#he has a running tab of corrections in his head as the king begins his speech

[ploffskinpluffskin]

well i think operation: draw natori during a deteriorating cat kingdom meeting is off to a great start

[thyme-in-a-bubble]

where the brook bends

the wistful wyvern, chapter two

a/n: something about fighting giant spiders just feels so quintessential skyrim...

summary: “you are two of my most trusted warriors. If it can’t be me out there, then it should be you two,” his glance then shifted between you both as he noticed the look on your face, “unless, of course, you have any objections.” 

warnings: knight!bucky barnes x knight!reader, fantasy AU (monsters, but not much magic), original fantasy world, ex-friends to lovers, coworkers to lovers, former fuckboy!bucky, tattooed!bucky, slow burn, one-sided pinning, forced proximity, arachnophobia (giant spiders), weapons, violence, bathing in a river

word count: 2243

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“This is the third time in two years that dragon has attacked us,” the king’s jaw clenched, “third time, and we still don’t know how to slay it,” leaned against the central table in the war room, he glanced up to find Bucky’s eyes, “I was planning on going on a mission to gather intel, find its lair, study the beast, but–… things have changed,” on a heavy exhale, he let his eyes momentarily fall shut, “I need to stay here,” he stated slowly, “I can’t risk my life on a quest like this, not now that Cordelia is born… so,” his gaze fluttered back open, “I’m here to ask the two of you to take care of it.”  

Shooting a glance over at Bucky, you hesitantly uttered, “us?” 

You wanted to say no. A mission such as this could take months, and being stuck with Bucky for that long, just the two of you on the road, having to work so closely together, it might break you for good.

But then when Steve’s gaze locked with your own, the declination got stuck in your throat. 

“You are two of my most trusted warriors. If it can’t be me out there, then it should be you two,” his glance then shifted between you both as he noticed the look on your face, “unless, of course, you have any objections.” 

“No, of course not, your majesty,” you swiftly replied, knowing that this plague was so much bigger than your own little feelings, “it would be an honour.” 

“Hi, I’m here to pick up an order, it should be under the name Y/l/n.”

“Ah, yes,” the blacksmith nodded with recognition, “your blades are right over here,” he turned to retrieve them, “it was five new daggers, correct?” he glanced over his shoulder as he gathered the crafted arms in his grasp.

“Oh, six actually,” you slightly raised yourself up onto your toes to catch a glimpse. 

“Right,” he turned his attention back to the table of finished and shiny weapons, “uh–”

But then before the blacksmith could begin to panic, a young apprentice came running over from the forge, “uncle, here!” and handed him the last dagger, “sorry, I was sharpening them and forgot one of them by the grinding stone.” 

“Thank you, Peter,” he then let his expert eye wash over the metal, “ah, you’re getting better!” a bright grin crept up on the lad's face, “excellent work, my boy,” the blacksmith then walked back to where you waited and slid the cloth-bound blades over the soot-stained counter, “here you are, miss.”

“How much do I owe you?” you opened up your coin purse and began to flick through the change. 

“Oh, no,” his hands raised up before him, “no charge,” a gentle shake tipped his head, “that’s already been taken care of by his royal majesty himself.”

“Really?” 

“Yeah,” he nodded, “received a letter yesterday morning for anything that you, or your other warden friend out there, might need, to put it on his tab.” 

“Alright, then,” a grateful chuckle bubbled out of you, “thank you.” 

And as you headed back out of the open smithy onto the quaint streets of Borün, the proprietor cheerily called after you, “have a good day!”

“You too!” you glanced back over your shoulder and offered the two figures a small wave. 

Nestled in a t-intersection, the heat of blacksmith swiftly got soothed by the breeze from the docks that bloomed only a few storefronts down to the left. The melody of gentle waves crashing against the harbour sloshed directly into your soul. One seagull had even dared to bravely wander past you into the town square that unfolded in the opposite direction. Casting a brief glance down there, by the bistro on the corner, you saw an energetic child spring and flee from the rest of their family, as they sat around one of the cosy outdoor seating options and enjoyed a quiet lunch, to favour a sprint around the vast tree that stood rooted in the centre of the square. 

“Did you get what you needed?” Bucky asked as you exited the shop, his grasp clutched tight around the reins of both Echo, his own horse that had a shiny black coat, as well as Zenna, the brown spotted mare you’d ridden for years. 

“Yep,” you tugged the newly acquired weapons into one of the saddlebags strapped to your horse, “you ready to go or do you have any last-minute errands before we head out?”

“Nope, I’m as ready as I’ll ever be,” he exhaled as you slid up onto Zenna, “let’s head out.”

“So, the dragon always escaped out west,” Bucky spoke, shooting a glance in your direction as you rode beside him, “every time, it was that direction.” 

“Hm…” you searched your inner map, your vision dancing betwixt the trees you passed as you cut through the south-eastern corner of The Noll Woods, “could it be dwelling out by Anng?”

“Maybe…” he cocked his head, “there are a lot of small islands all along that part of the coast, maybe it could have claimed one of them?”

“Possibly…” one of your brows then tilted up as a theory struck you, “or perhaps it’s even closer than that,” your neck twisted and you met his eye, “The Asadånie Mountains.”

“That certainly is a possibility,” his gaze averted as he thought on it, “I mean, the mountain range is immensely vast and dangerous by design. I don’t even think it’s ever been properly represented on a map yet with how few venture up there.” 

A noise then suddenly found your ear. A shrill clicking call from somewhere within the forest. 

“Shh, shut up,” you swiftly snapped as you pulled on the reins to stop your horse. 

Not hearing your hushed tone, Bucky kept on rambling, “it’s perfectly tucked away and secluded for a creature such as a dragon.”

“Barnes, I mean it, shut up,” you raised your voice sternly as your eyes raked the overgrown area around you. 

“What?” he finally stopped as well a few paces ahead of you, “what is it?” 

Sliding off of Zenna, you carefully looked around, listening intently for the sound that had chilled your bones. 

You should have looked up, because if you had, then you would have maybe spotted the giant spiders lurking before they dropped down from their vast webs spun throughout the treetops above. 

When one pounced on you, its curled fangs gnashing for a bite of your flesh, Bucky jumped off of Echo, though didn’t reach you before two skittered out to get him.

Drawing a dagger in each of your grasps, you then sank both of them into the spider’s dark and clustered eyes, twisting them clockwise before it sank to the forest floor below. 

As you yanked them back out, a spray of ickier trailed your blades, even as you turned to throw one of them into the bigger of the creatures advancing on your comrade, your aim slaying it instantaneously, the viscus scattered against the side of your face at the toss. 

But then a fourth one came from out of nowhere and pinned you down in the dirt. With the weapon still in your palm, your reach was too limited to strike it anywhere vital, though you still dealt a few blows where you could. Pierce it open above you, slimy viscera spilt out and showered your struggling form. 

On your next attack, the hilt of your blade managed to get stuck in the tough hide of the monster, and with the spider guts that slicked up not only your grasp, you began to fear you wouldn’t be able to pry it back out. 

But just before your hands slipped, as you tried to push it off of you and not render you its dinner, the spider suddenly went limp above you and you glanced up to see a thick bolt splitting its skull.

“Hey,” you snapped as you scrambled up onto your feet, “I had that one!”

Swinging his crossbow back over his shoulder, Bucky simply smirked, “sure, you did,” and bent down to pick up the dagger you tossed to save him, briefly flipping it playfully in his palm before he glanced up and threw it. For a split second, your eyes went wide, but then the short blade flew past your ear, and as your neck twisted to follow it, you watched as it logged itself into a younger spider you hadn’t noticed till now. 

As the horses grazed and drank from the nearby stream, you unfastened your own bedroll from the back of Zenna. 

When it was nestled under your arm, you offered the horse a gentle pat before turning back to the makeshift camp for the night. Sparks finally began to dance from Bucky’s efforts and the pile of twigs he had gathered was set aflame. 

Once your bedroll was unfurled on the mossy ground, you quietly sat atop of it, chewing on some dry rations you’d found in the bottom of your satchel and stared at the sun as it slowly sank into the horizon. As your vision danced between soft pink clouds in the lavender sky, your gaze suddenly grew wide as Bucky stood up from his side of the fire and began to shed his clothes. 

“What are you doing?” you asked as he peeled off the partial chainmail he wore and swiftly the dark blue tunic beneath, revealing his bare back to you before he cast a glance over his shoulder.

“Going for a dip. What does it look like I’m doing?” not slowing down at your alarm, he fiddled with his belt and stepped closer to the riverbank, “you know, you could use one as well,” he playfully added before stripping off the last of his clothing, “you reek of spider guts, my friend,” your gaze instantly fled up towards the sky before you could see more than just his backside. 

At the splash of his jumping into the water, you subtly sniffed yourself before reluctantly uttering, “alright, fine,” and you pushed yourself up to your feet. After gathering a clean shirt as well as a wide rag to dry yourself off with from your supplies, you piped up again, “but you stay up here, I’ll go find somewhere more private further down.”

“Ah, come on, snow, you don’t have to do that!” he argued as you began to wander away, “what do you want me to turn around? Promise not to sneak a peek at your goods?” 

But you just kept up your stride and called over your shoulder, “enjoy your bath, Barnes!”

The stream luckily curved slightly a ways further down. Not a lot, but enough to grant you enough assurance to give it a go. After you’d peeled off your layers of clothing and the pieces of leather armour that protected your frame, you slowly dipped a toe into the cool water. 

The blushing skies slowly melted into black as you bathed in the river. When you took a moment to rinse out the ivory tunic you’d worn, your gaze flickered down the stream to spot Bucky as he splashed water up onto the part of him not submerged. As droplets danced down his skin, you nearly stopped breathing entirely as you followed their trail down to what the water obscured. 

But then, like snapping awake from a dream, the dizzying sensation gave away to the depressing reality. 

Once you’d scrubbed and cleaned yourself the best that you could, the stars above began to twinkle as you patted your skin dry and shrugged on the acquired clean shirt, a burgundy one, as well as the rest of your attire. 

When you found your way back towards the camp, Bucky was already sitting by the fire, dressed and with his hair still dripping gently and turning the shoulders of his navy tunic nearly as dark as the night sky. 

After you’d hung your wet shirt over a nearby branch, without sharing another word with the other warden you travelled with, you laid down on your bedroll and closed your eyes. 

But before too long, Bucky’s low timbre found your ears over the crackling of the fire.

“Hey, what’s going on with you?”

“Uh, I’m trying to fall asleep,” you sighed loudly, “just as you should.” 

“No, I mean what’s going on?” he persisted, “are you mad at me or something?” 

Your eyes then blinked open to stare up at the stares, “why would I be mad at you?”

“I don’t know, yet you’ve given me the cold shoulder ever since you came back from Efira,” he then asked, “did something happen there?”

“Other than comb through tombs with a boring ass lord,” you huffed, “no, nothing happened.” 

“Then what’s wrong?” he demanded. 

The muscles in your jaw clenched tightly before you uttered, “nothing’s wrong.” 

“Did I do something to piss you off?” he kept pushing, “because if so, I’m sorry.”

Your muscles flexed as you forcefully raised yourself up on onto an elbow and twisted to shoot him a glare, “look, we are here on an important mission. We don’t have to be all buddy-buddy and reminisce about old times in order to get the job done, alright?”

Dark brows tightly knitted together, he stared back at you before eventually huffing, “fine.”

“Great,” you then heatedly flopped back down and tensely turned your back to him, “goodnight.” 

© 2024 thyme-in-a-bubble 

[kybervisions]

abuse of power [din]

summary: din has an encounter with a semi-unhinged new republic pilot.

author’s note: an idea that popped into my head while watching chapter 10 ,, bored new republic pilot reader. WARNING, reader really likes murder 

With the fall of the Empire and the rise of the New Republic, anarchy has reigned king. Five years have gone by and remnants of the Empire continue to appear, though sparsely. Each passing moment makes you question your decision of taking such a boring job. The recruiters said you would be helping restore the Galactic Republic and they made it sound exciting. Now, you're a glorified bounty hunter for the New Republic, and it’s been months since you last shot down a TIE fighter or encountered Imperial troopers. 

If there are any Imperial holdouts left, they’re well hidden and small. The only crafts you’ve encountered are those of beings that simply forgot to run the beacon. Which appears to be the case right now, as you spot an old ship to your right. You try to get in contact with the pilot of the craft but there is no response. 

You fly closer to the craft, “Y’know, I have no problem shooting down this craft. It’d be a serotonin boost.” 

That would be a lot of paperwork, though. On the off chance that the craft is not Imperial, you’d be suspended and an investigation would begin. Come to think of it, the New Republic has taken the fun out of your threats. 

“Hello? Come in?” 

“This is Razor Crest. Is there a problem?” The pilot of the craft finally responds. 

“Looks like your transponder isn’t not emitting.” You comment.  

“Yes, I’m pre-Empire surplus. I’m not required to run a beacon.” He replies. 

He is very cautious with his words. You take note of his hesitance to emit the transponder. He’s hiding something. When creatures see an X-wing, they are compliant, it’s one of the best parts of the gig, but it this pilot has no respect for the New Republic. 

“Yeah, that was before. Y’know, when the white devils patrolled the galaxy.” You remind him that times are different. “And, unfortunately, there are rules now. All crafts are required to run a beacon. Makes it easier to identify Imperials.”  

 “Thank you for letting me know. I’ll get right on it.” The Razor Crest pilot gvies you an insincere thanks. 

“Safe travels.” 

“May the Force be with you.” The phrase feels empty coming from the pilot. He’s probably never even met a Jedi. There is not too many of the left.  

“And I’m gonna need you to send me a ping if you see any Imperial holdouts.” You silently hope to find a couple TIE fighters. Shooting those ugly spheres makes you feel alive. No drug or partner has been able to make you feel like that. 

“I’ll let you know if I see any.” 

“Still waiting on that ping.” You remind him after a few seconds of silence. 

“Well, I’m not sure I have that hardware online.” 

“Yeah, I’ve heard that bullshit excuse before. Try harder.” You’re no longer entertained. You’ve already begun checking off items in the Rules of Engagement the New Republic officers forced you to memorize after a few accidents. 

“I...Doesn’t seem to be working.” He sounds a bit defeated, and it makes your smile. 

“Awe, that’s too bad. If I can’t confirm you’re not Imperial, you’re gonna have to follow me to the outpost at Adelphi. They’ll run your tabs.” You follow the procedure. 

“Oh, wait. There is it. Transmitting now.” You hear some clicking from his end a a voice. “Be quiet.” The pilot hushes, earning your curiosity. 

“What’s that?” You ask. 

“Uh, nothing. The...hypervac is drawing off the exhaust manifold.”

“Yeah, uh, give me a minute. Wait or I shot ya down.” That is most definitely an abuse of some power. Oh, well. He won’t be around to file a complaint. 

You change channels and contact Wolf. “What did you say the antique ship at the prison was called?” 

“Uh, Razor Crest. I think. Why, what’s up?” Wolf asks as your lips form a mischievous smile. 

“Because I’m about to add another tally mark on my wall.” You respond. “Over and out.” You return to the channel with the Razor Crest pilot and switch your X-wing to attack mode. The wings of the ship scissor open. 

“Now, answer honestly.” You warn the pilot. “Was your craft in the proximity of the New Republic Correctional Transport, Bothan-Five?” You ask. 

Instead of replying, he takes off. You laugh and immediately follow the Razor Crest. “This is turning out to be a great day.” 

You chase the Razor Crest to the icy planet of Maldo Kreis. Watching the ship struggle to fly in the harsh weather almost made you pity the pilot. It also made you laugh. A lot. “It’s not even funny.” You say to yourself, tailing the Razor Crest.

The snowstorm makes difficult to follow the Razor Crest, and you lose it after a couple minutes of high-speed chasing. “The adrenaline is certainly up.” You smile to yourself as the speed of the X-wing reduces. It seems only murder can boost the serotonin levels. 

Wolf keeps you company during your search. He does further research on the ship, running tabs and checking the security footage. How he got the clearance for that, you’ll never know. As it turns out, events at Bothan-Five happened differently than described in the daily report. 

It takes you nearly half an hour to find the Razor Crest. It’s surrounded heavily damaged and by hundreds of spider-looking creatures. You take the opportunity to practice your aim and use your blaster cannon to clear out the spiders. 

Within seconds, they’re all dead. You unlock the canopy and hop on the edge of the ship. You have your blaster rifle aimed at the only possible exit for the pilot of the Razor Crest. “I just wanna talk.” You shout. 

A Mandalorian takes small steps out of the gaping hole in his ship. He’s showing you his palms and has his blaster facing up. You haven’t seen a Mandalorian in years. Like the Jedi, there are not too many left. 

“Toss your weapon, Mandalorian.” You look through the eye scope of the blaster rifle. Now, he is very compliant. 

“What are you smiling about?” The Mandalorian questions. 

“Power play.” You respond. “Just the last time I ran into a Mandalorian I was the one with the gun to my head,” You inform the stranger. 

“You’ve met other Mandalorians?” He asks with a tone of hope in his voice. 

“One.” You respond honestly. “I’m technically a contracted bounty hunter. For the Republic. It’s a bureaucratic mess. We don’t get any benefits. Honestly, I think it’s destined to fail, so I have a side hustle.” You ramble. “Had.” 

“The Mandalorian?” 

You shake your head. “I’m the one asking the questions.” You remind the Mandalorian pilot. “I ran the tabs on your ship. Looks like you’ve got an arrest warrant for the abduction of prisoner X-Six-Nine-Eleven.” 

“However, onboard security records show that you apprehended three priority culprits from the Wanted Register. Security records also show that you put your own life in harm’s way to try to protect that of Lieutenant Davan from the New Republic Correctional Corps. Is that true?”

“Am I under arrest?“ The Mandalorian asks. 

“Technically, you should be. 

But I don’t really care.” You shrug. You drop the blaster rifle on your seat and hop off the ship.  

“Happy to see the galaxy is being protected by stable minds.“ He says sarcastically. 

“Protected? Try being held together with glue and tape.” You chuckle. 

“What say I forego the counties on these three criminals, and you help me fuse my hull so I can get off this frozen rock?” You laugh at his proposal. 

“What say you fix that transponder and I don’t murder you the next time I’m patrolling the Rim?” You smile and hop back down into your seat, setting the blaster rifle aside and bring down the canopy.  

You’ve got a feeling that won’t be the last time you encounter that Mandalorian. 

[the-blackest-spider]

Liho, or That Damned Cat

Liho is an amazing gift from comic canon, from a solo run of the Black Widow comics in 2014.

Unlike comic canon, I have Liho as being a male, this is because I started including the feline in my muse’s world before the gender was established in the comics. Also I base some of Liho’s personality and mannerism off a kitty I had for 14 years that was male (he was the best cat okay, 14 pounds of orange fur, judgment, yes I’m KING just ask me and other things lol). So if your muse calls Liho by female pronouns, Natasha will correct you.

Per canon, Liho in any verse he appears in, adopted Natasha much against her will at first. A very persistent and territorial creature he saw her and decided, this human I like her and she often looks sad. So he kept working his way in until finally he knew her bathroom window would always be open to him (mcu verse) and he could come and go as he pleased from then on. In Natasha’s Final Fantasy VII verse, Liho still adopts her, but he first takes up following her around Midgar when she has her patrols, then progresses to waiting outside her apartment building every morning to walk her to work and then waits somewhere near the Shinra Building to see her home. Finally she relents and let’s the creature into her apartment and he never leaves it unless she takes him somewhere (sometimes to Clint or to the ice cream cart owners she knows).

Really the only verse Liho doesn’t appear in, is Star Wars because it’s not really practical given that Natasha in most cases has no set apartment and when she does, she’s hardly ever there it exists for a place to sleep when she has need and that’s it.

In the MCU it is highly possible that Liho is not a normal feline and maybe a Flerken or descendant from. There are things that He does that makes him seem a little more intelligent that an everyday house cat. He is just as observant as his mistress and seems to be able to tell when someone isn’t quite right.

I have also toyed with the idea that he could be Loki disguised or at least an agent keeping tabs on the crafty redhead spy for the God of Mischief since most of the time I headcanon that he showed up post Avengers (2012).

Liho’s name essentially means misfortune, which Natasha felt was a very tongue in cheek name for a black cat and Liho took to her calling him that as though it was his name to begin with.

Liho is at times rather dog like as in he’s protective of Natasha and may not always like or appreciate someone else entertaining his territory. He’s a cat, he likes who he likes and will change his mind as he sees fit. He also likes to terrorize and tease, much the same as Natasha is capable of. ESPECIALLY if he does like you. If he doesn’t like you or is uncertain, he will stare at you from a distance with his yellow green eyes all ‘I’m watching you’.

He’s very respectful of Natasha’s personal space, he really doesn’t require a lot of physical interaction but always appreciates any pets he gets. And when he purrs it sounds like a freaking dump truck motor. Loud and deep. Even when it’s clear Natasha’s mood is dower, he will not physically impose on her unless she makes it clear he is welcome to. Still sometimes he even has to tease his owner, so he will walk across her if she happens to be asleep if the mood strikes him and occasionally he will offer grooming comfort by licking at the top of her head.

All in all he is the most low maintenance typical feline ever. He never brings her things like dead animals, only asks for a bowl of water and some kibble and doesn’t make a disaster out of his litter box. Best kitty is best and Natasha will absolutely say so, even if she refers to him as that damned cat sometimes (which along with his name is his tag on this blog).

[doomonfilm]

Favorites : Enemy of the State (1998)

It’s no secret that I have a special place in my heart for almost anything produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, short of the era beginning with and following the Transformers series.  Nearly everything he put his money behind in the 1990s, however, resonates on both the entertainment and sociological levels, as well as more than often tip-toeing the line of high art.  If someone forced me to expound on this statement, I believe that exhibit A would be Enemy of the State.  

NSA official Thomas Bryan Reynolds (Jon Voight) meets with U.S. Congressman Phil Hammersley (Jason Robards) in hopes of pushing forward legislation that will allow the NSA more access to surveillance in every aspect, be it foreign or domestic, friend or foe.  When Hammersley declines to offer support, he is killed by David Pratt (Barry Pepper), Reynolds’ right hand man.  Unbeknownst to Reynolds, however, amateur birdwatcher Daniel Zavitz (Jason Lee) has a motion-sensitive camera at that location to capture ducks and geese, and the camera captures the crime.  As Zavitz attempts to get the tapes to the media, Reynolds and his NSA cohorts exact all of their powers to stop the information from going public.  Zavitz, while on the run from his pursuers, runs into Robert Clayton Dean (Will Smith), a labor lawyer and old college friend, and he takes the opportunity to stash the recording on Dean without him knowing, only to end up dead moments later at the end of the chase.  Dean is shaken by the encounter, and his alerts go up when agents Krug (Jake Busey) and Jones (Scott Caan) show up at his door with odd questions.  Dean contacts his information leak (and former lover) Rachel Banks (Lisa Bonet) in hopes of understanding what is going on, but the contact throws Dean’s life into upheaval, putting him in direct contact with Rachel’s information contact Brill (Gene Hackman) in hopes of understanding what is happening to him.  Once the duo discover the footage they hold, they turn the cat and mouse game on its head in hopes of blowing the entire scandal wide open, and dismantling the NSA’s plans from the inside.

The elephant in the room, clearly, is how on the nose this film was in terms of post-9/11 society, and how it’s shaped information and surveillance technology.  This film is just over two decades old, but the levels of technology implemented in the film, from old school bugs to satellite tracking, are all commonplace and accepted as fact.  The levels of surveillance depicted, be it criminal surveillance of mobsters, casual surveillance for hobbyists, intrusion and takeover of radio and TV signals, or even the government need to monitor and assess potential threats are deep and far-reaching, and all heavily prevalent in our modern society all across the world.  While some aspects were slightly exaggerated to serve expositional purposes, the lion’s share of the technology and knowledge present in the film is based on hard truth and documented facts.

Where the genius of this film iles is in its unstated connection to the 1974 eavesdropping film The Conversation, starring Gene Hackman as surveillance technician Harry Call, a private operator with a dark history in regards to government connections to his work and the lives that it cost.  It is never outright stated in Enemy of the State that Hackman is reprising the role, but there are plenty of subtle, rhythmic echoes that give the connection validity.  The obvious, nail in the coffin evidence would be the scene where Robert Dean and Rachel Banks meet in the park to discuss what is happening to Dean, as it is almost identical to the infamous opening sequence of The Conversation... the only thing that really sets the two apart is the absence of Robert Shields, the famous mime and New York icon at the time.  Brill’s version of a Faraday Cage that he has affectionately dubbed ‘The Jar’ plays like an extremely condensed version of his former warehouse home.  Even the way that Brill and Dean force signals into homes in the final third of the film mirror the closing moments of The Conversation, where Harry Call realizes his home is not as secure as he imagined.

Movies like this, in retrospect, helped me understand what color-timing could do for a film, as the very heavy presence of a blue hue gives the film a sense of dread without a word ever being spoken.  The hue also offsets the warmer moments in the Dean home, as well as the heavy presence of monitors, computer screens and data.  The casting department was batting 1.000 for this production, as every level of role needed was perfect, be it star power that connected on screen, a slew of supporting roles cast by future stars in their own rights, or even a handful of amazing uncredited roles by high profile actors who deserved co-starring or special guest credits.  The production design and special effects also help enhance the scale and feel of the movie, as the level of styles used to keep tabs on Dean range from large to small scale, the presence of helicopters adds to the paranoia, and the gunfight at the end releases two hours of ever-increasing tension.

On the starring level, the chemistry between Will Smith and Gene Hackman is surprisingly electric, while Jon Voight brings solid bad guy energy to the table.  The supporting spread is diverse, and everyone is hitting their marks effortlessly... Lisa Bonet and Regina King portray completely different shades of desirable, intelligent and driven women.  Barry Pepper, Jake Busey and Scott Caan bring a sense of duty and danger to their roles as the hired muscle.  Having Jack Black, Jamie Kennedy and Seth Green run around together is a stroke of luck and genius.  An early appearance by Anna Gunn helps bring a humanity to Voight not present in his NSA scenes.  Jason Lee gets to spread his wings just a bit, showing some action chops while reeling in his comedic prowess, all of which help us buy into the story.  Uncredited appearances by Gabriel Byrne, Jason Robards, Tom Sizemore and Philip Baker Hall, as well as a ton of other character actors, fill out the remainder of the world.

This movie was always a favorite of mine, but it has really and truly come to hold a special place in my heart due to the sheer prowess of the cast, the way it has grown both dated and eerily correct about the changing times, and its connection to The Conversation.  Other Bruckheimer-connected properties may have gone on to greater critical acclaim and box-office success, but for my money’s worth, this one will always be held in the highest regard.

[mischiefandspirits]

Scales and Arpeggios

Part of the Cat of a Different Color series

While Allura’s resting from the Balmeran ceremony, the paladins go on a training mission. Meanwhile, the cats run into an old friend and see an enemy.

Part 4: Mind Over Meow-tter

Pidge undergoes the sphinx's tests while the cats catch up with an old... friend?

<Ugh! We’ve been flying forever! How much farther?>

<Don’t you mean, are we there yet?>

<Are we there yet? Are we there yet?>

<Merla, Chip, enough. Blue, don’t encourage them.>

<Yes, dad.>

<Gross, could you imagine Ryou being our dad!>

<That’d make Blue our aunt and you’d be->

<Yes, Chip, thank you for that.>

<Knock it off you two.>

<Oh, come on, Ryou. They’re just keeping busy. The last thing we need is those two getting bored.>

<Might I remind you the last time I got bored, it resulted in all of us figuring out how to separate from our metallic forms? I’d say me getting bored is very profitable!>

<Merla, love, that is literally one moderately good instance tucked within millions of terrible ones.>

<Kiss a kwaila!>

<We’re flying right now, I can’t kiss you.>

<BURN!>

<I’m going to kick your->

<I’m surrounded by children. Honestly, can we have five minutes of quiet. Just five.>

…

“Anyone else tired?”

<Ha! Pua’s human spoke first!>

<Hunk didn’t count. Besides, it wasn’t a competition.>

“No.”

<Keith, I’m tired! Tell them I’m tired!>

<No, you’re not.>

“Okay, just asking. It’s been a while since we’ve, you know, not been fighting or adventuring or anything.”

<Point.>

<Better point, the three of us got blasted out of the sky an hour or so ago. I think we’re due for a nap.>

“You think we have it bad? At least our life force wasn’t sucked out to fuel an entire planet. Princess Allura still hasn’t fully healed.”

<Listen to your paladin, Merla.>

<A good mother listens to her children, but that doesn’t mean she has to obey!>

“Speaking of Princesses, didn’t Malocoti say we’d find this zigg-a-whatever here?”

“Ziggurat. It’s a step pyramid.”

“Then why don’t they call it a pyramid?”

<Probably because most people think of the Egyptian pyramids when you just say pyramid. Ziggurat’s look much diff- Oh! Pidge!>

“Just keep looking. Wait, I’m getting a reading! There!”

The lions landed and everyone walked out towards the ziggurat.

“It’s massive! So inside is where we’ll find this sphinx guy that’ll tell us where the pearl is?”

<Not exactly.>

The paladins jumped back with a shout as the ziggurat came apart, rearranging itself into the shape of a creature with the four-legged lower body of a feline and the upper body of a winged humanoid.

<HI ZYLIN!!!> Chip chirped.

<Chip, flirt with your soul-bound later,> Pua huffed.

<He is not my soul-bound anymore!>

<Hello, Great Pride. It is good to see you all again after so long,> the sphinx hummed before announcing, “I am the Great Universal Sphinx! Why have you disturbed me?”

<Why is your soul-bound always so dramatic?>

<PUA!>

“Wow!”

“We’re looking for the Yalexian Pearl. We were told you could help us find it. We need it to rescue our friend.”

<Can you just tell them instead of being your usual difficult self?> Ryou asked.

<No, My King. There are rules and traditions that must be followed, even by you and yours,> he answered. “I am a repository for great research. I have been analyzing life throughout the cosmos for over a million years. Of course I know where the pearl is; however, I do not know whether you are worthy of the information. Tell me, who is the most knowledgeable amongst you?”

“Her.”

<Chip.>

“The green one.”

<Her.>

“The short one.”

<Pidge.>

“That’s Pidge.”

<Chip.>

“Me.”

<Me.>

<Six, four, in favor of the human.>

Chip shot her sister a glare, which was met with a completely unrepentant look.

“It is decided. Your body, mind, and spirit shall be tested. Enter to prove yourself… and save your friend.”

Zylin collapsed back into Ziggurat form.

<Nice going, Merla,> Pua huffed.

<What?>

<We would have been better off allowing Chip to face the trials,> Ryou growled as the group began heading inside.

<Psh, Pidge will be fine.>

“Why’d he ask for the smartest person if there’s going to be a test of the body?”

<You were saying?>

<Come on, am I the only one that has faith in Chip’s palain?>

“You’re the smart one. Shouldn’t you know that?”

<I have all the faith in her. That doesn’t change the fact that we would have had much higher odds if I’d been the one selected.>

“Commence test of body.”

Suddenly mushrooms jumped off the walls and attached themselves to the male paladins. Their cats shivered as they felt the connections between them become clouded.

“What are you doing!?”

“The spores control your friends.”

<Keith!> Merla shouted, running for her cub, but a cyclone of sand rose up around the cats before solidifying into a glass dome.

The paladins rose up, glaring at Pidge with eyes covered by a white film.

“You must defeat your allies in combat. Without the assistance of the Great Pride.”

Shiro’s hand lit up with energy and he charged Pidge.

“They will fight exactly as your friends fight.”

Pidge brought up her shield, but the blow was still strong enough that she was knocked back into Keith’s arms.

“Let’s see if you’re smart enough to defeat them.”

Pidge kicked off Shiro’s chest, launching herself and Keith into a pillar. Taking the brunt of the impact, the Red Paladin released her on instinct. Freed, Pidge darted to the side, only to receive a kick to the side from Shiro that knocked her to the ground at the other paladins’ feet.

<Pidge!> Chip yowled.

<That’s it!> Merla hissed. She faded into quintessence and shot forwards.

The glass held her back just the same.

There was a thundercrack and she lit up with a wave of blazing blue flames that rolled across the dome.

<Merla!> Ryou roared as the four ducked under the assaulting heat.

The flames died back into quintessence and Merla collapsed into her cheetah form, panting and shaking with anger as she glared up at the unaffected glass.

<Zylin, let us out!> Blue growled.

<I apologize, Princess Salia, but I cannot. The rules must be followed. I will not control you out of respect, but you cannot be allowed to interfere.>

The five refocused on the fight, just in time to see Pidge bring a boulder down on Keith.

<I'm going to kill him,> Merla groaned.

Pidge scrambled out of the way as Shiro appeared behind her. She shuffled backwards as she brought up a holoscreen on her gauntlet.

<What’s she doing?> Blue asked.

<Using her brain,> Chip said.

<I thought this was a test of body,> Merla sighed.

<Well, the brain is a part of the body.>

<I thought Chip was supposed to be the know-it-all, Pua.>

Shiro stood over Pidge and bought back his fist. Suddenly his arm locked up and the glow died away. The shock even snapped Shiro free of the mind control for half a second.

Pidge used the pause to slip forwards and-

<By the Anodites! Did she seriously just deck Shiro!? You go Pidge!>

Pidge dropped to her knees, panting. “Sorry I had to hack your hand, Shiro, but I’ll turn it back on.”

The glass dome collapsed into sand as Zylin said, “Impressive. You will rise to the next level.”

<Keith!> Merla called, shakily rising to her feet before she and the others rushed over to their paladins. She froze as she saw the skin around his eyes slowly fading from lavender back to normal.

“Hey girl,” Keith said, reaching up to pat her on the head.

She flinched and focused in in time to see the last of the film disappearing from his yellow eyes.

“You okay?”

<Fine. You?>

“A little sore, but alright,” he groaned, sitting up. Merla helped him to his feet as the lavender faded from his skin and his eyes began to shift back to purple.

“Sorry, Pidge. We couldn’t control ourselves,” Hunk told the girl as she and Pua helped him to his feet.

“How’d you beat us all, anyway?” Keith asked, rubbing his side.

“I keep running files on all of your weaknesses. I exploited those weaknesses.”

Everyone except Chip stared at the girl.

“Our weaknesses?” Hunk asked incredulously as the group started heading up the stairs to the next room of the ziggurat. “How could you keep a running tab of our weaknesses?”

“Yeah, that’s messed up,” Lance agreed.

“Smart if you ask me.”

<Hate to say it, but me too,> Pua chuffed. <It would help us better cover the team’s weaknesses.>

“It worked, but if that information were ever to fall into the wrong hands…”

“Look, I’m sorry. I know it’s weird to do, to keep all that information on you all, my friends, but it’s just how I am. It’s my nature.”

Chip growled softly and nuzzled her side.

The group reached the top of the stairs to discover… a giant chessboard?

“The second challenge will be a game of chess.”

“Chess, huh? How do we both know about chess?”

“This is not the first time your species was tested. They failed, but remembered the game.”

<Seriously?>

“Wait, what!?”

<You’re kidding?>

“I visited Earth long ago. The game remained with your kind. Even though they got it wrong for a while, trying to make the king the most powerful piece, but eventually your society corrected itself.”

<Oh my- that explains so much!>

“That’s crazy!”

<How long were you there? How many humans did you interact with? When->

“Can we get back to the test. Please?”

<But->

<Chip.>

“Fine.”

“A draw will be considered a loss for you.”

“Doesn’t sound too hard. Who am I playing?

“Yourself.” Another mushroom hopped out of the shadows and latched onto Pidge before jumping across the room.

“Pidge! Are you okay?” Shiro asked, stepping forward to help support the girl.

“Yeah, but I feel like I stayed up all night not studying.”

“The spore has absorbed your mind. It will use your skills against you. And to be certain there’s no interfering…”

Holes opened up beneath the cats.

<Not again,> Merla hissed as they fell down. The sand of the tunnel swirled around them before shooting them out onto the chessboard.

Ryou landed in the spot of the white king, with Blue next to him as a bishop and Pua next to her as a knight. On his other side, past the Queen, Chip and Merla were also a bishop and knight respectively.

“You will have thirty ticks for each move. Begin!”

<Yeah, I’m not doing this.>

<Don’t move.> Chip snapped at her sister’s paw before it could leave her square.

<Why?>

<Have you never seen Harry Potter?>

<Harry what?>

<By the Anodites! Just stay on your square unless Pidge tells you to move.>

<Great.>

<Remind me again why I can’t just kill the king? It’s right there.>

<Once again, that’s not how knights move,> Chip sighed from off to the side where she and Blue were lounging after having been taken out.

<But if I have this chance why shouldn’t I just take it?>

<Because you’re a knight, not an assassin.>

<Not in this game, at least,> Blue snickered, rolling back to her feet and yawning. <Give her a break, Chip. She is the one in the room with the most experience attempting to kill a king.>

<Thank you, love, that’s very helpful.>

<She’s also the one with the most failed attempts at killing a king.>

“Checkmate!”

<Thank the Anodites!> Merla chirped, running over to the stairs that were rising up to allow the cats to reach their paladins. <Are we almost done with this nerd stuff?>

“Now to the most difficult challenge of all…”

The moment all the cats had made it onto the platform, it shot upwards. It carried them up to the top of the temple before knocking them down the side. Once they’d reached the ground, Zylin reformed into a sphinx.

“What can be totally broken apart and yet reform stronger than ever?”

“Oh, I actually know it!”

“What is it?”

“It’s Voltron!”

“Incorrect! You have failed!”

“What? Then what is it?”

“Hope. The correct answer was hope.”

“But Voltron is applicable! And very relevant!”

“I’m sorry, but the answer was hope. And now I will never tell you where the pearl is!”

<Are you kidding me!>

<ZYLIN!>

“I mean, like a lot of things could have been the answer if you think about it. Like love.”

<A kingdom can be stronger once it’s brought back together,> Ryou offered.

“I’ve heard of people breaking swords and then smelting them even stronger.”

<Bones. Bones are stronger after you break them!> Merla hissed.

“My heart is stronger than ever, despite it being broken many times.”

“Isn’t that love, like Hunk said?”

“Oh be quiet before I break you and see if you reform stronger.”

“I think Pidge’s answer should be honored,” Shiro said, stepping between the two fighting boys.

“Well that’s not how it works! I make the rules! And I’m not helping you at all!”

<Zylin!> Ryou roared.

<I’m sorry, My King, but the rules say the test of spirit is mine to set and this is the one I’ve chosen. The human has failed,> Zylin growled. “Now get in the lions and leave!”

“I’ve always hated riddles,” Keith growled as they all returned to the lions.

As Pidge passed the Red Lion, she turned back and pointed up at Zylin. “You know what? You want to test my spirit? Try standing between me saving my friend. You’re gonna have hoped that you hadn’t!” She jumped inside Chip and grabbed her controls in a white-knuckle grip. “Mind if I say it, Shiro?”

“Go for it.”

“Form Voltron!”

Pidge relaxed as images flickered past her eyes, her mind linking up with Voltron’s system. Meadows, forests, cliffs, hills, wrenches, whisks, storms, thrones, charts, shields, volcanoes, wildfires, swords, stars, glaciers, rivers, paintings, and sweaters all flashed through to leave her feeling connected.

“Tell us where the pearl is!”

“You are more foolish than I thought! I will crush you!”

The sphinx hit them right in the jaw.

<Ow! Zylin! Dim!>

They crouched down and Pidge called out, “Keith, help me stabilize. Hunk, lock it up. Lance, do your thing!”

“Oh yeah! Finally! Voltron Leg Swipe!” the Blue Paladin cheered as they spun about, swinging their leg out.

The sphinx lifted into the air before the could hit.

<Whoops.>

“Oh come on!”

They shot into the air, then body slammed him to the ground.

<YIELD!>

“Okay! Okay! I’ll tell you, ” he groaned and they got off him. As he stood, he said, “ I’m sorry. I know it was a horrible riddle. I just do that so people can’t answer correctly. I do it to make myself feel superior.”

<Never changes… Not my soul-bound anymore!>

“It’s pathetic really.”

“I’ll say,” Lance snorted.

“Hey, I saw in your mind. Do we really want to get into who’s more pa- ” he cut off with a flinch. He knelt down and ducked his head. “ Apologies, Blue Paladin.”

<Go Blue!>

“Uh, what just happened?” Hunk asked.

“I think Blue just told him off,” Lance said, sounding awed.

“She did. I spoke hastily and without thought -”

<The usual.>

“- and should not have said what I did. From your response, I can see that you all have come far in such a short time. I can tell you will do great things as the Great Pride’s chosen knights.”

“Great Pride?” Pidge questioned.

“The pearl is in the Evershadow or our moon. But it is a dangerous place and darkness lurks below.” He stood up and began to collapse back into a ziggurat. <Take care, Great Pride. And farewell sweet Dansa. Until we meet again.>

<Shut up.>

“So… that’s it then?” Hunk asked.

“Apparently.”

“I think Blue still wants to kick the pyramid.”

“I know Merla wants her to.”

“Alright, let’s head out. Looks like we’re heading up to the darkside of the moon.”

“Do you think they’ll have cookies?”

“Cookies?”

<Merla!>

“I’ll explain on the way,” Lance sighed.

[mhsn033]

Anthony Horowitz: ‘I feel the need to do the unexpected’

Image copyright Jack Lawson

Creator Anthony Horowitz talks mercurial, very mercurial. Phrases sprint from his mouth in a straggle against an imaginary stopwatch.

Judging by his bibliography, it have to no longer be a shock. Ideas clearly come thick and fleet to Horowitz and force his world.

He is now no longer most attention-grabbing prolific, along with his works numbering extra than 50, nonetheless additionally varied.

He is written a pair of books for childhood and younger adults, including his Alex Rider tales (now being dramatised on Prime Video), alongside grownup fiction. And he is tackled correct about each genre.

Additionally on the CV is writing for cinema and TV, including episodes of Midsomer Murders and Poirot, and he is the creator of Foyle’s Battle, Collision, Injustice and New Blood.

This trade has earned Horowitz an OBE nonetheless arguably created something of a conundrum – correct where to attract him on book place or library cupboards?

“Maybe or now no longer it’s executed me no correct form in the sense that is or now no longer it’s more uncomplicated to categorise or pigeonhole a creator and know precisely where to gather them. You perceive, let’s yell, precisely what to predict from a Stephen King,” he acknowledges.

“Nonetheless I do not buy when ideas come into my head. And I really beget lots – all very various. I’ve had an belief for a literary new for 10 years and it correct might per chance per chance per chance also merely now no longer gallop away. I will likely fall flat on my face.

Image copyright Getty Photography

Image caption Anthony Horowitz has a legion of younger fans

“All I’m in a position to assemble is write the guidelines and assume in them and now no longer apprehension regarding the rest. I love each ingredient of writing. Or now no longer it’s totality. That is all there might per chance be. Upright me and the web page and nothing else.”

For his most trendy work he is in the realm of the abolish mystery, which he first entered in 2017 with Magpie Murders – a devilishly complicated whodunnit inner a whodunnit.

Sure, he’d written crime tales for TV and two Sherlock Holmes books commissioned by the Conan Doyle estate nonetheless Magpie Murders became once the predominant abolish new from his dangle creativeness.

It launched us to editor Susan Ryeland, her frightful, easiest-selling crime creator Alan Conway and his Poirotesque 1950s non-public detective Atticus Pund.

Image copyright Getty Photography

Image caption Anthony Horowitz got an OBE in 2014 for companies to literature

Many of the radical narrates essentially the most trendy Conway/Pund mystery, a double abolish case situation on the neatly-trodden floor of a sleepy village. Nonetheless when the memoir involves a tantalising unfinished halt, or now no longer it’s Susan who finds herself investigating a abolish – and narrowly swerving her dangle death.

It became once a easiest-vendor and opinions had been generally favourable.

Writing in the Guardian, Alison Flood acknowledged: “Horowitz peppers his pages with clues and purple herrings aplenty… the memoir takes a whereas to acquire going… Nonetheless once it does, here’s a fiendishly plotted crime new, with a unbelievable twist.”

The Washington Times’ Muriel Dobbin wrote: “Mr Horowitz is now no longer a straightforward creator and here is no longer any simple mystery, nonetheless it completely is most horny to be taught and its conclusions by no intention disappoint. Maybe the proper downside is attempting to care for with the discipline which is like investigating a spider web.”

Horowitz is now revisiting Susan and Co in Moonflower Murders, one other riddle-encumbered abolish inner a abolish adventure. Nonetheless there is been lots of alternate.

Image copyright ITV/Shutterstock

Image caption Foyle’s Battle became once Anthony Horowitz’s creation

Susan is running a Cretan resort along with her fiancé and, with Conway needless, she believes he and Pund beget been banished from her life.

That is except two traffic beseech her to support gather their daughter and solve a abolish at their dangle Suffolk resort, believing the reply to each lies in a one amongst Conway’s early mysteries.

As with Magpie, readers are given the plump Pund memoir inner a memoir about Conway, each encased by the wider fable, so need their wits about them to withhold tabs on who’s who and what’s what.

Together with an additional, semi-metafictional, layer are the a pair of nods to real life – bright locations, americans and musings on literature and publishing.

Image copyright ITV/Shutterstock

Image caption Anthony Horowitz wrote several of the early episodes of Midsomer Murders

Or now no longer it’s an technique to storytelling that Horowitz himself chanced on checking out.

“It makes me drained correct remembering how complicated it became once to write. The fun of it’s a long way that it’s a long way like a Russian doll,” he says.

“I’ve been doing this [writing] for goodbye, I assemble really feel the necessity to experiment, downside myself to downside the reader, to assemble the sudden to alternate americans’s attitudes… I’m searching to give extra than a abolish mystery.”

What is familiar is the country village atmosphere for the crimes. Midsomer Murders has this correct down to a T, following the path forged by the legendary Agatha Christie.

“In a village everyone is conscious of everyone. So if one person has a secret, it in all fairness likely 5 various americans will tag it. Any person is murdered at breakfast everyone is conscious of by elevenses,” Horowitz says of the village’s charm for memoir-tellers.

“And villages beget an unchanging quality, which is extraordinarily priceless for crime writers, where knowledge takes time to come.”

In between the Susan Ryeland books, Horowitz wrote two various crime novels featuring the non-public investigator Daniel Hawthorne. But again, he twisted the genre by inserting himself into the predominant memoir, The Phrase is Assassinate, because the narrator.

Nonetheless quirky or dilapidated, crime thrillers remain constantly standard and topped essentially the easiest-selling class list in 2019, in step with the market tracker Nielsen.

A extra most trendy Nielsen survey showed two-thirds of these requested had turned extra to those tales all the intention by the pandemic.

Image copyright Getty Photography

Image caption Poirot celebrity David Suchet’s doctor father delivered the shrimp one Anthony

Horowitz says the genre “brings americans together in a in point of fact fleet and instantaneous intention”.

“Any person murders someone else so that you know from the starting put the stakes are very high and the sentiments are very serious… there is a without prolong enchantment.

“And in a droll intention, in a world where fact is laborious to pin down – false news, 24-hour news, politicians who’re frequently chanced on to beget been economical with the fact – a abolish mystery will provide you with absolute fact, a gratifying ending.

“They additionally begin a door into americans’s lives in a technique that no various fiction does. A detective and the reader growth by the e book shoulder-to-shoulder, they are united. You do no longer stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Mr Darcy or Dumbledore.”

Horowitz’s affiliation to abolish mystery started from his first breath as he became once brought into the realm by the renown gynaecologist Joseph Suchet – father of Poirot celebrity David.

“After I delivered my first Poirot script, I mentioned to David that his father had delivered me. It regarded a comely fit,” he says.

Image copyright Alamy

Image caption Anthony Horowitz in one amongst the interesting offices he is occupied over time

Alternatively, Horowitz says he is now no longer a abundant reader of Poirot’s creator Christie, describing her writing as “serviceable as antagonistic to inspirational”.

“Nonetheless I’m a abundant fan of her plotting and her genius for altering the system and she or he by no intention cheats on the reader.”

As for Conan Doyle, neatly then you’re talking, says Horowitz, who adds the offer to write his dangle Sherlock books became once too correct form to flip down.

“The Holmes-Watson relationship is so beguiling, how might per chance per chance per chance also I withstand sitting in the chair in the corner with these two men? Doyle is this kind of correct form creator that it became once additionally a possibility to gather my game, to write better and take a look at and write like him. He is had a abundant impact on my life and profession,” he explains.

Nonetheless, as an avid reader from childhood, Horowitz might per chance per chance per chance also yell the same about any preference of writers, and he reels off a checklist from Willard Designate to Anthony Trollope.

“I knew I needed to be a creator on the age of 10 when I wrote my first play. I’m in a position to aloof visualise my squidgy handwriting. I became once unhappy. I became once in a frightful college and books had been a lifeline,” he says.

“I aloof watch books as a lifeline in a world wherein I gather myself working out less, and that becomes evermore the case.

“They’re an straggle from actuality and without reference to how unhappy you might per chance per chance per chance also very neatly be, the 2nd you’re taking with a e book, all the pieces feels a shrimp better.”

Escaping from actuality has a bigger charm whenever you happen to retain in mind the holes wherein Horowitz has chanced on himself with some of his public feedback.

“In the last 10 years I’ve noticed that if I’m now no longer considerate in what I yell, I be taught issues that I desire I hadn’t acknowledged. Or now no longer it’s the realm we dwell in.”

As such, his books might per chance per chance per chance also merely now no longer be specializing in trendy complications, he says, adding, “I’m now no longer determined I really beget powerful to offer.

“I are searching to assemble something particular, to give americans pleasure and entertainment in a world wherein persons are, by and neatly-kept, moderately form – after they’re now no longer murdering each various.”

Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz is on hand now.

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There’s An App For That

Have you ever wanted very radio station? A great (and free) alternative is Slacker Radio, which can be a collection of free Internet radio routes. That's what Pandora will provide you. It's pretty simple: You allow Pandora historical past of the of an audio lesson or band Lead Generation Real Estate you like, and Pandora picks out similar-sounding guitar. Best of all, Pandora is often a great for you to discover new music.

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