#if emmerich doesn’t give them a happy ending I WILL

[goodforwho]

Old fanart of my Area 51 sweethearts (set before the 1996 events) because i found out theres a whole tag dedicated to them.

In my mind they’re still together, both awake AND alive

[danddymaro]

Addiction | Old Snake x Reader

An Ending to MGS4 that ends in happiness for our good boi Snake

Fixed/Edited

BTW: Let’s shift the events around and pretend he went to go talk to Big Boss Before Meryl's wedding.

Thoughts are italics in quotations = 'Example'

Flashbacks are in italics = Example

Word Count:  2225

Addiction

From betwixt the snug place of his lips, the smoke in which he took pleasure from was snatched, aggressively pulled out in a single motion,

"Snake," A familiar male's voice said in a harsh whisper, sounding frustrated and disappointed all together, "Just what in the world do you think you're doing!?" Otocon added with the same tone of exasperation.

Silently, Snake's blue eyes drifted right to see the bespeckled brunette male giving him a half-hearted glare, his entire expression full of annoyance as he glared onto the man that seemed many years older than what he truly was.

"You know you shouldn't be smoking," Hal said while shaking his head in the same disapproval, making sure to exaggerate a low dragged out sigh, "Honestly...Snake, you'd think that at least today you'd make an exception." He added.

'Today...' David started, 'Today is a special day... for not just me, but for her too,' He thought while grunting, knowing just what the other man meant, feeling guilt weigh down over his shoulders as he recognized his selfishness.

With a dull gaze as a response, Snake returned the look back to his long-time friend, 'I know this already...don't think I don't,' He silently told the man while pressing his lips together tightly.

Tearing his eyes from the hardened dark chocolate orbs, David then trailed his oculars down to the discarded nicotine as it now lay on the floor, a small, thin line of smoke still rising from its end, a gentle flicker of a red spark still visible as well.

He could pick it back up. After all, it was salvageable, but even so, his reaction remained prolonged.

He stared at it for a few moments before he closed his eyes to rid himself of the tempting image.

"You will end up smelling like burnt ash and tobacco. I don't think she'd like that," Otacon continued to speak, convincing him to make the right choice.

Dropping his shoulders, Snake nodded in defeated agreeance, knowing it to be true.

After a few silent minutes passed, he then gave a frustrated sigh and stepped on it, crushing it under his shoe and making sure it was put out by the stomp.

"yeah yeah," David grumbled, because he was well aware of the fact and had already mentally kicked himself for it.

"I know you're nervous," Hal then said with a soft, understanding smile rising, "it's understandable," he said while placing his hand on his friend's shoulder, "But you should do it for her. " He added, truthfully, also being concerned for Snake's health.

"Now come on, " Emmerich said with brightened brown orbs, "It's about to begin," he reminded the other male, his index finger tapping the little face on his watch as an exited grin overtook him.

Having spent almost his entire life in battle, it wasn't like he could fit into the normal world with ease. He couldn't just chuck himself into an easy everyday life as simple as that, no matter what anyone tried to tell him.

He'd been told to live his life, to enjoy what bits he had left and to salvage it the best he could, but he hadn't the least bit of an idea as to how to do so,

'how? ' He wondered helplessly, uncertain as to just how he could go on so simply.

What could a man that's known nothing but battle do in the normal world?

He couldn't go back to his family as other soldiers would often do, because he had none. He had no mother, father, brothers, or sisters, to fall back to. 

Heck, he didn't even have a damn dog to go back to and run toward at the end of the day.

All in all, he had nothing. So, he couldn't just join into the masses of civilians and blend in, because it just hadn't been in his plans.

He'd never thought that far along, and for a long time, he'd thought there was nothing there for him.

But of course, life had its crazy, little surprises, especially one he'd never anticipated... 

"Marry me!" She said out loud, her voice rising with plea, the sudden proposal stopping his movements entirely. 

His steps came to a complete halt, and the foot that had almost touched the ground stayed suspended for a moment, hovering over the placement by just a centimeter.

He then took two slow breaths before he placed it down to the Earth, turning to the woman with confusion, his brows knotted together to show a visibly painted look of dumbfoundedness,

"wh..what?" He breathed, almost inaudibly as he tried to comprehend what he'd heard.

 He was certain that it was just his old age playing with him.

 He just knew it was the only explanation as to why he heard her say the words because it was just unfathomable to him,

'I must be hearing things,' He thought to himself, deflated at the sudden realization that dawned upon him.

Dementia; he probably had dementia.

He'd thought he had just a bit more time before then, but it seemed that he wasn't lucky enough, and surely the old age he presented himself with had finally fully beaten him,

"What...what did you say?" He asked slowly, staring at her with furrowed brows.

She took a step forward, inching herself closer to him with anxiousness, seeming uncertain on coming near,

"Did...did you not hear me?" She squeaked, face turning beet red, seeming mortified at the fact that she had to once again repeat herself.

" Perhaps... but I could have been mistaken." He grumbled, watching her continue to move closer to him.

Slowly, and tentatively she stepped forward, soon standing three feet from him, staring up at him with a harsh swallow, a small lump gliding down her throat before she spoke yet again,

"I...I...I said ...I ... I said ... will you marry me..." she repeated with strain, sounding much smaller the second time around, losing all the sense of confidence she'd previously fueled herself with.

"Marry you..?" He repeated, still at a loss.

At her side, he noticed she held the white bouquet full of flowers tightly bound within her hold, and it was the same bunch that Meryl had thrown up in the air not a few moments ago.

When she realized just what he had been staring at, she held it up with a rather quirky smile, " I think this kind of means I'm next, and I don't see anyone better around," she said while raising both her brows to dance up and down until he turned away from her, not in the mood for the show of playfulness,

"Huh?!

- What! Please don't go!" she cried out, rushing after him, soon managing to stand before him, her arms widespread to stop him from moving past her,

"I'm being serious!" She declared, looking up at him with frantic (e/c) colored eyes, "You have to believe me!" she added, continuing on with her story.

She reminded him of the fact that they'd met before. It had been a while back, an event that had embedded itself deep within her heart, even if he'd forgotten,

"Because..." She started, " Because I've thought of you every day after that," she confessed. "And then I spoke to Hal, and he brought me here, he told me that now...Now was my chance to tell you. " She confessed to him.

She'd waited years, pinning for the man through each and every one of them, waiting for the day she'd one day stand before him again.

And it all began to make sense by then, why Otocon seemed so insistent on him joining the ceremony, despite his own refusal to show because he'd had other plans in mind, all of which didn't include infecting everyone with his miserable air.

"I'm not exactly meant for romanticism, " he told her. " And even if I were..." He trailed off, keeping his eyes drawn away from her, his words dying out as he let her fill in the blanks.

Even if he had been willing to take the risk, to suddenly go off and get hitched to some strange woman he just vaguely remembered,

his life was draining, and all in all, he had nothing to offer her.

"You're better off with someone else... " he said lowly, " someone who has the time," he added with the same dejection, moving to leave her behind before she stopped him again,

"Wait," She said with a stilled breath.

Her two hands both grasped his, stopping him and effectively holding him back. The soft, warm palms of her two hands enveloped his own hand which was much rougher and less dainty, " Let's at least try?" she said with hope,

"I already know," She told him, " I've already known about your condition...but still..." She went on, daring to step closer, " Still... Even then, it doesn't change the way I feel, and, in fact, It just fuels me to want to be with you even more, " She admitted.

"It's sudden, I understand, but at the very least, give me the opportunity to come closer to you." She tried to compromise,

"If you begin to feel the same way I do...then... then we can make something of it. " She told him, slowly convincing him with the lovely stare of her pleading, (e/c) colored eyes.

He reflects back to her proposal far more than he cares to mention because it had been the moment his life took a complete turn, going from muted grey and black to cheerful, colorful vibrancy in every step that she accompanied him in.

And it all lead him to where he was now, standing before her, dressed properly and prim, left awestruck at her beauty, moreso than he typically was, reminding him that perhaps his luck wasn't so bad if it had somehow aligned their lives together.

she held his hand in hers as she slid the silver band onto his finger, the smile she wore on her red painted lips never faltering, not once losing its lovely show of fulfilled happiness, because she couldn't be any more joy-filled, something everyone commented on.

- There wasn't a happier bride in the planet.

Her cheek was then pressed to his chest, her nose scrunching up as she let out a soft sigh, not sounding angry, but he knew she wasn't all too pleased either,

"You were smoking..." she said softly, closing her eyes slowly as she let her body be led by his slow movements.

He wasn't a dancer, and she wasn't either, but nonetheless, they rocked together, bodies pressed close as their friends watched the couple's first dance together.

"I can smell it on you," she added with a small sound of exhaled air produced from her nostrils.

She hated loving the scent, the smell of smoke making her think just of him and nothing more.

"I was nervous," he said in defense, his response making her giggle softly,

"Don't tell me you want out already?" she asked him, drawing back slightly to look up at him, saying it in a joking manner, but even then he could hear the uncertainty in her voice. 

"Because I think it's a little too late for that," She reminded him.

"...Do you?" he asked her back, and he watched her shake her head in denial,

"Of course not silly," She said earnestly.

And he loved what followed, what always came after she looked up at him,

"I never would," She breathed, her gleaming eyes soon straying down to her wedding band, lovingly eyeing the silver piece, " David, I loved you then..." she started sweetly, her gloved hands sliding up from his chest to his cheeks, " and I love you now..." she reminded him, rising up on her already heeled feet.

His paled blue eyes closed, his mouth melted onto hers before she brought him the tender heat of their plumped goodness.

His two hands then fell over her hips but didn't stop to land on them, instead, they slid around her, his arms taking complete hold of her during their loving connection in an embrace that spoke more than words ever could.

"I'll love you always," she managed to murmur between their mashed mouths.

A squeal of enjoyment left her as he squeezed her tightly within his arms, loving all the attention he fed her.

She lived for it; Blossoming beneath his rays of affection.

"David..." she said again, drawing back, her eyes brightened with a type of light he knew existed only when he stared at her, because the woman adored him, something he'd always found to be unbelievable, yet a bliss.

He'd gone days without the death stick, days which later turned into months, and finally years.

He'd gone the rest of his breathing days without so much a thinking of them, but not a single one of those passing dates did he resist her, always caving in to her, even in their darkest days.

By then he'd found out that there was something far more addicting than nicotine, and it was the sweet flavor of her lovely lips, the warmth of their tender press, and much more the dedication behind each one that she let graze him.

All in all, she became his one fixation, the one thing he couldn't ever dream of living without.

[trashartandmovies]

Berlinale Film Festival 2021, Industry Event, Day 1

We all knew the 71st Berlinale would be different, but who’d have guessed we’d be given a twofer? At this point, the juries for the Competition, Encounters, Shorts, and Generations sections have all handed out their awards. These juries got to watch the films in their respective categories on the big screen. Meanwhile, the press were given the opportunity to screen these movies at home, as well as the films in the Berlinale Special, Panorama, Forum and Forum Expanded sections, as well as the six films making up the Perspektive Deutsches Kino category and episodes from the six television shows included in Berlinale Series. (The always excellent Retrospective section is only screening during the summer.) Altogether, around 150 at-home screenings were made available to the press. We had five days to watch them. I was able to watch 22 of them. This is Part One.

———

I’m sure everyone covering the festival is hoping that the Summer Special, in mid-June, will go smoothly and we’ll be able to catch at least a fraction of the movies we weren’t able to see. (For geo-blocking streaming reasons, a few films in the lineup weren’t available at all in my geo-region. Including two in the Competition: the FABIAN adaptation and Daniel Daniel Brühl’s directorial debut NEXT DOOR.) Usually, the press is given a week ahead of the festival to check out the Panorama, Forum and Generations titles. One assumes it’s so that audiences may get some recommendations on these lower-profile movies in the inevitable situation when all the high-profile films are sold out. Will this happen in the summer? Unless I missed a press release, the details around the Summer Special are still a bit vague. Rightfully so, since we’re still living in week-by-week uncertainty as far as lockdown measures go.

All we can do now is cross our fingers and hope for a chance to get a look at some of the these titles, because when presented with the challenge of covering a 150-movie lineup over just five days, you have to make some obvious decisions. I suspect many people did what I did — try to watch all the Competition titles and get in a few Encounters, Specials, some shorts and hold out hope for one or two stray Panoramas or Forums. To make matters more heartbreaking, the press screenings went like this: every morning at 7:00 AM, you’d get an impossibly long list of films to watch until 7:00 AM next morning. You’d get a few Competition titles, a few Encounters and Specials, and a deluge of films from the other categories. For many films, all you could do is look at the title, nod, and say to yourself, hopefully we’ll meet again soon, because there’s no way I can fit a sixth movie in today without losing my mind.

(Now there was a wrinkle added to this plan. Over the weekend of March 6 - 7, the press could screen the award winners that got announced on Friday. But it was difficult to try and take this into consideration in any strategic way.)

———

Like most film festivals, Berlinale usually kicks things off with a star-studded opening night movie that’s usually too mainstream for the critics. With no red carpet to be concerned with this year, that wasn’t the case. Instead, on Day One, the closest to a big movie star name was Iain Glen (Game of Thrones). Glen isn’t the lead in Tim Fehlbaum’s TIDES, shown in the Berlinale Special program, but he does play a key role as an astronaut who’s landed back on Earth, generations after human had mostly left the increasingly inhabitable planet. Humans have been living in a space colony called Kepler, but everyone ended up sterile, so missions are being sent back to Earth in the hopes that they can once again live there and get their reproductive groove back.

That’s the underlying story of TIDES, and it’s just one element that will likely feel very familiar to anyone who’s well-versed in post-apocalyptic cinema. The color palette is stark, with muted colors. The landscape is barren, this one with lots of water, rather than the desert locales of Mad Max. In fact, the notorious WATERWORLD came to mind more than once while watching TIDES. There’s even a doll in the film that looks just like Dennis Hopper’s character in that film, eye patch and everything. That little detail may be one of the most interesting things about the film.

The main character of TIDES is another astronaut, played with a committed intensity by Nora Arnezeder. She crash lands on Earth, is held captive by central casting post-apocalyptic scavengers, and eventually tries to track down a McGuffin that will let her contact Kepler and report back that there are people reproducing on Earth. Meanwhile, she also suspects that something might remain of the previous mission that was comprised of her father and Iain Glen.

The main attraction here is Fehlbaum’s use of stunning landscapes and practical locations, like a beached industrial ocean liner that serves as inspiration for one of the primary sets. The art design and costumes are all exceptional, while the acting and photography are all decent enough. But it never does much with the conspiracy it tries to entertain us with. Its attempts at being thrilling look good, but can’t help but feel like pretty standard stuff at this point. It’s worth noting that one of the film’s producers is Roland Emmerich, a man who knows a thing or two about making generic high concept action pictures. Some things, like the art design and the pleasingly diverse and international cast, set TIDES apart. But the story is far less inspired.

Faring better were the Day One Competition titles. I started with MEMORY BOX, a lively picture wherein a daughter gets to better understand her mother when a box of the mom’s old teenage diaries and correspondence ends up on their doorstep. (This mother-daughter connection is essentially the same theme that Céline Sciamma’s PETITE MAMAN covers in a different, more sci-fi, fashion.) As the daughter, living in a nice house in Montreal, digs into her mother’s old journals, scrapbooks and tape recordings, the film travels back to 1980s Beirut through the eyes of her teenage mom. It makes these trips back in time through some pretty cool moments of collage-like animation — putting scrapbook pages into motion and diving into photographs and contact sheets that come alive. Plus, the soundtrack is killer, full of lively 80s post punk like Killing Joke, The Stranglers and Blondie.

There’s romance, the trauma of war, a strong refugee story, and a poignant tale of cross-generational understanding. The kicker is that it’s very autobiographical, with the film mirroring co-director Joana Hadjithomas’s own story of corresponding with her friend in Paris while Beirut was falling down around her. These journals are backed up by old photographs taken in Beirut from the other co-director, Kahil Joreige. Like last year’s fascinating BLOODY NOSE, EMPTY POCKETS, and this year’s A COP MOVIE, Berlinale movies are continuing to find success in blurring the line between documentary and narrative fiction. The movie has a little trouble maintaining momentum all the way through, but I loved the experimentation on display here, and the unique ways it tells its story. It helps that MEMORY BOX really sticks the landing at the end.

Next up was ICH BIN DEIN MENSCH, or I’M YOUR MAN — another film, like many in recent years, interested in the ethics behind artificial intelligence and robots with emotions. Think of it as a romantic comedy version of BLADE RUNNER, or an updated version of the forgotten-by-time Ann Magnuson and John Malkovich vehicle MAKING MR. RIGHT. This one, based on a recent short story by Emma Braslavsky, is directed by Maria Schrader, who recently helmed the popular Netflix series Unorthodox (she’s also a veteran film and TV actress, from Tatort and Deutschland 86 to AIMEE & JAGUAR). Schrader continues to prove that she has a good eye for framing and storytelling. The movie doesn’t always escape the problem that many German movies continue to struggle with, which is that they often feel like a good TV movie rather than a work of cinema, but it manages better than most.

The general idea is that Maren Eggert plays Alma, a researcher who is assigned the task of spending a couple weeks with a new personal companion robot named Tom, played by the dreamy-eyed Dan Stevens. Alma is, of course, a completely rational-minded person who is happy to just get through the two weeks with as little interaction with Tom as possible. In her mind, it’s an impossibility that a piece of technology could fulfill a human being’s needs. Of course, as each day goes by, Tom continues to surprise her and wear down her defenses.

It’s a pretty well-worn story by now. The issues that get raised over the course of the movie are some that Star Trek: The Next Generation was dealing with on a regular basis (Tom is similar to Data, though Stevens doesn’t need any special contact lenses), but there are some interesting wrinkles here. Few movies have looked at this subject from the female perspective. And if there’s one that that this year’s Berlinale truly excelled at, it’s offering a wide variety of movies by female directors and/or with female leads. We’ve covered three movies that fit that criteria already, and many more will come. What’s more, Maren Eggert gives us a character who’s at an age where she’s wrestling with the question of whether or not her child-bearing days are behind her. When’s the last time Hollywood dealt with that subject? So, while Alma starts off as a very emotionally distant, academic type, and the best thing about the movie is uncovering her past and getting to understand why she has put up so many walls. I’m not sure it does much with the subject of AI or robot companions, but it does provide a charming odd-couple story and I don’t have any complaints with Eggert winning the festival’s best actress award.

The nightcap on Day One was INTEURODEOKSYEON, or INTRODUCTION, the newest film by the prolific Korean auteur Hong Sangsoo. At last year’s Berlinale, Sangsoo was also in the Competition with the excellent THE GIRL WHO RAN, and he doesn’t disappoint with INTRODUCTION. Ironically enough, if you’re unfamiliar with Hong Sangsoo and don’t know where to start — understandable given the nearly 30 films he’s directed in the past 25 years — INTRODUCTION ain’t a bad way to start. It’s not his best work, but it’s pretty damn good, and a very accessible entry-point into the man’s style and thematic interests. And it barely cracks the 60-minute mark, so you’re not committing to much.

This one ping-pongs between a young man, Youngho, and a young woman, Juwan, both trying to figure out what to do with their lives. Juwan wants to study fashion in Berlin, Youngho wants to become an actor. Both run into problems with these pursuits — some of which are out of their control. In Youngho’s case, it leads to a hilariously drunken dinner confrontation with Ki Joo-bong, who may or may not be playing a version of himself, since he’s only credited as “Old Actor.” The esteemed Korean actor Joo-bong has appeared in Park Chan-wook films, SAVE THE GREEN PLANET, as well as few of Sangsoo’s other films and some 70 other movies. In INTRODUCTION, his character is revered by every other person he meets. And his advice to Youngho is an eruptive highlight in a movie that’s otherwise pretty subtle.

Subtlety is often Sangsoo’s thing, but the emotions he leaves you with tend to be pretty strong. This is his magic. He writes very realistic, dialog-driven scenes that, on their own, are nuanced and deceptively simple. But these quiet scenes build up to an ending that makes everything come together in a profound way. Even if you’re familiar with Sangsoo’s work, INTRODUCTION may come across as slight, or a minor work in the maestro’s deep catalog, but I found it’s pleasures to be more immediate than usual. To my knowledge, no one is writing screenplays like this. The way he reveals characters, develops them, and draws connections through casual lines of dialog, sometimes nested deep within a conversation, is practically his trademark move, and it’s never not remarkable. It demands your attention and then rewards it at the end. His technique is patient, confident and hugely sophisticated. The only problem I see is that, given his track record of releasing one or two movies a year, his talent is in danger of being taken. Don’t be one of those people.

[sportworldnews-blog]

Formula 1: 5 questions about Ricciardo: What's behind the sensation of the year?

Check out https://sportworld.news/formel-1/formula-1-5-questions-about-ricciardo-whats-behind-the-sensation-of-the-year/

Formula 1: 5 questions about Ricciardo: What's behind the sensation of the year?

Daniel Ricciardo’s move from Red Bull to Renault was a real bang for the buck. Why does the Australian take this surprising step? And what does this mean for the teams, Nico Hülkenberg and the Formula 1 driver market? SPOX highlights the most important questions.

The extension of Daniel Ricciardo’s contract with Red Bull was actually considered a mere formality. Even when you heard motorsport boss Helmut Marko talk like that after the Hungarian Grand Prix, you had the feeling that the 29-year-old only had to press his pen on the working paper in front of him and write down his name for a moment.

In the end – to the surprise of most in the Formula 1 circus – everything turned out differently. After ten years with the Red Bull family, Ricciardo says goodbye and puts on the yellow and black Renault racing suit.

It is a step that is not only a real bang, but also seems surprising at first glance. Why would one of the best riders give up one of the best cockpits and join a team that can be happy not to be outstripped this season? And that’s voluntary.

Officially Ricciardo speaks of having sought a change of scenery. “It was time to take on a fresh and new challenge,” said the 141-time GP participant. In fact, however, the decision is likely to have a much more complex background.

On the one hand, two wishes that were difficult to reconcile regarding the future duration of the contract clashed. Because Red Bull will start in 2019 with the often criticized Honda engines, Ricciardo first wanted to observe the development in the coming year and be free for a change in 2020 if the worst comes to the worst. A plan that Marko and Co. obviously was too short-term.

Furthermore, Ricciardo was reportedly demanding a hefty salary increase. The decisive factor for this is probably the much better endowed contract of team mate Max Verstappen. The impression that Red Bull appreciated the young Dutchman more and, in case of doubt, relied on him finally spread not only in the paddock, but probably also to Ricciardo himself.

Until a few weeks ago, the Aussie boy had two trump cards in his hand for the negotiations: Mercedes and Ferrari. After all, both top teams were concerned with the overtaking king of Formula 1, if you can believe various media reports.

However: Sebastian Vettel apparently vetoed the Scuderia (after all, he was beaten by Ricciardo in 2014), while Mercedes preferred to bet on the harmonious Hamilton-Bottas double in the end and extended with both drivers.

The best alternative besides Red Bull was and still is Renault. Ricciardo meets a strong driver in Nico Hülkenberg, but the Emmericher doesn’t have the nimbus of a stowing. Concerns about lack of recognition should therefore no longer exist in the future.

And: With the world champions of 2005 and 2006, he knows he has a team around him that still has winning in its blood: “Renault has won races every time they were involved in Formula 1. I hope I can help them on this journey – on and off the track.”

Page 1: Why does Daniel Ricciardo join Renault?

Page 2: What does the change mean for Red Bull?

Page 3: What does the change mean for Renault?

Page 4: What does the change mean for Nico Hülkenberg?

Page 5: What are the consequences of the deal for the driver market?

[netherwar-rpg-blog]

Welcome to the Wardens, Nikki! Your application for a RANGER OC has been accepted with a Jenna Coleman FC.

I cannot emphasize how much I loved this application - I really love how you’ve created this delightful town and proud family which shows that you’ve taken the lore to heart. It’s really unique to see a Ranger awaken far from the Singing Tree but her connection to nature and the Giant Beasts show that Leila has a destiny she has yet to discover. The Wardens can certainly help with that! It was moving to see how Leila desperately wanted freedom and found independence through her friendship with Maeve - which ended messily for them both! It will be interesting to see how Leila interacts with other Priests and if her prejudice against them will continue to seethe!

The application can be found under the cut. You have 48 hours to create a roleplay account (cannot be a sideblog) for your character and we will be updating our opening date soon!

O O C - I N F O

Name: Nikki

Age: 20

Timezone: PST

Activity Level: Usually at least every other day!

Extra: –

C H A R A C T E R - I N F O

T H E - B A S I C S

Name: Leila Briardale

Gender: Female

Age: 28

Class: Ranger

Faceclaim: Jenna Coleman

C H A R A C T E R - D E T A I L S

Nationality: Carnish

Appearance: 

There is a raised chin and self-assured stance that suggests higher status, in money or title, of Leila.Yet, the wildness in her walk and the broiling defiance in her gaze-her large brown eyes barely restraining her emotions-hint at something else entirely. They hint of woods, of running, of a risky limitless expanse.

She stands just above five feet but her gestures and voice command room, demand attention. Though appearing unscathed, Leila has a sweeping scar on the side of her abdomen running above her hip while this is not usually noticeable, on account of being under her clothes, this may be seen when she wears looser or shorter shirts.

While she sometimes wears other jewelry, Leila has a plain bracelet made of dark rubber with a leather pad covered by a golden plate. She has smooth stone bracelets and anklets which can usually be seen on her person. Strapped on her thigh, beneath her skirt, is the body of a slingshot and a dagger.

Personality:

- Reckless: Outfitted with a thoughtlessness nurtured from a spoiled childhood in which her problems were cleaned up and hushed, Leila rushes into situations relying mostly on impulse and feeling. Now, knowing that life will always end in death and that nature will continue despite that, she lives with a careless abandon. Leila is enamored with freedom and life but she hasn’t found what she lives for, what will make her afraid to die. Her recklessness is fueled by her disregard for death because she has done more already than she would have done in her old life.

- Self-centered: Being guided by impulse and whims, Leila thinks little of how her actions will affect those around her. She has a certain streak of bossiness and a prying curiosity that knows little boundaries. If people don’t like her, she knows that they can just avoid her and so she’s indifferent to her rudeness. Leila’s thoughts are focused on either her own world or the world, nature, as it is. She’s more likely to work to rescue people she knows or the woods than strangers if she were to have to choose.

- Petty: Though Leila won’t hold grudges for too long, she will act on them. From rolling her eyes to organizing small pranks, Leila isn’t above being absolutely childish to get her revenge. Spite motivates her.

+ Daring: While others may hesitate to take on a dangerous quest, Leila would be the first to volunteer. There isn’t much that would cause her to pause so long as she sees value in doing it, this value able to be something as simple as it being interesting.

+ Honest: Even with her pranks, Leila hates to use trickery. When asked, Leila is usually truthful and straightforward. She doesn’t want to use others or deceive others. If she does trick someone for reasons other than some joke, the guilt weighs on her heavily.

+ Charming: Yes, she is a bit bossy and all over the place but she manages to dance in the space just below annoying, for most people. Perhaps, it is in her openness or her confidence but she has a charisma that, before annoyance, asks people to linger.

C H A R A C T E R - B A C K G R O U N D

History:

“This is it. I always wondered ‘Why must I? Why must I learn these lessons? Why must I be so uncomfortably dressed? Why must I hide my power? Why must I get married?’ But I don’t need to! Call me a disappointment, if you will. A simpleton. A wild child. I am a doll no longer; I am my own.”

The Briardales were a respectable family. Elias Briardale ruled the small town of Blumebell in a way that was neither deplorable or entirely just. Annelie Briardale, the most presentable of all Briardales, kept the locals placated and their reputation as pure as possible. She had married Elias for the town’s love of him and his charismatic cunning in business. Emmerich, their eldest child and only son, was to be raised to be the Baron of Blumebell, taking over Elias’s position. Leila, their lovely and sole daughter, was to be married.

That was Annelie’s plan, unoriginal but fitting. What Annelie had not planned was for Leila to start calling the trees her friends, for the small child of only five to claim her green thumb to be some power. Annelie insisted that she was merely a good gardener but the worry was planted in Annelie and grew as Leila did.

The wildness in Leila struggled to be contained. Running from her lessons, she would drag her brother off to play hide and seek or tag in their gardens. When her brother became too busy to be bothered, she would instead hide among the trees by herself. After disappearing for a whole day to avoid being taught proper posture while walking and sitting among other things, Annelie had their tall trees replaced with shorter ones that could hide nothing but perhaps a tiny bird. It was then that Annelie had to acknowledge Leila’s power, however, after catching sight of Leila from the window crouching into a rosebush to hide and seeing the flowers and thorns moving to avoid her.

Leila learned that this was the marking of a Ranger, that she had been given a gift from the Singing Tree. She wanted to visit it, to ask why it had chosen her and what it was that she should do. She wanted to go there, to go off and away. Distraught, Annelie forbid Leila from sharing her power, from using it, and developing it. This was for the good of the family. This was for her role in the family. This is what she must do.

As a child of ten, Leila learned how to sneak out at night. She had been forbidden from going into the gardens alone and so her night trips had been first purely out of spite. Running barefoot in the garden beneath the cover of darkness and starlight, she felt, she imagined, as how a bird does when lifted by a sudden gust of wind: ecstatically frightened.

During the summer of that year, Leila was invited by Emmerich to accompany him on his trip to a nearby town to meet potential marriage partners. She was almost bursting with excitement, unable to tear herself away from the window of the carriage she rode in. Emmerich rode beside them, insisting on taking his own horse out of his fondness for the beast and so that later he and Leila could ride on it through town together. In the second day of their traveling, they were attacked by bandits.

Leila saw Emmerich’s body slump in his saddle to be then carried into the woods by his startled horse. One of their guards chased him while the other drove the carriage swiftly down the road to keep Leila safe. They did not find Emmerich. Elias became quieter, sterner. Annelie’s desperation sharpened. Leila heard only of dear Emmerich and of her duties.

In the years following, Leila complied with Annelie’s lessons but she still snuck out of their manor, although her wanderings would now spill over into the town. She had seen a flash of the bandit’s face and she had taken it upon herself to find him if he ever were in Blumebell. During one of these searches, she happened upon Maeve.

Messily chopped red hair and a tempest of blue eyes, Maeve’s appearance captivated Leila. The fierce girl had stepped in after other street kids recognized Leila and started to bully her for gold. Maeve shut them up and dragged Leila away to start lecturing her for her goddamn foolish straight-out-of-a-dragon’s ass idea. They became friends soon after.

It was through this friendship that Leila learned of Emmerich’s actual state. While visiting a tavern whose owner would give Maeve free shepherd’s pies and other foods, Leila spotted the face of the bandit who had killed Emmerich. Maeve helped Leila tail the man, or rather Maeve was forced to follow along as Leila ran after him. Upon questioning the man with Maeve’s knife to his belly and Leila standing with all the ferocity Annelie had given and taught her, he admitted to being Emmerich’s friend.

The heir that never wanted to be wanted simply to marry a lady that had traveled to town and stayed long enough to capture his attention and for him to capture hers. Knowing full well that Annelie and Elias would never allow him to marry someone of questionable standing, he orchestrated a plan among his guards and the lady’s close friend to fake his death and run off. Leila had been used to confirm the death. Leila did not share this information with her parents. She tried resigning herself to being a proper Briardale lady but began to practice nature magic while finally allowed in their gardens by herself.

Annelie would have been happy with her daughter had her daughter sat still but Leila did not. At sixteen, Leila had learned how to present herself as someone Elias and Annelie could be proud of and she memorized that person but only acted that way if the situation called for it. Having learned enough, she took to running off during the day.

Maeve would meet her at the docks. Blumebell wasn’t the most well known town in the trade but had a good location at the mouth of a river that exited into the sea allowing for several types of fish. There Maeve would point at different boats and tell Leila of their type, their usage, and their history. Leila would listen but remember none of it, liking the way Maeve’s voice sounded during these teachings too much to commit herself to not needing them.

It was there, too, that they spoke of adventuring. Maeve wanted to become a pirate, to be some rascal on the seas, and Leila wanted to…she did not know what she wanted to do but she promised to eventually meet the pirate Maeve. Perhaps, she would have some special house for Maeve to hide in should she ever need it and there Leila would listen to Maeve’s adventures. Hearing this, Maeve insisted that she would take Leila out to some of her travels then but Leila would need some method to protect herself as to not burden the rest of the crew. The noblewoman began to practice archery and slingshots.

As Leila’s arranged marriage approached, she grew more and more restless. Elias increased the guards around their manor to keep Leila from running off daily. Annelie would bring Leila to her salons, though as opposed to just their created literature it became more a showing of various talents, and book clubs to expose her to other ladies of their status. Leila felt the most at ease during in the gardens during their strolls and evening gatherings but still there were too many people for her to relax. The obligations and the role suffocated her.

So she planned on running.

Escaping to the docks, she told Maeve of her wanting and Maeve agreed. She’d make some plan and they’d go at the end of the week. Leila gathered her things and went to meet Maeve. They set off on a small rowing boat during twilight. Leila did not know where to but assumed they would follow the coast to another town or some hidden house; she was amazed when night fell and she stared up at the lantern light of a ship. Leila had been cooped for some time during which Maeve had met a few others who knew of her and the Briardale lady.

Maeve apologized before pulling out her dagger, forcing Leila up the side of the ship, and tying her up. Leila stared at her friend who had finally become what she had wanted to be. Then she started cursing.

The journey to another settlement was a fairly short one, a week at the most, but it had felt lengthened due to Leila’s behavior. Eventually they threw her into a storeroom to quiet her insults and yells. When they finally arrived at another town, they kept Leila on board while the others went to get supplies and organize a ransom. Maeve and another pirate stayed on board to watch Leila. Hours passed then Leila heard fighting.

Someone had recognized the ship and called for guards and a few other visiting adventurers to deal with the pirate threat. Maeve burst into the storeroom, cut Leila free, and yelled at her to run. She followed Maeve off the ship but some others gave chase. They ran through the alleyways and side streets and had almost reached the edge of town and beginning of the woods when someone cut them off. The priest gave Maeve one chance to surrender but after the very blunt declination fought without much mercy. A guard, hearing the commotion, joined in on the battle. Leila watched not knowing who to help and saw the guard fall to Maeve. There was a brief grin on Maeve’s features before the priest’s sword pierced through her. Leila ran forward as the priest, using magic Leila had only heard about, brought the dead guard back to life.

She begged the priest to heal Maeve; he would not. She drew her dagger; he still would not. Leila darted forward but her attack was blocked. Rangers could heal, but she did not know how. She could feel Maeve weakening, though. She was too aware of it. The priest, frustrated and done with the whole ordeal, moved past Leila to finish the pirate. He was not expecting Leila to react so quickly. The wound in her side screamed but she kept going, taking Maeve on her back and willing her body to go, to go faster, to keep going.

Weakly, she heard Maeve laugh. “You, fucking fool, I am no friend. Get out of here.” And Maeve pushed herself off of Leila. All Leila could tell herself to do was to keep going further, eventually she collapsed in the forest.

When Leila awoke, it was to the sight of an approaching giant wolf. She sat up and used her magic to make medicinal plants to press to her side. Leila only stared, tired and pleading. The wolf stopped and returned her glare. Instead of eating her, the wolf walked off and returned with a rabbit.

In the year that followed, Leila nursed herself back to health and followed the Giant Wolf she named Mona. When Mona disappeared during mating season, Leila journeyed to Siften to find other Rangers and to finally see the Singing Tree. She learned eagerly but found herself missing Mona dearly. Leaving after a few years, Leila ventured back to search for Mona. She tracked Great Wolf prints, hurrying when the tracks indicated some fight and mixed with blood. Leila found Mona inside her den gravely wounded by several spearheads. There were signs of other wolves who had wandered out, perhaps driven by hunger. One, however, stayed behind. A pup as black as the water had been all those nights ago when Leila and Maeve had ran off slept frailly near Mona. Leila left the den and returned with food. She picked up the pup and fed him outside.

Naming him Veit, Leila raised him, traveling around the wilder lands and visiting only the smaller villagers. Still, she felt lost. There had to be more. Leila was finally free of being the tool of the Briardales and even the pawn of Maeve, but she had no other purpose for herself. When she heard about the Wardens, she thought that maybe, just maybe, that could work.

Reason for joining the Wardens:

Leila joined the Wardens to find some sort of purpose for herself. Having finally escaped what she had been ‘meant’ for, she found herself missing any sort of meaning. Maybe, this is why she was chosen to be a Ranger. At the very least, this is a productive way to pass time and hone her and Veit’s skills.

Desired Connections:

Leila is rather new to the Wardens though has probably heard of a few members from tavern talk. She definitely knows of THE LEADER, though, and is wary of her and the other priests. Leila tends to avoid the priests, if possible.

R O L E P L A Y - S A M P L E

(Please provide a sample of your writing to one of the prompts below or use another setting which fits with your character’s background and story.)

   In the muffled light of creeping dusk, Leila’s lantern creaked and swung. The tufts of light followed her down and through the narrowed alleys of Blumebell like the essence of an incessant ghost. The weighty blanket of nearing sundown deadened even the metallic clangs and busy jostlings of dinner preparations and shop closings. Leila’s footfalls could have been of a cat’s but still they felt too loud, too rushed, to her ears. She held her breath when passing a window or doorway as if her breathing would make all the difference.

    But, she was not afraid. No, she was not afraid. Nervous, yes. Her heart was a persistent pecking bird; it knew no rest. Not even when the looming structure of her manor was far behind her. Not even when the sun fully buried itself beneath its deep purple grave. Leila felt her hummingbird of a pulse up until she saw Maeve.

    Standing beside a rowing boat, Maeve raised her lantern to shine on Leila’s face. Her hair flared like fire in the wind and the light. “About time you got the fuck outta there.” Maeve had turned to load Leila’s things into the boat but not before a brief grin.

    “I was biding my time.” Leila balanced herself into the front of the boat, raising the corner of her lips with the arch of her brows. “Mother did say to make my entrances and exits as memorable as possible.” She was expecting some comment, some laugh or joke, but was met with a humming nod. But the sea was the sea and they were in a wooden leaf of a boat so Lydia counted the reaction as concern. Though she knew Maeve and Maeve knew the sea and all its modes of transport.

    “Where would you like to go first, Maeve?” The question was thrust hopefully into the air between them. “After we complete my daring escape, of course.” Leila drummed her fingers on her lap, the soft claps gone beneath the waves. “I don’t have much gold on me anymore and I won’t be able to give you the safe house as promised but I’ve gotten fairly good at the slingshot. As a matter of fact, if there’s a rock-” Glancing behind her to the front of the boat for a rock jutting above the water, Leila found, instead, a solid shadow in the distance.

    In the darkness, lanterns lit. Leila stared. Maeve said nothing but the rowing wavered then slowed then quickened. Within Leila: a dawning and a sinking. In a whisper, “No.”

    Before Maeve had even met Leila, she had known of her brother’s death. After Maeve had met Leila, she had found out how Leila had been used. Maeve knew. Leila had shared memories with her as Maeve had shared hopes with Leila. They were friends. They were to be adventurers together.

    Again, “No.” Again, silence.

   “So, you’ve found a ship and a crew? Where are we going then?” Nothing even with Leila’s nervousness dripping into her speech. “Maeve, I like surprises but this is stretching a bit too much, would you not think so?” Nothing. Leila looked at her friend, she could see her eyebrows ridged above narrowed eyes.

    The boat stopped just short of the ship and Maeve reached to her side. She unsheathed her dagger and met Leila’s eyes. Maeve’s lips parted and Leila felt fear then, a drowning sort of dread, a knowing sort of dread. “I’m sorry.”