boots on a couch and show the small pistols they had on a holster in their boots. "Except for them"

xxx

"Tell me what I need to know" You said. You sat at the bar with Price while the rest of the boys had split off to either play pool or darts.

"Sergeant John 'Soap' MacTavish, he's pretty introverted at first but once he gets close to you outside the field he'll never shut up," Price starts gesturing to the Scott with a mohawk playing darts with Gaz.

"In the field though?" You ask

"He's very focused, will rarely talk outside of the mission and if he does, usually means he's nervous and needs to calm down. Kyle 'Gaz' Garrick, he's probably one of the most normal ones, typical extrovert but when it comes to business he gets down" Price said taking a sip of his drink.

"I'm assuming all your men do?" You asked.

"They're not all mine, Vargas and Parra are Vaqueros from Mexico, they're in the Mexican Army, came with some of their men after Brühl started working with one of the cartels down in Mexico. Alejandro is the Colonel of his team and Rodolfo is his second in command" Price explained. The two hispanic men were playing pool with Ghost, severely getting their asses handed to them by the Brit.

"What about skull face?" You asked.

"Ghost? Not much I'm allowed to tell you, you're gonna have to find that one out on your own" Price said.

You made eye contact with Ghost for a moment. You could swear that you recognize those eyes.

"His file didn't have his government name, is that classified?" You asked.

"Yes and no at the same time, it's hard to explain, like I said there's not much I'm allowed to tell you. Not because it's classified but out of respect to him, If anything you might get more information about him out of Soap" Price said. You hum to yourself eyeing the 6'2" British man.

You down the rest of your drink before jumping off the bar stool. Price watches as you make your way over to the pool table talking to the men there. Alejandro laughs setting a hand on your upper back, out of respect. Rodolfo hands you a cue stick making you smile as Ghost sets the table up.

"We doing teams?" You ask.

"You're on my team" Ghost states.

"You sure hermano? I don't mind teaming up con la princessa" Alejandro says his hand still on your back.

"I'm sure" Ghost says. You smile over at him as you lean over the table, you were breaking.

When it was Rodolfo's turn you stood back standing next to Ghost. You look up at him tilting your head as he looked down at you.

"Anyone tell you you have a staring problem" Ghost says.

"So do you" You say making him look away. "You have really pretty eyes" You tell him. He only hums in response making you smile.

You and Ghost won the first game easily. The two of you traded spots with Soap and Gaz the pair wanting to test their skill against the cowboys. You played a round of darts with Ghost, not much talking done and no one was really keeping score. Something about his presence though comforted you.

"Can you tell me anything about yourself Ghost?" You ask tossing a dart to the board hitting dead center. The game was pretty boring since you and Ghost both constantly got bullseyes.

"Did my file not tell you enough?" Ghost asked.

"I think we both know almost everything about you is redacted, should've just printed on black paper with the amount of black ink on those pages" You say.

"I could say the same for you Nymph" Ghost lifts the bottom of his mask to take a drink from his bourbon. You notice a small scar right at his jawline making you tilt your head. "You're staring again"

"Not sorry, you're very attractive" You smirk throwing your last dart before going to collect them.

"I'm wearing a balaclava, you think I'm attractive?" He asked.

"Got a problem with that LT?" You asked.

"Not at all Pet" Ghost says. You could hear the smirk from behind his mask. Your mind raced as you chuckled shaking your head

When the team regrouped to eat dinner you sat in between Rodolfo and Ghost.

"Why do you do so many solo missions Nymph?" Soap asked grabbing a chip from the basket in the center of the table.

"Less colateral, not to mention I lead a team of men so half the time the missions that are given to my Captain and I don't require a full team and are something one person can handle in a day or two, don't want to waste my boys' times when they could be at home with their families" You explain.

"So you drown yourself in work so your team can have breaks?" Gaz asked.

"I don't have a life outside of work," You shrug, "My parents were shit, they cut ties with their families, all my siblings are assholes, most of my friends lost contact after high school, so I decided to go into the workplace that kept me the most busy, and paid well" You say nonchalantly.

"What about your boys?" Price asked.

"My three sergeants are all married, one of them has a family, pretty big one too, I try to bother him the least, one of them only married so his partner could get benefits but they're good, the third one is freshly married so I want him to spent time with his girl. As for my private he pretty much lives on base training unless I need him. I guess you could say he's my padawan" You smile taking a drink from your whiskey sour.

"Padawan?" Gaz asked.

"Star Wars? You know? Jedi- Padawan" You say. All the boys shake their heads. "None of you have seen star wars? Oh we're fixing that later" You tell them.

"So how did you and Osborn meet?" Alejandro asked.

"I met him not too long after getting out of basic training, purely by luck him and I met online on some game before meeting in person. He’s the one that put in a good word for me to my Captain. I was one of the first people in the Underground Team” You explained.

“You guys are called the Underground team?” Gaz asked.

“We deal with a lot of lesser known crimes, too advance for the FBI not advance enough for you guys, we work with the CIA a lot” You explained.

“You- little Nymph, are a very impressive lassie” Soap says festering to you with his drink before taking a sip for it. You smile tucking a strand of hair behind your ear.

“Thank you, that means a lot coming from someone like you” Yoh tell him.

“Someone like me, Bonnie look around, you’re just as badass as us, very rarely do we go on solo missions taking out men twice our size, I mean Ghost right there is over a foot taller than you probably and I don’t doubt you could take him out before any of us could react” Soap said. Ghost tilted his head at the Scott causing the man to shut his mouth. You chuckle looking at the masked man next to you who looked down at you before he reached for his drink lifting his mask slightly.

“I don’t doubt it either L/n” Ghost says softly to you before taking a sip of his drink.

xxx "Courtesy of Osborn these are everyone's new identities, I want you to memorize them front to back, Alejandro and Rodolfo are brothers from mexico, you guys are supposed customers of the cartel and want to buy the new drug. Gaz you can do an american accent so you're a tourist that caught wind of the drug and want some. Soap and Price you guys want weapons" You said handing out the files. "Ghost, since you're faceless you're my bodyguard, I am a german crime lord and I want my hands on both the drug and the weapons"

"I thought you've interacted with Brühl and his men before" Soap said.

"I have, plenty of times" You stated.

“So Brühl and his team know what you look like?” Ghost asked “Oh baby,” you said in a patronizing voice, “Don’t you know Nymphs can change their appearances?” you chuckle.

The day of the mission the entire team met up at the air strip where a plane was waiting for them.

The men all waited for you seeing as you were the last one left. Soap was the first to see you stopping what he said as he smacked the person nearest to him which happened to be Ghost, and caught everyone’s attention.

You wore an elegant black gown with lace sleeves and a slit up to your upper thigh. You had black strappy heels and silver jewelry to compliment the look. Your makeup while to most would seem simple you definitely looked different the usual, and the dark lace front wig you wore with a beautiful hairstyle definitely helped your change in appearance.

“Just to be sure you’re Nymph right?” Gaz asked making you giggle.

“Yes, glad to see you all clean up nicely” You smile.

Alejandro and Rodolfo both wore matching white suits. Alejandro had red accents while Rodolfo had blue. Price had settled for a normal black and white suit while Soap wore a black dark green set with a black shirt. Gaz had a dark blue set and appropriately enough, Ghost wore an all black suit matching your all black attire.

“Hey Lieutenent, wear this” You said tossing him a black mask. The Lieutenant gave you a funny look until you placed a black fedora on his head before boarding the plane.

“Hey look, we’re matching” Gaz said gesturing to the blue fedora he had on. Ghost rolled his eyes following after you the rest of the team on his trail.

“Here’s the game plan, all of us have to arrive separately from each-other in about 10-30 minute intervals. Ghost and I will go in last due to Brühls men knowing me if anything goes wrong at least all of you will be in there. Rodolfo y Alejandro I want you two to go in first. Soap you go in after them then Gaz then Price. This is a gala that’s open to the public so be careful with what you say, we don’t wanna cause any harm to civilians we just want Brühl, his second in command Morgenthau, and the Cartel leader Torres, we need at least all three of them alive. Now is everyone strapped?” You asked.

All of them men flashed you their concealed weapons. Price had his tucked into the suit the black gun blending it with the tuxedo. Alejandro and Rodolfo had their tucked into their waist under the vest and suit jacket. Gaz and Soap both had theirs on a holster around their ankle causing you to look over at Ghost. He lifted up his pant leg showing you the gun on his ankle. He opened his suit jacket showing the gun he had blending in with his inner suit and opened his vest showing the collection of knives he had in here along with the two he had tucked up his sleeve held in place firmly by his gloves.

“I like this one” You smile gesturing to the man sitting across from you.

“You packing too hermosa?” Rodolfo asked. You moving the slit of your dressed to your covered thigh showing the assortment of knife and the one gun you held.

“Not to mention the amount of shit I can stuff in this dress” You said pulling out a taser, a knife, a lighter, and handcuffs.

“I want to say that’s kinky but I’m a little scared” Alejandro says making you smile.

“Everyone remember their names and identities?” You ask putting away everything you had concealed.

"Yes Ma'am" Everyone said nodding their heads. You look over at Ghost who gives your a nod.

When you guys landed you each took separate cars to the gala. While you drove Ghost changed into the mask and fedora you had given him. You looked away when he took off his balaclava out of respect but couldn't help but ask.

"We know each other don't we?" You asked.

"Come again?" Ghost asked.

"You're the only one on the team that knows my name Ghost, cause I know damn well that my file redacted my government name. Not to mention I recognize those beautiful eyes anywhere" You smile glancing over at him not that he had put on the black mask and hat. Some of his dirty blonde hair peaked under the bottom of the hat making you grin as you look back at the road.

"Yeah we do know each other" Ghost said after a beat of silence.

“We were in basic training together, when we first started”

“I remember, you were one of the fastest to complete the obstacle course” He says.

“Yeah, you were really impressive too, it’s no surprise you ended up here”

"I could say the same for you, working solo missions, leading teams, you were made for that" Ghost said making you blush. When you parked at the Gala event Ghost got out first opening your car door for you. He held his hand out taking the keys from you before helping you exit the car. He pulls you closer to him pressing your chest against his.

"It's good to see you again Simon" You said softly running your hand to the back of his neck.

"I could say the same to you Y/n" You could hear a smile in the way he spoke.

"Nymph we're in, where are you and Ghost" Price said over the comms.

"Walking in now" You said. The two of you went through security and put your names into the guest list before entering the ballroom. At the front was a grand stage where a small band was performing.

"Tell me what you know" You said with a smile as you grabbed a champagne glass from a waiter.

"All the men with name badges that are gold are men of Brühl's, you missed it but Morgenthau was just on stage earlier before leaving through the double doors behind the stage with Torres" Gaz said.

"Any sign of Brühl?" You asked

"No Ma'am" Soap responds

"Probably hiding in the back" Ghost said.

"He is, I got two addresses already on locations for me to pick up some weapons, Brühl said he and his men would meet me there on the condition that I showed up with my men" Price said holding up a card that you saw from across the room before he tucked it into his suit.

"Rudy and I already have a meeting with them in about 15 minutes to get some drugs, you guys just have to get the weapons and we can get the rest of our men down here" Alejandro said. You watched as Rodolfo smiled and shook hands with one of Brühl's men before the soldier walked into the backroom. Alejandro and Rodolfo looked over at you nodding.

"There's not that many men out here, I reckon we can take all of them out while Vargas and Parra are in the back" Soap says.

"I can take the three by the side" Ghost says

"I have my eye on the two by the stage" Soap says.

"Calm yourselves boys, I don't doubt there's more around here somewhere, have some fun and mingle with the guests while I think of something" You said handing Ghost your champagne glass before walking into the dance floor.

Ghost wasn't too far behind you after dropping the glass with a random waiter. Right as the song changed you felt Ghost grab your hand his other landing on your waist.

"What are you doing LT?" You asked

"Blending in, mingling," Ghost stated plainly.

"This feels familiar" You chuckle softly.

"Lucky, how come Ghost gets to dance with Nymph" Soap whines as he invited a random girl to the dance floor. Gaz and Price follow as the five of you watch Alejandro and Rodolfo get invited into the back. Ghost notice you tense up as you quickly start looking around.

"Calm down, you'll get us caught boss" Ghost whispers in your ear. Somehow the way he pressed himself closer to you did manage to not only calm you down, but your attention was focused on him.

Those pretty eyes you first saw your first day of basic training after he had pinned you to the ground but offered you a hand up. The same eyes that looked up at you when he was lying at the end of the obstacle course out of breath while you had barely broken a sweat. The same pretty eyes you lost in the crowded as Osborn had finally taken you under his wing and took you away to join him.

"Osborn" You said as you looked up on the stage. There you saw Osborn, in a grey suit softly singing while playing the guitar at the front of a band of CIA agents. You caught his eyes causing him to smirk at you and nod down. You catch the black fairy brooch on his suit making you look around.

"I have a plan" You said dragging Ghost off the dance floor.

"What where are we-"

"I need all my eligible bachelors to find a girl wearing a black fairy brooch, they're Osborn's girls" You smile.

"You work with Osborn?" You heard Soap ask the girl he was dancing with. You heard a giggle in response as Soap left the dance floor. Just as the song ended Price and Gaz had both found girls with Fairy brooches.

"We got the drugs, and we heard your orders ma'am, Alejandro and I got ourselves two lovelies fairies" Rodolfo said.

"Good, now pretend to be drunk and take your girls into a private area, but make sure guards see and follow you guys" You said as you start giggling and dragging Ghost with you. You caused him to bump into one of the two guards posted by the front doors as you dragged him thought a set of double doors into an empty staircase where another guard was posted at the second level. "Watch out for more guards in your private areas" You whispered leaning against the wall pulling Ghost closer to you.

Ghost pinned you to the wall both hands on either side of your head.

"This feels increibly familiar don't you think" Ghost whispers in your ear causing a shiver to go down your spine.

"Nostalgic even" You respond your arms going to his shoulders and down his chest.

"Hey you can't be in here" The guard in the second level shouted as he came down the stairs. The doors behind Ghost opened as both guard had followed you and Ghost.

"We got them Private" One of the guards said as you giggle pulling Simon closer to you lifting your right leg up to his hip. His hand crawled up your thigh while yours went into his vest.

"Not yet" You whined in a whisper, as if it was cue for Ghost.

"Hey get out of-"

Ghost shoved the guard off him causing the private to come down the stairs. You mounted the private's shoulders with ease leaning forward flipping him off the stairs pulling taser out of your dress pressing it to his throat. You threw Ghost's knife at one guard before he could grab his weapon causing him to drop his gun and walkie. Ghost bashed his head into the railing knocking him out cold before he put the last one in a choke hold until he passed out.

"I think he's out Pet" Ghost chuckles looking down at you as you still had a taser pressed to the Private's neck.

"Oops" You giggle.

"Nymph and I took down three" Ghost said helping you off the ground.

"Only three? Psh I got seven" Soap said cockily.

"I saw, the fairy did most of the work, lets just say she can't come out to the dancefloor without getting some stares" Gaz said.

"i was going to say minimal death cause Ghost and I only knocked our men out" You said taking Ghost back out to the dance floor.

"We knocked them out with our girls" Alejandro said. You watched him grabbing a drink with the girls his arm wrapped around the faerie's waist.

"No my girl drew blood, but she's wearing red so it's okay" Gaz said. You watched him dabbing a paper on his fairies dress causing you to chuckle.

"Mine is bloody as well," Price said meeting up with Soap, both farie's wearing the task force's jackets.

"Men, meet the Black Faires, Osborn's own personal team of assassins" You said walking up to Alejandro and Rodolfo and their farries. The rest of the team walked up to you guys all of you grouping around the buffet tables.

"We need a distraction so you guys can all invade Brühl and his men in to the back" You said grabbing a glass of champagne.

"Did you forget we still have guards on the main floor" Price said.

"We have more farie's sir" His Black Fairy said gesturing to the fairy brooch she wore.

"Here Boss, lay your plan out to Osborn and The Fairies. You men, need to wear these, so the other girls don't try to kill you" Alejandro's Fairy handed you a comm as she took fairy brooches out of her clutch.

"Pretty" Soap compliments. Ghost just sighs heavily as he clips the brooch to his suit.

"Anymore stupid things I have to wear?" He asked making you smack him.

"Fairies will kill you Si, watch your mouth" You said earning weird looks from the men.

"Okay team, here's the plan" You said into the comm the fairy had given you, "Osborn and Black Fairies, I want you to meet the Ghost Team, they're the only men besides Ossy wearing fairy brooches so everyone else you see as a threat is free game. We need to take down Brühl and his men tonight. Ghost, Alejandro and Rodolfo stay on the floor. I want the rest of Ghost Team and their fairies to take down the backroom behind the stage, fairies you scout the rest of the building for anymore threats. We have Vaqueros and Bravo Soldiers on their way here in less than 10 minutes waiting for my cue to come in but under no circumstance can we disturb the civilians" You said.

"Sorry Boss but we're gonna need a distraction to get those boys into the backroom" A random fairy said over the comm. You looked around quickly before looking at Osborn on the stage. He makes eye contact with you glancing down at the violin on its stand.

“I can give you 3 minutes and 3 seconds” You said with a smile pulling out the handcuffs from your dress handing them to a fairy.

“What the hell does that mean?” Ghost asked.

“3 minutes take it or leave it” You said taking off the comm. You grab his hand leading him to the stage.

“I mean I usually last way more than 3 minutes but I guess I’ll take it” He shrugs making you laugh as you gesture for the team to split up and take their positions.

"Do what you do best Ghost" You said pulling black Balaclava out from your dress. He takes the fedora off putting on the balaclava before taking off the other mask.

"Everyone ready?" You asked

"Ready" You heard a chorus of men say.

Osborn smiles grabbing your hand leading you onto the stage catching the audience's attention. Osborn hands you a violin and you take if gracefully before walking up to the mic. You watch as all the men are in position Faerie's waiting for the cue to leave the main ballroom area.

Your eyes drop down to Ghost who's still next to the stage slowly backing away as you mute the comm in your ear as to not kill them. Without another word you place the bow down on the strings striking the first chords, the pianist accompanying you as Osborn and the others distract the audience into clapping along.

"Years ago, when I was younger,

I kinda liked a boy I knew" You sang into the mic with a wide grin on your face. "He was mine, and we were sweethearts, that was then, but then it's true"

"I'm in love with a fairytale Even though it hurts 'Cause I don't care if I lose my mind I'm already cursed" You belted before lifting the violin up once again. You had the crowded so enamoured that no one noticed the numerous guards being taken down and dragged off. Ghost himself almost forgot to stay on task if it wasn't for you smiling over at him as you played the violin.

xxx

"Fuck you Simon" You spat as the two of you stood out in the rain.

"You already did Pet" Simon argues

"One job, I asked you to do one simple job, I was leading that team, It was my turn but no, Big Bad Simon Riley can't stand taking orders from a girl" You said sarcastically while punching his chest.

"Its not taking orders from a girl that I have a problem with sweetheart, it's taking orders from you"

"Why, why is it so hard for you to listen to me, the rest of the team had no problem doing it" You ask pushing your mess of wet hair out of your face.

"How am I supposed to take orders from the same woman who quivers at my touch, everytime you're in a position of power sweetheart I just think of how you whimper every time I have my hands on you" Simon smirks causing you to turn beat red. You bite back a grin before you crack and start chucking.

"You horny mother fucker" You giggle

"What can I say love, you bring it out. I'm sorry I didn't listen to your orders, I prom ise from now on when you're in charge I am but your most loyal guard"

xxx

"I'm in love with a fairytale Even though it hurts 'Cause I don't care if I lose my mind I'm already cursed" You smile widely as you continue with the violin. All the guards out in the dancefloor had been taken care of along with some cartel members Alejandro and Rodolfo recognized from the backroom. Ghost stood to the side of the audience admiring you as everyone completely ignored whatever violence could be heard from the backroom.

"He's a fairytale, yeah Even though it hurts 'Cause I don't care if I lose my mind I'm already cursed" You finished off with the violin before dramatically dropping your arms with a bright smile. The audience cheers as you turn your comms back on. You smile kissing your hand as Osborn goes to help you off the stage. Ghost reaches you quickly holding a hand out for you. You grin taking it walking down the steps of the stairs. You whip your phone out of your dress dialing Laswell's number as you walk into the backroom with the three men.

"Bring 'em in, we got them" You told Laswell with a proud grin as you still gracefully held onto Ghost.

"Hündin" Josiah spits at you.

"Tschüss dummer Junge" You blow him a kiss as Bravo Team enters from all different kinds of doors taking away Josiah, Torres, and their men. You sigh feeling like a big weight was lifted off your shoulders.

"So, you two have some explaining to do" Soap says gesturing to you and Ghost.

"Hündin, saug meinen schwanz," You say.

xxx

"You were amazing up there" Simon said handing you a drink. You two sat in an empty corner of a bar the team celebrating the big win tonight. Most of you all were still in the attire you wore to the gala, yourself included.

"You were amazing yourself, you didn't even need the full 3 minutes" You smirk. Simon chuckles tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear.

"I still promise you I can last much longer than 3" Simon says

"I believe you soldier, can't count the amount of nights I've stayed up thinking about the hours of sleep I lost from your stamina" You say resting your hand on his forearm.

"I missed you Nymph"

"I missed you more Ghost"

"Think my new callsign should be Fairytale, Pet, judging by that little performance you put on for me" Simon teases

"Im your dreams Ghost" You laugh. Simon only chuckles winking at you as he takes a sip from his drink, you followed the action shaking your head as the sour drink goes down your throat.

"C'mon, let's beat the boys at pool again" You giggle getting up from your seat.

"After this" Simon grabs your bicep pulling you into the hallway the bathrooms were in.

He lifts his mask just above his nose grabbing you by the back of your neck. He hold you there for a moment, your breaths mingling together before he finally pulls you into him locking his lips with yours. He pushes himself closer to you trapping you between him and the wall. You feel his tongue brush against your bottom lip but you didn't give in until you felt his hand crawling up your bare thigh squeezing just above your holster. You moan as your hand goes down his chest undoing the first few buttons before you lightly pushed him away chuckling at your smeared lipstick. You glanced at the clock behind him giggling.

"Best 3 minutes and 3 seconds of my damn life, right Lieutenant?" You asked pulling him back to you.

"Damn right Lieutenant" Simon chuckles pulling you into another fiery kiss.

[blueiscoool]

The Hunt: El Dorado, Fabled City of Gold, Remains Hidden in the Amazon

Centuries have seen countless explorers brave hardships to find the fabled city.

An ancient city of gold somewhere in South America is rumored to have been so fabulously opulent that it has become an expression for any place where people can amass great fortunes. But it has been so elusive that it has become synonymous, like the Holy Grail, with a prized object long sought but never found. Countless men have given their lives in the search for its riches as they ran out of supplies and food, were felled by disease, or encountered violent resistance along the way.

The goal of numerous explorers over centuries, from crews with wooden ships and horses to teams with drones and radar, El Dorado is a lost city, reportedly stretching over great distances in the Amazon rainforest and hidden from prying eyes by its remoteness and the warlike peoples in the forest around it. (The region got its name, in fact, from Spanish explorer Francisco Orellana, who compared the fighting women he encountered during his own search with the Amazons of ancient Greece.)

Tales of El Dorado, its name Spanish for “the golden,” began with the Muisca peoples’ perhaps-mythical account of a tribal chief who, in an initiation rite, coated himself in gold. He then went onto Lake Guatavita, near present-day Bogotá, threw a pile of gold objects into the water, and washed the gold off himself as his attendants also threw an abundance of gold objects into the lake. The 16th-century Spanish referred to him as the Golden Man or the Golden King.

“This is the ceremony that became the famous El Dorado, which has taken so many lives and fortunes,” according to a 1638 letter from writer Juan Rodríguez Freyle. That pile of loot was soon fused in the lore with an account of an entire city made of gold. Others posited that the city was called Manoa and was situated on the shores of a legendary Lake Parima, which has also never been found.

Supposedly one of the first to claim he visited it was the Spanish explorer Juan Martinez, who reported that the locals had brought him there blindfolded in 1531 and allowed him to witness it, and that he traveled an entire day through its streets before reaching the emperor’s palace.

When Francisco Pizarro conquered the gold-rich Inca civilization in Peru in 1532, Spaniards believed all the more firmly in the fabled El Dorado. Francisco de Orellana, a relative of Pizarro, unwittingly traveled the entire length of the Amazon, the world’s longest river, in his search for it.

Some gold did turn up in a lake, seeming to justify the continued search. After he found Guatavita, a sacred lake in the Andes, in 1537, conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada partly emptied it using a bucket chain. From its depths emerged a few thousand pesos of gold.

Bogotá entrepreneur Antonio de Sepúlveda, for his part, cut an enormous notch in the bank of the lake in 1580, removing a great deal of water before the notch collapsed and killed many of the workers. For his trouble, he uncovered three times as much gold as Quesada had, and sent it to King Philip II of Spain. Alexander von Humboldt, the 19th-century German explorer, would calculate that there could be as much as $300 million in gold in the lake.

English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh went looking for El Dorado in 1594, followed by the Spanish conquistadores, who scoured modern-day Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana and Brazil in the search. Less well-known expeditions continued over the 17th and 18th centuries, bodies piling up but ultimately turning up nothing.

In findings from a major scientific investigation, Von Humboldt would claim, ca. 1800, to have disproven the existence of the lake El Dorado is meant to have flanked. In the following decades, two other researchers came to the same conclusion.

But the legend did not die. The search was revived a century later, when an English company drained the lake almost entirely. Despite their efforts, they extracted artifacts worth only about £500, some of which went to the British Museum, some of which sold at Sotheby’s London. In 1965, the Colombian government designated the lake as off-limits to further attempts.

The quest continues with the help of modern technology. A team led by Venezuelan archaeologist-explorer Jose Miguel Perez-Gomez went looking, employing aerial and satellite remote sensing surveys obtained from NASA’s Shuttle Radar Topography Missions (SRTM), the Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) instrument, and TanDEM-X synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensors from the German Aeropsace Center’s Microwave and Radar Institute, according to a 2019 paper. Of all the unlikely results, their findings strongly resembled the outlines of a lake in a map drawn by none other than Sir Walter Raleigh.

The area is not without rich natural resources, so dreams of a city of gold can perhaps be forgiven. Illegal extraction operations are underway to this day, in fact, in what the Venezuelan government in 2016 designated the Orinoco Mining Arc, which covers 12 percent of the country’s territory and is rich not only in gold but also bauxite, coltan, and diamonds, possibly totaling some $2 trillion in value. You can literally see the modern gold mining from space: in 2021, an astronaut passing over eastern Peru in the International Space Station used a Nikon camera to snap a photo that reveals numerous gold prospecting pits.

Over the years, El Dorado has shown up in popular culture countless times, from a 1989 Neil Young record to video games, a board game, and the Cadillac Eldorado. So even as the city has remained stubbornly hidden over centuries, it is, in its way, all around us.

By Brian Boucher.

[hqpoli]

- Not all of them

My Secret Valentine for @fancy--that !! Hope you like some Political/Gangster Drama 💀🖤

Actually this story has two versions and it took me forever to decide which one I was going to post but to keep it simple, this is the short version:

Burr is a promising new face in the local political scene who gets involved with the mafia against his better judgement, they offered him their "services" to help him run for Mayor in exchange for him turning a blind eye to their business. To make sure he doesn't try and come short on his end of the deal, they assign Alexander, local street rat and low class goon who never knows when to shut up, to follow him around. At first they were nothing but oil and water, but somewhere on the way they grew closer and closer to each other. As Aaron learns Alex is just as trapped by the Mafia as he is and Alexander finds in Burr a reason to believe that things could get better. They managed to get out, but in the process Burr got his hands dirty.

And Alexander never knows to shut up.

.

Prompt was: "Hamburr. But angsty. Burr shoots Hamilton. He is in love with him. They destroy each other. Alex trusted him. It's so messy and heartbreaking."

I hope you like it and DM if you would like to hear the longer version of the plot!! This was so challenging and fun to get out of my comfort zone when planning plots for other ships 🥰🥰

@hamevents2024

[vesseloftherevolution]

Napoleon 2023, Review

I saw this with @idefilarate, and it was such a train-wreck. There was so much wrong with it, in the funniest way imaginable. We spent the entire film whispering what was wrong to each other.

This will be a long post, and I’m aware a lot of other people have already made some excellent points on here.

I can see what Ridley Scott was attempting with this film, and there are several reasons it didn’t work. I also have some historical specific points to make.

Directing Choices, Acting Problems, and the English Propaganda

It can be argued that Scott was trying to show Napoleon in a “more human” light, and I am always perfectly happy with that interpretation. It could also be argued he was deliberately showing Napoleon in a negative light, which I am also fine with. However, this film didn’t really do either. Napoleon did not seem more human for his brutish behaviour to Josephine, the childish tantrums or the forced jokes. If Scott had wanted a proper negative light, he would have focused on Napoleon’s ruthlessness, such as with the Massacre in Egypt, and his willingness to bypass the laws.

The overall sense I got when watching the film was that it was too compressed. The action went from point to point without showing how on Earth it got there. We had about ten minutes of Napoleon as consul, and then he was unexpectedly emperor, with a token line from Talleyrand about becoming emperor. Too much stuff in not enough time. However, I was also bored. By the time it got to Napoleon on Elba, I half felt like taking out my phone and doing something else. There was no narrative arc to keep the load of action in place, and the characters went through no real development.

There was some good acting. The lady playing Letizia Bonaparte was excellent, for the ten minutes we saw of her, as was Talleyrand. There were even a few scenes with the main characters (like Josephine cooing over the baby) that I actively enjoyed. But for the main part, every character had one mode and that was it. Napoleon was sulky and incompetently panicked. Josephine was moody or upset in a coquettish way. Tzar Alexis I was obnoxiously cheerful about everything.

I can see, as others have pointed out, that Scott was following English propaganda of the “Corsican Ogre”. However, he payed no attention to the fact that Wellington had a good deal of respect for Napoleon as a general, and that part of Napoleon’s charm for the English press was just how astonishingly unexpected he was. This wasn’t a caricature of Napoleon. This was a caricature of a caricature.

Historical Inaccuracies

Oh. Where to start with the many many many things that were wrong with this. I am fairly lenient when it comes to historical accuracy in fiction. Authors and filmmakers are allowed some artistic liberties, otherwise they wouldn’t be writing fiction. However, the sheer amount of nonsense Scott made up is incredible. I am going to list it in bullet-points, so as not to rant too much:

The age gap between Josephine and Napoleon, and how that messed up their relationship.

The utter butchery of FRev, including Marie Antoinette executed in 1789, and Robespierre looking like Danton and spouting random nonsense.

Hot-shot destroying the ships in Toulon harbour, whilst N hadn’t finished capturing little Gibraltar.

Josephine’s dress hanging off her shoulder as if she were a whore.

The lake battle with “the high ground”. It doesn’t deserve the name of Austerlitz.

The lack of tactics in any of the battles. Just men running at each other.

Josephine and Napoleon’s relationship being at best toxic and strained.

Napoleon returned from Elba because Josephine had a fling with Alexander, despite the fact Josephine had historically died earlier that year.

Letizia making Napoleon cheat randomly.

The scopes at Waterloo, the lack of farmhouses, the tents just behind the lines.

Wellington being clumsy and talking too much nonsense.

The use of Ça Ira and the Camagnole (which was in itself somewhat good), but the utter lack of any of the other excellent Napoleonic folk songs and military marches.

That is all that immediately comes to mind. Having said all that, I did enjoy the cinematography, and it was worth seeing, just to confirm my suspicions that it was a mess, and that there are many better films. Hopefully you’ve enjoyed this rant! Let me know if there’s anything I’ve missed off the list of failings.

[reidslovely]

How to Disappear: Life Unknown.

A/N: If you are reading this I finally decided to let this fic see the light of day. I wasn’t sure if this is something I wanted to post or not, seeing as Link is a very complex character. By that I mean he’s literally a walking piece of shit. But at the same time I’m constantly telling myself that it is normal to write fix it fics for awful characters, but like the whole Isabelle situation is very hard to write about. I wanted to see an ending for Link/Alex where he gets the help he deserves. He is severely mentally ill. But I also wanted to touch on Link’s past, and how this went on for as long as it did.I also selfishly wanted to see him have a love story and have human emotions sooo..

Please reblog and comment, pretty please.

Genre: Fix it Fic 

Pairing: Link/Alex Goodrich x Fem! Reader/OC-ish

Content Warnings: Mentions of suicide, person talking about struggles of being on the ASPD spectrum, talks of psychiatric hospital stays, bodily harm, neglect of child’s mental health.

Alexander Goodrich

It glared back at him in dull blue ink.

It was an unfamiliar moniker scrawled at the top of the sign out sheet. The longer he stared the more alien it felt to him. Alex was a kid who burnt down a school, Alexander was the beloved son to a local politician who had to put on a good face for mommy and daddy.

Parents who deny their kid mental health assistance, create monsters. The Goodrich’s today would deny that the hot mess YouTuber, donning the name ‘No One Special’ or more simply Link, was not their estranged son. That their dear son, Alex, had run off two months into a psychiatric stay that never happened; never to be seen again. When in all reality he was shipped off to a boarding school he had run away from only days later. Since that day he was constantly ghosting about, avoiding the issues he had caused by running away. No amount of running could stop the issues he had for so long. He was not- is not a good person. But before facing that knowledge he knew he could always run away, try again- and if that didn’t work; he’d run away again.

Till he couldn’t run anymore.

Everywhere he ran cameras, girls, articles talking about no one special followed him. He had fucked up, worse than he had in a long time. A girl died because of him, because he let power get to his head. Not because of Frankie, Jake, or the internet.

Because of him. He was the reason a girl was dead.

“Alex.” A nurse's voice rang out through the white, cold halls of the hospital.

Evansport Long-Term Psychiatric Care Facility in LA was a cold place, even with its blue and yellow painted walls. This had been home for the last two years, and this time it was different. He swiped at his nose standing up nervously, shoving his sweaty hands into his pockets as he approached the older woman. Counting the tiles as he walked, this was it- he was finally getting to leave. He was ready, he was different- he hoped.

“Mr. Goodrich, can’t say I’m not sad to see you go.” Dorothy says, passing the bag of his belongings off to him. Alex nodded, giving her a grateful smile; he tucked the clear bag under his arm hugging the older woman. This was something he had been working on since his diagnosis. Alex had always known there was something going on with him, something much bigger than himself- that made him act how he did. It’s not that he didn’t want to be good, he did. Alex always wanted to be good, no matter what the child psychologists would say. He just didn’t know what exactly being good meant, he had always had these…urges. Whether it was to knock his peers off the swingset, beat that kid from gym classes head in if he stared for too long. Alex had no impulse control, he struggled to relate to his peers. But, mom and dad said he’d grow out of it; he never did. He tried, god he tried but he could never find a good way to help himself.

He was not a good person. But he was trying.

“Thank you Dottie.” Alex said, dropping his arms, patting his bag. “Do you think there will be people out there?” He asked after a minute, his head nodding towards the door. His voice flattered for a second, there were still people curious about him and it made him sick. Before it would have thrilled him, but now..he didn’t even want to see one camera in his face. The flash alone would send him into a spiral he feared.

“No, no they never guess dismissal right from those silly sources. Besides, you look a little different now huh? Wouldn’t notice you unless they stared at ya to hard.”

He did. Link, now Alex, had changed since his check in date. His blonde hair had grown out past his shoulders into his natural brown at one point. Dorothy took it upon herself to cut it for him when he’d max out on reward points. He now dawned a bit more stubble, and perfect brown hair, with a hat and sunglasses no one would notice him- hopefully.

Alex checked everything one last time, before giving Dorothy a tight-lipped smile and turned on his heel heading for the door. It felt like a threat, a gun pointed to his head. He always thought what this day would be like, what he would do when he got out. Link, that’s who he was when he checked in, thought he would be here two months before he got sick of it. He would check out, cut his hair and run away again, but then the therapy, the medication- it all started to help.

Admitting there was a problem, admitting that he was the problem and that a young girl had died because of what he did. Alex realized he had to change, that it was finally time to help himself.

No more lies.

He gave Isbelle’s family the requested money in court before there was even an opening testament, only requesting to return back to the psychiatric facility with what he had left to pay for it. Now here he was about to throw up, as he crossed the threshold into his new life.

His face flushed at the sunlight, he silently shut the door and started walking up the long driveway towards the gate. He sniffled and cleared his throat, sitting on a bench he’d claim as his own on his daily walks, he wasn’t quite ready to take those last few steps out of the gate. Digging in the bag, he pulled everything out: a black button up and slacks he had worn to court, a hoodie, his wallet, his phone.

His phone, he tossed it between his hands- the weight felt sickening in his hand.

“If it hadn’t been for the phone- no the phone didn’t cause this.” He reminded himself, he turned it on. Not knowing why, or what he thought he was gonna get out of it. The biggest part of him hoped it wouldn’t turn on, in the two years it had been shut off that it just magically died.

The ping of it turning on made him irrationally angry, wanting to just shut it off. Floods of text messages washed over his screen. No twitter, no instagram- he had deleted them on their way back from court.

For a minute everything stopped, no more text messages- till a final ding.

Frankie - Today 8:06 am.

“twitter source says your stay ends today. we should talk.”

His brother must have been paying on his phone bill somehow, he never mentioned it in their phone conversations. His thumbs danced over the keyboard, typing and erasing a replay- what did he say? Three dots popped up, soon replaced by a message.

Frankie - Today 8:15 am.

“you know where to find me.”

He closed his phone, shoving it into the pocket of his sweatpants, finally standing and pushing the gate open.

-

The old magic bar was in the middle of town, it was a bit of a walk but it did him good. The sun felt nice, it was finally fall, which meant the wind blew through here and there. As he reached the now abandoned building he halted, looking around. What if this was some sort of ambush- and the minute he walked down that alley his face would be everywhere in the next couple hours. His heart-rate increased, it felt like it was stuck in his throat.

Alex’s feet carried him forward with hesitant, quiet steps. If someone was waiting for him they wouldn’t hear him coming.

“Frankie is good, too good. She wouldn’t do that. Even if that’s what you deserved.”

He thought to himself as he looked around. He shoved his hands into his sweatpants, picking at the lint twirling it around between his fingers. Footsteps carefully found their way up the steps, he turned his head automatically.

Frankie looked older now, more mature. Her hair was longer, tucked behind her ear showing her scar off proudly. He always liked when she was confident. Her clothes are no longer ill fitted, but tailored and comforting. She’s come into her own.

“Hope you’re not here to ambush me.” He says quietly, taking in the woman before him. Frankie shook her head, her fingers dancing on the metal railing.

“No, no. I should but-” She stopped herself, looking around. “I’ve gotten out of the habit of picking out others' to feel better about myself. You should try it.”

Alex laughed, well, he blew air out of his nostrils and let his lips curl up into a bitter smile. “Yeah, me too. Never made me feel better about myself.”

“Could have shocked me.”

It was a silence for a moment, it was an unpleasant memory sitting here with her like this. There was a unpleasant lingering in the air like a bomb was going to drop.

“Did you love me? Or even like me?”

There it was.

What a weighted question, he gripped the metal railing swaying back and forth on his feet. “No.” He admitted, looking Frankie in her eye. “I didn’t love you- I don’t love I haven’t since..well in a really long time. I think..” He stopped himself, thinking about his next few words carefully. “I was infatuated with you. I tricked myself into thinking I loved you. I hurt you and I’m sorry it had to happen for me to be here now.”

Frankie stared at Link, Alex- whoever this new man in front of her was. “So who was she? There’s always a ‘she’ in these situations isn’t there?”

Alex laughed, rolling a rock under the sole of his shoe. “Was she one of the girls who fooled around with while we-”

“No, no..no. She was a girl I had known a long time ago, in high school. I think she was the last person who had ever tried to understand me. She didn’t look at me like a project.”

Alex’s heart twisted into a knot thinking about the girl who had up and left him, their hometown, everything. It had been the catalyst- the incident that sent him over the edge. Where was she now?

It wasn’t a jab to Frankie, however the twitch of her nose let him know he had offended her. “Sorry, sorry I shouldn’t have said that” It was sincere, Frankie shrugged her shoulders.

“No it’s true. We just got caught up in each other, the game. We weren’t good people.”

“No we weren’t but, hey, I was worse. Clearly.”

Frankie laughed, then the silence grew again. His mind wondered before looking back at the blonde in front of him.

“You should find her again, when you leave LA.”

“How’d you know I’d leave?” He laughed, tilting his head back. “It’s what I do huh?”

“Kind of.” Frankie says resting her forearms on the railing. “But I’m serious. If you’re on this righteous road of washed up celebrity maybe you should find the one person who made you feel-”

“Like a human?”

“Your words not mine.” Frankie says, pointing a boney finger at him. Alex tilted his head forward and let out a sigh. It had been almost a decade since he had disappeared from his home state, was there any point in returning. He was dead to them, a ghost. Did (Y/N) think he was dead too?

“Yeah, yeah maybe I will.”

Frankie nodded at him, waiting for a minute before taking a step back. “You look good, Link. I am happy for you, but don't think I can forgive you though. Maybe in time.” The man nodded at her, he understood- he didn’t want her forgiveness he just wanted her to know.

“I respect that.” He started, pushing himself off the steel railing with his hands in his hoodie pocket. “It’s Alex now by the way.”

Frankie shoved her hands in her pockets looking at him, her eyes raked over his face trying to read him- it still wasn’t easy to manage. “Well, Alex, I hope to see you doing good in the future.”

“You won't see anything about me. I’m done gonna head back to Connecticut, disappear and become a hermit on the coast.”

“Well, maybe you could keep me updated.” She says as she walks away.

“Are you like my sponsor or something?” He laughs as he stands straight. Frankie shrugged, turning to face him stopping in her tracks.

“Maybe. Go find that girl..have a human experience. Leave everyone alone.”

Alex raised his eyebrows holding back a laugh, he wouldn’t know a human experience if it bit him in the ass. He watched her leave, the two raising their hands in an unspoken goodbye. Alex walked out of the alley and into the sun of Los Angeles, breathing in the toxins of the city one last time before heading towards the nearest city.

Come tomorrow, he would be gone again.

taglist: @helloheyhihowdyheya​ @tarzinnia​ @a-lumos-in-the-nox​ @sincericida​ @moonyslove78​ @messymissy​ @toomanyfictionalboyfriends​ @eevylynn​

[obsessed-small-penguin]

Leosagi/Leochi in Musicals

I have noticed that some people are putting the Epic Musical associated with ROTTMNT (Mostly revolving around Leo). I just have to say, I haven’t listened to the Epic Musical, but my God why hasn’t anyone done Leosagi in other musicals 😭. I haven’t watched many musicals, but here are some suggestions (that no one will use 💀).

Musicals That Can Fit Leosagi/Leochi

Hamilton - Historical Musical about Founding Father Alexander Hamilton

I’ve seen people using this in other fandoms. For this one it’s mostly Casey and Future Leo. But to include Usagi:

“Helpless“ - The roles technically don’t matter, but Leo could be Eliza (because he has a lot of siblings and also is blue) and Usagi could be Alexander. Usagi’s friends could be Laf, Muligan, or Laurens. Very wholesome song! It could also be reversed with Leo as Alexander. His brothers would be Laf (Donnie), Mulligan (Mikey/Raph), Laurens (Mikey/Someone Else), or Aaron (Raph/Donnie) if this was the case.

“Satisfied” - For some Angst, Leo or Usagi wouldn’t be Eliza 💀 (or if people ship Donsagi, idk the name, then this is a perfect song LOL)! Usagi could be Angelica and Leo Alexander or vise versa. (Context: Angelica and Eliza are siblings, Angelica is the oldest and likes Hamilton. However, she sees her sister Eliza likes Alex as well, so Angelica sets Eliza and Alex up and the two are getting married. Basically, a love triangle)

“Congratulations“ or “First Burn” / “Burn” - This is just to cause more Angst and rub salt over the wound to match with “Satisfied”. “Burn” is basically Eliza and Alexander breaking up because of “Say No To This” when Alex has an affair.

“Dear Theodosia“ - Can be used for the headcanon of Jotaro as Leosagi’s kid & Aaron Burr as Cassandra which would make Theodosia as Casey Jr. 

“Blow Us All Away” and “Stay Alive (Reprise)” - Used as the above. Jotaro can be Phillip (Alex and Eliza’s son). Or maybe replace the son as Casey Jr. Either way, could be a fun idea.

In The Heights - Hispanic musical with people who have a dream and struggling with identity/poverty. (Idk how to describe it).

This musical can be use for those fans who like to headcanon the Hamato children knowing Spanish. There are 2 couples in this play (Benny and Nina | Vanessa and Usnavi) that could fit Leosagi and there is a musical and a movie (I prefer movie audio since it sounds newer than the musical since that’s kinda old).

“The Club“ - Just for funsies. Leo/Usagi getting jealous that the other is gaining a lot of attention on the dance floor with other men (Imma assume Leo aka Vanessa is on the dance floor).

“Blackout” - Follows right after the previous song. Only part that would fit here is an audio most might have heard. The whole “You barely even danced with me” and then “Don’t make me laugh, I’ve been trying all night, you’ve been shaking your ass with half of the Heights”.

“When You’re Home“ - Could be wholesome with using Usagi as Benny (since there’s no confirm race) and Leo as Nina (Afro-Latino and half Japanese moment? Black Hispanic and half Japanese?).

“Sunrise“ - This is only in the musical version, but it’s so cute!! Takes place after “Blackout” where Nina and Benny found each other and stayed with each other. Nina teaches Benny some Spanish. “Well how do you say kiss me?” “Besume” “and how do you say hold me?” All of that. And also a moment where Benny is scared that Nina’s dad is going to know that Nina is with him (Nina’s dad disproves of Benny). Obviously, Leo is Nina and Benny is Usagi.

Bare: A Pop Opera - (TW: Self-harm also Drugs) Gay musical with two boys struggling in a Catholic Boarding School. They are secretly dating, but one wants the come out and the other doesn’t because of his strict father (also he has a twin).

I really recommend this musical, it might be slow but it can get you in your feels. Btw, it’s a sad musical (Trigger warning). Honestly, any songs can fit because it’s literally a gay story. Also a theater Romeo and Juliet play they are doing. A play within a musical.

“You And I“ - Listening to the lyrics ummm, Leo fits almost TOO WELL with being Jason 😂 Jason is the one with a twin named Nadia (who believes she is fat and she harms herself). Their dad is rich and Jason is the favorite sibling. Anyways, Jason is Leo and Peter is Usagi. This song is an introduction to how they are together (always being in secret and having to pull away when people are around).

“Plain Jane Fat Ass“ - Twin moment with Jason (Leo) and Nadia (Donnie). Angst or Hurt/Comfort with the two.

“Best Kept Secret“ - Self explanatory

“Ever After” - THIS SONG OMG. So Leo and Usagi are having a heated argument and it’s tense and pretty sad.

“Wedding Bells“ - Angst. Usagi imagines Leo with another person.

“See Me“ - This is gonna have to change, so Peter is trying to come out to his mother, but she is clearly trying to ignore it. So This could be Leo being Peter and Splinter being the mom.

“God Don’t Make No Trash“ - Sister Chantelle (I didn’t spell that right. Anyways this is definitely Mikey aka Dr. Feels) and Peter talking about sexuality (kinda).

I don’t know who can be considered as “Father”. Maybe Draxum or Big Mama.

“Bare“ - Hurt, no comfort between Peter and Jason.

Be More Chill - Awkward teens who are trying to be cool so they take a pill (From JAPAAAAAAN) and they are controlled kinda.

Main character, Jeremy, likes this quirky girl named Christine, so he’s trying to be cool to get with her. If you heard the audio (”I’m waiting for my porno to load”) then that’s this musical. I did see multiple Donnie animations (and a Leo) with the song “Michael In The Bathroom”. Yeah that’s this musical. Maybe Christine (Usagi), Jeremy (Leo), and Michael (Donnie).

The Idea: I included this musical mainly because the whole idea if that teenagers are trying to be cool by taking a pill that (roughly, hard to explain) has a person in their head who “helps” them be cool (in actuality, a douche or a player). With the headcanons of The Krang still in control of certain Turtles, I thought well maybe instead of inserting something like “Mind Raph”, just make the person in the head (aka a Squip) just the Krang 😂 (Same can be used for BeetleJuice The Musical)

“A Guy That I’d Kinda Be Into“ - Pretty cute song from Christine (Usagi).

“Be More Chill Pt. 1″ - Basically when the Squip comes in. Like listen and imagine the Krang behind the voices trying to manipulate people 💀

“The Pitiful Children“ - Basically a ‘world domination’ song. So just Krangs.

Heathers - Basically the movie.

This potentially fits the 2003 Leosagi more, I have no idea. At least, if we make JD Miyamoto. TW: Murders, Explosives, E.D., Suicide, Drugs/Alcohols, and attempt S.A.

“Beautiful” Or “Candy Store“ - The roles (based on colors) are Chandler (Raph), Duke (Donnie), MacAmera (Didn’t spell that right, Mikey), Kurt & Ram (The Foot Dudes? Bebop & Rocksteady), Martha (Todd? LOL), JD (Usagi).

“Meant To Be Yours” - Please, I need Psychopathic Usagi or Leo, I’ll take any 😭

Heathers: The Musical (2022), another version of the musical with some altered lyrics and added songs with a bit new style of musical form. “I Will Never Shut Up Again” - Wonderful song for Duke, would like to see an animation of Donnie (I like villain songs, lol).

“Seventeen“ - Wholesome song, hurt/comfort kinda, where Usagi and Leo are singing about having a life together (and not a life of being murderers).

I would add “Dead Girl Walking” but this fandom seems to not do much NSFW stuff with this ship, so I’ll exclude that song along with “Blue” as a suggestion.

[alexanderlightweight]

You know what I never see? Malec fluff from the far future. So prompt: Magnus and Alec celebrating their 1500th anniversary. :)

you know what, you're right anon and it should be said! so here because i saw this prompt and i pounced on it cackling. i hope you enjoy <3

-

Magnus stares out the glass and marvels at the fact that he’s not awed by the sight in front of him. Ship after ship stretches out, full of people who have adapted and learned to live on space. This is the last time for a very long time that Magnus will see this, the view of a dying earth as they flee her corpse and the graveyard she’s become. Melancholy overwhelms him for a moment, bitterness that after so many years he can barely remember so many important things. Oh he has access to them, for when he really needs or wants to remember.

It’s necessary though, to dim the most potent and powerful of memories and emotions as you grow older and Magnus is far older than he ever truly thought he’d be. Oh, Alexander— He thinks wistfully to himself, if only his love were here to watch this sight with him. Alas, Alexander is lost to the last minute preparations and necessities as they prepare to leave this realm.

Alec's soul is what they’re both most worried about, though Raziel has clearly given up on claiming it, there is always the worry that going to a new dimension might be waving Alexander’s precious, powerful soul like a tasty snack in front of whatever angels exist there.

Hopefully none, if Magnus is being honest.

-

Alexander and himself have had quite enough of people and beings trying to take Alexander from him. After fifteen hundred years of marriage, you’d think they’d get the message.

The presence of his immortal husband greets him when Magnus enters their cabin. Alexander is frowning at the diagrams and papers he’s looking over, “you’re sure we don’t need some of these?” He asks, not even looking up and Magnus would joke that the romance is dead, but there is nothing more romantic than the man you love leaving his world behind for you.

Though technically, Alexander already left several worlds for Magnus.

His nephilim culture, an entire world of itself. The planet of earth, where Alexander was born and now, the entire dimension that Alexander and Magnus exist in. A little distraction is hardly a burden when it just proves how much Alexander loves him. How much he cherishes Magnus.

“I have all of the things we could possible need.” Magnus promises, “and we’re about to enter an entire new world, my star. There will be plenty of things to discover and use.”

“And plenty of unknown dangers and enemies.” Alexander mutters, but Magnus knows it’s because he’s worried that Magnus will lose him and what that loss would do to him. Not because he’s worried for himself which while Magnus has taught him to put himself above others — though it took a few hundred years — Alexander still has his unfortunate and charming habit of refusing to consider things that might make Magnus sad.

“We’ll be fine darling, our world is imploding. The leylines eroded beyond healing, this is what’s safest.” Magnus promises, “for both of us.”

“And you’ll be okay?”

“As long as you’re with me.” Magnus promises, because Cat won’t be following them with Madzie and their partners and friends until Magnus assures her it’s a safe world to flee to.

“You don’t even know what kind of world it is, if it has magic or not.”

Magnus knows its a little foolish, but he’s old enough to have earned some leniency and so what if he wants to forge ahead on an adventure into the deep unknown.

“Edom and I and you are tied in rules of three.” Magnus reminds him, “a kingdom, her sovereign and his consort. There is no realm I can go, no dimension I will step foot in, that does not allow me magic. We’ll be fine, my darling nebulous.”

“Space travel makes you sappy,” Alexander teases, like he doesn’t adore whatever pet-names Magnus’ lavishes him with. Except for pup, Magnus never did manage to have that catch on.

“Being with you, makes me sappy.” Magnus corrects and then sighs, soft and happy. “Wouldn’t it be lovely to find a world with healthy leylines? We could create a dimension connected to them, our own world and only ever have to leave to places to try new things.”

Alexander looks at Magnus in consideration and then laughs, “you just want to offer your services to someone. You haven’t had a decent battle in years, not since magic is too obvious to use against most starships.”

“Says you.” Magnus grumbles, because Alexander manages to get himself in a scuffle every port they stop at. It’s like people look at Alec and think, ‘oh that would be fun to fight’ and then realize their mistake and run snivveling and limping back to their ships.

Magnus doesn’t get the same decency, he’s too well known, his theories too important for him to be risked in a squabble.

Alexander stays out of the limelight for his own reasons and Magnus sometimes — rarely — wishes he had as well.

“We can spar later?” Alexander grins and he winks at Magnus, “one last time before we head out?”

“Oh, a good luck fuck!” Magnus cheers and ignores how Alexander rolls his eyes indulgently. They both know what comes after a fight between the two of them and Magnus quite enjoys the results of their sparring. “Sounds divine,” he promises and he leans across the mess of papers and kisses Alexander chastely. “Ah, I can only hope for the chance to see you in leather again, not that I don’t love the spandex look.”

Magnus waggles his eyebrows and enjoys when Alexander looks at his own body with a pinched face of disgust, “you wish you could get away with wearing anything else, don’t you.”

“I preferred 3089 over this fashion nonsense.” Alexander grumbled, “at least that was breathable. With these, it’s like they think people can’t sweat in space.” Magnus summons two robes, abyssal silk from the massive wardrobe he keeps sealed into one of his rings and then vanishes Alexander’s clothes.

“Whoever would have thought you’d turn so spoiled.” Magnus teases but it’s all in good fun when they both know that it’s one-hundred percent Magnus’ fault and that Magnus is quite pleased with the results of his pampering Alexander for centuries.

“You.” Alexander tells him, eyes full of a love Magnus never thought could truly be offered to himself. A love that has spanned lifetimes, planets and now, the entire change of their reality and dimension.

Truly, Magnus thinks as Alexander kisses him and only Magnus’ magic keeps them stable as the gravity stabilizers go off for their mandatory break.

It was worth watching the world end when he had someone by his side who watched with him.

They’ll have their anniversary tomorrow, a date that despite the passage of time they never leave uncelebrated and this time, they’ll be starting a new adventure, together as they’ve done for more than a thousand years.

[julieverne]

genuine question, how much of The Actual Show rizzoli and isles like, open to the idea of rizzles? Like I adore all of your fics, and I would watch *that* show, but how much of it is fanon vs queerbait vs subtext vs actual canon?

Season 1-4 it genuinely looks like they're headed for a Rizzles endgame. Season 5 is ok but they're taking a step back. Season 6 and 7 they're strangers that are sometimes in the same room. The showrunner changed then and only watched the first and last episodes of the preceding seasons - which were heavy on how much these two women loved and relied on each other, so I don't know why so much went wrong there.

Some of it's scripted, some of it's not. But it's not in the good-natured Xena way of 'oh they're together but the studio won't let us show that so we get around the censors' way. It's 'suburban housewives were our target audience but Sasha and Angie can't keep their hands off each other and now most of our audience is lesbians'.

There was a really great recap on AfterEllen but all the pictures have been taken down. But the genuine chemistry the actresses had in those first few seasons is worth watching. This is the ship that launched a hundred fics for me. In the first run people must have been watching and waiting for something to happen and it never did.

They didn't need to be endgame. They just needed to be something other than strangers in the last two seasons.

So it's a weird show; there's no series bible, no two seasons carry the same vibe, one season is straight-up slapstick. There's plot holes in the backstories and the pets get fridged. Watching Bones really highlights how seat-of-the-pants Rizzoli and Isles was.

But despite all that:

Totally Gratuitous, Totally Gay Touching

Righteous Ponytail of Justice

Sasha Alexander in every outfit

Angie Harmon not knowing what a tomboy is and just standing and sitting in the most homosexual of ways

Senior Criminalist Susie Chang is gold in every scene

Hurt/Comfort

All of the above are good reasons to watch the show, but the hurt/comfort is paramount. Terrible things happen to these women, and season 1-4 they generally end up alone at home together curled up on the couch comforting each other.

Quick warning: season 1 is darker and probably better in terms of plot and cohesion. I rank the show seasons 4, 2, 3, 1, 5, 6, 7.

And now, more evidence of the TGTGT:

I'm not going to try to convince someone to watch a 2010 show with no payoff in 2023 when we have better shows. But it has its place in the queer hall of fame for a reason.

And the show for its time did okay. They did have murdering lesbians, but they also had lesbians mums, and lesbian colleagues. They had a transgender judge that was treated with respect when they figured it out as part of their investigation. It hasn't aged poorly in that sense. The show had a lot of potential, and it flopped when they veered away from the subtext. But as a studio that was a risk they had to take - I doubt they had many male audiences and even now most shows still cater to that demographic. So for a show that really was about women - two women that were very close - to do so well, it had to do certain things. But the show had so much potential that never came to fruition.

One last thing - the books themselves are completely different. The characters share the same names and live in Boston, but that's about the end of the similarities. Tess Gerritsen herself seems very tickled and amused by the fact that this bizarre show exists and that she has a cult lesbian following because of it, and I love her for that and I love that for her. If you ever do watch season 7, she has a cameo in an episode which is precious.

[warrenwaskilledbyadeer]

Suddenly decided it's time for my next... headcanon? theory? hot take? post, unsure which one this falls under

So the Shadow can seem pretty arbitrary considering everything we hear about it doing with Agrippa, Weyer, Alexander, Daniel, Tasi, and not showing up for Oswald at all. It's like. What is this thing's deal? Why does it do certain things sometimes and other times it doesn't? I wondered this myself for a long time, then I replayed TDD and there was a line of Agrippa's that made everything make sense

He talks about how different Orbs react differently to being touched by someone who's uninitiated, and then says this, "I was lucky. The Orb I found spared my life and returned to where I found it."

That was a big "Oooohhhh!!" moment for me. The Shadow doesn't have any consciousness or will of its own - it's the Orbs that do! The Shadow is just "the universe catching up with itself," an entirely dependent entity an Orb can summon and control only if it so chooses. And each Orb seems to have a different "personality," if you will

The biggest evidence for this is the entirety of AMFP obviously, but even in TDD you can see it pretty clearly if you compare Agrippa's discovery of an Orb with Daniel's discovery of an Orb -

"As I entered the underground chamber I could feel that I was trespassing. Because of my curiosity I did my best to fight these instincts and fetched the orb from its place. I scrambled out of the chamber and into the woods. I could sense something was following me, it bayed loudly as it closed in." The moment Agrippa sets foot in the Orb Chamber he immediately feels that he is not supposed to be there, and the moment he leaves it the Shadow is after him. This Orb did not want to be retrieved by him, but as Agrippa said, saw fit to spare him instead of having him killed

"I fell to the ground gasping for air, trying to focus. That's when I saw a faint blue shimmer. My weakened body was heavy to carry, but I managed to push myself towards the enchanting light. It was waiting for me. Enclosed in dark nothingness, I felt myself drawn to the mystic light." Daniel has almost an entirely opposite experience than Agrippa. He doesn't know the Orb is there and isn't searching for it - it reveals itself to him in his moment of need. Rather than feeling like a trespasser, Daniel feels invited in by the Orb. When he touches it, he's "spirited away" instead of having the Shadow set on him. My brother pointed out that Daniel was suffocating in the chamber, and the Orb kept him in the Other World, where time passes faster, until the others had broken in to get Daniel out. It seems it was trying to save his life.

Also much unlike Agrippa, and even unlike Herbert, Daniel never sees the Shadow at all after touching the Orb. It's not until Daniel falls headlong off a ship into the middle of the ocean that Daniel first encounters and is lifted out of the water by this unseen force. Once again, not trying to hurt Daniel, trying to save him. Agrippa is instantly hunted by the Shadow, and the Shadow torments Herbert and his men before closing in a very short amount of time after Herbert finds his Orb. It should also be noted that both Agrippa and Herbert had their Orbs reclaimed from them by the Shadow - Daniel only had himself reclaimed from the water lol

And now for the dreams. I often see people say that this is the Shadow trying to communicate with Daniel. But listen here to how Daniel describes his nightmares:

"As I write my thoughts are drawn to my nightmares in which a most disturbing sound calls to me. A sound defying description, a voice from the void."

We hear some similar language used by Oswald, who never encounters the Shadow but does intimately communicate with his Orb:

"I can only hear the voice from within that gentlest of stones. It sings to me and I dream of a great machine." (There's also a line of dialogue in-game where Oswald mentions the voice from the void part but I can't remember it right now)

Daniel is also communicated to in a dream that teaches him how to make something:

"I was awakened by an exhausting nightmare. Shaking and sweating I retired to the drawing room with a cup of tea. The relic pieces lay spread across the table as I'd left them. But somehow, I knew how it was supposed to be."

Rather than the Shadow, it's Daniel's Orb that's trying to communicate with him in these dreams

Sort of a side note but it's obviously very interesting that Daniel is able to mend Orbs, something that surprises Agrippa when Daniel says he can do it, and something that Alexander never attempted with all the long time he had Agrippa's Orb for. In all likelihood Daniel is the first and maybe only person in either world who's ever been able to do this

Anyway, it's already been said before about how the Shadow is clearly not after Daniel. He was in London for a month without ever encountering it. The night he mends the Orb is the very night that Sir William Smith is killed, someone who Daniel spoke to about the Orb pieces he had. Prof. Taylor, who Daniel asked about Mithraism, is also killed shortly after, and Dr. Tate who seems to have nothing to do with this except that Daniel wanted sedatives from him to stop the nightmares, which is how the Orb is communicating with him. I still like to point it out during all this because I think it helps to back up the fact that Daniel, like Oswald, has an Orb that likes him and in its own way is trying to help him

Another interesting thing is how the Orbs seem to sort of communicate with each other. Daniel has an Orb that is very nice to him, but Agrippa's Orb (which did not treat Agrippa very well) is also nice to Daniel. Daniel's own Orb has got some opinions about people. While it's nice to Daniel, it immediately summons the Shadow when used by Alexander, and even turns against Daniel when Daniel assists Agrippa, who we know is not liked by his Orb (also turns on him if he lets Alexander go through)

Tasi's Orb seems to be pretty neutral. It's just trying to get itself back to the Other World, where it's supposed to be. The Shadow never kills Tasi, it only tries to prevent her from leaving the Other World and takes her back there whenever she makes it to earth. Her Orb just wants to go home

Last note about all this: Those who can control the Orbs can control the Shadow. The only example we have of this really (besides some implications about Temaku in Rebirth) is that Weyer, who is known to have complete mastery over the Orbs, is able to get the Shadow to spit Daniel out when it consumes him

All of this is to say that the Shadow is more like a shared defense system that the Orbs can call down upon someone they don't like or that they deem "unworthy." The Orbs are what have consciousness, personality, and decision-making capabilities