#i mean horror wise obviously i should ask for it to be scary but i think it was more than just horror | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

bisexual-horror-fan · 1 year ago

Note

In honor of you meeting Skeet Ulrich and Matthew Lillard congratulations by the way! (I’m new here but saw you met them so like WOW! That’s the dream) I was wondering I I could ask you what you personal favorite line from each Ghostface in the Scream movies is?

I’m shy so is it okay that I stay anonymous? I’ll just use the emoji 🔪 for any future asks I love your work btw and absolutely love scream :)

-🔪

Well, fuck me, I think I can do that! Let's run down the list.

Billy Loomis: "Sure it is, Sid. It's all a movie. It's all one great big movie. Only you can't pick your genre." Something about this, just fucking hits, right in the chest, the way he says it, the look on his face, I do not know, I love it.

Stu Macher: ''You take a knife and you slit 'em from groin to sternum.'' Seriously another one that I just adore, it is so telling to his character, I think about it often.

And a specfic one as Ghostface from the first Scream that hits is, "Scary night isn't it? With the murders and all. It's like right out of a horror movie or something." A little more unconventional but it is during the first call Sidney ever gets from Ghostface, so it only feels right to pick it man.

Mickey Altieri: "You should really deal with your trust issues Sid: I mean, poor Derek. He's completely innocent and such a nice boy too. He's bright and funny and handsome. Decent singing voice. And he was going to be a doctor. This is just the kinda boy you'd like to take home to mom. If you had a mom." So fucked up but the delivery of it man just gets me and gets me hard, also life imitating art, imitating life is up there.

Nancy Loomis/Debbie Salt: "Not wise to patronize me with a gun, Sidney. Randy spoke poorly of Billy, and I got a little knife happy." Again while I don't like Nancy a lot, the delivery was a serve.

Scream 2 Ghostface: "Have you ever felt a knife cut through human flesh... and scrape the bone beneath?" Noooo I have not but fuck me, do I want to!

Roman Bridger: "Variety called me a "pariah". I don't even know what a "pariah" is." Honestly very fucking funny line and delivery, I can give it up for that, second place is, "I'm about to turn 30, and it looks like I might be the next target". I, too, am about to turn 30 and would like to be the next victim, please.

Scream 3 Ghostface: "She's got a nice little... voice." The way it is said is like, okay! I see you!

Charlie Walker: "Shhh... It doesn't happen as fast as it does in the movies, I know." Yeah this was the moment I was like okay, okay, I get it. He's got something about him.

Jill Roberts: "You just won't die, will you? Who are you, Michael fucking Myers?" If I have to pick one from her, it's this one.

Scream 4 Ghostface: "I'm gonna slit your eyelids in half so you don't blink when I stab you in the face." Like it would be any other one man, come the fuck on.

Amber Freeman: "Welcome to act three." Again, the delivery, the cunt in it, yes. Also, "Yeah, and he died like a pussy!"

Richie Kirsch: "Oh, thank god, you're still alive. Because I really wanted to be the one to kill you". Again, low tier Ghostface but a good line with solid delivery.

Scream 5 Ghostface: "It's an honour." Like it'd be anything else COME ON.

Jason Carvey: "Alright, fine. It was even better than we could have imagined. And when the knife, went in her, it's like… she wasn't a human anymore. Just an animal. And everytime when I went in, she was less… Less human… And then? She was… just meat." Hot, so, so hot.

Ethan Landry: "I've always wanted to stick something in you, Tara!" Obviously it has to be this one, fuck.

Quinn Bailey: "I got Stu Macher's mask. He was my favorite." Bitch same!

Wayne Bailey: "All the best lies are based from the hard truth." Dude fucking sucks and ACAB always but I mean this hits.

Scream 6 Ghostface: "Who gives a fuck about movies?" I mean I do, way too much, but good shit man!

Okay and these are my picks, hope it is detailed enough man.

#BHF opinion #BHF asks #Scream talk

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proxis-shattered-expectations · 3 years ago

Note

Hehehe here's something Halloween related but, how would the horsemen do with horror movies and horror games?

Ooooooh, not much of a hack/slash/horror film gal, but I love suspense/mystery/horror, so I will try my best!

Death

. Don't think he's a big fan of cheesy slasher films, thinks they are tame in comparison to the shit he's seen in his lifetimes

. But if there is one thing that never ceases to surprise him, its mystery/suspense/and thriller films that humans make.

. He would especially take interest in the ones that deal in the human experience, like mind bending films that show the true horror of human conscience and capacity for evil.

. Likes to see the films that put people in scary but realistic scenarios that put their values and morale compass into question, and of the drastic measures they all take to preserve their life. (Silence of the lambs type of guy)

. Dunno if he's a video game kinda nephilim, but I think would enjoy games like Dead space, little nightmares, and a personal favorite, Death stranding.

War

. Despite it's cheesiness, he kinda does like slasher horror. I mean at first he thought the movies were real. It takes some explaining.

. He does like his share of thriller/mystery, but is not the type to deep think about a movie's meaning or wait around for the hidden answer

. Would also like sci-fi horror if that counts, even a love-craftian inspired one.

. Would be surprised with what kind of things human imagination can create even if they never saw are experienced the real thing. Our version of demons make him wonder about our sanity as a whole

. Definitely the guy who sees the slasher film stereotypes and says out loud what they should have done instead of dying a worthless death.

. Also kinda the guy who chuckles when the slasher kills someone in a horrible, yet obviously overdone way.

. Video game wise, gonna go with Bloodborne, and many hack-slash games.

Fury

. Is genuinely disturbed

. A buncha useless, hairless simians can come up with the stupidest, yet equally horrifying ideas when it comes to scary movies.

. Questions our sanities and capacity for a vivid imagination. "Humans as a whole are disturbing."

. I think likes both slasher and mystery when it comes to horror movies. Likes it when a movie has deep meaning, but wants some action at least. Not to cryptic, but not too Gorey either.

. Laughs at the stereotype misfortunes, thinks they are all stupid and should be smarter than that.

. Don't think she is a video game gal, just likes watching people play it. But if there is one, probably resident evil.

Strife

. Horror movie connesiuer. No questions

.The shining, IT, the conjuring, any classics. You name, he's probably seen it. Twice.

. Also a middle man when it comes to movies, but also likes cheesy scary films the most.

. When he first watched modern horror movies, he was scared. Just a little. Shocked at how advanced we were to make something digital look so terrifying.

. Also thinks it is fascinating how humans take the time to explore such a dark side of the human conundrum. Good vs evil, and where we draw the line.

. Loves love-craftian, monster, and even slasher films.

. Though I think he kind of draws the line at dolls.

. They creep him the fuck out.

. Also, loves any horror games.

Hope ya like, and don't be shy to send me more Darksiders asks

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curiosity-killed · 4 years ago

Text

hua cheng, the accidental person

okay this is for @bodhimcbodeface because i can’t shut up and make this concise enough for discord. spoilers ahead yeehaw

this is...not comprehensive. i’ve written 11 tgcf fics and am generally a bit fixated on Hua Cheng as a character so. there’s definitely things missing but i tried to hit the main points that i thought of while writing? also obviously this is just my interpretation! i do not expect anyone else to be like “ah yes curio the sage is so correct i have changed my thinking on this” like go live your life with your own versions of hua cheng! this is just the hill upon which i have firmly planted myself and from which i refuse to be budged. as u do.

anyway, LONG explanation of my very niche and very uh self-indulgent, not-necessarily-support-by-canon hua cheng apologism LMAO

tl;dr: (this is really Too Long i’m sorry) I think Hua Cheng reluctantly becomes a person during his 800 years of searching, starting from a point where he views Xie Lian not as a person but as an immutable god and focus of devotion and developing into a person who doesn’t really acknowledge that he’s a person because realizing that you want to live and do things for yourself is scary and overwhelming at times, and he ultimately falls in love with Xie Lian during the novel itself as he recognizes and is in wonder of the humanity of Xie Lian instead of his divinity or absolute judgment.

POINT 1: Hua Cheng doesn’t actually fall in love with Xie Lian till the ox cart

but curio! you say, “my beloved!” he calls him his beloved! and the land of tender!!

shhh. IMO Hua Cheng is more Wuming than Hua Cheng for those 800 years. By which I mean, for most of that time he’s, at his heart, a nameless soldier trying to find and serve his crown prince/general/god. He still views Xie Lian as this perfect and immaculate figure—a sculpture, a painting, a work of art that is untouchable and immutable. And he’s utterly and wholly devoted to that figure but devotion is not the same as love

So Hua Cheng is searching and trying to serve Dianxia all these years and then His Royal Highness finally ascends and is a god again and Hua Cheng shows up in all his glory to give this power and strength and wealth to serve him and—

and he’s met not by a powerful and reckless martial god or an unstoppable calamity but by a young man dressed in bridal robes who lets Hua Cheng lead him up a darkened mountain, who doesn’t lash out with spiritual energy or a sword but instead, only eventually, with the cursed bandage he was carrying back in the darkest part of his life.

and i think that throws hua cheng. like he’s had this image of his god all these years, this divine painting made over and over and over again—and he carries that belief and devotion with him, but there’s a crack in the sculpture and the stone is starting to flake off to reveal a human underneath it

so he puts on an approachable, malleable, unassuming skin and finds xie lian collecting scraps and being a lil awkward, a lil bumbling, generous and kind — and i think hua cheng, after 800 years of knowing everything, having everything — I think he looks at this discovery with wonder

Bc tbc this does not mean Hua Cheng views them as equals. For him it’s like, dianxia has even more to him, is even more than I knew. He’s seen Xie Lian as the flower crowned martial god in all his glory and as the white-clothed calamity in all his horror — and now here he is, wonderful, multitudinous, and human

Meanwhile I don’t think Hua Cheng even views himself as a person really, much less a human.

also i mean. the internet & allo ppl prove time and time again that you don’t need love for horniness so. land of tender’s right out as proof on that

POINT 2: The Live For Me thing

so obviously and undeniably, using one person as a reason for living is....not healthy. Not going to argue that. but my take on it personally is that, when Hua Cheng’s a kid who really, actively wants to die and sees no reason for living, Xie Lian gives him a reason to keep going. he doesn’t have to live for himself—that’s too much, that’s too big of an ask—but he’s been given a command and purpose by the one person who’s been kind to him/whom he respects. it’s a little like... “My life has no meaning but my cat needs me to feed him and clean his litterbox and so I need to keep getting up and taking care of him even if I don’t see a larger intrinsic purpose to my life.”

and i think like...it’s easy to forget that for all of books 2 & 4, Hua Cheng is young. He doesn’t live past 18—he’s still like...a kid. And that’s not to say that teenagers/young adults can’t make moral and rational decisions but I’m going to be honest, when I was that age I contemplated joining the Air Force because of tuition assistance and the snazzy uniform despite the fact that I was a vocal pacifist and repeatedly got into arguments with teachers about school rules and conservative politics. It’s not like. The Most Rational and Mature Age, lbr.

so Wuming is absolutely capable of looking at what Xie Lian is doing and being like “hey maybe war crimes aren’t a great idea” but he is young and traumatized and the one person he believes in, the one person who gave him a reason to keep going, is deadset on this task which tbh I don’t think either of them (or...necessarily...the society in which they live) views as war crimes in the modern sense (which isn’t to say that we as readers should view it any more lightly bc i think the narrative directly and firmly contradicts that idea) but as revenge, as an eye-for-an-eye. so, bad, but character-wise, I think it’s more nuanced than we sometimes consider

anyway back to the fixation on xie lian. i stand by the assertion that in those 800 years, hua cheng wasn’t exclusively focused on xie lian. like was finding and serving him his top priority? oh god yes. undeniably. there is no other version of this story. BUT eight hundred years is like....a lot of time. and i think in that time he started doing things for himself, even if under the guise of serving xie lian. hua cheng is curious and adventurous—he clearly likes to learn even if he plays it off as nbd—and i think he starts to realize that about himself in those centuries even if he doesn’t allow himself to acknowledge or consider it.

POINT 3: Mt. Tong’lu in General

“okay, sure but what about the thousands of sculptures and murals of xie lian, curio. what the fuck about them.”

Yeah. FINE. okay we will DEAL with this. dealing with this is the entire reason i wrote “(like i do) in the tall grass.”

disclaimer: this is probably not supported by canon! i also. Do Not care. My Ghost King Now.

so I have two general avenues I take with this:

going back to the devotion > love — when Hua Cheng reaches MTL, he’s seen xie lian beaten and cast down. what do gods need to survive? worship! we see throughout how important divine statues/portraits/etc. are throughout canon. in this interpretation, the cave is a concentration of all that worship in an effort to support and serve xie lian and hua cheng doesn’t view himself like...as part of it. the sculptures could have been carved by any hand so long as they are xie lian and the worship and devotion that goes into their making can support and bolster him.

my personal favorite version: amNESIA IN THE CAVES —okay i don’t have the text pulled up rn but y’know how Guoshi says Hua Cheng was almost dispersed, in terrible condition, etc., when he reached Mt. Tong’lu. so if baby boy is in terrible condition, barely hanging on, etc., then my immediate favorite option is that he doesn’t, at that time, have even the...uh threadbare sense of self he did in life/as Wuming and is running on only a vague and urgent sense of Something driving him—something he has to do, someone he has to serve—and in that case, the paintings and sculptures are part of his trying to piece together and process his memories as he can grasp them and figuring out who he is/what his purpose is. Is this canonical? PROBABLY NOT. and yet here i am. firmly planted on this hill

Also w/ MTL I think a thing that’s often skated over is the mortals, creation of E’ming, and his ascension. Which is important from a meta lens of Hua Cheng and Xie Lian vs Jun Wu but that’s not the point of this rambling monstrosity and i’m trying not to get too distracted. ANYWAY I think this is one of those times when Hua Cheng does something that he would probably excuse as like “well His Highness would’ve wanted me to” or “His Highness wouldn’t have been willing to sacrifice the mortals” because Xie Lian is still largely his moral compass—but it also is a peek at the complexity Hua Cheng doesn’t acknowledge within himself.

uh i got distracted anyway and no longer know what point i was making here. Hua Cheng Ascension Important....maybe i will remember this at some other point...

POINT 4: Live For Me (Revisited)

I sort of got distracted writing that point but anyway coming back to it now: I maintain that although Hua Cheng’s primary pursuit is protecting and serving Xie Lian he also does develop/realize his Accidental Personhood throughout his 800 years. this includes a lot of things, as previously stated, that are under the guise of serving Xie Lian (I’d put learning the Banyue tongue, finding out about the Gilded Banquet, collecting swords, beating the 33 officials etc., in this category) and things that maybe could be but...are not really (e.g., his friendship alliance with He Xuan, Paradise Manor* in general, the Gambling Den, learning the Wuyong tongue, bullying Qi Rong*, bullying FengQing*, playing with gold foil palaces, etc.)

(*these are ones that like...could be said to be for Xie Lian and I think he might say are for Xie Lian but also have a personal element that is just for him.

Like yes Paradise Manor is a lavish and well-stocked residence fit for a god or crown prince...but it’s also a luxurious and extravagant collection of all the things he couldn’t have in life. it’s like giving a kid a credit card with no limit and letting them run wild through uh. Fuck. A Fancy Department Store.

And sure Qi Rong was awful and turned on Xie Lian in pretty damning ways, but I also genuinely think part of Hua Cheng’s grudge with him is from the childhood abuse and from just...hatred that Qi Rong is around and looks like Xie Lian and gets to be there when Hua Cheng can’t find Xie Lian (which is about Xie Lian but for Hua Cheng).

Similarly with FengQing, sure a lot of his hate is for them abandoning Xie Lian—but he doesn’t even know till Book 3 when they abandoned him, and consider how much more he hates Mu Qing, the guy he blames for kicking him out of the army, etc. Some of it is totally “in service” to Xie Lian but some of it is because Hua Cheng carries a grudge like a goddamn pro and finds catharsis in beating the shit out of immortals who bounce back and can’t stop tripping over themselves and onto his blade.)

#hua cheng #tgcf #tgcf meta #long post #i'm sorry i cannot be concise or clear with my thoughts :<#this is why i write fic #bc i can just mash these interpretations through prose and then they turn out more clearly #....i think #i hope anyway bc this sure as fuck isn't that clear

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ibijau · 4 years ago

Photo

Xisang Week Day 3: Shifter / Royalty / Fairy Tale

the leopard was mostly traced because animals? Not really my thing :D

I’m dedicating this one in particular to the Xisang discord, since the snow leopard shifter!Nie is that AU everyone brings back after heavy angst has been discussed XD

Two pairs of eyes watched as Lan Xichen walked away from the house. Nie Huaisang growled in warning so Lan Wangji knew to move away. Disappointed but understanding, his friend left the comfortable position they had found, Lan Wangji laying his head on Nie Huaisang stomach, both of them enjoying the warm sun of early summer on the porch. While Lan Wangji went inside to put away his book, Nie Huaisang yawned and started stretching his whole body with intent until his fur disappeared and his bones returned to their other shape.

Like this, furless in the morning air, the sun felt less warm. Before Nie Huaisang could start shivering, Lan Wangji returned so they could do like Lan Xichen and head out for breakfast.

As they walked side by side, an idea that had been bothering Nie Huaisang for a while struck him again.

“I think gege doesn’t like me,” he sighed.

Lan Wangji shot him a surprised look, but said nothing. He never said much, even if he was really old enough he should have spoken well. He used to do it a bit more, but his mother had died a little before Nie Huaisang’s father, and now he was a really quiet person.

“Gege never tries to pet me,” Nie Huaisang explained in a tone of self evidence. “Everyone does, but not gege, so he doesn’t like me.”

For being silent, the look Lan Wangji threw him had plenty to say. First, that Nie Huaisang was a little self-centered, because adults never tried to pet him, and at very nearly ten Lan Xichen was obviously almost an adult. Second, that Nie Huaisang didn’t like it when random people tried to touch his snow leopard form without his permission, leading to the two of them often hiding together for hours to avoid the attention since Nie Huaisang had arrived to the Cloud Recesses, a few weeks before.

“He always frowns when he sees me being a leopard,” Nie Huaisang continued, never one to give up on an idea. “And then he smiles, but it’s not a real smile. He shouldn’t smile so much like that if it’s not real. And also he really, really never tries to pet me and that’s weird and I think he hates me."

"Brother likes everyone,” Lan Wangji retorted, offended enough by this attack on his brother’s character to let his voice be heard.

‘People who like everyone often like no one,’ Nie Huaisang’s father told him once, in the days before everything went so wrong. Nie Huaisang had listened and committed that to memory, because back then his father was the strongest and wisest man in the whole entire world. Now though, he wasn’t so sure anymore. Lan Xichen clearly loved his brother a lot, and he looked sad when people mentioned his mother so he must have loved her too. Besides, Nie Huaisang no longer believed his father to be so wise anyway.

At the end, his father had just turned out to be mean and scary, and then he’d died and that was a relief, even if Nie Huaisang wasn’t supposed to say or even think that. And now Nie Mingjue, busy with getting the sect in order, had sent his brother away to Gusu for safety when Nie Huaisang only wanted to be with him, and that too was their father’s fault.

Everything was their father’s fault.

“Gege likes everyone except me,” Nie Huaisang grumbled, feeling some tears threatening at the corner of his eyes after making the mistake of thinking of his family.

It was silly that it bothered him so much whether Lan Xichen liked him or not, and he knew adults would probably have scolded him for it. It was bad of him to bask so much in the attention he received for his other form, to want everyone’s eyes on him, but he couldn’t help it. At home he was nothing special, but since coming to Gusu, everyone treated him like he was extraordinary.

Everyone except Lan Xichen.

It had been nearly a decade since Nie Huaisang’s first stay in the Cloud Recesses, but the place hadn’t changed much… and neither had he. Certainly the circumstances were different, he was there to study rather than to be protected from the power struggles that followed his father’s death, but everything else was much the same.

So when another guest student asked whether it was true that members of the Nie clan were cursed, Nie Huaisang quickly turned into his feline form as answer.

As he had as a young child, Nie Huaisang delighted in the gasps of shock and fear that followed. He was now old enough to understand that none of them could change, though it still puzzled how anyone could live perpetually on two legs. Nie Huaisang pitied them, really, and that was part of why he was always so willing to transform for the entertainment of others, almost an apology for being better than them.

Mostly though, he enjoyed this rare chance to feel superior.

After the first moment of fear and horror, the other boys quickly recovered, their emotions turning to wonder and curiosity.

“Is it really a curse?"

"Where do your clothes go?"

"Does it hurt?"

“Can the curse be transmitted?”

"Can I touch you?"

The last question was repeated a few times, making Nie Huaisang shiver when they all tried to pet his fur. It always scared him a little how quickly people forgot he was a person, and tried to touch him with a disrespect for boundaries they’d never dare to have when he was human. When he was younger he didn’t mind it so much, but the more he grew, the less he tolerated the touch of strangers. Still, he sat still, his head hung low to give them permission.

People never liked it when he refused to be pet, and he wanted to be liked so badly.

Just as the boldest of the other boys dared to bury a hand into the fur of his neck, a voice rang behind them.

"What is going on here?” Lan Xichen asked.

On pure instinct, Nie Huaisang dropped on his stomach to show he meant no trouble, looking up at his brother’s friend who seemed upset.

He always seemed upset around Nie Huaisang.

“Lan gongzi, that’s Nie gongzi !” one boy exclaimed, as if Lan Xichen might not have known that. “Isn’t it amazing? He’s cursed but he was going to let us pet him!"

If Nie Huaisang had missed the frown on the older boy’s face, the smell of his anger was unmistakable. He made himself lay even flatter on the ground, a little scared he might have gotten in trouble on his very first day there.

"I am well aware this is Nie gongzi, I recognise him,” Lan Xichen said with a pleasant smile. “I understand you are all new to the Cloud Recesses, but we have rules that must be respected. Unnecessary noise is frowned upon. Besides, it will soon be time for dinner, and you should start heading to the dining halls to make sure you get there on time.”

His voice was calm, gentle even, and he wasn’t that much older than them, but not a single one of them would have dared to object. Such was the effect that Lan Xichen had on people. Even Nie Huaisang quickly returned to his other shape so he could obey, but Lan Xichen stopped him from following the others.

“You should not use your gift like this,” he mildly scolded.

Nie Huaisang nodded, because his brother had often told him the same. It was one thing to shift whenever he pleased inside the Unclean Realm, where there were many others like him, but away from home he ought to have been more cautious.

“I won’t do it again, Lan gongzi,” he mumbled. “I swear, the whole time I’m here I’ll stay human."

"I wouldn’t ask that of you,” Lan Xichen protested. “It would be cruel of me. But exercise more caution, at least around people who you do not know well.”

“That's…"

"Just then, you seemed uncomfortable, right?” Lan Xichen asked, a little unsure now. “Or did I misunderstand the situation?"

Hesitantly, Nie Huaisang nodded again. It surprised him that Lan Xichen could read the body language of his other form. Outside of Qinghe Nie, few people could, unless they had a deep connection to a Nie. But of course, that was the case of Lan Xichen, who was so close to Nie Mingjue, so it shouldn’t have surprised him.

"You shouldn’t let people touch you if you don’t like it,” Lan Xichen admonished, to which Nie Huaisang could only nod again. Lan Xichen sighed. “Huaisang…"

Nie Huaisang looked at the other boy, hunching his shoulder as he awaited more reprimand, perhaps even punishment for making trouble already. Lan Xichen no longer seemed angry though. A little disappointed, almost sad, but not angry. Or, well, disappointed for sure. But sad? He had no reason to be sad, so Nie Huaisang had to be misreading that part.

"Yes, Lan gongzi?"

Lan Xichen sighed and shook his head.

"Nothing. We should go too, it wouldn’t do for us to be late to dinner."

"Yes, Lan gongzi."

Another sigh, and when Nie Huaisang looked again, Lan Xichen’s expression was definitely somewhat sad.

"I wouldn’t mind if you used my name,” he said with uncharacteristic hesitation. “You don’t have to be so formal with me. After all, you call my brother by name."

"Oh but it’s different, Wangji is my friend!” Nie Huaisang protested. “I really could not disrespect you like this!"

Lan Xichen pinched his lips, and turned away.

"Let’s just go. We’re really going to be late otherwise."

He started walking without waiting for Nie Huaisang who could only follow a few steps behind, wondering if he had somehow offended the other boy.

They made it on time for dinner, but only just. Lan Qiren threw Nie Huaisang an angry glare, as if it were his fault if his perfect nephew had nearly broken a rule.

Nie Huaisang sighed as he dug into his meatless meal, and promised himself to avoid Lan Xichen in the future.

Classes were a nightmare, and Nie Huaisang was sure he’d have to come back another year.

Meals were a nightmare, and he often had to go secretly hunt at night just to have some meat.

Other students were a nightmare, angry at him whenever he refused to change into his other form to amuse them.

So far, Nie Huaisang did not much enjoy his time in the Cloud Recesses.

At least, there was Lan Wangji, whose companionship was still so pleasant after all these years. Even though they had both grown and changed in many ways, in others they were still the same, able to spend endless hours in comfortable silence together. Anyone else needed to beg or threaten to get Nie Huaisang to transform before them these days, but all Lan Wangji needed was a glance and it was a done thing.

As the weeks passed, Nie Huaisang found himself visiting his friend every chance he had. Whenever it was warm enough, they would be on the porch together, Nie Huaisang laying in the sun in his animal shape, Lan Wangji sitting against him with a book or a piece of music he needed to study. Lan Qiren was never happy to find them like that, but could find nothing in his precious rules to forbid it. Lan Wangji usually just ignored him, obeying rules to the letter and refusing to consider other matters. As for Nie Huaisang, after a shichen spent in that form, he couldn’t care about things as useless as propriety and etiquette.

Everything was so much simpler when he was a snow leopard.

Everything, except Lan Xichen’s disapproval.

At least, Nie Huaisang thought of it as disapproval. Lan Wangji had more than once assured him that his brother bore him no ill-will, even hinting that he thought his friend was the one to bring coldness and distance into their acquaintance, but Nie Huaisang knew better. Lan Xichen always stayed a step or two away from him, especially when he was in his animal form, and he had that look on his face if he saw him playing with others as a leopard in the Cloud Recesses… though he usually had his expression more under control if Nie Huaisang was only with Lan Wangji, so of course his brother wouldn’t have noticed.

It really upset Nie Huaisang that Lan Xichen disliked him like that, though he wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was just that Lan Xichen clearly liked Nie Mingjue and Lan Wangji so much, who were also Nie Huaisang’s favourite people in the world, and it stung that the affection couldn’t be extended to him.

It was almost fall, but the weather was still warm that afternoon, so of course Nie Huaisang and Lan Wangji were together on the porch of the house the latter shared with his uncle and brother.

Until then, it had not been a very pleasant day for Nie Huaisang. The results of his last batch of exams had arrived, confirming something he had known for months: he was an idiot, and would need to return the year after to try learning what everyone else had managed in one year. His brother would be furious, just as Lan Qiren had been angry at this stain on his career as a teacher. Well, Nie Huaisang assumed he was angry. He hadn’t said anything, but of course he had to be angry.

At least, in his other shape, those things stopped mattering. As long as he could lay in the sun and enjoy Lan Wangji’s company, Nie Huaisang was a happy snow leopard.

Of course, even that was ruined when Lan Xichen appeared on the path to the house and walked right toward them, carrying a message from his uncle who requested Lan Wangji’s presence. Usually ever obedient, it was clear that Lan Wangji felt somewhat reluctant to leave his friend when he had been crying so much earlier, before taking on his animal form. Still, open rebellion was not in Lan Wangji’s nature and he quickly went, leaving his poor friend in the company of his brother.

Unwilling to annoy Lan Xichen, Nie Huaisang forced himself to turn back into a human. It took effort, as it always did when he was upset, but he managed.

“You could have stayed like that,” Lan Xichen said with a hint of a frown. “You’ve had a rough day. Isn’t it easier for Nie people to handle their emotions in their other shape?”

Nie Huaisang felt himself blush at the accusation and looked away. It was true, of course. The instant he’d become human again, the pain of failing his exams so badly had quickly returned, with now the added shame of being told he was too emotional over this. It really was too much. Nie Huaisang was sure he was going to cry if he stayed human too long, and it made him almost angry that Lan Xichen could be so dismissive with him when he was usually so kind to others.

"Lan gongzi, why do you dislike me so much?” he asked, hating how whiny he sounded but unable to help himself.

Lan Xichen startled and stared at him, eyes wide with surprise.

“Why would you think such a thing?"

"When you look at me, you often have that expression on your face,” Nie Huaisang explained with a shrug, daring to meet his eyes. “And you’re always looking at me if you’re nearby, like I’m going to make trouble otherwise. I won’t, you know! I’m trying hard not to! And then, also…"

"Also?"

Nie Huaisang shook his head. "No, it’s stupid. It’s really nothing. And it’s fine if you don’t like me!"

"I’m sure your concerns are not stupid,” Lan Xichen replied in an oddly strangled voice. “Tell me what I’ve done to make you believe I dislike you, so that I may correct it in the future."

It was an odd thing to say, as if it mattered what Nie Huaisang believed. Still, ordered to speak, it would have been wrong to stay silent.

"Everyone tries to touch me in my other form,” he explained. “But you never do. Even when we were little… You’ve really disliked me from the start, I guess?"

"I haven’t!” Lan Xichen cried out with emotion, before quickly regaining his composure. “Huaisang, I’ve never disliked you. And I’ve been… I’ve been as tempted by your fur as everyone else,” he admitted, some colour rising on his cheeks. “Even when I was little. But everyone was always touching you, often without your permission, so I thought it would be wrong to ask. I’ve long thought if you ever want to be pet by me you will say so, and otherwise it is better to leave you alone, since you are already pestered by so many others."

"Lan gongzi, I think that’s the kindest thing anyone has ever told me,” Nie Huaisang spluttered, his heart racing so fast and so hard that it nearly made him dizzy.

Nobody else ever seemed to care what he preferred in terms of boundaries, except Lan Wangji… but even he had had to learn over time, and at first he had imposed himself as much as all the others. Aside from that, the only people who hadn’t tried to pet Nie Huaisang upon seeing his other form were those who got too scared.

“If that’s the case, I’ll have a word with your brother,” Lan Xichen retorted with a warm smile that, for once, reached his eyes. “You deserve more kindness than that, Huaisang."

His cheeks ablaze, Nie Huaisang pouted.

"Now you’re teasing, Lan gongzi. But… So, you would want to?"

"Would you?” Lan Xichen retorted, his face a little redder in spite of the calm of his voice.

It was tempting to say no, just to see what would happen. If it had been anyone else, Nie Huaisang would have put the other person to the test, refusing to be touched yet still transform to tempt them. But Lan Xichen wasn’t just any person, he had proved already he would respect Nie Huaisang’s choice.

And as to whether Nie Huaisang wanted it or not…

It had always bothered him that Lan Xichen alone wouldn’t try to pet him in his other form. Part of it was just that he liked attention. But even after he had started disliking the touch of most others, he had still wondered about Lan Xichen. If he gave scratches half as good as Lan Wangji's… and with those long fingers of his, delicate enough for a guqin, strong enough for a bow, how could he not?

In a heartbeat, Nie Huaisang made his choice and turned into his other shape once more, quickly walking closer to Lan Xichen. The older boy knelt down next to him, but still made no movement to touch him.

“You didn’t really answer my question, Huaisang,” he noted, sounding somewhat amused.

A fair remark, and one that made Nie Huaisang’s heart clench in emotion. He didn’t want to turn back into a human, so instead he rubbed himself against Lan Xichen’s knees, hoping the invitation would be clear enough.

It must have been. Lan Xichen chuckled, and ran one hand through the thick fur on Nie Huaisang’s back.

“It’s softer than I thought,” Lan Xichen whispered in awe, a bright smile on his lips. “Worth the wait, certainly. Thank you for allowing me."

For a moment, Nie Huaisang feared the other boy would leave it at that, content with this single touch. He was happily proven wrong when Lan Xichen gently pet his head, letting his fingers glide behind one ear to lightly scratch there, right where it felt the best.

Nie Huaisang didn’t even realise he had started purring until Lan Xichen’s hands stilled on the back of his head.

"Is it you making that noise?” he gasped.

Nie Huaisang nodded, still purring. In this form he never felt as much embarrassment as when he was human, so he shamelessly nuzzled again Lan Xichen’s wrist, silently begging for him to resume scratching him. Even Lan Wangji and Nie Mingjue, who knew him so well, didn’t do it half as well.

“You really are full of surprises, Huaisang,” Lan Xichen said with a gentle laugh.

Nie Huaisang purred louder, pressing himself harder against the other boy until he ended up half on Lan Xichen’s lap. A great place to be, although the more human part of him would probably die of shame later, when he would return to his other form and realise what he had done.

A problem for later.

At that moment, laying on Lan Xichen’s legs and with his head scratched to perfection, Nie Huaisang was the happiest he had ever been, and nothing could spoil that.

#xisangweek2020 #xisang #nie huaisang #lan xichen #mdzs #NHS&LWJ AS BFF AGENDA HECK YEAH #tbh I think 99% of the discussions about this AU end up being about lwj having bff priviledge and everyone being jealous?XD #anyway sorry I've brought maybe a touch of angst into this (literally) fluffy AU XD

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thorin-is-a-cuddler · 4 years ago

Text

Getting to know them

A/N: Alright, I love The Old Guard and ofc I adore the messy one the most: Booker 💗 I wanted to write something slightly shippy for him and Andy, so it‘s definitely suggested in this One Shot. :) Nile asks the gang a question: what is your weakness? I‘m sorry, I can‘t do the „keep reading“ thing

Nile looked around with curious eyes, scanning each and every single member of Andromache’s so called army. All of them were male. All of them seemed a little mysterious and suspicious to her. Except for Nicky with his gentle smile. And Joe, too. Basically the only really suspicious looking person at the table was Booker.

There was a milky fog in his eyes that seperated him from the rest.

Nicky and Joe gave off a warm, welcoming aura that was too honest to be anything but real. There was the sharp piercing coldness in Andy’s eyes that was scary at first, but eventually appeared to Nile as the natural look of someone who had been alive for ages and eons - and had seen horrors beyond imagination. But in Booker’s eyes there was nothing readable or analyzable going on. Sure, there was a certain amount of sadness and possibly tiredness visible in that milky fog. Apart from that nothing really invited Nile to look closer.

He was friendly enough. But he also seemed the most reserved among the group.

What Nile did notice was a short lively flicker in his gaze when Andy entered the room with a new bottle of Scotch. He straightened out his back and seemed a lot more attentive all of a sudden. Nile wasn’t capable of telling whether the outlook on more booze or the sight of Andy herself was causing that slightly more vivid reaction. It definitely caught her interest.

Especially since Andy’s attention upon entering the room was directed at Booker first. It was short and seemed like an uncontrollable impulse on her side. But both of their faces were grazed with a short blink-and-you-miss-it smile when their eyes met. Almost timid.

Nile turned her head to check Nicky’s and Joe’s possible reactions to this quiet exchange between their „boss“ and colleague (?). But the two of them were pretty busy with staring into each other’s eyes. Nile was close to rolling her eyes. Please, someone assure her that she didn’t stumble into a group of immortal lovey-dovey couples.

She crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. Her mother would have called her posture „sulking“, but none of the people in the room were aware of that luckily. „So.“ She sternly said, raising everyone’s attention towards her.

Andromache took the seat next to Booker - aha, suspicious enough - and put the bottle down on the table in front of her. She raised her brows and had another silent exchange with her neighbor who was smirking pretty obviously now.

„So.“ He repeated, crossed his arms and sat back, eyeing her with what could have been called challenging, but most likely was a mix of slightly drunk and generally tired. She was seated next to him on the far end of the table and had a good look on everyone. They all seemed very eager to hear what she had to say.

„I feel I have quite the disadvantage in this group of ours.“ Nile almost stumbled over the word „ours“. It didn’t feel natural on the tip of her tongue yet.

„Why’s that?“ Nicky asked, listening attentively with a kind look in his eyes. He reminded her of her brother which was why she quickly had to look away. She gulped and tried not hold her own hand too tightly.

„I don’t mean to be rude, but since you all are so much older than I am and have known each other for so much longer, I feel like I should get to know a few things about you all.“ Nervously Nile bit down on her bottom-lip, before she concluded with: „We are going to sleep in the same room after all.“

Booker unexpectedly started to laugh after that last sentence. He had a deep voice that made his laughter sound very pleasant. They all seemed to have nice laughs, though, which Nile could convince herself of in that specific moment as they all joined in on Booker’s low chuckles. Nile blushed against her will - as blushes tended to happen - and gritted her teeth. But no one looked at her with ill intend. They all seemed to get where she was coming from.

She relaxed a little, when Andy nodded at her with a smile. „Of course, you can ask us whatever you want.“

„Ah,“ Joe interrupted and gave Nile a meaningful look, „everything above waistline.“

Nicky scrunched up his face at that and made a slightly put-off noise as he closed his hand around Joe’s atop of his armrest. Joe laughed as Andy and Booker made similar grossed put noises. Andy additionally decided to throw a napkin in his direction. It was all in good humor and Nile couldn’t help but let a small smile appear on her features.

„Ask away, Nile,“ Nicky encouraged her and pushed Joe’s shoulder with his own to make his giggles die.

Nile looked at every single one of them and leaned in closer. „Okay, since we are making ourselves very vulnerable in this constellation, the question that first comes to mind is: what are your weaknesses?“

Again everyone’s similar reaction was to groan. Except for Joe who was still giggling just the littlest bit. Despite that big wave of nope, Nicky was the first and quickest to answer: „Joe. That is not a hard question for me.“

Booker rolled his eyes, as Joe’s giggles stopped altogether and he turned his head to look at his lover with devotion and fondness. Andy didn’t look at them, but she was smiling.

„I hope it does not count for less, because I am saying it second. But for me it is Nicky. Nothing is certain. And my world, my life revolves around him.“ Nicky extended his hand in response and touched Joe’s face with his fingertips, gently moving them down his cheek. Joe leaned in closer to steal a soft and tender kiss from his lover. For Nile this characterized the two of them as deeply loyal and overwhelmingly in love. It was hard to imagine how deep their love for each other truly was. Since it must have rooted deep, deeply into the earth, closer to the core than any love before had ever reached.

Andy raised her voice and matter-of-factly said: „My weakness is baklavas.“

Booker squeezed his eyes shut and started laughing again, shaking his head and grumbling: „That’s not fair.“

„It’s the truth though.“ Andy held against his claim with a smirk, pulling something out of her jeans pocket and unfolding it in front of Nile’s eyes. Nile could see that the wrapping paper had contained a little dessert. Andy held it close to her nose and inhaled. She smiled. „Mhhh.“ Carefully she wrapped it up again, storing it back in the pocket next to her knee. She glanced up at Nile. „I’m not sharing this with you ever.“

Nicky and Joe laughed at that and somehow seemed to have gotten even closer to each other than before. Nile was really looking forward to sharing a room with them…

„Which leads us to you, Booker.“ Nicky pointed out, making a movement with his hand in the blond man’s direction.

„Yes, Booker, what is your weakness?“ Andy asked with a sort of flashy smile, moving a bit closer to the man in the chair next to her who was cluelessly raising his arms and shrugged.

„Uhm… well… maybe the booze?“ He asked, toasting to Nile and downing his drink, looking at the others for approval. Which he didn’t get. Andy shook her head vehemently and seemed very focused on him now. Nile watched the two of them like a movie. They seemed comfortable around each other in a way that was similar to Nicky and Joe - at least potential-wise.

„No, that doesn’t count. That’s just a terribly bad habit.“ Andy told him and put his glass out of reach to allow him no refill.

„Ah, pardon, but the baklava counts?“ Booker exclaimed, pushing Andy’s shoulder and meaning to grab for his glass again, which was easily pushed even further out of his reach by the leader of the group.

She grinned and put her hand against his chest to keep him from getting up. „Baklavas are basically art and I doubt that can be said about Scotch.“

„Oh, I am ready to defend the arts of Scotch, Boss. I believe I even studied them back in the day of-“ Booker’s ironical soliloquy was stopped abruptly during the tame wrestling fight against Andy when the formerly worshipped godess shoved her hands under his arms and started tickling.

Nile’s mouth opened in awe, as Booker immediately crumbled on his chair, trying to defend himself with his elbows close to his ribs and his body twisted uncomfortably. His eyes were squeezed shut, the tip of his tongue was poking out between his teeth and the smile he wore was one of utmost joy. It suited him impossibly well and Nile was shocked to see the difference between his formerly displayed smiles opposed to this one. He hadn’t made a sound up until that point, as silent laughter had taken over his bodily functions. This changed though when Andy pulled at one of his elbows to get more vulnerable space to her attack.

„NONONONO!!“ Booker shrieked, in the husky voice of a man who didn’t usually laugh that outgoingly. His deep giggles had a desperate ring to them, an out-of-breath undertone that was absolutely contagious and forced Nile to grin at the chaotic pair.

Joe and Nicky were looking at them with similar looks on their faces. It seemed very affectionate. Obviously it wasn’t the first time that this situation occurred.

„STOP STOP STOP!! NOHO PLEASE AHAHNDY!!“ Booker started kicking a bit too violently, meeting the table with his shoe and making it shake vibrantly, leading to Nile’s drink falling over.

„See, that is a weakness, Booker,“ Andy stated as she reduced the mysterious man to a snorting, giggling, wheezing mess in his chair with skillful fingertips and a steady knowledge of his most ticklish areas.

Nile couldn’t stop grinning, as Nicky and Joe made it their job to save the rest of the food and drinks on the table by placing them on a table further to the back. This only seemed to make the new option of tilting Booker’s chair available to Andy and in no time they were rolling onto the floor, with Booker eagerly trying to rob away on his back and Andy very eager to keep him from doing just that. Booker’s laughter was getting a hysterical notion to it when Andy came close to him again, threatening him with more vicious, unbearable tickles which really seemed to be his number one weakness from what Nile could tell.

„Wait wait wait wait WAIT!!“ Booker barked out as he extended his hands in front of his body in order to defend himself against Andromache the Scythian. A very adorable tactic really. And one Andy herself wasn’t necessarily impressed with. With a big smile she quickly latched on to Booker’s sides again, despite his struggle to keep her away.

And Booker was an instant mess. Andy’s thumbs wiggled into his hips, making Booker’s entire body buck up and shake with the unbearable feeling this attack sent through his nerve ends all the way up to his brains. He was wheezing with laughter and couldn’t get away from Andy’s tickling fingers working their way up his stomach and ribs as if his defenses were a joke to her. „THIS ISN’T FAHAIR!!“ The poor man squealed as his cheeks started to blush from the effort of laughing this incessantly.

„No, it isn’t,“ Andy agreed with fake sympathy before she started wiggling her fingers into a spot below Booker’s armpits that made his laughter kick up a notch, „but it’s fun.“

Nile watched with amusement as Booker was reduced to a giggling pile on the floor and Andy was having the time of her life turning him into it. They both seemed to be rather comfortable in their position. Even Booker didn’t exactly fight for his life to get out of the tickle hell Andy was putting him through. When Andy’s fingertips were scribbling up Booker’s chest, nearing his neck, he started fighting a bit more, giggling a pitch higher than before and actually starting to beg. „NONONO PLEASE NO, I GIVE UP, I GIHIVE UP!! AHAHANDY STOP IT!!“

„Oh, alright, alright, I’m stopping, I am.“ Andy quit her ticklish attack with a sombre smile on her lips, moving her hands away and holding them up innocently. Booker was wheezing on the floor, folding his arms over his chest and shaking his head at his boss, as little giggles kept pouring out of him.

„No more,“ he huffed, a smile on his face, as Andy started laughing at him, seemingly enchanted by his defeated, weak little self. „No more, Andy.“

„I think Nile got an answer to her question.“ Andy calmed him down and affectionately rubbed his arms which he did react to by relaxing more. With an imploring, cheeky look she fixed his eyes and added: „I think she also understood that you don’t exactly mind this little weakness of yours.“

„What!!“ Andy grinned at Nile as she got off of Booker.

„Your other questions might just have to wait until tomorrow.“ She said and winked at her, before walking over to where Nicky and Joe had retreated in the big room.

„Are you implying that I like this?“ Booker turned on his stomach and yelled after her, trying to grab for Andy’s heels, but failing. With a loud sigh he allowed himself to roll over on his back again. He looked at Nile out of the corner of his eye. „I do not like this. Not at all.“

Nile nodded completely convinced and felt a wave of affection flood her stomach when Booker closed his eyes and started snoring. In that very moment he didn’t seem suspicious in the least. She took this as her cue to join the others at the east side of their room as well. Of their shared room.

Ours.

The word didn’t sound that threatening anymore all of a sudden.

#tickling #the old guard #the old guard fanfic #ticklish!booker #andy x booker #fanfic #ticklish #tickle fic #tog #andromache the scythian #nicolo di genova #yusuf al kaysani #sebastien le livre #nile freeman

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ninjakitty15 · 3 years ago

Text

Chapter 10: Tricks Are For Gods (Loki x OFC Pairing)

"That right there is why guns are a dumb idea against zombies," I pointed out as we all watched one of the zombie movies Tony bought just to debunk for future reference. "Their eyes are shit but they hear just fine and if you want them to stop coming you need a firearm that causes maximum damage."

"But do they run that fast?" asked Clint on the couch adjecent from Loki and me.

"I mean if you really want them to but its like having explosive shits with them, the faster they run the more they fall apart."

A collective groan of disgust came from the other Avengers.

"Ask stupid questions, expect stupid answers. They're rotting corpses, c'mon people."

"IZombie's got a point," Tony agreed. "How was the outside world by the way?"

"I was very disappointed to find out people still royally suck and creeps still roam free unchecked and uncharged for their crimes, what the hell are you lot doing that this is still happening?"

"Dealing with bigger threats with bigger weapons obviously," Tony remarked. "Should I look on the video feed for what you were up to?"

"Nothing illegal, just fought fire with fire and creeped out the creeps of the streets."

"She's very good at it too," added Loki.

Of course that didn't stop Tony from snooping and of course he found footage of me scaring them off. "What did you say to that last guy that made him turn into an angry tomato?"

"Told him his dead mom and wife are ashamed of his existence, which isn't a lie at all, he's kind of a monster."

"What did he say to start this?"

"Told me pretty girls like me should smile more. Maybe I should sharpen my teeth."

"Please don't," Loki spoke up.

"Why not? All the better to eat you with, my dear."

"Can you not ruin my childhood stories please?" moaned Clint.

"Listen, most of them are from horror stories anyway just dumbed down for your innocent ears and eyes."

"Ring around the rosie, for starters. Grimm's fairy tales were all dark, some of the disney movies definitely," Tony agreed.

"Sleeping Beauty was raped in her sleep by the king she later married," I added on. "And girls still wanna be the next disney princess, hard pass there."

"I beg your pardon, what kind of people are you reading these kinds of tales to your children?" Loki demanded.

"Hey don't look at me, I don't even have children, I'm just a fan of horror stories and those popped up."

"What would you read to them if you did though?" asked Nat.

"Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, all three of them, don't look at me like that, I raise the dead for a living, my kids need to have nerves of steel just to live with me."

Loki studied me curiously, probably wondering how good or bad a mother I would be if that was possible or maybe what kind of family he envisioned us having if again possible. I turned to catch his eyes with my own and arched an eyebrow.

"Something you wanna share with the class?" I challenged.

"Just pondering a what if future," was his simple response.

"Don't strain yourself." A couch pillow was his response to my quip that had everyone kind of staring in shock at his childish but very amusing reaction. "That's real cute but unfortunately for you I'm gonna have to kill you now, eat feathers you glorified smurf!"

"This better not lead to what it usually leads to when one of you pounces on the other, what if Peter walks in? His innocent eyes!" cried Tony.

"He's a teenager, he's probably seen better porn than us at some point on the interwebs," I stated while beating an amused god with a throw pillow.

"Better porn? Is there such a thing?" asked Steve.

"Rule 34 hun, if it exists there's a porn for it, if it doesn't then there will be." And with that I continued to beat my lover with a pillow to the head.

"Free porn aside, I'm actually kinda curious who would win in a fight now, you or Loki," Clint mused.

We both stopped pummeling each other and looked at him then each other curiously. "With or without magic?" Loki asked.

"Without, just close range hand to hand or with blades if you must," Nat added.

My gaze went to her with an arched eyebrow. "Ya'll thinking about this?" A collective nod from the rest of the group was my answer before I returned my gaze to Loki. "What's your vote on this?"

"I'm all for it if you are."

You would think he'd go for the knives or rather the sticks that substituted knives but nope, ever the man of mischief, he chose the bo staff. Thor would later tell me its because while he favors knives as they're easy to hide and stash away, Loki had much better luck with staves. I found out quite quickly how right that was. While I was no Michelle Yeoh, I did take martial arts even before I became a leader of undead battles as children are merciless and if they decide you're a freak they make you a target. Just outside the training area of the compound stood the not busy Avengers and not surprisingly Tony was already placing bets on who would win, hell I knew who would win, the one that's probably been training and fighting for half a millennia at least. But as a wise cigar smoking Goth dad once said, just because it's a bad idea doesn't mean it won't be a good time. I chose a different kind of bo staff, if the weapon worked for the Buddhist monks, it would work for me, right? Loki was very much like a cat or maybe he just was with me, stalking his prey, pacing, biding his time, calculating his moves whereas after being obsessed with old timey wushu movies at one point, I opted for a simple nonthreatening stance resembling Wong Fei-Hung, a ruse as I couldn't fight off 10 men or so with a bo staff like the legend did but no one had to know that. One foot forward, one perpendicular in a short fighting stance, staff held behind me with one hand, the shaft pressed against the arm, the other arm stretched out in front of me beckoning him forward. Most people would think twirling it a bit is the typical first move but that's more to show off or intimidate the opponent and I'm not the show off type, especially if I'm not the best at what I'm showing off. Loki moved first though, lunging and thrusting one end of his staff at my head, I easily side stepped it, , my head tilting away but my eyes never leaving his. I figure if I couldn't wear him out despite him being ancient compared to me, and I couldn't outright beat him in strength, I could probably just frustrate the hell out of him by never letting him land a hit. Getting under people's skin was my specialty after all. So that's what it was like for the beginning, letting him attack first and either simply dodging his staff or blocking it with my own staff.

"This is boring, make a move, Aang!" called Tony from the sidelines.

"Hey, he was the best Avatar in the series, and he kicked ass!" I called back.

"Then why don't you?"

"Patience is a virtue, old Stark!"

"You say old like you're not sleeping with the oldest person in the building!"

I snorted and blocked Loki's staff once more. "You're only as old as you act, grandpa." I watched Loki carefully, waiting for the opportune moment when he thought he could let his guard down believing I wasn't gonna go batshit crazy on him.

He sped up his attacks, probably thinking I'd step into action if I was being rushed but I still kept my leisure defense up, he tried a few more changing tactics to try to get me to strike back first before I saw the sign I was waiting for the whole time and forced myself to keep the poker face I wore, resisting the urge to smirk wickedly as he seemed to relax and go back to simply trying to hit me anyway he thought was an opening. I blocked his staff once more as he went for my stomach then quick as a whip swung mine to strike his knee, stomach, and head and he went down. The utter look of shock on his face was more than enough to make me break my expression into one of pure wickedness, a canary eating grin cracking through. The game had begun. He quickly got back to his feet and lunged at me again with his staff, no longer holding back as he whipped the ends at me one after another, the only sounds now were that of wood hitting wood and the shuffling of our feet as we went at each other. Several times he left himself wide open when he was swinging his staff behind and around him to hit me from another side which was amusing because although kinda cool looking and showy, he was totally exposed and I took full advantage of that hitting him in the stomach and causing him to drop his staff mid-swing though he was quick enough to catch one end and come down at me with the other. I raised my staff to block it and shifted my upper strength to hold him off while pulling apart my staff which was actually a two piece one almost seamlessly held together and struck him in the ribs with the other piece. He glared at me, the god of tricks being tricked in a fight by some dead chick he only met recently.

"Clever girl," he growled at me.

I grinned wider. "Give up, or are you thirsty for more?"

"Very well, you asked for it."

Somehow it didn't click in my head that being a god and all, he not only had enhanced strength but apparently speed too as me verbally challenging him and getting extra sneaky had me suddenly and swiftly struck several times in the stomach and side, my feet swept out from under me, and I was on back with one end of a bo staff pointed at my head.

"Isn't this a familiar position?" he purred above me, his eyes glittering.

I held back a retort in order to roll over to avoid his staff and then lock my legs on either side of one of his then roll again, knocking him to the ground as well and making him drop his staff again. I wasted no time in getting on top of him and still holding onto my two pieces of my staff the entire time, i crossed them against his throat. "Prefer this position myself."

"I'll have to remember that later." He raised his arms to his head while still on the ground in what I thought was him surrendering but quicker than a cheetah, snatched back his bo staff and swung, knocking me off him and making me drop both pieces he was just as quick to kick away from me before pinning me to the floor, a knee against each of my arms and the shaft of his staff against my throat. "The things I could do to you in this position."

"Pretty sure you've already done them and I recall you not wanting others to see us doing them."

He smirked but made no move whatsoever from where he knelt on top of me. "Don't act like you're not thinking what I'm thinking."

"Oh that's no secret here but I'd prefer it in the bedroom where there's soundproof walls and there's other options to keep me in place the whole time."

Both his eyebrows shot up at what was implied there. "I can arrange that. For now though, I'm not moving till you say the words."

I rolled my eyes but sighed in defeat. "I yield."

"Good girl." He got off me and offered me his hand to help me up which I took easily and was yanked up and flush against him, a hungry, hot kiss stolen from me. "We should do this again sometime," he breathed in my ear.

"We'll see." I nipped his earlobe teasingly before shoving him away and walking out of the training arena.

"Does everything have to be sexual between you two?" asked Tony.

"Listen, if you were cut off from all forms of pleasure for as long as I have and suddenly are given the ultimate form of it after, you'd take it with a smile too, as many times as you can."

"I'm the ultimate form, am I?" teased Loki behind me.

"Don't let that get to your head or your excessively ornate helmet won't fit on you anymore," I retorted. "And it really brings the whole outfit together."

"I was under the impression you liked me more without an outfit."

I shrugged innocently. "A woman can change her mind."

"Am I going to have to separate you two or something?" Tony interrupted.

"I mean you could just let me go home..."

"Tempting but till our mutual enemies are out of the equation, I don't see that happening."

"Well then, I'll have to refer you to the three T's."

"The three T's?"

"Tough titties, Tony." I grabbed Loki's hand and poof we were gone.

#loki fanfiction #loki fanfic #loki romance #avengers #zombies #necromancy #necromancer #nell the necromancer #loki x ofc #loki x original female character #loki x nell

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fillybuildsahouse · 5 years ago

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I am VERY curious about why you think the writing of outlast is subpar (and quite frankly? You’re not alone in thinking it was :/)

THANK YOU I WAS HOPING SOMEONE WOULD ASK-

Okay so I feel like I should preface this by saying: I like Outlast gameplay-wise. I could probably nitpick a few things here and there, but we’re here to nitpick poor story structure not gameplay >:3c

The most obvious (and frankly the worst most terrible) reason that I despise the story is because the ending (where your character Miles gets possessed/becomes a new demon host or whatever and immediately gets shot) is a HUGE bummer and really makes everything you go through to beat the game feel completely worthless and like you’ve just wasted a whole lot of your time. Putting that aside though, (for now) I’m gonna start with what I felt was the turning point in the writing, which was the single objective: Find Father Martin (or smth like that I don’t remember the wording shh).

By this point there is literally no reason why Miles should trust Martin. Before this point in the game, he see’s you almost unconscious and certainly hurt and just calls you a prophet and leaves you, shoots you up with a syringe of something that makes you pass out, sends crazy goons to ‘look after you’ (goons which defy that order and just end up trying to kill you while naked which is completely unnecessary by the way there is literally no nudity in this game that means anything or has any purpose). Not to mention that every note you find relating to him clearly depicts him as unstable and the leader of a cult. He mentions once or twice that he’s glad your safe and that he doesn’t want you to die but would that be enough for you to disregard all that, and try and find him once you get outside instead of taking your chances with barbed wire?? (Not to mention - and this is a nitpick I know -you find a shed outside with no bolt cutters but certainly tools that looks sharp enough to cut a hole in the fence so???).

Aside from all that, following Martin eventually leads you to his mock crucifixion thing. This is the point where I realized that the cult storyline doesn’t really have a purpose except to have a reason as to why goons are after you, and I guess to through some admittedly cliche’ ‘spooky religious’ imagery at you (My favorite thing is that this troupe always boils down to ‘What if... Christianity was SCARY and A CULT’).

What bothers me especially about this ‘following the crazy cult leader for no reason’ bit is that most of my problems with it could be solved with a single note, weather from Miles or a file in the asylum. Just anything that suggests that Martin either knows the only way out, or is the only thing stopping you from leaving, meaning it would be best to go with his plans until you can safely leave.

It is at this point that I would like to mention that the doctors portion of the game, wherein you get captured and tortured and loose two of your precious fingers, is my favorite part in terms of story because it’s so tight and it makes more sense to me than most of the story and conflicting character motivation in this game. This doctor guy is crazy and he likes to torture people. He doesn’t know you, but he doesn’t really need to know you, and the fact that he speaks like a sane person makes it all the more infuriating that he’s going to do this to you just on a whim.

When you’re being rolled around strapped to a wheelchair, there’s a bit where you see the open exit. The glowing red exit sign and the dark abyss of the storm outside is so close yet so far that it hurts, and this is made even better by the doctors dialogue, which taunts you with an offer of waiting while you frolic in the crisp outside air for a while. Then he cruelly wheels you (backwards so you can see your exit slipping further and further away as you go) into the elevator to torture you. This part is great! This part of the story is tight and self contained and it doesn’t interfere too much with the rest of the plot once the doctor dies. Also, giving the player a glimpse the exit (not just a way out but an open, earned, and easy-looking way out) and putting it just out of reach like this is not only a cleverly cruel bit of writing, but it motivates the player moving forward by dangling a silvery thread of hope in front of their face for a brief moment before yanking it away.

Credit where credit is due, you should never get to the point in a survival-based horror game where you’re saying ‘by this point I would just lay there and die honestly’ and this part prevents that from happening, if only to get you to a bad ending.

There are other details that I’m not remembering I’m sure, but MOVING ONTO THE ENDING WHICH IS TERRIBLE. I just wish once that the ‘experiment gone horribly wrong in a horror game’ thing didn’t lead to the realization ghosts or whatever are real. I wish the walrider really was just a myth that crazy people saw in their dreams due to the experimentation. Because now not only does it take away a touch of originality (I wanted them so badly to go with the ‘it’s Billy’s suspended consciousness and because he’s now criminally insane it’s killing people and going nuts and making crazy people even crazier) but it validates every crazy rambling lunatic you come across who insists that the walrider is real. I don’t want those guys to be validated even a little bit! I want them to be wrong and crazy!

As for Miles dying. Obviously it’s disappointing, and a huge bummer, and makes the whole game feel like a serious waste of time rather than a journey or a horrifying but otherwise fun experience, but they really kick you while your down with the realization that killing you doesn’t kill the walrider. The thing that you worked through the whole game to defeat, that posses you and drives people crazy, doesn’t get defeated by the end. Usually in a horror story this would be fine- if it had been written differently, I might even be fine with our character dying as well! But I can’t even comfort myself over the death of all my wasted effort because his death meant nothing in the grand scheme of things! The walrider is still out there being the source of cults and making people violent and crazy!

Not to mention that while I was playing me and my brother gave Miles a wife character named Nancy because it was comforting at the time, and nOW HE’LL NEVER GET HOME TO SEE HIS BEAUTIFUL AND LOVING WIFE CAUSE HE DIED FOR A BADLY WRITTEN PLOT

GOSH this got long, but those are my thoughts! Fueled by my annoyance of sub par writing and the fact that I only got four hours of sleep last night! Enjoy and lemme know what y’all think or if you found other issues/gems in the writing that I didn’t catch!

#Outlast #Filly Writes A Thing #I know this is a rant but I always have such fun talking about this kinda stuff #And I know it may seem a little over excentric and maybe I'm just comparing it to the dumb plot stuff but I really do LOVE that doctor part #It's legit my favorite part of the game #I'm also a fan of the portion where the floor breaks under you and you loose your camera and have to get it back #It's quick it's scary and it makes you feel less safe because you don't have the luxury of nightvision mode #not to mention after that point you now have to deal with the crack in the screen and the occasional camera glitch which is SPOOKY #AMBIANCE BABY #Like I know by this point loosing your light/camera/whatever is not super original or surprising #But usually portions in games like this would drag on and be ridiculously difficuly #and this one wasn't so!

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unsurvivor · 5 years ago

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Rules

Feel free to focus on bolded sections to skim for the subject of every bullet point. I’m way too wordy, but I just want to be informative. I’m not actually very strict or demanding!

How I Play:

I am semi-private and semi-selective. What this means is that mutuals (meaning people who follow me and I follow back) are free to interact with me IC in asks or by tagging me in posts or by responding to my starters, and they are also free to DM me or send me any kind of ask OOC or tag me in posts they relate to me (so unless there’s some loophole I’m not thinking of, it’s basically ‘anything goes’ with mutuals). Plotting is cool; talking about things other than RP is also probably cool (though I can be a little shy with new people sometimes, forgive me). People who I do not follow back (aka non-mutuals) are still totally free to follow me. They can send in asks about/to my muse either IC or OOC or ask about my thoughts on YTTD-topics, but I am probably uncomfortable speaking OOC in DMs about RP or doing any kind of plotting. Non-mutuals can also send in starter memes, but they would be one-off types of interactions (meaning no growing relationship) and might not be continued very far in a thread. Feel free to message me with questions if this description isn’t making sense to you.

I may not follow back for myriad reasons all regarding my personal preferences (characterization choices, writing style/ability, frustrating blog layout, missing rules/info, etc). Please do not take this personally. If this happens, you are still welcome to initiate interaction with me in any way, IC or OOC! Also, if I do follow back, I definitely want to RP with you!

I will likely unfollow and decline to interact if you have too much OOC drama / anti behavior / fandom hate / bullying / callouts / discourse / politics / worldview on your blog. Huge pet peeves of mine. I repeat, I do not support callout culture.

I am open to the possibility of interacting with duplicates of my muse. I will automatically assume one of them is an AI or doll, but whatever the case, we should probably talk about how to go about this.

I am up-to-date on the game. This blog is not spoiler free. That being said, it might be wise to communicate when in the timeline our muses are interacting.

I have depression as well as performance/social anxiety. My moods and levels of inspiration/motivation vary widely. I know that is inconvenient, sorry! So in general, I don’t push myself to be prolific, and can drop threads or be slow at responding.

I may drop a thread due to general anxiety (not necessarily related to the thread), lack of ideas, or loss of inspiration, my deepest apologies. Don’t feel bad and DO feel free to continue interactions with my muse in the future!

I operate my muse based on what I feel is in his character to do at that moment. Sometimes that makes planning difficult, because he may not respond to a circumstance in a way I anticipated. Sorry if things do not go as planned. But I do also love plotting and overthinking things, hah.

I am willing to play dark scenes including gore/violence, angst, horror, abuse, torture, my character’s death, etc., and there will be disturbing or mature content like that on this blog. I’m new to this fandom, so I’m not exactly sure how much content warning tags are really necessary, considering I presume everybody played this brutal game. However, any content warnings I decide to give will be noted with the tag “cw:” followed by the label.

I am open to the possibility of shipping everybody from high school and up. If you disagree with or object to this decision, please just unfollow/block/move on. I’m too tired.

I choose to write sexual scenes. I reserve the right to portray anything from healthy, fluffy relationships/scenes to dark, toxic, or abusive relationships/scenes. I don’t condone abuse or toxicity in real life. I respect the grave nature of such behaviors, but that will not prevent me from writing said subjects with this understanding of reality in mind. However, I respect those who do not want to see or roleplay sex, will never push said people to do so, and will keep explicit sexual content under a ‘read more’, tagged “smut”. I expect to be treated with similar respect for my choice in written subject matter.

I only roleplay smut with muns who are above the age of consent. I am uncomfortable doing so with underage individuals, so please do not attempt if you are under age 18.

What I Appreciate:

Let me know if something I’m doing in a thread with you is making you uncomfortable. I myself am comfortable with exploring some very dark themes. I will do my part to check your blog rules, and I apologize if I am ever forgetful about anything mentioned.

Please try to refrain from controlling my muse’s thoughts and actions (unless that is actually within the capabilities of your muse; ask me).

Please try to remember to start a new post instead of reblogging an ask post over and over.

I would be so grateful if multimuse blogs could tag the muse they are using in their posts. This helps me filter out the inevitable multitude posts on my dash that will not be relevant to my muse or even fandom and keeps it from becoming absolute chaos. Obviously it’s your blog, and I’m not here to tell you what to do, but this prevention of inconvenience will make me somewhat more likely to follow you.

Please do not steal my original (detailed) headcanons or icons or use images in posts tagged “My Edits” without my permission. If you’re not sure, ask me; I promise I won’t bite for such a question.

What Is Acceptable:

Mutuals always feel free to send me an ask, IM, or communicate in our RP thread if you have something to say or ask. Or if you just have a random comment! Seriously, anything.

Non-mutuals, honestly, if you’re not sure whether or not it is acceptable to interact with me in a certain way, and you try to interact with good or neutral intentions, I’m not going to be hostile or scary. If I’m not interested, I might not respond due to social awkwardness. Know that if this happens, I don’t want you to have hurt feelings; I appreciate your willingness to have wanted to interact with me.

It never hurts to follow me to see if I am interested in following back! At the very least, I am flattered for being considered.

If it seems like I’ve forgotten about a thread or neglected to respond and you really want to continue it, feel free to message me to remind/ask about it.

Let me know if there is something you want tagged, and I will try to accommodate with what I see as reasonable.

I am 100% cool with us engaging in more than one thread at once. Do it!

All starter/ask memes/prompts on my blog are open all the time, no matter how old. Feel free to browse the tag and send in something you like! I would only request that you try to include the title of the post/collection in your ask so I can find it more easily.

I accept some OCs and characters from other fandoms but can be picky about them. It would be nice to be able to find some background info on them on your blog. For characters from other fandoms, I will be much more likely to follow if they have a YTTD verse included in their description, but you can pitch me a different proposition if you have one. Try not to take it personally if it turns out I’m not interested in following.

I am sometimes okay with roleplaying total AUs (as in, a completely different setting), but it is not my default preference. The best way to go about seeing if I’m interested would probably be to message me.

As this is also just a general purpose Sou fan blog, all types of blogs (aside from spam/porn and antis) are free to follow, like my posts, and reblog non-RP-related posts.

Thanks a bunch for slogging through this!

#info #rules #OOC #long post

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tartantardis · 5 years ago

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The tenth* TARDIS Tennant

(* technically the eleventh, but we’ll let that go for the sake of alliteration... Anyway, this interview took place in Glasgow, when the Doctor Who team descended for a promotional drive for the 2006 series, eswith David Tennant, Billie Piper, Russell T Davies, Phil Collinson, Steven Moffat and others in attendance. Oh, and Billie’s then-boyfriend too. They premiered Tooth and Claw, a week before New Earth had been shown. This is an edited compilation of the highlights of what they said. As a result of this press conference, I stayed in touch with Russell, and he’s kind enough to give me quotes for Vortex now and again. Also, after I spoke to David Tennant, he was shocked to learn that Hamish Wilson, the other Jamie from The Mind Robber, was the same one who he had just missed out on as a lecturer at the RSAMD - as was - in Glasgow!)

When David Tennant became the Doctor in 2005, it fulfilled the young actor's dream.

The Scotsman, who was 33 at the time, had previously played guest roles in various Doctor Who audio plays from Big Finish Productions, opposite his predecessors Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy - and was over the moon to succeed Christopher Eccleston in the TARDIS.

When it came to casting a new Doctor, executive producer Russel T Davies looked to his leading man from another show which he had just made for the BBC, Casanova.

Russell said: "When I first saw the audition tape for Casanova, I didn't know who he was. I wasn't looking for a big star, and this was before Blackpool had been on, but I knew he was a well-known talent in Scotland.

"We saw him, we loved him and we cast him and enjoyed working with him.

"I also knew he was a big Doctor Who fan!

"Although Casanova was nothing to do with Doctor Who, as it was a separate production made by a separate company, when we learned Chris was leaving it all just fitted together very nicely. We didn't screentest him, having just done three hours of Casanova with David, and by that time I'd seen Blackpool."

And David recalled: "I remember being thrilled to bits when I got asked, and then thinking, 'Is this a good idea?' It didn't last long!"

However, there was controversy soon after David was cast, when it was revealed he wouldn't be using his natural accent.

Russell explained: "I didn't ban the accent - it was just part of the creation of David's Doctor. We talked about the costume, as, for example, we didn't say David would have to wear the suit. It was just a cast of human beings coming together and talking about things."

David said: "When Russell came to me, that was how he asked me to play it. I wouldn't say I was disappointed, it's just what I was asked to do. I've always that that part of working as an actor was to take on different accents.

"It doesn't make me any less Scottish because I'm not using my Scottish accent.

"It didn't bother me in particular, but it was a nice chance to do one episode where the Doctor came up with the idea of slipping into a Scottish accent which, remarkably, the Doctor can do!"

David's co-star Billie Piper added: "In the Christmas episode, the idea was that Rose's accent would have rubbed off on the Doctor, but we never actually got around to filming it."

David said: "It was like a chick imprinting on someone when it comes out of an egg."

Comparing the two Doctors, Billie said of David and Chris: "They are different people and bring different things. David's Doctor is a lot more emotional, while Chris's Doctor was more intense.

"Of course they are going to have a different approach, but they are playing the same part. A new person robs off on you very quickly, and you adjust - she moved with the times and the man."

David didn't get the chance to meet his predecessor at the regeneration, as it was shot weeks apart.

He said: "I didn't unfortunately, because of the way it had to be shot - we shot the regeneration on separate days. We haven't bumped into each other, unfortunately. I'm sure we will at some point."

David's third story as the Doctor, Tooth and Claw, saw the TARDIS land in Scotland, which delighted the actor.

He said: "It wasn't a specific ambition, but story-wise, it's nice if you move the characters around and take them to different places. Obviously with filming in Wales, Cardiff has had a shout.

"I was quite keen that Scotland should get a shout and it has certain personal ramifications as well. We filmed in Wales, but there's one shot where on the hillside, they've added a little bit of purple heather. But on the whole, it's remarkably similar with some of the landscape we have up here, so there wasn't a lot that needed doing."

Tooth and Claw was a dark story, featuring grisly deaths, but David denied that the series was too scary.

He said of Tooth and Claw: "I think it does push it quite far, but it's still, ultimately, very responsibly done. It's within a fantastic environment and I think children understand that too.

"I think that's part of growing up, being scared. That's what Doctor Who has done since 1963 and I'm glad to see it continuing to do so.

"A gore-fest would be ridiculous - there's no blood, and it was just fun.

"I think Doctor Who has had horror elements for as long as I can remember. It tours the genres - in the first one we were in a hospital five billion years in the future, then we we're in Scotland and it's gothic horror, the next week is a kind of Grange Hill - it's what Doctor Who does best - every week it's a new style of story."

David's first full series saw the Doctor and Rose growing closer than ever before, building on the friendship which was established with the Ninth Doctor.

"The Doctor and companion has always been very important," said David, "particularly in this series, but the way Russell writes it, it's always an emotional thing, which maybe the show hadn't had before. Rose's family ultimately became the Doctor's family.

"In episode eight, it looks like we're cut off from everything, forever, and we have a quiet moment to consider that idea of never returning home."

David admitted that putting himself in the spotlight as Doctor Who would mean his every action was analysed by the series' devoted fans, for years to come, as well as putting himself in the firing line for TV critics.

He said: "I don't think anybody ever likes being told they are not good at what you do. You invest a lot into what you do. You want everyone to tell you you are great all the time, but I'm wise enough to know what to expect.

"A show like this receives so much scrutiny and analysis, you are never going to please all the people, all the time."

A notoriously private man, David also found that his private life was subject to much speculation, with his romantic relationships regularly putting him in the gossip columns.

He added: "Nobody teaches you how to deal with that sort of stuff. You have to decide where the lines are drawn, and draw them yourself - and hope you leep your own personal integrity without pissing everyone off because you are being snooty about answering questions.

"You have to just try and keep yourself comfortable with what you are really about."

#DoctorWho #DavidTennant #BilliePiper #RussellTDavies #Glasgow #Scotland

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laurenovercalifornia · 6 years ago

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None of you asked for this, but y’all probably know as someone who grew up in SoCal, I am keenly defensive of our coast’s disney park. As such, here is my official ranking of which rides are better at which parks:

1. Pirates of the Caribbean: Winner- Disneyland. Look, I’m going to say this a lot, but ours is the original and the best. The theming of the queue and load/unload area is better, the bayou scene is better, we have the Blue bayou restaurant and we have two drops. We’re better. Plus, the ride’s outside facade and the placement in New Orleans square is more thematic and special than it is in WDW.

2. Haunted Mansion: Winner- Disneyland. This is actually a tough one, but I think the facade and queue are more thematic on the west coast. It’s more enclosed and run down, and other than the occasional screams from nearby Splash Mountain, it’s pretty spooky. The Florida queue is too open and sunny for my tastes. And as fun as the interactive tombs are in the Florida queue, it’s almost too goofy. Florida does have two additional scenes than the Cali one, but they don’t add much. Plus, we have the cool portrait gallery in Cali that again, adds to the atmosphere.

3. Jungle Cruise: Winner- Magic Kingdom. This was tough as I’m not particularly attached to the ride itself and I’ve only ridden the WDW version once, but the inclusion of the temple scene really adds to the ride. Queue-wise, I want to say I Iike Cali’s better, but really as long as they both have the old timey radio spiel, we’re good.

4. Splash Mountain: Winner- Disneyland. I’m not sure what it is exactly that I Iike more about ours, but I think it’s better. Our ride feels like it has more animatronic characters, larger show scenes, an additional song (the one the possum? Sings to the kids on the way up the lift hill) and you aren’t outside for too long after the big drop. Florida has the cool jumping Br’er rabbit figure but the laughing place scene isn’t nearly as terrifying and chaotic in Florida as it is in Anaheim’s.

5. Big Thunder: Winner- Disneyland. I don’t know if Florida’s has been redone with the new finale like ours has, but I think ours is better because it’s been redone and “plused” with the new finale, which is way more fun than the shaking walls of the old scene.

6. Space Mountain: Winner- Magic Kingdom. Look, I don’t exactly keep quiet about how underwhelmed I am by our space mountain. I def don’t think it’s worth it unless you can walk right on. But that being said, I like the track layout and vehicle better in Florida. I recently learned that they took the Matterhorn track layout and put in Florida and made it space. So that’s probably why I like it more, it’s way more rough and the individual seats with the T-shaped lap bar means they can do sharper turns and sudden drops in a way they don’t do in Cali.

7. Radiator Springs Racers vs Test Track: Winner- DCA. Look man, Test Track is a super fun ride and it goes really fast, but RSR wins because it has the fun racing element, amazing theming, and some really impressive dark ride elements. I don’t even like Cars and I try and ride this every time we go if we can because it’s fun. Plus, Test Track, while it does have the really fun interactive element of designing a car, just screams too much Iike an ad for me (which it is).

8. Mission Breakout vs Tower of Terror: Winner- DHS. You all know I am not a fan of the new overlay of our tower, but that fight is over now, so I guess I’ll stop complaining. Well, that much, anyway. But obviously the tower in Florida is the OG and it’s still really cool. As a horror fan, it’s hard to find spooky theme park attractions that aren’t cheesy, and the OG tower is spooky without being outright scary. It’s a master of theming and atmosphere, has a killer soundtrack and pays tribute to a show I grew up loving.

9. Matterhorn vs Expedition Everest: Winner- AK. This is not remotely a fair comparison, and I adore both rides, but comparisons must be made regardless. The 2015 refurbishment of the Matterhorn saw the placement of some amazing Harold animatronics and some cool new scenes and effects. I love this ride and try and ride it every time I go to DLR. But Expeiditon Everest is such an awesome ride. So thrillling, so well themed, and it has a cool environmental message. Even with Disco yeti being a disco man since like, 2006 or whatever, it’s still a must-do ride.

10. Incredicoaster vs Rock n roller coaster: Winner- Incredicoaster. This was hard for me because I still miss Screamin (rip) but I have to say the fact that it’s an outdoor coaster really helps. I like Rock n roller coaster and both rides have really well themed queues (and honestly, not that great of a storyline) but there is something about riding Incredicoaster at both nighttime and daytime and feeling the wind on your face.

11. Indiana Jones vs Dinosaur: Winner- Disneyland. Listen. Dinosaur is a disgrace of a ride. Tbh if they redid that whole area into an Indiana Jones themed South American land like the rumors, I’d be fine with it. Dinosaur is SO BORING. It’s dark. It’s loud. There is zero tension. Oh no, the dinosaur is chasing us, what will we do?? I assume the ride was more fun when it first opened but Eisner neutered it and here we are. Oh well. Anyway, Indiana Jones is probably the greatest American ride they’ve ever made and it’s immersive-ness and theming and everything else is SO GOOD and honestly I think Disney should lay off the screens and go back to that (here’s hoping the new rise of the resistance ride is more like this).

12. Star Tours: Winner- DHS. The rides are basically the same but the outside queue for the Florida version is way cooler. So that’s a plus. even though you can see the lights and the support structures (because “studio park”) its’ still super cool to hav the Ewok village and the giant AT-AT outside.

13. Toy Story Midway Mania: Winner- DCA. I haven’t been to the new Toy Story Land yet so this might change next time I go to Florida but I just love the Victorian midway boardwalk theming of the DCA version so much. The ride is pretty much the same regardless but it’s so charming. And I love our Potato Head being an actual barker on the outside a whole lot.

14. It’s a Small World: Winner- Disneyland. Ours is the original and the thing that makes it better is that it’s an entire giant facade. It’s gorgeous. The small world facade being hidden in Florida really cuts down on the iconic parts of the attraction.

15. Peter Pan: Winner- Magic Kingdom. Personally I think both versions of this ride are overrated, but the one in Florida seems a little cooler, if I recall right. Idk, man.

16. Buzz lightyear: Winner- magic Kingdom. I don’t remember this too much but I think it’s cooler in Florida? Regardless, I don’t ever do this ride because I’m usually prioritizing other stuff.

17. The Railroad: Winner- Disneyland. I Iike the OG railroad because we got those cheesy dioramas left over from the world’s fair. Nice. Plus, I don’t remember if the WDW version cuts through any rides like the DLR one does, but seeing Splash mountain is fun.

18. Grizzly River Run vs Kali River Rapids: Winner- DCA. Dude, come on. As someone who grew up going on Grizzly, sometimes 5 times in a row, that ride is great. Great soundtrack, great queue theming, great theming on the ride itself, and it has Iike, three drops and several parts where you can get wet. So imagine my surprise when, after waiting for like an hour in 80 degree heat, listening to the sound of chainsaws the whole time, I get on Kali only to discover it has one measly drop?? So weak. WEAK. Although I do appreciate the environmental message, even if it’s like, super creepy to hear chainsaws in the distance in line.

This is all I can remember off the top of my head so that’s where I’ll leave off. If I missed any, let me know!

#long post #text #disneyland vs disneyword stuff #west coast best coast

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hopevalley · 6 years ago

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How would you like to see Elizabeth’s love story to play out? The new Mountie vs the new saloon owner vs Carson vs total unknown?! Also can Abigail ever be redeemed - her perfect, watch me do everything by just being Abigail and oh let me dispense wisdom not asked for - crapola - she so grates on my nerves!!!!!!!!

Hi, Anon! Thanks for the questions!

First, I want to talk about Elizabeth’s Love Story. Full disclaimer: it’s hard for me to feel invested in her future because she’s just not a character that I feel strongly about… However, there are some options that I think would work better than others, and to take that thought a step further, I don’t really mean people-wise so much as plot-wise. I genuinely believe that a good writer could make a believable, heartfelt story out of any available option.

As cheesy as it was when Erin said that Elizabeth’s best love now is her son, I gotta say that’s on the right track for me, at least for now. I’m hoping that Season 6 doesn’t try too hard to make us feel strongly about any one romantic option for Elizabeth so much as it tries hard to make us love her as a character. Without the Jack & Elizabeth romance, the characters didn’t really stand solo very convincingly, especially Elizabeth, so it’s important that they spend the season establishing her character more firmly, giving her roles that make her believably interesting, and most importantly, show the struggle of moving on.

Because I’m feeling chatty, I’m gonna try and tackle the options you set forth (and maybe more). :)

Option 1: Nathan, our new Mountie.

We don’t know the character, so it’s impossible to speak on how Elizabeth might get along with him on a personal level, but their relationship is bound to start with a bit of tension—of the sad variety, I mean.

Here is another man who could be Jack, who could even have known Jack, who might have gone to the academy with him or passed him on patrol or fought alongside him in the Northern Territories… He’s not Jack, he could never be Jack, and he’ll never, ever replace Jack, but the overlap is there and in that scary, tense, awkward kind of way that it so often is in this kind of situation. Elizabeth suffered a big loss in losing Jack, and even if she tries to be mature and understanding, even if she strives for positivity…it might be hard for her to look this man in the eye and not be reminded of her deceased husband. It’s not a stretch to think she might find herself dealing with intrusive thoughts like, “Why couldn’t it have been this man instead of Jack?” She knows they’re bad but sometimes a person can’t help their thoughts, so they enter her head and are quickly discarded, but it’s too late. She already thought them. Then there are feelings of shame and embarrassment to contend with, but also horror, anger and that sudden, terrible, overwhelming kind of grief that cuts through her, white-hot.

Even the thought of friendship would be hard. The smallest bit of friendliness and she’ll have to feel things again if or when something happens to him.

A relationship with Nathan would, and should, in my opinion, start slowly. It should creep up on both characters and force them both to consider together the unique issues a relationship—a life together—would present.

Option 2: Lucas, shady, charming (?) saloon guy.

His profession alone raises some questions as to the possibility of a relationship together. Elizabeth might not easily be charmed or persuaded by someone that doesn’t come off to her as a good potential parent as well as life partner. It’s interesting because we don’t really know that much about Lucas’s character, if anything at all, but it’s hard for me to imagine him making an impression on Elizabeth so good that she’d be willing to try courting him.

That said, a relationship with Lucas might come with less baggage overall than one with Nathan, at least in terms of career fears. Elizabeth doesn’t really have to worry about him dying on duty; that’s not really a fear he should be feeling, either. In many ways, a relationship between them could be…simpler. And maybe that’s exactly the kind of relationship we need in this series; one that isn’t high drama. Elizabeth’s been through enough, right?

But it might not happen as slowly. That’s something to consider.

Option 3: Dr. Carson Shepherd, surgeon turned small-town hero.

Who didn’t smile when Carson offered Elizabeth his scarf during the Christmas movie? It was such a small, but sweet, moment. I absolutely loved it! Originally I was kind of against the idea of Carson and Elizabeth getting together, because it seemed cliché, but nothing in Hallmark is truly trope-free…and at least this kind of cheesy get-together could be wholesome and meaningful.

Carson’s been around a couple of years, so everyone knows his story. He’s a hard-working, caring man who drops everything at the drop of a hat to help people when he can. He understands that not everyone can afford to pay even a reasonable price for his services, but he’s passionate about what he does so he’s obviously not in it for the money.

A relationship with Carson would probably be slow and steady and gradual, because if anybody understands what it’s like to lose someone they love, it’s Carson. He wouldn’t push her; he’d always be gentle. A listening ear. A shoulder to cry on. I feel like he’d wait until she was ready and even then he’d be careful. It’s hard to lose someone when they were, and still are, such a big part of your life. I imagine nothing would even happen in s6; they’d just become better friends. It could be really nice!

Maybe even…just what the doctor ordered. ;)

Option 4: Total Unknowns and…Knowns…?

Let’s talk about Charles, first. He could make an appearance, right? I mean, theoretically he exists in the world, he’s alive, and he loved Elizabeth. He also might be sympathetic to her plight. He bought into Lee’s sawmill. He’s not technically off the table as an option. He just…wouldn’t work. But it might be nice to see him try to help Elizabeth even knowing he’s not what she wants now, and probably not what she will need in the long-term…

I could really go for interaction between them, actually. It’s not hard to picture him offering to marry her and raise her son as his own or something extraordinarily chivalrous; it’s also not hard to imagine her trying to seriously give it thought… (but perhaps turning him down gently…)

As far as a completely new person goes… I don’t know. I feel like, if that’s the case, they need to be introduced mid-s6 minimum. Elizabeth’s character can’t be swept up in romance believably at this point in the show, but I’d want the character to exist early enough that it doesn’t feel like they threw someone at her just for the sake of…giving her someone. Pair the spares, and all that.

Overall, I guess I have to say that Carson would be my preferred choice. He’s been around long enough that he definitely serves an individual purpose, i.e., even if he and Elizabeth ended up together, he wouldn’t just be “Elizabeth’s man.”

Nathan and Lucas, or some other kind of new guy, would all fall into that iffy trap of, “introduced just for the sake of giving Elizabeth a man.” And after Jack and Elizabeth’s actual character development kind of took a backseat to their “romance” it’s kind of disappointing to think that it could happen again. I want her eventual love, if she ever gets one, to be someone we know and care about BEFORE they get together.

Now, about Abigail…

I won’t ramble, here; there’s not much to say. Honestly, the only way to know if her character can and will be saved…is to watch s6 and see if the writers took the time to actually write her as a believable person.

I don’t think her character is beyond help, but…she’s getting there. Like…if s6 doesn’t do something, she’s going to be nigh intolerable to watch.

Unfortunately she’s going to probably keep being mayor, so…I don’t know what they’ll do with her that might help. I can just pray she’s not at the heart of every episode’s biggest plot, I guess.

#when calls the heart #answered mail #abigail stanton #elizabeth thatcher #anonymously asked

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evakuality · 7 years ago

Photo

And we’re onto episode two, where things start getting interesting Even-wise, but there’s also lots going on in othger aspects of Isak’s life. Episode one can be found, starting here.

Episode number and name: Two. Du er over 18, sant?

Clip number and name: One. Grindr

My thoughts/analysis: One of the lovely things about this clip is the way it starts with Eskild just relaxing with Isak in his bedroom. For all his judging and horror over the way the room smells and how gross Isak supposedly is, Eskild clearly enjoys his company. It makes a lot of sense. Eskild obviously loves Linn, but she is so closed off so much that you can imagine him wanting other company. Noora was someone who would be out in the main area a bit and they interacted there quite often, but Isak is much more of a ‘I’m going to stay in my cave and hibernate’ type. So Eskild hibernates with him. He’s also probably fairly aware that Isak is not straight (it seemed pretty obvious in s2 that he was covering for Isak when he told Noora and Eva that Isak isn’t gay) and so there’s probably some sense of kindred spirits and/or a desire to ‘guru’ for the insecure and unaware gay boy he’s taken in. What’s really lovely about it is that Eskild is fairly clearly an extrovert, and yet he’s just being here with Isak. They’re both doing their own thing, so Eskild is operating in a way that is likely to be peaceful and calming to Isak. It’s just nice to see someone go so thoroughly against their own ‘style’ in a deliberate way in order to spend time with someone else.

He’s also really keen to know Isak’s opinion on the guy he’s thinking of hooking up with. While Isak sees this as a sneaky way to entrap him into admitting some guy is handsome (which he tries very hard to avoid in almost all facets of his life), it seems clear from the casual way Eskild does this that he actually values Isak’s opinion. It’s only after Isak reacts as if Eskild is pushing him too much that Eskild actually does start pushing. His voice is so exasperated when he says that you can say someone is handsome without being gay. There’s a lot of information in this small snippet, from Isak’s very wary dislike of being asked a question like that (which is clear on his face and in his uncomfortable body language) to Eskild’s ease and comfort with it and the way he does gently try to push at Isak. This obviously becomes more forceful (though less overt) when Eskild talks about the guy saying he’s straight but still wanting to hook up on grindr. It’s such a clear poke at Isak’s insistence that he’s straight when of course Eskild will have some very strong suspicions that he isn’t. There’s also some deliberate irony in the ‘buddy I’ll give you one year then you’ll be out of your closet’ and Isak’s reaction to it ‘why do you think everyone’s gay?’ -- while probably not intentional, Eskild has hit close to something there for Isak. He knows already that he’s in a closet; he knows he’s attracted to Even and he is probably uncomfortably aware that there will probably come a time when deciding to come out may be a thing for him. I doubt he thinks it’ll be within a year, but Eskild’s older, so this guy is probably older. This is an uncomfortable conversation because it reminds Isak that it’s not just school he has to get through, it’s the rest of his life. We already know he’s unhappy with this ‘fake’ show he has to put on, so this conversation is a catalyst in a lot of ways. Of course, that just gets worse for him when Eskild says he has a good gaydar (like … could he possibly know Isak is gay? Is the gaydar that good? Should Isak panic now?) and then when he inadvertently suggests to Isak that Even is probably not straight. Talking with stranger guys about blow jobs makes you possibly gay? That super hot stranger guy Isak met talked with him about blow jobs. If that’s true, and it might be since Eskild seems to know what he’s talking about, then Isak could potentially be in a position to admit certain things soon. That’s got to be both scary and exhilarating. Scary because he has to face up to this stuff, he has to stop trying to hide behind this fake face he’s been putting on, at least to himself. Exhilarating because maybe he didn’t imagine the sparks that were flying between him and Even, and maybe Even could be someone to explore this with.

As a side note, it’s interesting that despite his later protestations Isak really does treat Eskild as a gay guru. Even here, where he’s so annoyed and scared that Eskild might guess or know that Isak isn’t straight, Isak still asks him questions. The groundwork is already laid of course. Eskild having been so chill and relaxing in Isak’s space in a way that Isak can relate to, is then easy to approach and say … well, okay then. How do you tell? (with a terrified undercurrent of ‘can you tell about me???’). Eskild’s response is a little facetious, and I’m sure he didn’t mean for Isak to take him seriously and yet Isak did. He immediately (by the look on his face) remembers the conversations with Even, and he later goes looking for Even on grindr. Eskild may not have been serious, but Isak certainly was. And it’s very cute that he trusts Eskild’s opinion so much.

It’s also interesting to note that Isak is so obsessed with Even now that he knows his name that he is scrolling through a huge list of potentials just on the basis of a first name. He’s primed already to be interested, so when Eskild’s conversation confirms that Even may not be straight Isak’s interest is piqued. I suspect that this conversation gave Isak a lot of the confidence he needed for the rest of this episode and led almost directly to the events at the end. Eskild’s guruing is pretty powerful, even when he’s joking. Though, to be fair, Isak is so immediately obsessed that it probably wouldn’t have taken much for him to keep ‘researching’ Even.

Romeo and Juliet connections for clip: sadly, no.

Associated extras: None, since I included any possible ones for this clip along with the last one. That’s an interesting choice, since it allows the clip to stand on its own. There’s a lot going on here under the surface but on the surface it’s just Isak and Eskild and their chill, sometimes irritated, sometimes teasing friendship.

Overall impressions: This is a really nice, soft, quiet clip. It shows Isak in his natural environment and it shows Eskild making an effort to slot into that environment. It gives us a lot of insight into the relationship the two have and makes it fairly obvious that it’s no surprise a) that Eskild is later the first one Isak comes out to and b) that Isak sees him as someone who knows what he’s doing and a potential for advice giving. It’s interesting to note that Eskild is pretty much joking here when he answers Isak’s questions, because it gives us a base for how they interact later when Isak actually goes to him for real advice in a much more determined way. Despite the tone, Isak respects Eskild and his opinions and takes what he says very seriously.

The next meta in this series can be found here.

#skam #my s3 meta series stuff #my meta stuff #isak

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mendedwings · 8 years ago

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Day 4-Present

This was entirely too fun to write. Clarmont was way easier to get a handle on than I expected, and Adie is just... well, Adie.

She’d promised not to worry. She’d promised. It had, in fact, been one of the last things she’d said to Henrietta and Clifton as she left Holt in their very capable hands. And yet, here she was, perched cross-legged on one of the parlor sofas, fingers worrying the edges of a letter from home.

“Ariadne?” The sofa shifted slightly as Clarmont sat next to her, blue eyes concerned. “Is everything alright? You look worried.”

“It’s nothing,” she sighed. “A small issue back home. But I’m certain my staff can handle it. One of my ladies’ maids just thought I should know.”

“You actually have ladies’ maids?” he teased.

She rolled her eyes and bopped him with the folded letter. “They come with the title of Countess. I have a couple.” Not nearly as many as I should, to hear some people talk. “And I thought I told you you could call me Adie.”

“You did, but Ariadne is such a pretty name,” Clarmont said, flashing one of his warm smiles.

“It’s also so formal,” Adie shot back with a wry smile of her own. “And the name my father used when I was in trouble, and what Henrietta still uses when she feels I need a lecture on propriety and ladylikeness. Thus, I prefer Adie.”

“Then Adie it shall be,” Clarmont promised. “So then, Adie, what’s this small issue back home? You look like you at the very least need to vent. And I’m always willing to be a listening ear.”

She smiled, twisting a blonde curl around her finger as she took him up on the offer. “There’s a baron with lands adjoining mine who’s always been a little miffed my father’s holdings passed to a ‘lowly’ daughter instead of being divvied up like a cooked goose when he died. He tried to buy at least part of it from me outright twice. When I told him no; these lands belonged to my family and I was perfectly capable of running them, he started trying to shift the border a couple yards at a time. Every time, I correct him, he faux-apologizes, then waits a few months and does it again. He apparently saw my leaving for the Summit as an opportunity.” Her smile turned dark. “Probably expecting I would marry someone of higher rank and never come back.”

Clarmont chuckled. “Just shows how well he knows you.”

Adie laughed. “Any way, he’s encroaching again, Clifton went to give him a stern reminder, and Chloe just felt I should be informed.” She leaned forward, huffing wisps of hair out of her eyes. “Clifton’s handling it, I can’t do anything, so there’s no real point in worrying.”

“That’s an admirable attitude.” Clarmont’s eyes twinkled. “How long do you think you can keep it up?”

“Oh, a couple days, tops,” Adie confessed with a wry laugh. “But I know I have someone else depending on me being clear-headed, so I”ll manage somehow.”

“I have every confidence in you,” he assured her as he stood and offered her a hand up. Adie let him be chivalrous and help her to her feet, and he kissed her hand before they went their separate ways.

>>.<<

She tried to stay focused, she really did. But Chloe’s letter wouldn’t budge from the back of her mind, and Adie kept wondering if she couldn’t have done something to safeguard her lands. Let Jeremy and Daniel build the boundary marker posts, taken Henrietta’s advice to say something after the baron’s third or fourth attempt to steal her land. But she’d been too stubborn. Too sure he’d give up if he realized she was onto him. Too afraid broadcasting the news would make it look like she wasn’t capable. And now she was distracted enough by the ‘should’ve’s she barely managed to put together a successful defense for Imogen’s trial. And her mind wandered no fewer than three times as she and Clarmont sat in the gazebo that evening.

“Adie.” Clarmont gently nudged her shoulder to pull her back to the present.

“Sorry,” she smiled sheepishly. “Just indulging in a little hindsight.”

“Still worrying about the letter?”

“I can’t help it,” Adie groaned. “I promised my father I would do a good job, take care of our lands, and I feel like I’m letting him down.”

“That’s normal,” Clarmont assured her. “But you aren’t. You are doing the very best you can for your people.”

“But what if my best isn’t good enough?” Adie pulled on the tail of her braid.

“Then you trust your people to help bridge the gap. From the way you describe your staff, you obviously care about them, and they do about you. I’m sure they’re handling things with you away, right?”

She nodded. “Clifton probably gave Baron Stealypants what-for. And Clifton in a ‘giving what-for’ mood is a very scary sight.”

“There you go.” He rubbed her arm comfortingly. “I’m sure it’s fine. But... Baron Stealypants?”

“I won’t do him the courtesy of using his proper name,” Adie sniffed, eyes glinting with mischief.

“I can see why your people love you,” Clarmont murmured, making her flush bright red. In revenge, she leaned forward and gave him a kiss on the cheek. It had the desired effect, leaving her intended just as flustered and speechless as she was. He cleared his throat. “It’s getting late, and I shouldn’t keep you, love.”

“Oh, you can keep me as long as you like,” Adie winked, her grin widening when he went even redder. “But you do have a point. It’s late, and if I’m not back soon, Jasper may well go on the warpath. I’ve found it in my best interest not to let it get that far.”

Clarmont laughed. “Kind, brave, and wise. Tell me again why it is you settled for me?”

“Well, first off, I don’t see it as settling. Because I want someone to be my partner,” she reminded him as she stood. “Facing things together. And I’ve seen plenty of evidence you are kind and brave. All that remains is proving your wisdom.”

“You’ll be a long time waiting on that, I fear,” he said wryly. “The smartest thing I’ve ever done is fall for you, and even that may prove far from wise-”

“Hey!” Adie protested, crossing her arms.

“-Due to the danger I might put you in,” Clarmont finished, sad smile playing about his lips as he rose. “You know Revaire is... not safe right now. Putting you in harm’s way seems far from wise.”

“I can take anything your scary country throws at me,” she retorted, arms still crossed.

“I believe you. But I still wish I could shield you from it, all the same.” He kissed her forehead. “Good night, Adie.”

“What, you’re going to let me walk back to my rooms unescorted? I thought you were a gentleman, Lord Clarmont,” Adie said in mock-horror, eyes twinkling with mirth.

“And I thought you didn’t accept acts of chivalry, Countess Ariadne,” he returned, his own gaze equally mischievous as he offered her his arm.

Adie shrugged cheerfully, slipping her arm through his. “Anything to spend a few more minutes with my intended.”

Clarmont laughed at that, a quiet but honest sound, and they made the walk back to her rooms in companionable silence.

>>.<<

“I want to give him something,” Adie declared, barely a second after the door closed behind her.

Jasper looked up and raised an eyebrow in silent inquiry.

“Cl- Lord Clarmont,” she said, curling the end of her braid around her finger. “I mean, we’re hopefully getting married, and giving him something--’specially something traditionally Wellin--would help... bolster that, right?”

“What did you have in mind?” Jasper asked, tone neutral.

Adie bit her lip in thought for a moment, perching on the edge of her bed. Finally, her eyes lit up. “A puppy. He loves animals, Wellin’s known for its hunting dogs, it’s perfect!”

“I believe a puppy would make a better gift post-Summit, Countess,” Jasper said gently.

Adie groaned in frustration and flopped back on the bed, only to immediately bolt upright. “A horse! I could give him a horse!”

“Again, better given post-Summit, my lady. “Jasper shook his head, smiling slightly at her enthusiasm.

“You’re no fun,” she huffed, yawning on the heels of the words. “Guess I’ll have to sleep on it.”

“I’m sure you’ll think of something,” Jasper assured her, leaving the room so Ria and Sayra could help her get ready for bed.

She could only hope he was right.

#my fic #ariadne of wellin #7kpp #7kppweek #7kpp week #she's a new one but i love her #(made her for the extended demo and fell in love)

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bleederziine · 7 years ago

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“I Like Weird Complicated Songs”; an Interview with Sadie Dupuis of Speedy Ortiz

Speedy Ortiz puts the feminine in feminism. Their music is for everyone realizing that feminism isn’t just about women, but examining how attacking femininity is used to pretty much hurt everyone who isn’t wealthy, white, straight and male by birth. And even though talking about oppression is really depressing and often unproductive because of this, Speedy Ortiz is all about what would happen if we put the positivity we talk about all the time into action. Our world could not only be full of interesting discussions and equality, but playful scariness and fairy tale outfits. But Speedy Ortiz’s writing isn’t only valuable in its humor and politics. With a poetry MFA as their lead singer-songwriter, Speedy’s lyrics are insightful, hilarious, and achingly true. In Sub/Verse’s latest interview, I talked to singer, musician, and songwriter Sadie Dupuis about horror movies, political art, songwriting, and much more.

How was SXSW?

Sadie: Pretty good, I haven’t been there an insubstantial amount of times before, so I know what to expect. I enjoyed all the shows we played, and got to eat all the food I like. No complaints really. I got to see less shows than in the past. In the past I was running around in between sets trying to see a million different bands, but this year I took it pretty easy. I went to the showcases we played obviously, and I got to see US Girls, and Girl Ray, Kurt Vile. I went to the AdHoc showcase, and the Don Giovanni showcase.

Inspiration for new album?

SD: Its hard to talk about just one inspiration for the new album; its all kind of older songs that were written that we rewrote, ones that were more personal. I think my goals as a writer shifted away from things that are specific to me, and I’ve tried to write more towards not universal themes, because everyone’s coming from this world and country from different places, which is evident from the presidential election. But certainly the song that came out today was about people performing allyship, but not putting in the work to help their friends, and putting a burden on them. In the album we explored a lot of big issues with a light touch, because it can be exhausting looking at the news everyday, with practical ways to not lose your mind while you try to make the world a better place.

On the topic of allyship and consent, how do you think you promote and talk about these ideas at your shows and through your work?

SD: Talking about these issues is one way to help people understand them more. Certainly Speedy Ortiz has tried to do a lot on those roads. We started a hotline a few years ago for people who are feeling unsafe at our shows. Whats been even more effective is passing out information on bystander intervention and de-escalation tactics on print outs at our shows, so that someone who’s just coming by the merch table can read about how to intervene if you see something going on at a show that seems unsafe. We are trying to foster the idea of people taking care of each other, and looking at not only their music scenes but their lives, like, how they can best help their neighbors and friends. I also believe inclusivity is paramount to safety, so we make sure we hire a diverse crew. These are the issues we are all thinking about, not just musicians, so I think it made sense that these ideas bled into the record.

What inspired the song and video “Lucky 88”?

SD: Well you mentioned that I lived in Austin. I took my mom to Austin for Christmas a few years ago. We spent a week in Texas, mostly in Austin but we also went to Houston. We went to the Cy Twombly gallery and it was the day before Christmas eve, and being in Austin which is a very liberal city but also being in Texas with a lot of conservatism, I felt pretty weird, especially with the president we were about to innaugurate. And I was looking at one of his sculptures called Untitled 1988, 1988 being the year I was born, and all of the horrible things that had happened since then and the things I didn’t know about. I ran outside and just started singing the song into my phone! Its about how the generation before me kind of left this world gutted and ruined but also about younger people keeping a watchful eye and working to make things better, and how inspiring those people are to me.

What do get out of Speedy Ortiz and your more solo work with Sad13, individually?

SD: Speedy started as a solo project, and I really enjoyed the outlet of home recording, and working as a solo musician. But then when we started playing as a band, I really grew to love that, and I don’t really like performing solo. We developed a language and a way for working out these songs together. I wouldn’t trade that for anything, but I like having both options, where I can go in my basement for eight hours, and post something on Soundcloud and its done, vs Speedy Ortiz where I want to make sure its something we all feel good about. Even though I write the songs, we work them out as a group.

I noticed a lot of horror movie and monster visuals in your music videos; are those big inspirations?

SD: We can’t help ourselves, we love horror movies! With most of the songs there are big themes, but we try to approach them with levity. I think a more literal video would be too heavy handed. Daryl our bassist went to film school, and our drummer Mike is really interested in film, always archiving old film stuff. They always have a really strong aesthetic plan for what the videos should be. I like doing that stuff too, but its cool that we can all come together on that and do something creative.

What are some of your favorite movies?

SD: As you might have guessed, I really like horror movies! Scream is my favorite series of movies. I’m coming at it from a pop horror/horror comedy background. I think my bandmates have a more refined taste in movies. I actually think I saw all of the Oscar nominated movies from last year, which is pretty rare. I really liked Moonlight from last year, and I saw I, Tonya which was really good too. I like horror, comedy, even really serious political commentary movies…

I used to have a job at a video store, which was like the best job I ever had, and there was a deal for video clerks where you could see any movie at a theater for free. I don’t care if a movie’s bad, I just feel like its the most decadent and luxurious experience, being in a movie theater.

What do you do on tour, entertainment/reading/movies wise?

SD: What am I reading… last year in Glasgow I got a bunch of stuff from this place called Good Press, that published a lot of short run poetry, really small press academic stuff, essays, stuff like that. All the books are shrink wrapped, so you just have to trust that whatever you got is good. I was cleaning out my basement and found them in a record box so I’ve just been working my way through that stuff. Its all prose poetry and very experimental, stuff like that.

Do you think getting a poetry MFA helps your songwriting?

SD: I think honing any of your artistic sensibilities helps the others, in the way that so many musicians I know are really great visual artists. I think having an artistic practice, even if its outside your field, is bound to have an impact on your other creative work. I think it might be a detriment to my career because some of the things people really like about songwriting are things that are easy to remember or easy to sing along to, things that repeat, whereas, with my background in poetry, I’m always trying to think of the most not necessarily the most accessible way to say something, and I definitely don’t repeat things much. So its bad for my pop song writing, and good for the weirdos who like weird complicated songs.

What were you into in high school, especially music? Any guilty pleasure stuff?

SD: Let me think, its been a while, I’m old now… I still like a lot of the stuff I listened to then, I started listening to New Pornographers again. A lot of Matador bands, like Helium and Pavement, and I’m really lucky that I’m friends with some of them now.

You have a really cool way of dressing on stage. How does that work/contribute to your music and performance?

SD: Aw thanks! I try. I played in bands since high school and I was used to being the only woman on stage or on tour, and I kinda got accustomed to this falsely masculine aesthetic, and I would just dress like the boys. Thats still kind of how I dress at home, jeans and a flannel. But at some point, the lack of femininity that I started to feel that if you were going to make rock music you had to fit into the male aesthetic, and that seemed like bullshit to me. I wanted people in the audience to not think they had to wear a man costume in order to play technical guitar music. So I started dressing like a fairy princess that can also shred! Its been a few years of that, with some slightly more elaborate costuming. When I see people in a bright or interesting outfit, it makes me happy to see something beautiful. I want to do that for other people, if their having a shitty day so they can have something cool to look at.

I know it might be goofy to go way back two albums ago, but I wanted to ask you about the title of your album two albums ago, Major Arcana.

SD: Tarot cards were really interesting to me back then. Its basically a breakup record, but I didn’t want to just write about that. I’ve always been interested in magic, and magic as an alternate religion, and witches and witchcraft in general. All of the songs were kind of through the lens of me being a witch and the songs are kind of like incantatory spells, and tarot was one of the lenses I used to find meaning at that time. My dad was Jewish and my mom was Catholic, and I had some education in both, but I’ve never been very religious but have always been interested in magical practices.

You’ve lived in a lot of places; Philly right now, Massachusetts, Austin. How have those places contributed and/or helped your writing.

SD: I think where you live affects you, and who you are affects what you write. I don’t know if its as direct as me moving to Philly made me write like a Philadelphian, but the reasons I moved to those different places was loving the bands and scenes at those times. In a lot of my early Speedy work from those times I would put little easter eggs in songs to say, oh, this riff is from Pile or whatever. To a certain extent I still do that. There are so many bands in Philly I love, like Palm, Japanese Breakfast… I think anywhere you live, as a music fan, you’re going to internalize that. But at the same time I feel like I could go out in the middle of nowhere and still write songs.

INTERVIEW AND ILLUSTRATION BY CHLOE GRAHAM

#speedy ortiz #sadie dupuis #twerp verse

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