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yodawgiherd · 4 years ago

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Incantation of Incineration pt.2

>>>Read on AO3<<<

As we were blessed by a continuation of the GODLIKE fanart, I have decided to keep my word (for once). Check the picture out if you didn't yet, you are missing out O_O -----> https://twitter.com/NxngOna/status/1388902556693405706/photo/1 Anyway, this one is a bit longer and a tad more sinful than the first one, so beware. Unless you are here for the filth, that is.

How does one control a demon?

That was the question at the forefront of Mikasa’s mind in the last week. Despite her doubts, despite all of her previous bad luck she finally managed to summon one but he was not obeying her in the slightest. The opposite in fact, she very much remembered his whispered threatening question.

“Do you feel in power?”

She didn’t, not back then, and Mikasa wanted to be prepared for the next time. Of course that there would be a next time! She had so many questions to ask, so many wishes to fulfill so many…

Ok, easy, first the controlling part.

The last time he was here the Demon was doing whatever he wanted. While it was only eating her out, for some reason, it was done out of his will and the goth was simply swept in it. Never again. Next time they meet, she will be the one in control.

Yet it was hard to fulfill such a wish.

The internet gave her dozens of websites, hundreds of articles and discussions, but combing through them Mikasa didn’t see anything that caught her interest. Searching the amazing book she found in the library, she didn’t find any help there either. If there was a demon-binding ritual, she missed it.

In her anguish the goth asked the smartest person she knew – her friend Armin.

“Ar, any idea how I could control a demon?”

He looked at her, pushing his glasses up a bit.

“What are you talking about?”

“I summoned one last week but I couldn’t make him do what I wanted.”

“I see…”, he didn’t believe her, of course he didn’t, but Mikasa didn’t mind that.

He would still help her because Armin was a ray of sunshine and the best friend a girl could ask for.

“Any specifics about this demon?”, he asked, “Might help me in my search.”

“Well, he was human-looking, but with horns and black claws. He also had strange markings under his eyes and there were torn shackles at his wrists.”

“Horns, markings, shackles…”, dutiful as ever, Armin marked it all down, “Okay, I’ll do some searching and see what I can find.”

Leaning over Mikasa hugged him, whispering a quiet thank you into his ear.

As always, Armin delivered.

It was in the evening when Mikasa was laying on her bed, eyes rowing over the text in her new spellbook when her phone pinged.

A: Found an article that matches the demon you told me about. Apparently you can bind him to you by the shackles.

M: what do I have to do?

A: You need a key which you have, use the one you keep wearing.

Mikasa did like to wear an old key around her neck, an old trinket she didn’t even remember where it came from.

A: The spell is described in the article, use that and the “Demon” should obey :)

Yea. “Demon”. Whatever.

M: thx, I owe you one <3

Opening the link Mikasa’s eyes quickly scanned the spell, muttering under her breath. She lacked a few key ingredients, the biggest one being a live bird (?) for some reason. The required red scarf – that was another thing that Mikasa owned, making her wonder just what kind of spell this was.

Luckily her parents were gone on another business trip and wouldn’t be back for another two weeks, giving her ample time to gather these things. She bought a canary in a pet shop, a new set of black candles and few flowers. Back home she made those into a flower crown, just as the spell required.

In the middle of the room stood the birdcage, the canary watching Mikasa prance around. The key was put in front of the cage, the flower crown around it. Last the scarf – the goth circled it around the crown before putting the candles in required positions, lighting them up.

There, that should be everything.

Keeping the article open on her phone Mikasa began chanting, strange words once again leaving her lips. Whatever those meant she had no idea, but the effect was almost immediate. First of all the candles snuffed out. Then the flower crown caught fire, burning into nothing in a split second. After that the scarf moved, flying towards her and wrapping itself around her neck without anyone touching it. Last it was the key – it turned on the ground with a screech and suddenly the birdcage sprung open, the canary flapping its wings and disappearing out of the window in a split second.

Mikasa stared at it all with wide eyes.

Well, that was quite something. When everything calmed and nothing moved anymore, she concluded the ritual. Hiding the birdcage and scarf and putting the key back around her neck, the goth prepared the usual pentagram with candles, pulling out the knife. Ready to cut herself under the eye again, she said the spell, raising the blade to her skin.

Yet before it could make contact, the smoke explosion was back.

Knocking her backward same as before, the Demon was there in full glory, eyes immediately flying to Mikasa. Thin lips twisted into a grin that exposed the sharp teeth.

“You don’t have to cut yourself anymore, my beauty, I have your scent now. When you call me, I will answer.”

Collecting herself from the ground, Mikasa took a deep breath and straightened, staring the demon in the eye. With just a slightly trembling hand she gripped the key around her neck, thrusting it towards him. It glowed, his shackles did too, and the demon’s face changed from smug to surprised.

“What is this?” he wondered out loud, raising his hand to inspect the torn chains.

“A spell I used.”, Mikasa said triumphantly, all giddy inside that it worked, “I bound you, you are now under my control.”

“Is that so…”

Slow, testing, he took a step towards her, the chains rattling slightly. Summoning all her mental strength Mikasa stood fast, clutching the key like a lifeline.

“S-Stop!”, she commanded the demon, praying to the dark god that the spell will work.

The demon’s whole body shook as he tried to take another step, muscles refusing to move.

“You…”, his eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint entering them, “You don’t know what you are playing with…”

With a grunt he threw himself against the invisible bonds, straining.

“Release me! Or I will make you regret it.”

Despite all these dangerous words, despite all the threats he was forced to stand still and Mikasa felt her lips curving into a smile. She won. Finally, she had a demon under her control.

“I don’t think that I want to do that.”, confident she circled the frozen statue, admiring his body now that she could take a good look, “I think that I will keep you.”

He had a lot of scars, crisscrossing all over his skin, cuts of all shapes and sizes. Fascinated by one that went around his throat, Mikasa reached out, running her fingers over it.

And that was a mistake.

Fast as lighting the demon’s hand caught her wrist, pulling her body against his. Suddenly staring upwards into his smirk, Mikasa felt all her newfound confidence melting away because there was pure rage hidden in the emerald orbs.

“That was a good spell you had prepared, witch, but unfortunately for you, I am very good at attaining my freedom.”

“I-…”, she tried defending herself but the demon wouldn’t let her speak.

His other hand came up, circling Mikasa’s neck and for a second she feared that he will choke her to death. That fear didn’t come true as instead of pressure she could feel his fingers drawing patterns into her skin.

“Let’s see how you like being controlled.”, he whispered, and suddenly there was searing pain on Mikasa’s neck.

She stumbled backward, released from his embrace, and fell to her knees, hands clutching her throat. It burned like hell itself and Mikasa screamed in pain, but as quickly as it appeared it was gone, leaving nothing but a memory in its wake.

Or not, as there was something hugging her neck now.

Carefully tracing the thing with her fingertips Mikasa identified a new choker. She had one before, a simple strip of black leather, but this one was different. It was more like a tight collar, adorned with metal spikes all around.

“How does it feel, being collared like a dog?”, the demon rumbled, getting her attention.

“I… Strange.”, she gulped, realizing that having this “gift” from a demon might not be a good thing for her wellbeing, “C-Can you take it off?”

“I can but I’m not going to. First I have to show you what amazing things it can do.”, he pointed one black claw towards the magic book, lying on Mikasa’s bed, “You do love spells, don’t you? And what better magic is there than demonic one.”

“Wha-“

Again, the demon didn’t let her finish.

“What’s your name?”, he asked.

Mikasa didn’t want to tell him. Names had power, even more so in magic, and telling yours to a demon is a bad move. But as soon as the question left his lips she found herself answering, unable to stop the words from tumbling out.

“Mikasa Ackerman.”

He grinned upon seeing her confusion.

“See? I own you now, mortal. As long as the collar is on you, I can make you do anything I want.”, his eyes raked all over her body, a hunger appearing in them – the same one that was there the last time they were together.

“Anything…”

The thin, abnormally long tongue slid out of his mouth, licking his lips.

“And there is a lot I want to do with you.”

Despite literally owning her right now, Mikasa didn’t hear any malicious intent in his voice. There was the primal hunger, lust, and also a fair bit of anger but no real hate or resentment. He would make her pay, but it would not be done in a way that she couldn’t handle.

The implications left not only a tingle of fear in her, but also a tingle of arousal, and the goth unconsciously pressed her thighs together to hide it. Only it didn’t escape the demon’s ever-seeing gaze.

“Stand up.”, was his next order and Mikasa did so, body moving on its own.

“Take off your skirt.”, this time her face boiled red as she mechanically obeyed, and still the demon wasn’t done with humiliating her, “And your stockings too.”

Just as she unclipped the first garter, a new order followed.

“Do it slowly. Give me a nice show, I like watching you.”

And she did so, rolling the black material down her legs in the most sensual way she could muster, unwilling and unable to meet the demon’s eyes. She could feel them though, as his gaze burned its way all over her pale legs, now bare of any clothing. With her lower half in nothing but the black panties Mikasa straightened, waiting on the next command from her infernal master.

He was breathing heavily now, she could hear, every exhale laden with maddening hunger for her. Watching her undress got all the fires going, it would seem.

“As much as I would like to get on with the fun, I do have to punish you for trying to bind me.”, he twirled his long fingers, “Turn around and bend over, hands on the bed.”

Again, her body mechanically obeyed, turning around and bending over, exposing her ass to him. And what an ass it was, even better than the demon remembered. Pale, firm, and perfectly shaped, the memories of it in his hands made his mouth go dry. Not to mention the thighs right under, because those deliciously thick and muscled legs…. He was beyond hungry.

Not yet, he reminded himself, first the punishment. Then the fun.

There was a clink behind her and because peeking was not forbidden she looked over her shoulder, seeing that one of the multiple belts came loose from the demon’s black pants. He was twisting the leather between his fingers, snapping it.

The image itself was almost enough to make her fall on her face.

“I believe that a few lashes with the belts will do you good, wouldn’t you agree?”

It wasn’t an order, she realized, it was a question. The demon, a literal demon from hell, was asking her consent. Normally that situation would be so funny that Mikasa would burst out laughing, but that did not fit what was happening inside her body.

Logically she should say no, of course, but logic didn’t have a place here. She summoned a demon – one that gave her some incredible oral pleasure during their first encounter, one she tried to bind, unsuccessfully, and one that was about to give her some good old spanking in retaliation.

Fuck, she wanted it, she wanted it so much.

Biting her bottom lip Mikasa nodded, but the demon wasn’t satisfied with that.

“Words, Mikasa, use those.”

This time it was an order but he didn’t use the magic collar and when the goth girl spoke it was completely out of her free will.

“Yes, I deserve it.”

“Were you a bad girl?”

“I was… I was a bad girl, sir.”

Mikasa added that last bit unconsciously, and from the deep grumble she could guess the effect it had on the demon. Ooh, he liked that.

“Where I come from, there is plenty of sinners like that, so I have a good idea on how to fix you.”, the buckle clinked as he swayed the belt, “I want you to count the lashes, can you do that for me?”

“Y-Yes, sir.”

A satisfied huff and a bit of silence after, making Mikasa wonder if…

The first blow landed on her ass, the slap of leather against skin loud. Taken by surprise she cried out, the flare of pain running through the whole body.

“One.”, she pushed out and was rewarded by a second sting. It was painful, sure, but it also sent pleasurable tremors towards her core. Mikasa was always a bit of pain enjoyer, and this rough treatment was something from her wildest dreams. Being punished by a demon was more like fanfiction than reality, but it was happening to her -right here and right now, and she couldn’t be more turned on.

By the fifth hit, there were tears in her eyes.

By the tenth she was dancing on her toes, clenching against the belt.

Fifteen was enough to satisfy the sadistic demon, and when she cried that number through her tears, the belt dropped to the ground. Suddenly Mikasa was picked up, turned around, and practically slammed against the wall. Her legs automatically hooked around the demon’s waist while his hands held her, one around the neck while the other caught her wrist and pressed it against the wall, immobilizing her.

He was sweating, droplets of liquid sliding over his scarred skin but it wasn’t because of the physical exertion. No, it was caused by the inhuman effort it took to hold himself back from ravaging the teary-eyed goth right here and there.

Even as a demon, he had certain standards.

“You took the whipping well, too well even. Tell me, do you like pain?”

“A little bit…”, she muttered, very conscious of the fire raging between her slick thighs.

A grin spread across his handsome features, the demon couldn’t help but admire her face, now that they were this close. Her grey eyes were regarding him with a hint of fear in them, but there was also the undeniable arousal smoldering, and he wanted to see that fire burn.

Letting go of her for a second the demon grabbed the bottom of her black top, bunched between their bodies, and pulled upwards, revealing her chest. Nice pair of firm tits, covered by a simple black bra, just as pale as the rest of her.

Fuck, he wanted to suck on them.

Returning his hand to its previous place, anchoring Mikasa’s wrist against the wall, the demon spoke up.

“I punished you so now we can move on to a more pleasurable activity. However - I may be a damned soul but despite your stunts I do not wish to force myself on you. So I’ll ask now, and I order you to answer me truthfully – do you want me to go on?”

The goth girl in his arms shook with what he guessed was pure lust, squirming against the restrictive hold he had on her body. Her midnight hair slid over his nose, the addictive scent reminding the demon of just how amazing she tasted.

Forcing himself to wait was torture, yet he held on.

Meanwhile, Mikasa’s mind was doing leaps and bounds all over the room. Her ass hurt but it was nothing compared to what was happening in the other place – she was beyond wet at this point, so turned on that stopping her hips from rubbing on the demon’s amazingly muscles stomach was a chore. Yes, she had to prevent herself from humping him like a sex-starved maniac. His words weren’t an order, just like last time, and when Mikasa spoke it was her own lust doing the talking, nothing else.

“Yes.”

“Do you want me to touch you?”, he continued.

“Yes.”

“Now…”, he leaned closer, next words a whisper, “ Do you want me to fuck you?”

“Hng... I…”

“Answer!”

“Y-YES! Please!”

The self-satisfied smirk grew even wider.

“Well, all you had to do was ask…”

Letting go of her wrist for the second time the demon moved his hand between her legs, rubbing her place of weakness through the dark underwear.

“So wet for me, so willing…”, gently he nudged her face with his nose, rubbing skin on skin, “Is this what you want so much? To be railed by a demon?”

PleasePleasePlease

Unable to speak from the sheer amount of want inside her, Mikasa settled on nodding rapidly.

The hand moved again, much to her dismay, this time stopping in front of Mikasa’s face. A bit of transmutation magic later the claws were gone, replaced by black fingernails.

“Open.”, an order this time and Mikasa’s mouth fell open immediately.

Pushing his fingers between her lips, a new command followed.

“Suck.”

Again she obeyed, swiping her tongue alongside those long digits.

“As much as I want to take you right now, I must stretch you out a bit first.” The demon went on monologuing, his eyes glued to her face, “I’d prefer it if you screamed in pleasure when I fuck you, not in pain.”

Those words went right into Mikasa’s core as she throbbed, impatient to finally have him touch her. Maybe sensing her eagerness the demon pulled the fingers out, dropping his hand between her legs instead. Panties nudged aside and suddenly he was rubbing her directly, fingers parting her dripping pink lips. A slight tap on her swollen clit had her gasping for air, but the opened mouth proved to be a mistake.

The demon practically attacked her, lurching forward to press his lips against hers. The abnormal tongue was back, once again slipping into her mouth and caressing the familiar places. At the same time, his digits finally pushed inside her, slipping into Mikasa’s wetness with a somewhat disgusting sound. The moan forced from her throat by the penetration was swallowed by him, keeping her silent.

For now.

Even without the main treat it was still a full meal. The demon fingered her expertly, curving his digits to rub the good places inside while also keeping his thumb occupied by toying with Mikasa’s clit. The kisses were rough and breathtaking, sucking any oxygen from her and he only left her lips to attack the neck instead, biting and kissing everywhere, renewing the faded lovebites from a week ago. Again and again, those sharp teeth sunk into the porcelain skin and Mikasa felt like she was going to go crazy.

Not even fucking her yet but she was already on the edge. The demon sensed it, of course, having his fingers deep inside her, feeling the contractions of her walls grow faster and more desperate. Smirking into her skin, a single word fell from his lips.

“No.”

The collar burned around Mikasa’s throat and she found her body obeying, disregarding her wishes. On the edge but not falling, she found herself unable to climax, somehow being prevented from doing so by vile demon magic.

“You bast-“

Her protest was cut short because her lips were slammed by his own, stealing Mikasa’s ability to express herself. Whining in protest she was rudely ignored by the demon, who took his time to scissor the fingers inside her instead, stretching her open, preparation for what was to come.

Despite being denied her release Mikasa’s body was more than enjoying this. She was moaning into the kiss, writhing on his fingers, ready and waiting for him. Seven hells be damned, he couldn’t wait any longer. Tearing the panties away with a flick of his wrist and letting his pants dissolve into a puff of black smoke, the demon grabbed his painfully hard length as he angled it correctly against the inviting wetness.

Push.

Mikasa’s eyes widened, and her mouth fell open when she felt the head of his member parting her. She didn’t get a chance to look at it but judging from how it felt the demon was rather well endowed. The girth was impressive, stretching her beyond anything she felt before right down to her limits. This was a lot she was taking, and the demon was unyielding, hands gripping her waist as he impaled her, inch by inch. Insistent he forced himself in and Mikasa couldn’t do anything about it.

Yet her body accommodated to this fullness and the unpleasant feeling was replaced by a pleasant one. He went on and on until she feared that he will ram himself all the way into her guts but just as she was about to ask him to stop, the demon was fully sheathed.

Mikasa had never felt this filled in her life. The head of his member was pressed against the deepest part of her sex, no more space and no more length combining.

“Fuck,”, he cursed, “we fit together perfectly.”

On her part the goth couldn’t say a word, so full of him that thinking was impossible. Not that the demon mind that.

Gripping her waist he slowly pulled out, letting his length rub all the nice places inside her. When only the tip remained he reversed his move, pushing in again. In it went with a wet sound, out it went glistening with her juices, and he almost went feral upon seeing that.

Pushing down the need to ravage her, to split her open by ramming himself inside with full strength he continued this gentle dance of his hips, forcing her body to get used to him. Only when he felt her muscles weakening - when she gave way did he speed up.

In and out like a jackhammer, the demon was finally rutting into her with added strength and Mikasa couldn’t take it. She whined and moaned and gasped, unable to control her body at all. Her head fell back, knocking at the wall while her fingers curved against his back. She was holding onto him for dear life, black fingernails creating bloody lines in their path and adding to the plethora of scars on the demon’s back.

Still she couldn’t climax, still the collar’s magic prevented her from doing so and the goth could feel her sanity slipping away. She would beg if she could but Mikasa’s voice wasn’t of any use to her, anytime she opened her mouth only a sound of pure pleasure came out.

Helplessly open, Mikasa’s “Ah-Ah-Ah” was a direct feed to the demon’s ego. Oh, and what an egoist he was. Her voice was one thing, but when she throbbed down there – that was a feeling the demon etched into his memory with each thrust.

Edged, led on, and denied with the orgasm at the border of her vision, Mikasa was truly losing it.

She couldn’t speak so she screamed, screamed in pure desperation because the demon was now ramming the deepest part of her over and over again, grunting into her neck. Mentally she begged – with her eyes, with her touches, with her legs that squeezed his waist.

This was some truly hardcore fucking she was on the receiving end of, and Mikasa needed to let go, she would go crazy otherwise. The coil in her stomach was wound impossibly tight but unable to snap and it was getting too much to handle. The tears that fell from the grey eyes slipped over the red cheeks and landed on the demon’s body, finally waking him up from whatever pit of pleasure he was in.

Watching her, listening to her, and feeling her all around him, the demon deemed the punishment complete. Not even slowing down in the wild hammering of his hips, the slaps of flesh against flesh echoing through the room, he spoke. Three words, one sentence, and it was the most beautiful sound that Mikasa ever heard in her life.

“Cum for me.”

The collar’s magic was gone, the barrier dissipated, the coil snapped and the dam broke. Mikasa howled, her eyes rolling back and vision going white, black spots dancing all over it. The orgasm ripped through her entire being, from the tips of her curled toes to the ends of her sweat-matted midnight hair. She clutched to the demon because he was the only link to reality that she had, and the goth had to hold onto something otherwise her mind threatened to break completely, swept away by the overwhelming raw pleasure.

Sensing that if he kept it up she would truly go insane the demon slowed down, letting himself fully enjoy this feeling. Her walls fluttered like the wings of a trapped butterfly, the already tight passage grew even tighter and pulsed around his whole length. It felt amazing, out of this world and if he wasn’t a demon he would call it heavenly.

The slight wiggle of her hips woke him up from that place, putting him back to reality. Mikasa was watching him with wide grey eyes, pupils completely blown, the movements suggesting that she wanted to go down from her perch against the wall. She probably thought that this was it, that one mind-shattering orgasm is enough of a gift.

She was wrong.

“None of that.,” he denied her, tightening his grip on her sweat-slicked body, “I am far from being done with you.”

With those words, the most intense night of the goth’s life began.

During his aggressive fucking Mikasa’s remaining clothes, namely the black top and bra, were torn to shreds, leaving her in nothing but the spiked collar around her neck. In some strange need to bare her completely the demon even snapped her own choker away, leaving only the one he gifted her on.

The key was also allowed to stay and it dangled uselessly between her now fully exposed breasts, reminding Mikasa of her failed attempt to capture the demon. Now she was paying for it, when his sharp teeth closed around a nipple, sweetly tormenting the sensitive flesh.

Overall the demon took his time with her chest, kissing, licking, groping, and biting all over her breasts. Her chest was ravaged and Mikasa was bound to have so many bruises bloom on the skin tomorrow. Yet that was a problem for the future Mikasa to handle, the current one cared only about how great it felt, to have the demon’s teeth and tongue all over her tits.

She was taken in more positions and in more places than Mikasa could even count. The bastard spiked her pleasure with pain, slapping her ass while taking her from behind, irritating the welts that didn’t even get a chance to fully form.

Every suitable, and some unsuitable, place in her room was defiled by their activities as she was being maneuvered here and there by his unyielding touch. The demon expertly shifted his torment from denial to overstimulation, giving her more than she could handle and then some. He fucked her right into an orgasm and then right through it, holding her writhing body as she lost her consciousness in an unending stream of pleasure.

A sharp bite into the neck woke her, but if Mikasa thought that she was getting a break she was wrong. It felt like the longest night of the goth’s life and it was far from over.

Mikasa came a lot, losing count early into the debauchery, but the demon never finished, holding his release back. He also never tired, his demonic stamina far outpacing the one of a poor mortal. While at the start Mikasa was an active participant in their activities, by the end of it she was practically limp, praying to the dark god that she will survive this endless assault on her body and mind.

When the morning sun peeked at them from behind the windows, when the demon saw that his partner was on the verge of total blackout from sheer exhaustion, slipping in and out of consciousness, did he allow his iron self-control to break.

Coherent enough to pull out at least, he decorated her muscled stomach with spurts of unnaturally hot release. Wouldn’t want any half-demons running around now, would he? It was a lot, a night's worth of it, and Mikasa felt some splash as high as her face, but she was too far gone to care. Being a perfect demonic gentleman he even cleaned after himself with a muttered spell.

Only after himself though, so Mikasa’s filth was left behind for her to take care of. Whatever it was the limitation of the spell or just the demon’s twisted sense of humor, that would remain a mystery.

Just like that, it was over.

He was slipping out of her embrace and soon would be gone, leaving Mikasa with nothing but the ache and exhaustion. A deep part of her needed something, anything to hold onto, a word to connect these memories to, and “the demon” didn’t cut it anymore. She reached out, weakly grasping his wrist but he didn’t pull away, turning back to look at her.

“Please…”, she whispered, only half-coherent, “What’s your name?”

“My name? Demon’s names have powers, great powers, we do not give it lightly.”

“You know mine, it’s only fair.”

He snorted.

“A mortal name in exchange for an eternal one? Hardly equal.”

“Please…”, she begged again, “I want to remember you by it.”

For some reason he couldn’t explain, those words were tugging at the very base of the demon’s existence. He shouldn’t be this affected yet this mortal, this exhausted, sweaty, and filthy mess that could hardly string two words together after a night of demonic sex, this bundle of trembling muscles and pale skin marked by blooming bruises he left behind, this beautiful piece of ass that was welted by his belt just had power over him.

It wasn’t any spell the demon knew, but it was perhaps the most powerful pull he ever felt in his whole damned existence. He couldn’t say no to her.

He simply couldn’t.

“Eren.”, he said, “My name is Eren.”

Leaning down he pushed some of the sweat matted hair away from her angelic face.

“I hope that I won’t have to wait long until you summon me again, Mikasa.”

Giving in to the temptation the demon pressed a last kiss to her forehead, strangely loving and very un-demonic. And with that he was gone, disappearing back to wherever he came from.

On the ruined bed Mikasa sighed, already missing his warmth.

Was there a way to make him stay longer? Maybe even… permanently? The thought of having a full-time demon boyfriend made her giggle and she pressed her face into the pillow to muffle it.

The leather choker-slash-collar was still on her neck, gently tight around the skin, most likely left behind as a gift, and Mikasa already knew that it would become her everyday accessory. The spiked looked might be a bit too aggressive for most people, but she couldn’t care less. It was a gift from a demon, her demon, and she would treasure it.

Eren. His name was Eren and she would be seeing him again.

Soon.

#eremika #fanfic #snk

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aziraphales-library · 5 years ago

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Hi there! I have a small list of recs to offer (if they haven’t been suggested already) so I hope you don’t mind!

In The Pocket of The Universe by indieninja92

Five Times Aziraphale Saved Crowley From A Bad Date (And One Time He Didn’t) by MickyRC

Almost Familiar by MickyRC

Be Mine by CopperBeech

Perfect, Beautiful You by CopperBeech

An Ineffable Hallow’s Eve by JenniferNapier

I thoroughly enjoyed all of these very much!

~refraingirl

Any rec is a welcome rec, even if it’s happened before! Someone new can always come across it. Here are the links!

In the Pocket of the Universe by indieninja92

Immediately after the church scene (and The Slow Zoom of Homosexual Panic), Aziraphale takes Crowley out for dinner in the only place still open in the middle of an air raid. Feelings closely follow.

Explicit rating for the second chapter only, which takes place after Armageddon't.

Five Times Aziraphale Saved Crowley From A Bad Date (And One Time He Didn't) by MickyRC

Crowley had no idea why he said yes. Seriously, what? A date? At his age? Why?

Crowley really should know better than going on dates with humans. He doesn't, though. Luckily, Aziraphale usually turns up just in time to get him out of it.

Almost Familiar by MickyRC

Warlock couldn't help being a little underwhelmed by Soho. There was nothing there that really struck him.

Except that bookshop. That weird little street corner that didn’t match up at all with the bars and clubs all around it. That place was interesting. The paint was chipping, and the windows were too dusty to see through, but it felt… safe, sort of. A calm little patch of quiet at the center of London’s hustle and bustle. Something about it was… almost familiar.

In which Warlock thinks he's been abandoned, Crowley and Aziraphale think Warlock is dead, and they all find each other anyway.

Be Mine by CopperBeech

“You know you weren’t meant for Heaven any more than I was meant for Hell. I only did the kind of mischief that would make people want to ask questions. About what we’re doing, why we’re here. Why this is called good and that’s called bad. The others, seemed most of them only liked the cruelty… But then, so did Heaven, didn’t it? Do it this way or die, or Fall and be prey for everyone that Fell with you. Outsourcing. No, angel – we belong here, with green things and fucking and wine and old wise whores and kids trying to make a sound system work.”

"I hope that's not part of the ceremony."

"Nah. I could put it in if you want."

Perfect, Beautiful You by CopperBeech

Aziraphale is being disquietingly surreptitious. Crowley, being a demon, defaults to seething jealousy. Not surprisingly, they’ve both got hold of the wrong end of the stick.

He wakes up for the third time when the sun is well past the zenith and rinses out a mouth that tastes like the bottom of a birdcage. Somehow, not sobering up and letting what he’d drunk between one club and another (and another) work its villainy on him seemed like the punishment he deserved for ever being enough of an idiot to think that an angel would be content with him. His pit-blasted eyes, his volatile heart, his half-serpent nature.

On the other hand, Aziraphale isn’t being honest with him.

They’re going to have this out.

An Ineffable Hallow's Eve by JenniferNapier

A Halloween celebration in Lower Tadfield takes a terrifying turn when monsters become real. Together, a witch, demon, angel, and a handful of humans must find a way to break a dreadful curse (or two) before it's too late.

~Mod P

#good omens #adult omens #fic rec #submission #aziraphale #crowley #ineffable husbands #mod p #jennifernapier #copperbeech #mickyrc #indieninja92 #refraingirl

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a-deadly-serenade · 4 years ago

Text

Alchemy Between You & Me: Chapter 2: Sulfur [Guy of Gisborne/Reader]

ao3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27362053/chapters/66860944

chapter below the cut.

chapter 1: arsenic

The following morning you awoke with a start. Someone was rapping on your chamber door.

Hastily wrapping your blanket around yourself, you heed their call, albeit begrudgingly. There’s a clear grimace on your face as you peer at the guard that stood at the ready for your answer and he bows before you.

“Good morning, my lady. I’m sorry to disturb you, but the sheriff requires your presence in his quarters.”

“At this hour?” you replied dryly. With a sigh, you give him a nod of your head. “I’ll be with you shortly,” you excused yourself and slipped the dress from the night before over your chemise.

You made a mental note to peruse the seamstresses and fabric sellers in the area later. If you were going to stay here, you could at least keep up with the latest fashions.

After fixing your hair and splashing some cold water on your face, you exited your room and started to follow the guard that walked down the halls with post-haste.

Several winding hallways later and you stood in front of a large wooden door that had two more soldiers posted on either side as watchmen. They each gave a nod to the guard that escorted you and together, pushed open the door to the sheriff’s quarters.

The room was large and furnished with an enormous desk made of a dark, almost black colored wood. A fireplace stood nearby, the logs burning in the hearth crackling away. Several bookshelves were placed around the room, all of them packed with various maps and tomes, and curiously, there was an assortment of birdcages.

You peered up at the tiny, straw things, each of them filled with a variety of songbirds and finches. Their tiny, peeping cries mingled with the sound of the town below as folks prepared their wares for the morning market.

The sheriff was seated at his desk, scribbling away on a large piece of parchment with a rather ridiculously oversized quill.

Sir Guy stood beside him and you felt your heart flutter at his acknowledging smile. He cleared his throat and tapped the sheriff on the shoulder.

“My lord, she’s arrived.”

His head instantly snapped up and his eyes widened in delight. “Indeed she has,” he said and gave you a crooked smile. “Thank you,” he addressed the guard. “You may leave us.”

The soldier bowed before the sheriff and took his leave, closing the doors behind him with a loud slam.

“You’re probably wondering why I summoned you here, my dear,” he said and ushered you forward with a beckon of his hand.

You took the few tentative steps forward to reach the edge of his desk and he gave you another smile.

“There’s no need to look so worried,” he assured. “I merely wanted to check-in, see how things are going.”

“Check-in?” you repeated, absolutely dumbfounded. You’d been taken from your studies, only to be dropped off on this conniving little man’s doorstep as his upcoming entertainment and he wanted to know how you were doing?

You were in such shock that you couldn’t even bring yourself to think of a reply, so the sheriff took your silence as his cue to continue.

“I trust that your room is to your satisfaction? I tried my best to find one that’d be easy for you to find. Can’t have my alchemist accidentally wandering off somewhere unsavory now can we?”

You coughed up a weary laugh in response. “Yes, I’ll admit, it’s going to take some getting used to, but I’ll manage.”

“Good,” he nodded. “I hear that Gisborne offered to give you the grand tour, hmm?” he chuckled. “I bet it’s high time you see where it is you’ll be working.”

“I’ll be working here? In the castle?” you raise an eyebrow up at him skeptically.

“Of course. Guy will show you,” he said and flourished his hand up at Gisborne. “Oh, and while you’re out,” he added. “Perhaps you could take the lovely young lady shopping? I doubt she’s keen to join your club of wearing the same dreary thing every day.”

You noticed Guy roll his eyes but he nodded his head at the sheriff’s request. “Very well,” he said and turned to face you.

His expression softened significantly and he gave you another smile. “If you would follow me, my lady,”

Giving the sheriff a curtsy, you quickly departed his office and let out a long sigh of relief as you walked out into the hallway.

There was just something about that man… he was so unsettling to be around!

A gentle hand outstretched onto your shoulder and you craned your neck up to look at Guy.

“I could show you to the lab first if you wish.”

Your interest is immediately peaked and your eyes light up as you smile brightly. “Lab? There’s a lab in the castle?”

He chuckled and started to lead the way, keeping his pace slow and leisurely. “Of course. Where else would you work?”

“To be perfectly honest, I hadn’t the slightest clue what entailed working as the sheriff’s personal alchemist,” you said lightly. “For a moment, I presumed he’d have me presiding over some rubble in the hopes that I’d turn it to gold.”

Guy chuckled. “That’d be quite the trick,” he said and you felt your cheeks burn under his stare. “But, the sheriff has proved himself to be a man of many interests and his pursuit of alchemy has always been on the more scientific side.”

“Really? I find that surprising. Most nobles only attach alchemy with the ridiculous notion of chrysopoeia. What makes the sheriff so different?”

“He’s seen what real alchemy can do,” Guy said and paused before a wrought iron door. With a tug of the large, circular doorknob, you are greeted with a wondrous sight.

The room was gigantic. Long wooden shelves hung suspended in the air by ropes, each one of them packed to the brim with all sorts of paraphernalia. Tall, curved windows allowed slits of sunlight to breach through the darkness of the stone castle and you gasped in delight.

Running over to more closely inspect the ingredients and tools, you were pleasantly surprised that Guy had been right with his assessment of the sheriff. Most of the jars were filled with a variety of herbs, gemstones, powders, and liquids. It was a bit of a mess, and a great deal of dust had settled over the room from unuse but… you could definitely make do with this.

“What do you think?” Guy wondered.

“It needs a bit of work to get back to its former glory, but,” your lips split into another grin as you discovered a few tomes tucked between some flasks. “This is more than I could have hoped for,”

Guy’s boots clicked softly against the stone floor as he made his way towards you. “I’m glad. Do you think you’ll have everything you need? I know it’s been awhile since anyone has worked here.”

“I’ll have to take inventory of everything that’s here,” you replied. “Which… may take a while.”

“I should leave you to it then,” he said and bowed before you. “While you’re working, I’ll have someone head to the market and fetch you some clothes.”

“Oh, there’s no need to do that. I can do it myself—”

“Nonsense,” he interrupted with a smile. “It’s no trouble, really. Is there any particular style that you’d prefer?”

“No,” you chuckled. “As long as I get something to wear other than this,” you gesture to your worn-out gown. “I’ll be content. At least tell me that you’ll accept any payments I forward for your generosity.”

“That won’t be necessary. Your parents already forwarded more than enough money to help pay for your keep, not that they needed to, as the sheriff was more than happy having you simply work here in the castle.”

“Oh…” you replied and disappointment flashed across your face. They really had been planning for this to happen all along, hadn’t they?

You felt a hand on your shoulder and jumped, heat rising to your cheeks when you realized how close Guy stood before you.

“Work should help take your mind off things,” he replied with a sympathetic smile.

“Yes… you make a good point, Sir Guy,” you reached up and gave his arm a squeeze, grateful for not only his company but his friendship as well.

His eyes widened slightly at the gesture and he retracted his hand as he cleared his throat. “The sheriff will most likely stop by at some point, to check on your progress. I’m not sure when he expects you to begin work on the black powder, but he is not a man that likes to be kept waiting.”

You frowned and heaved a heavy sigh. “I’ll see what I can do.”

With one final curtsy, Guy exited the lab, leaving you alone to begin the arduous work of whipping this place back into shape.

Rolling up your sleeves, you managed to find some old rags nestled on a shelf and after pounding them out one of the windows, you got to it. The amount of dust in the room frankly astonished you and it took a good few hours to simply wipe everything down.

Wiping some sweat off your brow, you checked over the flasks and tools you had let sit in a vat of warm saltwater. It seemed to be doing the trick, years of grime easily sloughing off the glass and metal and turning the water a nasty brown. It had to be changed several times till they were cleaned to your satisfaction and when they were done soaking, you laid them out on one of the desks to let them dry.

To the surprise of no one, it took you the most time to sort through all of the materials that had accumulated here since the last alchemist. A majority of the items were useful, powders, and caustic liquids that could be used in your research. However, a fair amount of it proved to be nothing more than junk and near the end of your sifting, there was a fairly large pile haphazardly strewn about near the door.

The one thing that did catch you by surprise, was the wide array of books that had been preserved. They were legitimate books on alchemy and you started to wonder how the sheriff acquired these. Most alchemists were hellbent on only ever sharing their texts with fellow researchers as it took so long to produce the images, the decknamen, that hide the secret code of their formulas. These were all wonderfully done and although you could decipher most of them, there were a few that caught your eye as you flipped through the pages and you made a mental note to revisit them for further analysis.

You’re broken out of your reverie by the sound of the heavy door being pulled open and in walked the sheriff, one of his guards trailing closely behind him.

He made a face at the pile of discarded items and carefully stepped around the random objects scattered across the floor.

“Doing a little redecorating?” he teased.

“Most of that is rubbish, my lord,” you replied. “It is of no use to me.”

He glanced down at the large heap and then turned his attention back to you. “Well, well, I must say, it does please me that you’ve taken this with such stride,” he slowly walked over to you, his head turning around as he inspected the work you’d done thus far. “This place almost looks brand new.”

“I must admit, it was rather filthy,” you said and wiped your hands clean with a rag. “When was this lab last in use?”

“Oh, not for some time,” he mused and peered down at all of the flasks that lay drying. “My last alchemist preceded a pretty boy that wasn’t a pretty boy at all,” he chuckled to himself. “Although I have to admit, their alchemy was quite lovely. Tell me, have you ever heard of liquid that can melt through solid iron?”

“Sounds like aqua fortis to me,”

The sheriff beamed up at you and he clapped his hands together in delight. “Goodness me, where have you been all my life? I trust that you will begin work on the black powder that you promised, now that this place is so spick and span.”

“Of course, my lord. Curiously, the only ingredient I seem to be lacking is charcoal.”

“Charcoal?” he echoed. “Run of the mill, fire-burnt charcoal?”

“Yes,” you replied firmly. “I have everything else I need and once I have all the materials, I’ll be able to play with the ratios a bit to get the desired reaction. Did you previous alchemists really not know all this?”

“They were not you, my dear,” he replied and gave one of your arms a strong squeeze. “See to it that the lovely lady gets her charcoal,” he said to the soldier, who nodded his head and hastily made his way out of the lab. “Once everything is in place… how much do you think you’d be able to make?”

“As long as I have all the ingredients at my disposal, I can make you as much as you desire, my lord.”

His eyes lit up, like a child that’d been handed a whole pie as a treat. “Oh, you sweet girl, you will have such a remarkable future here. I’ll make sure to fetch Gisborne when he’s back from the market. He oversaw our previous efforts into concocting black powder so I believe he’ll be able to assist you in replicating the results we managed to achieve.”

“Were your previous efforts successful?”

“Mm… yes and no. He commissioned a man who turned out to have other plans,” he said, face taught and tone laced with acidity. “We ended up with nothing so, forgive me if I ever seem at all forthright in my advances to move this project along. Which reminds me…” he mused and tapped a finger to his lips. “Are you in the habit of keeping notes of your work? A ledger, perhaps?”

“Of course,” you nodded. “However, as most alchemists do, I tend to encrypt my findings, my lord.”

“Hmm, well, just for me, do you think you’d be able to keep a log of your findings so that I may peruse them at my leisure?”

“I suppose I could,” you said carefully. “Although I doubt even then, you’d be able to make much sense of it.”

“Oh, that’s quite alright,” he said with a chipper smile. “So, I doubt you’ll be able to make much progress till we’re back with that charcoal of yours. Feel free to take a stroll, occupy your time. Just make sure you stay inside the castle.”

“Yes, my lord.”

He gave you one last grin as he started to hum to himself, gleefully departing the room with an extra pip in his step.

You thought it rather odd that he should desire access to your notes. For what purpose would that serve him? Did he perhaps wish to market your formula to other lords in the shire? That wouldn’t be a bad play, he’d surely make a considerable amount of money. You could only hope that if these were his true intentions, you’d receive some of the profit as you sincerely doubted that the funds your parents sent for your keep would ever end up in anyone’s pockets but the sheriff’s.

Walking outside, you make your way through several hallways and commend yourself for finding the exit on your first try. The courtyard was mostly empty, with a few soldiers standing here or there at their posts. The portcullis was open and you could see all of the townsfolk going about their day, the busy hum of the market seeping into the quiet castle.

In fact, that is where you were headed until you noticed someone sitting on one of the stone benches that rested under a tree.

It was a woman, with beautiful, curly brown hair that rested on her shoulders. She had a fair face and bright green eyes and appeared to be working on some sort of embroidery.

You’re instantly intrigued. Who was she? She dressed far too opulent to be a servant so did she also work for the sheriff? The least you could do was introduce yourself.

You gently cleared your throat as you approached her and she lifted her head up to meet your gaze. Her lips upturned into a courteous smile and she set aside her project as she spoke up.

“Hello,” she said, her sweet voice having a lovely quality to it. “How can I help you?”

“Oh, well, I thought it pertinent to introduce myself to anyone else that I meet, since I’m the newest resident here in the castle.”

One of her finely shaped eyebrows quirked up, her curiosity peaked. “What business do you have at the castle?”

“I am the sheriff’s recently appointed alchemist.”

“Alchemist?” she gaped. “You’re an alchemist?”

“Indeed,” you replied with a nod of your head and introduced yourself.

“It’s lovely to meet you,” she replied. “I am Marian of Knighton.”

You gestured towards the bench and she immediately patted the spot beside her as she accepted your invitation to sit down.

“Knighton? Isn’t that where the former sheriff hailed from?”

“That’s my father,” she said fondly. “I find it intriguing that a woman should be a scientist, especially one that’s managed to capture the sheriff’s attention.”

“Yes well, I’m not exactly here on my own volition,” you said and laughed quietly as a weary smile spread across your face.

“That doesn’t surprise me since you’re working for the sheriff.”

You’re intrigued that she seems to share, even understand your sentiments. “Do you work for the sheriff as well?” you wondered.

“No,” she chuckled. “I… I suppose one could call me a guest if the meaning of guest has since become synonymous with hostage.”

You gasped and it was only then did she seem to register the gravity of her words.

“Forgive me,” she hastily muttered. “I speak out of turn—”

“No,” you replied. “I… this might sound strange, but… I understand how you feel.”

“You do?” she sounded genuinely surprised, but you could sense that her sincerity bordered on suspicion.

“Lady Marian, my passions lie in academia so that is where I found myself these last couple of years, studying in Italy under the guidance of fellow academics,”

“Impressive.”

You smiled and then heaved a sad sigh. “I would have been content spending the rest of my days there, relishing in new discoveries and learning as much as my heart desired. However, my parents had other plans. They’ve always been the sort to stick close to those up-in-coming to power, so it should come as no surprise that they did all they could to get into the new sheriff’s favors.”

“Are you saying that they dragged you here? To Nottingham?”

“Indeed,” you replied. “They must have surmised how beneficial my most recent undertaking could be for them since the most they probably understood about alchemy is the infamous notion of turning cheap metals into gold. I was sent back home only to be dropped off here, presented to the sheriff on a silver platter.”

Her face was creased with concern and she placed a gentle hand on your shoulder. “I’m sorry,” she said. “It’s truly an awful thing, what your parents did. I cannot imagine what that must feel like.”

You chuckled, a bitter sound that made your stomach turn as you recalled the events that took place only the night before. “I think the worst part of it all was having to find out from the sheriff that I was to be staying here.”

Marian scoffed. “They didn’t even have the courage to tell you themselves?”

“No,” you said forlornly. “I probably would have gone mad that day had it not been for Sir Guy.”

“Guy?” she echoed, her tone laced with shock.

“He’s been nothing but kind since I’ve arrived,” you said and a smile curled at the ends of your lips. However, you picked up on the change in her voice and turned to her, head cocked to the side as you added, “You know him?”

“You could say that…”

Her gaze shifted to the side, her eyes narrowed slightly as her lips were pursed into a tight, thin line. You could sense that she had something on her mind, although she seemed reluctant to reveal it to you.

You were sincerely not in the mood to deal with anyone else that felt the need to hide things from you, you’d had enough of that for two lifetimes.

“What is it?” your voice was taught and had an edge to it that made her immediately look back up at you.

She sighed hopelessly in response and fiddled with the string that was still tied around the eye of her needle.

“I do not believe it is my place to say,”

“If you feel the need to blatantly lie to my face then I can only assume that you do in fact have something to say on the matter,”

She gaped at your harsh tone, however, she took no offense to your anger. On the contrary, she believed you had every right to be upset. She knew all too well what it felt like to have your life uprooted at the whims of powerful people and not only that, have your emotions completely tossed to the side as well. It was unfair for her to hide what she knew about Guy’s true nature from you to spare your feelings, after all, she knew how truly dangerous he was.

She had to approach this carefully, not wanting to overstep her own boundaries and all-but crucifying the man you believed was a true friend, the only person thus far in Nottingham that treated you with an ounce of respect. But Marian knew better than to expect that Guy was doing this all out of the goodness of his own heart. Knowing him, there must certainly be an ulterior motive for his actions. It pained her to do so, seeing how much faith you’d already put in him, but the truth had to be revealed.

“I’ve known Guy for some time,” she began and inched closer to you. “He and I became acquaintances shortly after the sheriff arrived in town. Back then, Vasey was a nobleman, one that had been sent down by Prince John himself on the excuse that he was to assess the state of things here in Nottingham county. As I’m sure you know, my father was usurped by Vasey for the role of sheriff and we had no say in the matter, not unless we wanted to be deemed as traitors of the crown,”

There was a deep frown on your face and Marian’s eyes widened in surprise when one of your hands reached out to gently hold one of her own.

“I’m terribly sorry about what you and your father went through,” you said genuinely and she smiled gratefully in response. “I was curious as to what befell the previous sheriff since from what I can remember, I always took him as the sort of man that would live out the end of his days doing his job.”

At that, Marian laughed. “You’d be quite right in that assumption. My father loved his job. He fell in love with the people of Nottingham and he did everything in his power to ensure that the law was upheld fairly. It seems Prince John had other plans, however, which called for someone a little more lacking in sympathies.”

She appeared lost in thought for a moment, reminiscing on simpler times that she often longed for in retrospect to how things were now. After a moment, she offered you a shy smile and continued with her story.

“At first, I found myself growing fond of Guy’s much quieter disposition compared to the sheriff. Despite initially being wary of the two since Vasey came into my father’s position, I appreciated the time that Guy took to ensure that both my father and I were well looked after and taken care of. We were key players in Nottingham, after all, and the sheriff would be a fool to completely toss aside my father, someone that had garnered the trust of most of the nobles that still ran the council. Not to mention, he still had the overwhelming support of the people behind him as well. It wasn’t until Guy was appointed Lord of Locksley that everything started to change,”

Marian took a moment to meticulously choose her next words for she noticed the wariness that had startled to take its hold on you from the ominous shift in her tone.

“Guy has always been one that values power and loyalty,” she explained. “However, it wasn’t until he was given the estate that I was able to see first hand just how far he’d go in order to obtain those things. The man I once thought of as a shy, inexperienced up-and-coming lieutenant, had evolved into a monster,”

“Monster?” you’re completely taken aback. Your hand rested over your heart from shock and you felt your body subconsciously lean away from her, appalled that Marian could ever say such a thing.

“Listen to me,” she said urgently. “You were not here these last five years, I have seen first-hand the things he’s done! What he’s capable of! I’ve…I…” her voice trailed off, a tightness in her throat beginning to overwhelm her as tears started to prick at the corner of her eyes.

Your stomach sank at the sight, regret immediately beginning to gnaw away at your previous dismissal of her words from the raw despair breaking out on her once confident visage.

“I was a part of it…” a few tears slipped past her defenses and she stubbornly turned her head from you as she attempted to quickly wipe them away.

You tentatively reach out and place a hand on her shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. A million possibilities were swimming around in your head as you attempted to deduce what could have possibly happened between the two of them. However, whatever the outcome turned out to be, it was clear that it had left a deep emotional scar on Lady Marian’s heart.

“It’s alright,” you said softly and rubbed your thumb in slow, comforting circles. “If it is too painful to dwell on, my lady, I put no pressure on you to tell me. Your message rings out loud enough without having to tell me forthright,”

She sniffled and shakily wrapped one of her hands around your welcoming embrace, gingerly removing it from her shoulder to place both of your hands in her lap. When she deemed herself composed enough, she turned back around to finally face you once again.

“I appreciate your kind words,” she said with a small smile. “It is not every day that I come across someone so understanding. But…” she let a sad sigh slip past her lips before steeling her resolve, staring at you with renewed vigor. “You deserve to know about my history with Guy, you deserve to know about—”

“Excuse me, my lady?”

Both of you are startled when a guard calls out to you from the steps and you quickly clear your throat to respond.

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” he said, sending a curious glance at Marian. “But Sir Guy wanted to inform you that your charcoal has arrived and that he is waiting for you in the laboratory.”

“I see,” you replied tersely. “Very well, tell him that I shall be up shortly,”

The guard nodded and with a curt bow, he was off in a flash to deliver your message to Guy.

The conflict was apparent in your gaze as you turned your focus back to Marian and she gave you a sympathetic smile.

“Go,” she stated. “Consider our conversation tabled for now,”

“I’m sure it will not kill him to wait a few moments,”

She laughed at your snide comment, the sound genuine and full of light. It brought a smile of your own to your face.

“It would pain me for you to fall into any sort of trouble your first day here,” she confessed. Giving your hand a tight squeeze, she relinquished her hold on you and got up from her seat, picking up her abandoned embroidery pattern and tucking it under her arm. “I promise that we shall continue this conversation. There is only so much time I can spend embroidering,” she teased. “And I happen to know where the lab is located so, who knows? Perhaps I will make an unexpected visit… or two.”

You grinned and hopped off the bench, a newfound excitement coursing through your veins as the prospect of having a new, true friend presented itself to you.

“Well, who am I to deny such a request?”

Marian laughed again and offered you another heartfelt smile as she playfully hoped you’d make do with your promise, before heading towards one of the many arched doorways and disappearing back into the castle.

You found it hard to mask the smile that was still plastered on your face, overjoyed at meeting someone that you could wholeheartedly trust.

All at once though, a bitter taste filled your mouth as your previous feelings for the dashing master of arms came back round. Simply put, you quickly derived that the persona he’d presented to you thus far greatly strayed away from his true human nature. The very thought that he’d been using your confusion and betrayal from the circumstances of your arrival for you to trust him cause you to inwardly shudder. If you had not met Marian, what else would he have lied about to get you in his good graces?

Anxiety bubbled its way through your chest as you slowly ascended the stairs that lead up to the laboratory. How were you to approach the situation? Should you act as though nothing has changed? Should you distance yourself from him? Tell him to leave altogether?

As much as you wished you could outright dismiss his advances, you knew that it would be impossible to completely avoid Sir Guy due to how intimately involved he was with this project.

You cursed yourself at how easily you’d allowed yourself to become enamored with him from his dashing appearance alone. How could you ever forget that looks can be deceiving?

Your heart started to beat erratically against your rib cage, your breathing slightly labored as you stood before the heavy, intimidating iron door. The following hours were inevitable, your fate having long been sealed since you walked through the castle doors the night before. You knew it served no purpose to stall this out any longer than need be, so gathering up your courage, you tugged on the handle and walked inside.

You immediately noticed Guy standing off in the corner beside a few barrels that held the charcoal the sheriff had so dutifully fetched for you. Upon hearing your arrival, a smile lights up his face and he makes a beeline towards you.

Your feet appear to have a mind of their own, backing up a few paces as he closed in on you, effectively keeping the two of you apart.

This does not go unnoticed. Guy’s eyes flash with an unreadable emotion, his smile faltering until it fades altogether. The air around you is stifling and when you make no move to speak, he goes rigid, his shoulders squaring back and he clears his throat behind one of his gloved hands.

“The charcoal that you requested has arrived,” he said cooly and stepped aside, keeping a firm distance between the both of you.

If you hadn’t known any better, you’d say he almost looked offended at your behavior and although you desperately wished to solidify any thoughts he had that you wanted nothing more to do with him, you had to remind yourself that he was your superior. You had no powerful friends here, no family that could protect you should you say the wrong thing or step on the wrong toes. You were all alone and for that, you had to ensure that those who unfortunately held your life in the balance held no ill-will towards you.

A shaky, half-hearted smile managed to find its way on your face, even if it did not reach your eyes. “Thank you,” you said softly and gracefully walked over towards the barrels to get a better look.

In spite of everything, you were astounded that they had managed to scrounge up so much material so quickly.

“I’m impressed that they were able to find as much as they did,” you commented. “Your men work fast.”

Guy seemed to relax slightly from your words and he nodded his head. “It is their job. I’m pleased that it is to your satisfaction,”

“You’ve more than exceeded my expectations, Sir Guy,” you replied and felt your stomach turn at how his eyes sparkled in delight at your compliment.

Well, at least he was easily fooled by your act of professionalism.

He took a few timid steps towards you, as if you were a wild animal that he’d scare off should he approach too quickly. “I understand both the sheriff and I have told you I once worked on a project in patenting a formula for black powder, but I must admit that I will be of little help to you in this endeavor,”

The prospect of having him leave you to work on this alone had you silently thanking whatever gods were at play, but you never let that relief shine through.

“Well, I wouldn’t say that,” you replied. “If you were able to see the product in action, that would help me attempt to replicate the effects with my own ratios,”

“Really?”

He was genuinely surprised and you nodded your head.

“Yes. Any details that you can remember, anything at all, will give me the best shot at ensuring that you get the most out of the batches I’m able to create,”

Grabbing a piece of parchment and a quill, you sat down on one of the stools and pointed at the one in front of you as an indication for Guy to follow suit. The next hour or so was spent with you furiously scribbling down notes as you listened intently to Guy’s previous experience with black powder.

It was here that you learned the previous alchemist’s name had been Lambert and his formula was certainly an explosive one. You were impressed by the picture Guy painted. Lambert demonstrated that by using a trail of black powder that led to a small, compact source, the charge could be controlled and ensured maximum energy output while simultaneously being safe enough for commercial use. The resulting explosion had been powerful, creating a crater in the ground large enough for the sheriff to comfortably stand in.

You asked several other questions, wondering how the fire had interacted with the fuse or the consistency and color of the powder itself. By the end, you surmised that you had enough information to finally begin your work.

“I appreciate your help, Sir Guy,” you placed your notes on the nearby counter, your eyes scanning over them as you reread a few key points.

“I’m glad that I could be of assistance,” he mused and placed a hand on your shoulder.

It took all the strength within you not to flinch at his touch and you hoped that he’d take the hint you wished to get started and excuse himself on his own accord.

His hand lingered for longer than you would have liked and you heard him say, “I will leave you to your work then, milady. If you require any further assistance, please don’t hesitate to ask,”

“Thank you,”

When the door finally closed behind you, a breath you hadn’t known you were holding escaped you in a long, arduous sigh. You rub your temples with the pads of your fingers in an attempt to dull the throbbing behind your eyes, both physically and mentally exhausted from the unfolding of the day’s events. You’d gone from trusting this man to not wanting to have anything to do with him in the span of twenty-four hours. You could almost akin the feeling to whiplash.

The bells of the nearby church tolling out the arrival of another hour brought your focus back to the task at hand. There was no time for you to dwell too much on Sir Guy’s motives, not when the sheriff expected quick results on an assignment you so keenly promised to deliver.

However, even as you pushed your troubling thoughts aside, there was one thing you came to agree upon; Sir Guy was not to be trusted.

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sciencelings-writes · 4 years ago

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The Golden Birdcage

A quick fic of my ocs in my fantasy au type of thing - This one features Rose and Adisa mainly but if there is any interest at all, I’ll write in more of my ocs

***

Rose dreaded the coming day, more than she dreaded any normal day. Today she cemented her place in the monarchy of the high fae. Before she was just a princess, an heiress, a disappointment. But today she was forced to step up to start taking power over the people she was destined to rule.

She was sure that she wasn’t the only one to dread it, she’d never really been popular among her people. She wasn’t born with a power that was seen as honorable or anything. While her mother could create massive crystalline spherical shields that protect the thousands of miles of their kingdom and her father could harness the power of their sun with powerful blasts of energy that could decimate armies, Rose could only heal. Sure, healing was an important and necessary power, but for a royal sunborn fairy? It was incredibly weak for the royal line, which was known to be the most powerful of the fae. There were rumors of her not being a true heir, being adopted, or a product of infidelity, but they were false, and there was no conceivable reason that she was born the way that she was.

For years she held her head up high and ignored those who looked at her like she was less than anyone else. She could not retaliate or express how she felt about it to anyone, not even her family. But it got so tiring. The only time she could rest was after she was dismissed for the day and could be herself alone in her room without any serving fae. She would take off her corset and release the tightest parts of her elaborate braids. She would let out the pent up emotions that she had been keeping inside all day, usually by writing which would be promptly burned with a candle or she would release her frustrations by sparring with a dummy. She always felt better with a sword in her hands.

But today would be worse than any of the days before. Not only would she not be alone for a single second, but it was one of the biggest days of her life and there was a lot of pressure on her. She had spent weeks preparing herself. Writing and memorizing a speech that she would have to recite in front of thousands of very important people, rehearsing the ceremony a dozen times with her mother pointing out a flaw every time. Sometimes it was something small like a hair out of place or a break in her facial expression, or a wrinkle in her dress, and sometimes it was detrimental like when she forgot a word or she stuttered causing her mother to yell at her. A stutter meant weakness and a mistake in words meant a lack of preparation, both of which were not a good sign in a new leader. Rose had always been sick of the perfection demanded of her.

Since the moment she woke up, she had been attended to with a handful of her servants focused on different parts of her appearance. Three doing her hair, two doing her makeup, and two more working with her clothes. She didn’t love being crowded at the best of times but this was definitely not comfortable for her in the slightest. She could barely breathe, her skin was covered in golden paints and powders, and the heeled shoes she had to wear everywhere was just the tip of the iceberg. She already deeply anticipated the end of the day when it would all be over and she would be free.

What made the day more bearable was that she was friendly with her servants. She wouldn’t call them friends but they respected each other and gossiped about anything that was going on in the palace. They were some of the only people who talked to her like she was a person and not a princess under the protection of the most powerful fae in the lands. They learned not to be afraid to joke around with her and be upfront with her as they were fully aware that she had no plans to punish them for not agreeing with her at every point. She knew that not all of them were on board with her becoming the queen but they still encouraged her and let her be at least slightly open about her feelings about things like food and music. She wouldn’t dare let their conversations stray close to topics she was more passionate about where she might let something more unsavory slip.

They arrived early in the morning when the shields were still dark. They were much more excited about the day than she was. Their excited chatter echoed throughout the pale stone halls enough to wake her several minutes before they even arrived. She relished her few moments alone before she was to be swarmed with familiar faces.

The handful of assorted fae scrambled in, a man adorned in indigo who was in charge of her dress and was the best at tying up her corset all nice and tight with barely enough room to breathe, a few older women in orange and violet respectively who would weave her hair like it was a decadent tapestry to place in the throne room to be showed off to prestigious guests, a young woman and a young man tasked with turning her face from pale and freckly to a work of art.

Rose was embarrassed to say that she didn’t know their names, not because she didn’t care to know but because she was just horrible at that kind of thing and had forgotten. Now after years of service, she was too afraid to ask. She remembered that the older women had grandchildren that worked in the kitchens and at the market and that one of them used to sing as the castle bard but pairing them with names was harder for Rose to remember. She was pretty sure that one of them was named Hesta but she could never remember which one it was.

“Good morning!” One of the elder fae sing-songed, “Today is the day!”

“It sure is isn’t it…” Rose said less than enthusiastically.

“Well now, don’t be nervous!” The serving fae collectively dragged her to get to work. She did her best to follow along and work with them but with all the chaos, she had a bit of trouble. Within seconds there were brushes passing through her orange and white hair and powder already being applied to her face. She rested her hands on the poles on both of her sides in anticipation for when the corset was to start its asphyxiating process.

“I’m not nervous…” She gained a few trivial stares when she said it, “Okay, yeah, I’m a little anxious this isn’t exactly a small thing.” She sighed.

“Of course, but you’ll do fine. You’ve prepared so much, I’d frankly be surprised if you managed to breathe at an imperfect moment.” The older fairy chuckled.

“Yeah, I know…” Rose took a couple of deep breaths, it didn’t help but it made her look more in control. She gripped the posts tightly and planted her feet on the ground as the white corset started to squeeze her organs. “It won’t all be bad, I guess I’m going to have to start to get used to being stared at.” She grunted at a particularly violent pull of the threads.

“You’ll do fine princess. You’re much stronger than they say that you are. Believe me.”

***

After several painstaking hours, Rose emerged for the pre-coordination ball in the ceremonial flowy iridescent white and gold gown. Her pearlescent pale segmented wings emerged from the openings in the white drapery that trailed behind her. She wore her small gold winged crown that would be replaced with a bigger more elaborate one during the ceremony. Her hair was braided tightly in a beautiful if a little painful bun style with ribbons coming from a flowery hairpiece made of pink and gold lilies and full white roses. Her makeup was filled with warm pinks with gold details framing a golden sun painted on her forehead. Her pointed ears were adorned with gold earrings linked with chains and dangling white opals.

She had to admit, the look was impressive. She looked like a celestial sun goddess and it made her feel better from how painful it was to achieve. She fluttered through the air to the dark chamber for the hour of meditation before the first ball. She was only left alone to wait for a few seconds before a voice broke through along with the sudden sounds of muffled crowds from the nearby rooms as the door opened and closed.

“You’re slouching.” Roses mother announced from behind her.

“I don’t think it’s possible to do so your highness. This corset feels like it’s made of steel and melded to my body.” She said bluntly.

“Your posture includes your neck darling.” The red-haired queen of the sun fae walked around her daughter as if she was inspecting her for a single piece of lint.

“If I had my neck any more vertical I wouldn’t be able to see the floor.” She sighed. When her mother looked satisfied she placed herself in front of her.

“You look…” Rose waited for her mother to nitpick something, saying that she looked like a golden pig or a crane in a dress. “Like a queen.” Rose raised her eyebrows in shock. That was probably the most positive thing she had said in weeks.

“Don’t mess up your makeup!” Her mother demanded, back to her old attitude again, nothing good could last for very long apparently.

“I could sit through a hurricane and my makeup wouldn’t even smear.”

“It’s almost time. I have guests to attend to, do not be caught off-guard.” Her mother demanded, “We have practiced this a hundred times, you would have to be an idiot to get something wrong.” Rose tried not to feel hurt from the comment.

“Thanks.” She grumbled.

“Do not miss your cue!”

“How would I miss it, Someone literally yells my name.”

“I’m sure you’d find a way.” And with that, her mother traded places with a guard in golden armor.

Rose closed her eyes to start the hour of meditation. Others in her place have claimed to see visions or deceased members of the royal family or even the sun herself. For the first half-hour, she just saw the back of her eyelids. Pure darkness. She had to let her mind wander or she would fall asleep or worse, get bored. She focused on the warmth of her magic through her veins, it was the warmest at her palms, like she was holding hands with someone. The comforting warmth combated the unnatural darkness around her.

After an eternity of all-encompassing silence, she heard a voice. It was quiet but in the impossibly silent room, it was as clear as day.

“You’re being wasted here.” the voice was deep and female. Blunt, like she was stating a fact. “They can’t help you. This place is killing you.”

Rose wanted to answer out loud but she knew the voice was in her head and she was acutely aware that she wasn’t alone in the room. She didn’t expect the things she would hear in there to be so… real.

“She’s suffocating you. You were meant to be free.”

‘I want to be free.’ Rose tried to manifest the pure yearning through her thoughts to whoever was speaking to her.

“You will be freed. Are you willing to pay the price?”

‘I’m going to be free if I have to do it myself. I’m sick of not having any control over my own life! I don’t care about your price.’ Anger started to bubble in her chest, the normal heat generated from her powers was amplified by the years and years of rage that had built up.

“I like you, princess,” The voice chuckled, “I feel like you’re going to be a great ally.”

Rose heard something beyond the voice, like in the world outside of her mind. She opened her eyes and the dark room was no longer dark in the slightest. Glowing gold and pink clouds swirled around her and she emitted a golden light from her skin and eyes. The guard was huddled in the corner with his eyes wide. He looked afraid. For some reason, this gave Rose a powerful sense of euphoria.

Unfortunately, as soon as she had realized her power around her, it started to regress. The swirling clouds started to slow and her skin started to fade. Not before the door opened though. The chamber’s main door opened to the ballroom, filled with every important fae in the Dawn and Dusk kingdoms. They all saw the thick clouds exit the room as she did and even more bazaar, she was smiling. Not like the polite smile she had practiced all her life but one of true genuine delight. Even her mother was staring.

Rose walked out of the dark room and to the balcony for all to see. The room was quiet. The music had stopped playing. Not out of respect but out of shock. After a long enough moment, someone very familiar spoke. The voice front the dark chamber.

“Now that was quite the entrance, Princess.” A fairy approached from the crowd dressed in black and green wearing a white mask that featured a long beak.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Rose's mother announced as she stood up from her golden throne.

“Don’t interrupt your majesty.” The strange fae spat. “I’m sure you’ll want to hear me out.” The queen managed to control herself and she sat back down. The dark room fairy waved her hand which caused a green intricate witches circle to appear at her feet and dark black clouds to swirl around it. Gasps erupted from the room. This wasn’t a fairy at all. A witch had snuck into one of the most important fae places. The natural enemies of the fairies were the magic folk and one had managed to slip into a major fae event.

The witch’s dark thunder clouds expanded throughout the massive room and her glamour faded. Her green butterfly wings turned into huge black feathered wings. Her curly brown hair cascaded off of her shoulders from their hiding spot and a black cloak waterfalled from her shoulders. A black staff topped in a birdlike skull appeared in her hands. Rose thought that she was so incredibly beautiful in the most unorthodox way.

“Relax relax,” The witch bellowed. “I’ve come bearing a gift for the princess. Better than any gift the fae could hope to offer her.” She disappeared in black smoke and appeared right next to Rose. But she wasn’t afraid in the slightest. Both the king and the queen stood abruptly at this action.

“I have a purpose for you. The lost Fae Princess needs to be found, and who better to find her than her sister! The caged bird will be trapped no longer.” The witch grinned. “Oh, and if you refuse-” she pointed her staff at the king and queen and they were covered in smoke. Once the smoke lifted it looked like nothing had changed but by the look on the monarch’s faces, something certainly had. “Your kingdom will remain unguarded and unprotected by the most powerful among you.” Surely enough, when Rose looked out the glass windows, the crystalline shielding around the palace was gone, without the shields, there was no night and day. Only the eternal light of the sun blazing onto the lands. “I’m sure my kind would be enthused to know of your newfound vulnerability.”

Rose stayed silent. She wasn’t afraid of the witch, she had been taught that the magic folk were wicked and scheming. But though the appearance of this witch was sinister and destructive, she was giving Rose exactly what she wanted under the guise of it being to lift a curse. She wasn’t just giving Rose a way out, but also a purpose, a quest, an adventure, a sister? Rose had only heard rumors of a lost princess but she thought they were just that, rumors. Like she was not her father's daughter despite having his white hair woven through the red she had inherited from her mother.

“You won’t even be alone on your journey. For a price, I will give you an object that summons me whenever you need me. I am nothing if not giving.”

“What kind of price?” Rose raised her eyebrow, speaking for the first time since the witch appeared.

“A small price for my help. All I ask for is a kiss.” The witch smirked, as if she didn’t expect Rose to take up the offer. The crowd had gasped, a kiss from a witch was said to be cursed. It was like signing a contract with the devil. But Rose didn’t need the promise of help from the woman, she would’ve kissed her anyway for freeing her.

“Deal.” The witch looked a little surprised but she laughed as all the onlookers looked horrified. Rose however was not remorseful in the slightest. The sooner she could leave her mother's presence, the better. Rose knew the corrupt nature of the fae more than anyone and she was sure that they wouldn’t even miss her.

“Wonderful. Now, you can’t go on a quest looking like that!” The witch spoke directly to her instead of projecting to fill the whole room. She gently lifted Rose’s chin with a dark claw-like finger and their lips met.

Around her, the decadent white gown started to get covered in smoke and changing dramatically. Rose felt the corset loosen and the skirt tighten and wrap around her legs to form pants. The smoke rose to her hair where the tight braids fell around her shoulders and unwove into freshly curled locks. She felt weight on her back of her small assortment of weapons that were forged by the fire giants for sunborn royalty. A sword with a golden hilt adorned with a triple set of feathered wings, a matching bow and a quiver full of arrows and a golden dagger to finish the set. Her heels were replaced with practical laced up boots that were a hundred times more comfortable. Even her makeup was affected. The layers and layers of powders and paints lifting in an instant leaving only the flaked remains of the sun imagery on her forehead and her golden lips.

Throughout her transformation, her lips were still firmly planted on the witches. She probably lingered for too long as the kiss made her heart flutter and she tried her best to preserve the feeling.

They parted, and the witch held out a dark metal object. A razor sharp knife with the imagery of a white bird skull carved to it’s hilt.

“Point it to the sky and say my name and I will come to you.” The witch assured.

“What is your name?” Rose took the knife and examined it before looking upwards at the witch.

“Adisa. Adisa Crow.”

#This is basically a first draft of a few scenes in my original series that im working on #at least the fantasy one #Rosalia Scarlett Dawn #Adisa Crow #Doctor Plague #my ocs #my writing #original writing #original content #original character #original characters #oc #ocs

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brynwrites · 5 years ago

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Last week I posted about @byjillianmaria’s new book, The Songbird’s Refrain.

Click the link or read below!

Last Tuesday was the book birthday of Jillian Maria’s debut, the stunning supernatural suspense The Songbird’s Refrain!

I had the privilege of reading this story while it was still in its earlier beta stages, and it’s been a joy to watch it grow from a not-so-shitty rough draft to an absolute piece of art.

So if you’re looking for an awesome, creepy YA with some good old fashion gal pals growing magical life-stealing feathers, you’re in for a treat!

PURCHASE THE SONGBIRD’S REFRAIN

ADD THE SONGBIRD’S REFRAIN ON GOODREADS

ABOUT THE BOOK

When a mysterious show arrives in town, seventeen-year-old Elizabeth Brighton is both intrigued and unsettled. But none of the acts capture her attention quite like the blue-eyed woman. Locked in a birdcage and covered in feathers, the anguish in her voice sounds just a little too real to be an act—because it isn’t. The show’s owner, a sadistic witch known only as the Mistress, is holding her captive.

And she’s chosen Elizabeth as her next victim.

After watching the blue-eyed woman die, Elizabeth is placed under the same curse. She clings to what little hope she can find in the words of a fortune teller and in her own strange dreams. The more she learns, the more she suspects that the Mistress isn’t as invulnerable as she appears. But time is against her, and every feather that sprouts brings her closer to meeting the blue-eyed woman’s fate. Can Elizabeth unlock the secret to flying free, or will the Mistress’s curse kill her and cage its next victim?

MY PERSONAL REVIEW

This book is a blast, with a hint of creepy, a dose of suspense, and a nice dollop of fluffy wlw.

Despite nearly the entire story taking place in the same basic location, the plot never feels slow or aimless. The mystery is engaging, constantly pulling the reader forward with new hints. The MC goes through a wonderful character arc and is very easy to root for, the villain is just as easy to love to hate, and all the side characters have interesting personalities and impact the plot. The prose is generally simplistic, with some minor disruptions like repeated words, but holds great, impactful lines as well.

Overall, a wonderful fall read, with a heavy focus on healthy relationships, believing in one’s self, and choosing love.

INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR

Jillian was awesome enough to answer a few questions for me…

Where did you first get the idea or inspiration for this novel?

The earliest version of this novel was actually a fanfiction! But it’s changed a lot since then–the entire bird/feather motif didn’t exist, there were a lot more characters who didn’t really contribute anything, the love stories were less fleshed out. I think the biggest changes happened from around the 70% mark onward, but everything’s changed a little bit.

Where and when do you typically write? Do you have any pre-writing exercises or habits that help you get into the mood?

I tend to write after dinner, but lately I’ve been sneaking in more writing on my lunch break, too. I don’t really have any habits or exercises, but I do tend to schedule my day in advance, so I always know exactly when I’m writing. Generally I dedicate the 7:30-8:30 block to writing, although sometimes it gets moved around. And on weekends, I’ll schedule more writing time.

Who was your favorite side character to write in The Songbird’s Refrain?

It’s really hard to pick a favorite! They were all super fun in their own way. Maybe Violet, though. She probably had the easiest voice out all of them to write, and required very little editing. Just deleting an f-word here and there when she decided she needed to use three in one sentence.

If you had to set The Songbird’s Refrain in a popular alternate universe (like the world of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, the Hunger Games, etc), which would you choose and how would your characters fit in there?

Oh, gosh, what a great question! I definitely know my character’s Hogwarts Houses, so… let’s go with that. Elizabeth is a tiny shy hufflepuff with a crush on the cute Ravenclaw girl who is always reading romance novels and doting on her cat, but doesn’t get the courage to talk to her until a mysterious threat arrives, wearing a dark mark and a red dress… I don’t know, something like that!

What’s something (or multiple somethings) you wish you’d known about writing before you’d started The Songbird’s Refrain?

You’re going to wind up changing lots of things during the drafting process, so don’t worry so much about sentence structure until you’re relatively certain you’re going to keep that chapter the way that it is! Seriously, I could have saved so much time..

Do you have a new project you’re working on now that The Songbird’s Refrain is approaching publication?

There is, but I’m not sure if I’m going to publish it under the Jillian Maria name, so I’m keeping it a secret 😉 But my next big Jillian Maria project is going to be another f/f YA novel about two girls hunting treasure in a small town forest! Technically this is a second draft, but I’m changing some pretty major plot elements and it’s got me really excited. I’ve got it outlined and about one-and-a-half chapters properly drafted right now, and am hoping it’ll be ready for its first round of beta readers after that!

What are you most proud of in regards to The Songbird’s Refrain, whether that be a skill you picked up while writing it or a scene you didn’t think you could conquer, etc?

I think that the themes of the book are really solid. I’m really proud of how everything sort of ties together in the end, because that’s something I really admire in other writers but always have a hard time replicating. It took several drafts, but I think it got there! Also, Chapter 28 always makes me cry. I think that’s a pretty big accomplishment.

While The Songbird’s Refrain is an amazing book, there’s always more to be learned as a writer! Is there something you’re working on improving in your writing right now?

Pacing is always a struggle of mine, so that’s something I think I’ll be working on indefinitely, from now until the end of time. I’d also like to make my writing process a little shorter–it took many, many drafts to get The Songbird’s Refrain to where it is now, and I’d like to improve as a writer so that I can get more polished drafts on the first or second try.

Can we get a picture of you and your writing buddy Sadie? 🙂

Of course! As you can see, she is very helpful.

Jillian Maria enjoys tea, pretty dresses, and ripping out pieces of herself to put in her novels. She writes the books she wants to read, prominently featuring women who are like her in some way or another. A great lover of horror, thriller and mystery novels, most of her stories have some of her own fears lurking in the margins. When she isn’t willing imaginary people into existence, she’s pursuing a career in public relations and content marketing. A Michigan native, Jillian spends what little free time she has hanging out with her friends, reading too much, singing along to musical numbers, and doting on her cat.

You can find her on goodreads and her website.

#the songbird's refrain #new books #ya fantasy #Book Recommendations #author interview #book review

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journeysintowebcomics · 5 years ago

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Worm Liveblog #110

UPDATE 110: Healer in a Cage

Last time Skitter was getting the reward for her efforts: Coil would hold his end of the deal, agreeing to liberate Dinah without further discussion, since he’s so close to success. Just kidding, he backstabbed her after making her lower her guard. How will she get out of this? Let’s find out!

Or not, because it’s a donation interlude. What a terrible place for an interlude, can’t say I’m amused at all. It breaks the pacing and momentum, instead of capitalizing on it, he pretty much threw it away. It’s a shame, even when this situation is picked up again, it just...isn’t going to feel the same. Oh well. Let’s read the interlude and see if it’s worth it.

It seems the setting is the Birdcage in the present day. There’s Marquis, there’s Panacea, and there’s other people I don’t know. This interlude opens with Marquis trying to convince Panacea to do something, it’s not specified what it is, but apparently Marquis’ current status in the Birdcage is relying on it. Still, he’s not going to force Panacea to do anything, because she’s his daughter and he would never force his daughter.

He admits that although he has his own rules, he’s not a good man at all, he just follows his rules because that’s what he is. It’s not like he has any desire to be good, anyway. That’s just how he rolls, and he’s willing to give it all up if Panacea decides she truly can’t cooperate.

He let the words sit with her, turning away. Lung stood by the door, arms folded, and Marquis smiled lightly at the man. He’ll see this admission as weakness, but the right display of confidence will leave him wondering if it’s a lie, a ploy.

Honestly? I don’t think it’s a lie. I truly believe he would give it all up if Panacea decides she really doesn’t want to do whatever she’s being asked to do. However, it does seem to me like this is some sort of emotional manipulation. He’s using the real feelings I believe he has in order to achieve the result he desires, and given Marquis is the only sort of ally I imagine Panaeca has in this place, it may work.

Since Lung is standing right there, Marquis takes the time to think about how Lung did all he did because he was confident he had the raw strength to get away with it. Boy did he get away with it for a while, until Skitter came along and defeated him pretty badly. He’s a killing machine, stuck in the Birdcage, a force to be reckoned. On the other hand, Panacea here has none of that. In the eyes of everyone including herself, she’s just Marquis’ daughter. She has his protection, she has clothing borrowed from the block she’s staying it, and she has zero confidence and – I imagine – desire to interact with anyone except Marquis. She’s being left alone, pretty much. At least for the time being. That’s the problem, that sooner or later something would happen. Is that why he’s asking Panacea to do...whatever it is he’s asking her to do? Is it to prevent something?

I keep reading Cinderhands as Cinderella, and now I’m picturing Cinderella being trapped here in the Birdcage too every time Cinderhands speaks. Snap out of it, me.

It seems to me Cinderellahands is some sort of underling for Marquis, as he’s in charge of gathering the leaders and/or representatives of all the blocks for a meeting that’ll last for a while. This is a meeting he’d like Panacea to attend, perhaps that’s what he was asking her? To attend the meeting? Cinderellahands questions having Panacea there, for some reason, and Marquis pretty much tells him to do what he asked or get someone else to do it. What matters is that the reunion is made.

This should be interesting! What kind of people are the leaders of the blocks? The most charismatic, brutal, or clever people around, I bet. Maybe even all three. I’m curious, I admit!

It’s matter of time before Marquis is challenged for his leadership spot, and it’s all thanks to Panacea, since she’s the weakest link around. She was likely to be used against him somehow, so right now Marquis is trying to think of measures to avoid any future challenges. He considers provoking a mutiny, staging it as a way to goad others to join and try to overthrow him. Then he’d squash those, I imagine. Say, Marquis’ power is doing all that with his bones, wasn’t it? He has a power that makes strategy a possibility, I think he’d be fine.

Actually being defeated, it wasn’t really a consideration. He’d only lost a fight on one occasion, and those had been extenuating circumstances.

The fight that ended with him being captured, I imagine. The one where Panacea was the extenuating circumstance. I wonder how the story would have been like if Marquis hadn’t been captured, if Panacea had stayed under his care. Since he doesn’t seem to have anything to do with Skitter, he would have been around while she had her adventures, no? How would that have changed stuff, hmmm...it is fun to think about alternate scenarios! The bad part is that I’m drawing a blank here, haha

The issue with Panacea is that she is...how to put it kindly...she’s borderline catatonic, seems to me. People like that were often used as a resource or as an easy puppet for ideologies. So far Panacea has been spared such fates because of Marquis’ protection, but unless she recovers anytime soon, there’s only so much he’ll be able to do. I don’t think she will, honestly. Not after everything that happened. Frankly, I’m not really expecting her to join that meeting, and Marquis is going to lose face.

She’s complying, though. Marquis suggests she go get a shower and put on a specific set of clothing, and she goes to do so. Maybe I’m wrong and she really will attend, but I stand on that she’s not going to contribute much to that meeting.

Seems like Marquis is keeping his block rather orderly. Not only all TVs work, he also has ensured his lieutenants have some favoritism but don’t inconvenience everyone else too much. It’s some sort of tense peace, I’d say. It wouldn’t take much to shake everything. The risk of mutiny does seem to be present, and since it’s just thirty people or so, numbers can turn the tides.

This was a gamble. Amelia could be the excuse his enemies or more ambitious underlings needed to mount an attack. At worst, he’d die and she would… well, she’d be a resource that was burned up, exhausted of anything and everything she had to offer. If he was able to buy enough time, verify that she was beyond saving, then he could return her to the women’s cell blocks, cut his losses and take the resulting hit to his reputation as the only real cost of trying.

Would she fare better in the women’s cell blocks? It’s not like brutality and backstabbing conniving demeanor is limited to men only. I don’t think Panacea will be safe anywhere as long as she’s here in the Birdcage.

Still, he doesn’t want to chalk this up as a loss anytime soon. He wants to believe he can do something for Panacea, and the fact he has only fond memories of her strengthens that desire. I’m sure he thought more than once how it’d be like to see Panacea again and have her by his side, but I doubt he ever imagined things would go like this. I almost feel bad for him.

He’s running out of time to prove he’s not protecting Panacea uselessly. People are getting impatient; he has to show results of some sort. Oh boy, I’m sure this will be brought up in the meeting. And indeed, Lung proves right away the moods are souring, Marquis has to do something. What he does right now is invite Lung to the meeting, both because he wants to give an impression he’s aware of the threats in his block, and because if there’s someone he’d prefer killing him and taking over the block it’s Lung. For some reason. I’m pretty puzzled why Lung of all people would be his preference.

Marquis laughed. “No. But wouldn’t you rather be murdered by a rabid wild beast who happens to share your living space, than to have a onetime ally stab you in the back?”

Ah. So that’s why. He doesn’t want to feel betrayal. Pretty telling he doesn’t consider Lung an ally, even though they talk a lot and even have tea parties. Having said his piece, Marquis goes down to pretend to read and mull the situation for a while longer. We readers aren’t privy to his thoughts, as there’s a time jump to when Panacea finally gets out of the bathroom.

She followed his instructions, and also thought for a long while. Perhaps considering if she should listen to his request or not, whatever it was? All that’s needed is a demonstration of her power, that’s all that is required to stabilize Marquis’ position in the block and show why he’s indulging Panacea so much. She still refuses to do so, though. Welp! They’re as good as dead, Marquis thinks – paraphrasing. Seems to me his only hope is that she changes her mind at some point during the meeting, but I’m not counting on it. Meeting time!

There are twelve leaders, six from the men’s wing, six from the women’s wing. This doesn’t include the lieutenants that have come to the meeting. So, of course, the meeting starts right away with the topic of Panacea’s presence. It doesn’t seem like anyone here knows she is Panacea? Curious! Maybe they all have been here in the Birdcage before Panacea was a hero.

“Don’t waste my time with this male posturing,” Lustrum cut in. “I have women to look after. I delivered your daughter to you because you promised repayment and because she asked. I wouldn’t mind seeing that payment.”

“It was implied that I would pay you back in coming weeks or months, not in a week.”

So it has only been a week since Panacea was transferred to Marquis’ wing! Goodness, people get impatient real fast. I was under the impression it had been much longer than that, like a month! But no, it has only been a week.

There they go, they’re asking for a demonstration, one of the women leaders wants Panacea to heal. Panacea doesn’t say a thing, even though I’m pretty certain by now there are many eyes on her. Marquis covers for her saying she’s not healing anyone right now, and leaves up in the air if it’s because she can’t or because he’s rationing her ability. Dangerous! The longer this charade goes, the more everyone will suspect it’s because Panacea is useless as a healer.

“But there’s a great deal of demand, and you’ll have to forgive me for being a doting father, but I won’t exhaust my daughter’s mental or physical resources to parcel out her healing. We’ll hear terms, we’ll discuss the offers and counteroffers over the next several days or weeks, and then we’ll let you know our decision.”

“You are holding her power for ransom,” Lustrum spoke.

So he’s using her as some sort of bargaining chip – or at least she’s using her powers for that. Even if she snaps out of her despair, he intends to offer her power only when the payment and rewards are worth it. I see, I see. If she does leave behind her trauma – somehow – then she’d turn into quite the advantage for Marquis’ block.

One of the female leaders, one Glaistig Uaine, speaks with the voice of the legion, threatening with an army featuring her fairies. I really don’t think that’s metaphorical, because this is Worm and the powers in this story do a lot of crazy stuff. By army of fairies, does she means the women in her block? Either way, she’s threatening Marquis here.

“You’ve said as much before, noble Faerie,” he said, “Rest assured, you can have me when I’m dead. In the meantime, I will keep your warning well in mind.”

Ah, maybe Glaistig Uaine’s power has something to do with dead people, and Marquis will be affected by said powers after he dies, someday. Alright.

“Your daughter, too. Your faerie is kin to the one that sleeps inside the girl. I have no doubt this Amelia is a healer, but that’s only a facet of her true strength. I have decided I will not bargain with you, Marquis.“

By faerie, does she mean the passengers? Those things that give the powers to the parahumans, according to Bonesaw’s terminology? Does that mean this Glaistig Uaine has been gathering passengers? If so, that’s pretty terrifying, because she has so many.

Glaistig Uaine has expressed interest in dealing with Panacea as if they’re equals, and in so, she extends a hand to Panacea. After a moment, she accepted the handshake and curtseyed. Was that the right move? It’s a show of respect, and didn’t seem to me like she was making herself dominant or submissive in any way, so maybe this can be interpreted as an acceptance about being equals. I hope so, at least.

Seems like Glaistig Uaine taking a shining to Panacea is advantageous for Marquis, as this should be some sort of protection against everyone else. Hey, Lung, you saw that? Either way, word’s going to get out about this, and with some luck, it’ll make those who are getting impatient in Marquis’ block start calming down somewhat. Now it won’t be just Marquis saying Panacea is worth the effort, now Glaistig Uaine thinks that as well, and I’m having the impression people around here are wary of Glaistig Uaine. Marquis himself says here she’s powerful enough to make people listen to her. I sure hope so!

Seems to me the tension has subsided a little! One of the other leaders asks if Panacea can heal toothaches. Oh, I’m pretty certain she can! But would she want to? Marquis confirms she can, and some guy named Teacher protests because this will take away business from one of his lieutenants. Then maybe he shouldn’t be charging a small fortune for that! Although I’m sure Marquis wouldn’t just let Panacea heal any and all toothaches, so I’m sure the dentist would still have business.

During all this, Panacea finally speaks up, and it’s to make the question I’m sure many readers – myself included – have thought before:

“I know the answer’s no, but nobody really talks about it outside, so I’m not sure why… but with everyone we’ve got in here, why can’t we break out?”

This could be interesting! If there’s an answer beyond ‘we just can’t’, I mean. I remember Bakuda many arcs ago was toying with the idea of breaking out, so I think it’s not impossible. Still, it has to be extremely difficult, and I’m sure Dragon would stop any serious attempts.

Turns out there’s going to be lore built here! And it’s stuff Marquis doesn’t know. Coolio!

“Size warping technology. The device might be no bigger than a football, and that’s hidden somewhere in the middle of the rocky mountains. The warping apparatus would be bigger, but there’s nothing saying it’s anywhere close to the actual prison. Reason we can’t break out is because we’re in a prison no bigger than your fist. And if all of this is only this small,” Teacher held up a fist, then tapped it against the nearest table, “How far are you going to have to dig or teleport to get through a surface this thick? Or through something as thick as that wall over there? Or a hundred feet of lead with gallons of containment foam on the outside?”

I see! So it’s possible they’re all preeeeeetty tiny right now? And the tiny prison they’re in is surrounded by layer after layer after layer is stuff that’ll stop any attempt to escape. I suppose even if they manage to break through the wall and then the obstacles in their way, they’d still be minuscule. I bet the size warping technology is at the entrance of whatever building serves as the entry point for the Birdcage. Interesting! This sure puts a very tough obstacle onto any theories I had about people breaking out of the Birdcage at any point during the story. It’s not impossible, but the size warping technology part is making it muuuuch more difficult now.

Okay, looks like things are going better than Marquis expected! Panacea isn’t fully recovered, but she is speaking with people, so that’s progress. The meeting continues, the leaders turning against one another, and Marquis feels some of his tension evaporate. I guess that means his ruling over his block will stay untouched for a while longer!

On their way back, the topic of Glaistig Uaine’s powers is touched. Neat, let’s see...

“No,” Amelia replied. “I saw her physiology when I touched her. I couldn’t see what she sees, but I see how she’s carrying them inside her, drawing an energy from them. And there were three more, just beside her, and she was using that energy to feed them… but they weren’t active?”

“She collects souls of dead and dying parahumans,” Marquis replied. “Or the souls of any living soul that gets on her bad side. But they’re not souls, really. Teacher says they’re psychic images, photocopies of a single individual’s personality, memories and powers. She can have a handful active and doing what she wants walking around at any given time.”

I see, I see. So, what if her power is to take people’s passengers and make those psychic images with those? Would that make sense? If so, then she indeed is very powerful, no wonder she gets people to listen to her, and this is also why she’s one of the first prisoners of the Birdcage. She’s just too dangerous. Now I wonder how she got captured, hah!

The problem, though, is that if I’m correct then her power wouldn’t work on civilians, unless absolutely everybody has a passenger and it just simply stays asleep or something.

Panacea, having touched Glaistig Uaine, talks about the impressions she had. She doesn’t confirm or deny my theory, but she does confirm whatever Glaistig Uaine is referring as ‘fairies’ is sentient. Whatever knowledge this brings Panacea also brings her grief, as it may have given her a realization related to what she did to Glory Girl.

The words hit her like a physical blow. She hugged her arms close to her body, and her hair fell down around her face. “My sister. I used my power on her. Unmade her.”

Ouch. I still get shivers when I think of what may have happened to Glory Girl, given the situation was oddly vague yet descriptive back then, but this sure makes it sound like it was very nasty. Which...isn’t really inaccurate, given Brandish and Photon Lady’s reactions.

Marquis is sympathetic, trying to be supportive for Panacea, listening to her when she says Glory Girl was her family, and...well, that he isn’t. She’s glad he is in her life, but he’s not family. I guess he’s more like...a friend. Understandable, it’d be pretty difficult to think of someone as your father after so long without seeing him, and then refusing to think about him after she found out who he was.

“And,” Amelia blinked tears out of her eyes, “Already, I feel like I’m betraying Victoria, that I’m already forgetting her. For just a few minutes, thinking about what I just found out from that girl, I stopped thinking about Victoria. It’s my fault she isn’t there anymore, that there’s only that thing I created. If I stop thinking about her, if I stop hurting, then I feel like I’m wronging her.”

Ah, so that’s part of the reason for her current state. She’s intentionally trying to block everything so she can focus on thinking about Glory Girl, keep her memory alive out of respect for who she used to be. Bad news, Marquis: she’s not going to leave this behind. Ever.

In a rather nice move, Marquis realizes Panacea wants to preserve Glory Girl’s memory, and takes Panacea to go see a tinker who makes tattoos. He wants Panacea to get a tattoo related to Glory Girl? Hmmm...intriguing. I wonder how Panacea will react to that. Either she’ll be grateful and take it, or she’ll interpret is as an insult towards Glory Girl.

She’s kind of in the middle. She’s going to take the tattoo, but it doesn’t seem to me like she’s too excited about this. She won’t get Glory Girl’s face or anything like that, but she will get something.

Marquis turned to his daughter. “If you decide to get it, I would advise a symbol rather than a face. He won’t get the description exactly right, and the image will distort your mental picture.”

“I couldn’t remember her face as it was when it counted, anyways,” Amelia said, a dark look crossing her face.

...great. I’ll now have to remember what Glory Girl is now either faceless or has a distorted face. Oh crap, here comes the goosebumps again. I’m sorry, it’s just that Glory Girl’s situation creeps me out a lot just from thinking about it.

After the tattoo, Panacea is taken back to her cell, where she talks aloud, to Dragon. Dragon’s systems will register the message and pass it along if it’s worth it. Judging by what I read here, Panacea is talking about the conclusions she reached from what she found out by touching Glaistig Uaine.

Sixty-two miles above the surface of the Earth, the Simurgh changed the course of her flight.

...ah. Well that can’t be good.

The Simurgh’s flight seems to have scrambled the message. Was that intentional or just a coincidence due to her movement? It’s already pretty bad that the Simurgh seems to have decided to go pay a visit to Dragon. This caaan’t be good.

The message has been received by Dragon’s many systems as ‘duly noted’ and just thrown away, pretty much. Whatever Panacea found out must have been gamechanging. I really wonder what it was! I hope somehow in the future I can find out!

And that’s the end of the interlude. I liked it! It was good to see the situation at the Birdcage, and some more of Panacea is always nice. All in all, it was a pretty worthwhile read! Nice done, Mr. Wildbow.

But it still was awful timing. I insist on that.

I guess the arc continues next time, since this was a donation interlude instead of a normal interlude.

Next time: in four updates

#worm #worm liveblog #webserial #liveblog #webserial liveblog

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365daysofsasuhina · 6 years ago

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[ 365 Days of SasuHina || Day Fifty-Four: A Bird Cage ] [ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata, Hyūga Neji ] [ SasuHina, death, animal death ] [ Verse: Best Years of Your Life ] [ AO3 Link ]

It had been a birthday gift from her father to her cousin: a sleek, golden-wired bird cage, complete with a canary that sang like there was no tomorrow. Neji had been fond of birds since he was young, lamenting not having one of his own. The dawn of his thirteenth year saw him finally get one. No more staring longingly at wild avians, or ones that looked to him dolefully in the pet shops. He finally had one all his own.

And oh how he loved it.

When it wasn’t in its cage (which was rarely), it was sat upon his shoulder. He could be doing homework, eating, finishing chores, and the little golden bird would be there, singing and singing. Neji would always tell her he hated to see the creature caged, so he kept it out as often as he could. It wasn’t true freedom...but it was more than the bars of its confines.

The pair were a match made in heaven...until tragedy struck.

Hinata and Neji had been walking home after dark, having stayed at school for a basketball game. The younger cousin’s crush had been playing, and insisted she watch. And Neji, ever much the older brother, had stayed. They didn’t live far from the high school, and so the jaunt back seemed simple enough.

But not that night.

The assailant came out of nowhere, taking Hinata by the arm. Her cry alerted Neji, who - without a hint of fear - had moved to take her back. Knocked aside as the pair tussled just within the mouth of an alleyway, Hinata hadn’t the time to get back up before she noticed a glint of metal. It shone brightly for a moment in the lamplight before disappearing...as the blade sank into her cousin’s side.

He’d grunted in pain, threw the man off as the knife remained in place. Then unarmed, he’d fled into the night

Hinata had no experience with wounds - frantic fingers had tried to do something. Anything! She knew well enough not to remove the weapon, lest he bleed out...but it was clear something vital had been struck. Crying out for help, Hinata wasn’t answered as blood pooled and skin grew cold.

...he’d given his life to save her.

Pronounced dead on the scene, there was no trip to the hospital. Hinata, in shock, remained with an ambulance as they worked to keep her conscious. All she could do was stare, not quite believing.

From that day on...the house was silent. Hardly a word was spoken...but most noticeable was the lack of birdsong. The little canary went quiet, clearly aware of the loss.

It refused to eat, to drink. A trip to the vet found nothing wrong. But Hinata knew, when she found it still at the bottom of the birdcage the next morning...it had died from a broken heart. The boy it had loved since being brought home was gone.

She’d buried the little thing in the backyard, next to a memorial in the garden she kept for her cousin. It might not have been Neji’s burial site, but...it was as close as she could bring them.

Hiashi had tried to throw away the cage, but Hinata insisted she keep it. When asked why, she had no answer...save that it was one last relic that tied the two together.

It went with her when she moved out, hung in a corner in her apartment. And still, it remained empty. To try and replace the previous occupant felt..wrong.

Her landlady - who doubled as her boss that owned the bakery just beneath her - had asked about it once. Hinata’d told the tale, and the older woman never again brought it up.

It seemed it would forever incite silence.

Or...so it seemed.

Today, Hinata is running late - a hard thing to do when work is only a flight of stairs away. But her boss is indulging: a kindhearted woman five years her senior who gave her the place to stay once her father kicked her out. Any child of his refusing college, he’d said, had no place under his roof.

So, now Hinata lives in a tiny studio apartment...but the smell of fresh bread permeates everything. She considers it a win-win.

The morning is always their busiest time: people seeking breakfast before work flood the bakery every weekday. But the pair of them revel in it, hardly noticing the passing time in the rush.

Today, however, things get a little...interesting.

After the first wave, the pair find themselves in a bit of a lull, talking amiably as they tidy up and prepare for the inevitable second round. It’s during the quiet that a lone customer walks in, shouldering his duffle bag and glancing to the menu.

Her boss takes the order as Hinata finishes mopping, washing up and then filling the quota: a loaf of sourdough bread, and an iced coffee: black. A little odd, given that it’s still Winter, but...well, the customer gets what the customer wants.

With the bread bagged, she goes to turn and deliver the drink...only to find a spot still wet from her cleaning. Her shoes slip out from under her, and with a cry, Hinata topples over...and the drink goes flying.

...all over him.

Thankfully she doesn’t conk her head on anything, waving away her boss and insisting she’s fine, far more concerned (and mortified) about the man beyond the counter. Rattling off apologies, Hinata tries to make amends only for him to wave them aside.

“It’s fine - I’ve got my gym clothes in my bag, I can just change.”

“I-I live just upstairs - I can wash your shirt for you!”

“No, really - I -”

“Please! A-and you can change there - our bathroom’s so small, it’d be a pain.”

He glances to the manager, who shrugs. “...okay, sure.”

Hinata scurries up the stairs before him, fumbling her keys and unlocking the door. “The b-bathroom’s over there - I can rinse the shirt in the sink so it doesn’t stain.”

“Thanks.”

To her embarrassment, he just...strips it off then and there before moving to fish his spare shirt out of his bag. Well...so much for using the bathroom. Spinning around pink-faced, Hinata channels her nervous energy into scrubbing the garment.

“...you have a bird?”

“I...w-what?”

“You’ve got a birdcage.”

Mid motion, Hinata goes stock still.

He seems to realize he hit a nerve. “...er…”

“...my cousin did. Before he, um...before he d-died.”

“Oh, shit...I’m sorry.”

“...it��s fine. It was...a long time ago now. But...I just couldn’t get rid of the cage. I’m not sure why.”

Redressed, he crosses the room to admire it, hands in his pockets. “...he liked birds?”

“Very much so.”

“Y’know, I volunteer at a raptor sanctuary. If you want, I could get you a free pass.”

The offer comes out of nowhere. A free pass? After she’s the one who inconvenienced him? “...um…?”

“Seems like you’re attached to them, too. Or...the idea of them. Thought maybe you’d enjoy it.”

There’s a blink, and then she softens. “...I guess I would. Neji would have liked it more…though that reminds me, I didn’t...introduce myself. I’m Hinata.”

“Sasuke.”

Wringing out the shirt, Hinata eyes it carefully, seeing no trace of the coffee. “Okay...I think it’s all right. I’m...so sorry about that, Sasuke.”

“It’s fine. It’s just a shirt.”

“Still...I shouldn’t have done it.”

“Accidents happen - no worries. And it looks fine. I need to wash all my stuff anyway.”

Hands now empty, Hinata absentmindedly fiddles them. “I-I’ll pay for your drink.”

“It’s fine.”

“But -?”

“Don’t worry about it.” He gives a snort. “You always so overly polite?”

“Y-you’re a customer!”

“Yeah, but you don’t gotta bend over backwards. You washed my shirt, so call it even.”

Lips purse into a small pout.

Descending the stairs again, they come back out into the bakery, still quiet. “So, this is the place I volunteer at,” Sasuke offers, handing her a card. “Just ask for me - I’m there every Saturday, I can get you in.”

“So...do you like birds…?”

“Big ones,” he replies with a hint of a grin. “Hawks, mostly - we help rehabilitate them. I can introduce you to a few we’ve got around right now.”

“O...okay!”

With his order finally finished (and in one piece), Sasuke takes his leave with a farewell. The remaining pair watch him go before Hinata’s boss turns to her. “So…”

“...so?”

“You got yourself a date!”

“W-what?! N-no, I just -”

She laughs, hands on her hips. “He invited you out so he could see you again!”

“W-we were just talking about birds, that’s all! He didn’t ask me out, he just...brought it up because it was relevant!”

The elder woman just smiles knowingly. “...well, you better take him up on it - you don’t meet cuties like that every day, hm?”

“P-please, that’s not -!”

Before she can refuse, the bell dings as a small group of customers walks in. Her boss just gives a glance and a nod before they concede back to work.

A date...it’s not a date! It’s just...just a… Admittedly, she’s not sure what to call it. But...well, she’d be happy to see such interesting birds up close, regardless.

Neji...I wish you could go with me. I’ll take lots of pictures, if I can! And maybe, someday soon...she’ll be able to fill the birdcage again.

This prompt was...very random xD Of course the first thing I associate in Naruto with birds and cages is Neji, so...I tried to work that into a modern AU to have it lead to a meeting between our typical ship. I'm not...sure I pulled this off very well. It feels like it should be a lot longer. But sadly my time is limited, so...hopefully it's still somewhat passable. Anywho, that's all for tonight. I'll see everyone tomorrow! Thanks for reading~

#uchiha sasuke #hyūga hinata #hyūga neji #sasuhina #death //#animal death //#best years of your life [ au ]#365daysofsasuhina

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twdmusicboxmystery · 6 years ago

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9x14: Scars - Details and an Epiphany!

As I said yesterday, this episode was loaded with parallels, most of it very subtle. If you haven’t read my post from yesterday, click on the link and read it because I’ll be referencing it a lot here. The other great thing about this episode is that it seems every scene and line of dialogue is packed full of callbacks and parallels. I’m sure I’ve missed a lot of them.

***As always, spoilers abound for TWD 9x14. Don’t read until you’ve watched! You’ve been warned!***

The short of it is that Rick and Michonne’s story is closely mirroring Beth and Daryl’s (one member gone and presumed dead by the other).

We saw some water symbols, such as when Michonne and Daryl searched for Rick's corpse by a body of water. Daryl said he'd followed it all the way to the ocean. We've seen a lot of ocean symbolism around Beth, especially in conjunction with Oceanside. Now, that cannot extend to Rick. So, the two people believed dead by TF but who we know are alive will probably both returned by ocean. So that reinforces that Rick/Michonne are going through the same arc as Beth and Daryl.

In that same conversation, Michonne asks Daryl if he's coming back to Alexandria. He says yes, once he finds something. Michonne says, "Plenty of reasons to come back. Finding something doesn't have to be one of them." I think that's part of the, "we get to come back," theme.

Of course, Daryl says he will never stop looking, and we definitely want to compare that to him looking for breath after she disappeared. Again, because the arcs are the same, this confirms what we’ve always theorized: that Daryl looked for Beth but never found her. Just as he’s never found Rick.

Then there's the sad line where Michonne asks if he's okay being alone. First of all, part of the “it’s okay/not okay” theme. When I saw this scene before the episode aired in a sneak peek, I actually this interaction. I thought Daryl said, “Yes,” but he didn’t. He simply nodded and then asked Michonne, "You?"

So, when Michonne replies, "I'm not." I thought she meant she was not okay being alone. But what she really meant is that she wasn't alone because she had the baby.

This line is actually much sadder for Daryl because he is alone. I think we all know him saying he’s okay being alone is a load of crap, given his reaction to Beth’s statement about him being the last man standing. The most obvious parallel here is to be episode Alone from S4. Obviously Daryl has been alone in the woods for several years after the time jump, and he is surviving, but he's not really okay. (Beth: "it's not okay.")

And I know Michonne didn't mean anything negative, by it, but it's really kind of insensitive thing to say to Daryl. After all, he doesn't have Beth’s baby to remember her bad, does he?

Michonne finds Rick's gun, which is a lot like Daryl getting Beth’s knife. I can't help but wonder what this means for how Carol came to have Beth’s knife. Because, as we’ve established, this is such a close parallel to Beth and Daryl, we can draw conclusions from what they’re showing us here. So did Carol find Beth’s knife in the mud somewhere AFTER her body went missing? The parallel probably won’t be that close, but we really don’t know what went down during that missing 17 days, and I’m willing to be that in a broad way, the parallel to how Michonne found Rick’s gun will be direct.

I noticed when Michonne puts Rick’s gun in Judith’s box, there's a picture behind her with purple flowers in it. That jumped out at me because I remember in S7, when Maggie woke up at Hilltop after Glenn died, there were purple flowers that looked exactly like those ones. Because of the way they showed Maggie wake up, we compared it to Beth waking up to Grady. We also saw similar flowers when Rick woke up in the hospital in S1. I’ll talk more about this at the end, but it could be a tie to Beth at Grady, or simply to Maggie having lost Glenn at that point. Michonne has lost Rick for all intents and purposes right now.

When Daryl and his group arrived at Alexandria, I noticed a couple of random references in the dialogue. Connie holds up a note to Michonne and says she wished she had worn different shoes.

Super random, and kinda funny, but I wonder if it's a reference to the lost shoe/foot theme. I also noticed animal cages hanging in the background. They’re square, not like the rounded birdcage we saw in Beth’s cell, but still similar.

We all agreed that Henry’s scar reminded us of Beth’s. Probably just because you can see the stitching. Henry, with all the Beth parallels he's had this season, now has a scar.

Aaron tells Daryl that he once told him he would be a great dad and it turned out to be true. A couple of things about this. It does show that what Aaron said back then was a foreshadow. (Another thing TD has been written about.) And we did suggest that, while we do think Daryl will eventually have his own children, a part of that could have foreshadowed him being a father figure to Lydia and Henry. This is a confirmation that that was the case.

(Quick aside: those people to swore to high heaven Daryl would have a romance with Lydia? TD was right about that too. Definitely not a romance, and he is definitely a father figure to her. Daryl didn't even bother denying it in this conversation. Just saying.)

You could argue that the father foreshadow ONLY referred to Henry and Lydia, but I don't think so. My evidence for it comes from this same conversation. Aaron specifically says, “you got to skip the exploding diaper part,” to which Daryl replies, “A lot’s changed. Back then, we were still building bridges.” It feels like a contradiction of what Aaron said, which to me says Daryl may have to deal with the diaper situation at some point.

The dialogue itself is also important. “A lot’s changed,” is a callback to Beth’s, “I wish I could just change.” And then there’s the Bridge Theory.

There is a part where RJ asks for more tomatoes. We’ve seen the tomato symbol a lot. In general, they represent peace and prosperity. I'm not sure where they had RJ asked for them. Perhaps to show that RJ is doing well at Alexandria, or perhaps because Michonne thinks there is peace there, which right now there largely is. It's right after that, the Judith goes missing.

When she finds Judith gone, Michonne goes to see Negan. He makes an interesting horse reference. When he realizes Judith is missing, he says, "maybe she's off petting a horse." The way he's using it in context is to say, maybe she’s off doing something idle or little-girlish. But we know she's not. He says she's Michonne's daughter and, like Michonne, she's not taking shit going down.

The first thing petting the horse made me think of was Daryl and Buttons, which happened in S5, right after Beth. We can also point out the Horse Theory in general. So, not sure exactly why they used this line here, but it's interesting. Again, with how closely this whole thing is paralleling Beth and Daryl, the horse reference makes a certain amount of sense.

Judith took Rick’s gun and left a note. Naturally, we always went to compare any written notes to Beth.

We also saw a super-random bicycle in the middle of the woods, maybe meant to be Judith’s? I’m honestly not sure what to make of that yet, but it was obviously a symbol of something, and it was mostly yellow (Beth color). I know a revamp of my bicycle theory is long past due, so I may come back to this.

Overall, I thought the end of this episode was very sweet and very good in showing not only Michonne and Judith bonding, but Michonne’s character development.

I gotta say, I loved the horse drawn minivan.

So, in a more general way, this tells us a lot about Michonne’s new attitude at the beginning of this arc, why she wouldn't let people in, etc. It was a flawed way of thinking, but after seeing what happened, we understand more where she's coming from. It does seem that she's now moving back toward the Michonne she used to be and what Rick and Carl would have wanted.

Quick note: While this does explain a lot of the questions we had about the time jump, it definitely doesn't explain them all. It doesn't explain why Tara, specifically, was so angry at Michonne. Even in the flashback with Carol and Tara and Jesus, Tara’s says Michonne isn’t her favorite person these days. She’s already very angry with her. Maybe it's just because Michonne decided not to let people in, but Tara's anger almost seems a little too heavy for that. So, we don't know specifically why Hilltop is angry at Michonne. We don't know why they all dropped their farming tools and ran inside the gates when they heard riders coming.

We also still don't know how Daryl lost the wing on his vest. When I noticed he had both wings when the flashback started, I thought when he got shot by the arrow by one of the kids, maybe somehow that made the wing fall off his vest. But I did find this shot when they returned Alexandria with the kids, and both wings are still on Daryl's vest. So still not know how that happened either.

We also don’t know how he got the scar over his eye, as that doesn’t seem to have been a result of this incident either. So again, he answers a lot of the questions we had, but not all. Other stuff must have happened to result in the rest.

Jocelyn:

Jocelyn, who just so happens to know Michonne—Denise Huth confirmed on TTD that it was a mere coincidence that Michonne ran into someone she'd known before the turn—pretends to be hurt and needs help finding the kids she's caring for. Michonne and some others going find them in an abandoned building and bring them back to Alexandria.

They employed a TON of dialogue foreshadow in these flashbacks. Some for what would happen later on (still in the flashbacks) and others for what's happening in the present with Whisperers.

When Michonne went to get the children from that abandoned building, there are diagrams of how to string animals up for gutting. An obvious foreshadow of her and Daryl being strung up in a similar way and branded. The animals in the diagrams were even cows. And what animal is most famously branded? Cattle.

Which, btw, we can relate back to Carol and Mary at Terminus. “You’re either the cattle or the butcher.” In this case, Jocelyn’s group = Terminus and TF had fallen prey to their “mask of evil” as Daryl would have called it. A lot of things in this episode felt like Terminus, actually.

The second chart shows rabbits. Remember that Lizzie also killed rabbits.

When Jocelyn makes off with the Alexandria kids, they disappear through the drain tunnels in the ground. This is really an interesting callback. I think Michonne’s terror comes mostly (other than the fact that Judith is gone) from the fact that she probably associates the tunnels with Carl's death. It was down there, after all, that she found out he'd been bitten. Now Judith, her other child, has disappeared via that same route.

But the other thing I really want to callback to is when we first found out about that the existence of those tunnels, when Maggie went looking for Glenn in S6. She and Aaron went down there, but didn't end up actually leaving to look for Glenn. Why is that important? First off, because that was during Glenn’s death fake out. There was a million parallels between Glenn and Beth during that fake out.

Also, earlier in S5 we learned that Alexandria had exiled three people. The walkers Maggie and Aaron ran into in those tunnels were confirmed to be some of the people who’d been exiled. So just as Jocelyn went down through that drain to escape Alexandria, we saw others doing the same in the midst of Glenn’s death fake out. Which in turn had lots of parallels to Beth. (I promise I’ll tie that all together at the end. Bear with me.)

Okay, Daryl and Michonne at the abandoned playground. As I said yesterday, ots of people picked up on Daryl's line about how some people are evil, but they hide it, as if wearing a mask. That’s a perfect example of how they’re foreshadowing what's going on in the present day with the Whisperers, which is why I think this Jocelyn thing will replay at some point during the Whisperer arc.

Earlier, when Jocelyn and all her kids are at Alexandria, a couple of interesting things. We see them all playing “the quiet game.” I seemed just a little bit random to me. Maybe a foreshadow of Connie and her being deaf, but the quiet game is about not talking, more than it is about not hearing. And given that Jocelyn's group turned out to be evil, I feel like this is a sinister foreshadowing of some kind. Something we haven't seen fulfilled yet. Like maybe someone isn’t able to be quiet and it means their death. We did have the crying baby, which Connie saved, but that doesn’t ring true to me either. I'm not sure, but this was just so random, I think it has to lead to something.

When talking to Jocelyn, Michonne says that when she heard Jocelyn's kids could hunt, she assumed it would be a few squirrels and a slingshot. The slingshot is an obvious foreshadow of Connie. I also noticed that when Jocelyn told the story about Michonne getting signatures for a petition in high school, she showed up at some "fancy ass Regent’s dinner” with double the number of signatures she needed. Regent is another word for ruler or King. Fancy academic dinners often have names like that. But I couldn't help but think that foreshadowed Michonne showing up at the Regent’s (King Ezekiel’s fancy ass fair). See what I mean about how they were using dialogue foreshadows for the present day?

When Michonne and Daryl get free, they split up and I noticed that Michonne grabs a water pipe. (Water =s Beth).

She drops it after fighting the kids I the hallway in favor of her katana (which one of the kids had). Yet another way to show that this arc is being paralleled with Beth in some way. Because Michonne wielded the water pipe as a weapon, I also thought it could be a way to show that Beth is the weapon they will use to defeat this (or some other *coughs Alpha*) evil group.

Michonne kills Jocelyn and then all the kids still try to kill her. I thought alternating between Michonne killing walkers in the present (while looking for Judith) rather than showing her kill the kids was really smart way. Obviously, the alternative would've been a lot darker and probably not allowed on TV.

Everything works out, Judith and all the Alexandrian kids are found, and there's a happy reunion.

Winnie does get away, which is super-interesting. As I said yesterday, I think she’ll resurface, but just a couple of details about her. Since this happened roughly 5 years ago, I think she could be with the Whisperers. Even though she’s evil, I naturally want to read into the fact that she was part of this group who disappeared, and no one knows where she is now. Feels like an anti-Beth thing. Oh, and she's blonde. I mean, I would've read into her as a Beth parallel one way or the other, but they just so happened to make her blonde. Just saying.

I will mention one point of unreality in all of this. No way all the parents from Alexandria wouldn't have been there to help get their kids back. I get that in terms of the story, they needed Michonne and Daryl to bond and go through something together, just the two of them. It has everything to do with the parallels to Beth and Daryl’s arc. But no way those parents would have just twiddled their thumbs in Alexandria while Michonne (pregnant lady) and Daryl went to get the kids. Just doesn't happen my friends. But since I know what the show was trying to accomplish, I'll let it slide. ;D

Okay, in closing, I said there was something I wanted to pull together at the end. This was a small but kind of important epiphany I had while writing this post and thinking about the episode. I’m surprised it didn’t occur to me sooner, but now that I say that, I realize it really couldn’t have until I formulated the “Carzekiel will also get a death fake out” theory. In other words, I couldn’t have put it all together until this season.

Many of my past leadership predictions for Michonne and Carol (and by extension belief that Beth will lead as well) are based on one of her lines during her and Daryl’s fight in Still. “I’m not Michonne, I’m not Carol, I’m not Maggie…but I made it.” Anyone who’s followed me long knows I can really beat this line and it’s symbolism to death.

Many TDers made early predictions about it that didn’t pan out. Or else we had theories…but they had holes in them. The leadership is the one that really seemed to work out for us. Maggie leading at Hilltop, Carol at the Kingdom, and Michonne at Alexandria. So by definition, Beth will have to lead somewhere, sometime too, and we definitely didn’t see that before Coda.

Minor aside: this is yet another reason I do think it will be Ezekiel, rather than Carol who is “just gone.” Because I think Carol will have to lead alone at the Kingdom for a time, just as Michonne is leading without Rick and Maggie led at Hilltop after losing Glenn. By the same token, if Beth woke up alone, then she lost Daryl as much as he lost her, and might have started leading at any time after that. We simply don’t know yet.

Anyway, so the epiphany I had was that three of the four ladies mentioned in Beth’s line in Still—Michonne, Carol, and Beth herself—all had death fake out arcs. So I had the thought that maybe her line foreshadowed that.

The odd one out is Glenn and Maggie. Because, although I obviously believe Beth is alive, we know Rick is, and I think the same will be true of Ezekiel, I do NOT think Glenn is coming back. I doubt anyone does.

Well, it took all of about twenty seconds for it to click for me. Glenn ISN’T coming back, but he already had his death fake out. In season 6.

So this line did foreshadow that these four couples would all have a death fake out. We know they planned from very early on that Negan would indeed kill Glenn, just as in the CBs, so they had to do something a little different with his fake out. The whole point of doing it in S6 was to include him and Maggie in this arc. And it really wasn’t even a matter of him being paralleled with Beth per se (I mean, it WAS, because hers was the only fake out that had happened at that point; Richonne’s and Carzekiel’s wouldn’t come for several more seasons) but rather that the same symbolism has been and will be employed in each case because they’re all following the same arc.

Hence, the Sirius/Serious piggyback images we’ve seen around Carzekiel, the hand-holding, the clocks…

I think the writers figured out the major characters that people loved from the first three seasons—which included Rick and Michonne, Daryl, Carol, Glenn and Maggie—and figured out who their love interests would be in the long term. These are the four main couples of the apocalypse. There have been other awesome couples, sure, but these are the most mainstream and epic. These are the couples who were given death fake outs and resurrection arcs. Glenn’s was simply shorter than the others, spanning only a few episodes where Bethyl’s spanned several seasons. I’m assuming Michonne will figure out about Rick sometime next season, and of course we have no idea what kind of time span Carzekiel will have, but you get the idea.

So, for what I said earlier: this is why the purple flowers behind Michonne—the same ones we saw Maggie wake up to RIGHT after Glenn died—are important. It’s why the tunnels being part of this Jocelyn story are important. We first saw them in the midst of Glenn’s death fake out. It’s also why the Xs are important. Michonne and Daryl both have them—rather than other characters—because they’re both part of this same arc. See what I mean?

So yeah, that was my other other epiphany. :D And it, you know, makes me happy. *Does creepy TD dance*

#beth green #beth greene lives #beth is alive #beth is coming #td theory #td theories #team delusional #team defiance #beth is almost here #bethyl

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thecostumeplot · 3 years ago

Text

Episode 20: The Birdcage & The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

Please consult these links for accompanying images: The Birdcage: Instagram, Pinterest Priscilla: Instagram, Pinterest

Both

Welcome to The Costume Plot.

Jojo

I'm Jojo Siu.

Sarah

And I’m Sarah Timm. We're professional designers with a passion for costume design and the performing arts. Our podcast does contain spoilers. Accompanying slideshows for each movie are linked in the episode description.

Jojo

We hope you'll join us every other week as we delve into the wonderful world of costume design in The Costume Plot. [music]

Jojo

Hello, hello. And welcome back!

Sarah

Hi! Welcome back. Nice to have you here.

Jojo

Yes, definitely. Hopefully you guys have all been doing well since two weeks ago. It feels like an eon ago.

Sarah

But it also snuck up on us, because we were like...

Jojo

It did!

Sarah

..."oh, god, we have to record!"

Jojo

"Oh yeah, that's this week!" So funny.

Sarah

We're gonna be more on top of it. It's gonna be great. [both laugh]

Jojo

I know, we've already tried to schedule for the next recording ahead of time.

Sarah

Yes. Yes. And we're not doing two today, so we won't get punchy toward the end. [both laugh]

Jojo

Yes. Which is our norm.

Sarah

Yes. Yes, yes, yes.

Jojo

All right. So Sarah, you want to tell us what our theme is today?

Sarah

Absolutely. So we're doing a late Pride Month theme, because technically, this is coming out in July. But I think that pride is year round. There doesn't have to just be a month for it. So we we watched a couple of classic gay movies, basically. Yeah. And we're really excited to talk about them, you know, because it's important to.... Well, I personally think I watch a lot of stuff that references both of these movies. So like, it's good to know where those references come from, for sure.

Jojo

It's so funny. Yeah, I will say I don't necessarily watch stuff that references these. But for my movie, at least, I've heard it referenced in many other ways so often. So I am starting today.

Sarah

Yeah!

Jojo

So I guess I can introduce my movie, I will be covering "The Birdcage," the 1996 version with Nathan Lane and Robin Williams. And actually, this is based on "La Cage aux Folles." I think that's how you say it. I am not French. [laughs]

Sarah

Sounds great. Oui oui. [laughs]

Jojo

Which is basically how I heard it, because that's the one that's really well known. It's originally a French-- I believe a French play.

Sarah

I think so.

Jojo

Or a musical? I can't remember if it's French, I have it somewhere in my notes. So I'm sure I'll come across them later. But that's what this was based off of. And the director, Mike Nichols, who was also very famous in his time...

Sarah

He was very famous, yeah.

Jojo

I was not as familiar with him. But of course, he was part of an improv stand up comedy act with Elaine May in the 50s and 60s, so they were really big comedy duo. And so he was a pretty big deal when this was made. So when Robin Williams signed on to the project with him, it was also kind of a huge deal for all the actors involved as well. So there's some some cool background information that I found about the movie. And it is actually their 25 year anniversary this year, I believe-- that this movie was made.

Wow, great timing on our part!

I know! I was like, "Oh, that's perfect timing." I think they actually made a bigger deal about it when it was the 20 year anniversary.

Sarah

Sure. Yeah.

Jojo

So like, I didn't necessarily find a ton of articles about the 25th. But I just thought that was interesting.

Sarah

Yeah.

Jojo

So again, directed by Mike Nichols. He really wanted to do a kind of very American version of "La Cage," so this was kind of his take at that. He's directed "Charlie Wilson's War," "Closer"... he did an "Angels in America" TV miniseries.

Sarah

Mmhmm.

Jojo

And then he's also done some great classics back in the day, like "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"

Sarah

Oh, wow.

Jojo

In 1966, like, way back when.

Sarah

Yeah.

Jojo

And then in 1970, the original "Catch 22" was also directed by him, and then he also did "The Graduate" in 1967. So...

Sarah

Is he still alive?

Jojo

Ah, you know, that's a good question. I did not check that, which I probably should have.

Sarah

Hold on, lemme Google real quick.

Jojo

But it's kind of crazy... I mean,, again, I didn't necessarily have this kind of previous attachment to Mike Nichols.

Sarah

Yeah.

Jojo

But just hearing about all of these movies that I clearly know very well--and are really huge classics--it's pretty amazing, what he's done. And the interesting thing about this movie is that he really wanted to get improv actors, right. So when he hired Robin Williams, and he originally actually was going to hire Steve Martin for the role...

Sarah

Oh, wow!

Jojo

...that Robin Williams played.

Sarah

Oh, wow.

Jojo

And then scheduling didn't work out. But he wanted them both to be able to improv whatever they wanted in this movie.

Sarah

Cool!

Jojo

And the only rule he had even, after he got Nathan Lane, as well... it was the same rule. The only big rule he had was that they always had to do at least one take just straight from the script.

Sarah

Mmhmm.

Jojo

And then everything else was just, they could improv whatever they wanted. Which I was like, "That's insane!" Like, I can't even imagine as a-- you know, as someone who's trying to follow a script, especially nowadays you have like a script supervisor, right?

Sarah

Oh god, yeah.

Jojo

If you're improving everything, I can't imagine trying to follow that, when nothing they're saying is in the script. [both laugh]

Sarah

Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Can you imagine being in a room, though, with Robin Williams and Nathan Lane just improvising a whole movie?

Jojo

Oh, my gosh.

Sarah

I'd be like, "This is the best day of my life," and forget to call "cut." [both laugh]

Jojo

Yeah, absolutely. I just could listen to them riff all day.

Sarah

Oh my God.

Jojo

The funny thing, too, is this was kind of Nathan Lane's big break too.

Sarah

Really?

Jojo

So when he came on to this movie, there were a couple of interviews I was reading about-- I got really into the research for this, just about the movie itself, not necessarily even about the costumes.

Sarah

Yeah.

Jojo

But Nathan was like, "I was just so enamored," because you know, he knew he was working with Robin Williams and Mike Nichols. And I was laughing because there were all these quotes about how Robin Williams didn't want to do Nathan Lane's role, because Nathan Lane is again playing the kind of "dressed up as a woman" and very matronly role. Which he was like, "I already did that in 'Mrs. Doubtfire.'"

Sarah

Oh, yeah.

Jojo

"So I don't really need to do that again." So of course, when he didn't take that role, and Nathan Lane just kind of stepped right into it so naturally, there was a little quote about how the both of them were really insecure about trying to figure out their character and figure out their humor. And I was like, "this is just adorable." I'm just picturing the two of them talking to each other. And then I think there was a quote Nathan Lane said about, like... "we're the most insecure men I've ever met." [both laugh] But yes, it just sounded like a really fun set all around.

Sarah

Oh, I'm sure it was.

Jojo

And then moving on to the costume design. Sorry, that was such a long intro.

Sarah

No, you're good.

Jojo

But this was by Ann Roth, who, of course, anybody in the costume world knows who Ann Roth is. She is...

Sarah

I don't. [laughs]

Jojo

[laughs] Oh, sorry. She one of the oldest costume designers out there. And she's kind of done everything.

Sarah

Oh, okay.

Jojo

She's the oldest woman to win a competitive Oscar. That was what I wrote recently.

Sarah

Cool!

Jojo

She actually just won for "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom."

Sarah

Oh, damn.

Jojo

Which I also want to cover at some point.

Sarah

Yeah.

Jojo

She's been working since 1964. So even before Mike Nichols's first movie, which is crazy.

Sarah

He has passed away, by the way. He passed away in 2014. I looked it up.

Jojo

Oh, he has? Oh, man. Well, RIP Mike Nichols.

Sarah

It's amazing that she's still working, though. Wow.

Jojo

Yeah, she is still working. It's pretty insane. But she-- one of the things that she is well known for, too, is that she actually was one of the first designers to really pull a lot of vintage stock, like truly vintage stock.

Sarah

Mmhmm.

Jojo

Because I think she has some kind of a quote when she was working back in the day... she was like, "a lot of the West Coast designers at that time were mostly pulling from, you know, from stock--or costume stocks--and things like that. And I had like, authentic vintage pieces that I wanted to put into my clothing." And she says a lot-- and I think a lot of designers nowadays are really sticking to this, as well, of how authentic she wants the character to be. And how informed the character costumes are. She really delves really deep into, where did this costume come from? Is it something that they grabbed from, you know, a high school Goodwill? Where did that... where did that travel from to get to that Goodwill? Like, all the kind of backstory of really creating a character behind a costume was kind of... I wouldn't say she invented it, but she certainly takes a lot of care into thinking about all those details.

Sarah

Mmhmm.

Jojo

So anyways, so she's done "The Girl on the Train" in 2016. I'm kind of moving backwards at this point. She did "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" in 2011, "Julie and Julia" in 2009, "Mamma Mia" in 2008...

Sarah

Wow.

Jojo

..."Stepford wives" in 2004. She also won an Academy Award in 1996 for "The English Patient." And then she was also nominated for the Academy Award for "Talented Mr. Ripley," but she's also done a lot of Broadway theater, she won many, many--and was nominated for many, many--Tonys. She did "The Book of Mormon," she did "Shuffle Along."

Sarah

Wow.

Jojo

She did "Carousel," she won for the show "The Nance," which I don't know very well, but that's another one she's done.

Sarah

Yeah, I've never heard of that.

Jojo

So yeah, so she's got a lot of like, really great credits under her belt.

Sarah

Amazing!

Jojo

So yeah, that's why a lot of people know her. She's just this tour de force lady.

Sarah

Now I do, too. Now I can be like, "Yes, I know who Ann Roth is!"

Jojo

[laughs] Yeah, she was one of the names that I just constantly heard. She's, like, really scary to work for, is what I've heard.

Sarah

Oooh.

Jojo

But she's pretty phenomenal. It's kind of like Julie Taymor, but of the costume world. [laughs]

Sarah

Oh, yeah. I feel like if you've been working long enough, and you had to kind of fight for your place and fight to have a long career, you kind of have a no-nonsense attitude that can seem really abrasive. And sometimes it is actually abusive.

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

And I don't want to excuse that, but definitely, I do think that-- especially women of a certain age, who had to claw their way...

Jojo

Oh, true that.

Sarah

...into that Hollywood career just have an attitude where they have to keep fighting, you know?

Jojo

Yeah, it's kind of unfortunate, actually. But you know, it makes a lot more sense why they are the way they are.

Sarah

Yeah.

Jojo

Because they've had to kind of trek through all of that.

Sarah

Yeah.

Jojo

So anyways, I surprisingly-- and a little sadly, I did not find a lot of interviews with her about the costumes for this. So I will mostly be talking about how just pretty I think everything is.

Sarah

Great. [both laugh]

Jojo

But yes... so I'll give you a quick summary of the plot, for those of you who have not watched this movie. I kind of very briefly stole this off of another website because I didn't think I would be able to do this very well. But Armand Goldman, who is Robin Williams, he runs a successful drag club in South Beach, Miami, and he has a life partner Albert, who's played by Nathan Lane. Nathan Lane is also the star of his club, known by the name of Starina. Not very creative there. But so anyways, that's kind of where the start is. Armand's son Val, who's played by Dan Futterman... I don't know how to say that name either.

Sarah

I don't either.

Jojo

...Is engaged, or gets engaged, to a woman named Barbara who's played by Calista Flockhart, who you might know better as Ally McBeal.

Sarah

Mmhmm.

Jojo

And what ends up following is Armand and Albert's attempts at appearing straight laced--or straight--in order to try and meet Barbara's very conservative parents. The father is a senator, Senator Keeley, and he's played by Gene Hackman. And his wife is Louise Keeley, played by Diane Wiest. So really pretty big all star cast. I don't know if this is where they... well, I know at least Nathan Lane kind of got started here, but the rest of this cast is pretty well known.

Sarah

Yeah.

Jojo

And one thing that I did write in an interesting quote by Nichols... or sorry, it was by the Gainesville Sun. Which, I don't know where that is, but it said, "Nichols wanted to shoot the movie as much like a play as possible without much editing." So again, it was just so interesting that not only does he have them improv-ing the whole time, but he wants to try and just shoot a straight shot of this movie. So I was like, "Wow, that's pretty amazing." So... anyway.

Sarah

That's pretty cool, I like that. I like that idea.

Jojo

Yeah. Agreed. It was a lot of fun to kind of find out more information about that.

Sarah

Yeah.

Jojo

I had some fun facts, but I'm gonna kind of skip those because I think I want to try to move-- talked so much about this movie already. [both laugh] I wrote a lot of notes because I was just so curious and fascinated about everything behind it.

Sarah

You have way more research than I have about mine. I watched mine late at night last night, and I was like, "This is good. That's enough info." [both laugh]

Jojo

So funny. Okay, so I'm gonna start off with-- and I had to filter it out a lot. I was really sad. And I still had more than 10 costumes. So I apologize in advance. [laughs]

Sarah

Yeah. [laughs]

Jojo

And I wasn't even able to focus on all of the characters. Because really, even just between Armand and Albert, there's so many costume changes, and they're all so fascinating and fun. So I didn't want to skip on any of them.

Sarah

Yeah, because we don't have to focus on all of them, you know, but then you go, "Oh, I like this one. I like this one. I like this one, too." And then it becomes very hard to pick.

Jojo

Pretty much! Okay, so I will start off with the opening scene. And basically we start off right in Armand's... in his club. And they're trying to convince Nathan Lane to get on stage. And he has this whole dramatic breakdown moment where he's like, "I can't go on," and he's sobbing. And he thinks he's ugly, and all of this other stuff. Eventually, they convince him to get on stage. And this is his first Starina costume. So his first performance costume. I just love it. I don't know, there's not much I have to say about it. I'm not even normally a leopard print person, but I just love that he's got this matching leopard print hat plus the muff, which he makes this whole joke about. And then he's got this beautiful kind of glitter, it almost looks like chiffon, just wrapped and draped around him.

Sarah

I feel like it must be-- it looks like it's a reference to something, but I don't know what it is. You know, with the cowl?

Jojo

That's kind of how I-- I feel like there were a lot of references in this movie that maybe I'm just too young to, like, get?

Sarah

Sure. Yeah.

Jojo

Or I just missed. So I wish that I had caught... I'm sure there are things that I missed, and wish that I had caught more but by itself either way, I just... it's just so fantastic. And I did find... I think this is it. Oh, it's very tiny. I'm really sorry. But this was the full, the whole getup. And there's even a whole joke that he makes about having the tail appear, and he just pulls the tail out of his muff.

Sarah

Mmhmm.

Jojo

So he's like, "Oh, I caught her by the tail." There's this big joke with that. And even like, the matching leopard boots, I don't know.

Sarah

I love the boots. And I love that it has a tail.

Jojo

Just... everything about it. Yes, so much.

Sarah

So funny.

Jojo

I need to start doing that with all my muffs. Not that I carry muffs around, but you know, if I did. [laughs]

Sarah

I got my wardrobe of muffs that I just... one in every color.

Jojo

My fur muffs. [both laugh] Okay, so moving on. The other character that I very briefly wanted to touch on--again, I did not have enough room to do all of these photos--was Agador.

Sarah

I love him.

Jojo

And I can't remember the name of the actor that plays him. I forgot to write that down.

Sarah

Hector someone, right? Is that...

Jojo

Yes. Hector...

Sarah

Alon... sa ...

Jojo

Ansari? No, that's not his last name. Ah. Anyways, they will come back to me at some point.

Sarah

Hector...

Jojo

I'm gonna look-- I'll look it up.

Sarah

Alonzo. No, that's not Hector Alonzo... shoot.

Jojo

What's his name?!

Sarah

Hank Azaria!

Jojo

Hank Azaria. Okay, thanks.

Sarah

He has the same initials as Hector Alonzo.

Jojo

I was like, "I know there's a Z..." Oh, okay, that's why.

Sarah

I get those names confused. Yes, I love him. He's great.

Jojo

[laughs] But I wanted to pull all of... and again, this is only a few of his looks. Not all of them. But I love that Ann kind of gave him sort of like a Dukes of Hazzard look.

Sarah

Yes.

Jojo

Where he's always got the jean cutoffs, and the little crop tops. [laughs] Just that he's got this giant rip in the side of his jeans.

Sarah

Mmhmm. Basically underwear.

Jojo

Showing off his legs.

Sarah

Yeah.

Jojo

Basically. Yeah, exactly. So I just thought that was kind of funny. It was... you know, it's interesting. There's so many interviews about him and how he felt like he was worried about how he portrayed, you know, the gay Latino population at the time. And I think they were trying to do a sequel, and he refused because he was like, "I just don't think I can represent this culture, or this demographic correctly."

Sarah

Wow!

Jojo

And this was also-- I think it was this was more recently.

Sarah

Right, right, right.

Jojo

Now that they've had all of these talks about representing the right group.

Sarah

Well, yeah, because I mean-- this is definitely a conversation we can have about both our movies. It's that like, at the time, being an openly gay person was not really synonymous with being a successful actor.

Jojo

Right.

Sarah

So like, anyone who was gay was usually closeted. So the people who portrayed gay people in media were usually straight, or at least straight-appearing.

Jojo

Mmhmm.

Sarah

And nowadays, people try to cast, you know, queer people to play queer people. And I think that that's generally pretty important, especially since it's hard for gay actors to get jobs. So they should be in those roles.

Jojo

I think it's very similar to the same conversation we're having about diversity, right?

Sarah

Yes.

Jojo

Like, you know, an Asian person should be playing an Asian, not that we have to stereotype it. But like, I mean, even in these, the straight people are also... these roles are very stereotyped.

Sarah

Yeah.

Jojo

I mean-- and again, I don't necessarily... I mean, I know people that are homosexual, but not necessarily all of them act like this.

Sarah

Right.

Jojo

So again, there's a lot of misconceptions about this. This is one of the first times they're really putting it out in the open. So, you know, how much of that leeway are they taking? And how much of it is Hollywood trying to create a persona, right?

Sarah

Yeah.

Jojo

And, you know, it's the same problem that we're having even today with diverse voices and trying to represent equally all of those voices.

Sarah

Totally. And I've heard a lot of people be like, "Oh, well, you know, actors can portray... they're actors. They can, you know, they can dive into whatever role." And it's like, sure, but if it's "give this gay actor a job" or "give this straight actor a job," queer actors have a harder time getting cast. So they should be cast in these roles that are basically FOR them. They're made for other queer people to see themselves on screen. So... yeah, that's... that's it. [laughs]

Jojo

Yeah. I think that's definitely an age-old argument that I'm sure will continue for a while. [laughs]

Sarah

Yeah. Yeah.

Jojo

All right. Cool.

Sarah

Anyway!

Jojo

Moving on. We went on a very...

Sarah

It's an important convo!

Jojo

...very important tangent, but yes. So this outfit is not necessarily in the movie, but I did want to pull this out because one of the first scenes that Armand is seen in, he's in this Versace, which he wears a lot of. He wears a lot of these kind of Versace shirts, which also is very Miami.

Sarah

Very Miami, yeah.

Jojo

So I thought that was really very appropriate. And I think, you know, not necessarily having lived in Miami or having had experienced that, but there is sort of a visual image of that.

Sarah

Well, 'cuz...

Jojo

...when you think of Miami from this time as well.

Sarah

Yeah, 'cuz that's where he lived. That's where Versace lived. So...

Jojo

Right, right.

Sarah

...especially in the 90s, in the 80s and 90s. It was very Versace all the time.

Jojo

Yeah. And same with Dolce and Gabbana, I think?

Sarah

I don't know.

Jojo

Is that correct? I'm not sure. But I know Dolce and Gabbana is also very well represented in this movie, so a lot of their clothes were used.

Sarah

Nice.

Jojo

So again, you know, this idea of Ann Roth really taking realistic things that they want to pull from that area, and from the brands that are nearby. I just thought that was really appropriate. So anyways, I just really liked this shirt. And he-- Robin Williams is often portrayed in this kind of a silhouette, where he's always wearing this very loose open shirt over a white A-shirt. Or for many of you, it used to be called the "wife beater." We do not call it that anymore.

Sarah

We do not!

Jojo

We call it an A-shirt. [laughs] So that's what he's wearing most of the time underneath, or sometimes a black t-shirt, or a black A-shirt.

Sarah

Mmhmm.

Jojo

And then he's always got these really wide kind of... they're almost like palazzo pants? But they're very billowy and it's great watching him just like, run around everywhere and kind of inwardly panic. 'Cuz he's sort of the one that needs to be kind of controlled.

Sarah

Mmhmm.

Jojo

I had this interesting quote from Nichols that said, "what I wanted in our mind was the kind of suppressed hysteria. Someone who could appear perfectly straight and ordinary, but with a little something just under the surface that he can't completely control."

Sarah

Uh huh.

Jojo

"Robin played that brilliantly." So I think that was absolutely accurate. And I just thought that was so funny, that he really is obviously very, very flamboyantly dressed, but he still tries to kind of keep everything under control. Whereas Nathan Lane is kind of overly dramatic, always crying.

Sarah

Right.

Jojo

Always screaming, you know, so it was just kind of a funny contrast between the two of them. Okay, next one. So I pulled this image, and this is probably the only image I've pulled of the senator-- or sorry, the Keeley family. And the only reason I didn't pull more pictures of them is because most of the movie they are in these pretty conservative, you know, suits. The mom is always in some kind of a conservative suit dress. And then even Calista is-- she's always in these braids, and it's very preppy. There's one scene where she's in, like, a flannel. And I think that's her only time she kind of dresses down.

Sarah

Mmhmm.

Jojo

But the rest of the time, very, very preppy looking until the very end. And so one of the things I wanted to do with this image is just to kind of show the color contrast. Because I think Ann did a really good job of keeping this family--this nuclear family--in a very Earth tone, kind of grays--and some monochrome charcoals and grays--but it was mostly in the gray family.

Sarah

Mmhmm.

Jojo

Or maybe some beige, but that was about it. So like, you don't really see them go anywhere else. And then in contrast, when they arrive in Miami to meet Robin Williams and Nathan Lane, then it's this huge contrast of just colors, patterns, everything.

Sarah

Yeah, Miami is a very colorful place, just like... on its own.

Jojo

Yeah. Okay, moving on. So this is all within maybe the first, like, 30 minutes of the movie. [both laugh] So this is why I had such a hard time filtering, but I just love this outfit. Like, again, this is still him kind of not necessarily dressed as Starina, but it's another one of his acts in the performance, and he's supposed to be playing a clown. But I just love that he's got these-- the pink gloves are just like... I just think it's such a great touch. And then the top hat, and he's kind of got this clown... it's almost like a cross between a sailor with the striped vest.

Sarah

Yeah.

Jojo

Versus like, you know, the traditional clown with the oversized flower and the patches on his jacket. And I also have a full body shot of this.

Sarah

[laughs] Look at those shoes.

Jojo

I just thought it was-- I mean, you never seen his shoes in this movie.

Sarah

Oh my god.

Jojo

But I just thought it was so funny that, you know, they have the full look.

Sarah

Wow.

Jojo

But yes, what a character. I mean, Nathan Lane must have had so much fun with all of these costume changes.

Sarah

Mmhmm.

Jojo

So... not too much to add to that. Yet another Nathan Lane. And this is when they find out Val is is home with them.

Sarah

Uh huh.

Jojo

So he goes out and basically is shopping in the... it's basically this really quick shot of him just walking through the marketplace in Miami. And I just-- I don't know, I just love this whole outfit. Again, there's not much notes that I have for any of these costumes really, except that they're just... they're just so great.

Sarah

I love how his vibe is kind of... Golden Girls-y?

Jojo

Yes, very much so.

Sarah

He has a glasses chain and like, a little collared shirt. [both laugh]

Jojo

It's so cute. Yeah. And then the little bag. And I think these are... I think they're pink, or like a peach color, kind of pant. And in the-- again, I don't know if this is Versace, but it looks very Versace pattern?

Sarah

The chain. Yeah.

Jojo

In terms of-- yeah, the chain, and then the vest. It's kind of a vest. I don't know.

Sarah

I mean the chain print, the chain print is very Versace.

Jojo

Yeah, yes.

Sarah

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Jojo

So I just-- I just love it. And then this is when he arrives home, and again Agador is just in his little Dukes of Hazzard jean shorts. [laughs] And again, this contrast of the two of them, obviously Robin Williams is still very flamboyant. But he's kind of-- he's got like, it's almost like a... it's not a smoking jacket. I know it's a robe. But it is sort of one of those things where I feel like he feels like the more austere of the two of them.

Sarah

Sure.

Jojo

And Nathan Lane is just kind of like the flighty, always waving his hands everywhere and always saying something in high pitched voices.

Sarah

But that creates a balance the relationship. Right? You can't both be like that. You need one...

Jojo

Yes.

Sarah

...you need to balance each other out. [laughs]

Jojo

Absolutely, absolutely. Even just the little glasses, I think it's just such a great touch, all the little details that she includes on there.

Sarah

Mmhmm.

Jojo

One of the other things that I wrote down, too, is that he's-- Robin Williams is always wearing these three gold chains. And both of them are always wearing a ton of gold rings. So I don't know if-- and again, this is kind of where I feel like I'm not the expert in terms of like, what is culturally appropriate for this group, or this community. But like, all the gold rings that they're wearing, it just felt like a very... I don't know if it was just something associated with their specific club, or just the two of them, or if it was something that is common in Miami in the homosexual community. I don't know. So that was kind of a question, I guess, that I had.

Sarah

Yeah, I don't have an answer. I don't know a lot about Miami or gay culture in Miami in the 90s. But if anybody does, feel free to tell us!

Jojo

Yeah, definitely. It was just-- it was an interesting choice. I mean, because it definitely worked with their character, but I wasn't sure if that was just a character thing.

Sarah

I've definitely watched the "American Crime Story" on Gianni Versace. And I feel like he was constantly covered in rings. So maybe it's just like a style thing. A late 80s/early 90s Miami thing of lots of gold jewelry.

Jojo

Yeah, definitely, because Nathan also makes a comment about how he takes off all of his rings in order to become the straightlaced, conservative man.

Sarah

Yeah.

Jojo

So I just, you know, I thought it was it was an interesting question that I had about, you know, the character. But back to the necklaces that-- or the chains that Robin Williams is wearing. It's interesting, because I couldn't figure out what two of them were, but there is one that's clearly a Jewish Star of David, which you don't really... I mean, they don't make any comment on the fact that they're Jewish until, like, the last maybe 10 minutes of movie.

Sarah

Interesting.

Jojo

But it's, you know... again, it's such a tiny detail. But like, clearly Ann Roth has thought about like, okay, even though he... you know, he doesn't necessarily exude like, "I'm this Jewish," whatever. It's like a little kind of commentary on what's important to him, and that he still wears that as a symbol.

Sarah

Right.

Jojo

So yes, anyways, that I just thought that was interesting. Moving on. Okay, another great Nathan Lane look. [laughs] Again, just prepping for performance. But I also just wanted to pull in, even though this movie was made in in the late 90s, there's definitely a lot of late 80s references and the kind of-- you know, the leotards and the workout gear from the 80s. All of that kind of gets carried over. And again, you know, these are... they're clearly very flamboyant. And they're clearly very comfortable in who they are. But I just thought that it was so interesting that she had set a lot of their costumes in... back in the late 80s. And setting isn't really ever established in this movie.

Sarah

Right.

Jojo

But I think there's so much more fun prints, and things like that, that are happening in the 80s. So part of me wonders if they were setting it in that time, or if she was just trying to bring back those things, because it was so fashionable and trendy,

Sarah

I think it's probably carryover. I think that we forget, kind of, because we look at the... we look at the decade as a whole and we say, "Oh, well, these are the hallmarks of this decade." But we kind of forget that a lot of things carry through, you know. It doesn't end at '89 and go into '90 and everybody's like, "we're gonna dress completely differently now." You know, things kind of bleed into each other. So I definitely think that aerobics gear was still happening in the 90s. It was probably just like, different colors, different cuts, kind of thing.

Jojo

Yeah, definitely. So yes, I just-- again, I just love this look. Not too many notes, like I said, just really fun outfits for Nathan Lane. And just interesting seeing him in this kind of a role, too. I mean, I think he does play a lot of these kinds of roles. But I think it's just fun to see him, you know, really own this character.

Sarah

Yeah.

Jojo

So there's another-- I think this is the Dolce and Gabbana shirt...

Sarah

Mmkay.

Jojo

...that he's wearing, because I think there's actually... there was some kind of an auction that I found the same image on. And they were like, "there's a label that says 'D&G' on the inside."

Sarah

Hmm!

Jojo

But he's also got these... you can't see it in the picture. But supposedly, they're actually silk yellow-and-green striped pants.

Sarah

Ooh.

Jojo

So like, even though the color doesn't read as bright here, it's just... you know, again, this idea of really bringing in color. And the mix of patterns, I think, is so fun too. And again, still holding to that same silhouette. I think it tells us a lot about Robin Williams's character. And again, it gives us so much about who he is. And yet when he plays the character, because again, there's so many stereotypes about what a homosexual character acts like, and looks like, and all of these things. And I think Robin Williams really made a very balanced acting choice of kind of carrying him a little more subtle.

Sarah

Mmhmm.

Jojo

As opposed to like, the traditional and stereotypical homosexual man.

Sarah

Mmhmm.

Jojo

So I pulled this image because this is one of the ones that I think was probably my least favorite. And not because I think it didn't add to the comedic factor. Like, I think that part of it was very successful. But this is when they're out on the beach. And it's this picture and, I think, this one.

Sarah

Hmm.

Jojo

This is kind of a better idea of what they're wearing.

Sarah

Yeah.

Jojo

But I think I was just a little confused about this. Like, it almost looks like pajamas.

Sarah

Pajamas, yeah. [laughs]

Jojo

And I know, obviously, that is my contemporary look at this matching set.

Sarah

I don't know...

Jojo

But I was also trying to find images of this in the 80s. And I was like, "everyone around them is wearing these..." you know, there's a whole scene at the end where senator Keeley is driving into Miami, and there's all these people rollerblading in little thong bikinis and stuff.

Sarah

Yeah. [laughs]

Jojo

And I'm like, "who is wearing this to the beach?!" Like...

Sarah

Just, like, full long sleeved pajamas.

Jojo

Yeah. And like, even Nathan Lane, I think when I first looked at him, it almost didn't register that the bottoms were white. It almost looked like he was wearing also a matching set of pink gingham and pink on the bottom.

Sarah

Huh.

Jojo

So yeah, I think-- I mean, at least for him, when I see the full suit, it looks a little less weird. Like, he just kind of looks like he's trying to cover himself up at the beach. And maybe this looks a little more like "Miami Vice" or something? Like, he kind of was sort of wearing a suit?

Sarah

Yeah, it looks like maybe it's linen, you know, summer weight. But still, on the beach, you would think that they would look like they're on the beach. [laughs]

Jojo

Right. And like, he's only in this outfit when he's under the umbrella. The rest of the scene, he's just in this. And I'm like... I'm very confused. [laughs]

Sarah

It just seems like a lot of clothes.

Jojo

With everything else they're wearing.... Yeah, with everything else they're wearing in the rest of the movie, I think this look for both of them... I was very just kind of thrown off. I was like, "this seems very 'not them.'"

Sarah

Yeah.

Jojo

So yes. I'd be curious to hear what Roth's thoughts were on this choice.

Sarah

Yeah. Me too.

Jojo

Or like, where these outfits came from.

Sarah

Yeah.

Jojo

Okay, moving on. So... another great look for the two of them. So halfway through when they basically are trying to meet Senator Keeley and his wife.... So the son Val basically doesn't believe that Nathan can play a straight man, because at first their idea is to have him play the uncle who's just kind of, you know, close...

Sarah

Right.

Jojo

...close to the family. And then they just-- they don't think that's gonna work. So Robin Williams--or Armand--ends up deciding to come up with this idea to contact Val's true mother, who was how Val was conceived.

Sarah

Right.

Jojo

And so they try to get her to come for the dinner. There's all kinds of mishaps that happen with that as well, so Nathan Lane ends up dressing up as a woman to play the wife. However, when they go to visit the mother, this is the outfit that they show up in. And I just love that, you know, Nathan Lane's just-- I love the yellow, first of all. I think that that was a really nice touch of tying them together. And I think, again, Ann Roth does this really great thing about being able to tie groups together so you can really associate them together by color. So the fact that, you know, he's got this kind of matching yellow patterned shirt, and then he's got a little tie there. What did I write on my notes? Let's see. I put, "Albert's personality sort of reminds me of a little bit of a 50s/60s housewife." Still very "Golden Girls," I think, with the neckerchief. And even the little hat, and again, the rose-colored glasses. Or... I guess they're not really rose, they're kind of more yellow in this case.

Sarah

Yeah.

Jojo

And then kind of comparing that to Armand's very masculine suits, which remind me a lot more of the very quintessential 80s.

Sarah

Mmhmm.

Jojo

So I just think it's so funny that he really does play the part of kind of the traditional housewife to a certain extent, and even when he dresses up as the woman, too. Obviously very opinionated about certain things, but I think he definitely plays the part very well.

Sarah

Mmhmm.

Jojo

So I think this is just another picture. Yeah. So just to show the bottom pants that he wears with this beautiful yellow outfit on top.

Sarah

I love the yellow.

Jojo

I do, too. I was like, "I'm not normally a yellow person." But this yellow just looks so great. And I love his little hat too, the little short brimmed hat.

Sarah

You always say you're not into yellow, and then you always are excited about the yellow looks. [laughs]

Jojo

I think it's really just-- it's like, there's specific colors of yellow that I really like. Like, I'm really into ochre.

Sarah

Yeah.

Jojo

And I really like that kind of... it's almost like a buttercup yellow.

Sarah

Uh huh.

Jojo

Like, those two yellows, I think I'm more okay with. It's like, when you go into neon, that's usually when I'm like, "No thank you." [laughs]

Sarah

Ooh, I love a neon yellow. I love neon anything.

Jojo

[laughs] Yes. Okay. So in contrast, I wanted to show a quick shot of Val. And then Armand when-- you know, when he finally dresses up to look like the straightlaced man.

Sarah

Mmhmm.

Jojo

The sad thing is, they end up taking down all the decorations in their house. They basically take out all the inappropriate statues and artwork and all these things to basically try and make the house look a little more conservative, to try and trick the girl's parents. And this is Nathan Lane, when he's in his suit. [both laugh]

Sarah

Oh my god.

Jojo

So this is when he makes the whole joke about removing all the rings. And then, you know, it's so funny because he spent like five minutes trying to figure out how to sit down, because he doesn't know where to put his hands. [laughs] Without looking super femme.

Sarah

Yeah.

Jojo

And then, of course, Robin Williams asked him about his pink socks. And he was like, "well, I just thought a pop of color would be helpful." [both laugh]

Sarah

Aww.

Jojo

So yes, again, this was obviously-- he did not end up going and showing up like this. But it was just funny that he made this attempt to try and look like a straight man. And then of course, this is his female version, when he finally shows up as... you know, the missus. They pretend their name is Coleman instead of Goldman.

Sarah

Uh huh.

Jojo

So then he comes in as Mrs. Coleman. And it's interesting, because I think when they interview Nathan, he mentioned something about being inspired by Mrs. Bush.

Sarah

Oh, yeah!

Jojo

I just thought that was so funny. It was like, "Yeah, I can see that."

Sarah

Yep.

Jojo

So like, you know, just the way that she's dressed, the pearls. But just the tie--the bow--around the neck. And yet, still a ton of pattern. So... So yes, I just thought this was hilarious, and I think this was just such a great moment, because he kind of just shows up out of nowhere and gives them no warning. Like, they are not expecting him to dress up like this.

Sarah

Amazing.

Jojo

And then Senator Keeley and his whole family is like, totally just... they have no idea. They just totally think he's the wife and don't even bat an eye at the fact that he's dressed up as a woman. Like, they just think he's a woman. [laughs]

Sarah

Love it!

Jojo

It's great. Okay. And then the final scenes, there's a couple I just wanted to-- I wanted to show more of the performers in drag in the club, because there is a scene at the beginning where they enter as well. But this last scene I just thought was just so funny. Because this is also how they get the Senator Keeley family to escape. Because right when they're about to say like, "okay, no, we're not going to have you guys get married"... When they find out the ruse is all up, they find out Nathan Lane is actually a man. Val finally--the son--finally stands up and says "this is my mother." Whereas he's kind of a jerk throughout the movie. Because he's constantly like, "you have to change this. You have to be this other person. You have to... you know, you have to get rid of these, you can't do this." And then it's finally at the very end when he takes the wig off and basically says "this is actually my mother." And then Senator Keeley basically is like, "you can't marry my daughter." But then he gets stopped by the paparazzi outside and so, of course, to avoid even more scandal their idea is to dress up the Keeley family as drag queens and basically waltz them out the front door.

Sarah

[laughs]

Jojo

So this is the final performance. I just wanted to show some fun photos for our audience and listeners. They decided to do a black and white theme, but it's also very like "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" kind of incorporated in there as well. There's a lot of glitz. And this-- I just wanted... I don't even know who this is. This is not anybody that shows up anywhere else in the movie. [both laugh] But he just somehow shows up at the very beginning...

Sarah

That is quite a jacket.

Jojo

Sorry, at the.... Yes, I just really like his jacket. And also, I don't know what's going on with these pants.

Sarah

I don't either.

Jojo

He's got like, I can't tell if it's on a side pocket or if that's actually how it closes? Or if this is just giant safety pins, or if he's just got rhinestone right at his crotch?

Sarah

Ooh!

Jojo

Like, I don't know what's going on. But it's a lot. And then of course, all the ladies that you can see, varying levels of very 80s prom dresses, almost.

Sarah

Stunning.

Jojo

With all the glitz and glam. And then the last three shots are just-- this is our Gene Hackman and his drag. [both laugh] He's clearly the most uncomfortable. But it's funny because actually, when they pulled him out in this first shot, I was almost like-- I almost didn't recognize him. I was like, "who... which... who is who is that? Which character is that?" But yeah, so I just thought that was really funny. And then the mom, Dianne Wiest, and each of-- it's funny because then Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, and Val all end up dressing up very gentlemanly. So Nathan Lane is in one of his more masculine looks for the very end, which I find ironic.

Sarah

[laughs]

Jojo

So that they can pair with their drag queen to lead them out.

Sarah

Uh huh.

Jojo

So he ushers Dianne Wiest out. And then of course Val, at the very end, leads Ally McBeal. I'm gonna keep calling her Ally McBeal. [both laugh] He leads Barbara out in her outfit. And I think she's one of the ones that I was a little bit like, "I'm not..." I feel like they overpowdered her a little bit. Just a little more vampy, scary.

Sarah

Something looks very severe about it. Yeah.

Jojo

Yeah, definitely a little more powder and white makeup than I think was necessary, especially since the other two still look very... I don't want to say "normal," but they look a little bit more natural.

Sarah

Yeah.

Jojo

So it's like, what's going on with this look? Was this an actor choice?

Sarah

Huh.

Jojo

But I do love her dress. I love all the sequins and...

Sarah

It's cute.

Jojo

And just everything over the top.

Sarah

We love a sparkle.

Jojo

So yeah, that is my coverage of all the things "Birdcage."

Sarah

Great job! Yay!

Jojo

Thank you! Yeah, it was a lot of fun. Like I said, I think the biggest thing that was successful was... Ann Roth really did a good job about separating with color. The different families, and even the two groups.

Sarah

Totally.

Jojo

Minus Val. I think Val was probably the most normal looking.

Sarah

Mmhmm.

Jojo

And yeah, I'm not gonna lie. I spent a lot of this movie just being angry at Val. 'Cuz he's kind of a jerk. [both laugh]

Sarah

Well, yeah, it's... yeah, I mean, it's tough because at the time, I guess, it was normal to be ashamed if you came from a family like that. But like, nowadays, we're like, "come on, man." Like, it's your parents. Have some respect.

Jojo

So funny. But yes. So... I'm glad they redeemed him at the end.

Sarah

Me too. Me too. Okay, let's do it. So I'm very excited to talk about this movie. Oh... come on computer, you can do it.

Jojo

[laughs]

Sarah

Because I had never seen it before. And when I said that at work, there were a lot of gasps in the room. Because it's both an iconic gay movie and an iconic costume movie.

Jojo

Mmhmm.

Sarah

So this is "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" from 1994.

Jojo

I also have not seen this movie. So I'm excited.

Sarah

It's... I went in not knowing what the plot was at all. And it wasn't about what I expected it to be about.

Jojo

Ahh, interesting.

Sarah

'Cuz I saw the costumes and I expected it to be this fantasy thing. And it's not, it's about three drag queens--well, two drag queens and a trans woman--who are on a road trip, basically.

Jojo

Ooh, okay.

Sarah

Like, that's kind of all it's about? The plot is not... like, not a lot happens. They're just on a road trip. That's the whole story. So it's from 1994. Directed by... I don't know if it's "Stephan" or "Stephen" Elliott. Sorry to Mr. Elliott. I don't know which one it is.

Jojo

[laughs] That's okay.

Sarah

So this is an Australian movie... so I pulled it up, because I have forgotten. Okay. I don't recognize any of his other titles. He did a movie called "Swinging Safari," "A Few Best Men," "Easy Virtue." These sound a little bit like they could be porns, not gonna lie. [both laugh]

Jojo

Okay.

Sarah

I don't think they are. I don't think they are. [laughs] Okay.

Jojo

Yes, I definitely don't recognize any of them either. So...

Sarah

Yeah, and I think that Australian... you know, some movies don't make it across to us from Australia or the UK or any other country.

Jojo

Right.

Sarah

Some of them do, but not all of them. So the costumes were by Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardner, they're a little team. Tim Chappel has done some "Masked Singer," a 2006 "Red Riding Hood," and he also just has a lot of credits as not the designer, but just in the costuming department. Or as the assistant, on things like "Miss Congeniality."

Jojo

Ooh!

Sarah

And he is the associate designer on "The Dressmaker," which is a movie I've heard a lot about, it's a Kate Winslet movie.

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

And I have not seen it, but it's on my list.

Jojo

I haven't seen that one either.

Sarah

And then Lizzy Gardner did "Mission: Impossible 2," "Peter Rabbit," "Hacksaw Ridge"... so she works a lot.

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

And my first picture, actually... depending on how I can squeeze my images, this might not be on the Instagram slideshow.

Jojo

Okay.

Sarah

But this is Lizzy Gardner at the Oscars when they won.

Jojo

Whooooa!

Sarah

So this movie won Best Costume Design at the Oscars. It is the last contemporary movie to win for the costuming Oscar. And we've talked about this a little bit, I talked about it in my "Roman Holiday" coverage, which is that there used to be a black and white costume design Oscar and a color film one.

Jojo

Mmhmm.

Sarah

And it used to be that the black and white movies were often contemporary. And then the color ones were the big spectacles, the fantasies, the musicals. So when they combined the two in '67, I think, contemporary movies basically stopped winning the Oscar because it's hard for them to compete against big spectacle movies.

Jojo

Mmhmm.

Sarah

Yeah. So, you know, this was in the 90s. So it's kind of wild to me that no contemporary movie has won since then.

Jojo

Right.

Sarah

So... anyway, back to this dress she's wearing.

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

This is... where's my note? Here we go. She gained worldwide attention when she picked up her award wearing an unusual dress consisting of 254 expired American Express gold cards. [laughs] So let's zoom in.

Jojo

Oh my god!

Sarah

Look at that.

Jojo

Whaaaat!

Sarah

And they originally made this dress for the movie. And then they cut it because American Express was like, "You can't do that," basically.

Jojo

[laughs] So she wore it to the red carpet instead.

Sarah

Yes! And after the dress was worn by her, the company saw its marketing potential. And they were keen to showcase the dress throughout its travel offices in the United States. And then it was-- the dress was auctioned off for charity. And the proceeds went to AIDS research. And it has been cited as amongst the worst Oscar gowns of all time, which I think is a load of baloney, because it's great! [both laugh]

Jojo

That is hilarious.

Sarah

Isn't it?

Jojo

I mean, it fits her super well. Like, maybe it was if it was on a different body and it didn't look right then it would be a different story. But I feel like...

Sarah

It looks like a 20s sort of fantasy, just made out of gold cards. I could see maybe shortening it?

Jojo

Yeah, yeah.

Sarah

To make it just...

Jojo

I was thinking that too. Like a little sheath or something.

Sarah

Yeah, to make it just sort of less of a column. But I think it's iconic.

Jojo

Right.

Sarah

And does not deserve to be on any worst dressed lists. Okay...

Jojo

So funny. So funny.

Sarah

So another tidbit is that there's an iconic scene where they are basically... there's like a scene where he's like, "I've always wanted to climb this one rock in full drag." In a showgirl costume, basically. Climb in the Australian outback in drag.

Jojo

Mmhmm.

Sarah

And initially, they tried to get permission to film on Ayres Rock, which has now been renamed to the indigenous name Uluru. But it was rejected by the organizations responsible for the monument, as it would have been in violation of Indigenous Australian religious beliefs. So basically, since it was a queer movie, they were like, "No, no, you can't film on our rock."

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

So I thought-- I just thought that was kind of interesting. So they had to-- like, in the script, it said... I think it probably said Ayers Rock. And they had to rewrite it to be a different... they filmed... I didn't write down where they filmed instead. But they filmed somewhere else.

Jojo

Okay.

Sarah

So yeah. Okay.

Jojo

Interesting.

Sarah

Yeah. And it's like, nowadays, if someone did something like that they would get so much heat and flack for rejecting a movie just because it had gay people in it.

Jojo

Right, right.

Sarah

The budget for the costumes on this movie was $20,000.

Jojo

....WHAT?!

Sarah

Which is... hardly anything. [laughs]

Jojo

That's nothing! Oh my gosh.

Sarah

Yeah.

Jojo

That's crazy.

Sarah

This is a low budget movie. I don't have the numbers for how much the movie itself cost. But it was basically like an Australian indie flick that they didn't expect to blow up as much as it did.

Jojo

Right. Right.

Sarah

So yeah, these costume designers were working with a budget. They were doing basically like dollar store couture. You know, thrifted sort of stuff.

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

Lots of DIY.

Jojo

Well, if they took American Express cards that were expired, I get it.

Sarah

I know. It's like, okay, so where'd you get all those expired gold cards then? Where do you get those? [both laugh]

Jojo

Sourcing everyone she knows! [laughs]

Sarah

Okay. Oh, they later went on to design the stage show. So there is a stage musical of this story.

Jojo

Mmhmm.

Sarah

And they designed the costumes for it, which I think is wonderful. And their costume budget for the stage show was $1 million. [laughs]

Jojo

That's crazy. I mean, that sounds a lot more closer to normal. [laughs]

Sarah

Yeah, could not be more different. And then, I actually watched some clips from the stage show. And I was like, "Oh, yeah, this is way more expensive." Like, so many more people are in drag and in huge looks in the stage show.

Jojo

Right.

Sarah

Okay, what else do I have here before...? Oh, right. Just... I watch a lot of Drag Race. I'm a Drag Race fan.

Jojo

Mmhmm.

Sarah

So I know a bit about drag just from that. And I have seen this movie referenced more times than I can count, and so I knew some of the visual references to it. And I especially was struck by how similar it looks to the HBO show "We're Here," which is like a reality series with three "RuPaul's Drag Race" drag queens, who basically go into small towns, and they sort of do a "Queer Eye" makeover, except they do a drag makeover. And it's sort of like a little docu series. And so a lot of the shots of them basically walking through these small towns-- they literally get off a bus and they walk through small towns in full drag. I did not realize that that is a direct reference to this movie. So I just got really excited.

Jojo

Ahhh.

Sarah

Because I was like, "dang, everyone references this movie!"

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

So yeah, that's my...

Jojo

Now it makes sense.

Sarah

Yeah, it totally does. Okay, so basically, your basic plot. It's not that complicated. There are three people--two drag queens and a trans woman--who are on a road trip because one of them... whose boy name... his nickname is Tick, but his drag name is Mitzi. He books a show. But what he doesn't tell the other two is that he has a wife, he's technically still married, and he has a son.

Jojo

Mmhmm.

Sarah

So they're basically going to... I did not quite catch some... okay. I don't know if I'm just, like, stupid. But some of the plot details completely went over my head. So I don't know if the wife runs the place that they go to. It's like a club, or like a hotel.

Jojo

Okay.

Sarah

She works there. I know that for sure. Also... the accents. A little bit, sometimes, hard to understand. [both laugh]

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

I'm very sorry if I get these details wrong. So basically, he tells them sort of after they're already on the road, like, "oh, also, we're going to see my wife and kid" and they're like, "wife and who what now?" So... yeah. And so then along the way, they kind of-- they break down and they meet people in these tiny little Outback towns. They have some incidents with homophobia, a lot of homophobia.

Jojo

Mmhmm.

Sarah

And basically, yeah, it's kind of just like a slice of life, almost, because nothing huge happens. It's just a roadtrip movie. Kind of like "To Wong Foo," which is also about three drag queens on a road trip, but that's an American movie. So... parallels.

Jojo

Oh, okay.

Sarah

It came out after this movie.

Jojo

Interesting.

Sarah

Okay, costumes. Let's do it. This is Tick, a.k.a. Mitzi.

Jojo

Oh!

Sarah

Yeah. And this is the quickest shot, which I was like... they made this costume for the smallest little scene. But I had to grab it because I'm obsessed with it. It's a chandelier.

Jojo

Yeah! Oh, my goodness.

Sarah

And this is basically the scene it flashes back to when he finds out that his son is being born. So he's in the hospital. And he's clearly like, come from performing in this costume to go see his son be born. So he's standing in the hospital dressed as a chandelier, which I think is wonderful.

Jojo

Is that an octopus on his head?

Sarah

It looks like... yeah, looks like a face. A face of some kind. And then it goes.

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

And then I was like, is it touching an actual chandelier on the ceiling? I don't know.

Jojo

It's so hard to tell! It's pretty amazing.

Sarah

I LOVE this. Ugh!

Jojo

That is insane.

Sarah

And it lights up! How did they... how did they make this movie for $20,000, costumes? I don't understand.

Jojo

Yeah. Seriously.

Sarah

Did they borrow this from someone?

Jojo

I feel like this one alone, cost... that's crazy.

Sarah

I know. I think a lot of people involved in the movie didn't get very big paychecks either, you know.

Jojo

Probably.

Sarah

So like, maybe the cost was a lot of sort of unpaid people who were just working on it because they knew the people and were like, "sure, we'll work on a movie."

Jojo

Yeah, or volunteers or something.

Sarah

Yeah. Okay. So this is them. I kind of skipped over everything before the road trip, because it's not really all that interesting costume wise.

Jojo

No worries.

Sarah

These are the looks that I immediately recognized. I was like, "Yes, I have seen these before." So on the left, we have Mitzi. In the middle is Bernadette, who is the trans woman. On the right is Felicia, I can't remember his boy name because they, like, never say it, but played by Guy Pierce. And then this one in the middle, oh, I forgot...

Jojo

That's Guy Pierce?!

Sarah

Yes!

Jojo

I do not recognize him at all. That's insane.

Sarah

Here, I have this. That's him. That's Guy Pierce. Isn't that wild?

Jojo

Whaaat! That-- yeah, I totally did not... did not expect that

Sarah

Yeah, my sister was like, "I don't know what I know him from," and I was like, "'Mare of Easttown,' the HBO show we JUST watched." [laughs]

Jojo

That's awesome.

Sarah

I can't remember the actor who plays Bernadette's name, but he's a very well known British actor. Apologies to him.

Jojo

Okay.

Sarah

I don't want to look it up. And then this is Hugo Weaving of "Lord of the Rings."

Jojo

Oh! Oh my gosh.

Sarah

...And "V for Vendetta" fame.

Jojo

I can definitely see that. I can see, it's his cheekbones.

Sarah

And the brows, he has very angular brows. Yeah.

Jojo

[laughs] Yeah, yeah yeah.

Sarah

So this is them basically in their first sort of like... small town stop. They're going to stay in a hotel. And I think they just decided to dress up just because this is how they live their lives. And they're like...

Jojo

Mmhmm.

Sarah

..."we won't be stopped from being fabulous." I like that Bernadette is clearly sort of... she dresses very purposefully and is always really made up. And I think she is sort of like old Hollywood glam inspiration.

Jojo

Mmhmm.

Sarah

And yeah, I think if this movie were made today, she would not be played by a cisgender man, I think she would be played by a trans woman. But this is from 1994. So. And then I love this flip flop dress.

Jojo

I do, too. I was just looking at that.

Sarah

They said they made it for $17. [laughs]

Jojo

I mean, they probably just took old flip flops...

Sarah

Yeah, yeah. I have a feeling that they were really scrounging, you know, whatever they could do.

Jojo

This must have been a fun craft movie, almost.

Sarah

Yes!

Jojo

Because you're essentially stringing together things-- like, found objects almost.

Sarah

Right. It looks like they're held together with maybe like a zip tie or something.

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

This flip flop dress is what you will see recreated a lot.

Jojo

Mmhmm.

Sarah

Like, I just watched Australian Drag Race, "Drag Race Down Under."

Jojo

Ohhh.

Sarah

And there were "Priscilla" references, including one of the queens... they always do a makeover challenge, where they make over-- usually it's a straight man. I can't remember who they made over, honestly, I have the worst memory. But she basically had the flip flop dress and this blue dress, little sort of like... homages to them. And they were very cute.

Jojo

Oh, yeah. Yeah.

Sarah

And then this wig. I love it. What is it made of?

Jojo

Straws?

Sarah

Straws? It looks like phone cord or electrical wire?

Jojo

Oh, yeah. Oh my gosh, I can't.

Sarah

I love it.

Jojo

That looks so crazy.

Sarah

I love. Love, love, love. Okay, and then there are several scenes where the bus-- the bus is Priscilla, by the way. I had no idea. [laughs]

Jojo

Okay.

Sarah

I just assumed one of them was Priscilla.

Jojo

Yeah, I definitely would not have known that.

Sarah

But Priscilla is the bus. [laughs]

Jojo

Got it. Got it.

Sarah

She's a character.

Jojo

Thank you for explaining that. [both laugh]

Sarah

You're welcome. They said that, and I literally was like, "Ohhhh..." I felt kinda dumb.

Jojo

Like, all this time I'm expecting a person.

Sarah

"Where's Priscilla? Oh, she's the bus." Okay. So basically there's two scenes where Felicia, Guy Pierce's character, is sitting on top of the bus in full drag while the bus is in motion. In these amazing-- so I'm gonna start with sort of the faraway shot. Look at that.

Jojo

Whaaat!

Sarah

Yeah, and then this is sort of like the profile of it. I love it.

Jojo

Oh my goodness.

Sarah

I know. Oh, I should-- I'm gonna have to censor that when I put it on the Instagram. It has the F word on it.

Jojo

Oh, got it.

Sarah

As you can see, the bus gets vandalized by some homophobes. Oops, what did I just click on? Sorry. I'm sorry. Okay, there we go. [both laugh] Ohh, technology. Okay, so then this is what he's wearing as he's...

Jojo

Oh my goodness.

Sarah

It's just like a head to toe silver sequin.

Jojo

Every time I see a new costume, I'm just like, "I can't believe they did this for $20,000!"

Sarah

It gets crazier as you go! I even-- I had screencaps of the second, because he does this two times. He does it in a pink look too. Oh, and he's sitting in a giant silver high heel. I don't think I have a picture of that. Oh, there it is. You can see, yeah.

Jojo

Oh, yeah, yeah.

Sarah

Giant silver high heel.

Jojo

I was trying to figure out what that was around him. That's insane.

Sarah

Yeah, so he does it in a pink outfit too. I cut it because I had too many pictures. But... I just love. And the scene is like... for no reason, either. It's just for fun.

Jojo

Right.

Sarah

He's lip synching to a song. He's just living his best life.

Jojo

Oh my gosh. [laughs]

Sarah

I also really like... so I didn't really pull any of their boy looks, except for him, because I loved his boy wardrobe. This is one of this outfits.

Jojo

Ooh! Yeah.

Sarah

This is when he's painting the bus pink. It's like, overalls, but then he rolls it down and... Guy PIerce is extremely hot, like... that really helps. [laughs]

Jojo

He's got a good body.

Sarah

Yeah. I just love-- I love the boots and these yellow glasses/goggles. And then the green plaid, I just thought was really fun.

Jojo

Mmhmm.

Sarah

It's almost like he's like, "this is my work outfit," you know?

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

So then they do-- this happens, this is Hugo Weaving's character. [laughs]

Jojo

Oh my goodness.

Sarah

This is them performing. They basically happen upon a bunch of people in the desert who are sort of like camping out, and they perform for them. And then they perform with them. And I think they're Aboriginal people [correction: Sarah should have said "Indigenous". Apologies!] because it kind of... they sing "I Will Survive." And then it sort of mashes that up with sort of a tribal sort of song.

Jojo

Okay.

Sarah

So they're performing together. And this is a wig made out of fake flowers, I think. And it's fantastic. I love it. And then they're wearing these, which are sort of like the other one where I was like, "I recognize this," you know.

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

They're basically jumpsuits and they're bell bottoms, except they're-- the fabric of it is like... at the bottom of the bell bottom, it's stretched around something. And I have a picture of them walking. So you can see.

Jojo

Yeah. Oh, my goodness.

Sarah

I've def-

Jojo

It's almost like mini hula hoops or something.

Sarah

Yes! Yes, yes, it looks...

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

And it sort of-- it shows the sole of it. And I had a picture of it, but once again, I cut it because I was like, "too many pictures." It's like, flat and sort of like a half circle. So it's like, when they stand together, it makes almost like a circle shape. Their two feet.

Jojo

Okay.

Sarah

And I really want to know what it looks like on the inside. Like...

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

...I want to know what sort of situation you have to do on the inside of this to...

Jojo

To make it sit out like that.

Sarah

Yeah!

Jojo

So crazy.

Sarah

It's so cool looking, and when-- you know, when they're dancing, it's super effective.

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

In the stage show...

Jojo

I'm laughing because the flower wig makes me think of the "Midsommar"...

Sarah

Yeeeeeaaah!

Jojo

...flower dress that you did-- or, that you were talking about. I was like, "Whoa, it's so weird." [laughs]

Sarah

That's true. Oh, my gosh, callback.

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

Callback to a previous episode.

Jojo

Not quite so scary on this one.

Sarah

Right. Right. And then in the stage show, the whole ensemble comes out in these jumpsuits.

Jojo

Whoa.

Sarah

Yeah. So it's quite a sight, to see a whole ensemble where the people are walking around in these crazy, crazy outfits.

Jojo

Mmhmm.

Sarah

Okay. So this is Cynthia. And I think that we need to have a discussion about her. [both laugh]

Jojo

Okay.

Sarah

Because I learned... I was reading the Wikipedia, and the movie has gotten some heat and some controversy because of this character. She's basically the only character of color. Besides the Aboriginal [Indigenous] people that they talk to.

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

And she is Filipina, I believe.

Jojo

Mmhmm.

Sarah

And she's... I thought at first that she was like a mail-order bride or something.

Jojo

Uh huh.

Sarah

But I think that they-- he meets her somewhere, and they're partying and drunk and then they drunkenly get married. This guy, he's sort of like a... oh, he's a mechanic, I think he works on the bus for them. So that's how they meet him.

Jojo

Okay.

Sarah

And she's basically portrayed as extremely erratic. She's like, very high and low. Like, she'll be really manic, and then be crying the next second. And she's kind of portrayed as just like a party girl and very weird. And so a lot of people have said that this is a really problematic representation of Filipina women.

Jojo

Mmhmm.

Sarah

And I think that that's probably a very fair criticism.

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

And I read-- on the Wikipedia, it said that the filmmakers were like, "Well, you know, everybody in the movie is a misfit. And we just saw her as another misfit." And it's like, okay, well, if you can't see it, then that's a bit of a problem too. Like, you need to at least be like, "okay, you might be right."

Jojo

Or at least bring in consultation.

Sarah

Yeah.

Jojo

I think that's something I've been... you know, I mean, I'm glad we're having this discussion, because that was something that... what was that new reality TV show? It's the one with all the Asian people in it, and I can't remember what it's called.

Sarah

Oh! Is it the rich one... where they're really really rich?

Jojo

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Sarah

Oh shoot, what's that one called? I didn't watch it. Let me try to Google.

Jojo

But again, it's like all these Asian characters are portrayed as these kind of very vapid and sort of... you know, party people that do that do kind of go through all the different emotions. And there was a lot of conversation about, you know, "are we excited that this is how we are being represented as Asians? Or were we excited that we're even getting represented at all? And that we're showing that Asians can play any role, including maybe the not-so-likeable"... Or maybe the more vapid, you know, or stuck up or whatever.

Sarah

Yeah. So the Netflix show is "Bling Empire."

Jojo

Yes, thank you.

Sarah

Yeah, I've seen clips from it.

Jojo

I was like, "I know there's a 'bling' somewhere." But yeah, so it is-- that's something that I think I've been... it's been making me kind of re-wrestle with my normal, like, "what do I normally think about Asian representation?" Because like, yes, we aren't represented enough. But also, we don't just want to be represented as the smart Asian or the fetishized Asian, or whatever, you know? Because we don't want to be stereotypes. So that means we should be able to play every role.

Sarah

Yeah.

Jojo

Just like a white person would be able to play any role.

Sarah

Exactly. Yeah.

Jojo

So I don't know, I guess that is something that I think I always... I still have a question about. So it makes me wonder, even with this role, that having her show a different side of Asian representation... obviously, if it's something that's not accurate at all, that's a totally different story. But yeah, I guess I mean... not trying to justify, necessarily, what the directors and producers were doing.

Sarah

Right.

Jojo

But it makes me wonder what the intention behind it was.

Sarah

Right. And the other thing that is problematic is... so this is her later, in the bar.

Jojo

Mmm. Mmhmm.

Sarah

And at first her husband is like, "Oh, she's not coming to the show at the bar, because she has problems with alcohol." And then it shows her later, breaking into this locked cabinet in their house. And we're meant to assume that that's where the alcohol is. But it actually turns out to be full of ping pongs... ping pong balls.

Jojo

[laughs] Okay.

Sarah

And then she shows up at the bar in this outfit and starts performing. And it turns out that she's doing a show with the ping pong balls. [both laugh]

Jojo

Okay.

Sarah

I think by your face, you might know what I'm saying. We're keeping this a family friendly podcast.

Jojo

[laughs]

Sarah

She does something inappropriate with the ping pong balls.

Jojo

[laughs] Uh huh.

Sarah

So I think that was another part of the criticism, is that like, she's doing this weird exoticized... sideshow, almost. You know? And it turns her into sort of a caricature.

Jojo

Right.

Sarah

And not a real flesh and blood human.

Jojo

Mmhmm. Yeah, I can definitely see that.

Sarah

But... I do love this outfit. [both laugh] I love her zebra outfit.

Jojo

Yes. So funny.

Sarah

Yeah. So this pink dress is from when they're at dinner. And the first time we meet her, she's very dressed down. Almost like, you know, she's sort of acclimated to the bush, her Australian outback lifestyle.

Jojo

Mmhmm.

Sarah

But then when she has people over for dinner, she's gonna dress up. And so she wears this very skimpy, little revealing hot pink dress. And this is also sort of meant to communicate to us, like, "Oh, she might be a little bit-- what's up with her?" Like, she might not be normal, or she might be a little... I don't want to say "slutty" because I don't use words like that.

Jojo

Risque?

Sarah

Yeah, risque. You know.

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

I feel like the audience is meant to judge her a little bit. And I'm definitely uncomfortable with with that.

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

'Cuz I saw her and was like, "ooh, she's cool." And then my sister said-- so my sister has seen the stage show. And she said that she does do the ping pong ball number, but it's turned into a whole song. She gets her own song.

Jojo

Okay.

Sarah

And she has way more of a backstory in the musical, apparently.

Jojo

Ahhh.

Sarah

So I think they fleshed her out a little bit more--tried to flesh her out more--and made her less erratic... made her behavior less... yeah, erratic-seeming. I don't wanna say "crazy" 'cuz I don't call people crazy. [laughs] Just dancing around all the words I'm trying not to use. Ah, anyway. Okay, so yeah, those are my thoughts on that. I really like her outfits. So she's got that going for her.

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

When she leaves, she-- so her time in the movie is very short. She basically drives off and leaves him. Which it's like, "yeah, you probably should. He doesn't treat you well." She's wearing a very amazing silver spangled bra.

Jojo

Oooh.

Sarah

Which I also didn't have space for in my pictures. [both laugh]

Jojo

Too many photos.

Sarah

I know. Maybe I'll throw it up on the Pinterest.

Jojo

Pinterest board.

Sarah

Just add a bunch of bonuses to the Pinterest board. Okay, so all that we have left now is basically sort of the finale. And this is...

Jojo

Oh my goodness.

Sarah

I know. This is their number that they perform at the hotel. They finally arrive, and they perform this number. And at first I thought that it was showing a passage of time, like they were doing the show multiple days. But then at the end of the scene, it's clear that it's the same night. So they do these quick changes that are literally humanly impossible. [both laugh] So it's sort of-- that is sort of a fantasy, where it's like, "oh, and suddenly they're in a different outfit," you know?

Jojo

Right.

Sarah

These ones...? Not my favorite. They're... you know, they're very campy and fun, just like everything else. But I'm unclear how they relate to each other.

Jojo

Right.

Sarah

And they're performing, you know...

Jojo

Kinda looks like a dandelion in the middle.

Sarah

Yeah.

Jojo

But like, crossed with a lion? [both laugh]

Sarah

A dandy lion. Yeah, yeah, it looks-- it's clearly sort of floral. The theme with the two on the right is floral. But then Mitzi on the left is just wearing a flapper-y...

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

...sort of number.

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

It's a little disjointed.

Jojo

RIght.

Sarah

I like the looks... I mean, I like the yellow one the best. And then the other two are just kind of wacky, but fun.

Jojo

Mmhmm.

Sarah

And then change into these. [laughs] So these are like, ostriches or emus? I don't know.

Jojo

Emus, yeah.

Sarah

Do they have...? It's emus, right, in Australia?

Jojo

Emus are in Australia. Yes.

Sarah

So that's amazing. I don't really have much else.

Jojo

I also love that they're different colored feathers. [laughs]

Sarah

Yeah. And it's like the feather of the breast of the bird is their wig.

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

Very nice. Very nice. They have really fun makeup in this, too. It's very frosty and blue. Love. ...Oh, I was-- I haven't been looking at my notes at all. And I forgot all these things I wanted to say. [laughs]

Jojo

That's great. No, you're good.

Sarah

I want to briefly talk about sort of maybe how drag has evolved and changed since this movie was made. Because, A... obviously these--I think all of these actors are straight--men would not be playing, probably, drag queens in a movie if it was made nowadays. But also, I noticed that a lot of the drag looks are not heavily padded, there's not a lot of like, female illusion that is happening.

Jojo

Mmhmm.

Sarah

You can tell, you can always tell, that they're not "passing" as women.

Jojo

Right.

Sarah

And I think that drag nowadays... so in my extensive "Drag Race" watching, I've noticed that in the early days of drag race, queens used to get critiqued if they didn't wear a lot of padding, and if they still sort of looked like a boy.

Jojo

Mmhmm.

Sarah

But nowadays, a lot of queens are not padding at all, and they're still... and they're excelling at drag. So it's like, we've gone from extreme to extreme. And then now it's like, they can all sort of coexist.

Jojo

Right.

Sarah

Because some queens really care about looking feminine, and then some kind of don't. So I think that that's really cool. Because like, it creates diversity in drag, you know, and diversity is important in all aspects of life. And all forms of drag should be acceptable forms of drag. So I found it interesting that like... the makeup, too, in this movie is like... it's not fooling you. [laughs] Does that make sense?

Jojo

Yeah. Right, right.

Sarah

And this is pre... you know, I've heard older drag queens be like, "you know, before YouTube, before beauty tutorials, you kind of had to just figure it out on your own or learn from your fellow drag queens, your drag mother or your friends," you know?

Jojo

Mmhmm.

Sarah

So it's like, they were kind of just making it up and going, "Well, this looks good." And ...it did. It looks good!

Jojo

Mmhmm.

Sarah

So that's what I wanted to say. I just found it very interesting that like, it's never... the drag in this movie is not really about looking super feminine. Even though one of them is a trans woman. It's clear that she's being played by a cisgender man who is not on hormones or anything.

Jojo

RIght.

Sarah

So he's still looks very masculine, even though he's playing a woman. So... that's that on that. I felt like that was really a long monologue. [laughs]

Jojo

That's okay.

Sarah

I just really like drag, okay?

Jojo

I think we both went on very long monologue today. [laughs]

Sarah

That's okay. That's good. That means that we're excited to talk. I also feel like when I clock myself, I'm always like... I always feel like I'm talking for a really long time. But lots of times, I could talk longer. So this is me talking longer.

Jojo

Right.

Sarah

Anyway, okay. I only have a few pictures left. Okay, so this is also from the finale number. And this is like, they're lizards. Like, [puts on very bad Australian accent] Australian Outback lizards. [both laugh] That was my accent.

Jojo

Thank you for that accent. [both laugh]

Sarah

You're so welcome. So this lizard look is like... it's down, and then they like, put it over their shoulders so that it's like a... you know those lizards that have the crown...

Jojo

Oh, yeah, yeah.

Sarah

...that sort of puffs up?

Jojo

Like the old dinosaurs?

Sarah

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, exactly like that.

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

So that's what this is. And then I assume that those lizards also have black tongues, because their tongues are painted black. [laughs]

Jojo

Okay.

Sarah

Very fun. This is my favorite, coming up here. So this is sort of like a Marie Antoinette homage?

Jojo

Oooh.

Sarah

Light up wig up here, and then a cage crinoline with hardly any skirt over it. I love that.

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

And then they make the Sydney Opera House out of them!

Jojo

Oh my gosh.

Sarah

Isn't that cute?

Jojo

That is really cute.

Sarah

So it's like, organza and some sort of hoop thing, and then they're holding it and they're dancing around and then they make this little formation and it's the Opera House. I think that's really fun.

Jojo

Ohh, so cool.

Sarah

So Australian.

Jojo

Is this a stage that they're on?

Sarah

Yeah.

Jojo

Like, what's happening in the background? Okay.

Sarah

This is at the...

Jojo

Like, where are they?

Sarah

...club/hotel that the wife works at, which is where he's booked the gig.

Jojo

Okay. Got it.

Sarah

Oh, and then basically at the end, she comes-- she and his son come with them back to... I think they're from Sydney. So like, they go back so that he can spend time with his actual son. And then Bernadette, the trans woman, actually stays behind with this guy who was married to Cynthia, but... his name's Bob. But they basically-- it's implied that they're like, going to start a romance and live together and so she stays with him.

Jojo

Mmhmm. Okay.

Sarah

It was sweet, but I was also kind of like, not really willing to forgive him for how he treated Cynthia.

Jojo

Mmhmm.

Sarah

'Cuz he was not nice to her. Okay, only a couple more. So this is them finally doing the rock climb in drag. And I pulled these pictures because I love... I think what makes this movie iconic is the juxtaposition of these really extreme showgirl-y, campy drag outfits and the wilderness of the Australian outback. [laughs]

Jojo

Mmhmm. Yeah.

Sarah

There's just something so amazing about them in full getup just against, like, red rocks. I just love it.

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

And then here's sort of a close up of those outfits. Very nice. Very nice.

Jojo

Oh, my goodness.

Sarah

And then I have one last boy look of Guy Pierce's to talk about because I'm obsessed with these pants.

Jojo

Oh my gosh, those are great.

Sarah

Look at them! I would wear these.

Jojo

They're like leggings.

Sarah

Yeah, yeah, they're clearly stretchy. Once again...

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

...his body looking very correct. Love it.

Jojo

Mmhmm.

Sarah

I love his lil' headscarves he wears. Oh, he's wearing a bracelet around his bicep, which I was like...

Jojo

Like a cuff?

Sarah

Yeah, you can kind of see it in this picture right here. It's metal. And it's like, around his bicep. [laughs]

Jojo

Oh, I see, I see.

Sarah

Is that it? Yeah.

Jojo

A fun one to end on.

Sarah

Yeah. Oh, and I just wrote-- so they... at the end they change into outfits that are like, not as good compared to all the other ones. So it's definitely like, it helps you sort of... it keeps that sort of DIY. Like, clearly these are not rich people, but they love the art of drag. So they're just excited to wear sequins and stuff. I pulled them and then I had to cut them because I just...

Jojo

Not enough. Not enough space.

Sarah

...wasn't willing to sacrifice any of these. Exactly.

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

So yeah, that's it. That's "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert."

Both

Woohoo!

Jojo

Good job!

Sarah

Thank you.

Jojo

Those are some fun costumes for sure.

Sarah

It's super fun. And now I'm excited to be like, "Yes, I understand the reference completely," when other people reference it, you know.

Jojo

Mmhmm. Yeah, I mean, even with "The Birdcage," I'm kind of like, "Oh, now it makes so much more sense." Like, I understand.

Sarah

Yes. My favorite part of that movie is when Robin Williams is in the dance rehearsal. And he's like, "Martha Graham, Martha Graham, Fosse, Fosse!" That's the best part. [laughs]

Jojo

Yeah, that's the one that's, I think, quoted the most too. So I'm always like, "Oh, yeah, that makes a lot more sense." [laughs]

Sarah

As a dancer, I always just really loved... I appreciate a little dance joke, you know? [laughs]

Jojo

Yeah. I'm not gonna lie. The whole time. I was watching the movie, all I could think of is like, RIP Robin Williams. Like, why aren't you here anymore?

Sarah

I know. It's...

Jojo

Made me very sad.

Sarah

It's truly heartbreaking that like, someone who brought--especially people of our generation--so much joy, suffered from depression so much.

Jojo

Yeah.

Sarah

And it's just like a real reminder that like, even if someone is really good at comedy, and makes other people laugh, it doesn't mean that inside, they aren't suffering. I think a lot of people who are really funny actually, like...

Jojo

There's such an inner struggle.

Sarah

Yeah, yeah. I think that a lot of comedians struggle with mental health stuff. And it's like they use comedy as a coping mechanism, you know?

Jojo

Yeah. Scary and sad. But anyways, I did appreciate the movie.

Sarah

Good! I'm glad you liked it.

Jojo

Not to end on a sad note. [both laugh] But yes.

Sarah

My friend Kayla and I, pre COVID times, were trying to get together and have gay movie nights. Just because we're both fans, you know?

Jojo

Mmhmm.

Sarah

And we watched... I think we managed to have two, because we're both really busy. We watched "Mamma Mia," and then we watched "The Birdcage." And we need to reinstate...

Jojo

Oh, "Mamma Mia."

Sarah

"Mamma Mia" is so good.

Jojo

That's a fun one, too.

Sarah

It's-- I mean, it isn't good, but it is. You know what I mean? [both laugh]

Jojo

Yeah, yeah. All right. Well, that is our episode for today.

Sarah

We did it.

Jojo

How did we do on time? Oh, we went a little over.

Sarah

Yeah, we can cut... I'll, you know...

Jojo

That's okay. We'll cut some things out. [both laugh]

Sarah

We'll see what ends up getting cut. Yeah, don't forget to rate and review us. That's how people find us. And we are still donating $1 to Dress for Success for every review we get. And also, if you don't have time to leave a review, you can just hit that five stars and that counts anyway.

Jojo

Yeah, absolutely. Still a review.

Sarah

Yeah. So please do that. We appreciate it.

Jojo

Definitely. Well, thank you so much for listening. We hope to see you on the next one.

Sarah

Yeah. Take care!

Jojo

We'll see you soon.

Sarah

Okay, bye.

Jojo

Bye.

Sarah

I almost pressed the "leave" button. [laughs]

Jojo

I did too. I was like, "Oh, end!" [both laugh]

Sarah

I was like, "BYE, Jojo!" [both laugh]

[OUTRO]

Jojo

Thank you for listening to The Costume Plot! You can follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @thecostumeplot. If you have a question, comment, or movie suggestion you can email us at [email protected].

Sarah

Our theme music is by Jesse Timm, and our artwork is by Jojo Siu. Please rate and review us wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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