#i loved the get happy singing sequence and i just think it would be healing to have more of those
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ive said it before and ill say it again house md needed to do one of those stupid 2000s tv show drama musical episodes. none of the angst would've even mattered to me if house and wilson had a duet about being doctors or whatever
#house md#i have thought about this a LOT#there are so many ways they could've done it and had it not be canon just make it someones hallucination or something#it couldve been for a christmas special#OK BUT HEAR ME OUT THEY DO A CHRISTMAS CAROL PARODY AND HOUSE IS SCROOGE#THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST COULD BE CHASE OR CAMERON FROM HIS OLD TEAM OR EVEN CUDDY TALKING ABOUT BACK WHEN SHE HIRED HIM IDK THERE ARE#POSSIBILIES#i loved the get happy singing sequence and i just think it would be healing to have more of those#we know rsl can sing he used to be a musical kid#and we know jesse spencer can sing bc of when he did in the show and it was randomly great#please i wish they had done this it would make my life#hate crimes md#hilson#james wilson#gregory house#speaking into the ether
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Child Reader Player HCs! You know, I was wondering what sort of other cute voice lines she would have. Like the mini cutscenes where she gives Potions to War/strife would be cute or how she asks for help getting up. But what other voice lines would she have? Like Story, Balanced, and Challenging Mode, she would be knocked out but in Apocalyptic and Reckoning she could actually die like with tearful voice lines like, “Strife? War? Are you there? It…it hurts.” Or “Where are you..? I cant see you”
・Player!game Headcanons: Voice Lines・ GUIDE HER WAY HOME
⚤ (Platonic!) Strife and War x Female Child!Reader
✎ oooooooh we're bringing out the voice lines! *shuffles through audio archive and scripts*
↳ MASTERLIST | ↳ TAGLISTS ────────────────────────
✘ Let's just say that exploration is encouraged in order to find the plethora of hidden voice lines.
✘ Some side quests can be missed entirely and therefore, lines are missed out on. But don't fret, unless given a cheat sheet, you can't be expected to find all of them in your first playthrough.
✘ Indeed that depending on the mode, the voice lines will change a little. Story/balanced/challenging mode, the death sequence will be a quick fade to black and a small yelp or cried out, "Ooch!"
✘ For apocalyptic/reckoning mode, the impact of your character's death and her voice lines can be heartbreaking. Don't play these modes if you don't wanna cry...
✘ But there are plenty of voice lines of discover!
A cutscene where War is knocked down, very low in health, you run up to him and present him with a bottle of healing.
Wawr! Here, drwink this!
He looks to you and takes it. When he drinks it, he recovers his health and continues to fight, often blocking an oncoming attack that's headed straight for you. Then the gameplay will resume.
Nrrgh! Thank you, little one.
And some more camp dialogue:
After you've finished training, you can catch some passive dialogue of the following.
Where did you learn THAT ability?
Samael taught me!
He... what?!
Ah. Of course he did... *grumbling under his breath* I swear I'm going to kill him...
One of the idle dialogues that can appear as the camera slowly circles around your character.
Hey, Wawr!
Yes, little one?
*giggling* knock knock...
tch...
Ahem! She said, "knock knock", War. You answer with...
Hmph... who is there?
It's just me! I wanted to come and give you a hug!
Heh. I think I prefer this kind of humour over Strife's.
Exploring an old ruined temple, you travel around it until you find a hoist spot. You reach up for it in indication and hop on the balls of your feet.
Up! Up!
War or Strife will automatically come to you and hoist you up to where you need to go.
When traversing through a bog area, if you run up to the bank of it, you may get dialogue like this.
Careful, little one. That bog water is treacherously deep. We don't want you falling into it.
Plus... it's kinda stinky. Ask War, it clings to his cloak for weeks.
Ewie! Stinky! Okay, I'll keep away from it.
If you're in a snow/ice realm and you know the flame cloak ability, you can use it on War and Strife to get a little hidden dialogue.
Ha... hah... that's quite nice, actually, thanks baby.
It's okey!
✘ You can just tell that your character's voice is smiling by the way she says it so happy and cheery. (I personally hear Marlene from ff7 whenever I imagine child reader talking.)
If you know the frost cloak spell and you use it on either of the Horsemen (especially on War), you can trigger this dialogue.
Thank you, little one. You didn't have to do that for me.
it's okey! I wanted to.
Another camp idle dialogue.
Hmm hm hm hmm hmmm... hm hm mmhmm...
That's a lovely song. Is that the one your mother taught you?
It is. She used to sing it to me every night to help me sleep... I miss her.
We will deliver you home soon enough, little one. You have my word. Now rest, you will need it.
Following this dialogue, you may experience these certain voice lines...
I- I can't sleep... *sniffle* I miss my mama...
Here, to me, little Y/N.
Hmm hm hm hmm hmmm... hm hm mmhmm...
*short gasp* you're singing her song.
And I can't add anymore images so that's the headcanon cut off for this one!
#headlinesxcomics publishing#happyfic hour#darksiders#darksiders x reader#darksiders genesis#darksiders war#darksiders strife#guide her way home headcanons
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okie here is my chapter 8 thoughts dump this is so long i'm SORRY
the way you write action is crazy good. like i was reading the whole first part as if i’d never seen it coming like i haven’t watched the episode a million times.
murray x bug banter is kind of everything LOL the dynamic is so hilarious & same for erica. i can totally see bug and erica getting way closer of a dynamic next season (hopefully because i love that girl fr🤞🏼)
the way i'm crying at the hopper x bug farewell… like obviously i knew it was coming but… wow. i love how your cancer sun 100% influences your writing because miss bug is a cancer if i’ve ever seen one. like girl just feels emotions so deeply AND SHE’S SO ME FOR THAT
STEVE HAND ON THIGH WHILE DRIVING ENTHUSIAST that got me so good i was melting u have no idea i think him doing that to me would heal me a bit
i just love the robin x bug x steve dynamic SOSOSOSO MUCH!!! i literally cannot wait for more of it in season 4 because it’s just so excellent. i can’t wait for the first season 4 chapter when all 3 of them have had months to establish their friendships/relationships so that when we see them in the first chapter back we’ll see a glimpse of their new stasis (until everything inevitably goes to shit again)
STEVE BEE VS JON’S HONEY I’MMMMMMM that got me so good i was giggling kicking my feet
I’M SO GLAD YOU WROTE BUG SINGING ALONG TO NEVER ENDING STORY because that would have LITERALLY been me in that sitch like come awn guys the world is literally ending a monster is chasing us lets have a moment where we just sing and pretend everything is happy PLEASE ugh and i also just KNOW steve was sitting there with the goofiest love sick smile admiring miss bug AS HE SHOULD because he is just enamored by any and everything she does
the billy scene is truly one of the most well-written things i’ve ever read. the way you write guilt but also grief going hand in hand is so beautifully painful. jonathan and steve both comforting her got me so emotional because they both know her so well to know she is going to carry the guilt of this so heavily and it makes me so :((((((( oh god and the double whammy with hopper right after billy was like a knife to the heart (in the best way) like by this point i was fully in tears. this whole sequence of billy’s death has me WORRIED tho bc of eddie’s fate in s4. i know they probably won’t be the best of friends right off the bat, for good reason, however seeing dustin have to go through the trauma somewhat similar and somewhat not to what bug just went through with billy is going to tear me UP inside. miss bug is in empath and it truly worries me how she will internalize eddie’s death/dustin’s grief. though i am glad steve will be there to comfort both of them (hoping steve and bug stay together PLEASE LET THEM STAY TOGETHER)
i’m so glad mrs. waters is doing well i love that woman and want to protect her with my LIFE✋🏼
THE CHARM BRACELET omg bug needed this so bad. i literally can’t say anything else about that scene because truly it had me at a loss for words. SPEECHLESS TRULY
this whole ending fucked me UP ! i’m so sad we only got a small glimpse of el x bug x max because i love the sisterly dynamic they all have :((( though i am so extremely excited to see max & bug’s friendship shape because of the ~trauma bond~.
i am so curious to see how and if jon stays in contact with bug. i’m wondering if it’s going to be a situation where bug and jonathan actually do stay in touch while he shuts nancy out causing tension, or if poor jon shuts everyone out including bug. i also wonder what bug’s emotions will be when jon doesn’t come and visit hawkins during s4. GAH i just have so many thoughts surrounding s4 and i’m so excited to see how you write it!! i have absolutely no doubts in my mind that you’re going to make it absolutely perfect, whichever direction you chose to take it. you have a crazy awesome gift and i know whatever you write will have me in shambles in the best way ok that's all sorry for rambling luv u have a good nite bestie
xoxo, s <3
okay first im SO happy u love how i write action because it genuinely makes me want to die every time. i always feel so awkward and stilted writing it so its a relief you think otherwise <333
and the murray banter truly wasnt planned like bug just naturally hated the mans. it was perfect. and her goodbye with hopper :((( and ur so right bug IS 10000% a cancer baby like me, its why i made her bday july 3rd because it just felt so right. shes the most cancer cancer to ever cancer lmao
steve and jon fighting over honey and bee had me GIGGLIN it was a throwaway line but i simply had to add it. they would fight over it and it felt right. even while bickering, they still shared a soft smile when bug started singing because thats their girl !!!
the billy scene </3 it hurt. he isnt my favorite character, i dont agree that he had a "redemption" arc per say, but i truly do pity his character. he never had a chance to become good. i think we all deserve to at least have the chance to choose good. billys choice was stripped away from him, so bug understanding this makes it all the more painful.
as for how billy will affect bug season 4 and eddie being introduced ,,, oh just u WAIT !!! and we'll see more max and bug in season 4, theyre gonna go through some wild rides together lmao
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So this little thing is based off of a convo i head with your FD ai and it was really sweet ~~~~~ Fierce smiled and nodded. For the past hour and a half he as been speaking with the one who found him in those dammed archives. She somehow managed to figured out that he escaped the mask and that realization lead to her leading him it to the current eras lost woods so they could chat. Currently he was getting to know mayu, given the last hero he helped he didnt care to learn about. So due to his weaken state this was a good approach. "What do you do when you're not adventuring? Do you have any hobbies, interests, loves, family? What brings you happiness? Tell me anything and everything about yourself you want, I am all ears" Is this how mortals speak? he has no clue hes going off what he remembered the child hero asked others or the possibility of what he asked.
Mayu thought for a moment before responding to the god "i dont have time for my hobbies any more but when i did i loved to sing and dance. Music always brought me comfort and joy it still does. My family has my bestfriend whos like a brother to me, his name is Gam and then there's mama Impa she took me in when i was a baby. Helping others and exploring makes me happy as does spending time with my friends" The old god nodded, she was more talkative and friendly than her predecessor so this was a change for him yet it wasn't unwelcomed in the slightest. "All these things that bring you joy, I can't help but wish I could have the same. I have lived for eons alone and yet you, a mortal speak of happiness so easily. It makes me happy to hear you speak of it the way you do. It reminds me of how important it is to enjoy being alive. You do that very well it seems. Do you have a favorite song?" Did she know any the old hero knew? Ones that he played while that child ran around with his body? A soft smile graced Mayu's face "I have a soft spot for the song of storms and the song of the lost woods as i call it. Its original name was lost to time." He knew both songs, one the child would play to bring rain the other was played for comfort. Sara's song is what he called it, was the sage still around in this era? "I know both. The second one is called Sara's song, that sage thought the child it when he was given his first ocarina. Do you know any others, for example the song of healing? Given your duty i think you'd know it for how handy it can be." Mayu sighs and her shoulders slump a bit "I have only heard of it, i cant find any trace of how to lean it nor someone to teach me it. Some songs disappeared with the hero who knew them. But if i could get the chance to learn the song of healing id be delighted" His eyes narrow and think for a second "Would you like me to try to teach it to you? Ive heard it a multitude of times given how much the child got hurt , though i dont have an ocarina i can tell you what notes to play." He knows how she fights, its a style of her own. A mix of sheikah , and what the knights' of hyrule know which means when she gets it she brushes it off until her opponent yields or perishes "you will?!" Mayu grins happily and gets out her ocarina out. Putting it to her mouth and holding it properly showed shes ready to play ,that and her determined look. Fierce nods "do as i say. Play note B, then A then F. Play the sequence once more before B and A once again then instead of playing F play E followed by D then E once again. Play that whole thing twice and you'll get the song." Crossing his arms he watched as she played. She learned it just as fast as her predecessor and unknown to her she even swayed the same as when the child played the song. Once mayu finishes she opened her eyes and grinned. "I take it i did well? Given how your smiling, or rather smirking." Putting her instrument away she smiled softly at the god "thank you for teaching me it, though i only felt the songs power slightly it was there none the less." "You did good, its no wonder you carry that sword. Now lets head back before the time in this place speeds up, after all you still have much to learn from me Dame." Fierce stopped leaning against a tree and set off back to the castle with Mayu in tow. He wouldn't tell her but she's done nothing but impress him from her fighting to how fast she learns. Perhaps he will care for her more than he did for that child, after all he will teach her things the goddesses wont. Yet for know he wont think about that, shes a mortal whos just managed to gain his favor thats all she is for now.
~~~~ So ig my little drabbled will always be around 1k words LOL Anyways hope you enjoyed the lore drop :3 - Lunar
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
THE NAAAAAMMMMEEEESSSS!!!!!!!!!
THE LITTLE TEACHING MOMENT!!!!!!
THE BONDING!!!! THE REMINICING!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
#pinky replies#anon stories#Dame#?#FD#Fierce Deity#i almost left caps lock on when i started typing my tags#XD#whoops#THANK YOU LUNAR!!!!#<3
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Vulnera Sanentur
New one-shot consisting of 5 different time episodes about Severus Snape’s signature healing spell. My headcanon is that the spell had been passed down to him by mother Eileen and not having been used before by any other wizard except those from the Prince family. // This and other one-shots can be found on my newly opened AO3 account https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hayalee8 <3
_______________
"Watcha sayin', mummy?"
His voice sounded feeble, dropping with exhaustion. Just a short while ago, his shrieks of pain and terror had been filling the room; now, however, a soothing dizziness took over, his mother's quiet singing voice lulling him into sleep.
"Be silent, darling, it's almost over. Just a wee bit and I'll be done. Don't move yet."
Gentle fingers continued tracing along his naked back, and he obediently held still, and yet wanted an answer to his question.
"But watcha sayin'?.."
His mother sang a few last tunes, voice trailing off, the words turning almost into a whisper. Her movements stopped and she rose from his bed which she had been sitting upon for the last minutes.
"Something good, something very good, Sevvie. It's a song which makes your back feel alright again. It's not hurting anymore, is it?"
"Nah, it isn't, mummy."
"I'm happy, darling. Now let's make sure you're going to sleep well, shall we?"
He wanted to protest, as he always did, he never wanted to sleep, he hated being left alone and the nightmares only increased the fear; but his lids did not obey him anymore.
"I see you won't need a calming draught this time", he heard his mother chuckle quietly, "good night then."
He felt being tucked in and a light kiss on his forehead, yet was too tired to even smile back as he usually did, as his mind traveled off into the land of dreams.
***
"Please, please come! She's going to die, you have to heal her!
"I can't."
"Please, she will die!! You know how to do it, you always know!"
"I said I can't, Severus."
"But why!? Just come and sing that song, you've just been doing it on my arm when father hit me yesterday, why can't you now?!"
"Just let it go."
"No!! I won't! If you don't want to, I'll do it myself! Tell me the spell!"
"It won't work."
"Because I don't know how to, but you do, mum! Help me save her!!"
"Be quiet, Severus."
"I won't! That's evil! She doesn't deserve to die!"
"I said be quiet!"
"You are just as evil as him!"
"Shut up, will you!? Is it my fault that your retarded father had to kill this sodding cat?! The spell doesn't work on animals! Besides, he cut her throat; she must have bled to death already."
"I don't believe you!!"
"Leave me alone, now!!"
***
Severus riffled through the drawers in desperate urgency. Nothing. The bookshelf didn't have anything to offer either. The floor was littered with papers and pencils and books and whatever else he had thrown around in his frantic search. He hadn't still mastered the spell well enough to be able to follow the exact sequence of melody and words, but his notes could help him out, they most definitely would, he had no doubt in his abilities, he just needed to find those notes. The ones he had scribbled down after having listened carefully to his mother performing it on his body, following yet another broken bottle having been thrown in his direction, slicing up his skin. He didn't want to ask his mother as she would inquire in turn what he would need it for, or even worse, for whom... Severus had no intention whatsoever to elaborate on who he had been sharing his magic with the past weeks. Never were they to know who he was meeting with during those lazy afternoons filled with absolutely nothing but him sitting behind the bushes, staring at the road behind them and waiting for the tiny figure with the long, wavy red hair to approach the playground and whistle three times. Then he could leave his hiding place and allow himself to smile and be him, actually enjoying his existence, for the next few hours, until the darkness fell and they both had to leave, each one to what they were able to call home.
Severus threw himself on the bed. The notebook was nowhere to be found. And yet he had promised it to her. That he would help her get rid of the ugly red scar on her leg, the result of the recent tryouts of their magical abilities. How he hated himself for that stupid idea of his. What was he thinking, attempting to cut that bloody orange with her sitting right next to it? To be honest, neither of them had deemed it possible to actually make something happen just by staring at it and doing imaginary cutting movements with the fruit knife. When she had tried it, nothing at all happened, whereas him... Of course it was Lily who had kept her nerves and swallowed the pain and the tears and promised she wouldn't tell anyone how the knife ended up slashing her leg instead of the orange. And that she didn't believe he did it on purpose, like when the branch had fallen on Petunia back then, before she got to know who he really was. Severus, devastated as he was about his lack of damage control, and astonished by her bravery, gave his most sincere and heartfelt promise to find a way to make it disappear. So Lily could attend her first day at Hogwarts without this disgraceful injury, the screaming proof of him having failed her in both his abilities and their rightful application.
Their first day was due tomorrow. Lily was waiting at the playground for him to arrive and fulfill his promise before the sun would set and she had to go home and prepare for her big day. And here he was, in his bloody room, all his efforts in vain, the notebook gone and so the healing spell.
Severus sighed deeply. Never before had he dared taking anything of his mother's, neither ingredients which she kept in a box in the storage room, nor vials or lotions she used to store in an empty cupboard in the attic. But drastic times called for drastic measures. He had to make up for the spell somehow, and if he remembered correctly, dittany was another way of healing scars. Luckily for him, his mother was at work. Severus quickly climbed the ladder to the attic. He had no time to lose. Thankfully enough his mother knew how to keep things in order. Every vial and bottle were meticulously labeled. He grabbed the bottle with "Dittany" written on it and stormed down the ladder and out of the house. He would take care of the chaos in his room later and if his father arrived before him to see it and punish him for this, so be it. Perhaps he'd get another chance then to listen to his mother singing the spell and would write it into another notebook. Right now, Lily was what mattered most.
***
"He must have it written somewhere!"
"We've searched through all of his stuff so far, there is nothing here!"
"Who told you he really knows how to do it?! Perhaps it's just a rumour!"
"A rumour? Are you daft?! I saw him perform it with my own eyes, on Evans! They were practicing with their brooms and she flew into the Whomping Willow by accident and had her face and arms cut badly. Snape rushed to her and began moving his wand up and down the cuts and do some singing, so by the time the patrol arrived the cuts had disappeared and she was walking on her feet with him leading her up to the castle."
"You are the daft one, Prongs; isn't it clear then that he must know it by heart??"
"It still has to be written somewhere. He could've hardly made it up on his own, could he?"
"Yeah, rather not; it's Dark magic the git is into, not healing spells. He must have found it in the library and written it down."
"What for then?"
"To impress Evans? He fancies her no less than you, Prongs, and that's the sort of thing she'd appreciate, mind you, so he can cover up for all his Dark stuff."
"Oh shut up and search, Padfood, the class will be over soon and we've got to get out of here before everyone comes back!"
"What if we don't find anything?"
"We cannot let anyone know it was Moony who scratched the boy. If there won't be another option, we'll drag him personally to the hospital wing to make the cut disappear."
***
This was not the enemy he had invented it for. This was not the spell he would have expected to make its way into the halls of Hogwarts, of all places. And even though it was by far not the first time he had to resort to Vulnera Sanentur to heal cursed injuries of students or colleagues or Death Eaters, he would have never thought it to be possible that he had to use it to undo the damage caused by his very own curse, casted by Lily's son, of all people.
Of course he believed Potter. He could have never known what force the curse carried. If Potter knew, he certainly wouldn't have applied it. As much as Severus felt repulsed by the boy, he knew that Potter was as far from Dark magic as the Dark Lord from valuing mercifulness, or love. He contemplated if a simple detention had been enough an appropriate punishment to bestow upon Potter. If he should have made him to return the book, which Potter undoubtedly had laid his hands upon, regardless of the lies the boy had told him. His apparent leniency for the infliction of such a powerful curse by a student on another was obvious, and it worried Severus. Sectumsempra had by far not been the only dangerous spell he had written down in his book. On the other hand, he reasoned, as easily impressible as Potter was, the messy result he had created would probably serve as a deterrent, powerful enough to keep him from attempting another tryout with any of Severus's spells. At least not without the knowledge of their counter-curses, first and foremost Vulnera Sanentur, which Potter had not the slightest possibility of mastering.
Vulnera Sanentur. Such tremendous power in only two words, reversing unforgivable, unfathomable harm, healing what would've never been expected to heal. A song of life, the melody of which he had inherited from his mother to be able to put a stopper in pain and destruction and death. This time it had saved the soul of his godson and his former enemy's son alike, the one from being killed, the other from becoming a murderer.
Where would he meet it again, waiting for him to be evoked to secure the survival of another miserable being? How would that fateful crossroads look like, where would the paths it offered lead to? There was one thing he knew with dreadful certainty - it would not be destined to save the Headmaster's life. And the more he thought about it, the more he felt his other conclusion to be affirmed - neither would it save his.
Severus sighed, feeling a wave of exhaustion overpowering his senses. Before he closed his eyes to gain a few hours of sleep which were left for him until the break of dawn, a peculiar thought crossed his mind, perhaps for the first time in his life: If his mother had mastered the healing spell for a human body and taught it to him, wouldn't it have been assumable she had knowledge of a spell to relieve the pain of a human mind as well? And if she had, would there have been a reason not pass it down to him? If only...
His mind drifted off, and so did the thought.
#severus snape#vulnera sanentur#one-shot#finally writing#fanfiction#young snape#marauders#eileen prince
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I HAVE ALREADY SPOKE ON LENGTH ABOUT THE PRINCE OF EGYPT BUT NOT THE WHOLE THING ONLY THE PLAGUES AND MOSTLY PASSOVER. I JUST WATCHED THE FULL MOVIE FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE I WAS A KID IM GONNA TALK ABOUT IT AGAIN BECAUSE IT WAS SO GOOD. OKAY.
okay let me first say that i was in tears within the first ten minutes of the movie. deliver us was so powerful and heartbreaking i cried BEFORE THE TEN MINUTE MARK. yeah.
when moses' mother sang her final lullaby to her son and pushed him downstream in that (blessed and very fortunate) basket my heart hurt. i cried with her. that was the last time she would ever see her baby.
when his sister sang her prayer for her baby brother, wishing for him to come back to deliver them as well, that just drove the nail in harder.
in a later scene before the banquet you can hear moses humming that last lullaby and since deliver us was just maybe ten minutes prior you remember it and realize he really did keep that final song.
and the banquet oh yeah ramesses gets appointed this big title? and he names moses as the grand architect
and theres this captured hebrew lady brought in for ramesses but shes fierce (i would be too, she was captured and brought to the people she hates the most) and so ramesses orders her to be brought to moses' chambers instead
moses goes to his chambers and suprise! she escaped! moses chases after and sees her sneaking out with her camel and distracts some guards so she wont get caught and once the guards are gone he goes after her again aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand
miriam (moses' sister) meeting him in the city streets and recognizing him, telling him he's her family and him shutting her down and calling her a slave.... it hurt. when she hums that lullaby and he RECOGNIZES and then rushes back home to have a dream about that day he was sent away (in beautiful animation designed to look like the hieroglyphs on his wall) its all so painful to watch him be forced out of nowhere to realize his life is a LIE because hes not a true prince of egypt, he's born of the slaves, and then his father the pharaoh justifies the order to slaughter innocent babies by saying "they were just slaves" and OUGH
moses kills a man. unintentional but he killed a man while trying to stop him from beating a slave. oops.
he cant live with this so he runs away into the desert. theres this scene where he collapses to the ground and sheds all of the jewelry and adornments from his life as royalty but as he takes off the ring ramesses gives him, he looks at it. and slowly puts it back on. because no matter what, he still loves his brother, and he always will.
moses falls into a well. yeah. chases off some ruffians and then basically faints and falls in. these girls the ruffians were harassing started pulling him out and SURPRISE SURPRISE the captured lady from the banquet is there and she drops him back in when she recognizes him and walks away all smug and her name is tzipporah! just an fyi (very pretty name love it)
moses basically gets adopted into the group of hebrews and moses says something about not ever having done anything of worth and so tzipporah's father jethro sings a little tune to him!
through heavens eyes is a masterpiece. i really dont know what else to say also i want jethro to be my dad hes so nice
aaanyway moses and tzipporah get married during the through heavens eyes montage! i just think thats nice
OKAY now juicy stuff the BURNING BUSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the scene in which moses encounter the burning bush and god.
god claims that he has seen his people (the hebrew slaves) suffering and cannot stand for it any longer, so he wishes to send moses as a sort of ambassador of god
and moses doesnt think hes worthy of being god's messenger, which god quickly shuts up by pointing out how he's kind of, like, GOD
and he teaches moses those big old words, "LET MY PEOPLE GO" wahoo!!!!!!
he rushes home to tell tzipporah, and shes like "but ur just one dude" and hes like "well i kinda have to also the hebrews are suffering in slavery so :////"
tzipporah and moses head on over to meet ramesses and theyre all excited to see each other and then moses is like "behold the power of god!!!!!!" and his staff becomes a snake. pretty gnarly if i do say so myself
and then the high priests are like "ok" and start basically performing and rapping the names of the egyptian gods at moses in response i really dont know how to describe it but its basically a whole lotta smoke and mirrors. not actual miracles
moses talks to ramesses and asks him to let his people go, and instead doubles the slave's workload. the slaves basically hate moses now because yeah he technically is the reason theyre getting pushed harder and even his own brother aaron seems to loathe him. miriam talks to moses and he sees ramesses' ship gliding down the nile nearby
he calls out to ramesses and he just sends his guards after him. and so moses brings the staff down and turns the river to blood.
THEN THE REST OF THE PLAGUES ENSUE!!!
theres this specific part of the plagues scene in which ramesses stands between two statues of egyptian gods and glances at them as if to ask why the fuck arent they doing anything about the LITERAL hellfire and general havoc being brought down on the city. just thought that was a really cool detail.
AND OOOOOOOOOOOOOOH passover. i really shouldnt get excited about talking about an event that killed a whole heck ton of kids but its like fnaf at this point who cares ANYWAY THE DEAD KIDS
i already talked about the passover scene but what i didnt include (i think) is how when god's spirit or whatever idk enters the palace, it passes over a statue of ramesses and you just think, oh fuck wait RAMESSES HAD A SON.
and sure enough, that son is dead. moses walks in as ramesses pulls a sheet over his sons dead body and ramesses finally, after all of the plagues, tells moses he can take the hebrews and leave.
as moses walks away you can see ramesses glare at moses because he may have said he was done but. hes not. of course.
moses and the hebrews are leaving with yet another beautiful musical sequence (when you believe) and you can see the hordes of former slaves walking to the sea.
AAND just like i said RAMESSES WASNT FINISHED! he brings a whole bunch of soldiers on horseback and chases the hebrews, and god literally rains fire on them again this time in the form of a flaming tornado that sweeps across the sand, making a big old wall of fire that the egyptian soldiers cant get through
which gives moses the time to do the famous parting of the sea. he brings that staff down in the water and DOES GODS WONDERS!!! yay!!!
watching them walk on the seabed was beautiful. with some lightning strikes you could see the silhouette of some kind of shark swimming in the water (looked it up there are sometimes whale sharks in the red sea this is accurate)
and the fire tornado recedes into the earth, the fire fades, the soldiers chase on at ramesses' orders. the water sweeps them away just as the hebrews make it to the other side and it later cuts back to ramesses, alone on the rocky shore, screaming out at moses. hes completely alone, soldiers presumably dead, and no family to speak of. his side of the sea is cloudy and gloomy, still stormy, but when it jumps back to the hebrews in celebration, the sun shines bright and happy. the hebrews are free.
the movie ends with moses walking down the mountain sinai, ten commandments in hand, while the last snippet of deliver us plays once again.
only one other movie has evoked this much of this kind of emotion in me.(the one movie is klaus LMAO klaus made me ugly cry) there was not a single second of watching this that i didnt have goosebumps.
the movie itself just looks pretty. all of the characters have unique and neat designs. (its also nice to see a movie with only poc in it like im just saying)
the musical scores and numbers are so expertly made. my favorite has to be deliver us but through heavens eyes is a very close second. through heavens eyes made me feel better about myself, in a way. the entire movie was like some healing experience.
all in all, this is an S tier movie, and i BEG BEG BEG anyone who hasn't seen it to watch it. just pirate it or something (i did lol watched it on an illegal streaming site)
if you're not religious and havent seen it, think of it as a chance to learn more about abrahamic faiths. if you are religious and havent seen it, well hey! here you go!!
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2020 Fic Recs Part 1
Hello everyone! If you saw @ad1thi‘s recent fic rec post going around, you know she got the idea from me. I had the idea a few months ago of doing a roundup of my favorite fics from 2020 at the end of the year because, let’s be honest with ourselves, I read a lot over the last twelve months, partially because this year, I really started settling into my own in fandom but mostly because this year was an absolute shitshow and I needed a distraction from everything going on outside my tiny apartment. I know it’s been a hard year for everyone and while there’s hope that next year might be a little better, there’s no guarantee so here are some of the fics that helped me get through this year. I hope you all like them as well.
Fics are organized by month and range over a variety of fandoms and ships. Since some of these are multi-chapters, I’ve organized them according to what date the last chapter posted. This got a little long so I’ve broken this up into 4 parts to be reblogged over the next two weeks.
January
Hope for the Holidays by @aurumacadicus (Winteriron)
Tony never expected to share Christmas with the man who killed his parents, but he's here now, so they should make the best of it.
Woodash and iron and leather by LokelaniRose (Geraskier)
Jaskier is the only person Geralt's ever been around who doesn't smell of fear
Happiness: A Song in Three Parts by @newtypeshadow (Stuckony)
Tony's just a kid when he first hears the music. He's human, no one knows werewolves exist yet, and there's no sexy beefcake couple Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes coming out as werewolves and giving interviews to the press to explain the melody Tony heard sporadically during childhood is what werewolves—and the human mates of werewolves—hear when their soulmate is within a few miles of them.
By the time he finds out what the music means, he hasn't heard a note in years.
And when he finally hears it again, he's busy running for his life.
Heart in Hand by janonny (Stevetony)
Steve had been thinking — that was all he was doing, thinking, not moping, as Bucky described it — about the best way to make his feelings clear to Tony. He wanted it to be perfect. He needed it to be the best demonstration of sincere interest that Tony had ever received.
Bucky called it procrastinating, but Steve called it strategizing.
And this Courting Ceremony? It was perfect.
Now he just needed to figure out what to get Tony as a Courting gift. And what to wear. And what to say. And what to do.
-
Or the story where Tony, an Omega, holds a much belated Courting Ceremony. Steve joins up and loses his mind a little.
something i can treasure by theredtailedhawkwithjewelsforeyes (Geraskier)
Jaskier would not call himself a thief. But, well- he is elbow-deep in someone’s saddlebags, pulling up handfuls of pretty little bottles. They’re all filled up with jewel-bright potions, corked delicately, and they almost seem to hum in his hands.
Then, suddenly-
There’s the sharp point of a sword at his neck.
Lock & Key by sablier_bloque (Geraskier)
“Geralt, it’s not what it looks like.”
“Really?” he asked. He clenched his jaw before offering a sharp, mirthless smile. “Because it looks like you got caught fucking the mayor’s wife, and now I’m not getting paid!”
“Well,” he laughed nervously, looking anywhere but up. “When you put it that way.”
In which Jaskier suggests a chastity device to prove himself a worthy travel companion, and of course, gives Geralt the key.
February
A hard curl of satisfaction by LokelaniRose (Geraskier & Yenalt in V-shaped polyamory)
Geralt was taught that a witcher is only good for one thing
Half Agony, Half Hope by @no-gorms (Stevetony)
Following the Battle of New York, the Avengers Initiative kicks into high gear under the leadership of Steve Rogers, i.e. Captain America. Tony didn’t mean to become part of this initiative, but it makes sense to sign on due to his experience with SHIELD and Rhodey’s War Machine suits.
The upside: Tony’s tech can be used in a widespread and meaningful way to help protect people. The downside: the last time Tony saw Steve, he’d rejected Steve’s proposal of marriage and broke his heart, leading to almost ten years of the two having no contact whatsoever. Until now.
when the bones are good by SummerFrost (Geraskier)
Julian is six when he realizes that he's got an astounding capacity for being an annoying bastard. He's seventeen when he finally decides to lean in.
Where There’s a Witcher by ghostinthelibrary (Geraskier)
Jaskier is a twentysomething recently unemployed journalist and amateur musician looking for his big break. So when he’s saved from the jaws of a wyvern by the infamous Butcher of Blaviken, Geralt of Rivia, he comes up with a brilliant idea: he’ll follow the Witcher around and sing about their exploits. He’ll gain fame and fortune and Geralt will get a much needed image rehab. Everyone wins.
Unless Jaskier goes and falls in love like an idiot.
my body bruises at your touch by brawlite (Geraskier)
To lure a monster out, Geralt ties Jaskier up, making him look like easy prey. Surprisingly, Jaskier finds himself enjoying his time as bait a bit more than expected.
Do it Again by thisgirlsays22 (Geraskier)
By the twentieth time Geralt has gone through the loop, he decides to just throw himself off the cliff’s edge after Borch.
He wakes up to his twenty-first attempt.
“Fuck.”
The Song of the White Wolf by sospes (Geraskier)
“It’s a wolf, not a dog,” Geralt says flatly.
“It’s hurt.”
“It’s a wolf.”
“I’m helping it,” Ciri says, ignoring him, and turns back to the wolf.
But when is a wolf not a wolf? When it's everyone's favourite humble bard, of course!
March
Even Steel Blades Need Fire by letmetellyouaboutmyfeels (Geraskier)
Jaskier's given a lot to Geralt over the years, but there's one tiny, insignificant, minor molehill of a thing he's kept back from him.
Namely that Jaskier isn't human.
Mission Accomplished by @riotwritesthings (Winteriron)
Tony has had a terrible, rotten, no good day. Fortunately, he knows exactly what he needs to feel better.
With a Conquering Air by inexplicifics (Geraskier)
From the kinkmeme: AU Warlord!Geralt receives Tribute!Jaskier as a sacrifice to appease him in every way possible. Jaskier has no choice on the matter and he’s fully aware of the awful rumours that have spread about Geralt and his ruthless conquests. (But we all know those aren’t legit.) A classic angst with a happy ending please! A dash of smut to heal those scars and a sprinkle of new found love!
Jaskier arrives at Kaer Morhen knowing his family gave him up without a second thought, and absolutely sure that the dreaded Warlord of the North will value him even less than his own blood did. But the White Wolf and his pack are not what Jaskier expected...and if he's unreasonably lucky, Kaer Morhen might become far more of a home than Lettenhove ever was.
play out a spell in your sequence of chords (to inspire and sharpen our rusted swords) by AceSailorKoshkaRayn
Geralt cocked his head to the side curiously to regard the chittering fox caught in the hunter's trap. The beast had deep chestnut fur and eerily bright blue eyes. He knelt, and the creature hissed at him, baring his teeth in fear.
"I mean you no harm," he rumbled, hands palm-up. His swords were at his campsite, regardless. He reached forward slowly, and the fox didn't move, though it's teeth remained bared. It was a simple matter to pry open the trap, and the fox leapt away, chattering its teeth at him. Their eyes met for a long moment, amber to fantastical blue, and the fox dashed off.
Sighing faintly, hands resting on his knees, Geralt bowed his head tiredly. He rolled his neck to crack it, and rose to his feet to shuffle his way back to his camp.
Set out neatly next to his bedroll were three cleanly gutted rabbits, and Geralt paused in surprise. Roach whinnied softly, and stamped a hoof. A crown of golden wheat rested primly between her ears.
Ah. Fae, then. Services paid for services rendered. Hopefully the fae would consider them even, now, but something in him doubted it.
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A beautiful and moving fan account of GPF Torino 2019, by a fan who lives in Turin, Italy.
THE YUZU CHRONICLES IN TURIN – DAY ONE
Yuzu is in my town. Yuzu is in my town. I can’t quite believe it: I’m having breakfast and can’t quite believe it, I go out and can’t quite believe it, I get on the subway and… yes, I start to believe it, since I’m surrounded by Poohs. So many Asian women, so many Skate Canada/FaOI/Continue with Wings bags. When I get off, I can feel the thrill: in less than one hour, I’m going to see Yuzu live! In my town! As soon as I reach the Palavela, I meet other fans: some I met last year in Helsinki, some I never met before, but it doesn’t matter. Here we are, all for Yuzu, all with Yuzu, hoping and feeling and praying and focusing for him and with – and that’s something so strong that all the differences between us – country, age, social/economical/cultural status – disappear. It’s just so beautiful (and important) to be here, together, when Yuzuru is skating at the Grand Prix Final. At last. I find a good seat – mine is not bad, but there are better places where I can settle down and watch the practice – and wait for Yuzu. The arena is not totally full but there are many people here anyway: (nearly) all for Yuzu? A roaring, thunderous shout is the answer: YES! And Yuzu has just appeared… alone. Where’s Brian, or Tracy, or Ghislain? Nobody knows, at the moment. He puts his beloved Pooh on the balustrade, then waits for the Zamboni to resurface the ice, and finally enters the rink: he bends down, touches the ice, and takes off. Yes, I can’t find another way to tell what he does: does he skate? For sure. Does he dance? Definitely. But he flies. The impression is there’s always some room between his blades and the ice, an inch of air allowing him to just float. And the noise he makes on the ice is just so different from the noise made by all the other skaters… you could close your eyes and tell when Yuzu is skating just listening to him. But of course it’s so mesmerizing to watch him: when you see him live, you catch something that you can guess even watching his videos, but that is so strong and obvious here. You can call it aura, or charisma: something so overwhelming that I feel blessed and hypnothised at the same time. The practice goes by very fast. Yuzu skates… what to say? He fell a couple of times; he pops a couple of jumps (one at the beginning of Origin run-through); his skating is so graceful, though, and solid, and pure, that no fall and no popped jump can damage its beauty at all. Moreover, he had so many outstanding moments: all his 4S and 4T and 3A; the 4T-euler-3F sequence; an unusual 3A-3A sequence; the 4Lo he lands (majestic)… and the 4Lz he lands (royal)! Really: as soon as I understand he’s going to jump a 4Lz, I cross all of my fingers and clench my teeth and… and he jumps. Cleanly, beautifully. Never underestimate Mr. Hanyu: I’d better remember Brian’s words. Finally, he cools down. A slow Italian song, Di sole e d’azzurro (“Of sun and light blue”) by Giorgia, is filling the arena. Yuzu gets in tune with it and starts his usual sequence: grand pliés, arabesques, ports de bras… in this moment, he really looks, he is Baryshnikov on ice. I don’t know how he can do it, but he’s able to fill my heart with fire and calm at the same time. Maybe it’s “just” beauty, or poetry. Maybe it’s “just” love.
THE YUZU CHRONICLES IN TURIN – DAY TWO: SHORT PROGRAM
How hard it is to write today, I’m not even sure I should. I drink some more tea and check my watch: it’s 11 pm. I should work a bit. Maybe writing will heal my heart a bit, though, so okay, let’s start. Let’s go back to Thursday. The day of the short program. I reach the Palavela at 6.15 p.m. I was here for Yuzu’s practice in the morning – and it was so good: my favourite training outfit (black and grey shirt), some stunning jumps (the 4Lutz!), the impression that he’s floating in kind of a bubble of brightness – and now I’m back. There’s no queue and I get quickly into the arena. There are Chinese fans providing small banners to cheer for Yuzu. There are people gathered at the Edea stand, taking picture by a big poster of Yuzu. There’s an Italian man (a volunteer from the Palavela staff, I’d say) giving out pictures of Yuzu, with a long queue of ladies in front of him. And there are so many Poohs, everywhere. I just love this context, this atmosphere, but I can’t ignore the tension that is slowly making its way inside me. A couple of hours and Yuzu will compete. I can’t wait to see him, but at the same time I don’t want to see him. I want to pay my most heartfelt tribute to the most amazing skater in history, but I know I’ll quake with fear. How can I feel like that for someone I don’t even know personally? I think about that bubble of brightness, the sound of his blades, the grace of his arms, the fire in his eyes: of course I can, for someone like Yuzu.
Time to reach my seat and watch the opening ceremony. Time to wait for Yuzu. A presenter who speaks a bad English – and I wait for Yuzu. Some famous Italian skaters who perform nicely – and I wait for Yuzu. The pairs’ short program – and I wait for Yuzu. Some more minutes. And here he is, for the warm-up. Still alone with his Pooh. Since yesterday , the rumours about Ghislain’s absence are never ending – he had an accident, he’s got problem with his visa, what kind of visa does he need to come to Italy?? – but they end now. Yuzuru is there, and when he takes off his Japan jacket and reveals his costume, he looks like a dream from my childhood: my mother would read me a fairy tale before sleeping, and when I closed my eyes I would think (or dream already) of princes and castles and singing birds and starry nights… and in this very moment, with his costume sparkling like a constellation, Yuzuru is almost the incarnation of that enchanted realm I envisioned when I was young and innocent, and so happy. And I would probably lose myself into that dream, if I wasn’t aware of the fact that the short program is going to start. Yuzuru will be the last one to take the ice. Before, I watch the other five skaters: Boyang Jin, Dmitri Aliev, Alexander Samarin, Kevin Aymoz – and, of course, Nathan Chen. He’s good but not perfect: his 4Lz looks pre-rotated, the exit from his 3A is a bit problematic, the second jump of his combination is short and definitely not effortless. But he scores more than 110 points. Just a handful of hundredths behind Yuzu’s record. What, how, why? I look at Eleonora, an Italian fan sitting by my side, and I know that my face must show the same feelings displaying on hers: awareness and wistfulness. It’s the same old story, isn’t it? As long as Yuzuru and Nathan do not compete directly against each other, Yuzuru’s scores are way higher than Nathan’s; but as soon as they share the same ice, the scoring system seems to turn upside down. Yuzu, oh, Yuzu … He’s on the ice, taking his starting position. The first note of Otoñal fills the arena – nothing else can be heard, not even the occasional coughing here and there. Yuzu, oh, Yuzu, please… Some steps, some transitions, 4S. Natural like a leaf floating in the tranquil stream of a river. Twizzles, 3A, twizzles. Pure harmony. We all wait for the last jumps, the combination. 4T… and no triple. No triple. Manuela and I look at each other. What score will these judges award to this program? To two perfect jumps, and a perfect step sequence, and perfect spins, and an obvious mistake? The answer comes soon: 97.43 points. 13 points behind Nathan. Can Yuzu still win, with these judges? Because I still haven’t look at the protocol, but it’s clear that he didn’t get the points he deserved for the Salchow, the Axel, the spins. And I’m quite sure that, even if he had been perfect, he would have earned something like 111, or 112 – no more than that. And I am sad. And angry. And I need to talk, to talk a lot, like every time I feel sad and angry. It’s a good thing that I’m not alone in front of my PC but amongst hundreds of fanyus, so we can share our sadness, our anger, and talk, talk a lot: while my friend Paolo and I walk to the subway station, while we find out that the subway isn’t working at the moment, while we call a taxi, while we share the fare with two Germans and a Japanese… …but as soon as I get off the taxi and start walking home, all my sadness and anger calm down. They don’t disappear; they just shrink to give room to something – someone – much more important: Yuzu. I wonder how he’s feeling now. Mad at himself, disappointed, too tired to feel anything else than an urgent need to just go to bed and sleep? And Ghislain is not there… Oh, Yuzu, how I would like to do something for you; something useful, not only feeling this dull pain in my chest and complaining about the scores. If only I could, I would give you a hug – to comfort you, to protect you. Or maybe I would take your hand and take you to the Po river. It’s quite close, you know? And there’s a beautiful park, called Valentino, with meadows descending gently to the water. We would watch the river flow for a while, talking only if you wished to, then I would take you to Fiorio. Have someone told you about this ancient café in the centre of Turin? There are old huge mirrors, armchairs in red velvet, big rococo chandeliers, and a creaking wooden floor; we could sit there, order a hot chocolate or their famous gianduia (hazelnuts +chocolate) ice-cream; and for a few moments, for only a few moments, you could close your eyes, savour that new, creamy taste on your tongue, and forget about those damn 13 points, that damn combo… but probably you don’t want to forget, do you? You want to understand what happened, and why, and plan what you have to do now. Just don’t spend the whole night watching your SP again and again, right? Oh God, I sound like an old auntie. I open the door of my apartment. Sadness and anger are like a faint but constant throb in my stomach. Will I be able to sleep, tonight? I’m not sure, but it’s not so important. What’s important, is that Yuzu can sleep, and Ghislain arrives in Torino, and the judges come to their senses. Have sweet dreams, Yuzu, my wonderboy.
THE YUZU CHRONICLES IN TURIN – DAY THREE: QUAD AXEL
Fear. Joy. Worry. Fury. Emotion. What a day, the third day of the Grand Prix Final. And yet, it was supposed to be a quiet day, for us fanyus: no competition, only some practice. When it comes to Yuzu, though, quietness looks scarily like a storm, and there’s nothing we can do about it: there’s no way to be even remotely prepared to all the ideas, visions, plans and dreams that cross Yuzu’s mind and that he chooses to act out. That’s why I’m more or less calm, when I get to the Palavela. “More or less” because I had a tough night: I kept on tossing and turning in my bed, thinking about the short program, constantly grabbing and turning off my phone – eager to read anything the web could provide me about it, and scared by possible haters and nasty posts. So now I’m still sad and angry, but also too tired to have very strong feelings: sadness is a dull, feeble pain in my chest, anger a whisper that I try to ignore. I queue, get inside, talk with some friends. A few minutes, and Yuzu appears. Alone with Pooh: so Ghislain hasn’t arrived yet. Gosh, it’s all so wrong. The scores, the absence of Yuzu’s coach… we are in the middle of the Grand Prix Final and there were a bunch of bad omens already. No, I don’t want to be so negative. Yuzu needs to feel, to breath optimism and trust. Think positive, Alessandra; for the sake of Yuzu, think beautiful, think glorious! But it’s Yuzu, the one who’s beautiful and glorious. I always loved all kinds of practices and rehearsals: when some ballet company comes to my town, I always try and ask permission to attend a class, or some rehearsal. I love to see a work in progress, and all the commitment and efforts that artists, dancers and athletes put into their performances. No costumes, no lights, sometimes not even music: just the focus, sweat and love needed to succeed. When practicing, Yuzuru is like that, of course, but he also has – is – something different. The way he can look incredibly focused – and actually a bit dangerous – and turn suddenly into a playful child. The long talks he has with himself. His ability to ignore all the people watching him, just to thank everyone with a deep bow. His unexpected smiles, his gloved fingers pointing here and there while he’s planning and calculating who knows what. The lightness of his warm-ups, the grace of his cool-downs. When you watch him practice, it’s like watching a painter create a masterpiece right in front of you: his (sometimes bizarre) rituals, his methods, some surprises, the development of his work – art coming to life stroke by stroke, bit by bit: and you realize how big the privilege is to witness greatness in the making. So, warm-up. Jumps. No spins (has Yuzu ever done a spin in any practice?). Run-through. Other jumps. And then. He has just tried a new sequence for the free skate, 3A3A; so, when he skates in my direction, I think that he will try that sequence again: oh yes, he’s preparing an Axel. Then he throws himself into the jump and pops it, landing heavily on two feet. Ouch, I hope it was not painful as it looked… he skates around the rink, then again in my direction. Does he want to try the Axel again? He throws himself into the jump and pops it, landing heavily on two feet… Wait. He’s not popping his jumps. He’s jumping like this on purpose. And he jumps so high. Okay, his Axels are always very high, but now he’s really taking off as if he wanted to touch the roof with his fingers! I turn to Lys and Giovanna, who sit behind me. We look at each other, knowingly. Yes. Yuzu is practicing the 4A. As if he wanted to confirm what we’re thinking, he throws himself into the jump again, but this time he doesn’t pop it: he rotates it. One rotation, two, three, four… he lands before completing the last half turn, crashing on the ice. A collective gasp runs through the audience, someone screams, I grab and squeeze Lys’ calf in my hands. Oh God, Yuzu, stop it. Oh no, Yuzu, don’t stop it, let me see it again. No no no, on the contrary, don’t do it, be careful. Well, be careful but try once again… and he tries: another jump, under rotated as well, another fall. The audience is hypnotized. Someone shouts, someone cries, but it sounds like nobody could break the silence surrounding Yuzu. He seems alone now, as if no skater was in the rink but him. He skates in my direction again, and I count every second, one two three four five, until he jumps again. One rotation, two, three, four… and a half. Four and a half. Then he lands and crash on the ice again. But he made it. He has just jumped a quad Axel.
And the Palavela explodes. Shouts, cries, applause, people standing, people frozen in their seats, people scared, people happy, people who don’t fully understand what happened, but we all sense the truth: today, we were so lucky to witness history in the making. The practice is over, and Yuzu exits the rink followed by the loudest applause ever – and the longest too: our jubilation began way before he took his bows. When he disappears, everybody starts talking about his 4A. Someone’s almost mad at him (“I hope his mom is going to slap some sense into him!”), someone’s reverently astonished (“Have you seen the height of that quad? How much it was, about 95 centimetres?”), we all look on the edge of a nervous breakdown. It was supposed to be a quiet day, wasn’t it? But we should have known better than this. Because it’s Yuzu, and Yuzu always wants to climb higher walls, to aim for wider goals; to go beyond the horizon of what is possible for us, normal human beings. And this is one of the reasons why he is who he is; this is one of the reasons why we love him so much. There are winners, but he’s a champion. There are athletes, but he’s a history maker. And I left the Palavela with tears in my eyes, vibrant love in my heart.
THE YUZU CHRONICLES IN TURIN – DAY FOUR: FREE SKATE
So here I am, not really ready for… how should I call it? The showdown? Maybe. Who are the main characters in this fight, though? Yuzu and Nathan? Yuzu and the judges, more likely. And I’m not sure it’s going to be a fair fight. No matter if the knight in his shining armour has a marvellous sword made of an outstanding technical value and of wonderful components: his opponent can be petty and play dirty, and only in fairy-tales Good always triumphs over Evil. The free skate is about to begin. The morning has been long and tiring already: we all had to queue in the dark and in the cold before Yuzu’s practice at 7 am (thank God I met some friends, like Petra and Astrid, so that I could talk a bit and I didn’t have to queue by myself, alone and anxious), then there was a collective scream when Ghislain made his appearance in the arena (he’s here! He’s here! FINALLY!!), then… well, then there was Yuzu’s practice, and watching Yuzu live is always an unique experience, no matter what he’s doing: it’s like when you’re a child and for the first time you see something unknown which surprises and bewitches you – Peter Pan is on stage and Tink is going to die, unless you clap your hands and shout: “ I do believe in fairies!”, full of emotions and on the brim of tears… After the practice I went home, walked my dogs, worked a bit: everything just to keep anxiety at bay. Now I should be tired, and probably I am; but I’m too nervous, and I have too much adrenaline running in my blood, to feel tired. I just want to see Yuzu skate. I just want to see Yuzu happy with his performance. I just want to see Yuzu win? Of course: because I want him to be happy, and I know how important for his happiness it is to win; because he’s the best skater in the whole world, and I’d like him to be acknowledged as the king he is. But CAN he win? I’m afraid not. I’m afraid that he can win only if Nathan falls, more than one time and quite hard: not just with his hands or his knee on the ice, but with his whole body… is that what I want? Do I really want Nathan to fail so badly? I wish I could instantly say: no, of course I don’t want it. But I must confess that I can’t, and I hate this unfair scoring system for this reason too: because it awakens the darkest part of me, and pulls out of me my worst feelings and thoughts. I’ve seen so many figure skating competitions, and I’ve always hoped that all the skaters could skate clean – may the best win! Since the 2018-2019 skating season, though, as the new scoring system showed more and more its limits and its unfairness, I found out how hard it is for me to go beyond my own limits, to be fair and good. So, while I’m waiting for the skaters to make their appearance in the arena, I try to think “May the best win”, but I’m not convinced. Nathan, I’m sorry, but could you please fall? Not too hard, okay, but could you undoubtedly, unquestionably fall? Or at least make several obvious mistakes, so that the so-called judges can see who’s the real king of figure skating? Oh, God, I hate myself. I have no time to blame myself, though: the music signalling the beginning of the competition suddenly resounds in the whole arena, louder than ever, and the lights go down. While the speaker is announcing what we’re about to see, there’s a collective start: the skaters are gathered just outside the rink. In the dim light I can’t tell who’s who, I just see some distant heads, but I recognise Yuzu immediately. I can’t see his features very well, but I could recognise him even if he was amongst a thousand people in the dark. The simple way he stands is so peculiar. So elegant. And when he enters the rink for the warm-up and bows to the audience, he looks so noble and proud: he’s aware that all eyes are on him, all hearts are with him. Is this awareness giving him strength? Or is it a burden? In a moment like this, when there’s so much at stake for him, I would like – I would need – how I should behave to help him as much as possible. Screaming his name until I lose my voice? Clapping my hands politely and nothing more? If only I could know the answer; if only I could be of use for you, Yuzu… …and the warm-up is over. Already? Yes, already. And I cannot watch the first four skaters, not really, because I’m waiting for Yuzu, and skater after skater my heart beats faster and my hands get sweaty and cold. I’m so full of fear, and anticipation, and love. May the best win: may Yuzu win. And there he is. So handsome that watching him I feel my eyes burn like when I try and look at the sun. May Yuzu win. So dear to my heart that I want to see him but somehow I can’t stand seeing him, so I put a hand on my eyes and watch him through my fingers, just like a child watching a scary movie. May Yuzu win… 4Lo: perfect. 4Lz: perfect as well. 3Lz: perfect again. 4S: per-fect… I’m watching the competition live so I can’t see how the judges are scoring each element of Yuzu’s skate, and I don’t know whether it’s a blessing or a curse; anyway, so far he’s been outstanding, the judges have to give him very high GOE… 4T+euler+3F. Step out, maybe the 3F was a bit under rotated? Come on, Yuzu. 4T+…2T. He’s tired. But the quad was fantastic. Come on, Yuzu, you can do it, only the sequence 3A+3A is missing… alright, here comes his trademark, the counter back, and then… single Axel. Okay Yuzu, it’s okay, just go on, go on! Last spin. Final pose – and Yuzu can’t take it anymore, he’s so tired that the final pose lasts for less than one second, then he puts his arms and forehead on the ice, gasping for air. This is not an asthma attack, right? For a moment, I gasp for air too. Then Yuzu stands up, and bows to the audience, and I go wild like everyone else here, I scream, I cry, I throw my Winnie the Pooh on the ice, I clap my hand, I lose any awareness of myself – lost as I am in Yuzu, burning with pride and emotion. Yuzu, you made it. Five, five perfect quads, and one was that fated 4Lz. Okay, your skate wasn’t completely clean, but it was so special, and so much more than a simple “skate”: it was so full of humanity, and struggle, and glory. It wasn’t just a performance: it was a tale, and how beautifully you told it. How unforgettably.
Yuzu and Ghislain sit in the Kiss&Cry forever. Considering that picking up all the Poohs took a long while, it’s clear that the judges are having trouble with Yuzu’s score. Why? Why? The first answer coming to my mind flows directly out of the worst part of me: because they are probably looking for elements they can underscore. Oh no, please, no… “The score, please,” the speaker says. And here it is. 194 points. Technical score, 100.36; PCS, 93.64. This is not a score. This is a joke, and I can’t stand it anymore. Because I know, I simply know that Nathan will not only win, but he will set a new world record, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the judges give him higher PCS than Yuzu’s. I’m sorry, usually I’m not so mean; right now, though, I just can’t sit here, be polite and show any kind of sportsmanship. Those so-called judges have just humiliated the most amazing person in the whole world, and I can’t stay here and watch them play their foul game anymore. So I stand up and run out, and to hell this competition and its rules and everything. As soon as I’m in the hallway, I meet other people: some Asian women who don’t want to talk, and two girls from Los Angeles. They’re even angrier than me, and for the three of us it’s a bit soothing to share our indignation and to spit out all the rage we are feeling. If only our rage could be useful, somehow… it isn’t, though: in a few minutes we get to know that, of course, Nathan won, and that, of course, he set a new world record. So I was right, and I couldn’t be less proud of my foresight. Waiting for the victory ceremony is hard. As my friend Jacqueline and I queue at a café, rage gets less and less burning, turning into a heavy burden of bitterness. Will there ever be a way out of this shameful situation? A squad of incompetent (corrupted? Hopefully not) judges, an International Union doing nothing to promote fair competing and judging, and Yuzuru paying the biggest price. The whole queue, the whole Palavela is talking about it, but what for? We can’t change anything. We can only go back to our seats and cheer for Yuzu, make him feel how much we are proud of what he has achieved today – because that’s the truth: no matter how much the judges underscore him, no matter how many times they make him lose a competition, he’s the greatest skater of all time. It’s his technique that coaches refer to when they need to teach their skaters how to do a perfect jump/spin/transition; it’s him the one who always tries new combinations, new moves; it’s him who forced the ISU to change the rules in order to keep up with his greatness; it’s him who yesterday – just yesterday! – showed us that the 4A is possible. Only. Him. Time for the victory ceremony. And what a weird ceremony is this one. Not a single clap for any representative of any skating association, from ISU to the Italian Federation. People clap their hands for Kevin and Nathan, that’s it. For Yuzu, instead… for Yuzu, there’s an acclamation. This is not only a tribute to what he did here: this is a declaration of love and, at the same time, a battle cry. Yes, Yuzu, we love you, and we stand by you, and we will fight as much as we can to make those “experts” - those idiots who presume they have the right to judge you and humiliate you – acknowledge your magnificence. Our battle cry is so loud and never ending that Yuzu himself is astonished, overwhelmed, and points to Nathan as if he was saying “Thank you, but look, he’s the winner”. You are right, Yuzu: Nathan is the winner, yes. In our hearts, though, you won so much more than a competition. You came here, you fought your limits and fears (the 4A, the 4Lz, 5 quads plus transitions plus skating skill plus musicality plus grace), and you prevailed. You’re not only a king: you are a warrior king. The arena is full of signs with the writing “Unfair judgment”. For the first time at a competition, I hear boos from the audience. Okay, Yuzu. Let the battle start.
THE YUZU CHRONICLES IN TURIN – DAY FIVE: NOTTE STELLATA
It’s 9.30 a.m. and the Pellerina looks peaceful and welcoming. It’s a big park in western Turin, and I came here with my dogs to find some rest. After four days of Grand Prix – four days of Yuzu – I feel like a kaleidoscope: full of whirling colours, hypnotic spirals, and surprising patterns. It’s amazing, but it’s exhausting too. There are three ponds here, a big river and so many trees, and birds. I think you’d like the Pellerina, Yuzu; maybe you’d like all of my town. Its numerous parks, the long tree-lined avenues, the creamy colour of its buildings from the XVIIth and XVIIIth century. I would have loved to be your guide, allowing you to take a break from the mad, unfair competition that this GPF has been. I can’t even start to imagine how much tired you are, and it would have been nice to take you out – it would have been magic to see you here, walking under the trees, looking at the ducks in the ponds, smiling while my dogs play and run freely… but you prefer to stay at the Palavela, don’t you? Walking around the rink where Plushenko won in 2006, looking at the Olympic rings on the wall, chatting with your fellow skaters. Are you rehearsing for the gala? I hope you’re having fun. I check my watch: 10.15; it’s time to go. The gala will begin at 2 p.m., but I want to get to the arena at about 12 and spend some quality time with my friends. Actually, surviving the rollercoaster of this GPF would have been much harder, without all the lovely fanyus around me. Yesterday, after the medal ceremony, some members of our fan group met at the Edea stand inside the Palavela; it was so crowded and narrow and noisy, but ranting all together about the judges, praising Yuzu and taking pictures were exactly the things I needed to forget my sadness for a while, to turn my anger into good energy. Then Jacqueline and I went to Eataly, a famous restaurant and supermarket, and drank our bitterness away, turning quickly from being fans to being friends (and a bit drunk). Then… Eleonora, Petra, Linda, Shuko, Rory, Mara, Astrid, Barbara, and many others with whom I talked so much, inside and outside the Palavela, and stuck together through hope and rage, pain and love. Paolo, my faithful travelling (on many subway trains) companion. Lys and Carolina, who spent countless hours talking and crying and hugging and laughing and cursing with me. All the unknown fanyus in the audience, when we melted into one body with thousands of voices to scream out loud our love for Yuzu. It was a treat, and an honour, to meet so many beautiful people, and I know that as soon as the gala is over – as soon as I say good-bye to them all – I will feel empty, somehow, and alone. I drive back home, feed my dogs, then I’m ready to go to the Palavela for the last time… for the last time? I can’t quite believe it: from tomorrow on, I won’t see Yuzu every day. This week has been tough, but so intense: the thrill of the competition, for sure, but most of all the spell that Yuzu put on anyone watching him. His commitment, the 4A, his beauty, the stunning comeback of the 4Lz… I’m bewitched. And I’m pampered too, now that I’m (almost) used to see him so often: me wants Yuzu every day! The queue is endless as usual – I wait for my turn, apologizing silently to all the people here for how very badly this event was organised – but finally I’m able to get in. With other fanyus, I wonder which exhibition program Yuzu is going to skate: Haru Yo Koi? Yes, Yuzu must be so tired, he will rather skate something not too physically straining. Masquerade? Well, many of us would love to see it live… some time before the gala, though, we find out that he’s going to skate Notte Stellata. Oh yes, it makes sense: he’s in Italy, in an Olympic venue, of course he has chosen the Italian song he skated to in Pyeongchang. Now that I think of it, it’s always like that with Yuzu: we always try to guess what kind of music/program he will choose for the new season/an exhibition and he always surprises us, even though his choices are perfectly sensible. And I must confess that any choice would be great for me: I’m quite sure I could watch Yuzu doing cross-overs for half an hour and I wouldn’t get bored. Notte Stellata… I never saw it live. Will it be an experience as strong as it was seeing Haru Yo Koi in Helsinki? Yes, it is. So much that, after seeing it, I will forget all the other performances. So much that, while seeing it, I cry. Usually I’m not the crying kind, but watching Yuzu float like a swan on a frozen lake brings tears to my eyes. Yesterday, after the free skate, a friend of mine wrote me this message: “Each movement seems to take him beyond the limits of his human body and to emanate grace and elegance, filling your eyes and lingering in the air even as he glides into a new step”. I also think of what the Olympic commentator said about this program: “With one delayed single Axel and one triple Axel, Yuzuru Hanyu, double gold medallist, just gave a masterclass on what figure skating actually is”. Yes, that’s what figure skating actually is. Going beyond one’s physical limits on a quest for grace, elegance, and beauty. Giving goose-bumps and tears to each and every witness of this travel from what’s known to the unknown, from sport to art. What figure skating actually is, is Yuzuru Hanyu. His last spin goes on and on, even if there’s not music anymore, just like Yuzu will go on and on: in our memory, in our heart, in the history as well as in the future of this sport. And while I scream at the top of my lungs, and clap my shaking hands, I thank Yuzu: for these five days in Turin. For how alive and privileged I’ve felt. For showing me that there can be greatness even in defeat. Ganbatte for Japan Championships and for the rest of your skating season, Yuzu, but don’t worry: somehow, you are always, always, the winner.
--written by Alessandra Montrucchio (in Yuzuru Hanyu International Fan Group on FB), re-posted here with her permission. Pics belong to original owners.
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Miranda’s Fic Recs
I’ve been wanting to do this for a while because I just have a lot of fics in different fandoms that I truly enjoy. These are mostly long fics because that’s what I read the most. Fandoms included: Teen Wolf, Harry Potter, MCU, Star Trek, Kingsman, and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Find them below! (Some fanfic spoilers ahead)
So I’m starting with completed fics and then I have a few not completed fics at the end that I’m just really liking.
Embers by Vathara
Rating: Not Rated, Word Count: 704,200 Fandom: A:TLA
Dragon’s fire is not so easily extinguished; when Zuko rediscovers a lost firebending technique, shifting flames can shift the world....
This is an Avatar: The Last Airbender rewrite. It’s Zuko centric and it splits off while Zuko and Uncle Iroh are on the run and Zuko learns of healing firebending. The world building is so good and interesting and the whole fic does a great job of reimagining the A:TLA world. You meet a lot of new characters that are super well written and fit the world nicely.
The Debt of Time by ShayaLonnie
Rating: E, Word Count: 715,940, Fandom: Harry Potter, Ship: Hermione/Sirius
When Hermione finds a way to bring Sirius back from the veil, her actions change the rest of the war. Little does she know her spell restoring him to life provokes magic she doesn’t understand and sets her on a path that ends with a Time-Turner.
This fic is so good and I’ve reread it before. I love Hermione centric fics and this is definitely one. When she goes back in time she goes through school again with the Marauders and it’s so good you guys. I think the fic does such a good job of showing her grow with these new people. The relationships in this fic are so intense and I love them.
Hook, Yarn, Sinker by pprfaith
Rating: Not Rated, Word Count: 65,675, Fandom: Teen Wolf, Ship: Stiles/Peter
Stiles is happy with his store, his hobbies, his friends. Peter’s just trying to figure out how to raise his nieces and nephews without fucking them up too badly.
Paths cross.
This is the first in a series of fics. It’s a Human AU with aged up Stiles and friends but with little kids Derek, Laura, and Cora. This fic is a good time and sweet and honestly low stakes which is so nice to have these days. I think a lot of Steter fics are more intense and I enjoy them but this is such a nice change of pace where you really get to know the characters in these fairly different circumstances. The whole series word count is 161,859.
A Sequence That You Never Learned by AnnaTaylor
Rating: E, Word Count: 64,624, Fandom: Star Trek: AOS, Ship: James T. Kirk/Spock��
“Spock,” Jim breathes out, completely overwhelmed by the gesture—not quite believing that Spock knows him so well, that he’s already started researching, that he trusts Jim with a member of his own endangered species.
When Jim gets it in his head to adopt an eight-year-old Vulcan, Spock presents a logical solution to the issue of Jim’s of humanity: marriage to a Vulcan citizen.
This was one of my first Spirk fics and I honestly love kid fics. Vulcan kids are so different from Jim, but I love the idea that Vulcans still love him anyway. This is such a great Fake Marriage fic.
If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out by mia6363
Rating: E, Word Count: 13,232, Fandom: Teen Wolf, Ship: Stiles centric but technically Stiles/Peter
Commander Stilinski looks like he fell out of a propaganda video, his armor still smoking as he pulled off his helmet and handed it off to First Officer Argent. He had a few bruises down his neck but his smile was bright.
“Glad to see you safe and sound, Mr. Hale. I’d hate for Derek to lose a member of his family.”
“I told you,” Derek snapped at his superior, “he’s not worth this, Commander.”
This is the shortest fic on my list but I love this take. It’s got a Star Trek vibe and I LOVE how everyone is made into these different aliens. Stiles being human here is so interesting and it reminds me of those “humans are the craziest of the aliens” posts. It’s got multiple POVs and I think they’re written really well and do a great job of coming together.
Where Thou Art, That is Home by ShanaStoryteller
Rating: Various, Word Count: 94,108, Fandom: Teen Wolf, Ship: Stiles/Derek
Stiles is 10 when he saves the Hales from their burning home and Derek from a wolfsbane bullet, and this establishes a pattern that seems to continue indefinitely.
“Then he’s facing a burning home, and he wraps the hood of his sweatshirt around his mouth before he pushes the door open and steps inside. There’s Mr. Hale asleep - he hope asleep - on the couch, next to - Stiles thinks that’s his brother but there are so many Hales, who can keep track. He rushes over and starts shaking him, can see the rise and fall of the man’s chest so he knows he’s alive, but he’s not waking up. He shoves away his hood so he can shout, “Mr. Hale! You have to get up, there’s a fire! Mr. Hale, get up!” Nothing, he’s not even twitching, both of them taking in deep even breathes like they’re having the most peaceful of rest, and Stiles is going to cry. “Wake up, wake up, wake up!”
There’s a moment where all Stiles can here is the blood rushing in his ears and not the roar of the flames or the creak of wood, then with a violent, silent pop it’s all back and both men are gasping awake, eyes open and jumping to their feet.”
This is another series! It creates a Hales Survive AU and it’s got BAMF!Stiles. The Hales in this fic are so interesting and it’s an expanded family from what we see in canon. Magic!Stiles is written so well in this fic and things get intense but it’s so good.
Counterpart by sara_holmes
Rating: M, Word Count: 217,400, Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ship: Steve/Tony
coun•ter•part [koun-ter-pahrt] [noun] 1. a person or thing closely resembling another, especially in function. 2. a copy; duplicate. 3. one of two parts that fit, complete, or complement one another.
Just because Hydra used the DNA of a Captain America from another dimension to create a lab-grown, six-year-old super-soldier, it doesn't mean that said six-year old super-soldier is biologically Steve's, right?
(Where Steve wants to ban Clint from bringing things home from alternative dimensions, until he doesn't.)
This is an amazing kid fic. Things are so messed up because of how the kids was raised up to the point they find him.I love Tony so much in this fic but also you sympathize a bit with Steve. The kid whose name I will leave out is my absolute favorite. This is also a series!
Fallout by Whisper91 kingsman
Rating: E, Word Count: 164,971, Fandom: Kingsman, Ship: Eggsy/Harry/Merlin
As far as the rest of the world is concerned, Gary 'Eggsy' Unwin is a registered Dominant. It's on his driver's licence. It's on his National Insurance card. Hell, it's even on his bloomin' GCSE certificates. And the fact that it's all a load of bollocks is a secret Eggsy had intended to take to his grave.
Course, he hadn't been expectin' a bloody sub-drop to sweep in and knock him on his arse in the wake of the Valentine Massacre. Turns out grief and adrenaline ain't a good combination.
I really enjoy the dynamics between the three of them. D/s fics are always so amazingly well built and I love fics like this where they’re hiding their dynamic. I think this fic does a great job of going further with the D/S world and giving it more biologically. I just reread this fic recently because I love how it’s done.
It’s Insanity But... by rosepetals42
Rating: M, Word Count: 71,477, Fandom: Teen Wolf, Ship: Stiles/Derek
The doorbell interrupts what had turned out to be quite the epic shoe hunt but, really, he’s grateful for the break. Or at least, he is until he heads down the stairs to grab the door, trips over a stuffed animal of some kind, bashes his head on the wall and barely manages to catch himself from falling down the entire flight of stairs. As with all things, Stiles would like to state, for the record, that this is Scott’s fault.
Or: Scott and Stiles are raising seven children. Derek is the entertainer they hire for a birthday party (not a clown though, he’s very specific on that fact.)
This fic is such a good time! I love two bro’s raising kids together. It’s a hilarious setup and also just so good for the Stiles and Scott dynamic. Each chapter is like a slice of life. Some chapters are more about the kids and some are about Stiles and Derek. It’s just a fun fic and I love that it’s still got werewolves because I think a lot of fics that focus more on regular stuff go full on human AU. Keeping werewolves is much more fun and it’s so well handled here!
So Wise We Grow by Deastar
Rating: M, Word Count: 81,248, Fandom: Star Trek, Ship: James T. Kirk/Spock
”Commander Spock, we have located your son,” the Vulcan lady on the screen says, which would be great, except Jim can tell by the look on Spock’s face that he’s never heard of this kid before in his life. “If it is expedient, the child will be sent to join you on the Enterprise within the week.”
This fic is two long chapters. Again, I love kid fic and this one does such a great job. We’ve got pining and hurt/comfort and all kinds of good feels here. There’s one line about t’hy’la that is just *chefs kiss* so good and hits you hard.
Play It Again by metisket
Rating: T, Word Count: 63,206, Fandom: Teen Wolf, Ship: Stiles/Derek
In which Stiles goes along with one of Derek’s plans and ends up in an alternate universe as a result. He should’ve known better. He did know better, actually, and that means he has no one to blame but himself. “Laura wants to lure the kid in with food and kindness and make a pet of him, like a feral cat. Derek wants to have him arrested for stalking. They’re at an impasse. (And the rest of the family is staying emphatically out of it in a way that suggest bets have been placed.)”
This is fairly Stiles centric. It really looks into the emotions of jumping universes. The alive Hale family is so good and it’s magic!Stiles which is always interesting. What I think makes it extra good is that in a lot of universe jump or time travel fics it’s more about adjusting to how things will be now. But this fic does that while also having the new universe with its own problems. It’s just fun to see Stiles deal with all these things.
Happy Lights by LadyShadowDrake
Rating: E, Word Count: 108,237, Fandom: MCU, Ship: Mixed
An interdimensional portal opens over New York and drops a tentacled alien in the middle of Central Park. The Avengers are called out to investigate, and hopefully return the visitor home. Steve has been brushing up on his diplomacy, but he never expected to be a liaison to an alien in such an intimate capacity, or that the alien would be so friendly, and the unusual visit turns into the world's best team-building exercise.
This is a series that is so much fun. The alien (aka the colony) is so interesting and sweet in the long run. I love seeing the team grow and as you go through the series you really get to see more of them coming together. This is just a playful fic that you can have a good time reading.
Magpie by waldorph
Rating: E, Word Count: 57,648, Fandom: Star Trek: AOS, Ship: James T. Kirk/Spock
Spock met Jim when he was 7 and Jim was 6. It has since been generally agreed that this was a mistake (or: the one where they grew up together and things are simultaneously better and worse for it).
This is such a deep dive of both Spock and Jim. It’s them growing up together and it splits off some as far as events that happen in canon. It ends before they become Starfleet. I think this fic creates such an interesting bond between Spock and Jim. I also really love where it goes as far as Spock not having grown up alone on Vulcan.
These are the unfinished fics. The first two are in progress and the last one seems to be abandoned.
Survival is a Talent by ShanaStoryteller
Rating: T, Word Count: 353,015, Fandom: Harry Potter, Ship: Harry/Draco
In the middle of their second year, Draco and Harry discover they're soulmates and do their best to keep it a secret from everyone.
Their best isn't perfect.
~
“Are you trying to get killed, Potter?” Malfoy drawls, stalking forward. Quick as a serpent himself, he reaches out and grabs the snake just below the head. It thrashes in his grip, but is no longer able to bite anyone. “This is a poisonous snake, and I doubt anyone brought a bezoar with them.”
Harry glares. He opens his mouth, and feels the beginning the snake’s language pass his lips, and this isn’t what he wants, what’s the point of insulting Malfoy if he can’t understand him –
Malfoy’s eyes widen. He slaps his hand over Harry’s mouth, “Potter, what the hell–”
This fic is in progress updated within 2020. It’s a rewrite of the Harry Potter series where Harry and Draco are soulmates. As you can imagine, that changes some things. I love this so much, I’ve read it like 3 or 4 times now. The characterization is amazing and I love the differences we see. Harry is Indian in this fic and the way it ties in is so good. You really get to see the difference in culture as well between muggleborns and blood traitor families and the purebloods.
You great unfinished symphony (you sent for me) by ketchupcrisp
Rating: E, Word Count: 227,792, Fandom: MCU, Ship: Steve/Tony and also the whole Team
The last thing Steve Rogers ever expected to see on a Wednesday afternoon was his (their) dead submissive tumbling out of a portal and practically into Phil’s lap, very much alive and frantic about Soul Stones and timelines and some other version of the team.
This is an AU but like literally. Tony comes from the universe we know into a D/S universe. The worldbuilding here - again like I think a lot of D/s fics excel at - is so good. It starts with everything a mess and things are intense. There’s multiple POVs which I think is really helpful in a fic like this where the relationships are so tangled.
Born From the Earth by venusm
Rating: E, Word Count: 277,602, Fandom: MCU, Ship: Tony Centric, Steve/Tony
Tony Stark's born an omega in a world where that means he's supposed to follow certain social rules. He becomes Iron Man anyway: Fuck biology.
If only his biology (and the world) would quit fucking him back.
To start off, some warnings: this fic gets a bit messed up. It’s an Omega verse in the worst possible way at certain points. It’s not a fluffy fic. It also doesn’t get that far into the Stony stuff because it’s unfinished. Honestly I’m worried this writer has died and I’ve gone through the comments and looked for them online to see if they’re out there and just not writing but I haven’t found any proof of that. BUT ANYWAYS. This fic is intense but it’s such an interesting take on Omega fics. It gets pretty dark but that darkness is pre-Steve and I’m hopeful that one day it might get finished so I can see where it was going to go.
#written#fic recs#harry potter#teen wolf#spirk#marvel mcu#atla#kingsman#shayalonnie#wordsformurder#mia6363#shanastoryteller#captn-sara-holmes#whisper91#petals42#metisket#lightshadowverisimilitude#waldorph#ketchupcrisp
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[steven universe] the false kind of love: Spinel and the Diamonds
Spinel is involved in four of the Steven Universe movie’s musical numbers. She sings in three of them, and stars in two: Other Friends and Drift Away. But although the last two of those both centre around Spinel as a character, they could hardly be more different in tone.
In the Other Friends sequence, Spinel is fierce, angry, and dangerous; but in the Drift Away sequence, her voice is sad, longing, and helpless. As far as stories go, it’s pretty common for a villain’s tragic backstory to contrast in tone with their present actions—to seem almost at odds with who they seem to be, even as it explains how they got here. But I find this contrast especially remarkable in Spinel, because one of the most important things about her in the movie is the intensity of her anger. Everything she does, and everything people do to her, is because she is angry. And yet in Drift Away, when she talks about the person responsible for hurting her—Pink Diamond—there’s hardly any sign of that anger. It’s only when her story ends that the fire in her voice ignites again.
I think this contradiction holds the key to Spinel’s motivations. Although her fury is depicted as petty and childish—a feeling she only has to learn to suppress, a problem that’s solved as soon as she stops being mad—the story of her life points to something different, something that better explains her anger, and why it seems to define her so completely.
We know that, in Homeworld’s old social system, each Gem was given a particular task, one that was decided for them almost from the moment they were born. If they failed to do as they were supposed to—or did anything against the norms of their role, such as fusing with a different gem, or joining a rebellion—they would be severely punished. This is how it was for Ruby and Sapphire, for Bismuth and Pearl, for Peridot and Jasper. So we can assume that Spinel’s situation was similar—that she was assigned to be Pink Diamond’s best friend and playmate from the moment she came into existence, and wasn’t given the option to change her mind or do anything else.
One might think of this as a privilege. She was born in servitude to a Diamond, and therefore had the fortune of enjoying luxuries such as the Garden. But the task she had been set was tremendously difficult and complicated: despite being created as an entertainer and nothing more, she had the duty of keeping Pink Diamond happy, and being at her beck and call no matter what.
At the time, Pink Diamond was immature, mercurial, and prone to tantrums. Not only that, she was also at odds with her own family, and repeatedly upset by the way they treated her—something no amount of games and frivolity could fix. All this would have made Spinel’s task positively herculean. Her place in Pink Diamond’s life was small, yet she was completely responsible for how Pink Diamond felt. Every shout of anger, every sneer of disgust and contempt, every dismissive wave and sigh of resentment, would have been a mark of Spinel’s failure: not just a blow against her self-esteem, but against her actual value in Homeworld society—a step closer to being worthless, to being cast away.
What’s more, if Pink Diamond’s final cruel act against Spinel is anything to go by, she wasn’t in any way above tormenting and punishing Spinel just for being an annoyance—despite knowing that Spinel’s life depended on her approval.
In short, Spinel’s entire existence, from the moment she was born up until the moment the movie begins, has been about serving Pink Diamond, catering to her whims, and making her happy no matter what.
From what we see of Spinel, she throws herself entirely into her labour. She never frowns, complains, or shows any negative emotion around Pink at all. And when Pink Diamond asks her to stand, very still, in the same spot, until such time as she returns, she does so—perfectly and obediently—for six thousand years.
This is no surprise, of course. In the context of Spinel’s servitude, Pink Diamond’s words to her are not a request but a direct order. Spinel is Pink Diamond’s playmate, and what kind of playmate would she be if she ever said “no” to a game, or broke the rules? To disobey is to violate the contract that governs her life. So she stands there through her weariness, so absolutely still that roots grow around her legs, accumulating dirt, scratches, and chips. She’s not happy! She’s not having fun! Quite the opposite—she’s clearly miserable in her condition, and yet she doesn’t even shake her leg, or wipe the dirt off her shoulder, or sit down. She doesn’t think of herself at all—only whether she’s “doing it right”.
There’s something I strongly believe is relevant: People do not exist to be other people’s servants. And this goes for Gems too—time and time again throughout the series we see the stories of escaped Gems, how they were trapped, unhappy, often fearful in their roles—how as soon as they were given the opportunity, they decided to do something with their lives drastically different from their assigned purpose. It isn’t normal to wait like this, to suffer like this, all for the sake of someone else’s entertainment. Spinel waits for Pink Diamond, suffers for Pink Diamond, thinks only of Pink Diamond, not because she chose it, but because she has no other choice, because she was raised in a society where this is her only purpose and the only way for her to live.
In other words, the relationship between Pink Diamond and Spinel isn’t just a bad friendship between equals. It isn’t even a bad relationship between, say, a worker and her boss. It is, in plain terms, a slaveowner’s cruel treatment of a slave who’s been forced to serve her since she was born.
The movie never quite acknowledges this out loud. Instead it calls Spinel and Pink Diamond “friends”. And yet, this is the obvious interpretation of the narrative that is shown. Throughout Drift Away, the sequence leading up to it, and all that follows, we see that even now, Spinel is still utterly devoted to Pink Diamond. She still doesn’t realise there’s any other way to be. At the climax of the movie, she says to Steven:
“I used to just be not good enough—just not good enough for Pink!”
and
“Why do I wanna hurt you so bad? I’m supposed to be a friend! I just wanna be a friend...”
The first quote shows how Spinel understands her situation—that all the cruelty she has suffered, and all the anger and resentment she feels, is her own fault for not being “good enough” at her task. She believes that the reason Pink Diamond made her suffer isn’t that Pink Diamond was a cruel person who had absolute power over her life, but that she failed in her task, and so she was a failure of a person, and she deserved whatever she got.
The second quote shows that even at this point, the deepest, truest wish Spinel can think of is to get another chance to prove her worth—to serve someone again, to give up all thoughts of her own happiness and devote herself to another person, to maybe, just for a moment, earn a smile or a laugh. It hasn’t occurred to Spinel that freedom is an option, or that she doesn’t have to be anyone’s slave to have worth as a person, or that Pink Diamond did anything wrong to her. She never realises any of this—no one ever tells her.
So together, these two quotes set up the miserable, ironic resolution of Spinel’s character arc.
(Pink Diamond, of course, shows no matching concern for how Spinel feels, nor any indication that she remembers her at all. The movie implies that she may have had access to the Garden warp pad, or at least its communicator, all along from Earth—yet she never returned, and never sent a message.)
It follows from all this, naturally, that Spinel doesn’t want to direct her anger at Pink Diamond, where it truly belongs. Spinel still believes everything that happened is her fault, and that if anything, it’s Pink Diamond who should blame her for being a bad playmate. And yet, Spinel is angry. At the beginning of the movie, when Steven transmits his message, when Spinel finally sees that she never mattered to Pink Diamond—or to anyone else—she reacts with such rage that she breaks out of the fetters that have governed her life (even though, in her worldview, this dooms herself in the process) and heads for Earth, where Pink Diamond went.
It’s important to note that when Spinel shows up for the Other Friends scene, it’s only been a few days, maybe just a few hours, since she left the Garden—since she escaped the abuse, exploitation, isolation, and neglect that has constituted her whole life. At this point, she hasn’t even had a chance to calm down. She’s suffering an emotional crisis of terrible proportions. The fragile remains of her life have been utterly destroyed. She has nothing left in the world. She isn’t in a reasoning state—there is nothing to reason about, since she has nothing and is nothing. All she has is anger, an emotion she’s never allowed herself to feel before. And she doesn’t know what to do with this overwhelming anger—she has no idea how to acknowledge it, validate it, or work through it in a healthy way. Even if she did, this is the moment of her life when she’s most volatile and vulnerable, when it’s hardest to put things in perspective, when she needs help the most. She needs safety, reassurance, and something that can at least point her on the path to healing—and she doesn’t get any of those, in the end.
Because she cannot be angry at Pink Diamond, she instead tries to find something else to blame. The things that replaced her in Pink Diamond’s eyes are first on that list: Steven, the Crystal Gems, the Earth itself. She decides that she wants to hurt them, to damage them as she has been damaged. She cannot say this, but she wants some way to make them care about her.
(There is a scene where Garnet regains her memories, fights off Spinel, and sings the beautiful True Kinda Love. During this scene, Spinel’s reaction to the sight of the Crystal Gems, finally reunited, is one of the most telling in the movie: disbelief, fear, shame. She has spent her life isolated, interacting only with Pink Diamond—this is, perhaps, her first time seeing love between equals, love that makes people happy simply because they get to be with each other. She sees love that is grateful, unconditional, unbreakable, powerful.
This love defeats her. It destroys her. It represents everything that Pink Diamond left her for. She doesn’t think of it—she cannot think of it—as something which she, too, might experience one day, because her entire life has taught her that she isn’t good enough to ever deserve love. In fact, at this very moment, she is an obstacle that true love will sweep aside and shortly forget about. She is unloved, unloveable, and so it makes perfect sense that Pink Diamond would have thrown her away in order to join these people who are full of love. Spinel is worth nothing to them, not even as entertainment. They will never care about her. She’s a thorn in their side, and they just want her gone.
Anger and shame is the only way she can respond—and after her anger dies down, only shame is left.)
Of course, in lashing out like this, it’s very strange that Spinel achieves anything more than fruitlessly flailing at the Gems for a few minutes before running out of steam or getting poofed. Where did she get a mysterious Injector that an Era 2 engineer like Peridot is helpless to power down, and enough poison to kill a planet? How did she beat three seasoned warriors in a fair fight, having never raised a finger against anyone before the moment that fight began? If things hadn’t gone that way, we would probably have a very different movie.
But such is the narrative we’re given—which is unfortunate, because Spinel in the movie is set up as such an enormous threat that it ends up eclipsing the truth of her story, rather than highlighting it. Apart from one or two lines at the end of the Drift Away sequence, everything Steven says is focused on mollifying her, calming her down, and getting her to deescalate so that she won’t destroy the entire planet. Meanwhile, all the other Gems are busy trying to save people from the Injector’s poison—so there’s no room to actually address her problems in the story.
She is a victim of a monstrous system, in desperate need of help and understanding. But she is instead cast as a monster herself. She doesn’t get any attention for being hurt: people only care about her because she might hurt someone else.
Perhaps the greatest injustice to Spinel is that she isn’t given any kind of resolution for her situation. Instead, Steven’s words confirm the harmful beliefs she holds about herself. Her feelings are her own fault, and her suffering is her own fault. The only chance she has to redeem herself is to go back into servitude, to be a playmate and an entertainer, and to carefully soothe, cheer, and cajole people into tolerating her company—knowing that the love she will therefore win is false and conditional: knowing that if she fails, if they ever get tired of her, she will be left in the dust without a second thought, and she will deserve it.
Poetically, her new owners are Diamonds once again. In order to make them laugh, she makes a joke that belittles her own trauma, and stands on her head. Blue Diamond thinks it’s cute. Yellow Diamond thinks it’s hilarious. Neither of them consider her feelings, or what she might have gone through. Once again, she’s no longer a person—just a toy that reminds them of Pink.
This will be the rest of her life.
#things venus said#steven universe#steven universe: the movie#reflections#spinel steven universe#spinel su#you could perhaps interpret the ending as poetic justice against an unsympathetic villain#but strangely enough that isn't how the movie casts it#anyway guess who's still doing hecking steven universe analysis in the year 2019 /shrug#slavery cw
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A Turning Point - BGR Fest 2020 Concert Review
March 6, 2020
Friday evening was a night well lived. I went with my mother and my cousin to go see Lauryn Hill in concert at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. It was quite the spontaneous decision by my mother, but we all went along with it because legends like Lauryn don’t come around every lifetime let alone to your area 20 years after their “prime”. So, we decided to break the monotony of our weekend rituals and make it a girl's night. I had no idea that coming to this concert that I would leave feeling so stirred in my spirit, so filled with conviction to pursue passion and purpose, and in the same breath boldly claim every note, inflection, melody, and tempo of my life story. Watching both Alice Smith and Ms. Legendary Hill I saw black womanhood in its organic most blossomed form.
Ms. Smith sang every single song with such compelling velvety vocal range it called every goosebump forward. Her sharp yet soothing falsettos and moody full base notes sweetly communicated the honesty behind her soul-bearing lyrics. Smith and her harmonious band had delivered a sound I didn’t know I was longing to hear again. The artistry and musicianship displayed in her set, made my heart swell with gladness, reminiscing on a time in my life when all I could imagine was a life consumed by creating and vocalizing music. Listening to her made me remember that I once had dreams; dreams I abandoned out fear and doubt. Looking towards that at that stage and gazing upon Alice Smith’s elegantly clothed in a black ruffled gown that seemed to declare her black pride louder than some of us have the confidence to do daily, all I saw was a strong black woman embracing the fullness of her artistry. Reveling in every single piece of emotion embedded in the song’s composition, unbothered by the audience’s perceptions she was her own audience, her own champion, her own woman – She took up space according to her desired comfort.
It was in these moments that I was randomly confronted with such a heavy reflective question – “who told you that you were incapable of being the girl you dreamed of becoming?”. Stunned by the weight of this question amid this gripping performance I glanced down at my hands ashamed…slowly coming to the realization that for years now I had subconsciously been accepting ceilings. I wasn't able to say where or when it started but sitting there in that illustrious theater listening to melodies of R&B it dawned on me; my love for music and performing arts had been oppressed and masked by the whispers of other’s doubts and expectations. I’ve been putting caps and limitations on myself based on boxes and ceiling others have created to keep black girls like me in a specific place. To think that I sacrificed performing arts, my most cherished way of articulating my human experience, for the status quo is saddening. But when I looked back up at the center stage, eyes fixed on Alice Smith…I saw the effortless elegance in her stride. The fluidity - freedom of sorts in her movements and posture as she sang. It was as if each note resonated with her entire body flowing through her like melodic vessels, I was charged with confidence. Viewing her performance, the little black girl inside of me felt welcomed to dream again…and to do so with unapologetic force.
Passion and well-crafted artistry materialized through Alice Smith’s entire set; perfectly lacing her performance with the next experience. Foretelling the enchanting momentum that is Lauryn Hill.
The most dynamic artist of my lifetime, with one of the greatest most potent and impactful albums in this history of R&B, Soul, Rap & Hip-hop sauntered onto the stage in a mauve sequenced suit and boldness to match. As people’s cameras went up and cheers roared in the theater, Ms. Lauryn Hill gracefully stepped up to the mic and greeted the elated people of DC. I’m not sure if I was in such disbelief that I was getting this opportunity to see her in concert or something else but hearing her just talk unleashed fireworks in my vocal cords. She was real. Her distinguished and down to earth tone that consoled me to sleep on many bad days and emboldened me to face life with power other days was no longer a mere recording but an actual reality. Starstruck was an understatement.
Too excited to begin this musical journey, I immediately tried to identify what song she was performing first so that I could sing along. Her band immediately played with fervor, not waiting a moment to set the tone for the evening. Although I heard familiar lyrics instantaneously, I, unfortunately, couldn’t catch the beat enough to vocally interact because she had virtually recomposed all the melodies to her hit songs. She revamped the miseducation of Lauryn hill. What we all heard that night were reinterpreted versions of songs we’ve all grown to love for the past 20+ years. The audience was visibly disappointed the sound had evolved into unfamiliar musical territory.
However, despite my subtle personal disappointment as well, I was drawn back into excitement seeing the authenticity that still heavily encompassed her music. Between the raw gritty rasp in her voice, the gospel-like runs, and the directive conductor signals she gave her band, Lauryn Hill the multi-faceted artist was more than present tonight. She refused to be merely a gimmick on stage singing songs of her past. Tonight we got to see her actively reinventing herself as an artist, while in the same token allowing herself to revisit the soul behind her old lyrics and singing them from a new place - from a place of healing, maturity, and wisdom – The same classic elements that refine us and make Black Girls Rock. Rocks that stand the test of adversity, that lay the foundation for new realities to be built, and that allow younger generations to stand firm and be supported. Today, seeing Lauryn perform and incorporate modern musical influences into her 98’ album hits was not just a personal achievement, but I feel a victory for the culture. Lauryn Hill is proof that when a black woman steps whole-heartedly into her purpose and passion she declares freedom for herself that causes a positive impact for generations to come.
Lauryn Hill and Alice Smith completely embodied black girl magic in that concert hall. The inspiration they imparted on the women, ladies, and girls is a gift that must be acknowledged. It was a blessing to be in the company of powerful black women, and I’m extremely grateful for the founder and CEO Beverly Bond who paves the way for us daily to have platforms like Black Girls Rock Fest. Thank you for all that you all have done.
Happy Women’s History Month!
J. Itosé
#lauryn hill#alice smith#R&B#r&b lyrics#r&b singer#r&b/soul#blackgirlmagic#blackgirlsrock#BGRFest2020#perfromance#novice writer#poetic#poetic prose#KennedyCenter#performingarts#dc#dcnights#itiswritten#christian writer#blackwriters
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star-crossed just hit 1,000 kudos!
(klance / cinderella AU / fantasy & medieval elements)
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR AMAZING LOVE AND SUPPORT.
like, just, wow.
I never thought this story would amass such a loving audience and im humbled everyday when i log into AO3 and see the steady uptick in kudos, comments, bookmarks all of it. I check the stats on this fic religiously and I promise if you’ve even VIEWED the fic I’ve noticed, I watch it that closely. thank you, from the very bottom of my heart; there aren’t adequate words to express my gratitude.
I wanted to at least share something to mark this milestone, so here is the working introduction to the second installment. I’m so excited to get some of my other projects finished so I can dive back into this. :)
Lance had heard his fair share of folk tales from his Mamá, about people who rise above the station of their birth, about triumphing against bitter odds, about falling in love and living happily ever after. He remembered a lot of awfully convenient montages, glossing over the finer details of consequences. What happened to the villains? Did they get thrown in jail? Executed? Or what about the hero’s best friend, ex-lover, family—do they miss the hero once they go on to live their big, exciting lives, or is it always a happily ever after?
Maybe those are just the stories people like to tell. The stories people like to remember, where everyone is happy and the bad things only happen to bad people.
Most of the tales Lance knew didn’t tell him what happened when people are stuck living in the poverty they were born into, no matter how hard they try to get out of it; or what happens when the odds are not in the hero’s favor; or how love is so painfully unconditional, and impossible to explain, and that it could kill you much faster than any magical weapon or poisoned apple if you let it.
He was staring at the pages of an old tome, thick but well-maintained, the pages all in decent shape. It had been pulled from the archives by Sir Coran before he and the others returned to Altea, and Lance had found himself zoning out on the image of a pretty blonde human in the arms of her pretty human Prince Charming.
A weird thought occurred to him: would stories be written about Keith, like this one? It was easy to forget that Keith was indeed a figure of legends, would be memorialized like all the Princes and Queens and rulers that came before him.
Would people make up harrowing things to say about them?
Lance almost laughed out loud before turning the page. “Pfft. No.”
Because, first of all, Prince Charming? Out of the long list of words Lance would use to describe his fiancé, charming was not really one of them. Irritable, thoughtful, and just mullet, to name a few.
and, a few other small things to share in celebration, I’ve included two scenes beneath the cut
deleted scene from epilogue pt. 2 untitled dream sequence from the second installment
deleted scene from epilogue, pt. 2 conversation between paladins, Allura and Coran keith POV
[Allura continued.] “I want to give you the best answer available, I need to have all the information surrounding this whole mess first. For that to happen…” she sighed, a sound of abrupt sadness slipping through a clearly, if not expertly, worn façade. “I need to ask you all a favor, but once again, unfairly, much of the burden for this falls to Lance. It is of paramount importance that you tell me exactly what transpired between you and Lotor, starting from the first night he approached you.”
The tan-skinned teenager blinked a few times, and Keith thought he looked paler than when he and Shiro first arrived. Gently, he gave Lance’s hand a little squeeze. “Oh. Umm. I mean, I can, I just -- what do you need to know?”
Fingers steepled in front of her nose, the Princess sighed. “As much as you feel you’re comfortable sharing, I suppose, but I would say the more the better. I just don’t know enough of what the Galra have planned, or if this is connected to Zarkon, Lotor, the witch -- none of them, all of them?” she sounded unusually frustrated, a fist coming down on the table. The mouses scurried towards different paladins, leaving the two Alteans to stare at each other. Keith didn’t mind the mouse, but he did glower at Allura -- she didn’t mean anything by it, he knew, but perhaps the nonverbal warning would be enough to have her compose herself. No need to project her anger towards Keith’s fiancé.
“I — I mean, I can try, some of the stuff Lotor said was really…” he paused to bite his lip, and Keith felt a strange twist in his stomach when Lance’s eyes darted anxiously towards him. “It was sort of… personal. I was kind of trying to forget about it, to be honest. Thinking about it makes me… I don’t know, I can tell you if you think it’s important, but it might...make you mad?”
By the end, Lance wasn’t talking to Allura anymore, and Keith’s hand was moving before he could really think about it.
“Hey, stop that,” the Prince said, brushing his thumb over the abused skin of Lance’s bottom lip so he might stop with the self-harming habit. “Don’t bottle things up for my benefit. If you have something you want to say, say it. I can’t promise I won’t get mad, but I can promise I’ll get over it.”
Shiro barely concealed his snort with a cough. “Wow, Keith, that might be the most mature thing you’ve ever said.”
Keith attempted to kick Shiro under the table. “Fuck you, old man.”
That made Lance laugh, and while Pidge made a point to do a loud gagging demonstration, it did little to distract from the simple pleasure Keith felt at being responsible for eliciting such a pretty sound from his fiancé.
Lance’s shoulders were still visibly tense, but he didn’t look quite as uneasy about the subject when he met Allura’s steely, blue-soulfire gaze. “Okay. I guess, what, start from the third night of the ball? That’s when I really interacted with Lotor. A little on the second night, but he was mostly just being a dick.”
Nodding, the Princess gestured for Coran to take a seat beside her. A writing utensil and fresh piece of parchment seemed to materialize in the advisors’ hand.
“Queen Krolia has managed to supply some basic information on what happened when you and Lotor spoke privately in the infirmary, but due to the nature of your healing, the resources expended on gathering testimony, and all the other din of these past few quintant, it doesn’t appear you’ve given any sort of statement about what you and Lotor talked about -- the night of the peace summit, and then explicitly what was discussed that night in the infirmary. I know this is asking a lot, but it’s important that we’re all on the same page if we’re to try to fight whatever this is.”
“I — well — I guess I just hadn’t thought about, like, talking to anyone about it, like in a reporting-way.” He looked thoughtful for a moment before choosing a place to begin. “The night of the peace accord thing, he said I had to dance with him, or he was going to tell the realm that I was in a relationship with Keith. In retrospect, it doesn’t sound like a big deal, but he had… framed it… in a sort of shitty way.”
“Meaning?”
Lance swallowed, his hold on Keith’s hand slipping away as his complexion took on a rosy tint. “Uhh… well, he said, um… like, it was insulting to me to, ya know, sleep with Keith. He said I could do a lot better… and obviously implied that he was the better option. Like, it would have been a big scandal or something for both Keith and you, since, like, both of you were still supposed to be getting married at the time? That’s about when Coran showed up. Oh, and er, he also saiiiiiid…” his voice turned sing-songy, face even redder. “That I was special, and uh, that he would find a way to ‘make me his,’ basically no matter what. He said ‘Keith is your price’, which like, I don’t know if I’m super okay with the idea of talking about myself in those terms, but… I didn’t really have a good comeback that wouldn’t put both your reputations in jeopardy, so I just didn’t answer.”
From the side of the table, Hunk looked like he wanted to reach over and scoop Lance up like a baby. “Buddy...”
Lance cleared his throat, staring at Coran’s hand as it flew over the page, not meeting anyone’s eye. “I’m fine, Hunk. The next time I saw him was after everything, I was in that private room Sir Adam let me use. I woke up, and I was just like, bam, on the ground. It was sort of dizzying and I hadn’t been sleeping super well so I guess, I just didn’t know how to react at first. He told me back talk wasn’t —” A pause, and Lance pursed his lips. “He told me not to talk and to just listen. So, ya know, I wasn’t in a position to fight him, so I did as he said. I mean, my back was exposed and he basically was standing on me so I didn’t have a choice.”
Lance sat up, back arching a bit as he ran his hands through his hair. Keith noticed his fingers were shaking when he pulled them back down and into his lap again. Silently, the Prince was simmering beneath the surface, his blood hot and roaring in his ears. The edge of his vision had tinted red.
“And then there was a lot of the same stuff again. He was super fixated on the fact that I was with Keith. I don’t know, I feel like he jumped around a lot, because after that there was this big monologue about how the realm was about to go to war. And that no matter what happened, as long as... I was alive, there would be a war… unless I became one of his ‘consorts.’ I know, it was really fucked up.” Lance added the last sentence quickly, arms crossed in front of his chest.
“Um. He went through this whole list, pretty much. He said Daibaazal would absorb Olkarion, and then Altea would be next or something. And that his dad is on some super fucked up power trip, feeling like he’s not important anymore with Marmora and Altea around. And that the guy who had the bomb, he asked me if I saw him -- I did. He looked… Olkari, but Lotor seemed like he expected that? Like, he said it was probably an Altean shape-shifted as an Olkari. Um… what else… oh, yeah. Um. He gave me an ultimatum, and said if I didn’t go along with him, my choices were:” Lance began ticking them off on his fingers, one by one. “Let Zarkon kill me, like, I think he said make an example or maybe a martyr of me or something; make a statement that I was the one who set off the bomb so I might not get literally murdered by his Dad, instead, I would, hah --” he let out a humorless chuckle -- “I could just fucking hang for it instead. How messed up is that? Or I could let the realm go to war if I stayed in Marmora. Or, lastly, I could agree to be his -- his personal bitch, basically. I don’t know what goes into being a consort but I have an idea, and I -- yeah. I didn’t have much of a choice, though I told him to fuck off and that I’d rather let Zarkon kill me with his bare hands than spend another second with him.”
Keith had never in his life tried so hard to control the devastatingly violent impulse of his Galra heritage, but his gums tingled with the insistent pressure of fangs pushing against his mouth. Even the skin of his fingers felt strange, like he could so easily just let go of his control and the tips could sharpen into claws in seconds if he let them.
Breaking Lotor’s wrist now felt pathetically underwhelming. He should have just killed him. The realm would have been better for it.
“Anyway... Lotor wasn’t super happy about that, I know, shocker. And he basically said he would buy my family, you know, since we’re all fucking slaves or whatever, if I didn’t do what he said. I didn’t -- I didn’t know what to do. I want to say I would never agree to that but just, f-fuck, I’m sorry.” Lance’s voice cracked at the end, the sound of tears edging into his tone. His arms, already folded over his chest, tightened. “So, yeah. That’s when the Queen showed up.”
“Stars above, I’m so… sorry. I had no idea it was that severe.” Allura sounded disturbed, and both Hunk and Pidge were exchanging nervous glances with each other. Keith couldn’t see Shiro, seeing as he was turned to face Lance, who was staring down at the box on the table in front of him with a clenched jaw and dry eyes.
“I’m okay,” Lance said for the second time, and some of the immediate emotion had drained from his voice. “Keith’s mom showed up before I had to agree to anything. That’s all that happened with Lotor, though. The only other thing was the vision-dream thing I had with Blue… I told you guys about that while Keith was getting his stitches, right?”
Various people nodded, and Keith vaguely remembered hearing Lance’s voice, too-loud to be speaking to people nearby but that was just how Lance was, somewhere off to his side. He made a mental note to ask him to re-explain the details to that later.
“...So, yeah. That’s all I can really remember. I don’t remember Lotor mentioning anything about Oriande or any of this stuff.”
“Yes, well,” the Princess laid out both her hands on the table, and as if a silent call, all four mice returned to her in a sudden rush of paws and squeaks. “I’m not sure of anything at this point, but I am near certain that this is the witch’s doing at minimum. Whether it is Zarkon or Lotor who she is aiding, we will still have to consider all of this information. The fact that Lotor seemed to find it unacceptable that you die, so much so that he was willing to blackmail you, leads me to believe he might be more invested in this than I had previously thought. It could have been his pathetic attempt at courtship, but I’m not sure. Whatever it is, the reality is the same: something is happening to the realm, and if more corruption like that we saw earlier from that Beast spread, I fear the whole realm may be in danger. For now, we will have to continue to gather information, try to understand what exactly they’re planning.”
unpublished from part 2:
untitled dream sequence
lance POV
His legs weren’t working properly.
Lance felt them buckling, like his torso and arms and head and heart were weighed down by the entire universe. Why? Why couldn’t he use his legs? He wasn’t even standing, so the fact that his dumb legs weren’t working seemed especially frustrating to him. Laying on his stomach, Lance pushed himself up to a sit-up, the bottom half of his body utterly useless at the moment. Ugh.
Someone was calling his name, but the voice was warbled and hard to place, like he’d been trapped beneath the ice of a lake and there was someone pounding on the other side, trying to find him.
Craning his neck, it was with a small start that he realized he knew this place, dark and infinite and magnificent in every direction, but he couldn’t move. What was it called? Why couldn’t he remember? Blue told him about it...
“Blue? Blue, are you here?” He turned, annoyed by his lack of motion, but blinked in surprise at the sight of something much, much bigger than the little kitten he was expecting.
Lance’s mouth dropped open, but no sound came out.
It was the single most beautiful, overwhelming things he’d ever seen.
About fifteen paces away, a massive tree sprouted from the ground, crowded by iridescent leaves. There was no breeze that he could feel on his face or brushing through his hair, but the leaves danced and shimmered anyway. A million colors, reds and blues and greens and whites and yellows -- and every color in between, peach and cream and mahogany and turquoise and blush and lavender -- colors that he didn’t even have names for, was pretty sure weren’t even on the real spectrum of light, all glittering crystal-bright in the dark expanse of the empty space around him. In every direction, the ground was the black surface of an endless ocean, rippling when Lance moved but otherwise flawlessly reflective. It sent back an inversion of the same sight, an overwhelming sense of purity, of flawlessness, of flowing sublimity with the roots at the center.
Lance couldn’t breathe, awestruck.
What was it? Why was it here?
Oh, gods. Lance used to believe people had always been dramatic when they heard a song or saw a painting so beautiful that they were brought to tears, but this was his comeuppance for that attitude, evidently. His cheeks were wet, and the corners of his eyes were pulsing light blue.
This was definitely some sort of… something otherworldly. Magical.
Shit. Shit, shit, uhhh, fuck, this was probably important, wasn’t it? Was this some sort of dream-vision thing? In his stream of consciousness, dream-Lance tried to will himself to summon a dream-roll-of-parchment and a dream-inkpot, but all that amounted to was making him strangely dizzy.
After attempting to summon things, and dealing with the subsequent disappointment, Lance hauled himself up as best as he could with his hands, sort of like a mix between a push-up and an army crawl.
Chewing his lip, Lance eyed the immaculate branches, overlapping but never touching, a faultless flow of leaves brushing back in forth, almost lazily. It was a sort of breathtaking, heart-stopping, gun-wrenching sort of beauty.
Blinding, almost.
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STEVEN UNIVERSE: THE MOVIE - Personal Commentary
I wrote this to send to a friend, but I decided I might as well post it on here. I did a large portion of this while I was watching the movie, but I did go back and improve on some parts after I was finished, so forgive the inconsistent tenses. I apologise for the length as well, which is a result of me getting completely carried away and analysing a lot of the movie (I bet my English teachers are cheering). Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy my personal thoughts on the Steven Universe movie. (Also, spoilers if you haven’t already watched it.)
- The opening....wow. Not only is it pretty but it's just so dramatic. It reminds me quite a bit of old fashioned Disney musicals (I’m guessing that was their intention). Even the layout of the credits are giving me that vibe. But especially the music. Very fairytale-esque.
- 16 year old Steven, yeah booiii! Now he’s only a few years younger than me. I do like his older voice and design. Bet Zach Callison is relieved that he doesn't have to pitch his voice up high anymore. And I personally really love the pan flag colour scheme of his new outfit. I wonder if they’ll keep it for the season(s) following the movie.
- Aww, the Diamonds are learning. Sort of. They’re maybe just a tad clingy, but that's still improvement. I really love how Steven Universe never makes the 'villians' completely evil, only misguided, and that everyone is capable of changing their ways. Such a great message. (Edit: Ooohh, I unintentionally called what I'd say is the moral of the movie. Noice.)
- Naaww, Steven and Connie are so cute. Steven's happy little grin after the kiss was just adorable.
- Oooh, I like the 'Here We Are in the Future' (Edit: 'Happily Ever After') song. It just shows how much they've all grown over the course of the series. And it’s a great way to recap the journeys of each of the original Crystal Gems to the audience.
- "PEW PEW" Yeesss. I love their handshake. And oh my god, he really is so tall compared to Amethyst now.
- Oh my god, they're reenacting the running sequence from the opening. Love me a parallel. Just shows how far they’ve all come.
-Okay, why do the 'bad' guys in musicals always get such cool songs? Spinel's song was so catchy. Now I'm super curious about her relation to Pink Diamond. Oh cool! A scythe. That's awesome.....AH! Okay, nevermind. Nooo.
- 'Losing your powers' angst. I love it (yes, I know, I'm terrible).
- Greg: "Holy shhhhhheee really got everybody" Me: 😏 I see what you did there.
- Steven: "I have no idea what's going on." Greg: "Well now you know how I feel most of the time." Greg is so relatable sometimes. Kindly stop being my spirit animal, sir.
- AHHH! They've all been reset. Craaappp! And I was just going on about growth and everything! But I'm excited to see what happens because I love angst, god damn it. It always helps to make the happy ending all the more satisfying. (And...admittedly, the amnesia narrative device has always been a guilty pleasure of mine. I’ve always enjoyed how it allows you to so clearly see how a character has evolved over time and how much their experiences have defined their identity.)
- "Something is clearly wrong," Pearl sings happily and bug-eyed. Excellent and relatable. That's how I react to most things in life, honestly.
- "I could have lost all of my character development." Ha! Never subtle, are you Peridot? But also nooooo, not Peridot. Don't you dare touch her. She's grown so much and I love her dearly (and also Lapis' top notch dark humour. Perfect.)
- Sad song reprise is sad. I totally understand what Steven is feeling too. Things you’ve gotten so used to (hell, maybe even become dependent on for your emotional welbeing) can disappear so quickly that it can be quite a whiplash to have it gone, so it's completely normal to struggle to accept it, and to yearn for what you had not so long ago.
- Bismuth saying “We are the Crystal Gems” has watered my crops and cleared my skin. And I love her singing voice; the roughness in some parts suits her character so well.
- Rupphire Rupphire RUPPHIRE GAAAARRRNNNEEETTT, yiissss! Wow the fusion animation is really awesome. It's like a behind-the-scenes on how it works from their perspective. But I love how the two of them fusing together doesn't fix Garnet's memories or make her exactly how she was before losing them. Garnet isn't just an experience; she's also a product of her experiences.
- Lil' trumpet salute! Naww, Pearl, that's adorable.
- ....is Onion....immortal? He still looks exactly the same. 😟 I'm unnerved by that child and whatever power he had.
- Oooh, tap dancing. I love tap dancing! Even if Steven is wearing sandals while doing it. Oh boy, I love the friendship between Amethyst and Steven. It's always been one of my favourite things in the show. It's kind of like the sibling interaction I've always wished to have myself: supportive and wholesome. And I also love how their fusion shows that platonic and familial love is just as powerful as romantic love. Oh, YAY Amethyst is back! Like I said, friendship is a powerful thing.
- Oh my god, Steven and Greg are going to fuse. Ahhhh! Oh wow, it's basically Elvis with a six pack! Hehehe, so weird. But not bad either. And, oh wow, what a great song! Individuality is my kink.
- The ANGST is making me feel emotions. Steven looks so ragged, and the high pitched whining in his ears definitely added to that. And having felt that terrible myself a few times, I know how much it frigging sucks. And just like him I brushed other people's concerns off, so I'd be a hypocrite to tell him to take care of himself. (But I am a hypocrite. Take care of yourself, Steven!)
- Yep, here's the tragic backstory to make me sad about Spinel. Hit me where it hurts why don't you. Gosh, Pink Diamond really did some messed up things when she was younger (but thankfully she evolved from that and changed to become Steven). Leaving someone behind without giving them closure or even a reason would mess someone up for sure. You'd feel completely worthless. And unfortunately, being noticed for any reason—good or bad—is generally a way to cope with that feeling. Spinel is doing what she can to deal with what Pink did to her, and that unfortunately involves lashing out and hurting others.
- The 'True Kinda Love' song! Knew it'd turn up at one point. Knowing the context makes it so much better too. And hell yeah, Garnet is back!
- Blood? On this Christian Server? It's more likely than you think.
- “This is the story of my life.” Ahh! Steven's just a kid, and he's gone through so much. But, I gotta say, he is absolute proof that having a rough childhood and being a flawed person in the past (*cough* Pink Diamond *cough*) doesn't condemn you to being a wicked person forever. Anyone, regardless of their circumstances and experiences, can be a good person. Your early years don't define your identity or what will become of your future.
- Spinel: “When you change, you change for the better. When I change, I change for the worse. I used to be just not good, just not good enough for Pink. Now I'm not good at all!” Damn. That's powerful. Trauma can be such a difficult thing to overcome, and some people lose their way in their attempt to leave it behind. Sometimes, though, growing doesn't mean changing yourself and erasing the past; sometimes it means accepting the parts of your past that made you who you are now. Showing the importance of past experiences through the Crystal Gem's recovery of their identities is such a smart way of showing this concept to the audience. Such a great analogy. Now, let's hope Spinel can accept that though she has been changed as a result of her trauma, that doesn't make her ‘bad’ or unworthy of love (because that’s just not true!)
- “There's no such thing as happily ever after”. Sad but true. And also turning the whole Disney vibe the movie began with in on its head. Very smart.
- Steven: “I'll always have more work to do”. Then, Spinel: “I've got work to do. Friendship isn't going to be easy for me. I'm gonna have to work at it”. Exactly. That's how it is. ‘Happily ever after’ is a stagnant concept, and staying the same person for the rest of your life isn't healthy. And deciding to work towards improving yourself can sometimes be the hardest step to take when it comes to overcoming trauma. But change can be good; you should always keep working on improving yourself, no matter how comfortable you are with who you are and where you're at. Evolution is a part of living.
- Ooooh, White Diamond got sassy. She even has the hand gestures down. She’s making up for all the years she spent T-posing.Good for her.
- Oh my gosh, the focus on the Diamond's hands! Instead of destroying, their holding a hand out in a gesture of friendship. Seriously, that's frigging growth. That's such a cool parallel too. Rebecca Sugar and her crew are just brilliant.
- I'm so glad the Diamonds got someone to love and help them through their grief, and Spinel got someone to love her unconditionally, regardless of the flaws she thinks she has. They all got someone to help them heal. That’s wonderful.
- “I can make a change.” 👏Yes👏you👏can! That's your superpower.
Damn, that was so wonderful! I've always loved the message of personal growth, and the movie did it so well. In my opinion, Steven Universe has always been great at analogies to explain real life things (ie. Malachite being a metaphor for toxic relationships) so I really like how they used to amnesia narrative device to show not only how much someone can change and grow over time, but also to show it's our experiences, good and bad, that shape us as a person. Lots of people have traumatic experiences in their life that can inadvertantly shape a lot of their personality, and it can be hard to leave that behind, especially if so much of your identity is dependent on those experiences. Sometimes they can lead us to becoming ‘bad’ people, but they can also help make us good people too. Just look at Steven! He was able to accept his past traumas and use them so as to help others heal their own.
Trauma isn't something you can erase without erasing a large part of your identity. It can be tough to live with, nonetheless. Sometimes, like Spinel, you just need a helping hand in accepting the scars life has given you; to help you grow beyond it and maybe even eventually be able to help others who are going/have gone through similar experiences.
And there's no shame in trying to be better and failing over and over again. At least you are trying. Because trying to be good against all odds, against the whole world doing its best to destroy you, shows just how strong you really are.
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Sorry for getting flowery (and maybe just a tad projective). As you can see I just really like the moral of the movie, as well as pretty much every other aspect. I'm sure there's a lot of little intricacies I missed, but this is what I took from my first viewing of it. And these are just my opinions; you might have got a whole different vibe from the movie. You are completely welcome to add you own thoughts and improve upon mine (because I am by no means an expert).
So, to summarise my own thoughts on the movie, I’m just going to say: Personal growth for the win!
#steven universe#su#su spoilers#steven universe: the movie#steven universe: the movie spoilers#commentary#personal#opinion#positive#garnet#pearl#amethyst#pink diamond#white diamond#lapis lazuli#peridot#greg universe#tw: trauma#discussion of trauma#analysis#postive#i use the word 'just' way too much and start a lot of sentences with conjunctions and for that I apologise#any mistakes are my own
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The Walking Dead: Final Season; Take us Back thoughts (major spoilers)
please let me know your thoughts!
So I plan on writing an actual in depth review sometime later but I just wanted to write down my thoughts on the episode with what i loved about it and what i think could of been improved or changed! Its been 2 days since Take us Back came out so I’ve had time to better process things.
pros:
-the narration by AJ at the start is really neat and made me feel both scared and worried especially when he said “I don’t think she’s always doing the right thing, we’ve been doing a lot of bad things to save our friends..” its a spicy start to the episode
-most of the action sequences ESPECIALLY THE BARN SCENE are really cool this episode!
-the james scene in the cave is really wack and i love it a lot! i know a lot of people liked angry james near the end of ep 3, well here’s 10 minutes of it! but really the scene was intense all around, i used to really dislike james in the scene but i have grown to understand why he acts this way, although some shots like that creepy smile is?? questionable haha.. the other branch where james is dead is intense aswell too! good job on this scene!
-the talk in the woods with violet/louis is really nice, its much needed after all the drama that just happened! the scenes made me laugh a lot too like “texas 2″ or “thanks dad!” i love these characters so much guys.
-WOWOW minerva and the bridge scene is really great!! i felt really bad for her its so tragic. but yeah the way she sings, limping and bitten everywhere but still pushing through is so messed up and terrifying. she looked so scary and i love the gore to it, truly is a horrific moment! however one thing, during the fight it seems like the walkers never seem to make it across the truck to you so you can literally just chill hidden the whole time..
-tenn’s death: i think it was handled quite well, its a very shocking moment, and very very sad.. and louis and ESPECIALLY violet’s reaction to it are really heartbreaking! voice acting was amazing. its even more messed up when minnie is happy about this (made me think of carol peletier from the comics) i also like how his death is not forgotten at the end too and its brought up. i do have some things to say about tenn’s character in general though../contrary i also enjoy what they do with him if he is kept alive, its a very heartwarming moment!
-thinking about it just makes me teary but the scenes where clem gets bit and is slowly starting to accept it once they get to the barn is just so scary and depressing. i’m not gonna get too much into it but the barn scene is really great and the music and switching between clem and AJ is even more alarming, making the player think its over and AJ is taking the torch. also “gotcha” as clem bops aj’s nose made me crumble STOP
-ranch flashback is really underappreciated but yeah its really great and quite traumatic. the burn victim gave me chills and Eddie’s short cameo is great! aj and clem’s moment in the car is really sweet.. and made me cry even more. i also thought the placement of the scene is perfect.
-THE ENDING: So yeah apparently quite a few are mad about the ending but honestly I say piss off to those people, i thought the ending is a really great end to clem’s journey! i had a feeling clem would make it but prior to the scene i really thought she was dead. when i heard her speak i YELLED, got up, woke up my family and hugged my mom, i’m serious! Clem is a badass whom we’ve ventured with for YEARS, she fucking deserves the happy ending and i just get confused with those who wanted her to die?? like wtf; also the take us back scene and the dinner is just wonderful thank you so much to the team. i loved it all. also i love how aj can interact with all the collectibles what a treat! i love how aj’s thoughts were all jumbled too he’s fun to play as!
TL;DR: emotional moments are well done, ending is near perfect, visuals, colors, cinematography, voice acting and music are all great! also thank u for all the romantic moments
cons:
-im mixed about lilly’s portrayal this season. i expected more i guess. they kinda built her up to be kinda redeemable but at the same time its lilly.. i got kinda mad at first when you only see her for a minute! compared to james who gets more than 10 minutes of screentime. but i think i’ve grown to accept it. the way she floats away like a fucking loser is what she deserves. in a way i think its better to have her alive so she can live with all the horrible shit she’s done. and you can sorta tell she feels somewhat bad about it. BUT.. at the same time i think she’ll never learn which just makes me mad i let her get away on my main. what do you guys think of her? because at this point idk how to feel but its certainly not great.
-i don’t like the way captured violet and louis got over their trauma so easily. Louis was visibly traumatized and shaken in the cell and soon after he’s just seen smiling. Violet feels abandoned and betrayed but soon after she’s just like “uhhh about what i said in the cell...” I think it would of been better to save that line for the ending only so violet has more time to think and heal. and while it was really sweet to see louis still being flirty and sweet i can’t help but feel there should of been an extra scene where their traumas are discussed better.
-Violet and Louis’ deaths are not good. the problem with their deaths is that they don’t feel important, they feel like a game over death! they get eaten for 6 seconds, clementine yells “NOOOO” and AJ gets mad and slaps tenn. Then they run. I think the emphasis on their deaths and a better reaction would improve the scene a lot. Its especially frustrating if Clementine has a close or romantic relationship to these characters. there is no difference in reaction at all. She doesn’t even cry. This is why so many people restarted the episode! As cute and lovable Tenn is, the player has spent many more scenes interacting with Violet and Louis (the most important characters of the season besides AJ and Clem). Its sucks but I understand why people would wanna restart and save their lover or best friend. At the end you get a conversation with AJ and Tenn about their death (which i thought wasn’t so bad) but nothing with Clem. We get a short shot of the grave with a drawing and nothing else. I really didn’t like that.. It felt like something was really missing. Its too bad because ya know i really like the outcome if Tenn lives but i always find myself to rather have my SO live instead as bad as it sounds.. What do you guys think?
-i feel like certain characters like mitch, aasim and omar etc. could of had more chances to shine. Mitch shines in episode 2 and dies but that’s it. I wish in episode 1 he had more screentime.. Its really too bad since he’s big favorite of mine. Aasim aswell was interesting in ep 1 and 2 but unfortunately barely got any lines in ep 3 and 4. christ’s sake omar of all people had more lines than aasim in ep 4! im very glad he got mentioned many times and romances ruby but i think more lines from him would of been nice. idk like maybe have louis tease him about ruby at the table.. something!
-i thought the pacing and length of the episode was a little strange. this episode significantly feels shorter than the others. obviously it depends on your play style but from what i noticed this episode is about 30 minutes shorter than the others. i feel like some extra scenes could of been put in to fix some character development issues and such.
TL;DR: character development is flawed in some spots, pacing and length issues can be bothersome
i’ll have more to say another time but i really enjoyed this episode and i think its a great end to clementine’s journey! i know the whole caravan thing is left to be ambiguous so i think it would be so cool to have a little dlc. i’d definitely buy it. i recommend getting this season and instead of just watching let’s plays i hope some can invest in an actual copy, the team really deserves a profit! this entire season has been very solid and its my favorite of the series! not sure which episode is my favorite yet but they’re definitely all worth playing!
#twdg#the walking dead#twdg spoilers#the final season#the walking dead game#twdg clementine#twdg aj#twdg louis#twdg violet
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Maybe Baby- Seth Rollins
Little tiny fluff if you squint of Seth, slowly getting back on the writing horse. Please be gentle, out of date Christmas fic is needed. Tags: @blondekel77 @calwitch @chanelxberlinstark @briqueenofthenorth @fioportella @wrestlingfae @whocares006 @dancefaeirie @ramsaypants @alibob687 @lunarchaosqueen @keepyourdreamsalive @meremaidqueen @demonqueen29 @colbynatorsforlife -–--------———_________________-----------------_________________ I was always lonely at Christmas time. It never changed and to be honest, it didn’t bother me. Can’t miss what you never had. I was actually upset to find out we were pre-taping before the holidays. WWE was notorious for working all year round, and it was one of the bigger attractions- doing what I love 24/7. So when we were taping, it was safe to say I was slightly miserable to know I was going back to an empty home. Sasha was wondering around backstage when she found me moping in catering. We had a few moves to go over and I wanted to tweak a sequence slightly. The taping was, whilst a debut for me, would be a heel turn for Sasha. Whom was frustrated with the lack of attention yet saw others being given opportunities and pushing past her. It made sense, it worked- we just needed the heel turn properly to get a reaction. I was excited for her. She’s a Boss either way she goes and TV has been missing her recently. Having only been just moved up from NXT I already knew some of the women. It just meant bigger stars in my eyes for those I hadn’t met yet. One of the many perks of being close with Sasha was her friendship with Seth. I had quite the crush on him, and being in NXT hadn’t helped- he was their golden boy. It just made him a bigger character and I was determined to meet him more than most. Sasha has caught on and I think she took pity on me, she came to speak to me more often than most and did it in view of Rollins as well. I was normally a proud person, but I could indulge a little on this pity party- especially when it worked. This is how I found him sitting at our table in catering when Sasha had called him over. I was blushing and following Sasha's lead, choosing to not say much- more I said more I could look stupid in front of Seth. But something in me couldn't fight the spot that had come across my mind. When I voiced it, I was scared of the backlash from Sasha. She just stared at me. Seth whistled "Sash, that's a damn good spot if I've ever heard one" I blushed under both of their gazes and Sasha laughed "Why didn't you say anything sooner?" We grinned, tonight was going to be epic. ------—-----————————------—-----————————--———————— The match had been good so far, the crowd was behind both of us- my debut had gone with a pop from the crowd. We had even managed a 'fight forever' chant. I knew, we both knew, for this to work... The crowd had to buy the match, and the next part. As I rolled from Sasha's arm drag we gave the nod to the ref. He looked at his watch and nodded back. I went with one of my signature knees, connecting to the side of Sasha's face. Unfortunately we both tumbled out of the ring. I shook my head and got slowly to my knees, waiting until the fog cleared. The chair to the back helped clear it very quickly. I screamed in pain as the bell rang, rolling away from Sasha. I didn't get far however, and I took a chair to my side this time. It took my breath away promptly. Sasha was screaming at me, at the crowd and at herself. She began to set it up. She pulled the ladder from under the ring and began putting tables together. She climbed the ladder with the Mic and began spouting nonsense about her being overlooked. When it turned to me, I bolted up the opposite side of the ladder. I was met with Sasha's fist. Then came the double knees from the top of the ladder. The crowd screamed as I went through the announce table. Sasha squeezed my fingers twice and I squeezed back once. I'm ok. When I was wheeled backstage, I stood from the apparatus and rubbed my shoulders. It had gone well enough, doesn't mean it didn't hurt though. Sasha hugged me with tears in her eyes, everything had gone better than expected. We stole the show, the crowd brought it- and Vince was more than happy. Apparently a certain Kingslayer had told him the spot was my idea. Vince passed his congratulations onto me. I smiled back at Sasha, her enthusiasm was infectious. The shoulder I was currently rubbing was beginning to stiffen and I winced when Sasha turned from me. Obviously I had landed awkwardly, which upset me. If people looked hard enough, they awkwardly found problems with what we did. Either you didn't convince people or you botched the move. I looked to the nearest monitor, commentators shouting over a replay of my body falling from the ladder and acting as a cushion. I spotted where my shoulder had hit, and it just looked like a bad bump. Relief washed over me. I hadn't noticed Seth watching from the corner. He approached and went to hug me in congratulations. Obviously I shielded my shoulder from him. His lips pursed. "You need to get that checked." I looked down at my feet. "I'll be fine, it'll be fine over Christmas. I'm not doing anything." Seth was now fully frowning. "You're not with anyone?" I blushed and began to fidget under his stare. I spluttered for a couple of seconds before settling on just shaking my head. Seth looked for a little longer, and pulled the nearest medic to us. He began talking about my shoulder and gesturing, I sat still and watched- I was shocked that he had paid me so much attention. I blushed harder when he accompanied me to the medical facility, even Sasha gave me a thumbs up when he wasn't looking. He stood by my fully functioning shoulder and we even brushed hands a few times. A few people gave him a questioning look as we walked by. He even stayed while the medic wrapped me up. "You don't need to feel responsible for me Seth, you've no idea how much I appreciate it... But I don't want your other half worried." I murmured it to him once they had set my shoulder, the medic had run through the healing and care process, saying a week and a half max. He shook his head again, and said nothing. I looked at the floor again and frowned. I didn’t want to cause any problems for anyone- part of the reason I hadn’t mentioned my injury to the medics. Seth brushed the back of his hand along my arm and I blushed to look up at him under my lashes. He smiled crookedly at me, before placing his hand on my lower back- supporting me to leave the office. We walked in silence until we reached the car park. Due to the sling my arm was in, Seth opened every door for me and even carried one of my bags. I had insisted to wheeling my suitcase... I wasn’t completely useless. It was when we got to my rental that caused problems. I hadn’t driven with anyone... How was I getting to the airport? I sighed and Seth smiled slightly, before chucking both our bags in the boot. “Seth! Really now, don’t you have somewhere to be?” I exclaimed to him and he shrugged before getting in the drivers seat. “Look.... Y/N. I know it’s sudden but... it’d be rude to not let me at least get you to the airport.” He spoke quietly and looked away. He’s nervous. I smiled to myself, and feeling a bit of confidence, I asked “If that’s the least, I’d love to see your most?” His fire was lit again and he responded "Baby you have no idea" ---____-----_____-----_____-----_____------______-----______-----_____ How on Earth I found myself inviting Seth Rollins round my house on Christmas Eve I have no idea. He had stayed with me all the way home (only living a drive away) and had helped me back home. If he was shocked by the lack of decorations in my house, he didn't mention it. I did smile slightly when I found him at my door on Christmas Eve, with a miniature tree in his arms and a bottle of wine. I smiled at him and welcomed him in, hoping he wasn't noticing that I was shaking. Preparing all day for one person would make me slightly nervous. Taking a mediora off the top of a ladder, sure! Making dinner for two? Now you're pushing it. "I hope you've been resting that arm, I know better than anyone that being injured sucks- and you just got the debut that every star dreams of." He smiled that crooked smirk and it just flushed me with heat. "I know, I know, nurse Rollins... But I can't just sit down on my rear knowing I'd have company..." I trailed off as we walked into my dining room, wondering if the table setting was a little too much. It had a tablecloth in deep red, adorned with golden setting mats, and golden candles down the middle. I was never really fond of glitter and jazz, but even I had to admit it looked pretty in its own way. Seth had gone quiet. I panicked. "I, I mean. It's to say thank you, you know? A lot of people wouldn't do what you did, and I, I appreciate it. I know it's not the best.... And you've probably got better places to be but.... I just...Thank you." It all flew from my mouth before I had a chance to filter it, and hearing it out loud made me sound so pathetic! I singed and rubbed my face, squeezing my eyes shut. I felt a hand wrap around my wrist, and Seth pulled me to him. He hugged me and kissed the top of my head. "If it makes you feel better baby, you're the only person who's ever done something like this for me..." He sighed and pulled away so he could look me in the eyes. "I've been following you for a while now, and you're amazing. To take care of everyone else first, and the passion you have... When you finally came up, I couldn't wait to meet you. And then you took those knees from the ladder..." He shook his head and raised his eyes to the sky. "God I've got such a crush on you." I laughed and said "Right back at you Rollins" He leant towards me and whispered "The tree isn't mistletoe, and if I'm going too fast slap me... But Merry Christmas..." His lips brushed mine and I leant into him, reaching further. Maybe I didn't have to spend Christmas alone.
#seth rollins#seth freakin rollins#monday night rollins#monday night raw#wwe#wwe raw#wwe imagine#rollins#colby lopez#imagines#wrestling imagine#wrestling#prompt
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thank you my love!! ^v^
(lmao i finally did it @solienna... it’s been like months but i finally completed this. also if you’re wondering, when i first tried to answer the original ask, it wouldn’t save any of what i’d written as a draft, so i just started a new post lol)
1. three songs that come up when you put your phone on shuffle
Flaws (acoustic) by Bastille
Wait For It from Hamilton
Here Comes the Rain Again by Eurythmics
3. three songs you were recently obsessed with
World in my Pocket by The Unlikely Candidates
The Darker the Weather, the Better the Man by MISSIO
Walk Me Home by P!NK
8. three songs that remind you most of summer and vacation
this is probably a weird choice but The Kids Aren’t Alright. I honestly don’t know why, it just gives me summer vibes.
Taste by Sleeping at Last (probably bc i listened to this A LOT while playing stardew valley and stardew gives me summer vibes)
Young Volcanoes by Fall Out Boy
(this section was so hard.... there are like 0 songs that i actually associate with summer and vacation. literally the only way i do is if i discover said song and listen to a lot around the time summer starts)
11. three favourite songs from movie or TV series soundtrack
What’s Up Danger By Blackway & Black Caviar
I’m Still Standing by Taron Egerton
The Cyborg Fights (Genos’ theme from One-Punch Man. It’s an instrumental piece, and it goes off).
12. three favourite songs from video games
i fucking hate you adri, so much, i never listen to video game soundtracks, you fool, i have nothing to offer you
Klavier’s theme from Ace Attorney! Called Guilty Love lmao
I played Night in the Woods recently, and I think my two favourite pieces were Astral Alley (it plays during a dream sequence and i literally fucked around doing nothing for a bit just to listen to this. It’s so peaceful, but there’s something also... wistful or sad about it, that i just love.)
and Dusk Stars! (That one plays while stargazing with a professor as a sidequest and tbh it was one of my favourite parts of the game. Surprisingly wholesome, and the last bit really struck a cord with me.)
13. three songs you want at your funeral
Saturn by Sleeping at Last
I Lived by One Republic
Pieces by Harbor and Home (low-key this song is practically a narrative for my life and for once it’s just comforting)
14. three songs you want at your wedding
Bright by Echosmith
Lovesong by Adele
Meaning of Life by Kelly Clarkson
(i don’t.... listen to happy love songs.... i was just going through my library of romantic songs and i was like “this is too pop, this is too angsty, this is pre-relationship, etc. etc”.)
15. three songs you want to dance with your love to
Fly Me to the Moon
Turn Time Off
Anna Sun by Walk the Moon (tbh this song gives me a very specific image of like moving into a new home with my lover and this song is playing while we’re unpacking, or even just any high energy song, and we end up pausing unpacking long enough to dance silly together and sing the song and it ends with us like hugging with a peck for good measure and life seems so good and perfect)
18. three songs that remind you of your best friend
Budapest (legit bc she showed me this song and was like “i think you would like this!” and you bet your ass i would love that song even if it was trash)
Another Night on Mars
Trouble is a Friend by Lenka (why? i legitimately don’t know. Especially since she’s the sweetest and most peaceful person ever. Then again she is a junkrat main.... never mind it makes sense)
19. three songs that are your guilty pleasure
Waters of Megalovania
Jessie’s Girl (this is like. the quintessential chad complaining about being friend-zoned, but i jam out to it every time, and im sucker for jealousy and unrequited love)
I Don’t Even Care About You by MISSIO for the days when im angry or having a bad day or more annoyed than usual at people trying to interact with me, and I just want to indulge in my old cynicism and hatred of the world in general
20. three songs that remind you of the person who sends this one
False Confidence by Noah Kahan
Hate That You Know Me by the Bleachers
Happy by Marina and the Diamonds
21. three songs of your childhood
oh boy adri, i was an angsty kid. I also tried to keep this specifically to songs I listened to before the age of ten just bc in my head my childhood was pretty much from the ages 3 to ~9, and honestly corresponds to a very specific period in my life
Because of You by Kelly Clarkson
Pieces by Sum 41
Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield
22. three songs you listen to when you’re sad
All We Do by Oh Wonder
All the King’s Horses by Karmina
SoLow by Keegan Calmes
(this selection was actually hard bc there are... a surprising amount tbh and that probably isnt a good thing lol)
23. three songs that never fail to get you pumped up
How Far We’ve Come by Matchbox Twenty
High on Humans by Oh Wonder
Shut Up and Dance by Walk the Moon (to the surprise of exactly no one. This song came out five years ago and it’s STILL my feel good song, even when i feel terrible)
(this was also a hard choice because i got so many feel good, pump me up songs as well, which i guess??? balances out the amount of sad songs i know and love??)
24. three favourite old songs
lmao how old are we talking here? early 2000s? before that? 1950s? i’ll just go with some goodies
Addicted to Love by Robert Palmer (OKAY SO. this is low-key an all-time favourite of mine and that i relate(d) to a LOT as the person he’s singing about.)
Africa by Toto (damn fucking right im putting it adri!!!)
For What It’s Worth by Buffalo Springfield
26. three favourite non-English songs
Alles Neu by Peter Fox (for once not a lyrics video, bc the official video is part of the Experience for this song)
The Narrow Street by Shin-Yong Woo (aka Jumin’s voice actor. This is simultaneously a huge mood, and gives me feels for my husband)
Little Traveler by clear (the only vocaloid song i know! im truly a sucker for The Little Prince though, the novel that inspired this song)
(be proud of me adri, this section could’ve been nothing but japanese songs, a good portion just from anime.)
29. three songs that influenced you most (some songs change or save lives)
im not gonna lie, a lot of these songs were kind of taken by the childhood ones but lemme see if i can scrounge up any others
In a Big Country by Big Country
Stand by Rascal Flatts
Better Get to Livin’ by Dolly Parton
(As you know, I listen to the first one A LOT, pretty much every time I get into sad mood and want some comfort, but the other two, i sort of forget about, even though i remember these songs being super important to me when i was younger. And re-listening to these now is... kind of crazy tbh, and bringing up all sorts of memories. I will say, perhaps i should give younger me more credit for how hard she was trying to heal and be a better person, just based on these songs lol)
30. three songs you really want your followers to know (for reasons other than all those above)
Lemme see, im gonna give you guys some songs that I internally categorize as late night songs. The songs that make you feel like you’re listening to it at 2 am on a Saturday night, and reality feels just a little bit shifted, and everything feels deeper, more meaningful
Sloppy Seconds by Watsky
Shrike by Hozier
Hurricane by Reuben and the Dark
Sunflower by Post Malone, Swae Lee
+Bonus. Three songs I can listen to, no matter what my mood
Muscle Memory (Acoustic) by Lights. No joke, even on days where i feel like any song is going to irritate the fuck out of me and im sick of listening to music and the emotions they evoke, i can listen to this and immediately feel better
It’s Alright by Mother Mother (legit whenever it shows up in my recommended i smash that mf play button no matter what. it’s like one of, if not the only, song that matches the screaming in my head.)
You’re Somebody Else by flora cash (same as the two above tbh)
#about#this took.... so long#also the 'recently obsessed with' section is no longer all that accurate lmao#though i am still loving them to death and listen to them on repeat so it's cool#istg it's been so long#we were different people back then
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