#i got absolutely stopped dead in my tracks by the beauty of an anime woman. help

[datcravat]

MOTHER

[mostlymovieswithmax]

Movies I watched in May

Sadly, I kind of skipped writing a post for April. It was a mad month with so much going on: lots of emails sent and lots of stress. I started a new job so I’m getting to grips with that... and even then, I still watched a bunch of movies. But this is about what I watched in May and, yeah… still a bunch. So if you’re looking to get into some other movies - possibly some you’ve thought about watching but didn’t know what they were like, or maybe like the look of something you’ve never heard of - then this may help! So here’s every film I watched from the 1st to the 31st of May 2021 Tenet (2020) - 8/10 This was my third time watching Christopher Nolan’s most Christopher Nolan movie ever and it makes no sense but I still love it. The spectacle of it all is truly like nothing I’ve ever seen. I had also watched it four days prior to this watch also, only this time I had enabled audio description for the visually impaired, thinking it would make it funny… It didn’t.

Nomadland (2020) - 6/10 Chloé Zhao’s new movie got a lot of awards attention. Everyone was hyped for this and when it got put out on Disney+ I was eager to see what all the fuss was about. Seeing these real nomads certainly gave the film an authenticity, along with McDormand’s ever-praisable acting. But generally I found it quite underwhelming and lacking a lot in its pacing. Nomadland surely has its moments of captivating cinematography and enticing commentary on the culture of these people, but it felt like it went on forever without any kind of forward direction or goal. The Prince of Egypt (1998) - 6/10 I reviewed this on my podcast, The Sunday Movie Marathon. For what it is, it’s pretty fun but nowhere near as good as some of the best DreamWorks movies.

Chinatown (1974) - 8/10 What a fantastic and wonderfully unpredictable mystery crime film! I regret to say I’ve not seen many Jack Nicholson performances but he steals the show. Despite Polanski’s infamy, it’d be a lie to claim this wasn’t truly masterful. Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) - 8/10 Admittedly I was half asleep as I curled up on the sofa to watch this again on a whim. I watched this with someone who demanded the dubbed version over the subtitled version and while I objected heavily, I knew I’d seen the movie before so it didn’t matter too much. That person also fell asleep about 20 minutes in, so how pointless an argument it was. Howl’s Moving Castle boasts superb animation, the likes of which I’ve only come to expect of Miyazaki. The story is so unique and the colours are absolutely gorgeous. This may not be my favourite from the legendary director but there’s no denying its splendour.

Bāhubali: The Beginning (2015) - 3/10 The next morning I watched some absolute trash. This crazy, over the top Indian movie is hilarious and I could perhaps recommend it if it weren’t so long. That being said, Bāhubali was not a dumpster fire; it has a lot of good-looking visual effects and it’s easy to see the ambition for this epic story, it just doesn’t come together. There’s fun to be had with how the main character is basically the strongest man in the world and yet still comes across as just a lucky dumbass, along with all the dancing that makes no sense but is still entertaining to watch. Seven Samurai (1954) - 10/10 If it wasn’t obvious already, Seven Samurai is a masterpiece. I reviewed this on The Sunday Movie Marathon podcast, so more thoughts can be found there. Red Road (2006) - 6/10 Another recommendation on episode 30 of the podcast. Red Road really captures the authentic British working class experience. Before Sunrise (1995) - 10/10 One of the best romances put to film. The first in Richard Linklater’s Before Trilogy is undoubtedly my favourite, despite its counterparts being almost equally as good. It tells the story of a young couple travelling through Europe, who happen to meet on a train and spend the day together. It is gloriously shot on location in Vienna and features some of the most interesting dialogue I’ve ever seen put to film. Heartbreakingly beautiful.

Tokyo Story (1953) - 9/10 This Japanese classic - along with being visually and sonically masterful - is a lot about appreciating the people in your life and taking the time to show them that you love them. It’s about knowing it’s never too late to rekindle old relationships if you truly want to, which is something I’ve been able to relate to in recent years. It broke my heart in two. Tokyo Story will make you want to call your mother. Before Sunset (2004) - 10/10 Almost a decade after Sunrise, Sunset carries a sombre yet relieving feeling. Again, the performances from Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke take me away, evoking nostalgic feelings as they stroll through the contemporary Parisian streets. There is no regret in me for buying the Criterion blu-ray boxset for this trilogy. Before Midnight (2013) - 10/10 Here, Linklater cements this trilogy as one of the best in film history. It’s certainly not the ending I expected, yet it’s an ending I appreciate endlessly. Because it doesn’t really end. Midnight shows the troubling times of a strained relationship; one that has endured so long and despite initially feeling almost dreamlike in how idealistically that first encounter was portrayed, the cracks appear as the film forces you to come to terms with the fact that fairy-tale romances just don’t exist. Relationships require effort and sacrifice and sometimes the ones that truly work are those that endure through all the rough patches to emerge stronger. The Holy Mountain (1973) - 10/10 Jodorowsky’s masterpiece is absolute insanity. I talked more about it on The Sunday Movie Marathon podcast.

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) - 10/10 Another watch for Grand Budapest because I bought the Criterion blu-ray. As unalterably perfect as ever. Blue Jay (2016) - 6/10 Rather good up to a point. My co-hosts and I did not agree on how good this movie was, which is a discussion you can listen to on my podcast. Shadow and Bone: The Afterparty (2021) - 3/10 For what it’s worth, I really enjoyed the first season of Shadow and Bone, which is why I wanted to see what ‘The Afterparty’ was about. This could have been a lot better and much less annoying if all those terrible comedians weren’t hosting and telling bad jokes. I don’t want to see Fortune Feimster attempt to tell a joke about oiling her body as the cast of the show sit awkwardly in their homes over Zoom. If it had simply been a half hour, 45 minute chat with the cast and crew about how they made the show and their thoughts on it, a lot of embarrassment and time-wasting could have been spared. Wadjda (2012) - 6/10 Another recommendation discussed at length on The Sunday Movie Marathon. Wadjda was pretty interesting from a cultural perspective but largely familiar in terms of story structure.

Freddy Got Fingered (2001) - 2/10 A truly terrible movie with maybe one or two scenes that stop it from being a complete catastrophe. Tom Green tried to create something that almost holds a middle finger to everyone who watches it and to some that could be a fun experience, but to me it just came across as utterly irritating. It’s simply a bunch of scenes threaded together with an incredibly loose plot. He wears the skin of a dead deer, smacks a disabled woman over and over again on the legs to turn her on, and he swings a newborn baby around a hospital room by its umbilical cord (that part was actually pretty funny). I cannot believe I watched this again, although I think I repressed a lot of it since having seen it for the first time around five years ago. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 - (2011) I have to say, these movies seem to get better with each instalment. They’re still not very good though. That being said, I’m amazed at how many times I’ve watched each of the Twilight movies at this point. This time around, I watched Breaking Dawn - Part 1 with a YMS commentary track on YouTube and that made the experience a lot more entertaining. Otherwise, this film is super dumb but pretty entertaining. I would recommend watching these movies with friends. Solaris (1972) - 8/10 Andrei Tarkovsky’s grand sci-fi epic about the emotional crises of a crew on the space station orbiting the fictional planet Solaris is much as strange and creepy as you might expect from the master Russian auter. I had wanted to watch this for a while so I bought the Criterion blu-ray and it’s just stunning. It’s clear to see the 2001: A Space Odyssey inspiration but Solaris is quite a different beast entirely. Jaws (1975) - 4/10 I really tried to get into this classic movie, but Jaws exhibits basically everything I don’t like about Steven Spielberg’s directing. For sure, the effects are crazily good but the story itself is poorly handled and largely uninteresting. It was just a massive slog to get through.

Darkman (1990) - 6/10 Sam Raimi’s superhero movie is so much fun, albeit massively stupid. Further discussion on Darkman can be found on episode 32 of The Sunday Movie Marathon podcast. Darkman II: The Return of Durant (1995) - 1/10 Abysmal. I forgot the movie as I watched it. This was part of a marathon my friends and I did for episode 32 of our podcast. Darkman III: Die Darkman Die (1996) - 1/10 Perhaps this trilogy is not so great after all. Only marginally better than Darkman II but still pretty terrible. More thoughts on episode 32 of my podcast. F For Fake (1973) - 8/10 Rewatching this proved to be a worthwhile decision. Albeit slightly boring, there��s no denying how crazy the story of this documentary about art forgers is. The standout however, is the director himself. Orson Welles makes a lot of this film about himself and how hot his girlfriend is and it is hilarious.

The Mitchells vs. The Machines (2021) - 4/10 More style over substance, Sony’s new animated adventure wants so much to be in trend with the current internet culture but it simply doesn’t understand what it’s emulating. There’s a nyan cat reference, for crying out loud. For every joke that works, there are about ten more that do not and were it not for the wonderful animation, it simply wouldn’t be getting so much praise. Taxi Driver (1976) - 10/10 The first movie I’ve seen in a cinema since 2020 and damn it was good to be back! I’ve already reviewed Taxi Driver in my March wrap-up but seeing it in the cinema was a real treat. Irreversible (2002) - 8/10 One of the most viscerally horrendous experiences I’ve ever had while watching a movie. I cannot believe a friend of mine gave me the DVD to watch. More thoughts on episode 32 of The Sunday Movie Marathon podcast. Don’t watch it with the family. The Golden Compass (2007) - 1/10 I had no recollection of this being as bad as it is. The Golden Compass is the definition of a factory mandated movie. Nothing it does on its own is worth any kind of merit. I would say, if you wanted an experience like what this tries to communicate, a better option by far is the BBC series, His Dark Materials. More of my thoughts can be found in the review I wrote on Letterboxd.

Antichrist (2009) - 8/10 Lars von Trier is nothing if not provocative and I can understand why someone would not like Antichrist, but I enjoyed it quite a lot. After watching it, I wrote a slightly disjointed summary of my interpretations of this highly metaphorical movie in the group chat, so fair warning for a bit of spoilers and graphic descriptions: It's like, the patriarchy, man! Oppression! Men are the rational thinkers with big brains and the women just cry and be emotional. So she's seen as crazy when she's smashing his cock and driving a drill through his leg to keep him weighted down. Like, how does he like it, ya know? So then she mutilates herself like she did with him and now they're both wounded, but the animals crowd around her (and the crow that he couldn't kill because it's Mother nature, not Father nature, duh). Then he kills her, even though she could've killed him loads of times but didn't. So it's like "haha big win for the man who was subjected to such horrific torture. Victory!" And then all the women with no faces come out of the woods because it's like a constant cycle. Manchester By The Sea (2016) - 6/10 Great performances in this super sad movie. I can’t say I got too much out of it though. Roar (1981) - 9/10 Watching Roar again was still as terrifying an experience as the first time. If you want to watch something that’s loose on plot with poor acting but with real big cats getting in the way of production and physically attacking people, look no further. This is the scariest movie I’ve ever seen because it’s all basically real. Cannot recommend it enough. Eyes Without A Face (1960) - 8/10 I’m glad I checked this old French movie out again. There’s a lot to marvel at in so many aspects, what with the premise itself - a mad surgeon taking the faces from unsuspecting women and transplanting them onto another - being incredibly unique for the time. Short, sweet and entertaining!

Se7en (1995) - 10/10 The first in a David Fincher marathon we did for The Sunday Movie Marathon, episode 33. Zodiac (2007) - 10/10 Second in the marathon, as it was getting late, we decided to watch half that evening and the last half on the following evening. Zodiac is a brilliant movie and you can hear more of my thoughts on the podcast (though I apologise; my audio is not the best in this episode). Gone Girl (2014) - 10/10 My favourite Fincher movie. More insights into this masterpiece in episode 33 of the podcast. Friends: The Reunion (2021) - 6/10 It was heartwarming to see the old actors for this great show together again. I talked about the Friends reunion film at length in episode 33 of my podcast.

Wolfwalkers (2020) - 10/10 I reviewed this in an earlier post but would like to reiterate just how wonderful Wolfwalkers is. If you get the chance, please see it in the cinema. I couldn’t stop crying from how beautiful it was. Raya and The Last Dragon (2021) - 6/10 After watching Wolfwalkers, I decided I didn’t want to go home. So I had lunch in town and booked a ticket for Disney’s Raya and The Last Dragon. A child was coughing directly behind me the entire time. Again, I reviewed this in an earlier post but generally it was decent but I have so many problems with the execution. The Princess Bride (1987) - 9/10 Clearly I underrated this the last time I watched it. The Princess Bride is warm and hilarious with some delightfully memorable characters. A real classic!

The Invisible Kid (1988) - 1/10 About as good as you’d expect a movie with that name to be, The Invisible Kid was a pick for The Sunday Movie Marathon podcast, the discussion for which you can listen to in episode 34. Babel (2006) - 9/10 The same night that I watched The Invisible Kid, I watched a masterful and dour drama from the director of Birdman and The Revenant. Babel calls back to an earlier movie of Iñárritu’s, called Amores Perros and as I was informed while we watched this for the podcast, it turns out Babel is part of a trilogy alongside the aforementioned film. More thoughts in episode 34 of the podcast. Snake Eyes (1998) - 1/10 After feeling thoroughly emotionally wiped out after Babel, we immediately watched another recommendation for the podcast: Snake Eyes, starring Nicolas Cage. This was a truly underwhelming experience and for more of a breakdown into what makes this movie so bad, you can listen to us talk about it on the podcast.

[maybe-your-left]

Skiing day two with Dr Ren and Gucci please 😘

Skiing - Part 2 Gucci & Dr. Ren M.D.

TW: INFIDELITY (only Gucci)

You barely slept, unable to swallow the guilt that had settled. You slept with a married man, who had you meet him in an extra room. Separate from his family, so he could fuck some random woman he met.

It felt disgusting, knowing you were that random woman.

What felt even worse, was how his touch lingered. His fingertips tracing every line of your skin, plush lips tasting every inch. Tongue laving at your nipples while you cried, legs open wide for his cock.

Maurizio made you cum three times, fucked you on the bed, on the couch, bent over by the fire. Digging his hands into your hair, cracking your back so you would arch for him.

Cumming deep inside your cunt, moaning when he saw it dribble down the back of your thighs. A thick finger swiping it up, to bring it back where it belonged.

No amount of hot water could scrub the shame, the tingle of your skin from his words. How beautiful you were, how he loved your cunt, ‘such a wonderful little dove’, ‘you taste of heaven’.

Wiping your tears away with the pads of his thumb, a soft kiss as you walked out. You looked back from down the hall, seeing him leave moments later. Hair put together, glasses back on, barely looking like he spent the past hour fucking someone.

Must be a normal thing.

———

“Holy shit,” you groaned, legs sore from more than skiing. Barely able to get dressed for another day, you debated just staying in the lounge. But you spent so much to be here, and all your friends were going.

You didn’t want to be alone, in case Maurizio decided to see you. You promised yourself you would t indulge him again, it was wrong. Even though it felt so right, so delicious.

Maybe one kiss wouldn’t hurt.

“Come on, let’s go get food,” your friends yelled, filing out the doors to the halls. Ski suits dangling around your waists, you carried your boots under one arm. Hooking arms with one of your companions, he knew you were having trouble walking.

Didn’t know why, but he was helping you.

Making you laugh, smile, feel so much better. You had almost forgotten about your shame until you made it to the lounge. Making full eye contact with Maurizio, who looked just as shocked.

You stalled for a moment, gasping at him. On his arm was a child, maybe 4-5 in age. Clinging to her father, and there standing next to him was the woman on the slopes. Who was wearing all red, now dressed in even finer clothes.

Maurizio smirked at you, seeming to not care that he was with a child and wife. “Trouble on the slopes?”

You opened your mouth, shocked he even spoke to you. Weren’t you supposed to keep things like this under wraps? Next to you, your friend piped up, “She must’ve fallen yesterday. You know how it is, women are clumsy.”

“Real women aren’t,” the woman sniped, snatching Maurizios free arm and dragging him away. You glared after her, wounded by her calling you a fake woman. Who did she think she was?

“She seemed high strung.”

“Yeah,” you mumbled, “I’m sure she’s a bundle of joy.”

———

You spent the rest of the day with no incident, didn’t see Maurizio or his frigid bitch of a wife on the slopes. Nor did you see his adorable daughter, instead you could focus on the landscapes.

The sloping mountains, snow banks, pine trees, fresh air, little tracks from animals burrowing for the winter. You were in awe, it really was a luxury. Something you wish you had more of, like Maurizio said.

You deserved it all.

Dinner was beautiful again, all of you mourning the end of your trip. Knowing that tomorrow you’d have to drive back down the mountain. To head to your small apartments in the bustling city of Milan.

You excused yourself from the group, needing to use the powder room. Not paying attention to your surroundings, leaving you alone on the walk down the dimly lit halls.

A whistle drew your attention, spinning around to see the culprit. Much to your surprise, Maurizio was walking down the hall. Hands stuffed in his pockets, a lush black turtleneck, some tight pants. Even under the darkness you could see his smirk, blue eyes devouring your form.

“Dove, you’ve been avoiding me.”

You scoffed, “I wonder why?”

He shrugged, now standing directly in front of you. The smell of his cologne filling your nostrils, the cut of his shirt showing his impressive frame. Lowering your defenses, “Why did you have to be married?”

“That’s not important.”

“Your wife is here,” you hissed, “She knows you did something!”

“I���m sure she does,” he brushed a stray hair from your face. Cupping your with a warm palm, “It wouldn’t be the first time, but you’re the first one I’ve come back to sweet dove.”

“Oh.”

“Shall we go for a walk,” he held his arm for you to take, “That way we can discuss our future.”

———

You don’t know how it happened, but you ended up in his bed again.

Panting and wailing under him, ankles on his strong shoulders. Cunt filled repeatedly by his cock, babbling how beautiful you were. So perfect, fit so well with him. His sweet dove, no one else could have you now.

He filled you with his cum over and over, well into the early morning. Telling you his wife didn’t matter, not when he had you. She could be handled tomorrow, bought off with another trip, maybe another child.

Maurizio walked out with you, telling you how wonderful you were. You assumed that would be it, you were his holiday romp. Never to be seen again, that was better to keep it how it was.

In the past.

You slept soundly on the drive home, smiling happily when you were dropped off. Grabbing your bags from the car, they felt heavier than before. But you were tired, from being thrown around in every position Maurizio wanted you in.

Throwing your bags on the ground of your apartment, you walked to the answering machine. A few messages, you clicked yes to listen.

Hello, this is Collette from Mr. Maurizio Gucci’s office. He was hoping to hear from you, there’s a package being sent to your residence that he wanted to discuss. Here’s his direct line for your convenience. Have a nice rest of your day!

You almost pushed Belle down the mountain, face flooded with embarrassment. Of course, your daughter heard you begging to be fucked. And of course, it had to be when you called her dad, Daddy. Because you have daddy issues, hence the husband who is 14 years your senior.

Its fine.

This is fine.

“Hey mom,” Belle stood with you at the base of the mountain, watching Ren and Odin play in the snow. “Do you want to hear my new ringtone?”

“Sure.”

“I think you’re gonna love it,” she smiled, “It’s for you and dad.”

She held it to your ear, “Fuck my ass Daddy!”

You snatched her phone, furiously locking it to stop the sound of you wailing loud enough to hear through the WALLS. Completely ignoring how she recorded her dad growling afterwards, you ran off towards Ren.

Belle squealing when you took off, “Mom! Give it back!”

“No!”

“MOM!”

“Kylo!”

Ren looked over his shoulder, frowning when he saw you running over the snow. Your hand extending Belles phone as high as you could hold it. Even though Belle was taller than you (thanks Kylo!), a hand square on her chest to hold her off like a rabid dog.

“What the fuck is going on over there?”

Belle screamed, probably alerting the resort security.

“Mom took my phone!”

“Were you being a shit?”

You wiggled away from Belle, throwing her phone as hard as you could towards Ren. She paled when it slid to his knees, Ren was holding Odin. Looking down at it with little interest, even though his daughter now had you pinned to the cold snow.

She cackled when she got you down, sitting on your back. “Dad, can I have my phone back?” You squirmed under her, jesus. What were you feeding her? Is she always going to be this strong? Is it just in the Ren genes, would Odin overpower you??

You heard snow boots coming over, accepting your fate. Maybe the cold snow would cool the heat rising in your cheeks, because Belle was absolutely going to show her dad what she heard. And he would probably laugh and say something gross.

Odins little body fall over yours, mimicking Belle. You heard your back crack, groaning under their weight. Now you would be hurt, emotionally and physically, all the way in Italy. With your demon children and Satan himself.

“Why are you tackling your mother?”

“Because she’s a whore.”

Ren growled, “Don’t call her that! Who do you think you are?”

Belle scoffed, “You call her that all the time! You just don’t think I can hear it!”

“Kylo,” you whined, “Get them off me please.”

The children stood, soon you were lifted by your husband. Looking down at you concerned, brow furrowed as he brushed snow off you. “Belle, apologize to your mother.”

She rolled her eyes, “You guys should be apologizing to me.”

Ren scoffed, “What is going on with you? We’re on vacation, do I need to send you home to go be with your birth mother?”

You grabbed the phone from Ren, stuffing it in your breast pocket so neither of them had it. “I need a drink,” you push past the stalemate. waving kisses to your son who was holding Rens hand.

———

Belle hounded you all evening for her phone, but you kept it tucked away. Staying on Rens arm the entire night, at dinner in the lounge you were half on his lap. Your children sitting across from you, Odin snoring by the fire pit after having a s’more.

You clung to Ren, kissing behind his ear while the flames flickered out. He chuckled at you, “What’s wrong, Love?”

“Nothing,” you trailed a finger up his arm, “I’m just tired.”

“Let’s get them to bed,” he kissed your forehead, standing up without you. Ren ushered Belle out of her chair, even though she was half asleep too. You listened to her groan, “I’ll carry Odin, you can carry her.”

You both dragged the children up to the rooms, Belle was dead weight in her fathers arms. Carrying her like she was nothing, while you struggled to hold your 60 pound baby.

Ren carried Belle in carefully, setting her on the bed, you watched him with tears eyes as he laid her. Like she was five all over again, kissing her forehead. You tucked in Odin in the same fashion, swapping with Ren so you could love on your daughter.

It was hard to believe she wasn’t yours, you’d spent so much time with her. Belle was your baby, before you had a real baby. Defending her from Callie, wanting to share moments with her. Fighting to be a mother figure in her eyes, and it paid off.

“Come to bed, love.”

You let Ren carry you away, throwing you on your large bed.

He pulled off his clothes, “So, why did Belle attack you earlier?”

You laughed, curling into the sheets, still fully dressed. Ren grumbled at that, tugging your clothes off as your tried to burrow.

“Lovely,” he cooed, burying his face into your bare breasts. “Why did Belle upset you today?”

You shushed him, letting out an exhausted sigh.

“Why’d we get an attached room?”

———

i fucking love gucci. also DIDNT PROOFREAD

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[twothumbsandnostakeincanon]

Little bit sick, little bit sleep deprived, but above all desperately in sudden need of a Corpse Bride au, but with polyamory like the original SHOULD have ended.

Like say the Argents are the old money family, whose money has actually run out after Gerard dumped all of it into hunting. It’s left Chris with nothing to give his daughter.

The Stilinskis are nouveau riche, and good people. John offers to help out Chris, possibly lend him money for stable investments that might help. Chris is embarrassed but grateful. Victoria is ashamed and suspicious.

She insists that the deal can only go through with a marriage of their children to ensure that the fates of their families are intertwined. John won’t be able to pull the money out from under them without it effecting his own son negatively.

Chris is 100% against it, ready to say absolutely not, but Allison steps in. She knows what their financial sitation is. Their house is falling apart around them. She’s willing to do whatever has to be done to save them.

John, for his part, is shocked by the request. He offered his help, and now they’re asking for his son? He’s ready to say no, to condemn Victoria’s interference, but Stiles, like Allison, steps in.

The Argents need help. Stiles is under no illusions as to how most marriages work. His parents’ was one of the very few that began for love rather than economic reasons. He’s never met Allison, but has heard enough about her from their social circles to think they’ll make passable partners. There’s really no reason to say no, especially not if it will save her family from poverty.

The arrangement is made, and they meet. It goes better than anyone could have hoped, honestly. Stiles is happy to find Allison clever and engaging, and Allison is relieved to find that Stiles seems to be very encouraging of her sportsmanship. It certainly doesn’t hurt that they make a gorgeous pair.

It’s not love at first sight, but it could easily grow into something beautiful.

The ceremony is rushed, what with a rather immediate need for money. The invitations are sent out to family and friends- the McCalls, the Hales, the Martins- but almost no one will be able to arrive until the day of the wedding. Luckily at least one family member is able to make it for the rehearsal dinner.

Allison always was a favorite of Aunt Kate.

Stiles is nervous, though. His ADHD doesn’t do memorization very well, and he cannot, for the fucking life of him, remember his vows. Despite quiet encouragement from Allison, the anxiety starts to overwhelm him and he has to step outside for a moment between courses.

He paces in the woods just out of sight for a bit, trying to remember the words.

“Your cup- this cup- ah fuck.”

He gives up and pulls the little sheet of paper out of the pocket, reciting the whole thing from beginning to end.

“With this hand I will lift your sorrows

Your cup will never be empty, for I will be your wine.

With this candle, I will light your way into darkness.

With this ring, I ask you to be mine.”

A sudden howl of wind tears through the grove of trees he stands in. Dead leaves swirl around him, and the ground beneath his feet begins to move, rolling as if it were being pulled like the tide. Stiles falls on his back.

A figure appears before him, a half decayed body dressed in a tattered suit, the space between exposed ribs showing the starry sky behind him.

“I do, darling.”

Stiles wakes up in a bar in the underworld. Convenient, as he’s honestly never been more prepared for a drink in his life. It’s too bad all of the drinks are for a deader liver than his.

The handsome corpse- can a corpse be handsome? Stiles spends a moment on the question, and decides that finding a corpse handsome is probably the least of the things he should be worrying about right now.

The corpse, who is by at least some definition handsome, introduces himself as Peter, and then turns around and immediately starts introducing Stiles as his husband.

“Uh, sir? Excuse me sir?”

“Oh ‘sir’ is it?” Peter says with a sinful smile and a raised eyebrow. “I can work with that.”

“No- I mean maybe- Wait, no, I can’t be your husband! I’m about to be someone else’s husband!”

“But you’re already mine,” Peter points out. “You asked and I said yes.”

“I wasn’t talking to you, I was just-“ Stiles waves a vague hand, “-talking.”

Peter frowns a little.

“But I said yes. We’re married now.” He shrugs a little, as if it’s no consequence. “I suppose if you’re really attached to them, they can be our husband too.”

“Wife,” Stiles corrects, wondering how a dead man is steering this conversation so successfully when he doesn’t even have all of his finger bones.

“Oh a wife! I’m not picky. It’s good to have variety.”

Meanwhile, above ground, Allison knows something must have happened to Stiles. Her mother is convinced that this is just the Stilinski’s trying to ruin their family name, and Chris is desperately trying to keep the peace between her on the warpath and John freaking out over his missing son. Allison tries to slip out with her bow to track him, but Kate catches her.

“You should stay here,” she says, guiding Allison back to her room. “Who knows what your mother will think if you disappear too?”

Allison argues, tries to reason with her, but before long she’s back in her room, listening to the lock of the door click behind her.

Frankly she’s shocked that Kate would take such an attitude about this. She’s always been supportive of Allison’s archery and tracking. Maybe even too supportive, because Kate’s attempts to stop Allison have zero affect on her. It’s just ten minutes later that Allison disappears into the woods after climbing out her window and down the side of the house.

Kate, meanwhile, is just thrilled that she doesn’t have to come up with her own diversion. The chaos of the missing fiancé will provide the perfect cover for her to intercept the Hales before they arrive, and finish killing them off.

Underground, Stiles discovers that if he listens closely, Peter reveals a lot in the spaces between words. Eventually Peter admits that he has to have a True Love Up Top in order to visit the living. And he has one very, very important visit to make.

“She promised to elope with your nephew, and then tried to murder him?” Stiles whispers, shocked.

“Wolfsbane,” Peter answers grimly, and to be honest, werewolves have been the most acceptable surprise Stiles has suffered today. “He got away. I didn’t.”

“Shit.”

They’re both silent for a minute.

The Stiles says, “Alright, well what are we waiting for? Let’s go kill her.”

Peter falls a little bit in actual love then.

When they get to Elder Gutknecht, Peter proudly lifts up his hand, showing off the ring rattling around the bone there, and says, “Gotta pop up for a bit and visit the in-laws!”

Elder Gutknecht peers closely at Stiles (who is trying not to think too hard about the purpose of glasses for a skeleton) and says, “What the hell have you done now, Peter.”

“You said I had to have a True Love who was still alive!” Peter says, stubborn. “This is my True Love, Stiles. The truest love. We’re married, even. That’s how in True Love we are. And he’s alive. Send us up, Gutknecht.” There’s more than a touch of threat to his tone by the end.

Elder Gutknecht, who was not prepared for this in seminary and honestly thought there would be more clouds and wings in his afterlife, says, “Fuck it. Drink this. You have 12 hours.”

Moments later, they’re standing in the grove where Stiles recited his vows on accident. Allison immediately drops down from a tree, bow pointed directly at Peter.

“Step away from my fiancé,” she growls, sounding utterly threatening and wolf-like in her own right.

“Oh, is this our wife?” Peter asks, delighted.

“Ally, where’s your Aunt Kate?” Stiles rushes to ask, stepping between them.

Allison lowers her bow, confused.

“She’s back at the house,” she says slowly. “At least I think so. She locked me in my room and I had to sneak out.”

Peter’s lost his sense of smell with the degrading of his body, but he still has other senses to rely on.

He hears coaches and horses.

Familiar coaches and horses.

His family is arriving.

Peter takes off running through the woods, Allison hot on his heels, not at all convinced that she doesn’t need to shoot him. Stiles falls behind, but manages to keep them in his sight.

Up ahead, Kate is lying in wait with wolfsbane smoke bombs, ready to disrupt the coaches and massacre the beasts within. Or she was ready, before her brother discovered her.

“Kate, you can’t do this,” he says through gritted teeth. “It’s murder. This is how our father destroyed our family.”

“It’s not murder to kill a wild animal,” she says, neither listening nor caring. The coaches appear. She throws a smoke bomb and opens fire. Peter hears everything from the tree line as he barrels toward them, and Allison sees what her Aunt has done.

Chris tries to tackle her but only succeeds in knocking her aim astray. The Hales are stumbling out of their coaches now, coughing and choking. Talia is trying to gather her betas, trying to asses the danger, but suddenly she sees the image of her dead brother and wonders if maybe they’ve already lost to whatever attacked them.

Then her brother leaps at a woman on the side of the road and rips her throat out.

Maybe not a ghostly spectre after all.

It’s all a bit of a Business™ after that.

Explanations are had, both past and present. Peter rushes things along a bit, because he only has like 11 hours left now and it’s going to take at least 9 to do the necromantic ritual that will bring him back to life, suck on that Elder Gutknecht.

Chris explains to Allison about their family’s hunting history. The Hales explain to Chris exactly what Kate had done. Stiles explains how he accidentally got married. Peter explains again that he really has to get moving now.

In the end, Stiles and Allison still get married. Peter is in attendance with the rest of the Hales, and at the reception somehow manages to get the second dance with both the bride and the groom.

He doesn’t give the ring back. He manages to get a third matching one in time for the ceremony though.

[duhragonball]

Hellsing Ch. 70-76

I guess anything I say here is a spoiler, so yeah, this is “Heart of Dreams”, “Relics”, “Heart of Iron”, and the arc “Finest Hour”.  Oh, and “Lunatic Dawn”.   Gotta lotta ground to cover.    Treacherous ground.

Not a whole lot to say about Anderson’s death.  He tried to become a monster using one of the Holy Nails from the True Cross, and then Alucard defeated him anyway, once Seras gave him a little help and a reason to go on living.   Alucard was pretty upset about Anderson’s demise, but Anderson says a few soothing words, and reminds him that Al only became a vampire because he couldn’t stand being a human, so it doesn’t make a lot of sense for him to cry now.  

So yeah, as determined as Anderson was to kill Alucard, he’s a pretty good sport about losing this fight, and he seems to genuinely pity the man.   He wonders how long Alucard will go on living with his regrets, and Al replies “Until my expansive future shatters my expansive past.”  So, if we want to take that literally, I guess he’s trying to find redemption by being a good guy to make up for his years as a bad guy.   Well, he’s been a vampire for 523 years, and a servant of Hellsing for 101 of those years, so I guess maybe he figures if he trucks along for another 321 years that’d balance the scales?  

And maybe I’m finally starting to appreciate some of the complexities of Alucard’s character.   The Team Four Star Abridged series spent some time on his desire for redemption, but I couldn’t tell if it was based on the original material or something they came up with for their own version.   For instance, the Abridged!Alucard rejected the forgiveness offered by God himself, but later Anderson spoke of his desire for redemption and Alucard didn’t dispute that.    It seemed contradictory to me at the time, but the manga does seem to support that.    As Vlad Tepes, he refused to ask God for anything, preferring instead to fight and drive himself and his followers to the limits of endurance and decency as proof of their faith.   

I find that idea heretical, because it suggests that a person can “earn” God’s favor, or God’s forgiveness, or a place in heaven.    Arguably, Anderson tried to do the same thing, but I think he was coming more from a place of doing zealous deeds out of gratitude for the Lord’s grace, rather than trying to earn anything he didn’t already have.  

The difference with Alucard is that he seemed to be really wrongheaded about his faith, trying to use violence to become a good person.   Then it didn’t work, and he became a vampire, devoted entirely to his own selfish desires, and I guess he’s spent the 20th Century realizing that he’s back where he started, trying to fight his way to redemption, only now he has centuries of red in his ledger instead of mere decades.   

Oh, anyway, while this is going on, Integra takes a sword and stands it upright so it looks like a cross to mark Anderson’s death.   It’s like this quiet sign of respect.   I’m not sure whose sword that is, but it looks like the one Alucard was using in his Dracula persona.   

Anyway, fuck all that, because Walter finally shows up and stomps the ashes of Anderson just as everyone was having their final farewell with the guy.  Rude.

Young Walter just looks kind of stupid to me.  Why is he still wearing the monocle?  He’s trying to be 14 and 69 at the same time and failing at both.

Seras asks what Millennium did to him, but Walter makes it clear that this isn’t some brainwashing trope.   He’s doing this of his own free will.

He also doesn’t consider himself loyal to Millennium.    They turned him into a vampire, but he’s doing this for himself, and he’s only cooperating with them because their goals are in alignment.  

Yumiko Takagi tries to kill Walter for... Was she mad at him for stomping on Anderson’s remains?    I mean, Alucard’s the one who actually killed Anderson, so shouldn’t she be mad at that guy? 

It doesn’t matter, because Walt just slices her into pieces with his magic filaments.    Now Heinkel Wolfe wants revenge, because she was her long-time partner in assassin stuff.   The TFS Abridged series implied that they were lovers, too, which seemed authentic at the time, but I’m not sure there’s any confirmation to be found in the manga itself. 

But before she can take the shot, the Captain shows up and shoots Heinkel in the face.    Like, through one cheek  and out the other, and the only thing saving her from serious injury was that she happened to have her mouth open at the time.  

Side note: I caught myself referring to Heinkel as “him”, which frustrates me because I’ve known she was a woman for like five years now.    When I first watched the OVA, I was confused, becuase I could tell it was a female voice actor, but maybe that just meant he was really young, like with Schrodinger.   But the Hellsing Wiki set me straight, or so I thought.    I didn’t think I’d still be making this mistake. 

On the other hand, Yumiko sometimes looks a lot like Goemon from Lupin III, so her wearing a nun’s habit isn’t as heteronormative as it might seem.  I’m getting off-track.

You’d think this would be leading up to some big double-team on the Hellsing group, now that the Iscariots are out of the picture, but the Captain’s only stopping Heinkel so Walter can have a clear shot at Alucard.    That’s the sole reason Walter turned traitor, you see.   He wants to fight Alucard and win, and for the last 55 years they’ve been on the same side.  

But is that all it is?   I never got to read or watch “Hellsing: The Dawn”, the prequel manga Kouta Hirano created after Hellsing.  I’ve heard that it never got finished, but also an anime adaptation was released with the home video release of Hellsing Ultimate Episode VIII.  All I really know about it was that there was this time where Alucard and Walter were fighting the Nazis, and the Captain showed up, and Alucard ran away because he didn’t think he could beat that dude. Presumably, he left Walter to fend for himself?   But all three of them survived until 1999, so I’m not sure what the outcome of that was.   I always wondered if Walter held a grudge over that.   But maybe I’m reaching. 

There’s also a suggestion of professional jealousy.  Walter was a rockstar vampire hunter in his youth, but he’s been overshadowed by Alucard, who is--let’s face it-- a living legend.  This would be doubly true in the 90′s, when Integra reawakened Alucard, and Walter having to step back even further from the spotlight.  The only way for him to reclaim his former glory would be to challenge the greatest of all vampires and win.    He’d go down in history as a traitor, but at least he’d be cemented as the absolute best.  

Or... or, you can go with the TFS version, where Walter hints at his motives, only for Alucard to take the wind out of his sails and announce “because you wanna fuck me!”   And I love that theory more than any other explanation, because it just brings everything together a lot more neatly.   I guess you don’t need Walter to have had a crush on Alucard for 55 years, but it’s a lot more compelling than revenge or professional jealousy.    Those things have weight, sure, but they work better as distractions, the things Walter might admit to because they hide the deeper reason that he can’t bring himself to say out loud.   

And it’s not entirely rejected by the manga.  Alucard remarks on how much more beautiful Walter looked in his old age, compared to this treasonous knockoff vampire look he’s sporting now.   The last time he spoke this way, it was when he flirted with Queen Elizabeth II.   The next time he does it, it’ll be with Sir Integra when she’s in her early 50′s.

Speaking of QE2, she’s safe and sound, because the Secret Service evacuated her to a fortified location in Dover before Millennium attacked.   If things get really hairy, they’re prepared to send her to Canada, and if London can’t be secured, they’ll nuke the whole city, though the Queen is certain that Integra and Alucard will win the day.  The vampires acting as Millennium agents outside of London are being contained and destroyed, so things seem to be getting under some semblance of control.  

However, the Royal Order of Protestant Knights, also known as the “Round Table” is down to just three surviving members.   Integra’s in London, but here we have Rob Walsh and Hugh Irons, reflecting on the death of their fellow Round Tabler, Penwood.  

This whole scene struck me as a complete non sequitur when I first saw it in the anime.  Walter’s betrayal seemed to sudden and poorly explained that it felt like the author was just winging it by this point, and now we have these two dudes struggling to provide some justification for the twist.    But reading this manga in 2021, I find that it makes a lot more sense.    We’ve already seen tons of Britons in rather lofty positions, all willing to sell out their principles for a chance to become a vampire.   Walter is no different from any of them.   It’s just more personal when he does it because we actually know the guy.  

But as Walsh discusses the utter debacle of this Millennium invasion, he deduces what we’ve just learned back in London.   There must have been a traitor in their ranks, because that’s the only way Millennium could have made it this far.   I mean, they just flew a bunch of giant blimps full of rockets right into British airspace.   That only worked because they had traitors sabotaging the U.K.’s defenses and communications, and Hellsing was especially vulnerable at the same time.  

The only thing Walsh can’t figure out is who the traitor was, since it had to be someone at the Round Table, but they’re all dead now, except for Integra, Irons, and himself. 

But Irons fills in the missing pieces.   It doesn’t have to have been one of the Round Table’s members, but someone close to one of the members.   Years ago, Irons warned Walter about Richard Hellsing.   Irons knew that when Arthur died, Richard would try to make a play for the Hellsing estate.   But when Irons’ fears came to pass, Walter wasn’t there.   It’s like he wanted things to play out the way they did.  

But why would Walter want events to play out that way?   On her own, Integra had no choice but to unseal Alucard to defend herself, and she’s kept Alucard active ever since.   And now, lo and behold, Walter reveals that he turned traitor just so he could take on Alucard.   It’s like he arranged for all of this to happen years in advance.   But how many years?    Fifty-five, Irons wonders.   

It’s never explicitly confirmed, but Irons’ reasoning makes too much sense to ignore.    Earlier, the Major said that he decided back in ‘44 that Walter “Angel of Death” Dornez would have been a good “get” for his side.    Now, Irons is suggesting that Walter might have agreed in the same year.   So maybe Walter and the Major made a secret agreement even then.   It’s possible that they might have done it later, but why not in 1944?

I mean, the whole backstory here is that Millennium is a continuation of a secret Nazi Vampire project that Walter and Alucard destroyed in 1944.   Except they didn’t destroy it at all, which sure makes Walter and Al seem very bad at their jobs, unless Walter let them escape and covered it up.

Meanwhile, the Captain tosses a first aid kit to Heinkel, kind of like he’s saying that he doesn’t want to kill Heinkel, but he can’t let her interfere either.   We’ll talk about the Captain later.

As for Alucard vs. Walter, Al wants to check with Integra before he goes through with it.   He asks for orders, repeating his big speech from when he killed all those cops in Brazil.    Yeah, Walter’s a traitor, but he’s been a close mentor and advisor to Integra for all these years.   Does she really want Alucard to killerize his ass?

Yes, she does.   If Walter stands against them, then he’s the enemy, and Integra has already ordered Alucard to destroy the enemy, no matter who (snif!) they may be.  Integra doesn’t relish this command, but she refuses to compromise over sentimental feelings.

Man, fuck you, Walter.  

Then the Major lands his airship near the battlefield and invites Integra to come aboard and fight all of his remaining guys.    Alucard orders Seras to join her while he deals with Walter.   I can appreciate Seras’ concern here, because the last time she watched Alucard fight alone, he took a flaming bayonet to the face.   She probably doesn’t care for Integra and Alucard splitting up like this.

Before she goes, she thanks Walter for all of his support, which disarms Walter for just a moment.   Man, fuck you, Walter.   Seras is so nice and grateful and polite and cool and you just go right ahead with your 55-years-in-the-making Nazi Vampire Jilted Lover scheme.  Fuck you, Walter.   You don’t deserve to be in Seras’ life.

So the gals go on board the airship and Schrodinger’s there and Integra just shoots him right between the eyes without bothering to slow down.    This is maybe my favorite Integra moment in this thing.    I sort of wish Kouta Hirano had done a spin-off of Integra and Seras doing cool shit like this for 30 years.

Alucard taunts Walter with the fact that he no longer gets to be a part of Inegra or Seras’ lives anymore.   It sounds kind of petty, but when you think about it, it’s a pretty sick burn.    Walter may have been planning this for 55 years, but he still had to live that double life, and it’s not like he can just say he was faking it the entire time.  

So they fight.   Walter’s magic wire powers seem to be amplified, either because of his restored youth or maybe the boost offered by vampire powers, or maybe he’s always been this strong but now he no longer needs to hold back anymore.  For instance, he can make mesh screens with his wires to deflect Alucard’s bullets.   And when Alucard summons that dog creature he used to dispatch Luke Valentine....

... Walter just bisects it with a flick of the wrist.   You really begin to see why he was “The Angel of Death” back in his heyday.  

I never understood what this dog familiar was supposed to be.   Walter refers to the Hound of the Baskervilles, but as far as I know that’s just a legend confined to the Sherlock Holmes novel of the same name.   But apparently that concept was based upon “black dog” folklore of the same region.  There’s a whole laundry list of “black dog” apparitions in Britain alone.   Black Shuck, Padfoot, Hairy Jack, Bizarro Snoopy, and so on.   So I’m not sure if Hirano is saying that Alucard was the source of these legends, or if they were all based on a single creature which Alucard eventually defeated and absorbed into himself.   

Al tries to use the Jackal to kill Walter, but that’s kind of stupid, since Walter designed the gun in the first place.   In the anime, I thought Walter somehow triggered a bomb he had planted inside it, but maybe he used his wires to make this happen.   It doesn’t really matter, because we already saw that the Casull was useless against Walter’s defenses, and not because it had smaller ammunition.  

Then Luke Valentine emerges from the black dog’s body.   This part never made any sense to me, but I loved how the Major recognized him, but barely.  “Oh yeah, it’s that guy from Volume 2!    The guy with the brother.”

The doctor suggests that when the dog was killed, this allowed Luke to reassert himself from inside the dog.   Something about a “control ratio”, whatever that is.  Like, he was absorbed into the dog’s mass, but now that the dog is no longer conscious, he can think for himself again.    Notably, only half of Luke actually makes it out .   It’s like he’s half-Luke, half dead dog monster. 

But before he can do anything else, Walter puts his wires into Luke and starts controlling him like a puppet, mostly so he can use the dog half to attack Alucard.

Alucard seems more impressed than threatened.   Keep in mind, Walter was doing pretty damn well against him early on.   You’ll notice Alucard’s missing his right arm along with one of his guns.   This is better than Anderson managed to do.   So why does Walter even need this Luke-dog puppet thing in the first place?

Well, it’s because Walter’s body is giving out on him.   Earlier, when the Doctor was performing the procedure to turn Walter into a vampire, he spoke about how rushed the operation was.  I mean, he had to finish the whole thing in one night, after all.   And Walter’s a lot more powerful than Dandyman, whom the Doctor considered his finest artificial vampire work.    So maybe Walter’s just too powerful for this, and he can’t sustain this form.   The Luke-dog-thing is just to keep Alucard busy while he coughs up blood.

The Major sees this development, and likens Walter to a high stakes gambler who’s mortgaged everything for a single hand at a high stakes table.   Walter’s risked everything just to tangle with Alucard, and it still isn’t enough.

Alucard does manage to finish off the dog-Luke thing, and this sets him up for Walter’s next attack, and then he goes to finish him off, so things seem to be going Walter’s way...

But Alucard used a decoy, disguising Luke’s severed torso as his own, all so he could sucker-punch Walter in the face.   As it turns out, Walter’s physical breakdown is making him younger, which amuses Al to no end.

So Alucard follow suits and assumes the form he once used when they fought the Nazis in 1944.   Yeah, say hello to “Girlycard”.   I’m not sure why Alucard looked like a 14-year-old girl during World War II.   I’ve heard this form described as a Japanese 14-year-old girl, and I can’t dispute it, but it also makes Girlycard seem even more random somehow.   

I mean, I guess the idea here was for Walter and Alucard to be able to move inconspicuously through enemy territory.  No one would suspect a couple of kids until it was too late.   I’m imagining a similar scenario to the ones presented in “Cross Fire”.   Heinkel and Yumi would play innocent bystanders, then whip out their guns and swords and go ham on the bad guys.    Knowing Hirano’s style, maybe Girlycard and Young Walter operated the same way.  

And this further supports the Walter-had-an-unrequited-crush-on-Alucard theory.   He might have understood that Girlycard was a disguise.  On an intellectual level he might have known, but maybe he still carried a torch, and told himself that there was some way that they could be together.   Was he just in love with this disguise, or does he love the real thing?  Alucard says that he told Walter the truth decades ago, and claims that this is the reason Walter turned traitor, so yeah, it sure feels like Walter couldn’t handle Alucard’s true nature, one way or another.   

I mean, let’s assume that this isn’t just about Alucard not being a cute girl.  Maybe Walter fell in love with Alucard in all his forms, whatever that means for his sexuality.    The bigger issue is that Alucard’s a vampire, and he’s just fundamentally different from Walter, and maybe that was the problem all along.   It’s interesting to think about, but the point here would be that there was some kind of problem, and Walter couldn’t let it go.

Meanwhile, Seras and Integra are busy looking like total BMFs.   Just HBIC’s.   What’s better than this?   Two gals bein’ pals.   

Hell yeah!

Bad ass!

The vampires on board this airship are happy to meet their doom, and Integra recalls what her father once told her about how vampires want to die on their own terms.   Seras doesn’t get it, because if they want to die so badly, they could have just died in the war they were already in fifty-odd years ago.  

So the Major gets on the PA system and explains to her that they want more than just a glorious death.   They want bigger, better, more perfect battlefield, so as to make their deaths as meaningful as possible.  That’s why I don’t understand that airship captain from a while back.   Everyone else in Millennium seemed to understand that they weren’t necessarily fighting to win.   Britain is prepared to nuke London if they have to, so it’s hard to imagine anyone in Millennium surviving past today, even if they won.  

Anyway, as the Major explains all of this, the Captain appears before the gals.  It looks like he’s here to stop them, or is he?

[365days365movies]

March, 6, 2021: Wolfwalkers (2020) (Part One)

I love Cartoon Saloon so goddamn much.

Before I’d seen a single Ghibli film, I was a big fan of the Irish film studio because of their first film, The Secret of Kells. They’d also done a few TV series in the years prior (I’ve heard of Skunk Fu!, and have no interest in seeing it), and still make a few to this day, but the first time I’d heard of them was with Kells, a delightful movie that borrowed from both Irish history and folklore in their telling of the making of a famous illustrated version of the Bible, and a young boy’s friendship with a mysterious forest spirit.

And yeah, that movie is great, but I didn’t have much to go off of then. And then, 5 years later, they released their second film. And that one fucking BROKE me.

Song of the Sea is the second in what would become director Tomm Moore’s trilogy of movies based on Irish folklore, and was a bit more contemporary as compared to Kells. That one’s about a boy and his mute sister, whom he blames for the death of his mother. However, his mother is not dead, but is a selkie, a mythical Irish mermaid that becomes a seal when donning a magical coat. And it turns out that his sister is one as well!

And you think, “aww, look at the seals, they’re drawn so cute” FUCK ME IT’S BEAUTIFUL AND HEARTBREAKING. It takes a lot from Irish mythology, from giants to owl-women, and it’s a fantastic fuckin’ movie. And then, three years later...Tomm Moore’s directing partner stepped up.

See, while Moore was developing Song of the Sea, his partner from Kells, Nora Twomey, stepped in with her own solo project: The Breadwinner. We leave Ireland this time for a book adaptation based in Afghanistan in the 1990s, where a young girl is forced to pretend to be a boy in order to provide for her family (which was apparently a common practice). A LOT happens in this one, and it’s goddamn fantastic as well! It lost to Coco for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars, and...yeah, that’s fair. It’s hard to beat Coco.

But wow, a 2-D animated feature-based company! WHICH IS FANTASTIC! Seriously, in a landscape with fewer and fewer 2-D films in theaters, I’m overjoyed to see these guys hanging in there with some fantastic films! And just when I’d neared desperation for a new Cartoon Saloon feature...here comes Moore.

Ohhhhhh, let’s fucking GO! The last entry of the Irish Folklore Trilogy, today’s entry is Wolfwalkers, a film that was exclusively released to Apple TV, which I got SPECIFICALLY for this movie. It’s $5, I can afford it.

But I am absolutely pumped for this one. It’s based off of the legend of the Werewolves of Ossory, a kingdom in medieval Ireland in which there was a legendary tribe of people with the ability to turn into wolves to hunt in the forest. It’s also based upon the Irish wolf, a population of grey wolves (Canis lupus) on the island that were sadly extirpated  in 1976. People, man. People.

But OK, let’s get this baby STARTED! Been wanting to watch this one since I heard about it, and I’m excited! SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

Recap (1/2)

Kilkenny, Ireland, in the Year of Our Lord 1650! A group of loggers are working in the gorgeous and atmospheric Irish forest, when they’re accosted by a pack of...honestly very cool looking and well-designed wolves. One of them is caught by the pack and scratched up, then they all retreat.

A large mysterious woman with big red hair and her young daughter stop the wolves from hurting the man further, and also heal up his scratches. He thanks them, and they flee with the wolf pack as the angry townsfolk chase after them.

Wolves are the enemy of the townsfolk, and those townsfolk include the newly-arrived Bill Goodfellowe (Sean Bean) and his daughter, Robyn (Honor Kneafsey), who’ve just moved from England. Bill is a hunter, and his daughter is eager to help him in his endeavors, armed with a crossbow and her falcon, Merlyn.

Bill is on the way to hunt wolves, as assigned by the Lord Protector of England. Robyn badly wants to join him, but it’s dangerous out there, and the Lord Protector forbids children beyond the walls of Kilkenny. Robyn wants out, though, as she’s an English outsider in the Irish village, and this is at a point where their relationship was at an all-time low.

Robyn, clever girl that she is, finds a way to use a group of bullies to distract the men guarding the gates, and sneaks out to the forest with Merlin. As she follows her father (currently unbeknownst to him), she hears a cry warning of a wolf. Robyn runs off to investigate.

A group of shepherds are being accosted by a pack of wolves. Robyn tries to shoot one of them, but the panicking sheep knock into her, and she fires her arrow at...Merlyn. Fuck! I already liked him! The commotion grows...until a distinctly human howl is heard from the forest, stopping the wolves in their tracks. Robyn looks over at the downed Merlyn.

The little girl takes Merlyn away, and retreats back into the woods. The wolves block Robyn’s path, and as they’re about to attack her, Bill arrives, and shoots one of them with his crossbow. The human howl is heard again, and the wolves retreat, one of them injured. Bill chides Robyn for going into the woods, and she tries to go back to get Merlyn. But Bill promised her mother that she’d keep her safe...which means that she’s almost certainly dead. Well, damn. 

They leave the woods, only to be berated by the logger from the beginning, Seán Óg (Tommy Tiernan). He tells Bill off, as the increased logging under the Lord Protectorate has angered the wolves and the people who live with them, whom he refers to as “Wolfwalkers”. But Bill insists that the Lord Protectorate wants the woods cleared, and the wolves exterminated. Seán badmouths the Lord, and of course, who would show up but...

The Lord Protectorate is...oh dear FUCK, it’s Oliver Cromwell (Simon McBurney). Cromwell was a NOTORIOUS asshole for a lot of reasons, and he plays a big role in Ireland’s subjugation by England in the 1650s. I’m in no way educated enough to comment in detail on that, but like I said earlier: it’s a rough time in Irish history, and Oliver Cromwell, cruel, paranoid, but technically historically important douchebag that he was, was right at the center of it all. 

Fun fact, Cromwell actually overthrew the Monarchy shortly after this, during the English Civil War, and became the ruler of the Commonwealth of England. After his 1658 death, his son took over, until he was overthrown by the return of the Monarchy, via King Charles II about 3 years later. And he was SO FUCKING PISSED at the whole affair, that they had Cromwell’s corpse dug up from Westminster Abbey (where kings and queens and Charles Darwin are buried), beheaded, and stuck on a pike on Westminster Hall! Damn.

Anyway, this Oliver Cromwell is just about to overthrow the Monarchy, and he wants Ireland under his heel. He’s commanded the woods to be cut down in order for farms to be established, and Goodfellowe is assigned to exterminate the wolves completely so that that will happen. Upon seeing Robyn, he commands the guards to take her to the scullery, where she’ll probably be trained as a scullery maid. Yay, child labor!

Seán, having just seen the girl with the wolves, tells Robyn who she is. He tells her that the Wolfwalkers can talk to wolves, and will also heal the injured with wild magic. To go back into the woods, she unlocks the cage that Seán Óg was thrown in for insulting Cromwell. His sheep are also in there, and the release of  Seán and the sheep causes enough of a distraction for Robyn to flee into the woods.

Once there, she quickly finds Merlyn, who has indeed been healed by wild magic . Once there, a red wolf approaches her. Robyn readies her crossbow, but Merlyn prevents her from firing, and she gets caught in a snare as a result. During a struggle, the two clash, and the wolf bites Robyn.

She falls out of the snare, but also sees a new kind of vision, seeing the wolf as the girl from earlier in a beautifully animated type of vision. Her arm swirls with golden magic as well, emanating from the bite. Merlyn follows the wolf as they run away, and Robyn’s pursuit of the two leads her into a beautiful hidden grove, with a massive waterfall. Behind it is a cave, covered in drawings of humans and wolves. And that’s not all that’s in the cave.

At the center of the cave is the girl and her mother, sleeping and now surrounded by the wolves. The red wolf becomes yellow energy, and the energy goes into the little girl, who wakes up. Robyn is immediately found out, and the young girl approaches with the wolves at her back.

This is Mebh (pronounced “Maeve”) Óg MacTíre (Eva Whittaker), and I’ve IMMEDIATELY taken a liking to her, from her voice to her character design to her personality. Robyn doesn’t feel the same way, as the two clash. Mebh bit Robyn, but she was actually trying to get her out of the snare. The man are getting to close to the woods, which Mebh isn’t happy about, but Robyn says it’s “their” woods. Here we go.

Mebh uses her wild magic to fix the wound, before it’s too late. I get the feeling that it’s too late. Robyn tries to find out more, including who her mother is, but Mebh chases her off with her wolf pack in tow. And before I get to mention it, I just want to say that this is my favorite design for cartoon wolves. Real talk, I love this good bois. In the process of the chase, though, she’s again caught in a snare, which Mebh frees her from.

But as the two banter again, Mebh senses a “townie” like Robyn in the woods. It’s Bill, and Robyn goes to prevent the wolves from hurting her father. After a close call, Mebh points Robin back in the direction of the town, and blindfolds her to prevent truly discovering the location of the cave...this time. She guides Robyn back, but runs off when she smells food.

Robyn and Merlyn make their way back, and we overhear two shepherds from earlier talking about how one could turn into a wolf if bitten by a Wolfwalker. So, yeah, werewolf rules. Makes sense, given this story’s basis. The two shepherds also have Robyn’s crossbow and fresh bread. Mebh and Robyn work together to steal the food and crossbow, and run away together. Fast friends!

The two young girls bond, and share their struggles. Robyn wishes to go back to their simpler life in England, and wants to spend more time with her father, potentially in the woods. She warns Mebh that the forest is about to be cut down, endangering her and her pack. Mebh notes that her mother went to look for a new place for the pack to live, but hasn’t come back since. Robyn promises to tell her father about the Wolfwalkers and the struggles of the wolves. The two new friends part ways, promising to meet each other in the woods.

When she comes back home, Robyn prepares to tell her father her plan to get the wolves to leave without killing any of them. The preparation is entertaining, as she does a pretend back-and-forth with herself and her dad. Once he gets home, the reality is less great. When he finds out that Robyn never even went to the scullery, he doesn’t listen to her plan at all. He sends her to bed, and the plan is dead before it’s even proposed. Still, Robin promises Merlyn that they’ll find a way to help the wolves.

But that may be...harder than you’d think. As she sleeps, the golden magic comes back, and Robyn sees a wolf in her dreams. Pretty sure of where this is going. She wakes up with a start, and Bill hears this. He gets her up and takes her to the scullery, where she’s put to work.

Y’know, I’ve heard the term “scullery maid”, I’ve never once thought of what the term means. Apparently, it’s a kitchen or backroom in a house for housework, but where the hell is this? Is it, like, the town hall scullery? Not really clear, and it’s made more confusing when Robyn finds her way into a red-carpeted room with animal heads on the walls.

While there, her bite-mark glows, and a whisper of “giiiiiiiiirl” comes from a covered cage towards the front of the room. She approaches the cage, but is interrupted from checking it out by the head scullery maid. The Lord Protectorate has forbidden anyone from entering that room, and Imma call it now: that’s Mebh’s mom. I mean, yeah, no duh, but still. Calling it now.

That night, while asleep, the Wolfwalker’s magic officially takes hold, and Robyn wakes up as a wolf in her bedroom, while her human body sleeps. Her father hears the commotion in Robyn’s loft, and is about to literally kill her wolf-self, but she jumps out of a window and flees the city for the woods.

She quickly finds Mebh, who’s also panicking, as she thought she cured the bite. However, that panic subsides pretty quickly, as Mebh has never met another Wolfwalker before, and is excited to show Robyn how to be a wolf. And through Robyn’s eyes, we get a lovely view of the world through a wolf’s senses, backed by Aurora’s “Running with the Wolves”. And it’s...it’s lovely.

Its also QUITE a good half-way point, so let’s put that right here! See you in Part 2!

[atinybitofau]

[PART 2] S A N ⇲ royal series au

RECAP: san is king of eden, you’re queen of elos under one nation with 7 other lone kings. and now you’re forced to go on a bonding retreat with san cause seonghwa told you to. enjoy boys and girls.

• series masterlist •

⇩ PART TWO ⇩, click here to read part one.

You bid adieu to your humble armored soldiers before unveiling the fur scarf you had thrown over your arms and back. Supper had come to an end and camp had been set up. Now you were going to get ready to share a tent with San for a night where you find him in his half naked glory, adjusting the straps to his cloth under garment pants.

Your heart races suddenly when he knows of your presence but thinks of nothing of it— something rare of your nobility, heart palpitations. A lack of respect and honor. Though, you somehow subbed attracted to it uncertain by your hidden desires, liquid-lacing your insides. You have your palms held together as you wait to greet the back facing King. A greeting you were taught to do by your late father even if you hate the honor you stand upon.

San moved effortlessly with his back muscles flexed in calm rebound. He laces back a loose fitted blouse of black silk before turning to you with hazy eyes. Your fingers play at your palms as you bow courteously at his highness, your eyes blinking wide at the ground with heavy anticipation.

“Princess, we need no sense of aristocracy in our quarters.” He chuckles you off though bowing his head when you raised yours. “We may be of an honorable class but we don’t need to implement them in the bedroom.”

Cheeky.

You sigh making your way to your hidden room in the tent, masked by only a sheer curtain of cloth. You could see his silhouette staring at your side of the shelter as you strip from your dress facing in that direction. God knows why you did it, but you don’t. (Hidden desire maybe). You changed into your new drawers and a past-knee cut night gown in that you would sleep in for the rest period. San clears his throat, his silhouette visibly moving now after watching you blindly undress.

Immediately you thought of his eyes. A picture your mind drew unintentionally while you had gotten ready for bed that one time he smiled may be the best thing that happened since you last saw your fathers.

So bright. Hiding so much pain. The only real emotion that can truly expose a person’s feeling with millions of muscles moving. A smile.

To that, you get into your cushioned bed.

“Princess.” You hear San mutter from opposite of the sheer wall between the both of you.

“Yes?”

“I’ll be blowing out the candles soon.”

“Yes. Thank you.” You mumble sleepily in your blanket. “It’s still quite early if you’d like to take a stroll.”

“You’d j-join me?”

Your slowly shutting eyes batted open and you stared at his shadow in pure horror.

Did you sound like you were inviting him?

“N-no.” You shoot up in your blankets with a red blotched face. “I meant for you— well it’s early so I though you’d want to walk around for a little before you sleep. Y-you can leave the light on is what I meant to say..”

He seemed disappointed with silence.

He sounded more stressed when he hurried out not even saying goodnight. You sigh feeling dumbed out by your own reply somehow finding San’s feeling of confusion curious.

You remember the boys telling me stories of their childhood. How San felt singled out and acted somewhat strange. San rarely spoke and when he did seeming indifferent by people’s responses. The way you see it, King San was just as human as any of you. If not, a little more. And he may as well have wanted bad things to happen to your father through intent.. but he was afraid. Just like everybody else. You couldn’t blame him for that.

Feeling restless now, you stand up from where you laid and slung on a warm robe and slip ins to follow the poorly lead individual on his night stroll.

Mingi was awake and stopped so forth. Eyebrows furrowed he asks, “Where are you off too, young lady?”

You smile at the taller man. “San wanted to take a stroll earlier. Did you see the direction he took from here?”

“Your grace, it’s far too dangerous to be frolicking on your own.” He insists pushing his sharp sword into it’s protector. “San can take care of himself.”

“And I’m sure I for my own.” You place your hands on the worried bachelor. “The sun is nearly up. Get some sleep, Mingi.”

“I’ll wait for you both to arrive back safely.” He says standing up with pride though bloodshot eyes reading exhaustion. “He mumbled something about seeing a cliff far off north. It’s probably where he’s headed.”

“I promise I won’t go wandering.” You hide your head under the hood of your robe and grab a weapon of choice. “If we don’t return till the sun reaches it’s highest point, I want you to send a rescue team. He couldn’t have gone that far off.”

“Please don’t say that.” He cringes. “A precaution is like waving a white flag.”

You chuckle at the boy and pull at his royal suit. “Mingi, I assure you I’ll be fine. Please get some rest.”

The boy looked uncertain, his eyes wavering in mine.

Mingi was— he’s someone you relied on in the past and someone who never failed to make you feel special.

You loved him in a special way. As far as your love goes at least.

You lay a soft kiss on his stubble cheek before walking off in the direction you think may be where San went.

With dawn upon you now, you could see well enough. You managed to catch a glimpse of a shadow and sounds of crunching dry grass near by. A few quick paces straight forward, you finally see San.

You vaguely remember what he wore before wanting to sleep but in the rising sun, he looked humble. He looked close to a royal but in a form of a free soul. His chin was pulled forward as he basked in the warmth of morning. He walks forth like a child with no sense of direction, dimples sucked in with a soft smile painted on his porcelain face.

You catch up eventually and the soles of your shoes crunching awoke his attention.

He snaps at you enguard with his sword obviously startled by your unannounced appearance. When you remove your hood off your head, he sighs in relief and bows slightly.

“Princess, don’t scare me like that.” He breaths. “I almost cut your head off.”

“I know you want to but let’s try to keep each other alive before we get back to Aurora.”

He coldly turns away from you and follows his initial steps forward. Frantic, you follow behind him like a lost puppy not wanting to get lost now that you’ve found what you were looking for: him.

“I must amend your navigation skills. It was a curvy path I took to get here.”

You glance up at him taking larger strides to catch up. “Well whatever path you took must’ve gotten you back on track. I’ve only walked a straight line. I’m terrible at directions.”

Seeing your struggle, San frigidly takes your balancing hands to help you through the uneven rocks.

You ignore the tumbles in your stomach before saying something else. “There was a cliff Mingi said that caught your attention. Is that where you were going?”

“I thought you didn’t want to accompany me on a stroll.” He shuts out your actually question with his own. “Change your mind out of guilt perhaps?”

“Please.” You snicker. “I was only afraid you’d get kidnapped.”

“I have doubts of your bravery, Princess.” He laughed at that cradling you as you. struggled more when the ground got steeper. “Though I must say for a woman, you have the persistence to get through.. rocky situations.”

Very cunning. “Always so endearing, King San.”

“If I must.”

You reach where you initially thought he’d end up, staring out into the wild sunrise with pure delight. You seemed hypnotized by nature’s beauty pulling at your dress to sprint towards the cliff. San basked in the warmth. You basked in the view.

Your kingdom was close to waters, dams and unfortunately with the weather conditions, rarely saw past an acre. You were ecstatic to see stranded villages and quaint homes that covered maybe parts of Aurora or maybe San’s Kalos Kingdom that was not too far off edge.

“Have you ever seen such a view?” You turned at San bouncing in your place. “It’s beautiful.”

San was quiet behind you. No sounds of movement, no sounds of whispers. You turn around with a beaming smile to see him laying across the ground with shut eyes.

Immediately your face gawks. “You can’t be serious, San.”

He turns at you and opens his eyes. “What did I do now?”

“The view is breathtaking and your just gonna sleep there the whole time?!”

He hums curtly and resumes his previous position. “Absolutely. I’m tired from basically carrying you here.”

Your jaw drops. “Did you just entail my weight, San-ssi?”

“Yes.” He confirms without further ado. “Yes I did.”

“You are seriously a royal pain in the ass.”

“Why don’t you come and lay here and see why I’m doing it instead of barking over there like a dog?”

You kick dead grass at him hoping he chokes on it.

“What was that for?!” He cried coughing out the dirt and specks that reached his face.

You cock your hips with your hand on top it and point a finger at him. “Have some decency, San. If a woman tells you to enjoy the view with her, you must. It’s all in the book.”

“What kind of— What in gods name— and WHO in their bloody right mind would intentionally write a book with those words specifically?”

“An intellectual.” You annunciate with a wide mouth.

“We have eyes to see, y/n.” He pans with seriousness, tiger eyes glaring at you with fuming frustration. “I can open them later before we go. I don’t need to enjoy a view. Especially that of with a woman.”

I roll my eyes nearly flicking him on the forehead. “Has it ever occurred to you that maybe god gave us nature to revel in? Not manipulate.”

“He gave it to us for health and well being. And gave us eyes to learn.” He retailiates huffing with his chest puffed. “Animals are our main resources. Plants give us life, sun gives us warmth, and the night our rest. There is no room for it’s beauty. It’s a fickle thing.”

“Nature is the most beautiful thing on this planet.” You firmly smile feeling satisfied with your answers before turning around to look at it. “Give me something more of that and maybe I’ll let you off.”

Silence.

Weird from someone who hates losing a verbal battle.

You whip around to see San full on face red, eyes blinking rapidly away from you. Confused and concerned, You pull up at your dress robe to approach him again.

“Cat got your tongue?”

He snaps at that. “N-no. You’re right. Nature’s absolutely the most beautiful thing on this world.”

He gives you another look. One you’ve never seen on him before. Until you realize the camp has sent a warning flare at the sky in consideration.

You gasp interrupted, San sighing in front of you. “We’ll talk about that look later. We need to get back to camp.”

You hear him mumble something under his breath as you drag him away from your temporary rest area, your mind blurring at the unimportant words he bumbled.

“After you.”

What you thought meant you walking in front of him, really was an add on to his sentence prior. Still blank to you, with time only telling when you’d get the real truth behind Choi San.

A troubled child trapped in a prevalent King’s body.

p.s rough edit

@atinybitofau

a/n: this series will NOT be followed by the other members. but San’s was pretty much drafted in my archives so I decided to continue his for the time being. long overdue lol but pls let me know if you’d like to keep this story going 😭

[malfoysqueen54]

White Flag  Part 4

Dean and her grew up together, trained together. Also, absolutely can’t be in the same room without a fight ensuing. When she has to come back and help out the boys and their friends. If she stays too long will all her secrets come out. She swore he would never know, circumstances and their friends and family, they might have other ideas.

Pairing : Dean X Reader

Warnings: Angst!, oh and ANGST! . Anger issues. Dean angry and yelling. (That needs a warning).  Smut. Sexual situations, cussing, blood, gore, the usual Supernatural warning.  This could be a triggering chapter!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!! 18+ ONLY!!!

Also @winchest09​ and @jensengirl83​ Thanx for the help and the fixing of all the words...lol Love you both!!!

2014

She was looking for him. After Sam’s desperate call to her, Dean was dead. Yet, he had left a note. He was somehow alive. They didn’t know what was happening. She took what Sam said and ran with it. It was taking every favor, resource, I.O.U she had. She spotted him twice but by the time she got there he was gone. It was infuriating. Finally after weeks, she tracked him down to Montana. Figures he would stay in the midwest, it was the Winchester comfort zone. 

Her anger rolled off her in waves, pinpointing him at a motel in Butte. Y/n didn’t bother with keys or lock picks and let her pure rage kick the door in. The two occupants of the room woke up. The brunette sat straight up holding the sheet to her, as Dean lazily raised up onto his elbow.

Y/n let out a snort, coming over to grip the bed warmer by her hair, not caring as she screamed. Dragging her out the door, she threw her clothes after her before she slammed the door shut. She leaned against it for a moment trying to calm herself but she couldn’t, whirling around as Dean was pulling on a t-shirt, his jeans already on, his back to her. “This is what you do? I mean you're alive and you just take off on Sam and everyone?”

Dean sighed, not bothering to turn around. “Yup, didn’t want to be found. Wanted to do me.”

“Do you? Are you fucking kidding me? You’ve been doing you your whole fucking life!” She huffed, running her hands through her hair. “ Sam called me. ME?!” she gestured towards herself, even though his back was still her. “He asked me to help hunt you down. The person you hate most in the world. What the hell Dean?!”

He finally turned towards her and smirked. “ Well you are right, I fucking loathe you.” 

Her eyes narrowed at him. “I am aware, asshole.”

“I left him a note for a reason. I am done.” He shrugged.

Y/n huffed tossing her arms up. “Oh well that explains everything. It will make us all go away.”

“I wish it would.” He grabbed a beer and tossed her one, which she caught. She was livid and needed it. This fucking man was just unbelivable.

“You are a selfish prick. I swear to god! Sam will not give up, you know this.” She didn’t understand his mindset, why would he think this was ok?

“Y/n he did once, he will again,” he said, simply taking a pull of his beer.

She shook her head in disbelief. “You are just cosmically fucked up. No! Sam won’t. He knows you’re alive, dickhead. Your Sammy, your baby brother. What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Ah, Hell, good answer.” He turned, pointing that smirk in place.

A growl crawled up her throat before she threw the beer at him which he dodged. “Fuck I hate you! You are so selfish sometimes.” Her hands flew around as she screamed at him.

Dean didn’t flinch, taking a swig of his beer, watching her pant in rage and narrowed his eyes in a very almost sinister manner.

“I’m selfish,” he laughed. “Thats funny,” she couldn’t look away from him. Something was different, very different with him. She barely noticed him slowly approaching her. “Especially from you.”  The hand holding his beer poked into her collarbone. “You wish you hated me. I know you do, but you don’t.”

Y/n knocked his hand away but he gripped her wrist. His reflexes were quicker as he jerked her against him. “Let me go you pig,” she warned, narrowing her eyes.

“I don’t think I will,” he said, bringing his free hand up to grip her chin. “I know you have wanted me for years. You were just such a cunt, I couldn’t deal with you, I hate you.” His finger caressed her skin as she kept that defiant gaze on him. She was good, she didn't even flinch. “Now though, it makes me want to fuck the bitch out of you.” Biting his lip, his eyes grew cold. That she flinched at. This wasn’t Dean. This was so off.

She tried stepping away and to get out of his hold. It was no good, he jerked her right back and slammed his mouth to hers switching his grip to her ass, pulling her flush against him. Y/n immediately pulled away and slapped him. Dean just smiled, slipping a hand into her hair and jerking her lips back to his. She pushed and clawed but he tasted so good, and damn if it didn’t make her lightheaded. He ravaged her mouth into submission, her lips opening to him and he dove in pushing her roughly back against the dresser.

When he stopped for air, he looked her in the eye, his mouth still touching hers. “It won’t matter much soon. I’ll fuck the brat right out of you and you’ll only be begging and screaming for more. Cause I will give it to you, you are gorgeous.” He bit her lip, lifting her none too gently on top of the dresser knocking over beer bottles that were littering the room. 

She did not want to respond, but she shivered lightly, his words causing a flood in her core. He groaned into her mouth, like he could smell her and it vibrated through her. She felt his lips move to her neck biting and sucking, marking her and she took a panting breath. “D-Dean.” She tried to push at him but he ignored her, slipping his hand into the front of her jeans, his fingers reaching the flood he caused.

“Shhhh,” he lulled into her ear as he stroked her, a whimper escaping her as she gripped his shoulders, digging her nails in lightly. “Let go, enjoy and take what you want.” His tongue traced her ear as Y/n growled, bucking her hips towards his hand with a moan. “That’s my girl.” He smiled into her ear.

No more could she deny that she wanted this. The minute he touched her, she became a desperate wanton pliable tool for his pleasure. After decades, she couldn’t exercise self control to stop it. She had wanted him for so long, not just physically, but as pathetic as it was, she would take it. She couldn’t hate herself more than she already did. He made it clear it was physical. She could and would suffer the after effects from this one time with him. Jesus Christ, she felt like a teen movie trope. She gasped a moan as he slid two of those rough elegant fingers into her, all thoughts ceased, her mind going to mush.

He retracted them just as quickly as he slid them out, followed by her whimper, his fingers now working on her jeans, opening them and practically ripping them off. Her jacket and shirt were quickly shed by herself, when she met his gaze again. He was kneeling between her legs his shirt once again gone, licking a slow line up her inner thigh, watching him sink his teeth into her skin. 

Gasping, she tossed her head back to the wall. “ I always knew you were the rough dirty kind.” Dean's voice carried to her through the haze of desire, nuzzling her nether lips making her nails dig into the dresser. She wanted him, he was so close. 

“Please.”

Was all she was able the shudder out, feeling his lips quirk before he dove in like a crazed, starved man. If eating out a woman was an art form, he would be Picasso, blue period. Fingers gripped his hair urging him to all her right spots.

“Words, babygirl.” Dean demanded.

A heavy moan left her with the nickname. “Right there!”

Dean's nose nudged her just so as his tongue dove deep for the treasure he sought. Edging her entrance, teasing, keeping Y/n at the brink before delving deep and hard without warning.

“Fuck, I- I need to cum.” She heard her voice beg, her legs shaking, starting to close but suddenly Dean's large hands were on her knees forcing them wide apart making her convulse with no way to control the waves of pleasure.

“Fuck, yes.”  The whimper sounded too pathetic, needy, right on the edge. He didn’t let up this time now, he forced two orgasms out of her before she fought him off her center, with aftershocks rocking her, she slid off the dresser as he stood. Narrowed flaming eyes watched him as she pushed him back across the room onto the bed. Enveloped by a erotic need that had never happened before, she hit her knees as he sat. Her nimble fingers quickly undoing his jeans and pushing them and his boxers past his waist and off. An almost anime twinkle glazed over her eyes, seeing a beautiful erection before her. Mouth watering, Y/n stroked him in reverence before her tongue went to work on him. Tracing and learning every vein. Memorizing it for nights she took care of herself. A forceful tug of her hair and growl, she knew he wanted it all, which she obliged.

Hitting the back of her throat, she swallowed him all down, making her moan just as Dean did. His head tossed back, lips parted in bliss, she suckled the whole of him before beginning a steady bob of her head. She knew what she was doing. Y/n was no novice.

Dean's hands caged her head like a claw from a claw machine as he fucked into her mouth, taking what he needed. Y/n let her tongue run along the pulsing vein on the underside as her teeth grazed just enough to stimulate. She heard Deans gasp and felt the force as he slid down her throat.

Relaxing her throat, she took him all, till he stalled and came. He tasted like salty cotton candy. It was glorious. 

She batted her eyes once he finally started to plop from her lips. “You done now?” She asked, quirking a brow at him.

A guffawed chuckle from Dean as his thumb rubbed her bottom lip. “Not even close.” Even as he said the words he was stroking that beautiful cock into attention. It was saluting again in moments, it had definitely served time.

Dean's jaw visibly clenched as he pulled her up by her hair and shoved her across to the bed. “Still with that bitchy mouth. You are a challenge. I am very competitive though.” His words barely met her brain as he crawled up her body biting at her neck wrapping her legs around his waist. No warning, no passing go, he slid in with the precision of a porn star all the way to the hilt. Y/n let out a scream of ecstasy clinging to his shoulders digging her nails in for the ride.

“Fuck Dean, yes!” 

Dean nuzzled up to her ear. “ I always pegged you as one who liked it rough, hard, and dirty as hell. That- right there. That is the attraction to you.” Then he started a brutal pace, she knew there would be scratches and bruises for days. It only turned her on more. Hooking her heels into his ass dragging him deeper.

“More, harder!” She gasped already on the edge of another orgasm. 

Dean obliged sitting back on his knees changing the angle to hit that wet spongy spot she needed. The first stroke sent Y/n curling into herself, moaning. He must have gps for a woman's g spot. It was only 4 strokes later she came with her nails dragging down his forearms. Panting still Dean rolled them over so she sat atop him. “My turn. Ride me.”

It was a demand, still quivering Y/n gripped the headboard and began to ride him circling her hips raising slamming back down. The full rodeo cowgirl. She couldn’t get enough. Over stimulated, sensitive. His cock was like candy. She couldn’t stop riding him once he asked. She would take everything he gave and give back just as much. The fucker would know he met his match.

“Come on girl! Take it!” Dean groaned fingers digging bruises into her hips adjusting her speed or helping her move. “Fuck Y/n, I feel it, so close aren’t you. This what you need?” He asked as his thumbs gently brushed her pulsing clit. Sending her orgasm over the edge tossing her head back with a cry of bliss.

“Fuck woman!.” He pushed her off and she was so pliable at that point blissed out of her mind. She thought they were done, nope. Dean still hadn’t cum and he turned her over to her stomach, jerking her hips up. She felt him gently stroke her swollen abused core. “I know you got at least one more.”

She didn’t whimper, she  pushed herself up on her hands and got ready. She would take everything the bastard had. 

Dean slid a little slower into her this time but still started a brutal pace. She moaned lewd lascivious sounds as his hands ran up her skin rolling her back, pressing against him. Wanting every stroke and every inch he had to give. She would make him remember this. Determined to blow his mind. Make him remember her everytime he looked at another woman. At this angle, he hit her directly into that spot once again. Letting her head fall forward as she pressed harder and harder back into him. Till her head jerked up by the grip he had in her hair. She could tell he was close especially how he started to get a little sloppy and groaned. Fucking into her like a man possessed. Little did she know he was.

“Cum again,” he demanded.

Panting slightly Y/n responded, “need more.”

She felt his hand wrap around her throat squeezing gently and she melted against him, now standing on her knees. “You do like rough. That's what you need. Cum with me, you can do it. DO IT!” He snapped as his hips did.

She had never cum on command but that one sent her into subspace practically. Falling over feeling him fill her to the brim with his seed, Jesus H Christ it could have made her cum again if she wasn't numb.

They stayed like that, a panting, sweaty heap of tangled naked limps for nearly 20 minutes. Their ragged breaths the only sound as their heart rates return to normal.

She didn’t really come back to earth till she felt his arms wrap around her from behind. “You know. The payback here isn’t that I just fucked you six ways to hell on a Sunday. It’s- well- you fucked a demon.”

Y/n scoffed, her brow furrowing as she turned to look at him, falling off the side of the bed in shock as she saw black eyes. Dean had black eyes. He WAS a demon!

“Holy shit! WHAT THE FUCK!?” Grabbing a shirt and throwing on the rest of her clothes frantically, as Dean dressed so casually.

“It’s the mark. It won’t let me die, not really. It freed me,” Dean explained as he buttoned up his pants. Y/n was looking for a weapon. Picking up a beer bottle and breaking it on the end of the table. Complete disbelief, Sam would lose his mind. She just fucked Dean and he was a demon. It sent her spinning. How could she, should have known this was too odd, not in his character. She berated herself.

“What ya going to do Y/n/n?!” He glanced at the bottle. “You won’t hurt me, we both know it.” He smirked.

She lunged at him. Yeah- that pissed him off and he was stronger now. Gripping her arm twisting her wrist so she dropped the bottle, his free hand gripped her throat and tossed her across the room over the dresser.

With a groan as she got up. “Nope, you will finally get this through your pathetic ass head. I LOATHE you. You are nothing but a nobody with a warm hole to use for a little bit. Always there when you aren’t wanted!” He yelled, punching her then throwing her into the night stand. Y/n tried to react and punch him, but damn his reflexes were like lighting. “No,” he growled, squeezing her fist crushing her hand she felt the bones snap then he punched her again bashing her head into the wall. “You are pathetic, you are a waste of time and talent.”

Y/n coughed seeing triple but still shakily stood up or attempted too and leaped at him to try and take him down with her body weight. He caught her around the waist though. Wrapping his arm around her,he flung her across the room over the bed into the opposite direction. Shattering the window as her body hit, a cry of pain leaving her as her rib and spine connected with the glass and fell to the floor. She could barely move, through the blood of the cut over her eye she saw him approaching. She tried the only thing her cloudy brain could think of and started saying the Latin for an exorcism.

"Really Y/n," he laughed at her, pulling her head up by her hair roughly. " I'm not possessed. I am who I should have always been and I love it."

That was the last thing she remembered, she passed out after that. 

She had awoken a week  later in the hospital.

@thorne93 @pegasusdragontiger @st-eve-barnes @suz-123@magellan-88 @my-proof-is-you @carryonmywaywardwriters@forever-trapped-in-my-dreams @winchest09 @emoryhemsworth@ formulafun @delightfullykrispypeach @janicho88 @anathewierdo @flamencodiva​ @katehuntington​ @waywardbeanie​ @talesmaniac89​ @deanwanddamons​ @atc74​ @smol-and-grumpy​ @whatareyousearchingfordean​ @superfanficnatural​ @jules-1999​ @flamencodiva​

[a-simple-imagine]

The Absence Of Field

Synopsis: You haven’t known her very long but she’s about change your life forever

Pairing: Dolores Abernathy x fem!reader

Words: 2k+

A/N - I’m obsessed with Season 3 dolores so I decided to write about her. I don’t really expect anyone to read this but yeah!! It’s based off season 3 episode 3 of Westworld and shall be continued as such. 

Warnings - Swearing, kidnapping, guns and minor violence

"How long do you think this will go on?"

"Which?"

"The rain?" Heavy rainfall descends from the cloudy dark sky, hitting the window in a symphony of sound. The digital clock that sits on your bedside reads 3:00 A.M. Her toned arms were wrapped around your waist, pulling you snug against her torso. Soft lips ghost the back of your neck bringing a flurry of beautiful butterflies to your stomach. It wasn't the first time and surely not the last. She had that effect on you; it had been that way since you first met. A sigh leaves your lips as you focus on one drop of rain as it travels down the glass. It had been raining a lot the last couple of days; you didn't mind though. You quite enjoy the rain.

"Expect showers all week," It's impossible not to notice her absence all of a sudden; it's almost like your sense of comfort had been dragged away. The blonde was perched on the edge of the bed; her back to you and head down when you roll over to see her. Your brows furrow for a moment as you notice how hard her hands press into the mattress. The energy in the room shifts with the harsh silence.

"What's wrong?" She turns to you for a moment and you can't help but smile. She's always so put together so it's always a pleasure to see her just out of bed. The messy hair is a particular favourite. Despite your short time together there were little things you had come to notice and enjoy about her presence.

"Do you like the world that was made for you?"

Such a question had a vastly complex answer. Did you like the world that was made for you? What made her ask such a thing? "The world wasn't made for me," you answer quietly, rolling onto your back to stare up at the ceiling. When you were little you used to wish there were stars up there, painted or otherwise. When you got older you considered it; it was hard to see the night sky with all the lights and pollution but decided against it. You were too old or perhaps just too embarrassed. You had never felt any real attachment to the world and why would you? You'd been alone most of your life. Fighting for every little thing you had. Sure this place had its positives but for the most part, it was dripping with greed and corruption. You weren't unhappy but you couldn't exactly say you were happy either. You've read books on how things used to be before technology became the centre of the world. It was apparently just as ugly and corrupt but at least they had real animals like elephants and tigers; more than just your typical house pets. "I don't think it matters if I like it or not, I didn't exactly get a choice in being born?"

"You have a choice now."

"I suppose," you shrug. "I've never really thought about it that way. Why do you wanna know? Are you gonna ask me about the meaning of life next?"

The last part had been a joke but perhaps it had been a step too far as the blonde doesn't reply. She simply gets up and proceeds to collect the few items she left so neatly on the dresser. Fuck, had you screwed this up already? It must be bad for her to leave abruptly at three in the morning. You push yourself up into a seated position, "Did I do something wrong?" The blonde doesn't answer again so you decide to follow her.

"Dolores," Her name galling from your lips brings her to a stop at the door; hand lingering on the ugly doorknob your landlord wouldn't let you change. you're just a few paces away, tired and confused. You just wanted to go back to bed but with her. "... please don't go."

So weak and pathetic, the words didn't sound like your own. You had never begged someone to stay before but there was just something about Dolores. Something that made her special and it wasn't her beauty although she had a very pretty face.

"You're a distraction that I don't need right now." Her voice was firm; surprisingly cold. The doorknob squeaks as she turns it and the door slowly opens. "I suggest you lay low for a while."

~~

It's no mystery as to why you can't stop thinking about Dolores. She left you in the middle of the night with no explanation. You may not know each other very well but you liked her and you liked spending time with her although admittedly that time had been short. What exactly had you done wrong? Was she scared off by your slightly pessimistic outlook on society? Perhaps it was something else entirely? Maybe she just didn't like you. It didn't seem that way when you were together but looks can be deceiving.

It was really cold this high up; it didn't help that this building didn't have four walls, so it was nothing but the cold wind blowing against you. The entire building was empty for construction, so other than the two men who had you cornered between the barrel of their guns and the concrete below, you were completely alone. You were putting on a brave face but you were absolutely terrified. Their questions drowned out by the loud thumping of your heart in your chest. You felt like you couldn't breathe. You were sweating under the intense pressure despite the goosebumps from the chilly air. It wasn't even possible to answer their questions and yet they insisted on repeating themselves; getting more worked up as they go along. The two of them had conveniently bumped into you on the way home from work. They showed you a picture and offered you money. You could have really used the money, your crappy apartment wasn't cheap but you had to deny the offer. It seemed shady. The ironic part is that the picture was of Dolores. They wanted to know where she was? You wish you knew but you didn't. She hadn't told you pretty much anything other than her name. She looked different in the picture but you couldn't quite place why? Perhaps it was the blue dress she wore or the fact she had her hair down and it was longer. Either way when you didn't comply they dragged you to their car and that's how you ended up here.

You had lost track of time but it felt like you had been here for hours.

"I really hope she's worth all this trouble." The talker of the men grumbles. He wore a black suit; they both did. With a sky blue tie. The other had a red tie. This was business for them; their job if you will. You wonder why they're after Dolores anyway. She's just one girl, what made her so important.

"Why are you protecting her?" The other man asks. "Just tell us where she is and this'll all be over."

Had you known the answer would you give her up? It was the way to save yourself but was in terms of morals was it the right choice. "I- I don't know what you're talking about,"

You could hear the fear in your voice despite the stiff upper lip. Denying you know the girl at all seemed like the best option here, it seemed they were gonna kill you either way.

"Have it your way," One of them utters, a gritty laugh following. "Don't say we didn't give you a chance though,"

"Where the fuck is she?" His voice was higher than his associates. He was also a lot angrier.

"I'm right here,"

BANG! BANG!

You flinch at the sound of the gun expecting the impact that never comes. Losing your footing on the edge, a hand slaps around your wrist before you can plummet to your death. You feel like you could throw up when you spin around and see Dolores. It was more because you almost fell off the edge of a building but seeing Dolores again made you feel warm inside too. A grin spreads over your insanely dry lips as you wrap your arms around the woman pulling her flush against you. "Dolores..."

After a moment she hugs back, her hand running soothingly over your back. "I need you to come with me,"

Dolores' hand slips down your back and into your hand as you unravel from her. Using your free hand to brush away the stray tears. "Where are we going?" You ask as you stumble trying to keep up with her; looking back to the two men who now lay lifeless on the floor. They were dead. Dolores killed them.

"I'm taking you home."

Staying true to her word, she places you on the bed when you finally arrive home. The car ride was silent. You couldn't figure out what was going on and Dolores didn't seem in any rush to explain anything. You're head throbs as you replay the events in your head. You almost died today: if it weren't for the blonde you'd be a stain on the concrete right about now. Dolores kneels down before you, drawing your attention. One hand gentle brushes over your thigh.

"Look at me," she commands but you keep staring off; struggling to focus on anything. "Y/N, look at me."

You oblige this time, meeting her soft blue eyes. She offers you a gentle smile. "I'm gonna pack you a bag and then we can go get you something to eat, okay?"

"I... I don't... understand." You mumble out slowly. The sun was beginning to show its face through the gap in your curtains, casting Dolores in an angelic warm glow.

"Tell me what's wrong,"

"My... my head hurts," you admit quietly, that was all you could get out.

"Any other pain?" You shake your head causing the throbbing to intensify; eyes scrunching up in response. Dolores places a calming hand against your cheek, her thumb brushing gently across your skin. "My sweet girl," Instinctively, you lean into her comforting touch. She was always so gentle towards you; a strong contrast to the woman who just stormed an empty building and shot two people. "You shouldn't have gotten involved."

Your mind wanders to the first time you ever met Dolores as she leaves you alone in the bedroom. It was at a party. One you were much too poor to be at but you were working that night. Dolores has been a guest but instead of ignoring you like everyone else had, she seemed to notice you were, in fact, a real person. She had warned you not to get involved with her and maybe you should have listened. You should have just gone back to your painfully average life but now it was too late. You were involuntarily apart of something so much bigger than yourself. The blonde returned to hand you some water and two pills. "For the headache."

Watching Dolores wander around your room, shoving stuff into a bag was... weird. None of this has felt real. It was like you were stuck in some kind of dream? Or a nightmare may be a better choice of words. She didn't pack a lot of things and it was only now dawning on you that she was packing for you. What was the plan here? Why did you need this stuff? "Come,"

Your eyes drift to her outstretched hand, nothing short of confusion written across your face. "Are you gonna tell me what's going on?" She doesn't answer. You take her hand, squeezing a little as she helps you to your feet. "Dolores, please? I'm not just gonna run away with you."

"They'll be looking for you now too," she explains, hiking the bag further up her shoulder. "If you stay they'll kill you."

"Who?"

"It doesn't matter who," with a heavy sigh, she hesitates before connecting your lips but only for a second in a surprisingly passionate embrace. You too surprised to even say anything and you think she knew that would be the case. "I need you to trust me."

NEXT

[peoplelikegames]

Steam Games Festival: I played so many demos. My thoughts...

I spent a few days playing as many of these demos as I could and wrote down some rough impressions.

Black Book (Morteshka): Heavily atmospheric and steeped in Slavic mythology. You play as a Slavic woman named Vasilisa, attempting to bring back her husband, who has committed suicide, back from hell in an effort to save him from the eternal damnation that their religion believes befell those who commit suicide. She becomes a witch after venturing through the gates of hell and back. The gameplay takes several different forms, depending on what you’re doing. It’s got some point-and-click adventure game elements during the more exploration focused scenes. Sometimes you’ll find herbs that can be used as items later during combat. The combat plays out like Slay the Spire and other deck builder games of the ilk, with the key exception of the spell slots. Instead of the standard 3 energy system restricting card usage each turn, here you have 3 slots that can be filled with spells that correspond with the slot type. You have 2 Order slots (big spells) and 1 Key slot (little spells) you can fill each turn. It’s a small twist to the formula that opens up a lot of interesting possibilities and combinations. In between fights and the point-and-click scenes you’ll get to interact with people you meet along the path to your destination and make choices that effect the story and your character. Vasalisa’s journey looks bleak and full of death, and I’m interested to see where it goes.

AK-Xolotl (Daniel Piqueras Constantin): Fast paced, adorable and aggressive top down shooter. Very simple gameplay of shooting down waves of enemies picking up weapons and items that drop when they die. Feels great to play. Good movement, good dash, not much else to ask for. Really quick and snappy shooting and simple gameplay loop me keeps playing again and again just to get a higher score and see what new stuff it has to throw at me. It’s got really cute pixelated graphics and lots of forest critters with guns. The game also features an absolutely filthy death metal track that’s a perfect representation of how aggressive the game really is. Just a really quick and dirty time that definitely makes me want to see the finished product. Also, I love the lil axolotl guy.

Despot’s Game (Konfa Games): Rogue-like dungeon crawler where you control a mob of humans. It’s a pretty cool and complicated battle system my only problem is I can’t help but feel like I don’t have enough control on the outcome of the fights. It’s almost a little like Totally Accurate Battle Simulator in that way. Basically, your run begins with you purchasing a bunch of little humans and different weapons to give to those little humans which will give them a class. Give a little guy a medkit and now he’s a healer, give someone a gun and they’re a shooter now. Humans with classes have special abilities they can activate when there are enough classes of that type on the field. Like an Auto Chess (Auto Battler?) game, if you have, say, 2 or 3 Fencers on the board, your fencers will now have access to their special ability, a dodge roll. Position your people in what you hope is a tactical formation and start heading for the dungeon exit. Most rooms consist of a fight, which plays out automatically. When you press go on a fight, your troops and the enemies will all start fighting until only one side remains. This is where the game loses me a little bit as it’s unclear how much of a difference positioning makes or what more I should be doing to change the outcome. Did I win this time because that unit was farther up than last time, or did the AI just play it out slightly differently that skewed in my favor? I can’t tell if the changes I’m making are actually making a tactical difference, or if the AI routines are just clashing with slightly varying results each time. You’re gonna lose units a lot but they are pretty disposable, with frequent shops for buying reinforcements or new gear. And every unit contributes to your mob’s total hunger meter, which deplete with every new room you enter. You have to buy food to feed your troops to keep them from losing effectiveness. Bigger team=greater food consumption. Gotta find a balance with your money and spending it on new units, new weapons, and food. I really wanted to like this game more because I really dig the hook of building up a mob of little guys with cools powers and I like the unit synergy system as well, but the perceived lack of control over how the fights play out and the game’s edgy humor ultimately pushed me away.

Dead Estate (Milkbar Lads): Fairly generic zombie shooter rogue-like (there’s gonna be a lot of rogue-likes). Your standard twin-stick kind of shooting you’d find in the Binding of Isaac or Enter the Gungeon, except here you can jump, adding some verticality. Explore each room, kill the zombies, find the key and then find the elevator to the next floor. Sometimes you find a new gun or shop along the way. The movement feels pretty slow and the rooms feel small. Too many times would I walk into a room, fight three of the same zombie then walk int next room just to see two more of that same zombie. Too many times did I have to walk back across a whole level at a snail’s pace. Needs more enemy variety and to move a little quicker. The shooting is a little better, I like how the game makes its weapons feel distinct by how much it kick it has. More powerful weapons will push you back with each shot. Unloading the mini gun felt chaotic and rumbly that make you slide back and wiggle in a fun way. You can usually kill most enemies before they’re even able to do anything makes them unique, rendering most enemies the same “zombie that walk towards you for second before you finish them off.” Didn’t really draw me in or entice me to see what I might encounter on higher floors.

Foregone (big blue studio): This one feels a little like a watered down Dead Cells at first, AT FIRST. It’s a little slower and less snappy but it’s still very fun. Plus it’s more of a linear 2d action platformer with lots of loot. I like the loot aspect here quite a bit; watching a bunch of currency fly out of enemies is satisfying in a “headshot kill in Destiny kinda way.” Just a bunch of fun particles and a frequent gear drop that has you constantly popping open your inventory to equip your new gear and make those numbers go up. If that’s your kind of fun, you can definitely find it here. Lots of weapon variety on show here and most, if not all, of them feel unique. Just wish the combat was little tighter, which since this is a demo, I assume will come in due time. The game could also do a better job of informing the player that they’re taking damage, which made it difficult to hone the timing on the dash to avoid taking damage. And I’m hoping the environments of the full game become a little more diverse and sprawling, right now it feels like it’s mostly individual rooms/levels of engagement at a time. Excited to see how the full release pans out.

Tunche (LEAP Game Studios): Immediately drawn in here by the beautiful hand drawn art style. It’s a brawler roguelike and if you know what those two words mean in the context of video games, that’s all you really need to know. The brawler combat is what it is, very combo and juggle heavy, enemies that take dozens of hits to kill, fairly bland and just flat land environments. Walk forward until you’re stopped, fight a bunch of waves of enemies, rinse and repeat. Except this time you occasionally get upgrades after finishing rooms like “chance for attacks to cause burn” and “chance to regain health on hit,” your standard rougelike fare. With the territory comes the roguelike difficulty, and this game is plenty tough with the amount of enemies it throws at you and how limited your health pool can be. All of the art and the animations are what really shine here, and if you’re into that brawler style combat, this seems like a pretty good one of those.

Power of Ten (Pew Times Three): Next up we have a top-down space shooter roguelike. I like the minimalistic pixel art style in this one. It helps with atmosphere and you making you feel like a small ship in a large system. Your goal is to power planetary shields on inhabited planets throughout the system by gathering resources from asteroids. While you’re hunting asteroids, pirate ships will randomly attack a planet, pulling you away from resource gathering into a space dogfight against the pirates. That push and pull of gathering resources to fuel a planets shields while simultaneously protecting the planets whose shields are not yet charged is the core loop here that I really like. Conveying solid, core gameplay loop that’s engaging is exactly what you want to get across in a demo, and they definitely deliver that here.

Jelly is Sticky (Lunarch Studios): A lovely, casual sokoban puzzle game. Sliding around and rearranging cubes of jelly into oblong structures to match highlighted areas within a given space. You’ll encounter jellies of different qualities along the way, all with their own quirks around how they like to stick. I really like the non-linear structure in the over world, letting you navigate around between levels from all of the jelly-archetypes at any time. Solving sets of levels will unlock jelly in the over world you can stick to and rearrange to give you access to further levels gated behind walls and other triggers. It’s an appreciated extra layer of depth you don’t expect from a puzzle game that could have very well presented it’s levels in an ordered, level-select screen.

Potion Craft (niceplay games): In this game you play as a budding alchemist trying to make your mark on the world in your newly acquired (stolen possibly?) alchemy shop. Its an alchemist simulator. It’s presented in an “alchemy text book diagram-style” that’s immediately endearing. Every day, you collect ingredients like herbs and fungi from your garden and then it’s time to open shop. Customers come and share their plight, asking for potions of different types. They’ll offer different prices for potions of different potency which you haggle up further (or lower, if you mess up) through a simple timing mini game. The actually potion making is puzzling and unique, if not occasionally limiting. Ingredients you add to the cauldron determine a path that the potion icon in the center will follow across a fog covered map. Add more ingredients to add length and direction to the path, trying to build the path in a specific way that will lead to a “?” destination marked on the map. Name the potion, choose a bottle and label, and brew it. You’ll learn what it does, and can save the recipe for easy use again later. The only downside is how limited the ingredients are makes it very punishing when experimentation results in failure, all those ingredients are just lost. It seems like the game really wants you to just fill the orders at hand instead of blindly exploring into the fog to see what weird stuff comes up, which is my favorite thing to do so far. This is still easily one of my favorite demos of the bunch and has to be seen for oneself.

Aeon Drive Prologue (2awesome studio): This is definitely one of the ones I wanted to like more than I did. A self proclaimed “speedrun action platformer” and it demands that go fast. Very short 2d platformer levels with an ever ticking clock. If the timer reaches zero before you reach the exit, you fail the level. Consumables lined throughout the level can be used to add more time to your clock. This game is very punishing, one hit from anything, from enemy to stage hazard, will cause you to fail and restart. Very quick movement and a focus on chaining together different moves to find different paths through the level. There seemed to be benefits like special collectibles for taking more inventive, alternative paths, but the ticking clock really kept me tunnel-visioned on the most clear cut route through the level, meaning I only ever small a very tiny portion of each one. I’m not the type of person to butt my head against how to pull some crazy route as opposed to the clearly laid out one in front of me. Unfortunately, that clearly laid path just isn’t very fun to take. There’s also a dagger you can throw and teleport to, which I found difficult to aim and not as fun to use as it sounds. There is definitely something here, it’s just ultimately not for me.

Medievalien (dOOb games srl): Action RPG roguelike in a medieval world that has been invaded by aliens. You play an amnesiac protagonist trying to undo the calamity through repeated attempts from within a magical (or scientific?) time loop. Commence genre mashup. Nothing particularly stands out here. Two weapon slots and two throwables slots, lots of different items to fill them. Your weapons consist of bows, crossbows, and staves, and the throwables are bombs of varying elemental effect. It’s fun to play but fairly middling. The low poly art style doesn’t do anything for me and the soundtrack was forgettable. Still, if you’re like me and enjoy ARPGs and roguelike, it does the thing well enough to scratch the itch.

Minute of Islands (Studio Fizbin): Right out of the gate this 2d narrative platformer hits you with gorgeous hand-drawn art. A poisoned, decaying world that is beautifully drawn and animated. I’m gonna day this is not the best demo. The pace is very slow and the objectives are linear and don’t even register as puzzles. This game calls itself a puzzle platformer yet there were no puzzles to be found in this demo. I’m assuming the demo is trying to preserve story details so it starts at the beginning and only gives you a small slice from there. So maybe the game introduces more puzzle elements later in the game. But what’s left in the demo is not very compelling to play. The impressively detailed environments and atmosphere are only driving forces so far. But extremely strong forces at that.

Alekon (The Alekon Company): This feels like spiritual follow up to Pokemon Snap in all of the best ways. In its most basic form, the game plays exactly like Pokémon Snap, but builds on the nearly 30 year old classic in several key ways. Creatures in this game are called “Fictions” and whenever you take a picture of a new fiction, the creature also appears back in the game’s hub world. Once back in the hub world, you can talk to the fictions who have moved in and they’ll give you small quests to do that’ll usually reward you with key game features, like a zoom function for the camera. There’s a great feature that involves capturing photos of a fiction in all of its potential poses, which will unlock the ability to “see through the eyes of the fiction.” So when you’re looking through the album of your saved pictures, you can apply a fiction filter to see the image as a particular fiction would see if through their own eyes. Also, once you’ve unlocked all of the different routes in a specific biome, you gain the ability to “wander.” Wandering is free from the rails of the standard routes and allows to explore every inch of the biome and find other fictions that were previously hidden. It’s also a great space to snag that perfect picture of a fiction you couldn’t get while riding the rails. The creatures themselves are kind of hit or miss so far in their design. Sometimes it’s literally just a seal, sometimes it’s a ridiculous alien thing, but it seems like the personalities of the fictions are what makes them unique. Even though I didn’t care for the designs, I found myself endeared toward the creatures once I found them back in the hub and helped them with their troubles. There’s some good writing in these bits that really helps sell me on these creatures. Lots to love here if you’re into games about snapping pics of critters and throwing donuts.

Eat’n Eaten (Gaëtan Benoit): A cartoony tower defense game with bug plants. Bugs that grow from plants. It has a really fun and easy to understand “food chain management” system for building up units. It almost feels like it was designed to translate easily to touchscreens for mobile devices. Your soil has 100% nutrients, plants grow and feed off nutrients, plants grow apples which you can pick who will then become your units. When an apple dies it’s corpse returns nutrients to the soil and it’ll drop a seed that will grow into a new plant. If you don’t pick the apples off the plant long enough for them to consume extra nutrients, the apples will become a caterpillar. Pick the caterpillar off the plant and now you have a more offensive unit, who needs to eat apples to survive. The game only builds on the loop from there; the way bugs will level up into new or stronger forms after eating enough fruit, or how the game will add spiders to your team who will then need to eat caterpillars to survive. Manage this whole food chain to keep a steady supply and distribution of units against waves of enemies. I don’t know if that seems confusing when put into word like that but it’s really quick and simple to pick up they way it is presented. It can definitely get a little frantic at times but that’s when the game is at it’s most fun.

Dorfromantik (Toukana Interactive): Chill, colorful, tile placement puzzle game about building a village landscape. You start with a deck of 85 hexagonal tiles, and it doesn’t end until all the tiles have been placed. You’re placing tiles with the intent to line up as many like edges between adjacent tiles, making longer and longer networks of landscapes of matching type. The way the scoring works and how the game conforms matching sides together does a good job of making the best place to put your tile one that not only scores well but also looks good in the context of the interconnected village landscape you are ultimately trying to craft. I would kill for this game on Switch.

Unsouled (Megusta Game): An isometric pixelates dark souls-style action game. Described as an “ultra-brutal” game with “fast-paced and savagely rewarding combat,” Unsouled comes exactly as advertised. The combat in this game is very difficult and I am simply not the person to conquer it. It’s really fast paced yet proper movement and combat requires consistent timing and punished button mashing. Every thing you do has to be deliberate and calculated as it’s easy to lose control of the battlefield very quickly. Even just a few enemies can be dangerous as they all can dodge and block and roll just like you. The game is unafraid to put the pressure on and throw ten enemies at you all at once engaging from different ranges. The game demands that intimately learn the combat systems if you want to keep your stamina and health high in the heat of combat. I’d bet that if you’re a fan of Dark Souls or souls-like games, this game has all that difficulty but a different pace of combat that doesn’t feel derivative.

Rogue Invader (Squishy Games): Immediately I love the look of this game. It’s got this old school 1-bit black and white look to it. It also opens up with a fully animated and voice acted cutscene. The game is actually pretty difficult. It’s a side scrolling shooter where you’re part of an army in invading an alien planet one soldier at a time. You’re also managing weapon heat and breakage, and carry weight effecting run speed. Each soldier gets body armor and a pistol but you can equip them with a rifle and helmet from your armory. Which you’ll definitely want to do considering you die in one shot if hit in the head. When you’re soldier dies, they lose the gear you equipped them with and the new soldier needs to be equipped with whatever you can craft in the forge. This is where I ran into issues with hardy ever having enough materials to craft a helmet, go into a mission and die early to a single stray bullet to the head, and subsequently not earn enough materials to make a helmet. The evasive controls like jumping, running, rolling and taking cover all felt clunky in my hands, add that to fact that bullets often just miss even if you’re aiming right on an enemy, and it made for a pretty unsatisfying game to play.

Devastator (Radiangames): How is this not just Geometry Wars? Because this shit is just geometry wars. Fortunately, Geometry Wars slaps so this game is still pretty fun. But just go play Geometry Wars. There, I mentioned a different game like five times more than the game this was supposed to be about.

ANVIL (Action Square): Co-op top down shooter roguelike with space marines. It’s like a run-based Starship Troopers game. It’s pretty great. The three characters unlocked in the demo all have different weapons and abilities resulting in very distinct play styles between classes. There’s a fairly simple loop to each floor: search the floor for the boss, along the way areas will be filled with enemies, who’ll drop money, which can be used to buy passive upgrades from chests found throughout the floor. The upgrade system allows you stack multiple of the same upgrade for increased effect. Lots of variety in the enemy type really keeps you on your toes. Unsurprisingly, it just feels good to mow down mobs of space bugs.

Orbital Bullet (SmokeStab): A 360 degree shooter platformer. It’s a really cool gimmick actually, you move in 2d but in ring around a 3D space. It’s makes for some cool looking environments and depth from having inner and outer rings you can switch between. Really fast and arcade-y feeling. Snappy movement and gunplay. There’s seems to be a lot offered here among different weapons, in-run upgrades and meta upgrades that persist between runs. Which makes this a roguelite, as opposed to roguelike, which I tend to prefer. I like having something upgrade outside of my runs to make me feel stronger or different going into the next run. The games has a sort of ancient alien aesthetic, it feels industrial and monolithic. The bursts of neon in the walls, enemies, and weapons really pop among the ruins of the stone temple. Watching your weapons’ shot glide along the curve of the world is an effective visual as well. Just because I clearly like to compare to games so much, this game feels a lot like Resogun meets Downwell, and that’s just fantastic.

Chicory: A Colorful Tale (Greg Lobanov): A colorful and cartoony adventure game about painting that takes a small but welcomed bullet hell turn. You play as a cute little pup that claims the power of The Brush after it’s wielder (and your master) disappears along with all of the color in the world. Searching for cause and hopefully the solution, you embark on a journey to repaint the world and make your mark as the new wielder. Once you pick up that brush you can start coloring in literally everything in the world. It’s fun and charming the whole way through. You can help the townsfolk bring color back into the lives and color in their houses to their satisfaction. Use the paint to navigate the world by growing and shrinking plants by erasing/coloring them. The demo is a little thin but definitely makes me interested to see what fun stuff the game has in store for these paint mechanics.

Genesis Noir (Feral Cat Den): Okay this game was a trip. I barely have any idea what I just played but I know I really liked what was happening. It’s a heavily stylized point and click adventure game where it feels like you exist within an improvisational Jazz album. Train tracks becoming notes on a cello. Getting into a cosmic jazz-off that plays like a game of Simon and ends with your opponent on the wrong end of a mob hit. I think? Honestly this game is so trippy it was difficult to keep track of what was going on. And occasionally it was a little ambiguous as to how you’re supposed to proceed, which lead some random click and dragging around the screen until something clicks. It actually seems like it could turn out to be a really good example of a story and experience that can really only be through video games. Not quite an animated film, not quite a comic book or visual novel, but instead a fantastical, interactive amalgamation of many things. Whatever this thing may be defined as, it’s something unique and special.

[zach-the-fox]

Frostfur Episode 2: Freshwater Springs

It’s just me and Emmy, now. We continue our trek up north, heading in the direction of where Winterhome is said to be. The both of us have talked for about an hour and few minutes and I have to say, Emmy’s a pretty interesting girl who has a magnificent background in engineering. Her story begins with being the child of a poor woman, whose struggled her whole life to give what’s best for her daughter. Emmy had worker herself a lot on the farms around in Arbury, living nearby the prestigious school of Cambridge. She had hopes of moving up, leaving a life of poverty and getting into luxury to help support her mother. How she got in, I have no clue for she wouldn’t tell me, but she was excellent in her classes that they let her become one of the best engineers of Cambridge. When news of the eternal winter approached everyone, she was selected to be one of many in building the towering generators to heat the cities of the future, being one of the brilliant minds to carry on the hope of humanity through technology. After the construction of her assignment, she returned home to her mother, gathering her and many others to head for the new city of Winterhome.

Quite impressive story for a young girl. Mine is not as majestic as hers, however. I even explain that to her, being envious and wishing I had achieved much in my life. When I was just a wee baby, my mother had given me up to the orphanage in Liverpool. Her life of pleasure had caught up with her, and she had decided to pass me on to forget her troubled past. Sadly, I never grew with a family. The orphanage I stayed in wasn’t so bad, though. Yes, we had chores, and eventually I struggled in the heat-polluted confines of the steel factory between boyhood and manhood. At the time I was old enough to be on my own, I enlisted in his majesty's royal army, learning to hold a rifle and protect my country. I did everything I could to survive, yet I was not respected too much by the folks of Liverpool, even after years of neglect. By the time the frost was coming, I was tasked with collecting the chosen for our migration north. However, unrest arose aboard our iron vessel, spreading panic around the mob, causing it to veer into the rocks and it’s descent into the cold depts of the sea. I must promise now for Emmy, and whoever else I may encounter on the journey to Winterhome, I shall not leave them behind!

My new ally and I make it up the incline, one step at a time to avoid slipping back in the snow. I feel her hooves grasp tightly around my tail, which is acting as a safety rope for her as we climb up. It’s a difficult ascension, and the bombardment of snow followed by the gushing wind doesn’t help at all. Once we’ve reached the peak of the “hill”, we stop within our tracks. Looking down from the top of where we were, we take notice of something catching our eyes by surprise. We can see distant glimmers of sun reflected on the surface of water. Unfrozen water here presence of freshwater springs. Unfrozen water?! In a world of snow and ice?! There must be a source of heat down there to keep the water in its liquid state! But what?

“What an interesting find,” says my partner. “We should stop down there to rest a little. A freshwater spring could also house a few fish in it. Maybe some fishing wouldn’t be a bad idea.”

Normally, I would protest, but I won’t since we haven’t stopped after the moment in the cave. Also, most of the food that was with me went down with the ship on my way here. I only have a few packages of rations that will only last us a day. “Very well,” I tell my companion. “We should proceed careful, however. Much like that beast from the cave, who knows what other animals may roam about.” We take our time to descend the thin slope along the rocky cliff face protecting the springs. We tread carefully, in a single file. Emmy is still clinging onto my tail, trying not to slip along the edge. One wrong step and you’re dead, for submerging in the water could accelerate hypothermia. If the season was summer, I’d see a nice dip in springs be a good idea. This kind of weather forbids that, however.

After carefully descending the slope, we make it to the base at the bottom. It’s much warmer down here than up there; the winds are not rushing past us and we’re no longer being pelted with tiny pellets of snow and ice. This place would make a great site for a home.

Emmy leans over the edge by the pool, searching around for the finned, scaley creatures that swim about. “I don’t see any fish. Doesn’t seem like they’re here. Zach, do you see anything?”

My eyes cannot make out any movement but the water. “Negative. I cannot see a single one.” As we’re searching, I hear something unusual. My ears perk up at the sounds of grunting nearby, causing me to pick my head up. “Huh?”

Emmy still scans the springs for any signs of life. “Where could they be? The water isn’t frozen. There has to be some fish here.”

“Sh,” I order her. She turns up to me and asks why I commanded her to silence. “Listen.” The warthog ceases her mouth and uses her ears, picking up the grunting tones I have heard. “You hear that?”

“Yes,” she whispers. “I do. What’s going on?”

“It’s coming from over there.” I point to the ledge across from us, which is slightly taller and obscuring whatever view we can’t see. I equip my gun and tell Emmy to stay close, routing around the pool and stepping up a small slope around the springs. When we make it to the other side, we take notice of a figure kneeling by the edge. As we get closer, we’re able to tell the figure is a woman, judging by the way she’s dressed; linen cloth covers her head much like Emmy and her coat looks more like a dress. A long brown tail sticks out from her backside. Her body is hunched while on her knees, reaching out for something across from her. I swing my rifle back onto my back and approach with ease. Emmy stays beside me. “Hello?” The woman quickly turns to reveal her face, revealing to be a brown cat with glasses. “Is everything all right, Ma’am?”

“No,” she replies. “I can’t reach my sketchbook!” Emmy and I shift our heads to see a book laying on the top of a big, lone rock in the middle of the water. “I need my sketchbook!”

I grab the lady by the shoulder and hold her back. “Ma’am, you shouldn’t do that. You could fall in and catch a cold from the spring water.”

“I need it, though!” she exclaims. “I can’t leave on without it.”

Emmy looks at the book, then back to me. I can see she’s devising some sort of plan. “I’ve got an idea. Zach, can you hold onto my tail while I reach over and grab it?”

“Are you nuts?” I ask. “You want to risk drowning or freezing in water over a book?”

“It’ll be fine, Zach. Just grab my tail.” Without any other words, I do as I’m told and hold the warthog’s tail as she leans over the edge and reaches out for the cat’s sketchbook. With a couple of swipes of her hoof, Emmy manages to bring the book closer to her, then grabs it. “Got it!” Her actions cause her to nearly slip, using her hooves as a way to keep balance. “Whoa!” Acting quickly, I pull her away, falling back against my seat and catching her in the process. She holds up the book to the cat. “Here you go.”

The cat grabs it from her hoof and hugs it tightly. “Oh, thank you so much, kind strangers! Thank you!”

I stand to my feet and brush off some of the snow that jumped on my coat. Emmy does the same. “Ma’am, might I ask why you’re here alone?”

The brown feline faces me. “I was separated from my convoy and I found this spring, protected well by the storm. I came down to sketch its beauty when I lost my grip of my sketchbook, having it end up on the rock. If you two hadn’t come here, it surely would’ve been more difficult, and I probably would’ve ended up in the pool.”

“Oh, were you with the convoy heading to Winterhome?” queries Emmy. She nods. “My friend and I were actually on our way to Winterhome. You should come with us.”

“Well, I am in your gratitude since you risked yourselves to save my sketchbook. I shall join you to Winterhome. What are your names?” We introduce ourselves to her. “I’m Carly. Pleasure to meet you two.”

“We should get going if we’re to be in Winterhome,” I utter. “I’m sure your family is worried sick about you. Emmy’s as well.” We end our consultation and proceed to follow our newest member, Carly, towards another ramp entrance into the springs. We make our ascension away from the freshwater springs. We didn’t find any food or anything else useful, but we found another survivor who joined us for our journey, and that’s good enough for me. It is now the three of us on the way to Winterhome. @carlycmarathecat​ @emmy-the-absolute-goof​

[deloresisout]

@pcplarstreet​   said   :    ⁉️ - Fallout AU First Time for Shara and Del uwu Location / Situation Smut Drabbles || Accepting!

DELORES VIVIDLY REMEMBERS, before her father and uncles were strung on crosses - before her grandmother cradled her husband’s severed head. Before the Legion EVER stepped foot on the Littlejohn’s land, she was taught about sex.

First and foremost, her mother had said, it was for men to enjoy. They could be like ANIMALS, with their one-track minds. The first time, her grandmother had said on a different day, would be the most painful thing she would ever feel. There would be very little gained from it those first few times. 

However, the one thing Delores could take solace in was the fact that once her man had been between her thighs, he’d never let her go. Her hometown honored the pre-war tradition of marriage and courtship, which went hand in hand with sex.

Being so beautiful meant many locals would want Delores’ hand. And being the granddaughter of the founders meant Delores could pick who she wanted. However, she was responsible for ensuring that he met certain CRITERIA. He had to be strong, sturdy. He had to be a leader. A Littlejohn could be nothing less than that. 

Alas, Delores never got to pick her husband-to-be when the Legion burnt her home to the ground. Yet as she sits on this mattress thinking of days long behind her, the twenty-three-year-old recognizes that not all was bad. Bittersweet, yes. Tragic, yes. But not bad.  No, Delores would never see her old home again just as she would never hear her mother sing to her, or hear her grandmother provide her with words of wisdom. However, she no longer had to worry about the Legion’s cruelty due to SHARIAH. And, in fact, she never would have met Shariah if not due to their shared, horrific circumstances. Delores is so happy that she has met him, for she has realized there could never be another man she loved with each beat of her HEART.

Earlier today she schemed, much to his ignorance. Going through abandoned suitcases long forgotten, Delores had found a nightdress. It was white and pristine with laced white roses. Despite its color, it was no wedding dress, but maybe, Delores thought, it could have served as an ENGAGEMENT dress for what she intended to do. 

It could be backward - taboo even, to offer her body before a ring was even in her view, yet the young woman possessed a deep yearning. “Shariah?” she asks, the moment she hears the door click. So still, so perfect Delores sat like an angel. Almost bashful, she crossed her exposed legs, uttering: “I’ve been waiting for you.” Surely, he could see that. “I’ve been thinking so much about you...a-and they’re very, very strong thoughts. You see...” She rises from the bed, personally disappointed in her sudden shyness. “I want you to be my husband...” Delores knew that the man before her would be perfect. He was what her father would love - her grandfather doubtlessly would have adored him too. Shariah is strong, sturdy. And though Delores formerly thought of this as a bad trait, but, Shariah could kill. To kill could mean to protect her, forever. And more than all of that? He was a LEADER. “And I also want you…” she undoes the sash, feeling less embarrassed at how her gown opens when pressed against his clothed body. “To see me in a way that no one else has…” if only she were bold, then she would be taking his large hand into her own - guiding him to her breasts...or a little lower, where he could see what he did to her by just gazing on. The first time was something to endure - that’s what her mother and grandmother implied. No woman in her family ever told her about the desire she’s feeling right now. She holds her breath when he does touch her, firm yet gentle. She found the sensations she received from his touch remarkable since the concept of sex had always frightened her. Even with her family’s name dead to time, Delores’ virginity was always something she fiercely guarded. It was such a surprise to her when they were on the road and she endured so many moments of being on the verge of submitting to Shariah’s touch. Only stopping him because of the sound of distant gunfire, or the noise of something rustling in the night. Then always, she would be shamefully frustrated with her missed chance. However tonight, she will be cementing their relationship within the walls of his family’s compound: safe and secure, there was absolutely nothing for her to worry about. There was absolutely nothing that was going to stop her.  SHE WELCOMES HIS KISS.

[kshitij1997]

frozen-the epic

Chapter 1- The many valleys of death

Winter solstice, 1812, Northern Arendelle.

King Runeard proceeded with caution, for the northern mountains of Arendelle had claimed many souls through the centuries. The absolute monarch despised these mountains, for these peaks brought an unpredictability, a danger which rendered him weakened in the face of adversity.

He could face the entire world head on, but a revolution? An uprising? Any upstart challenging his divine right? King Runeard considered himsrlf merciful that he led such wayward people to their doom in the most painless way possible; rolling their heads from the red theatre, as the french preferred to call it. As much as he swore to never forgive the french for the revolting  ideas of civic liberties that they threw onto an enlighted but unsuspecting continent, he was not averse to learning new methods the terror had brought with it.

His mind drifted towards the decision of building the great dam, which was the unwitting cause of his northern expedition.

Those vile ungrateful bastards, he thought,  after all that I have done for them, they turn to magic to oppose me? I'll set the fuckers straight once and for all.

He felt so close to his goal, just one last chance to draw those cowards out in the open and wipe them out. That thought brought back memories of it all came to this.

His brutal path of subjugation had worked to his benefit. For the Northurldra, once the most powerful minority in the empire, through a system of erasure, propaganda and eradication imposed by the sovereign, had been reduced to guerilla warfare, a far cry from the great cavalry charge of the ancestral Northuldra plains.

It was on that great battle in the autumn of 1799, when he set the standards for Arendelle's approach to it's marginalised people and ushered a new era of barbarity. A strategy that he had learnt from that dwarf of corsica who had gone to cast his entire shadow over all of Europe.

 A ploy that would make all battles decided before they were fought.

Like Napoleon, King Runeard fought dirty.

The Northuldra cavalry, over fifteen thousand strong, charged with all the might that they could muster, with a combination of cutlazzes, spears, and clubs, and with their trusted reindeer mounts, for an all-out charge against the biggest pain of their existence.

Though massive in strength, the northuldra made the mistake of leading themselves into a ravine, and with no way out, they were doomed. Runeard ordered an artillery barrage so horrific that it spread word of his capabilities and depths of hatred all across Europe.

The Northuldra had knives, swords, spears and a few muskets at best. It was no contest.

Just a bloody massacre.

An event so devastating, that a rumour spread that the stench and smell of gunpowder and corpses persisted in the valley of death to the present day.

Runeard merely snickered, for he still remembered it as the most beautiful battlefield he had ever seen.

He was disturbed from his reverie by his guards, who brought the scouts sent out for reconnaisance. The scout began, "Your Majesty, the main northurldra contingent has been sighted five miles from here, further north into the mountains."

"How many?"

"About two thousand, your majesty."

"How many fighters? Any non-combatants and cavalry?"

"I reckon about a couple hundred soldiers, the contingent is mainly of non-combatants, around a hundred in terms of cavalry."

 King Runeard was pleased."Very well, we'll be done with them in no time."

"I'm not finished your majesty. They seem to be following the fifth spirit into a passage from the north sea in order to escape into international waters."

The king turned purple with rage, "WHAT?! THAT CURSED SHAPE SHIFTING ANIMAL DARES TO TRY AND ESCAPE ME!? I'LL ERASE THAT SWINE'S PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE!" 

The king's commander, Carolus, brought him back to his senses. "Your majesty, if the fifth spirit is leading them, they'll have the winds, the weather and possibly even the terrain on their side, we must not take them lightly. We need to be tactful."

The king gave a solemn nod, and continued "Yes. We need to pull them back from the coast somehow and trap them in the mountains where we should be able to smoke them out to the last man, woman or child."

With that said, the king signalled his army to take positions and commander carolus proceeded to burn massive cartloads of smokeberries, a plant whose leaves were notorious for a nasty stench upon burning, and for releasing a poisonous smoke that could blind people for a long time. 

To make matters worse, the arendellians resorted to use damp wood, to make the smoke even more aggravating.

As was to be expected, the smoke rose high, the odour made the reindeer cavalry mad, and blinded the people who got close, unknowingly dragged by their loyal steeds towards destruction.

All according to plan, the king thought, let this revolting scent betray them and bring them to their deaths, this time i'll make sure—

His thoughts were disturbed by a rumble in the the mountains, which started as a mere tremble, loosening the thick blanketed snow, but as sure as it could be, the snow caught momentum and deadly speed as it rolled down the mountains, headed straight for the arendellian contingent.

"AVALANCHE!" screamed the ever observant scout, enough to alert everyone but not enough to save everyone. The snow came straight and true for the infantry, which was decimated in the barrage of sheer snow, to no more use to anyone any longer. 

It could have taken even the king down, had it not been for the king's personal bodyguard, Mathias, who had pulled the king away from the infantry at the last moment. The plants were no longer burning, but the northuldra were now out in the open, a shell of their former fearsome selves. The arendellian gunners were itching for action, and let loose.

The gunners' barrage was brutal but short lived, however enough to turn the mountain pass into a morbid, gory and perverse cousin of the valley of death. The cannons were not picky about what or who they mowed down, neither were the gunners.

What cut the barrage short was the fifth spirit itself, twisting and turning out of the avalanche and taking out the gunners in cold blood, closely followed by the northuldra crack troops taking advantage of the stranded army and tearing it at the seams.

The king proceeded to dive into the melee when a familar voice stopped him dead in his tracks.

"FATHER!" 

The king turned back violently to find the crown prince Agnarr. The mere sight of him distracted Runeard so much that for a few long agonizing minutes he forgot where he was.

"You stupid boy, what are you doing here? I told you this is no place for you."

"And i told you it's not worth the bloodshed, leave them alone. I guess an inability to follow orders or advice runs in the family."

"You want to discuss that now?! With these killers inching closer?"

('That' refers to a bitter fight between father and son, but Agnarr knew better than to prod in that direction.)

"No, I just need you to get out of this alive."

"Don't worry, I'll make it."

Their dialogue was interrupted by Mathias, when he got to the king's vantage point.

"Your Majesty, what is the crown prince doing here?!" 

"I should ask you that, Mathias, but don't worry, you have an opportunity to correct yourself."

The reconcillation was cut short by a fearsome beast leaping in front of them.

There it was, the fearsome fifth spirit, not animalistic enough to be reduced to dumb chattel, and too vicious to be considered human, and too powerful to be ignored.

As much as Runeard hated to admit it, there was a certain beauty to those characteristics and a certain sense of respect to that power, something he had always yearned for. Nevertheless, this wasn't the time for such thoughts.

"Mathias, get the boy out of here, and don't look back."

"Your Majesty!—" Mathias began, but his majesty wasn't listening any more. He was already in a one on one with the fifth spirit.

"Father!" prince Agnarr screamed, but the wind was knocked out of him when Mathias grabbed him and ran from the scene for both their lives. 

It was a tough path for the king's personal guard, as he was responsible for both himself and the prince. Desperately trying to avoid the carnage, Mathias almost made it despite the smoke and the destruction, but was hit by a blunt blow onto the back of his head, enough to disorient him, but not to knock him out.

As for the prince, he was fortunate enough to not be hit, but the battle had exhausted him, and he almost passed out when he felt a familiar pair of hands hold him.

"Iduna?" the prince started weakly.

"Ssh, it's alright, I'm okay" Iduna answered the question. "We need to get out of here"

"I'm sorry your town became a battlefield, I could have done more, I—"

"Calm down, and get on the wagon, quick"

The said wagon was part of a supply chain following the king's army, trying their best to turn around now that army was in spate,  to save what they could. 

The prince and the village girl were on the wagon when Mathias came to his senses and reached them. "Your highness, who is this?" 

"She's a friend, she saved me when you lost consciousness."

"My eternal gratitude to you young girl. However your highness must leave at once, I can't guarantee your safety here any longer."

"Come with us, Mathias. Please"

"A thousand pardons your highness, but I can't abandon his majesty. Now go!"

With that, the trusty guard ran back into the thick of it. Just as the wagon train started for home, a gunshot pierced through the air, followed by a shriek that was almost feminine. 

Both Agnarr and Iduna could only look back in horror as out of nowhere, in an instant, a major explosion occured, resulting in a fire across the mountains. The fires were greedy for oxygen, and the winds rushed to feed the inferno. The situation further deteriorated when a massive earthquake jolted the mountainside, resulting in a landslide that nearly destroyed the Arendellian supply train. 

As wagons went down left and right, a sudden jolt nearly knocked Agnarr down in the ravine below. He would have been gone forever, if it weren't for Iduna holding him on for dear life. She pulled him up with all the strength she had, and got him back on the surviving wagon.

The shock of near death made the prince faint in her arms. As she made him more comfortable, she could only look back heatbroken, as the once thriving countryside was reduced to a graveyard of blood, fire, smoke and snow, which was soon covered by a thick fog, through which nothing could pass in or out.

Iduna uttered a solemn prayer to the lost, and let out a kulning, which echoed the haunted the mountains, even as the dilaphidated wagons made their way back to Arendelle.

[praphit]

Gretel & Hansel: White people, hear me!

I know, I know, some of y'all were hoping that my next review would be Taylor Swift's "Miss Americana". 

I'm sorry to disappoint you. Why and how is she still making movies anyway? I thought that everyone associated with "Cats" had been banned from Hollywood.

Now, it WOULD be cool, if Taylor got involved in Horror. I'm thinking that a bunch of horror monsters could get together to track her down; kinda like a contest. They would, you know... do their thing to her, and then bring her back from the dead in the sequel, and repeat the process. Every now and then, they could throw in Justin Bieber or someone else with his same level of annoyance. BOOM! Franchise! So, donate to Praphit Productions (millions), so I can make that happen. I'll just CG Taylor Swift in, if I have to; I'm sure she'd be ok with that.

Just picture Jason Voorhees or Kanye West chasing her.

No, people, I'm here to talk to y'all about Hansel & Gretel!

No, no, no, I'm sorry! "Gretel and Hansel!"

I almost forgot about that blow up in their studio. Y'all remember that?

Sophia Lillis' (who plays Gretel - SHE’S GREAT IN THIS-BTW) first day on the set was raw! 

She walked up to the director and was like "Bleep this bleep! Who is Hansel? Who the bleep is he?! No one knows that actor! What is he, like 5 years old? Bleep him! How is his name first?! So, a woman can't lead a man, huh??! It's always gotta be Hansel first, right?! And what always happens?! That witch bitch always tries to eat them! Bleep that! Y'all know who I is! I'm Sophia bleeping Lillis! I was in "It" one AND two. What has "Sammy Leakey" (playing Hansel) been in??!

Not a damned thing! I want my name first! You will put it first or so help me God, I will UNLEASH THE FURY!"

Director (Oz Perkins): "I actually like that idea"

SL: "I don't give a bleep what you like! Just make it happen!" 

Then, she went to her trailer, and when she came back out, it was "Gretel & Hansel".

(Hansel’s not even in the shot. Lillis was too raw for him.)

Let's see if Gretel fairs better in this story, now that she's getting the chance to lead.

We all know this Brothers Grimm story. There's a family (I don't know what Gretel & Hansel's last name is... we'll just say "Shakur"). So, the Shakur Family was struck by a famine in the land. Stuff happens, and G & H end up off on their own, in the woods, and eventually meet up with a witch, who later tries to eat them.

White people, hear me! Are you listening? STOP GOING INTO THE WOODS! Seriously, STOP! I'm trying to save you. Black people know better, but y'all... smh. I know y'all like to go hiking, and camping, and taking selfies on mountain tops and shit, but PLEASE... STOP! Nothing good is waiting for you out there!

Quit going into the woods to get footage of alleged monsters/spirits. Quit going into the woods to spend the night in cabins. Quit going into the woods to party on the anniversary of the night that 12 people were mysteriously murdered in those same woods. STOP!

JUST STOP! DAMN!

Some of you might be thinking, "Well maybe Gretel will make it. Maybe now that she's leading the duo, things will be different." Nope, she's white... *sigh* so we all know what she and Hansel did...  went right into the woods.

This movie is mainly from Gretel's perspective. Right from the jump, we see Gretel being pimped out by her mama. Gretel of course declines to become a professional hoe, but when she comes back to her mama for a possible different direction in life, Mama is like "Would it have killed you to get on your knees for your family?! We're starving!"

I know - Mom of the Year.

Dad isn't even around. I may have missed something, but I don't remember where he was, or if maybe he ran away, a long time ago. One of those "Daddy went to get a pack of cigs, and never came back" scenarios. He may be off in a land flowing with Big Macs and Fries, Idk. Or maybe, being that his "selfish" daughter wouldn't put-out, he decided to get to work on the corner himself. Who knows where he was in this movie??

Gretel was def tough though. And she loved her brother! She was very protective of him. There is a scene where there's some sort of vampire creature chasing down Hansel, and Gretel stands up to the creature. That's the type of character that she is in this movie. She's smart, tough, and though sometimes hard on her bro, she loves him very much.

Hansel on the other hand is annoying as shit. And Dumb! Man, is he dumb! I'm surprised that we never see Gretel slap him. But, she is always able to compose herself in the midst of her annoying brother, and keep the journey going. She even calms him down at one point with some drugs. They end up eating some shrooms on their trip. Now, THAT'S love, people! Seeing someone in need of calming the bleep down, and offering them some good shit. What's a road trip without a moment when the group gets high??

There's a Lando-looking character that they meet along the way. 

He doesn't have much of a role in this movie. I'm not saying it's because he's black, BUT he's a fascinating, noble character, who's black and barely in the movie. And they do not trust him at all. I'm not saying it's because he's black... you know what?? - YES! Yes I am saying that!

He saves their lives, offers them food and shelter, and gives them specific instructions that will keep them safe. But, after that (the only character so far that has had G & H's best interests in mind), Gretel immediately questions his motives. White women, hear me! If a black man willingly sticks out his neck for you, IN THE DARKNESS, in order to save YOUR life, that's a man that you can trust. Cuz we (black men) all know, that if we try to save a white woman out in public (even if we succeed), there's a good chance that the cops will still swing by to shoot us. They're thinking just like Gretel is in this movie - "I know it LOOKS like they saved her, but... can we really trust him? - let's shoot him just in case." Granted, this Landoish character sends them off (again with instructions for their safety). They had no quarrels about leaving (and quickly).

So, they runaway from the compassionate black man, who just saved them, and they meet an old lady (the witch) who has black fingers, and house smells a lil like death... and they say to themselves "Let's sleep here!" Ain't that some shit??! 

White people, HEAR ME!

STOP!

They don't even question her black fingers, they just let her handle their food. I question people of whom I don't know, with normal fingers, handling my food, but... I guess that's just me.

Then, the rest of the story is legend.

The production design in this movie is absolutely amazing! If this film had no dialogue, and was just silent, it still would have been a beautiful movie (despite the cannibalism:)

The plot, I felt, was secondary to the cinematography.

Some of you might say, "Well that's nice and all, but is the movie scary? Does the witch, at some point, rev-up a chainsaw, and chase the two kids around her house?" No. "Ok, but does the movie, at some point, have little, pale Asian kids making creepy noises at H & G while they're trying to sleep?" NO! "Yeah, but is there some sort of human centipede action happening in the basement of the witch, and she tries to..."

NO! NO! HELL NO! What's wrong with y'all?!

No, none of that. The story that The Brothers Grimm have painted is horrifying enough. Famine and crappy parenting, leading to witch who wants to eat you... I'd say that's all that's required; the director knows this.

They don't need to use any gimmicks, just the same story (pretty much), a lil dark magic, the mentioned cinematography, and well-placed spooky music keep the movie in a consistent place of dread.

I think RT got this one wrong (59%). I don't have much bad to speak of, concerning this movie. I can't give it an A grade, due to it being a copy of a story that we've seen copied many times before. Plus, there are some ending issues I have with it, that I'll get to in a sec. BUT, this film is a hell of a B grade :)

SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!

SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!

SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I WARNED YOU!

A few things:

Soooooo, Gretel has some sort of connection to the witch that is never explained. Apparently, she has within her, the same powers as the witch.

She ends up sending her bro off to Lord knows where. She sends him off on a horse that she says she SPOKE TO, and he (the horse) will get Hansel there (where? who knows??) safely. So, she's talking the animals now?? When did she pick-up that skill? And where the bleep did she even get a horse?

There's some super grease that her and the witch use to do magic, that is never explained.

Now, none of this took away from my enjoyment of the film, but... still though.

There's a message of false empowerment at the end. Like I said, she abandons her brother, so that she can... fulfill her destiny or something. She has dark magic in her, but she is convinced that she'll use it for good. Like I said, Gretel is a SMART character... what happened to all of that smart? It's like saying "Hey, I have this STD, but instead of tending to it, I'm going to use my STD for good. It's going to be hard, but I've gotta be strong."

WHAT?!

I said "false empowerment". The movie isn't painting a picture of this being a good thing, but the "false" part is subtle enough to where people could walk away thinking it's an empowering message.

You abandoned your brother to become a witch! But, maybe I'm not being fair. Perhaps Gretel will be just fine. Throughout the history of human beings, we've had many people who were in power, and who thought that not allowing their power to be checked was the brave and noble thing to do. I think those times in history all worked out well right??

I could have added some pics to accentuate my last statement, but I feel it might have been a little too real:)

So, instead I'll leave y'all with this slightly less horrifying pic

... and bid you adieu.

STAY OUT OF THE WOODS!

[buckysforeverprincess]

The Right Man

Steve Rogers x Reader, Past Bucky Barnes x Reader, Wanda Maximoff

Words: 1708

Warnings: Mentions of cheating, language

A/N: For the record, I despise cheating fics…but occasionally I find myself writing one. Enjoy!

“Fuck you!” You yelled at him as you packed your bag, making sure to grab everything you could fit in the large sack.

“She meant nothing!” Bucky yells back at you, trying to grab the bag out of your hands, stopping you from filling it with your things.

“I don't buy it, asshole! I've had my suspicions for weeks. You're only saying that shit now because you got caught!” You head into the bathroom, quickly throwing some of your toiletries in the bag as well.

“I swear to god, Y/N! It was a onetime thing!” Bucky pleads with you, halting you dead in your tracks.

“And that makes it any better?! Like I'm just supposed to forget that you wasted my love, my time, my life?! No! I'm done, you son-of-a-bitch! I hope to fuck your little whore was worth it!”  

You pushed past him and made your way to the door. “I hope your dick falls off! Better yet, I hope erectile dysfunction is in your future and not even Viagra can help, you cheating piece of shit!” Without another glance, you opened the door and slammed it behind you; leaving your cheating, lying ass, ex-boyfriend in the apartment you'd no longer call home.

Six months later…

“This place is really nice, Steve!! You've truly outdone yourself.”

The man sits across from you, blushing from the compliment. “Only the best for you, beautiful!” Steve grins back and you lower your head, not wanting to let his words go to your deflated self-esteem.  

Steve notices your sudden change in mood, putting down his fork and extending his hand to you, placing it on your own. “He didn't deserve you.” You look up and into Steve’s big blue eyes, pleading with you to hear him.  

“I know he cheated on you, but that wasn't your fault. His desire to cheat, has absolutely nothing to do with you. No one deserves that kind of treatment. That was all on him.”

You nod, absorbing the sweet words your boyfriend was saying. Steve had been nothing but amazing to you in the three months you had been together; showing you that not all men are assholes and can be caring and loving and were generally good guys. Steve was by far the best one you’d ever been with and he was giving you hope for a brighter future.

“Thank you, Steve.” You gave him a slight smile. “I’m getting better at reminding myself that it wasn't my fault. I just can't help but thinking what I could have done wrong or even differently to change the outcome.” You let out a heavy sigh, and Steve shakes his head at you.

“What outcome would have been better, huh?” You look into Steve’s questioning eyes and shrug your shoulders. “Because I see two ways it could've played out. The one where you never found out and he continually cheated on you, or the one where you did find out and you forgave him, but he continued to cheat on you and feed you nothing but lies. Either way, he'd win, and you’d lose.”

The words were harsh, but true and you couldn't fault Steve for it. He was saying everything you were already aware of in hopes you'd see just how better you were than your circumstance. Steve really was the best there ever was and you were so lucky to have found him.

“I know you're right, and I'm working on it. You've been helping me to see what I've already known.” Steve's presence in your life has been giving you the self-esteem boost you didn't know you needed. “Thank you, for restoring my faith in men.”

Steve laughed and shook his head, “All you needed was the right man.” He brings his attention back to his food in front of him, taking a bite of his steak.

“I wholeheartedly agree.”

One year later…

“Steve…have you seen my necklace?” You thought you had placed it on your dresser before heading into the shower.

“Yeah, babe! I moved it over to the nightstand!” He yells from the living room of your shared apartment.

The two of you have been dating for over a year and truth be told, it's been the best year of your life. Steve surprises you daily with his love and devotion, making you feel so absolutely adored. The life he's given you is beyond compare, and you can't imagine not having this wonderful man in your future.

The nightstand is only a few steps away, and you turn your eyes towards it to spot the necklace Steve had bought you for your anniversary, but the necklace isn't what catches your attention. It's the blue box. The tiny blue box. The tiny blue box sitting on the nightstand that's small enough to house a ring inside.

Your breathing starts to increase, and you continue to stare at the intimidating little box just inches in front of you.

“It's not going to bite you.” Steve wraps his arms around your waist, his head slotted perfectly at your shoulder.

“What's in the box?” You whisper, feeling soft kisses being placed on your neck by the man who's holding you ever so softly.

“The key to our future.”  

The party was in full swing by the time the two of you arrived. Steve's impromptu proposal made leaving the house rather difficult, neither one of you wanting to remove yourselves from your bed. In the end, your friends won out and you made your entrance late, but you showed up all the same.  

Your friends had noticed your smiles, and one of them had even spotted the ring, squealing when she realized exactly what it meant.

“I'm so happy for you, Y/N! You deserve this!” Your best friend Wanda hugged and congratulated you.

“Thank you, I really am very lucky to have found him.” You look over at Steve, who’s talking to an animated Tony Stark. “I'm completely, utterly, in love with him and I never thought I'd find happiness like this, ever.” Steve catches you looking his way and throws a wink in your direction.  

“Good.” Your friend says, breaking your thoughts and bringing your attention back to her. “Don't look now, but we have company.” Wanda is looking over your shoulder and you begin to turn around.  

“Hello, ladies.” Standing in front of you is the last person you wanted to see, today or any other day for that matter and could happily go without seeing him again.

“James.” Wanda’s tone is flat and unforgiving, remembering what he had done to you not that long ago. “What are you doing here?” Your friend moves closer trying to put some space between the two of you.  

“It's ok, Wanda…,” you gently move her back out of the way “I can handle this. Hello, James.” You take a sip from your glass, being as amiable as possible.

“Hello, Y/N. It's good to see you.” He gives you one of his flashy smiles and you roll your eyes at him. “So, how’ve you been?” James inquires of you looking you over from head to toe.

“Great, I've actually been really good.” You bring the glass back up to your mouth, and you watch as his eyes lock on the newly placed ring on your finger.

“Guess that was a pretty dumb question. It looks like you're doing well.” James lowers his head and lets out a heavy sigh.

“I am actually. It was rocky at first, trying to wrap my head around what happened and why I wasn't enough, but once I worked through it all I realized...it had nothing to do with what I did. The choice was unmistakably yours. I had nothing to do with that, and I deserved better than being second best.”

James bites at his lip and shakes his head at you, “you were never second best.” Regret written all over his face.

“Of course, I was! If not, you never would have cheated.”

James tries to respond but can't. He knows your right, and there's no argument to be had. The mistake was all his own.

“Everything alright?” Steve walks up to you, placing his arm around your waist. He'd seen the awkward conversation from across the room and decided it was time to be by your side in case you needed him. Especially since you were now his to protect.

“Steve?!” James exclaims, looking genuinely shocked to see him.

“Bucky?! It's been a while.” Steve extends his hand out in a friendly gesture, the other man accepting the simple handshake.  

“I'm sorry I haven't come to see you yet, I-mean, I heard you were back, finished up your final tour.” Bucky offers him an apology and looks sorry to have avoided the man.

“It's ok really, I've been a little busy.” Steve looks at you with a sparkle in his eyes.

“Oh, have you met my fiancée?” Steve's smile was so bright it could light up the night sky.

“We know each other.” You smirk at James but offer no further explanation.

“Yeah, we're-uh, quite familiar with each other, actually.” Bucky nervously rubs at the back of his neck.  

“Oh...oh!” The nature of your association dawns on Steve. “Is he?”

You nod, knowing what your fiancé is asking without having to finish his sentence.

“Wow!” Steve contemplates for a moment looking between his old friend and the woman he loves. He takes a sip from the glass he's firmly holding in his hand, letting the awkwardness set it.  

“Well,” Steve breaks the silence and laces your fingers in his. “I'd like to offer you my thanks. Your colossal mistake, has been my gain. I'll make sure to send you an invite to our nuptials.” Steve turns and looks at you, “shall we be heading out, my love? I think we have a little more celebrating to do. James.” Steve gives him a nod and starts to walk away, you follow right beside him.

Once more, Bucky is left watching you walk out of his life, his mistake never to be forgotten. This time he can see how much his mistake cost him. You'd fallen in love with his best friend, and he knew Steve would never break your heart.

[ruinsoffayth]

Inktober Day 1: Ring - Otoya

Ahhh, I finally finished it! I’m already way behind though... Anyway, this got way too long, so I’m putting it under the cut!

⊱ ────── {⋅. ♪ .⋅} ────── ⊰

The Forest of Dreams is an entirely different place at night. Darker. Eerier. Frightening.

Long gone are the vivid colors that paint the landscape with flowers and streams and stones by day. Long asleep are the beautiful creatures of all shapes and sizes, that greet any travelers passing through, offering gentle company to those who wish it, or a simple nod of antlers or a wave of paws to those who don’t.

No, the inviting world that opens up before dreamers, giving them the opportunity to explore endless wonders, has very little to do with the narrow path lined by pale, dead trees, that stretches out before anyone unlucky enough to have found the entrance to nighttime.

There is no color but the pitch black of shadows that stretch over the landscape, a lot longer than they should be, and the pale white of a crescent moon that slashes the starless night sky.

The red-haired boy feels his heart thump wildly in his chest, as dregs of fear make his stomach twist in knots, but he presses on nonetheless. He may be afraid, but there isn’t a hint of hesitation in his mind. He reaches inside his coat pocket and grabs the ring carefully placed there. He squeezes it once and slowly breathes out, releasing it as he lets his hand fall back to his side.

He starts singing under his breath, a song he heard a long time ago but doesn’t remember where. There’s something sad about the melody, but it had always made him feel comforted whenever he sang it.

Right now it helps him ignore the fact that he can’t hear anything else, the forest enveloped by an eerie silence that makes him more uneasy than the sound of rustling leaves or prowling animals ever would. Although, what bothers him most about this, is that not even his own footsteps make a single sound, not even a dull thud when his boots make contact with the ground. It’s almost as if he isn’t there at all.

Just as he reaches the chorus, the boy suddenly stops in his tracks, bright red eyes widened in shock staring at his abruptly different surroundings. He had only blinked for a moment, but when he opened his eyes the seemingly never-ending path that he had been walking on for so long, had suddenly disappeared, a small clearance now standing in his way.

The boy grips his satchel tightly, knuckles turning white with the strain as he takes a step forward into the clearance. If he had been unnerved before by the dead trees lining the path, there are no words to describe how he feels now, completely surrounded by them on all sides.

“Hello?” he says, words echoing in the night air. He shakily breathes out, half out of wanting to steel his nerves, and half out of relief. He had been waiting for this for so long. The thought fills him with strength and he continues, voice a little louder. “I’m here to make a deal.”

Immediately the boy jumps as giant flames erupt from the ground at the center of the clearing. They rage, nearly blindingly for a single moment before settling down into a calm flame as tall as he is. There is no heat coming from the strange, maroon fire, and as he watches the flames calmly dance, the boy doesn’t flinch as they take the shape of hollow eyes and a big mouth with sharp teeth.

The flames grin at him, but the boy doesn’t move. “Hello there, little boy. What is it you seek?”

The boy opens his mouth and immediately a sharp pain overcomes him. He drops to his knees, screaming as he grips his head. His vision flashes white, and he falls to the ground, one hand feebly reaching for the ring in his pocket. He can’t think, the searing pain completely overwhelming his senses, but his body moves on instinct born out of habit and he manages to find his ring and slip it on. The effect is instantaneous, the pain eases in a rush, disappearing as if it had never existed.

He slowly gets up, breaths coming out unevenly. Out of all times to get an episode, why now? He clicks his tongue in frustration and looks up at the flames, expecting some kind of reaction, but they only remain silent, fiery eyes boring into him, as if they could see through to his very soul.

The boy’s heart pounds in his ears. After all these years of searching, he’s finally found the key to getting his memories back, to remember where he came from and who his family is, what happened to him and why it did. He’ll finally remember who he is.

Without hesitation he moves to stand directly in front of the flames. “Are you the demon who eats dreams?”

The fire flickers as the demon laughs raucously, flaming eyes dancing with mirth. “Is that what they’re calling me now?” It settles down and looks at the boy, mouth still contorted into a smile. “I’ve been called many things over the years. You can call me whatever you like.”

“Can you… can you grant people’s wishes?”

The demon hums, a low, almost raspy sound, not too unlike the cracking of wood as it burns in a fire. “It depends.”

Hope fills the boy’s heart. He’s so close. “I want to know who I am. I want… I want to get my memories back!”

The demon’s flaming eyes widen and it sneers, looking away in disinterest. “Hah, that’s it? That doesn’t really seem to be worth my time, now does it?”

The boy’s heart sinks. “But—"

“What good does it to do to simply get your memories back? What will you do then?” The demon looks at him, and the flames fan out, glowing brighter than before. “Forget your boring memories, I’ll take you there, to the home your heart so desires. And then you’ll finally be able to find yourself.”

The boy finally stops then, really stops the never-ending movement he had forced himself into as everything sinks in. All that time, he had been searching for his memories, for even a hint of where he came from or who he was. It was all that ever mattered to him, ever since he woke up alone by a small lake in the Forest of Dreams all those years ago, with nothing in his possession, not even his own name. Nothing but that sad song and the ring in his pocket.

But now, being told that he can actually go home, that he doesn’t have to roam about aimlessly from place to place anymore. It’s all a little too much.

“Well?”

The boy pauses and then looks up, eyes filled with determination. “I’ll do it.”

The demon’s flaming eyes narrow in delight. “Good. You already know there is a price, don’t you?”

The boy brings a hand up to his satchel and reaches inside, the tips of his fingers brushing against a bag of deep-sea volcanic gold and a flask of dragon bone dust, before the demon’s voice stops him.

“No, no, no. I’m not interested in some dull trinket that anyone can find in this forest.” The flames stretch into a grin. “What I want is your cute little ring.”

The boy gasps, hand closing into a fist out of reflex. “No!” The word escapes his mouth before he can think, and the flames flicker.

“Oh?”

He relaxes his hand, and brings it closer to his face to inspect the ring. The low light of the flames gives the silver band a maroon tint, but the three small emerald stones neatly embedded on top, still glow a pretty shade of green.

He’d always had this ring. It was the only thing he had from his past, the only thing that even indicated that he had a past. Not to mention, that it was the only thing that could ease the agonizing headaches that came for no apparent reason, and always made him feel like his head would split in half.

He’d never had any proof, and he had absolutely no memory of it, but he always felt like it was given to him by someone important, maybe someone who wanted to keep him safe.

The small ring and the sad song had been the only things that had gotten him through the bad days.

“I…” the boy, starts. “I can’t.”

He looks up at the demon and clenches his fist, voice rising with emotion. “I’ll give you anything you want, but I can’t give you the ring!”

The flames flicker, turning darker for a single moment. The elation in the demon’s voice is palpable. “Anything?”

“Anything.”

“In that case,” the demon drawls, “What I want is your soul.”

The boy starts, staring at the demon with wide eyes as his mind races. His soul? He gulps audibly, throat suddenly dry. “And what… will you do with it?”

The demon laughs. “Eat it, of course!”

The boy looks down at his feet, heart racing as he tries to figure out what he should do. His dream was so close, and yet…

“Don’t worry, little boy. I will take you home and make sure your wish comes true. And then, when the time comes, I will take your soul for myself.”

What. What should he do?

“Or…” the demon says. “You can always continue to wander through the Forest of Dreams, offering help to any dreamers passing by, and visiting that other world that isn’t your own, in search of something you’ll never find. The choice is yours.”

The boy’s face contorts in pain. “No…” he whispers. Then, louder. “I want to go home.”

Flames contort into a sharp grin. “Good. Do we have a deal?”

The boy closes his eyes for a moment. When he opens them, there is no hesitation. “Yes.”

The last thing he sees is sharp teeth stretched into an unnaturally twisted grin, before the flames stretch out and engulf him, and then he’s falling, strange visions flitting through his mind.

 A long desert stretching out into the horizon.

(This place, I… have I been here before?)

 A red-haired woman gently singing a beautiful song with a sad melody.

(What a beautiful voice…)

 A young boy with olive skin not much darker than his own, and beautiful green eyes, urgently placing a ring in his hands.

(Who are you? A stranger? A friend? A brother?)

 Black mist covering everything around him, until darkness completely envelops his vision, until darkness is all that ever was.

(Please…)

 The demon’s voice chuckles in his ear. “Are you ready, Otoya?”

And then there is nothing.