#its officially return of the dead man's party season!!

[bingle-bongle-scrinkle-skroo]

this is SO GOOD

[skirm-the-terrible]

D&D CHARACTER TIME

Figadaretti “Fig” Contranagiaccidarerria III, human paladin under the Oath of Devotion. More about him under the cut…

A bit of context: our campaign, Spellsong, is on hiatus this summer until we get back to college in August. One of our players schemed up a one-shot that he worked with our DM on and this weekend we pulled our party from different parts of the country under one roof to play it.

One problem: my character, Morigan Merot, is quite dead as of our last session before the summer!! And I didn’t want to introduce my new character until we’re back to the official campaign, since the one-shot was a bit further along in the timeline. So the arbiter of the one-shot created Fig, a paladin with amnesia who remembers nothing of his backstory but knows the party as if he were part of it, even though none of them remember him.

The BBEG of the one-shot was a false hydra, which for those who like me didn’t know, fucks around with memories of those they devour and everyone who knew them—you see where this is going. The hydra was living in a haunted house attraction in a town the party was passing through which upon Fig’s arrival they decided to investigate.

The house was comprised of various wacky and personalized trauma rooms which our temp DM took far too much joy in designing! These below doodle is Fig after enjoying the Chinchilla Room. This was a room made entirely of living chinchillas. Until we ran across it and some of them were less living. There was also a journal in the center of the room which belongs to Fig and once opened, restored his and the party’s memories of him. He had been with them the whole time!! Just like in season 5 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Here is a Fig post-Chinchilla Room:

But later, when we ended up in a room with a false perfect reality and one of our party cast dispel magic, Fig began to flicker with the rest of the illusion. Our sorcerer, in a moment of panic, stated what was on everyone’s mind now: “Fig… I don’t think you’re real.”

He’s feeling normal about that revelation.

Cue the personalized trauma rooms, when a few of our party including Fig meet our foe face-to-face, revealing it as a false hydra disguised as a man with, quote, “slicked-back hair and weirdly thin face-cheeks!” The hydra reveals to Fig that he was devoured the night before, and returns the memories of it happening.

At last, the boss fight. This was a predictably long fight so I won’t go into detail, but Fig managed to damage the hydra severely near the end. However, none of us had the power to kill it for good, until Fig feels a tug. He is undead, a ghost of sorts, and has the power to possess the weakened creature. The only thing powerful enough to defeat it… would be itself.

Fig turns to the party, his fate clicking into place as he searches for what to say to them, his dearest friends for the past year, who had not even known he existed when they woke up this morning. “It was… it was nice being remembered by you all.”

He vanishes, and the party watches as the false hydra begins to convulse, swallowing its remaining arms and imploding in on itself. Then, they wake up in the rubble of a house, no memory of how they got there or what has happened since the five, not six, of them checked into the hotel a couple days ago.

Yeah! That’s Fig! And the story of how the players of Spellsong were broken for a second time in as many sessions. I gotta stop playing guys who are doomed by the narrative. That’s a joke give me more guys who are doomed by the narrative immediately.

And give Fig another salami-mayo-pickle sandwich for his agonies <3

I’ll do more more D&D posting in the future if you guys are interested (pleasepleasepleasepleaseple)

@electric-specter & @nebby-stardust here’s to another year of Spellsong!!

[qqueenofhades]

did you watch lucifer season six and what are your thoughts pls and ty

Ahaha. Yes. Yes I did watch it. Then I cried for a literal hour and attempted to compose myself, only to start crying again when I lay down and kept on thinking about it. Then I had more feelings. Then I slept like the dead due to emotional trauma. Then I reblogged gifsets and had More feelings. Then @buffaluff and @flynnanimal watched it and also required emotional support due to drowning in their own tears. So, uh... we're all fine here now. How are you?

My main takeaway from the final season was the sheer amount of love for the characters, story, and fans that you could feel shining through all the episodes, and which made SUCH a refreshing change. I had feelings in my tags the other day about how a show about the devil was constantly goofy, hopeful, loving, and uplifting, rather than all the grimdark nonsense they could have easily done with it. (As I said, just imagine it as written by the GOT idiots?? NO THANK YOU.) The writing really loved everyone and wanted to give them a proper ending and emotional journey, and it wanted to show the fans that they weren't stupid for having invested six seasons of effort and emotion into this, and just... that is so much rarer than it should be? Compare all the movies and TV shows that treat their fans like the enemy, that want to outsmart them at all costs even if it means changing major plot elements, that ferociously guard spoilers and think that "shock value" means good writing, by throwing hackneyed cliche upon cliche and making everything Depressing, and just... Lucifer had its hiccups and slow points and missteps, of course, but I am SO glad they didn't do that. The entire show consisted of Lucifer slowly but steadily progressing toward being a better man, despite mistakes and setbacks and sometimes a little too much will-they-won't-they. (Season 3 was the only one where I got bored and skipped over the filler episodes with Pierce/Lucifer/Chloe in order to get to the end).

That is an essentially simple premise, but they stuck to it, and they didn't try to create more drama by randomly wrecking what they had already established. I wrote a fic all the way back in mid-season 2 (In Nomine Patris) that ended up predicting quite a few of the future characters who had not yet appeared on the show at that time, including Eve, Michael, and Azrael, and several plot points, including the very major one of Lucifer returning to hell for the sake of his daughter with Chloe. And while this might mean that I am just that good at guessing TV shows (I would like to think this....) it also means that the writers set expectations, followed through on those expectations, and didn't suddenly derail everything or turn it totally on its head just for the sake of cheap shocks. As we can all attest, they certainly caused PLENTY of drama, anguish, pain, and suffering, but they did it in a way that remained faithful to the overall premises of the story and the characters, and wanted to see them become the best versions of themselves. I cried my eyes out at the end and then thought, "hey, I might want to watch the whole series again," which, if you ask me, is the mark of doing your job right. There have been so few TV endings recently where I didn't immediately swear off the whole thing or have to pretend that canon didn't exist, so yeah.

As I said, it was just refreshing to watch something that had that essential deep generosity at its core, where the message is that everyone is worthy of love if they make the hard and painful effort to change and become better, and that even if earthly things feel small next to all this messy celestial drama, they still matter, and that you are loved no matter what. I loved that Amenadiel became God and Lucifer returned to hell as a choice in order to help all the trapped souls be able to work through their guilt and go to heaven. There were obviously certain echoes of The Good Place in that ending; I don't know if it was something they had planned all along or if the success of TGP, another series asking deep questions about life, death, morality, and human nature within the framework of a goofy heaven-and-hell sitcom, influenced it, but either way, it worked so well. Even if it tore my heart out and stomped on it on the ground, it was fitting and oh so lovely to see Lucifer, once the most selfish being in the entire universe, following in Linda's footsteps and becoming selflessly dedicated to helping other people. Just. Chef's kiss.

And of course, Deckerstar. The Hades and Persephone vibes were IMMACULATE this season, and while it did take Lucifer and Chloe the best part of four seasons to get together, they never significantly backslid, never had third-party issues or cheap cheating storylines once they were officially a couple, and Tom Ellis and Lauren German REALLY killed it this season in particular. It was never easy for them and sometimes the drama went on a little too long over the course of said six seasons, but the love story was beautiful and incredibly meaningful and always true to the fact that the actors and characters and writers (not to mention the fans) all loved it so much. They were so much the emotional heart of this, and when they went to hell together in episode 6x03 (where they turned into cartoons because wHAT even IS this show), Joe Henderson said in an interview that this was to give the fans a view into Lucifer and Chloe's future (after) lives post-6x10, and to offer them a basis to write fanfiction. I mean... the showrunner saying to the fans "here, we love you, have something to write fic about!" is likewise pretty shockingly rare. It's again an example of how this show always audaciously poked fun at itself, never took itself TOO seriously, and was always welcoming its fans and the people who loved it to do so, rather than making them feel stupid or taking joy in wrecking beloved characters or plots.

Obviously, I loved Rory, the badass lesbian half-angel goth Deckerstar child straight out of My Immortal (seriously, she was SO edgy, it was amazing), because of the fact that Lucifer's entire arc was always about feeling abandoned by his father and that he was going to have to face it for himself. Dorky Devil Dad Lucifer trying his absolute HARDEST to bond with his daughter was simultaneously hilarious, adorable, and heart-wrenching, and yet again, the Growth. We all remember when he could barely tolerate Trixie touching him, and now we're here. Also, any variation whatsoever of "this is just a brief moment of time that we must be apart, love is eternal and stronger than death and we will never really leave each other" as a line is guaranteed to make me bawl my eyes out. So that was fun.

I got a big kick out of Ghost Dan running around and trying to get everyone to see him, and had feelings about seeing him in heaven with Charlotte and his beloved Pudding Pops at the end. I had feelings about how they handled Ella finding out the truth (or rather demanding to know why nobody had told her) and of course, I obviously loved Maze and Eve and their goth/femme wedding and the fact that they got a good three-season romantic arc (indeed, I wanted more of them). My god, Trixie is SO BIG, she used to be a tiny little nugget. I love that Linda was the moral and emotional rock all along, from the first episode to the very last, and that Amenadiel was Deeply Vindicated when Charlie's wings appeared at his first birthday party. I love how Lucifer in s6 is absolute thousands of light years from Lucifer in s1. And as ever, Chloe was Perfect. I am happy that I spent six seasons with these characters and saw them become better, and that I was never made to feel like an idiot for trusting the writers to end everything in a beautiful and emotional way. Because, well. They did. Sure, maybe I could go back and pick at a plotline here or a detail there, but I don't terribly feel the need to do so? It might not have been perfect, but it was perfect, and I am so grateful that it existed.

[nellie-elizabeth]

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: Truth (1x05)

Well, okay then.

Cons:

I've complained about the uneven time given to Sam and Bucky, and while I appreciate where this episode went with everything, it did shine a further light on how little Sam has had to do all season. How his growth has been happening in the background to other things. I wish the balance could have been changed a little.

I also continue to be less interested in the Flag Smashers than I am in anything else in the show. Not the ideology or how they function politically in this world, but the actual individual characters. Spending time getting to know them makes sense, it humanizes their struggles and what they're willing to sacrifice for their cause. But I just don't find Karli to be a particularly compelling individual, so it makes those scenes a slough to get through.

The opening fight scene between Sam, Bucky, and John Walker was good, but it wasn't great. The whole time I was watching it I kept thinking about the Tony/Steve/Bucky fight at the end of Civil War, three men fighting, the shield pinging between them. So much angst and desperation and history and weight to the whole thing. This fight should have been like that, but instead it felt a little more measured. Sam and Bucky are fighting to take the shield away from a dangerous man who has clearly lost control. It almost felt like they were just doing a job. Their connection to the shield was muted during the fight itself, which made that final beat, when Bucky throws the shield down at Sam's side and walks off, hit a little less hard.

And that's one other thing - I loved the Sam and Bucky talk, of course I did. Bucky needed to apologize and it was great to see. But what changed Bucky's mind? We see Sam's journey, but Bucky starts the episode still in that mindset of blaming Sam, and then he comes and helps with the boat, and then he apologizes. What made him realize that he needed to adjust his perspective? I wish I could have understood that a bit more. The only scene we get of him on his own is with Zemo, and that bit of closure seems wholly disconnected to the stuff with the shield.

Pros:

This is a small thing, but I've gotta bring it up: when Bucky is apologizing to Sam, he says "when Steve told me what he was planning"... and when I tell you I screamed... this is literally so important to me. I hate the end of Endgame for Steve. I truly do. The one thing that makes it bearable is the head-canon that he cleared it with Bucky first, that Bucky knew, before Steve left to go return the stones, what he was going to do. And now we have actual canon confirmation that that was the case! I am so incredibly moved by that, I can't even tell you.

But let's talk about that whole scene, shall we? I feel like I could ramble on about it for quite some time, but I'll just say that seeing them throw the shield around like a damn football was so... funny? But also sweet? There's something here about men and how they communicate and how hard it can be to break down the walls and be vulnerable. They manage it because they frame it around a physical activity, with the shared symbol of complicated national loyalties bouncing around between them. Also, the shared symbol of their dead friend Steve. It opens up something between them, allowing Sam to give his "tough love" advice. Allowing Bucky to give a heartfelt apology. It's the stuff they never would have said to each other in that therapy session, but they can say it now, and that's beautiful. The best moment for me, and it was really subtle, was Bucky handing the shield to Sam, saying sorry. Then Sam continues to throw it against the trees and let it bounce back, and he does it specifically so Bucky can catch it again. So there's this almost ceremonial hand-off, and then Sam, magnanimous, lets Bucky know it's still a part of him too.

And Bucky talking about the shield as his family? Yes please. I love it so much. This scene really wrapped up Bucky's arc for me on this show, in a way I hadn't known to expect. Sam tells him that Steve is gone, and that it doesn't matter what Steve thought, or what he meant. Bucky needs to stop defining himself solely by other people. This doesn't mean the struggle is over. Bucky's got a long road ahead. But he understands that road now, and Sam helped him to find his way, which I think is just the loveliest thing.

Another thing about the way these men communicate, is that the apology was necessary, and it was good that it happened, but even before that apology, Bucky showed up and helped with the boat. He fished for an invite to stay, and Sam gave it without question. They joke about being "partners", no, "co-workers," "just two guys who had a mutual friend," but the fact is, they're a part of each other's lives, and they come through for each other. Even with lingering resentments.

I'll talk briefly about Zemo here before we get into the Sam stuff in this episode... I kind of love that he went gently with the Wakandans. It was so different from what I expected, and yet it also followed logically from everything we knew about him from Civil War. It felt like a natural button to his arc on this show. And him telling Bucky that there's no resentment on his end... I mean, on the one hand, I sure as fuck would hope not, given what Zemo tried to do to Bucky. But also that's the point, isn't it? Sam says as much during the tough love speech. Bucky needs to make amends by being of service, by giving closure to the people he hurt as the Winter Solider. Even if they were bad people. Even if they don't "deserve" it.

I still worry about the optics of Sam taking on the shield instead of retiring it permanently. But I was impressed by how far the show was willing to go in explaining the weight of that choice. Isaiah doesn't say some party line like "I love America but these were some bad people." He doesn't say "things were bad then but they're better now." No. He says the truth, which is that America did this to him. It wasn't one bad actor sneaking through an otherwise benevolent system. It was a corrosive, systemic issue that ruined his life, separated him from his loved ones, forced him to hide away and live as a dead man. And he's telling Sam that it's still like that. Oh, sure, things have changed. But not as much as they need to, and not in the ways that really count for a lot, a lot of people.

I respect that the show laid this out, didn't pull its punches in stating this reality. Sam is being positioned as perhaps naïve, overly optimistic, in still wanting to take that pain and make something good from it. Overly optimistic? Willing to jump into situations that are too big for any one man to manage, no matter what? Well, if there's a list of qualifiers for Captain America, I'd say Sam fits the bill just as much, if not more, than Steve did.

And we see that Sam has a community, a history, a deep connection to his sister and his nephews and all the people his parents knew back in the day. I'm a sucker for a good moment like the one we got with the boat, everyone turning up to help. And then Sarah saying that they can't sell it after all... it's just so moving. Sam's fighting the big fights and the small ones, and that makes him worthy of being an exemplar of human excellence. If he wants to fight that fight while holding the shield, I would trust him to try and turn the symbol into something worthy.

Briefly, I want to talk about Lemar. That scene where John went to his parents was really interesting, because it showed that opinions on these very serious issues are by no means shared universally. You've got Isaiah saying that no black man with any self respect would ever take up the shield. Then you've got Lemar's parents saying how proud their son was to be Captain America's partner. It's a lot more complicated than people want to make it. Things would be simpler if we all agreed that America sucks and its history and legacy is negative and racist and therefore let's burn the whole thing to the ground. But there are a lot of people, a lot of black Americans, who like being Americans, who are proud to serve their country. It's not an attitude I know how to understand, but pretending it doesn't exist isn't doing anyone any favors. I like that we saw this aspect of it, too.

A couple last tidbits, moments I really enjoyed.

- Bucky flirting with Sarah.

- Sam's nephews playing with the shield, Bucky waking up and smiling at the sight.

- The super relevant, super hard to hear scene at the end of all the government officials getting ready to round up refugees and march them back across borders... like, damn.

- Bucky forgetting he has a metal arm, but then later using it to save Sam some trouble on the boat.

This was a great episode. Do I have qualms about the arc of the series as a whole? Yes I do. I'll be very curious to see where everything lands in next week's finale. But in all, this one was a winner in my books.

9/10

[newstfionline]

Tuesday, May 4, 2021

Employers, insurers push to make virtual visits regular care (AP) Make telemedicine your first choice for most doctor visits. That’s the message some U.S. employers and insurers are sending with a new wave of care options. Amazon and several insurers have started or expanded virtual-first care plans to get people to use telemedicine routinely, even for planned visits like annual checkups. They’re trying to make it easier for patients to connect with regular help by using remote care that grew explosively during the COVID-19 pandemic. Advocates say this can keep patients healthy and out of expensive hospitals, which makes insurers and employers that pay most of the bill happy. But some doctors worry that it might create an over-reliance on virtual visits. “There is a lot lost when there is no personal touch, at least once in a while,” said Dr. Andrew Carroll, an Arizona-based family doctor and board member of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Landlords and renters both struggling (Washington Post) In the covid economy of 2021, the federal government has created an ongoing grace period for renters until at least July, banning all evictions in an effort to hold back a historic housing crisis that is already underway. More than 8 million rental properties across the country are behind on payments by an average of $5,600, according to census data. Nearly half of those rental properties are owned not by banks or big corporations but instead by what the government classifies as “small landlords”—people who manage their own rentals and depend on them for basic income, and who are now trapped between tenants who can’t pay and their own mounting bills for insurance, mortgages and property tax. According to government estimates, a third of small landlords are at risk of bankruptcy or foreclosure as the pandemic continues into its second year.

Pandemic baby bust unprecedented in Bay Area, California history (San Francisco Chronicle) U.S. residents are having fewer babies this year. And California’s birth rates in January and February—around the time when early pandemic babies would be due—declined by 15% compared to the same period last year, the steepest year-over-year decline for those months since at least 1960, according to a Chronicle analysis. We used data from California’s Health and Human Services department, which collects monthly birth totals per county. We found that the state’s births declined from nearly 70,000 in the first two months of 2020 to fewer than 59,000 in the same period in 2021.

Zoom Court Is Changing How Justice Is Served (The Atlantic) Last spring, as COVID‑19 infections surged for the first time, many American courts curtailed their operations. As case backlogs swelled, courts moved online, at a speed that has amazed—and sometimes alarmed—judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys. In the past year, U.S. courts have conducted millions of hearings, depositions, arraignments, settlement conferences, and even trials—nearly entirely in civil cases or for minor criminal offenses—over Zoom and other meeting platforms. As of late February, Texas, the state that’s moved online most aggressively, had held 1.1 million remote proceedings.

Mexico City metro overpass collapses onto road; 20 dead (AP) An elevated section of the Mexico City metro collapsed and sent a subway car plunging toward a busy boulevard late Monday, killing at least 20 people and injuring about 70, city officials said. Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said 49 of the injured were hospitalized, and that seven were in serious condition and undergoing surgery. The overpass was about 5 meters (16 feet) above the road in the southside borough of Tlahuac, but the train ran above a concrete median strip, which apparently lessened the casualties among motorists on the roadway below. “A support beam gave way,” Sheinbaum said, adding that the beam collapsed just as the train passed over it.

El Salvador’s judiciary (Foreign Policy) Lawmakers in El Salvador voted to remove five influential Supreme Court judges and the attorney general over the weekend in a move U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has noted with “grave concern.” The motions to remove the officials passed with a supermajority in El Salvador’s legislature, now ruled by President Nayib Bukele’s New Ideas party following a sweeping victory in February’s elections. Addressing the international community on Twitter Bukele dismissed rebukes over the move. “With all due respect: We are cleaning house … and this doesn’t concern you,” Bukele said.

‘Hospitals are full’ as Argentina COVID-19 cases hit 3 million (Reuters) Argentina coronavirus cases hit 3 million on Sunday since the pandemic began, as medical workers said hospitals were full to capacity despite toughened government measures to bring down the spread of infections. The government of President Alberto Fernandez this week unveiled a new round of tougher restrictions as a second wave of infections has battered the country, filling up intensive care units and setting new daily records for cases and deaths. Marcela Cid, owner of a business on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, said that Argentines were increasingly “locked into a situation” that while necessary, was of little help to anyone trying to move beyond the pandemic.

EU proposes reopening external borders (AP) In an announcement sure to be welcomed by travelers worldwide, EU officials on Monday proposed easing restrictions on visiting the 27-nation bloc as vaccination campaigns across the continent gather speed. Travel to the European Union is currently extremely limited except for a handful of countries with low infection rates. But with the summer tourist season looming, the bloc’s European Commission hopes the new recommendations will dramatically expand that list. The Commission hopes the move will soon allow travelers reunite with their friends and relatives living in Europe and support the bloc’s economy this summer. Under the Commission’s proposal, entry would be granted to all those fully vaccinated with EU-authorized shots. Coronavirus vaccines authorized by the European Medicines Agency, the bloc’s drug regulator, include Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.

Indian leader’s party takes electoral hit amid virus surge (AP) India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi suffered a resounding defeat in a key state election on Sunday, indicating his Hindu nationalist party’s political strength may be slipping as the country struggles to contain an unprecedented surge in coronavirus cases. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was unable to dislodge West Bengal state’s firebrand chief minister, Mamata Banerjee, after a hard-fought campaign. His party also failed to win in two southern states, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. But the BJP secured a second term in the northeastern state of Assam and an alliance with regional parties led it to victory in the union territory of Puducherry. Even before the current virus surge, Modi’s party faced stiff challenges in these local legislative elections. Following the disappointing results, Modi stands weakened but faces no threats to staying on as prime minister until his term ends in 2024.

Formal Withdrawal from Afghanistan Begins (AP) US and NATO troops stationed in Afghanistan formally began the withdrawal phase over the weekend, a process that is expected to last through the summer and officially end Sept. 11. Roughly 3,000 US troops and 7,000 coalition troops remain in the country, along with a reported 18,000 Pentagon-employed contractors. The exit has been framed as nonconditional—meaning ongoing attacks by the Taliban against the Afghan government won’t delay the withdrawal. Many have questioned the ability of the Afghan National Army to provide security against the Taliban absent international forces. Despite assurances by Afghan officials, Taliban forces have established themselves across most of the country. Afghan forces control an estimated one-third of the country’s districts, with the Taliban controlling about 10%, and nearly half—areas that include a total of roughly 14 million people—currently contested.

Chinese man crosses Taiwan Strait by rubber dinghy, seeking ‘freedom and equality’ (Washington Post) A Chinese man appeared to sail undetected through the highly militarized Taiwan Strait in a rubber dinghy, fleeing his native China for Taiwan in search of “freedom,” according to Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration. The man, identified only by his surname, Zhou, left Shishi county in Quanzhou, a port city in Fujian province, at 10 a.m. on Friday, arriving more than 10 hours later at Taichung port on Taiwan’s western coast, Taiwan’s Coast Guard said on Monday. Officials said they were still investigating Zhou’s journey over the 100-mile stretch of sea between China and Taiwan, which is patrolled by hundreds of Chinese and Taiwanese coast guard ships and naval vessels. Coast Guard officials, relaying Zhou’s account of his journey, told reporters he had traveled in a rubber raft measuring 8.8 feet by 5 feet that he bought on the Chinese e-commerce site Taobao and fitted with an outboard motor. The incident has prompted concerns about the security of the contentious waterway at a time when military observers worry that long-standing tensions between the governments of China, Taiwan and the United States, which is committed to defending Taiwan, could boil over into military conflict.

Australia warns its citizens of jail and $50,000 fine if they return from India (Washington Post) Even in the pandemic era of closed borders, Australia’s latest travel restriction stands out: Anyone, including Australian citizens, who arrives in the country after visiting India in the previous 14 days can face up to five years in jail, a $50,000 fine or both. On Monday, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison defended the move. Australia had seen a sevenfold increase in the percentage of people traveling from India who tested positive for the coronavirus, the prime minister told Sydney’s 2GB radio station. The decision to threaten even Australian citizens with jail time if they return home from India during its record-breaking coronavirus surge is a significant escalation of border restrictions for Australia, an island nation that had already mandated strict controls at its borders throughout the pandemic.

DR Congo declares state of siege over eastern bloodshed (Reuters) Militants killed at least 19 people, including 10 soldiers, in raids on two villages in the east of Democratic Republic of Congo on Saturday, hours after President Felix Tshisekedi declared a state of siege in two provinces. A surge in attacks by armed militias and inter-communal violence in the east have killed more than 300 people since the start of the year as government troops and U.N. peacekeepers struggle to stabilize the situation. The most recent attacks took place early on Saturday when militants raided two villages in North Kivu’s regional hub of Beni, local authorities said. Tshisekedi had declared a state of siege in North Kivu and Ituri provinces on Friday.

[fairstarlights]

​Crowns and Thorns

Chapter Summary: An antsy King sneaks out of the castle and Patton and Logan lose their minds.

Chapter Warnings: N/A

Pairing: Logicality and mentions of Joan and Talyn 

Word Count: 5,761

Previous Chapter - Next Chapter

-- Chapter 2 --

King Thomas stared out the window with his head in his hands, wondering what the weather was like. He hadn't gone outside today. Was it warm? Cool? It would be nice to open a window.

The sun had only an hour ago just entered the horizon but Thomas already felt like it had to have been noon by now. Well, it felt like it was still five in the morning, judging by how sleepy he was. Of course Logan and or Patton got him up at right at five per usual, he dressed and fixed himself up by five thirty, ate breakfast at six, then was briefed by Patton on some of the locals complaints from the previous day by six thirty. 

It was currently eight and Logan was pacing in front of the table Thomas was sitting at, book in hand and talking about the past relations with other neighboring kingdoms.

Thomas tore his eyes away from the window, looked down at his parchment paper, picked up his quill, dipped it into the ink and started scribbling some drawings. He wasn't all that great at it, but he was sure better than Patton to some degree. The guy's drawing abilities didn't have seemed to have developed past the age of ten. It was cute in its own way and Thomas had more than a few drawings from Patton in one of his many drawers in his vanity.

Thomas smiled warmly as he finished drawing his friends. Two friends he hadn't seen in several years. Lords Joan and Tayln from a few kingdoms over. Last time he saw them was when his mother stepped down when Thomas turned fourteen, they came at his coronation. He was now twenty. After they returned to their own kingdom, a few years later they left to go traveling, they hadn't been heard from or seen since.

He did try to find them. Several neighboring kingdoms sent out search parties. Months went by, then a year, then when two finally passed it was officially called off. Logan and Patton had never seen him so torn and broken. He rarely ate or spoke, refused to get out of bed. 

After a week of this Logan and Patton couldn't take it anymore, they forced him to do everything. It was a long seven months before Thomas started coming out of it and doing things on his own. Eventually, Patton started getting him to react again. Getting out of bed himself, dressing faster, smiles, eye rolling, a few word answers. A month later Thomas seemed to have completely back to his original self. Which seemed to concern Logan a bit but Patton seemed ecstatic, so he let it go.

“Thomas.” Thomas' head snapped up from his drawing to Logan, who looked unamused by Thomas' complete lack of interest, but not surprised. “Please, pay attention.” Thomas smirked and stretched his arms and sighed loudly.

“Logan. You know I love you and whatever you talk about during these long boring hours in the morning. Why wouldn't I hang onto every word you say? Please, continue for another hour while I longingly stare out the window wishing for some fresh morning air.”

Logan huffed, bookmarked his placed in the book and closed it gently. “Fine. We can take a short break. Stretch your legs, take one of the guards and go out for a walk in the garden.” Thomas beamed and stood so fast the chair nearly tipped backwards.

“Thanks, Logan, you're the best!” Thomas, took long strides towards the door but as his hand grasped the door knob the door flew open, scaring Thomas and making him stumble backwards before catching himself. The jolt caused his crown to shift to side of his head. Thomas blinked in confusion as he watched Patton run past him with a bag of something he probably bought from the market. He stopped in the middle of the room and looked around, apparently confused at only seeing Logan.

Patton shifted the bag under one of his arms and scratched the back of his head, “Well, hey, Logan! Where's Thomas? I figured Thomas would be here still bored out of his mind listening to ramble on about whatever lesson you talk about in here at this time.” Logan adjusted his glasses and then crossed his arms. “Did I just miss him?”

“No.” Patton blinked.

“So...” Patton started, sounding confused,“...did Thomas master the art of invisibility? Is he a magic user? I thought Thomas was against magic! What a shock this must be!”

Logan rubbed his eyes tiredly, “Patton, you nearly hit your King with the door.”

Patton spun around and saw Thomas standing a few feet from him. He smile returned and he ran over to Thomas, holding the bag up. “Sorry about that, Thomas, but I brought you some snacks from the market! A handful of some of your favorites.” Thomas took the bag and inspected the contents. It was some donuts, filled he assumed. A bag of assorted jelly beans, a few cookies and a muffin. He took out the muffin and closed the bag, smiling.

“Thank you, Patton, I appreciate it.” Patton beamed and then his eyes went up to Thomas' head.

“Thomas, did you know your crown is nearly off your head?”

“Uh-” Thomas reached up to fix it but Patton stopped him.

“No! I got it.” He adjusted it back to center and fixed his hair back into place. “There we go! You should be more careful with that, Thomas. The King can't go around looking unshapely.”

Thomas was silent for a moment before he laughed and nodded, “I know. I was actually about to go take a walk. I'll be back in a few minutes. Do you mind putting this in my room for me?” Thomas handed the bag back to Patton before turning and leaving the room, waving as he left.

Patton turned to Logan who was giving him and exasperated look. “What?” Patton asked.

“Next time, knock before you throw open doors.”

Patton smiled mischievously, “Does that mean I have to knock before I come into yours from now on?” Logan's face turned bright red and for a moment he seriously considered throwing the book at the man.

–

Thomas pushed open the doors to the garden as he took his last bite of the muffin. He really had to know where Patton shopped for him when he went to market. Hopefully, next time he could join him when he goes on another run if Logan would let him out of a lesson.

The morning air was cool and there was a slight breeze. The first thing Thomas heard when he stopped and listened was the tree leaves rustling. Then the birds chirping then the smell of the many different flowers. Looking around, Thomas took in the beautiful garden landscape. Spring time was his favorite out of all the seasons. 

It was gorgeous. Not only that but it was the one season his mother comes to visit. After she stepped down she moved to the country side and started a farm. They used to write each other often and he always looked forward to her visits. Unfortunately, his mother passed away two years ago. Her death was looked into, she wasn't even that old, but no foul play looked to be involved.

Thomas pushed his hair away from his eyes and stared up into the sky. “I miss you, Mom.” He stood in silence for a few moments. “Can you see Joan and Tayln from up there? Are they alright? Please, make sure they stay safe. I know I ask this of you every spring, I know there's a chance they may already be with you.” Thomas clenched his fists, his voices starting to shake. “I-I have to keep my hope alive for my sanity and for the Kingdom's sake. I can't go into that state again and worry Logan and Patton the way I did. That was selfish of me. I apologize. Again.”

–

The sun was high in the sky before Logan walked out into the garden looking for Thomas. He walked around for a few minutes but saw no sign of him. Odd. He had checked every other place in the castle that Thomas could have been hiding. It had been four hours since he had let Thomas go and there were no signs of him anywhere. Not that this wasn't unusual for this time in the season. It was only a week ago since the two year anniversary of the former Queens death.

Logan walked around the garden once more before he stopped and crossed his arms. Did he sneak out of the castle unnoticed again? Usually he leaves some sort of note in his room with some sort of apology and what time he would be back, but Logan had already checked the room. No note. About to turn around and head back, Logan heard a noise, he turned towards it. It was coming from behind a bush.

“Thomas? Is that you?” Logan approached the bushes carefully. “You know I don't like it when you randomly pop out of places and scare me. Did Patton put you up to this?” He stepped into the flowerbed and pushed past the bushes and looked behind them. There behind them laid Thomas, sleeping. It would have been cute if he didn't look so- distraught. Logan frowned, he leaned down and reached a hand forward to wake Thomas but stopped as Thomas spoke out in his sleep.

“Please- no...Joan, Tayln, come back.” Logan sighed and found a place to sit beside Thomas, not even thinking about the dirt that would surely stain this clothes. Thomas kept muttering in his sleep. About his missing friends, his dead mother, the pressures he was under every day. He kept saying apologizing. He was apologizing for not being able to protect his friends, to Logan and Patton, for not being able to help his mother and to his people. Logan took off his glasses and covered his eyes with his hand, trying to conceal the tears that were threatening to fall.

–

Thomas awoke later and slowly sat up. He blinked the drowsiness from his eyes and ran a hand through his hair, pushing it all back to one side. What time was it? He looked up at the sun and figured it was probably a few hours after noon. Everyone was probably wondering where he went. He should get back. Looking around, Thomas noticed his crown was missing. A wave of panic rushed over him before he heard a sound behind him. Still seated, he rotated himself around and saw Logan, asleep, sitting against the castle wall, legs stretched out with his crown in his lap and his arms protectively around it. Thomas smiled and crawled the few inches over to Logan's side. He shook his shoulder,

“Logan. Logan, wake up. We need to get back, I'm starving, I think we missed lunch.”

Logan opened his eyes and slowly turned them to the voice that woke him. He saw Thomas' smiling face. His eyes opened wide and he stood up so fast he stumbled forwards and almost fell into the bush. Logan was still clutching the crown and was very aware of that fact, so he made sure to not fall. Thomas laughed, propped one leg up and rested an arm on it.

“Have a nice nap?” Logan flushed, turned around and gave him a look.

“You're the one who took a nap first. It took me ages to find you!”

“Sorry, Logan. I didn't mean to sleep so long. It just kind of happened.” Logan sighed and walked towards Thomas.

“It's fine, but next time have someone accompany you. At least be somewhere in the garden while you walk around. Or nap behind bushes.” Thomas laughed and shrugged.

“Yeah. Okay. It would be easier if I had a personal guard.”

“Yes. But I would advise against that. You already have more than enough guards in and outside of the castle and you have Patton and myself. A personal guard is someone you need to trust with your life. You need they won't ever betray your trust and will be unconditionally loyal to you.”

Thomas sighed, “I know.”

“Here, this belongs to you..” Logan bent down and placed the crown gently back on Thomas' head. “Next time, maybe take a nap in the grass. The crown was dirty, you're now dirty. I am dirty. Let's go inside and freshen up. Then lets get us something to eat.” Thomas stood up, pushed his bangs out of his face and started walking, Logan beside of him. They waked in silence through the garden doors, through the hallways, and then when Thomas reached his room and was about to step inside he stopped and turned, Logan raised an eyebrow.

“Thanks, Logan.”

–

Thomas' rest of the day was normal. For some reason after ate his late lunch he was told by Patton that he had the rest of the day to do whatever he wanted. When he asked the reason Patton just shrugged and said that Logan told him to tell you. Thomas nodded and dismissed his friend. He definitely was not going to question Logan on his reasoning. If he wanted to give Thomas a day off, fantastic!

Being the King and all, Thomas didn't have many day's off or much time to himself. The staff and the guards seemed to be leaving him alone, instead of asking him questions randomly all day long about thing's he sometimes didn't know how to answer. Occasionally, he would make something up and it would turn out, other times he wouldn't know how to answer and he would say something about needing to 'seek counsel with Logan and Patton'. Sometimes he wondered if Logan and Patton would be better suited for running this Kingdom that he would be. Not separately, but together. They were fantastic when they worked together. They knew more about the Kingdom than Thomas could ever hope of knowing and he was born, raised and taught in the castle.

Logan and Patton were brought up with Thomas, but not in a brother or friend like way. They were never allowed to play together. They studied together, they ate together, sometimes they called, even refereed to each other by first names and saw each other in passing but that was about it. Once Thomas turned 9. He stopped seeing them in lessons, they ate in separate areas. In was lonely. Thomas didn't see much of them till his coronation when he turned fourteen. Logan was then seventeen and Patton was sixteen. They were immediately appointed as his advisers. Late he learned, they were being trained all those years to take those positions.

It was awkward at first. They all had changed so much, Logan seemed so much older, wiser and Patton seemed more uptight. They weren't close before but Thomas knew that this wasn't their usual personalities. The first half of the year Thomas almost couldn't stand it. King Thomas this, Your Majesty that, Your Crown, all the time, it was driving him crazy. When his mom left and and two more months went by and no one left to merely call him Thomas, he snapped.

He went into his morning lesson, dropped his books onto the table, grabbed Logan by his shirt and shoved him against the wall. Patton was also in the room and was completely dumbfounded by the usually calm King. Then Thomas started talking,

“Listen. I've put up with his long enough. I cannot stand it. I know we aren't close and we weren't exactly before, but we used to call each other by our first names.” Logan opened his mouth but Thomas held up one of his free hands and Logan shut his mouth, which infuriated Thomas more. “I understand you both have duties now, but that doesn't mean you can't be yourselves. Logan, you don't have to be so uptight about everything.” Thomas turned to Patton who looked terrified, “Patton, you used to smile and make jokes and have fun. Now you're...” He gestured generally at Patton. “That. Times have changed, I get that. I know I am now King. I don't expect you guy's to be perfect. You're only human but-” Thomas let go of Logan and rubbed his forehead, “Please, stop calling me King Thomas, or anything of royal title. At least when we are alone.”

There was a long drawn out silence and Thomas wondered if he scared them too much or went too far. After a few more minutes of silence Thomas grabbed his books and walked out of the room and back to his own room. About three hours later there was a knock at his door. Thomas didn't answer. The door opened.

“Hello?”

Thomas was sitting on the floor beside his overturned mattress, his legs drawn up, arms around them and his crown hanging from his hand. Logan looked around the trashed bedroom and then back to Thomas. He maneuvered his way around the mess and stood a few feet away from the sad boy. For once, Logan wasn't really sure what to say but he knew he had to say something.

“Your-” Logan caught himself, “-Thomas. I'm sorry. I know this has been a hard transition for you. It's been hard for all of us. We are all trying to adjust, we are trying to make it easier for you. I know Patton and I going away was hard, we didn't like it either but I think if you give us a chance to prove to you that we didn't abandon you. We had to go away so we knew how to better serve you when it was time for you to take the throne.

I know you said our personalities have changed, and that may be true but, give us some time to get to know you again. Patton is scared. Our teacher was not very kind to us and about the kind of information of what the future would be like for us personally with you as King. He had five years to fill Patton's head with whatever fear he could push into it. You did a lot of damage exploding in front of him today. It took me nearly an hour to calm him down.”

Thomas clenched his fists and put his head into his arms. Logan walked till he was in front of Thomas and then sat on his knees, laying a hand on Thomas' arm. “You're only starting out. You're going to be a great King, Thomas. Don't ever doubt that. You're going to make mistakes, you'll learn from them and grow. You didn't know about Patton, it's not your fault. You know now though, and you can do your best to correct it.” Logan stood up and headed for the door. “Don't worry about lessons for today. Take it easy, and figure out how you're going to win Patton's trust.”

It took a little over a year but with a bit of advice from Logan, Patton started coming around. He started smiling more often, cracking jokes. When the two year mark of trying to win Patton's friendship hit is when Thomas got his first drawing from Patton. It was a picture of, what he assumed, was Patton, Thomas himself and Logan all holding hands and smiling. Two months later Patton started bringing Thomas sweets from the market place.

Of course both each had their strong suits but now that Thomas thought about it, if he wasn't around, Logan and Patton would work themselves to death. Quite literally. They did have their own ways of having fun but to be honest, Thomas rarely ever saw them just, not doing anything. Even when eating meals. What was today, Saturday, right? This was unacceptable. If the, the King, could have a day off, his advisers could too.

Thomas took off down the hallway and towards a room he suspected one of the two to be in before he heard something interesting from some guards before rounding a corner. He pressed his back against the wall and listened,

“-you didn't hear that?”

“No, I don't read that stuff. It's just a bunch of gossip and rumors.”

“This is real! They found the letter to the King written by one them, but apparently it was just a random traveler who found it a long way from here.”

“That's impossible, they haven't been spotted for years, and all of a sudden someone just happens to find a letter from the Kings two supposedly dead friends? And it just happens to claim about a possible assassination attempt? Come on, someone is doing this for attention and no doubt it was the person who 'found' the note in the first place.”

“I heard from another guard the letter was taken to Logan and Patton themselves. They studied the signature at the bottom from other signatures. They confirmed it was Joan's.” Thomas' muscles seized up. They are alive. Or were. Are or were they on their way here? Why did they leave the note on the ground?

“Shh! You're way too loud! King Thomas has the day off and he could show up at any moment. If he found out about this he could go back into that spiral he had when he lost hope about Joan and Tayln the first time. The last thing we need is for the King to go into a depression when there's a potential threat lurking around.”

“Yeah, but that's why we are recruiting more guards tomorrow morning. If what the letter says it true and there is someone killing off royalty, it wouldn't hurt to have more security.” Thomas' heart was racing so hard now he couldn't hear anymore. There was someone actively after him. He was in danger. Thomas took a deep breath, backed up a few feet and started walking again, turned the corner and passed the guards he eavesdropped on. They saluted, Thomas nodded as them and passed them without incident.

He knocked on a door and waited. Logan opened it within seconds, it took him a moment to register that is was him and then he looked confused, “Uh- Thomas?”

“Yes, hi. Busy?” Logan shook his head and stepped aside. Thomas stepped into the library and looked around. Logan shut the door and stood with an eyebrow raised as he watched Thomas look around like it was the most interesting thing in the world.

“Thomas, are you okay?”

Thomas gave a hum in response but nothing else. “Don't mind me, just looking for something.”

“You're looking for a book?” Logan's voice had a hint of concern in it. “I did put some of your favorite books in your room earlier, just in case.” Thomas didn't say anything, instead he stopped in front of a shelf, inspected a few books and took one out. It was 'The History of the Crown – A Summary by Anthony Full'. Thomas pulled out a chair, sat down, opened it and started reading. Logan turned around and walked out of the library. He came back five minute later with Patton. Neither said a word for a minute.

“I guess I owe you five Q's.” Patton whispered in amazement, but didn't take his eyes off the reading Thomas. “Is he really reading that book?”

“It seems so.”

“Is he ill?”

“I haven't checked. Yet.” Silence. Patton walked over to Thomas and leaned against his chair.

“Interesting book?”

“Yeah, so far.” Thomas answered lazily. Patton nodded slowly, then smiled and jumped up.

“How about we go harass the cooks? I got the recipe for those cream filled donuts you like from the market, I'm sure they'd make us some if we really push them!”

Thomas shook his head, “No, not today. But, I do have an idea for tomorrow.” He paused, “We are getting new guard recruits tomorrow, right? Why don't we check them out before they come here?” Logan and Patton looked at each other.

“Uh...you want to watch the guards deem who is fit to sign up or not? I don't know, Thomas, it doesn't really seem like a great idea right now.”

Thomas shut his book, “Why not? Is something going on?” Patton smiled nervously and then quickly looked at Logan then back to Thomas.

“No! Of course not. It's just not a pretty sight to watch. Plus it happens pretty early.”

“Oh come on, I rarely get to go out anymore. I can go out in disguise or something. I'll be really careful!”

Logan decided to chime in, “It would not be wise at this juncture, Thomas. There's a lot going on inside and outside the castle. Right now we need you here.” Thomas slammed the book down onto the table and stood up.

“Fine.” He pushed past Patton, walked by Logan and stormed out the door.

Patton raised his eyebrows, “What was that about?”

–

That night, when he was finally left alone till morning, he knew what he had to do. If he was to have his own personal guard protecting him in the future, it was going to be one of the new recruits. He had to check them out now for himself. He undressed himself and put on some commoner clothes Patton had gotten him sometime ago for when Thomas would go out of the castle with Patton and Logan for some free time or to see how his people were doing.

He carefully took off his crown and laid it on the pillow on his vanity. He looked into the mirror and at his hair. That had to change. He took his hands and messed it up, making it look unkempt. He cringed a bit at the sight and quickly looked away. He took off any jewelry he had on and put it into a drawer. In that same drawer was a small bag of money, he pocketed it and looked over himself. This would do fine. He opened his window and looked out at his Kingdom. The lights were still on in many places and it went on farther than he could see. It was crazy he hadn't even seen all of his own Kingdom yet. Okay, back to business before it got too late.

He opened his closet door and pulled back the rug to reveal a trap door that lead under the castle and a semi complicated maze into the town. He took the lantern off the wall and a map of the underground. He lit the lantern and opened the hatch. Thomas looked down and saw nothing but darkness. Taking a deep breath, he closed the closet behind him and started climbing down.

Thankfully he had the map that should take him straight out from under the castle and lead back up into the edge of the forest and he should be able to find his way through town before sunrise.

– It took many hours but Thomas made it, he pushed open a gate that was right at the edge of the forest. He climbed out, blew the lantern out, set it down and pocketed the map. He could see the town from where he was at. He quickly made his way out of the forest and into town. It was already pretty busy and there were guards everywhere. Thomas made sure to keep himself small and his face hidden by other people around him but not make it too suspicious.

He walked for a few hours till he found the post where many people were gathered and there was a royal guard he recognized standing on a cart yelling at people to come join the guard. Thomas stayed a good ways back to stay unnoticed but close enough to where he could see recruits. Someone actually bumped into him,

“Roman, please, I know you wanted to do this, I know you've been training but maybe wait another year or two- sorry-” The poor tired and slightly angry looking boy said as he tried to keep up with his friend. They stopped a little bit in front of Thomas.

“Virgil, I told you early last year I was going to join the guard. I'm going to rise the ranks, I'm going to right beside King Thomas' side and the Kingdom's protecting him with my life. I told you that I'll come visit you when I can, I'm not going to die. People like me? We don't die.” Roman smiled confidently. Virgil looked unimpressed. Unimpressed wasn't really the word, it was more scared and angry. Roman started making his way through the crowd and Virgil followed.

Thomas didn't know what to think. Did everyone have that same kind of drive, confidence and ambition that this guy had? Unfortunately, the next events were hard to watch. The royal guard verbally and physically harassed everyone who tried to join. Some backed down sheepishly while others stood their ground, gained approval and boarded the cart. Soon, the guy from earlier, Roman approached the royal guard.

“You don't even look old enough to be joining the guard, what are you, ten?” Roman smirked.

“You look like you should be retired by now, did you leave your cane back at the castle just for us?” Thomas covered his mouth to hold back a laugh.

“You've got some guts talking to your superiors like that, little man.”

“Oh, superior? So I've made it already? That's great!” The royal guard stepped off the cart and got in Roman's face but the boy didn't back down, instead his smirk grew. He tried to push Roman to the ground but all he managed to do was make him stumble backwards. Roman stood upright and signaled the royal guard forward with his hand. The guard laughed and took out his sword. Thomas took a step forward, wanting to step in but held himself back, not wanting to out himself. He smirked at the irony of that statement.

Roman looked around and seemed to spot something. He ran straight for the guard, but just before he got to him he slid to the ground and went under the royal guards legs, ran for the cart and pulled out a thin practice sword. The royal guard froze as he felt the cold steel against his neck before he could turn around. It was quiet then- the royal guard laughed. He pushed Roman's sword away from him, then pulled it out of his hand and thew it to the ground, pulled Roman by his up to his face- “What's your name, boy?”

“Roman, sir.”

“Well, Roman, you better get on that cart and never try that stunt again.” He threw Roman to the ground and started calling out to other people in the crowd. Roman looked back at Virgil and winked and thew up two thumbs up. Virgil gave a weak smile and eventually gave a thumbs up back. Thomas decided he had enough. He should get back to the castle before people started worrying too much. As he made his way through the town/village he noticed a a huge amount of guards everywhere and couple familiar people, Logan and Patton. They looked extremely panicked and were talking frantically between each other. Thomas froze. He was in a huge amount of trouble.

Thomas looked around and discreetly walked between the two, grabbed their arms and pulled them through the crowed and into a narrow ally. Before Thomas could say anything he was punched in the gut. He gasped and dropped to his knees.

“Logan, wow! I know I kind of deserved that but that was kind of kind of a hard punch.”

“Thomas?!” Patton exclaimed.

Thomas slumped against the wall, clutching his stomach, “Uh... yeah.”

“Why-wh-what were you thinking?!” Logan yelled, his face red with anger but there were tears in his eyes. Thomas looked away. “We were SO worried! I went to get you up at four this morning because I felt bad for being so harsh on you last night, and that you never get to go out. Then I find your bed empty, your window wide open and I thought- WE thought-” Logan's voice shook, “Thomas, I would never say this to my King, so I am going to say this as your friend, but you are an IDIOT!” Logan turned away, wiping his eyes.

Patton remained silent, but he was openly crying. Logan took a deep breath then turned around, “You have no idea how much danger you're in right now-”

“You mean about the person who is going around assassinating royalty?” Logan and Patton stared.

“You...know about that?” Patton whispered.

“I know more than you think. I had to come down here to see these new recruits myself. I need a personal royal guard and I felt one of them were going to be it. I know that was dangerous. I know how I left thing's probably looked really bad and I did not think that though. I apologize. ” Thomas stood back up. Logan sighed,

“Thomas, this guy could come tomorrow or never. It could be a complete waste of time and security for yourself. You don't know any of these new recruits motives.” Thomas just shrugged, and looked back at the crowed of people.

“I just... have a good feeling about these people. One of them will be it. I can feel it.” Logan and Patton exchanged glances.

Logan took off his cloak and put it around Thomas, tying the front and pulling the hood over his head. “Patton, take Thomas back to the castle but don't let anyone know who he is. If anyone asks who he is, just say he is there on Thomas' request from a few days ago.” Patton nodded. “I'm going to take care of things here and 'look' for Thomas a little longer before you come back a few hours later with 'news' that Thomas is back. Hurry up and go before I punch Thomas again.” Thomas threw a small thankful smile at Logan as Patton lead Thomas out of the ally and back into the crowd.

[theculturedmarxist]

Chances are that by the time you get to the end of this article, there will be news of another information operation targeting Donald Trump. There’s one a day now—each trumpeting a new mortal threat to the republic or some dastardly revelation based on sources that are usually anonymous. Whatever it is, it will serve the same purpose as the hundreds of similar sallies launched over the last four years—namely, to preserve and protect the position and privileges of America’s ruling elite.

Trump stories are rarely about Trump. The same stories, or versions of them, would have targeted anyone who threatened to sever the American political, corporate, and cultural elite’s economic lifeline to the Chinese Communist Party. It is largely because Trump sought to decouple the United States from the CCP that America’s China Class, which owns the platforms on which Americans communicate, has waged a relentless campaign of information warfare against him through its social media and prestige media brands.

Consider the last two anti-Trump info ops: He gratuitously denigrated the historical suffering of African Americans, and he expressed contempt for America’s war dead. These are the sort of false allegations that political operatives are tasked to manufacture and disseminate during election season. Their purpose is to reinforce a negative impression of the opposing party among whatever cohort is being addressed, and make the target spend resources—time and money and sometimes blood—on defense. That’s politics 101, since the time of the Romans.

What’s new is that this is now journalism too. Since the internet defunded the press at the end of the 20th century and social media became the dominant player in America’s information space, journalism has abandoned the traditional standards and practices that once defined reporting. For instance, the smear holding that Trump is contemptuous of the military was supposedly based on four anonymous sources recalling exchanges from three years ago, which have been contradicted by dozens of named sources, some of whom were physically present when the comments were supposedly made—and some of whom have been public Trump opponents. In traditional journalistic terms, that’s not a news story—that’s a failed attack line.

The press that existed in America from the end of the 19th century until the turn of this one was designed to inform, influence, and sometimes inspire or inflame fellow citizens. But for people under 30, the only kind of “journalism” they’ve ever known is more like Pravda in the old Soviet Union or the kinds of party media found throughout the Third World. Journalism is an insider’s game, in which the stories are often outlandish, but rarely true; their actual news value is the hints they may offer about shadowy maneuverings that affect people’s lives but take place out of public view, like the rise or fall of a particular colonel who is pictured standing closer to or farther away from El Caudillo or Al Rais. Stories aren’t about the realities they purport to depict; the real stories are always the stories about the story.

American journalists, who now draw their paychecks directly and indirectly from the country’s largest economic interest—technopolies like Amazon, Apple, Google, and Facebook—are now turning the public sphere into a phantasmagoria of conspiracy theories and hysteria to cement the politburo’s position and privilege.

Accordingly, the debate in Washington, D.C., over which great power is feeding more disinformation into the 2020 election cycle isn’t real—it’s not Russia, as collusion impresario and Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff claims, nor, as Attorney General William Barr says, is it China, though he’s closer to the truth. The source of the purposeful disinformation pouring into the American public sphere like untreated sewage is the American elite, led by its tech oligarchs, who own the platforms on which information campaigns are staged and laundered to protect their core interests—foremost among them being cheap Chinese labor and access to Chinese markets.

Let’s return to the two smears from above: Trump scoffs at Black suffering and Trump says military service is for suckers and losers. The former comes from the Washington Post’s famous Watergate reporter Bob Woodward’s new anti-Trump book, and the latter was posted on the website of the Atlantic. Strip away the decorative paraphernalia that dresses them up to look like news articles, and both of these pieces of “journalism” are actually just tweets. The stories they’re attached to are hollow vessels festooned with brand names to ensure their reach and reception as they circulate through the information ecosystem of social media and cable news platforms.

Of course, when Jeff Bezos bought the Post and Woodward brands in 2013, he had no more idea than Vladimir Putin did that the host of “Celebrity Apprentice” would one day sit in the Oval Office. Bezos acquired them for the same reason the widow of Apple founder Steve Jobs picked up the Atlantic—to defend the industry, tech, and political arrangements with China’s manufacturing base that drive their profits from “political interference.”

A little historical background may help explain how America’s information supply has become so badly poisoned. The Atlantic magazine was founded in the mid-19th century in Boston, where it published some of the founding figures of the American nationalist movement in literature like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Oliver Wendell Holmes. In 2005, its owner moved the Atlantic to Washington, D.C., where it accomplished the rare feat of turning a profit in the contemporary publishing industry—not by selling magazines or ad space, which had been turned into cheap commodities by the rise of the internet, but by billing Beltway lobbyists and tech and defense executives for the opportunity to influence well-known thought leaders at conferences, luncheons, and parties hosted under the Atlantic label in Washington, Aspen, and elsewhere. Laurene Powell Jobs bought a majority share in 2017.

The big message her property sent with its anti-Trump blog post was that Trump is contemptuous of a significant part of his base. What many Trump supporters saw was something else, though: Another proof of the elite’s determination to replay the 2016 election cycle.

Four years ago, few normal Americans imagined that their political class was capable of manufacturing a conspiracy theory out of whole cloth and laundering it through the nation’s spy agencies and the press in the hope of overturning the result of a democratic election. But after four years of Russiagate, and subsequent operations (the Mueller investigation, Ukrainegate, the razing and looting of American cities disguised as “peaceful protests,” etc.), no one is unaware that such coordinated campaigns are possible. In fact, they have become normal.

This time around, the role played by spies in the 2016 election is being filled by former senior Pentagon officials, including James Mattis, Trump’s one-time defense secretary. In June, Mattis wrote an article—in the Atlantic—likening Trump to the Nazis for wanting to dispatch the military to protect the lives, homes, and businesses of American voters.

Gen. Mattis is no stranger to Silicon Valley or its scandals. As head of U.S. Central Command, the four-star Marine general pushed for the products of one Silicon Valley startup to be used on wounded Americans in uniform, and after retiring he won a lucrative seat on the board of the same company, Theranos, which turned out to be the biggest fraud in the history of biotech.

Then there’s Stanley McChrystal, a retired four-star Army general who is reportedly advising a Democratic PAC called “Defeat Disinfo” on how to use Pentagon software to wage information warfare operations against the Trump campaign. McChrystal resigned his post in 2010 after a magazine reporter documented how he and his aides savagely mocked then-Vice President Biden, the man his information warfare campaign is now supposed to install in the White House.

McChrystal’s beef with Trump is something more than just greed or ego. He has been openly critical of Trump for wanting to get American forces out of the Middle East. He ripped the president when Mattis left his Pentagon post because the Marine wanted to keep more troops in Syria. McChrystal was head of operations in Afghanistan and thinks Trump should stay there, too. The problem is, he’s not sure why. As he told Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, he thinks the best option is to stay in Afghanistan and “muddle along.” And now he’s getting paid by Silicon Valley, too.

Trump is right that top military brass has it out for him and probably for the reasons he states—because pointless engagements like Afghanistan advance them personally and land them lucrative seats on the boards of defense and technology companies. But the personal ambitions of Pentagon officials are finally no more relevant here than those of the FBI, DOJ, CIA, and State Department bureaucrats who played a role in the first installment of the Russiagate franchise. They’re walk-on parts, as are the various media operatives and outlets like Bob Woodward and the Atlantic, in a much larger corruption of our politics.

The central pillar of the corrupt new order is the American elite’s relationship with China. To be clear, the issue is not that former media organizations like the Post and the Atlantic are pro-China. Both publish articles about the Chinese military, intelligence services, propaganda campaigns, human rights abuses, etc.—at the same time as the Post runs a regular insert produced by the Chinese Communist Party called China Daily. The point is that terms like pro- or anti-Red China are from a different era, when publications like Henry Luce’s Time Magazine were partisan and had points of view.

What matters now are platforms. And for the purposes of information warfare, what’s important is not the content but rather the availability and reach of the platforms, whose job is to protect the American ruling elite’s wealth and preferences by spreading whatever propaganda the elite sees as beneficial. By threatening to split the United States from China, Trump earned the enmity of America’s China Class, which is working hard to remove him from office, and replace him with someone more pliant.

Trump was not the first presidential candidate who noticed there was a tremendous political opportunity in picking up the support of a middle class undone by the ruling class’s foreign trade practices. Democratic Congressman Richard Gephardt made the same case during the 1988 election cycle. Gephardt lost. He lost again in 1992.

By the time the Clinton White House granted China most favored nation trade status in 2000, all of Washington knew that America was running a vast trade deficit that was destined to increase with accession to the World Trade Organization. The price for lifting tens of millions of rural Chinese peasants out of poverty through favorable trade arrangements would be tens of millions of American lives ruined, even as large American companies like Apple and Nike and bankers like JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs got richer. The elite reasoned that they had no choice: The rise of China was inevitable. Why fight it?

American political and corporate elites didn’t choose decline. They chose to get rich. By shipping America’s manufacturing base off to China, they seized a business opportunity the likes of which had never been seen before—an enormous captive labor force controlled by an authoritarian regime that guaranteed the steady production of goods at a fraction of what it would cost at home. American cultural elites (Hollywood, sports, art, etc.) who exploited the increasingly large Chinese market for their products provided cover for the China Class cohort with messaging that dovetailed with CCP propaganda.

Who were Americans to judge a great and ancient civilization like China’s for jailing dissidents and enslaving the Uighur minority? Doesn’t America have its own history of slavery and political prisoners? It’s racist to protect American jobs. Those jobs aren’t coming back and there is nothing to be done about it, as Barack Obama famously said—unless you have a magic wand …

Calling out the American elite for betraying American interests in the service of their own personal and corporate bottom lines helped Donald Trump win the presidency. But it’s not clear that he truly understood how deeply entwined Beijing’s interests were with America’s China Class—and that trying to decouple the two would lead to an attempt at a permanent coup by the new techno-elite, targeting not just him and his supporters but the foundations of the republic, from our military to the media, and from our justice system to the institution of the presidency itself.

The American elite’s financial relationship with China is the key to understanding what’s been happening in America the past four years. Any president, Democrat or Republican, who took on China would have been targeted by the China Class. Because it was Trump flying the Republican banner who sided with America’s working men and women, the Democrats resorted to alliances with powers that now threaten the stability and security of the country.

[skyflyinginaction]

Shinhiro Aragaki Transulations from the Persona 3 Portable Fanbook

[sidebar]

Blog Handle Gaki

Latest Posts > Haven't Seen a Movie In... > Eat Some Decent Food... > Look, Cooking's... See more

Categories > Posts (4) > Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad (3) > Recipes (5) > Restaurant reviews (2) See more

Friend's blogs [icons of friends] See more

[main body]

[handwritten title at top] Gaki-san Cafeteria

Profile Name: Shinjiro Aragaki Sex: Male Birthday: 1991/8/11 [This profile uses year/month/day format.] Blood type: A Group: Gekkoukan Academy Upper Class Year 3 Class C (Suspended) Club: Unaffiliated

Ugh...  Me? Having a blog? So lame... Still, everyone's doing it, so I figured I'd give it a shot. Dunno what's with the goofy title. I'm just gonna write whatever I want. So uh, maybe gimme some ideas for posts?

Well... Might as well pass the time while I'm here. Anyway... enjoy?

Favorite Sites: [banners] A Dog's Heart [in snail] Sea slug [to right] Umiushi Family Cooking [white text, bottom right] Official Site

[large white text below blog page] I'm keeping my eyes peeled. Because there's an unimaginable way back...

[main body]

Aragaki, the lone wolf who sticks out like a sore thumb at nightly meetings, is from the same orphanage as Sanada. Three years ago, Aragaki was a member of the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad, where Sanada awakened the power of Persona within him. However, he wasn't able to fully control his powers. One day, a horrible accident occurred and a number of people were driven mad. Aragaki's Persona went berserk and snatched away the life of an innocent bystander. Despondent, Aragaki dropped out of school and began aimlessly roaming the streets at night. In order to restrain his Persona ability, whenever Aragaki is faced with danger, he takes a suppressant drug - although it has its side effects. Aragaki only returned to the SEES to bear his past deeds. Aragaki gave his life as a final apology to those tied to the past and unable to move forward, saying: "I'm the only one who deserves to rot in hell."

[at bottom:]

Shinjiro Aragaki

[left column]

<< Previous post See all of Gaki-san's posts

Like A Whole Nother World

Category: Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad 2009/9/3 (Thu) 23:18

People are taking my return to the SEES really nicely... What the hell happened. Back when it was just me and Aki and Kirijo, the lounge felt way too big... But with all the new members, it's stuffed. Girls, a little kid, and even a dog... Some real variety in this lineup. Did Aki and Kirijo just get swept up in all that?

And on top of that, they're all treating me real good, even though they barely know me. The 2nd years think I bailed their asses out at the meeting place, when really I was just chasing off some pests. Either way, they're being real nice to me.

I don't bother with school or club activities or whatever, so I can focus all my energy on battle. Hit me up whenever you're heading off to Tartarus. I mean, that's why I came back here in the first place.

COMMENT Comments (4) ・ Trackback (0)

2009/9/4 (Fri) 01:23 JUN☆P-

Never gonna forget the hero at the meeting spot, dude. You totally bailed us out. With Aragaki-san on our side, we're like a hundred-man army!

2009/9/4 (Fri) 18:51 Yukaricchi♥

So you helped found the club, Aragaki-senpai... Thank you so much for saving us. I think you might actually be a really good guy, deep down...?

2009/9/4 (Fri) 21:00 Aigis

Koromaru-san reports that you often give him treats. It seems you two have become fast friends. Aragaki-san, you are rather reserved.

2009/9/4 (Fri) 23:06 Gaki

Oh come on, are you guys really kicking things off with a bunch of embarrassing comments? Hundred-man army, good guy... Don't just make stuff up about me. Ugh, I dunno how to deal with this.

[righthand column]

Boy's & Girl's Event

<< Previous post See all of Gaki-san's posts

Escapade

Category: Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad 2009/9/6 (Sun) 21:55

Under the full moon, a Shadow appeared, as promised. I hang out at Escapade plenty, but this time everyone on the floor was complaining about the power being on the fritz. I guess that was an omen or something that a Shadow was about to appear. Can't let things like that slip you by.

But man, there were some real annoying tagalongs last night. Junpei thought he was gonna party his ass off, the poor guy. That chick from Strega was totally stringing him along, but Junpei still managed to be worried about her. Maybe I'm being too harsh, but pure-hearted guys like him are the ones that fall for that kind of thing.

But still, the chick's Persona was really something... Might be worth worrying about. I think I'll pop my head into the hospital too.

[screenshot:]

Junpei Iori

Hey, uh... I just wanna know one thing... Was that really all just an act?

COMMENT Comments (4) ・ Trackback (0)

2009/9/6 (Sun) 22:23 Yukaricchi♥

I mean, Junpei's so unsubtle about things like this... I bet he's going to visit at the hospital again today. Maybe if Junpei keeps talking to her, Chidori-san will start to open her heart... Or maybe I'm naive for even thinking that?  

Boy's & Girl's Event

<< Previous post See all of Gaki-san's posts

Passing the Persona Torch

Category: Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad 2009/9/15 (Tue) 22:36

Man, you guys are a real pain. Though I guess I can't be so quick to judge if Koro-chan hangs with you...

⬤ Questions From Persona Users ⬤

1. How did it feel when your Persona awakened?

I don't remember anything from back then...

2. What did you think when you saw your Persona?

Don't really care, that's just how he looks. He's Aki's Persona's brother. I mean, me and Aki go way back. You couldn't separate us even if you tried.

3. What's your favorite attacking strategy?

I'm not a big fan of whittling enemies down bit by bit. Better to give 'em one big hit and knock 'em dead, all in one go.

4. Any Shadows you have trouble with?

I don't got any weak points. I mean, if your Persona is weak, that just means your heart is weak.

5. What do you want to do when we're done fighting?

Hell if I know. I just want to take responsibility for what I've done. I think I'm just about there. After that... Aki, it's your turn.

COMMENT Comments (4) ・ Trackback (1)

2009/9/15 (Wed) 19:47 Aki

So it's my turn... Got it. Shinji, it may very well be because of my influence that the power of Persona was awakened within you...

[left column]

Boys & Girl's Event

<< Previous post See all of Gaki-san's posts

What Are You Weirdos, a Cosplay Group?

Category: Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad 2009/9/16 (Wed) 22:58

Come on... I am not gonna participate in your little cosplay thing. The bus stop was one thing, but this time you　want me to wear a tailcoat? What? Is that a butler costume? Like I'm gonna play some servant role.

Oh, and when we're going off to Tartarus, don't expect me to act like we're going on a picnic, or whatever. When a Shadow pops out, I want to look like a grown-up warrior. We didn't get this far by being stylish.

I mean, if you're fighting to win, then I'll quit whining. Just don't mess around too much. And don't forget that lives are on the line.

COMMENT Comments (4) ・ Trackback (0)

2009/9/17 (Thu) 19:48 Yukaricchi♥

Please don't call us all "weirdos"! Our leader is the one who's into dressing up. I'm a victim too.

2009/9/17 (Thu) 22:39 JUN☆P-

That's the first time I've seen you hatless, Aragaki-san. ...And your head looks totally normal. So disappointing...

2009/9/17 (Fri) 19:29 Aki

I've never brought this up, but... Junpei, what do YOU look like with your hat off? I mean, even when you went swimming at the beach, you refused to take it off.

2009/9/17 (Fri) 21:46 Gaki

What kind of weird ideas are you having about people's heads... Hey Aki, meet me at the strategy room for a tactical debriefing on stealing Junpei's hat.

[right column] Boy's & Girl's Event Public Post

<< Previous post See all of Gaki-san's posts

Haven't Seen a Movie In Ages

Category: Posts 2009/9/23 (Wed) 22:26

Man, I haven't been to the movies in ages. It's a lot nicer to go on your own, but... Well, if you're inviting me, you must be kind of a weirdo. I guess I don't mind coming along though, kills some time.

But like, did you pick that movie on purpose? "Woof-Meow Kingdom"... We were surrounded by family, made me weirdly sweaty. And the climactic scene where they got dragged in the river... That was... Well, whatever...

Right, I need to give Koro-chan the special dog food and assorted bones I got on the way home. The leash we use on walks is filthy, so maybe I should get a new one, too... Oh, and I'm going to give him a bath later tonight. Shoot, I forgot to get a massage brush...

Anyway, do you think Koro-chan's good at doggy paddling? Never know when something bad might happen around water...

[screenshot:]

> Somehow, Aragaki's eyes seem red...

COMMENT Comments (3) ・ Trackback (0)

2009/9/24 (Thu) 10:00 Aigis

Koromaru-san is profoundly moved by your exceptional treatment of him, Aragaki-san.

2009/9/24 (Thu) 19:13 Fuu＊ka

Aragaki-senpai, you're a real animal lover, aren't you? Nobody who likes animals is a bad person, or so they say. I'll have to cook up something nice for Koro-chan too!

[advertisement:]

Garlic ・　Olive Oil ・ Pepperoncini

Paella

Family Cooking

Airing Weekly, Sunday 7 PM SMATV Network Kismet Publishing

September edition of the textbook now on sale. If not at your local bookstore, go here → to order online.

[button:] I Want It!

[left column]

Boys & Girl's Event Public Post

<< Previous post See all of Gaki-san's posts

Evening Walk

Category: Posts 2009/9/26 (Sat) 23:14

You guys keep going off about how taking a walk at night soothes the soul, and I kinda have to agree. I used to kill time at night by hanging out in back alleys or clubs, but I guess it's not so bad doing something more healthy with my evenings. And this is so weird, but taking a nice walk makes me want to make dinner for Koro-chan.

It's fall and everything's being harvested, which makes it the season for eating. You guys need to remember to eat up and stay healthy. Or else you're gonna end up bedridden, like our leader was. What would you even do if a shadow popped out then? Well, I guess everything's going good on that front, so it's fine for now. Just remember to get a nice square meal in every day.

[screenshot]

Shinjiro Aragaki

You hungry? I'll fix you something when we get home.

Girl's Event Public Post

<< Previous post See all of Gaki-san's posts

The Trick to Cooking

Category: Cooking 2009/9/27 (Sun) 23:47

Fall's the season for eating, but I don't think that fancy kitchen we have is getting any use. The fridge is full of sports drinks and milk, the cupboards are crammed with protein shakes and cup noodles and junk food... It's messed up. Do you people seriously never cook? We didn't even have a good set of utensils, so I brought some in. Yamagishi's the only one who seems excited about cooking, but she doesn't have the basics down yet. Don't get me wrong, enthusiasm's great, but...

Well, if you've heard someone say that cooking is an act of love, it probably came from someone who's mastered their basics. Doesn't matter how much love you pour into your cooking, if you mess up some fundamental part, it's not gonna taste good. A super common mistake beginners make is ignoring what the recipe says and improvising instead. Get your basics down pat, then you can switch things up. Remember, you don't gotta rush it. Doesn't matter what you're doing, taking it one step at a time is key.

COMMENT Comments (2) ・ Trackback (0)

2009/9/28 (Mon) 18:51 Fuu＊ka

Aragaki-senpai, thank you... You put it pretty bluntly, but you're trying to help, aren't you? I'll start working my way up with simple things like onigiri. If you'd like, feel free to come sample my work?

2009/9/28 (Mon) 19:52 Mitsuru

Aragaki, I'm rather surprised at how good you are at cooking. I wouldn't say you surpass my family's professional chef, but your food was indeed exquisite. Perhaps eating together with everyone isn't so bad, every once in a while.

[right column]

Girl's Event

<< Previous post See all of Gaki-san's posts

Making Things Right

Category: Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad 2009/10/3 (Sat) 02:45

[screenshot]

Shinjiro Aragaki

...They're in your hands now. I believe in you.

[post body]

So tomorrow's the long-awaited full moon, huh. And you know another huge Shadow's gonna pop out. But I never thought the full moon would fall on tomorrow's date, of all days... I can't bring myself to call it a coincidence.

It's not like I think I won't be coming back, but with what I have in the palm of my hand... Well, I can't tell if it's a coincidence or a cruel prank. And the whole time I sit here agonizing about it, the pocketwatch in my palm keeps on ticking. If I had to name the one thing I can never change, it'd be my past self. Who's bound by their past now? It's not just me... So, the only thing left for me to do is to make things right. Because no matter what I choose, I don't got much time left...

I'm not gonna write anything more here, I promise. You don't have to forgive me for my selfishness. And no matter what happens, don't you dare cry...

COMMENT Comments (5) ・ Trackback (0)

2009/10/7 (Wed) 18:36 Fuu＊ka

Aragaki-senpai, they said you wouldn't wake up... When I first read this post, I didn't get it at all, but... Looking back, I think you knew what you were about to do...

2009/10/7 (Wed) 20:28 Mitsuru

Of course I was aware of the situation between Aragaki and Amada. It was a failing on my part that it came to this. From hereafter, the Kirijo family will dedicate all available resources to his medical care. Perhaps Aragaki's strong spirit will grant us a sliver of hope...

2009/10/8 (Thu) 01:36 JUN☆P-

I know you were ready to give your life in this battle, but... Now that it's actually happened, it hurts like hell... Aragaki-san, please wake up...

2009/10/8 (Thu) 20:38 Aki

When I thought Shinji was all but gone, he whispered, "This is what I wanted." While some may dismiss his way of making things right, I would not count myself among them. Everyone, we need to face forward!

2009/10/9 (Fri) 18:46 Amadaman

I've decided to keep fighting here. Until Aragaki-san returns, I will protect his place.

[bubble at top left]

If You Get Into A Relationship...

Social links with Aragaki don't turn romantic until you max out your S. Link rank with him. But once you do get to max, if you call him one more time, you can have the protagonist confess to him. After a short period of heated questioning, you can enter Aragaki's room. Acting much unlike the Aragaki you've seen so far, he will embrace the protagonist and make an unexpectedly bold move. While it's quite the mushy event, if you do get in a relationship, he'll actually be quite assertive. By the way, the protagonist confesses to him in the dorm lounge. If you think about it, Yukari and Junpei and all the other members would be right next to them the whole time...

[screenshot:]

Shinjiro Aragaki

You're uh... not married, so don't get this wrong, but...

[bubbles at top right]

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat Break

[center of circle:] Shinjiro Aragaki

[by tarot card:] Moon

[spiky bubble at bottom:] Shinjiro Aragaki

[to left of portrait, beneath "Persona capable to summon once Moon's commu rank reaches the max:]

Sandalphon, the Angel That Conveys Prayers

[tag labeled 27]

From the Iwatodoi Dormitory Lounge ......Edition 27

[junpei:] Man, Aragaki-san's cooking is the best. [koro:] Woof!! [aegis:] Koromaru-san says he enjoys it too. [aragaki:] H, hey. You guys suck at eating balanced meals. Try to take care of yourselves. [mitsuru:] I agree completely. Akihiko could stand to eat something aside from gyudon. [Rice with beef and vegetables.] [sanada:] I, I eat more than just gyudon! I get plenty of protein shakes in too!

[next column] [mitsuru:] Ugh... You're giving me a headache. [junpei:] Gyudon and protein shakes and nothing else... That's uh, really... [aragaki:] Don't act like you're any different. You basically live off cup ramen. Balance your diet. [junpei:] Uh, well... I uh, how do I put this, just like, think it's good... [fuuka:] Okay, I'll keep balance in mind and cook something up! [aragaki] How about you focus on learning how to cook, first. ...Although, you can go ahead and start practicing.

[vertical line of text in center:]

Brotherly Lines

[column on right]

S. Link Rank 3 Female Protagonist

Look at the balance in these meals... Do you guys live off this...?

S. Link Rank 4 Female Protagonist

...You're not going to leave those vegetables on your plate, are you?

S. Link Rank 7 Female Protagonist

Get some good sleep. ...'Night.

S. Link Rank 9 Female Protagonist

Feels like I got a place to come home to.

S. Link MAX Female Protagonist

Now that you're here, I don't have a care in the world...

[screenshot to left:] Shinjiro Aragaki

Does everyone here eat like crap...?

[block labeled Girl's Side] Like An Older Brother

Shinjiro Aragaki always makes sure his fellow club members make it home safe. While he comes off as rather blunt, he's actually deeply worried about everyone's unhealthy eating habits. Following the protagonist's advice, he throws a party. While putting everything together for the party, he teaches Fuuka (who is hopeless at cooking) how to cook. Drawn by the smell, their dormmates gather, and the lounge springs to life. While everyone enjoys the meal, Aragaki steps out for a bit, and asks the protagonist for a private chat. Then, gazing at the protagonist with a gentle smile, he says, "I'm leaving Sanada and everyone else in your hands."

[screenshot to right:]

Aegis

Koromaru-san is distraught.

[caption below screenshot:] Even Koromaru-san can tell how bad Fuuka's cooking is. But with Aragaki teaching her, she'll be able to make delicious food someday.

TRANSULATIONS NOT MINE THEY ALL BELONG TO THE LOVELY (https://kasael.tumblr.com) ALL CREDIT OF THIS ENTIRE TRANSULATION BELONGS TO THEM NOT ME DON’T REBLOG WITHOUT CREDITING THEM FIRST.

[blvckvampyre]

The Cycle

A short story by Ashley Davis.

~5580 words. Inspired by Ganja and Hess (1973), Night of the Living Dead (1968).

“ Esther was left in the dark, waiting for a shifting that never came. Somehow she knew that she was dying. Animals knew when they were dying; in their final moments, they loosed that long, mournful moan as either sickness or some other animal tore them to shreds. Somehow, she had tapped into that long-lost sixth sense, and it was neither comforting nor terrifying. It was a dull reminder throbbing in the back of her misshapen skull. You’re almost done. She was transforming, and when she reached that final stage, she would disappear. Either her body or her mind would fail her. ”

Esther woke to find she had lost two more teeth overnight.

They were molars this time: flat, still bloody at the roots, one chipped from when she bit down on a walnut as a teenager. She opened her eyes to find them right in front of her face, lying in dried flecks of blood; evidently, she’d had the mind to spit them out in her sleep.

She uncurled herself, her spine popping as she moved, and sat up on her mattress, staring at the teeth warily, like they might get up and move if she watched long enough. These two made seven teeth she had lost. In a moment of vanity, she prayed she’d never lose the front two; she didn’t want to look like a six-year-old in her final moments.

There were no windows in the cell. There was a door, one too heavy for Esther to open even if it were ever left unlocked. The floor was hard and cold. She’d slept on it for a week before her captor finally and quite literally tossed the dirtied twin-sized mattress into the room, letting the door slam shut behind it. When she shivered, it added a blanket, and when she complained of neck pain, a stiff square of a pillow. Every other request went unanswered.

She had no idea what to call it, so she settled for “captor” or “beast.” To this day she laughed at her situation, at her own stupidity and skepticism. She remembered hearing about the first sighting in March of last year; a man had taken a shortcut home through the woods and claimed he saw a monster with the eyes of his brother, who had disappeared months earlier. He’d escaped, but weeks later another had disappeared, a woman this time, blonde-haired blue-eyed Ellie Dench, and with her disappearance came vigils, month-long searches, and the support of the entire town. She’d been found eventually, naked, gaunt, and shivering in the woods, unable to explain what had happened to her or who had taken her. Since Ellie Dench, there had been eleven sightings and half as many disappearances, nearly all of whom had shown up months later confused and afraid. All but two of the people kidnapped had turned up. One of them was Esther’s neighbor Lathaniel. The other was her fiancé. Her Marcus.

Esther was not superstitious in the slightest. Months ago, it had all seemed like some elaborate prank or cult activity. When the sightings had first shown up on their television screen, she’d shared a look with Marcus, the look that said, “I know this is frightening and all but do you want to laugh as much as I do?” Then Lathaniel had vanished, and then Marcus a month later. Lathaniel’s disappearance had left Esther scared, but Marcus ... Marcus’s had nearly killed her. She’d spent weeks organizing search parties, putting flyers on every corner in the neighborhood, trying her damn hardest not to break down, and all for nothing. He’d been taken in June; it was November now. If Lathaniel’s lack of return were any indication, Marcus would not be coming home.

Now here she was, likely to suffer the same fate that the love of her life had suffered. She cast a weary look at the door and saw her captor had left a tray out for her, with a bowl and a spoon. Whatever was in the bowl must have been hot hours ago. Her captor kept her fed on little more than bread, cornmeal, and soup, the kind that came out of a can. Not the warm, well seasoned kind Marcus would make for her on her sick days. The food did enough to fill her, when she could keep it down. She’d started feeling ill about a week into her captivity, a variety of symptoms that occasionally left her writhing on her mattress with pain. Her skin hurt constantly—it was an ache she found herself growing accustomed to—and she vomited every day, no matter what she ate or if she even ate at all. Worst of all, her bones needed cracking. She thought it was her muscles at first, but no, it was her bones; they felt like rubber bands that needed to snap back into shape, as if sleeping on this mattress had refashioned her skeleton. Each day she felt it, the shifting of her bones as they tried to twist into shapes they were not meant to form, and then they’d snap back, leaving her winded and sore. Her own body had betrayed her, to the point where she went from moment to moment afraid of her next spell. Each one lasted longer than the last; last time she’d passed out from the pain.

Esther dragged herself onto her knees, ready to cross the room, grab her breakfast, and scarf down whatever bland, room-temperature mush lay in that bowl, when her body racked with pain. She caught herself on her hands and knees, gasping as she felt the shifting again, her bones creaking as they bent and curved and turned in on themselves. She fell onto her side, moaning, grabbing at her ribs, feeling them flare and straighten beneath her skin. She turned over in time to vomit onto the floor and not her mattress, heaving until there was nothing left. And then it was gone. Her spine straightened, her neck unfolded, and her ribs ... Her ribs.

She hurried to her feet, so quickly that she bumped into the wall behind her, nearly slipped in her own vomit as she fought to lift up her shirt with shaking hands and peered down at herself. She was so skinny now that her ribs were clearly visible beneath the skin, she was used to this, but now they moved. They continued to move even after the shifting, opening up and swinging on their hinges, so wide she thought they’d penetrate her skin if she breathed too deeply. She could feel her chest opening up. Was her heart beating louder? She held her breath, and when she saw them, the sharp white buds of ribs blooming bright through the brown of her skin, blood welling where they showed, her head suddenly felt too hot, her eyelids too heavy. She was unconscious before she even hit the floor.

⬥ ⬥ ⬥

Cancelling the wedding was harder than Esther had anticipated. Of course her and Marcus’s families had understood; they only wanted what was best for Esther, we’ll find him, Esther, we’ll be here for you, Esther. For weeks, they’d left Esther to her own devices, sending her hopeful messages, participating in her search parties, spreading the news of Marcus’s disappearance on social media. When she refused to hold a service for him, to acknowledge that he wasn’t coming back, his mother and sisters had finally stepped in, not-so-gently reminding Esther that it was time she face the reality of the situation, for her own sake. “Denial won’t bring him back,” they’d said. Neither would a candlelight vigil.

She would never get used to sleeping alone again. The cat did little more than stare at her from the edge of the bed, blinking slowly. Overnight it would find its way onto Marcus’s pillow, and Esther would awake to find its striped brown form just inches from her nose, making her sneeze. Marcus loved that cat; that was the only reason Esther kept it around, despite her mild allergies to it. She told herself that she would grow to love it too, just as she would learn to live without him, just until he came back.

The evening that she officially cancelled the wedding, the cat trotted right up to Esther and curled up in her lap on the couch. That odd moment of affection made her tear up, like it was a sign from Marcus somehow. She stroked its back, scratched it behind the ears, and a few minutes later it left her to sit on the arm of the couch, watching her coolly.

She spent most of her nights sitting on her couch in silence, eating little and sleeping often, thinking about it all—about how she’d taken those early sightings for granted, about how Lathaniel and Marcus had to be the ones who hadn’t returned—until one night she got a hold of herself. There was no point in mourning. Tears got nothing done. Whimpering wouldn’t bring him home. The best she could do was look out for herself and ensure that she remain as strong as ever. Marcus was going to return, and he would not return to some skeletal waif of a woman. He would return to his fiancée, his Esther. She had decided long ago that she was not going to allow herself to be told to fear the world. She was going to go on cruises and hike in the mountains and go on evening jogs because she was ready for whatever the world had to throw at her. She took after the women on her mother’s side: tall, stocky, narrow-hipped and wide-shouldered. In fact she and Marcus were the same height. She figured no creep in Oliveview would want to mess with a six-foot-tall Black woman on her evening jog. She figured the fact that she felt comfortable enough to run at such late hours would ward off any predator, man or otherwise. And so she saw no foreseeable issue with going for a run at nine p.m. that night, armed with nothing more than her spare key.

The cat seemed to protest when she left, weaving between her legs and meowing incessantly. She refilled its food bowl, and when it still meowed, she rolled her eyes and left, taking off down the pavement, her form falling in and out of view at each streetlight.

It was a quiet night, warm for November. The only sound Esther could hear was her own breathing, and her shoes striking the pavement. The burn in her muscles made her feel more alive than she had felt in months, and so she sped up, going as fast as her legs would take her. She stopped about a mile in to wipe sweat from her brow with the hem of her pullover, and that was when she heard signs of another’s presence. She looked to her right, to her left, and saw nothing. She went on.

Esther wasn’t superstitious, but she was paranoid, and Marcus’s disappearance had left her even more on-edge than usual. With all the vanishings and the sightings, perhaps she had a reason to fear the world.

She was being followed. Someone else’s feet slapped the pavement behind her, or to her left? Ahead of her, perhaps. The woods were to her right on the other side of the street; it could be a squirrel, or a raccoon if it were hungry enough. She refused to believe that it was anything other than an animal, but she knew she was not alone in the dark, and once she had rounded the corner and was halfway back to her own house she stopped, whipping out her spare key and holding it between her knuckles, ready to slash whatever came her way.

She heard growling behind her, and when she turned, she saw a stray cat loping her way, head low, hackles raised. The cat skirted around her, and Esther followed it with her eyes, chuckling at her own anxiety. When she turned back, her blood went cold.

It crouched not two feet away, impossibly huge, furry, hunched over like a gargoyle. It did not growl; the only sound was its wet, heavy breathing. It was dark, but its eyes shone bright under the streetlight, so small in that broad, beastly face. Brown irises, light enough to see the pupils. Esther’s mouth went dry.

“Marcus?” she breathed. Those were his eyes, she’d know those eyes anywhere, even if they were set deep in that heavy leonine skull and regarding her predatorily.

Esther moved to run, opened her mouth to yell, and it grabbed her, one paw clamped over her mouth and nose, the other pinning her to its side. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t scream. All she could do was flail wildly and kick at the creature. It wasn’t even looking at her. It glared straight ahead, silent. She stared up at it in terror, eyes honing in on the fangs jutting from what must’ve been its upper lip, and her last thought before she passed out was that the cat would have Marcus’s pillow all to itself that night, because Esther was on her way to join him.

⬥ ⬥ ⬥

Sometimes, when the pain was a little more bearable, Esther would sing to keep herself sane.

In a way, she saw the singing as a sign of her own growing insanity. She was tired of this cell, of the four gray walls, the lack of sunlight, the cold and unforgiving hardness of the floor. After a while she tired of singing, and her voice became a shrill, harsh grating to her own ears. It was getting hoarser by the day; even her throat was turning against her.

The shiftings had doubled in frequency. Since the expansion of her ribs, she’d experienced shiftings every hour or so; the most recent one had left her permanently hunched over. Miraculously, a few teeth grew back, bigger than they were before. And of course, to make room, her jaw had expanded.

The monster had started visiting her. Not to deliver food or supplies, but to just sit in the corner of the room and study her. It sat like some enormous dog that hadn’t realized it had long outgrown its puppy bed, crouching on the balls of its feet. It watched Esther, and at first, its presence disturbed her too much to even look at it. She found that it was more difficult to pretend it wasn’t there than to look at it and learn more about it while it learned more about her.

She’d scream at it sometimes, demanding to know what it wanted with her until her voice gave out on her. Then she’d give up, retire to her mattress, and watch it back.

It was at least eight feet tall, surely more if one included the horns spiraling up and out of its brow. Its face was a cross between a bear and a lion, but certainly catlike. The fur on its neck, face, and chest was thicker, coarser, and darker, like a mane of sorts. It had a tail, long and tufted, sometimes curled neatly over its feet, sometimes twitching back and forth. It had huge paws with claws that glistened and made a terrible clicking sound against the floor when it moved. Muscles rippled beneath its coat, and its nostrils flared with each deep breath. Some mannerisms reminded her of the cat and others of the dog she’d had as a child: the crouching, the sighs, the spasmodic shaking of the pelt. Most of its movements were slow and deliberate, but it could move quickly for its size. It would outrun Esther if she made for the door; she was sure of it.

And it still had Marcus’s eyes.

Esther saw now why those people had fallen prey to this monster. It must have been a shapeshifter, one who could imitate the eyes of a loved one, leave you confused enough to overpower you easily. But how did it know who to imitate, and why? It was certainly strong enough already to knock its victims out with a single blow. And why stop at the eyes? Why not change itself into someone’s lover, friend, or relative entirely?

She hated the staring. Several times she’d sunk into the bathtub for a peaceful soak and opened her eyes to find the cat staring at her from the doorway. She used to find Marcus watching her silently while she did simple tasks like cut vegetables or wash dishes. No matter the viewer, she hated being under someone’s close inspection. The beast looked at her as if it were picking her apart, peeling the skin away to view the musculature, the bones beneath, ensuring that her suffering continued accordingly. She didn’t know how, and she didn’t know why, but she knew it was the cause of the shiftings. It had to be.

Esther could usually hold her tongue when the beast was around, but during shiftings, she lost all control.

“Why?” she hissed through gritted teeth, grabbing at her ribs while her hips curled in on themselves. She screamed and fell onto her side. “You like taking people? Hurting them?”

She threw her head back to look at the creature. It sat apathetically, watching her.

“Why give back everyone else? Why keep Marcus? Where the hell are you keeping him?” Esther’s arm lashed out, her forearm bent at an odd angle. Her fingers dropped, extending from the knuckles, curving like talons. She bit down on her sweatshirt to stifle another shriek. She felt as though her head needed to be unscrewed from her neck.

All the while the beast sat there, unblinking.

“Answer me!” Esther cried, and just as she felt herself about to faint, the shifting ended.

The beast huffed and left the room, leaving Esther to tremble alone on the mattress. She refused to assess the damage for several minutes. Tears slipped down her face as she fought to steady her breathing, closing her eyes and pretending she was elsewhere. She was home. Marcus was there. She’d had a nightmare and Marcus would be there to remind her she was safe.

When she opened her eyes, she found that her hands had turned to claws.

⬥ ⬥ ⬥

“What’re you thinking about?”

Esther turned over onto her side. Marcus sat in the armchair by her feet, watching her with a smile on his face. “About how my man keeps staring at me even though I told him long ago that I can’t stand it,” she muttered, sitting up with a groan. She rolled the crick out of her neck and slouched. “What are you thinking about?”

“Look, I only stare at my lady cuz she the most beautiful thing I ever laid eyes on,” he retorted, folding his hands over his belly. “I’m thinking about how lucky I am to know you.”

Esther grinned. “You’re full of shit.”

“It’s true! I feel lucky. You feeling lucky?”

“Depends. You making dinner tonight?”

He sucked his teeth. “Is water wet?”

“Mar, we argued about that for hours—”

“I meant yeah, I’ll make dinner tonight.” Marcus stood up, the cat at his heels as he headed for the kitchen. “We got spaghetti, chicken, some of that rice from last night . . .”

“You make me spaghetti and I’ll feel pretty damn lucky.”

Marcus chuckled. “You and that spaghetti. I feel like even on a deserted island you’d be a’ight long as you got that spaghetti.”

“Me and carbs go way back, babe. What are you taking to a deserted island?”

“Shit, you hopefully,” Marcus said over his shoulder, rummaging through the drawers for a pot. “I ain’t suffering alone.”

Esther’s mouth fell open. “You sadistic fuck.”

“What! At least we’d be together.”

She crossed her arms over her chest, frowning at him across the room. “What you should hope is that we wouldn’t get stranded, period.”

“Oh, we won’t.” She heard the click and whoosh of flame as Marcus switched the stove on. “We’re too smart for that.”

“Are we now?” Esther muttered. Marcus started humming, and his humming turned to singing, that same Sam Cooke song they’d had stuck in their heads all weekend. Esther sighed and slouched further into the couch.

⬥ ⬥ ⬥

The day Esther found hair growing around her neck was the same day the beast finally spoke to her.

It wouldn’t enter the room, not since Esther’s hands had changed weeks ago. She heard it waiting outside the door, perhaps slumped against the wall, and then words.

“Don’t want ... hurt.”

Esther opened her eyes. The lights were off, but she could see perfectly, her eyes adjusting immediately to the darkness. She was lying on her mattress, hugging herself, nails—no, claws—biting into her arms. “What?” she called out, wondering if she was imagining things. “What did you say?”

It growled a bit, then cleared its throat. Yes, cleared its throat like a person would. “Don’t want you hurt,” it croaked haltingly.

Its voice was deep, grating. Exactly how Esther would imagine a beast to speak. Nevertheless, the rough timbre shocked her. How long had it been able to speak? Why hadn’t it spoken before? Esther laughed. Her own voice sounded so hoarse to her ears that she barely recognized it. “You didn’t want me hurt? You kidnap me, throw me in a cell, watch me change and shift and grow hair on my goddamn neck and you think I care if you wanted me to hurt?” She shivered, feeling that familiar tingle of pain through her back, and whimpered. Like most recent shiftings, it quickly went away. Evidently, her bones were done reforming, leaving her with a hunched back, deep chest, and legs that bent backward like a dog’s.

The beast growled again, frustrated. “Not ... Not me.”

“Who else then? Who put me here?”

It didn’t answer for several seconds. And then, faintly, brokenly: “Had to be you.”

With that, the beast shuffled away, and Esther was left in the dark, waiting for a shifting that never came. Somehow she knew that she was dying. Animals knew when they were dying; in their final moments, they loosed that long, mournful moan as either sickness or some other animal tore it to shreds. Somehow, she had tapped into that long-lost sixth sense, and it was neither comforting nor terrifying. It was a dull reminder throbbing in the back of her misshapen skull. You’re almost done. She was transforming, and when she reached that final stage, she would disappear. Either her body or her mind would fail her.

Part of Esther wished the beast would enter the room, just so she could see Marcus’s eyes one more time.

⬥ ⬥ ⬥

“Goodnight, baby.”

Esther felt the soft press of Marcus’s lips to her temple. “Goodnight,” she murmured, keeping her eyes closed.

Only when he was quietly snoring did Esther turn over to look at him. He was lying on his back, chest gently rising and falling. The cat was curled up between the two of them; it stirred when Esther turned, moving closer to Marcus.

He was serene while he slept, face unlined and relaxed. Defenseless. She smiled; he was downright angelic in his sleep.

She’d tried and tried but couldn’t shake off what he’d said earlier that night before dinner, about hoping they’d be stranded together on an island. I ain’t suffering alone. Why would he want her to suffer at all? If she were stranded, she’d hope Marcus was elsewhere. Why wouldn’t he want the same for her?

She shook her head and closed her eyes, willing herself to let it go.

⬥ ⬥ ⬥

She needed a mirror.

She wanted to see what she had become. She had fur all over now; it was thickest around her neck, almost silky. It was as deep and lustrous brown as her skin, each tuft glistening with hints of gold and auburn. Her teeth had fallen out, one by one, and grown back bigger, sharper. Her jaws had lengthened and widened to fit them all, but two fangs jutted out from her upper lip no matter how hard she tried to hide them. The tail was the oddest part of it all; it extended from the base of her spine, moved with a mind of its own, keeping her balanced on her new legs and new feet. She could not see herself, no, but with the slender muzzle and tall ears, she imagined she resembled some monstrous jackal. She’d thought the shiftings were the worst pain she’d ever feel again, but the growing, the forced extension of her limbs and expansion of her skull—this was her confirmation that she had truly died. She had died and lived now in a body freed from pain.

As different as she was, Esther felt powerful. She felt a new strength welling within her. Her teeth would tear through any flesh. Her claws would put a bear’s to shame. There was no need for clothes. She tore them off days ago. It was freeing to move without the constriction of spandex and polyester, without the confines of human skin and bones.

Even more than a mirror, she wanted to face the beast. She was strong now. She could take it, she could feel it. It had taken her humanity. Each day she lost parts of herself, and the first to go was the fear. Days after the beast spoke, her voice left her, replaced with guttural growls and huffs. The rage stayed with her, and as the hair grew and her claws sharpened, it swelled into bloodlust. She wanted to punish the beast. She would break open its chest, reveal its beating heart. She would smother it to death, watch the life fade from its eyes, then she would take those too, right out of its head. The eyes that should have belonged to Marcus.

Esther was pacing the room on all fours when the door finally swung open, much more slowly than she’d expected. She whipped around, reared back on her haunches, prepared to spring—

And stopped.

“Esther.”

It was no beast. It was a man.

“Esther, it’s me, baby.”

Her man. This was her man. Her Marcus.

She lunged forward, then stopped, scrabbling backward clumsily. She peered around Marcus, waiting for the beast to follow, but it was just him. Just the two of them.

And this was her Marcus. He was skinnier than she’d ever seen him, almost emaciated. His clothes hung too loosely off of him, and his cheekbones shone too distinctly. His hair was long and scraggly, and his beard had grown, but this was him. Her Marcus.

Esther opened her mouth, formed his name with her lips, but all she could do was bellow unintelligibly. She whined, shrinking away from him, remembering what she’d become. How could he recognize her? How could he possibly know that this was her and not—

The eyes. Those were still her eyes, but they must have looked so small. They must have stayed the same.

“Esther, baby,” Marcus said, stepping toward her. “Can you understand me?”

She nodded but refused to move closer.

He was close enough now that she could see the tears brimming in his eyes. His lips twisted into a grimace. His brown eyes looked too large in his skinny face. “Baby, I’m so, so sorry. I had to, you know I had to.”

She heard what he said but didn’t understand what he meant. She tried to say his name again and failed, shutting her mouth before she could embarrass herself further.

“Lathaniel took me, Essie. He was the last one before me. There’ve been so many cycles, one after another.” He closed his eyes, hands clenched into fists at his sides. “On the last day, he came to me like I’m coming to you right now. This—this woman started it all. She went crazy, cursed her husband to become some monster. And the only way to get rid of it was to pass it along. Like a disease.”

Cycles . . . Esther shivered, gritting her teeth. The beast had had Marcus’s eyes.

“Lathaniel got taken and he had to pass it along to someone, so he chose me. He said I seemed like I was strong enough to take it.” Marcus shook his head. “I hated him for it for so, so long. He said he was leaving cuz he couldn’t bear to face anybody after that. I thought I couldn’t do it, couldn’t put this on someone else. But I realized, Esther—Esther, you my ride or die. You could take it.”

No.

“You could take it and then afterward we’d be together again.”

No.

“Essie, I’m so sorry but I had to, baby. I couldn’t do this to a stranger, it was worse somehow—”

Worse than putting it on me? She wanted to yell, but all she could do was growl, deep in her throat. She refused to look at Marcus, staring instead at the open door.

“—and I knew at the end of it all, we wouldn’t even remember it. You’d come back and we’d both forget all about it. That’s how Ellie Dench turned up. That’s how they all turn up, at the end, with some kinda amnesia. I don’t know how much longer I have before I forget, too.”

The beast had trapped her with its eyes. Esther found herself snarling, then cut herself off with a whimper. Marcus had known the eyes would stun her. He’d known where she jogged, when she would jog. He’d chosen her because she was the easiest to find. He hadn’t even had the gall to look at her while he smothered her that night. And all the while she’d flailed around, and he couldn’t even look at her.

“Essie, you gotta know that I did this because I trust you. I got so much faith in you, baby, I knew you could take it.”

And in a few months she would forget all about it. She would forget how Marcus had hurt her, and he would forget that he’d chosen her. Their families would thank the Lord that they’d been reunited, and then they’d marry. Just like that.

“I know you can’t talk, baby, but I need a sign. Show me you understand. I never meant to hurt you—”

This was their deserted island. And he’d taken her along with him, true to his word.

“Please, Essie, look at me—”

She was on him like fire.

It took one forward bound to reach him, and when she did, she bowled him over, forcing him to the ground, snarling in his face. Marcus screamed, begging for mercy, trying in vain to push her off of him. She pinned him down by the shoulders and hovered over him with slavering jaws, threads of saliva hitting his face. She would kill this man for hurting her. She would not let him forget. He would remember this, this monster who’d been his woman, how he’d made her suffer for his own sake. She wanted blood. She would tear his throat out, rip him limb from limb, make sure he felt the pain he’d caused her.

This crazy woman who’d cursed her husband ... Had she really been crazy, or was “crazy” the husband’s way of placing the blame on her? Of making her responsible for whatever trauma he’d put her through?

“Esther, please, I’m sorry, I’m really sorry, you know I’d never hurt you—”

She placed one paw on Marcus’s throat, pressing down enough to choke him. She watched him flail, watched him struggle and beat against her with weakening fists, watched his eyes strain to look at her, those same eyes that he’d used to capture her so long ago.

And she stopped, right when his fists fell and his face went slack. As soon as her paw left his throat, he inhaled deeply, and when she stepped back, he rolled to his side, coughing as air filled his lungs.

She wouldn’t kill him. Not like this.

Marcus turned to look at her over his shoulder, his face racked with fear. “You’re no monster, Esther. This ain’t you.”

This is me, she wanted to tell him. And you’re the monster.

Esther leaped over Marcus and ran for the door, kicking it closed behind her. Without a second thought she latched it shut, leaving Marcus locked inside.

“Esther! Esther, open the door!” His fists pounded the other side.

She looked around the room. She was in a basement of sorts, and there were stairs to her right. Whose house had this been? How many beasts had used it as a hideout? She placed one paw on the first step, then glanced back at the cell door, wondering where she would go, who she would meet. How could she take someone knowing what they would go through? How could Marcus, Lathaniel, and everyone before them have done that to each other?

Esther’s tail lashed to and fro as she mulled it over. She couldn’t do it, and yet, in the back of her mind, Marcus’s own voice reminded her that in the end, she would forget all about it. She would forget about her own suffering and whomever she captured. She would watch them deteriorate, watch them lose their spirit while she found herself again, and then she would forget about it.

Marcus would forget too. He would sit and starve in that cell and wonder how he’d gotten there, why his clothes didn’t fit and why Esther’s jogging clothes lay in a ragged heap by the door.

What would happen if she didn’t find another victim, if she let herself waste away in this beastly form, the curse discontinued? Would they find her in the woods? Would they put her down like some rabid dog?

The pounding of Marcus’s fists against the door matched Esther’s own racing heartbeat. Who else would she bring to this deserted island?

“Baby, please, don’t leave me here!”

This cycle would try to break her. She would break it first.

[firestorm717]

An Introduction to Callan

Allow me to introduce you to a new fandom of mine - Callan, a British TV series from 1967-72 starring Edward Woodward (The Equalizer, The Wicker Man) in the title role. Callan is a Cold War spy drama in the tradition of Len Deighton's The Ipcress File and John le Carré's The Spy Who Came in From the Cold. Its world is dark and bleak, its characters morally ambiguous, and its stories often end on a downbeat turn. (The first episode of the series is called "The Good Ones Are All Dead"). James Bond this is not; in fact, Callan was conceived as the antithesis to Bond-style escapism. It depicts the seedy side of espionage with its criminal associates and cynical bureaucracy, beneath which agents toil like pawns on a chessboard, as likely to be killed by friend as foe.

So why do I recommend this series? Well, if you're like me, you're partial to darkness and angst ;) But even if that's not your usual cup of tea, I suggest you check out Callan on the strength of its acting alone. Woodward does a masterful job of portraying the morally conflicted assassin, David Callan, both frightening in his anger and heartbreakingly vulnerable in his grief. He is joined by Anthony Valentine (Colditz, Raffles) with whom he shares crackling on-screen chemistry, and Russell Hunter (The Gaffer), a skilled character actor who practically inhabits his role. This top-notch talent is supported by a top-notch script. The plots are complex and clever, featuring lies, subterfuge, and misdirection - all the classic spy storylines - that demand close attention from the audience. Sharp dialogue takes the place of action in most parts, shining the spotlight on character interaction. Many scenes read as if they'd come from a superb stage play.

Finally, for the slash fans, there's a ton of wonderful subtext surrounding the two handsome leads, Callan and Meres, as well as several canonically gay/bisexual side characters.

In conclusion, you'll enjoy Callan if

You relish historically-based spy dramas with complex plots.

You like morally ambiguous and conflicted main characters.

You are a sucker for tragedy, angst, and every deathfic trope.

You appreciate good-looking men in three-piece suits.

On the other hand, this series may not be for you if

You prefer slick "James Bond" action, adventure, and romance.

You need a protagonist that you can always root for.

You want modern cinematography and video quality.

You are bothered by some degree of sexism and wish to see a diverse cast.

In the following sections, I provide a detailed description of the setting and characters. Interested readers may watch the entire show on my Youtube playlist, or just check out the recommended episodes below. (Due to the age of the series, some episodes from seasons 1-2 are missing from the BBC archives. I have posted all that are commercially available).

The Section

Eliminating people. Framing. Extortion. Death. All the jobs that are too dirty for Her Majesty's security forces to touch. The Section is a top secret branch of British intelligence that specializes in dirty jobs no other branch will touch - kidnapping, extortion, blackmail, and quite often execution of persons deemed a threat to the government. Its targets are usually spies or assets belonging to the Eastern bloc, although it is not above eliminating innocent citizens should they threaten its goals as well. Its secrecy is paramount. All agents, including the Section head, are known only by code name, and the department itself is housed in a drab building under cover of a scrap metal business owned by "Charlie Hunter". The offices are cramped, the furniture spartan; except for a shooting range in the basement, there is no hint as to its true purpose... which is just as well, for any unauthorized person who learns of its purpose is likely to wind up in a red file - most urgently marked for death by the Section's assassins.

Hunter

You're always asking for reasons. That's what makes you weak. Schneider's in a red file, that's reason enough. The code name for the current head of Section is Hunter. Hunter delegates the missions and directs the movements of agents in the field. He himself rarely steps foot outside the office, instead delivering orders from behind his imposing oak desk - orders which he expects to be obeyed unquestioned. His main method of communication (aside from in-person meetings) is the red telephone on his desk. Typically, an agent phones in with a report to "Charlie", and Hunter answers with an assessment of the situation followed by a new order. He is ultimately responsible for the success or failure of a mission. As Section head, Hunter also has political obligations. He must meet with senior government officials such as the Foreign Secretary, navigate diplomatic waters for defectors and allies, and forestall interdepartmental rivalry with agencies like Special Branch. Thus, the qualifications for Hunter are far more administrative than they are physical, which is reflected by the aging staff officers who typically fill the role. The first Hunter we meet is Colonel Leslie, known colloquially as the Colonel among his agents. (In keeping with military protocol, subordinates are expected to address the Section head to his face as "Hunter" or "sir"). It is the Colonel who introduces a color-coded filing system for the Section's extensive list of targets. David Callan, a top field operative, describes the system thusly in the pilot - "If a bloke joined the wrong party, he got a blue file. If he was under surveillance, he got a yellow one. And if he was dangerous, I mean really dangerous, he got a red one. He usually got killed as well." Later, a white file is added for individuals whom the Section wants to put in prison, divorce courts, bankruptcy, or mental homes, a slightly less permanent destination than death. As the series progresses, various men don the mantle of Hunter, some more rigid, others marginally more forgiving. But that filing system always remains the same.

David Callan

You sacked me, remember? You said I was too soft. Well, I'm still soft, Hunter. I still worry about the people I've killed. David Callan is only good at two things - killing people and collecting model soldiers. The son of a working-class family, his parents were killed by a V2 rocket when he was only 13, and he left school shortly thereafter to apprentice at a locksmiths firm. Eventually, he found his way into the army and impressed his superiors with his shooting, unarmed combat, and survival skills, earning him a promotion to corporal. That promotion was short-lived, however, as his insolence toward an officer saw him reduced back to private. This would be a recurring theme in Callan's career. After serving as a commando in Malaya, he returned to work at the locksmiths firm. He soon became involved in the attempted theft of a jeweler's safe, but was caught and sentenced to 2 years in Wormwood Scrubs. It was upon Callan's early release that the Section recruited him. He trained under Colonel Leslie and carried out numerous missions, including assassinations, with great success. The Colonel rated him very highly, and he in turn held the Colonel in considerable regard. By the age of 29, Callan had risen to second-in-command and was on the shortlist of candidates for next head of Section. Then, everything changed. In the spring of 1965, the Colonel ordered Callan to kill a KGB agent named Zhverkov, whom Callan knew and liked very much. After immense pressure, he finally carried out the killing, but from then on became overly involved with his targets, insisting on making his own value judgments rather than following orders blindly. His relationship with the Colonel deteriorated until the Section deactivated him a year later. At the start of the series, Callan is a 36-year-old bookkeeper working a dead-end job, his suit shabby and wrinkled, his flat spartan and cheap, the only joy in his life his collection of model soldiers. No one would guess that he was once the Section's most prolific assassin. Callan's defining characteristic is his conscience - he needs to know why a job must be done before he will do it. Even then, he is liable to disobey orders he feels are unjust or endanger innocent people. His tendency to sympathize with his targets brings him in direct conflict with Hunter, as well as his fellow agents, who have no qualms about killing. This conflict is exacerbated by Callan's class consciousness; he carries a chip on his shoulder regarding authority, especially wielded by officers and the social elite... two circles that comprise most of his superiors. Indeed, season 1 sees Callan at odds with his allies more often than his enemies, saved from placement in a red file only by his usefulness to the Section. The thought that his usefulness may one day run out forms the underlying tension in the series. In the end, Callan is a man trapped by his own success - an assassin who kills because he is good at nothing else.

Lonely

I do have baths, Mr. Callan. The way I smell is psychosomatic. Lonely lives up to his name. A small-time burglar with terrible body odor, he first met Callan during the latter's stint in Wormwood Scrubs. His criminal skills proved useful, and Callan began to employ him on a case-by-case basis as a lookout, tail, thief/safecracker, driver, and weapons supplier for Section work, although Lonely himself knows nothing about the Section. In fact, Lonely has never pulled a trigger in his life. He frequently must be bullied or bribed into helping Callan on a job, and then only reluctantly for fear of being caught in the violence. Their relationship can most succinctly be described as codependent. Lonely needs Callan's cash and protection (though that protection is often from Callan's own colleagues), and Callan needs Lonely's eyes and ears, for the petty crook's very insignificance makes him an excellent spy. They are the closest each has to a friend. That friendship is tested again and again by Hunter. Since Lonely is not part of the Section, he represents a security risk to its operations, and more than one Hunter has threatened to eliminate Lonely for good. They usually back down, however, after seeing Callan's reaction. Because as much as Callan exploits and abuses Lonely, he is also fiercely protective of the little man, exacting vicious revenge on anyone (including fellow agents) who dare lay hands on the burglar. This is because Lonely is the only person Callan can trust - an outsider to the spy game, not bright enough or important enough to warrant attention, and very much dependent on him. His smell is the smell of Callan's own id, a dank pit of criminality driven more by fear than loyalty to any particular cause.

Toby Meres

It's frightfully bad taste to welcome you like this, I agree, but we do need a spot of information from you rather urgently - just filling in, you know, code names and so on. If Lonely is the id, then Meres is Callan's foil. Born the son of a Lord, Meres was educated at the prestigious Eton College before receiving a commission as an officer in the Coldstream Guards. His career ended abruptly when a private guardsman died in an "accident" that he arranged. Although the case never made it to court martial, Meres was forced to resign and eventually found employment as an agent in the Section. The work suited his real talents. At the beginning of the series, he is a youthful 27 and already Hunter's right-hand man. Only Callan stands between him and the top. On the surface, Meres is droll and charming, the portrait of a public schoolboy from the upper classes. But that is only a mask for his sadistic streak. He has none of Callan's reservations about killing and will carry out orders ruthlessly and efficiently, even delighting in the opportunity to interrogate prisoners. His attitude toward colleagues is typified by emotional indifference with a touch of condescension. At the death of one, Meres simply observes that it's "par for the course" in their line of work. He largely leaves trainees to sink or swim and is not especially bothered when they sink. The only person who stirs some feeling in him is Callan. From the beginning, Meres recognizes Callan's talent and extols it to allies and superiors. He claims to detest Callan - indeed, the two start off as antagonists - yet lobbies for the latter to rejoin the Section in "Red Knight, White Knight". After that point, their relationship slowly develops from a rivalry to a partnership based on mutual respect for each other's skills. Meres enjoys teasing Callan (sometimes to a dangerous degree, as he is prone to breaking into Callan's flat unannounced), and Callan grows to trust Meres despite their very different moral systems. It is telling that the most distraught Meres ever gets is during a scene with Callan in "Death of a Hunter". Perhaps this is because Meres, at heart, does have some semblance of a conscience. He subtly protests orders from Hunter that he deems ill-advised or unnecessarily harsh. It's simply that his bar for harshness sits a lot higher than Callan's, and when push comes to shove, Meres will usually cave to authority because authority is what he learned to obey in the Guard.

James Cross

You ever played Russian roulette? It's better than horses. You play for your life. Cross is a newcomer to the Section, promoted during a period when both Callan and Meres were unavailable. A young man in his 20's with flip hair and a taste for stylish clothes, he has the swagger of an agent with twice the experience, despite logging a mediocre record in the field. He fancies himself Callan's successor and is none too pleased when the latter returns to the Section. Brash and callous, Cross has little regard for the collateral damage from his actions, putting him at immediate odds with Callan. His recalcitrance leads to at least one disaster, which Callan is forced to clean up. As a result, the two share a mutual dislike for each other - Cross believes Callan is over the hill, Callan perceives Cross as an arrogant upstart - and initially only work together on Hunter's orders. In many ways, Cross resembles a young Meres. They both exude smug confidence, harbor a sadistic streak, and have their eye on Callan's position as top agent. However, while Meres's ambition is tempered by genuine respect, Cross bestows that respect grudgingly. He and Callan never develop the sort of camaraderie that Callan has with Meres.

Elizabeth (Liz) March

That girl's a walking memory bank. She's been in a red file since the day she took the job. Liz is Hunter's secretary and handles all the communications, transportation, and files on allies and enemies. She fulfills this duty from the first episode to the last, making her one of the most knowledgeable people in the Section, moreso than many agents like Cross. It's thus a pity that her role in the series is largely limited to answering phones. (I couldn't even find a decent quote by her). However, she does get an opportunity to shine in "A Village Called 'G'", which provides a glimpse into her backstory and motivations.

Dr. Snell

I put him on tranquilizers for a bit, and he quite liked that. And then some of the hallucinogens... Oh, and I managed to make him lose track of time too. Then, I put him on pentothal. He prattles like a child. At first glance, Snell doesn't seem to belong in the Section. He's a soft-spoken, bespectacled man of about 50 with silver hair and the dispassionate air of an Ivory Tower academic. We first meet him at his office on Harley Street, where he runs a private medical practice. Hunter asks him to conduct a benign memory test on a biologist suspected of East German sympathies. However, it soon becomes clear that Snell's role extends far beyond that of a simple outside adviser. He is arguably one of the most important people involved in the Section and, in effect, outranks the field agents themselves. For Snell is a psychiatrist, who employs his skills in two ways - interrogating enemy operatives and evaluating the medical fitness of the Section's own employees. In the first task, he is uniquely brutal because his instruments of torture are drugs (pentothal, LSD, and other psychotropics) that wreak havoc on his victim's mind. And Snell goes about this work with scientific indifference, only betraying a hint of pleasure when his injections give rise to an interesting effect. What's more, his victims usually don't remember what they've said to him... if they retain their sanity at all. Snell's interrogation techniques already cast him as a sinister figure, but what makes him disliked even among his allies is his second task - psychologically profiling the Section's own agents. You see, espionage is a highly stressful job. If an agent snaps, the consequences for national security could be dire. Thus, it is Snell's job to determine whether an agent is about to snap before he snaps and report it to higher authority. At best, a bad report from Snell means getting pulled from the field. At worst, it gets one's name placed in a red file. Either way, his word is usually final.

Mr. Bishop

All you need to know is that in the pecking order of the security game, we get first peck. "Big men have to snivel sometimes, Hunter," Snell says, and the man Hunter snivels to is Bishop. A senior official in the SIS, Bishop is Hunter's superior and oversees a wide variety of foreign intelligence operations. He has the authority to assign new missions, disburse funds for equipment, order prisoner exchanges, and hire and fire Section heads. However, while his powers are broad, Bishop never steps foot in the field - his role is purely strategic, and his concern lies with the sociopolitical impact of a job rather than the individuals involved. He is the picture of the calculating, condescending bureaucrat, giving orders from his cushy seat in the rear while his subordinates risk their lives. It thus comes as a surprise that Bishop acts as Callan's ally in the beginning. He sees potential in Callan beyond that of a mere trigger-puller and bolsters the latter's career within the Section. Naturally, Bishop's reasons are self-serving - Callan is just a particularly useful cog in the espionage machine, after all - but they manage to forge a fragile working relationship... until circumstances intervene.

Richmond

For people like you and me, safety can only be found among our enemies. It's our friends who will kill us. While Richmond appears in only a few episodes, his impact on Callan is profound enough to warrant a spot on this list. Richmond is a colonel in the KGB and one of their best, most experienced agents. Intelligent and erudite, he uses his substantial knowledge about Callan's background to try and manipulate the latter into betraying the Section, launching a dangerous cat-and-mouse game in the "The Richmond File" series finale.

Recommended Episodes

The Good Ones Are All Dead (S01E01) - Under threat of being placed in a red file, Callan is coerced into helping the Section hand over an ex-SS officer, Strauss, to the Israelis. Introduces the main cast and sets up the hostile dynamic between Callan and Colonel Leslie. An emotional performance by Edward Woodward at the end.

The Most Promising Girl of Her Year (S02E02) - Callan must prove that a young biochemist is not giving information to the East. Introduces Snell and his interrogation methods. Also features an intelligent and sympathetic female character, whose ethical principles make her the true heroine of the story.

Let's Kill Everybody (S02E05) - A freelance German mercenary organisation that specialises in eliminating foreign security agencies has its sights set on the Section. An aptly named episode, so I won't spoil anything except to say that no one is who they seem...

Heir Apparent (S02E06) - Callan and Meres must fetch the new Hunter from East Germany. This might as well be a Callan/Meres fanfic with the amount of slash in it. Our two agents "go on a hols" together, sharing a sleeping car, drinking on the town, and navigating a minefield right on the edge of the Iron Curtain.

Death of a Hunter (S02E15) - A hunter dies, but which one? Is it the hard-bitten Callan, the laconic Meres, the enigmatic Hunter or someone else? I debated including a synopsis because the title already gives too much away. One of Edward Woodward's finest performances, loaded with pain and anguish, and a definitive Callan/Meres story.

Where Else Could I Go? (S03E01) - After five months in the hospital recuperating from near-fatal gunshot wounds, Callan returns to the Section to find the upstart Cross after his position. Under the doubting eye of his superior, the agent must prove that he still has the will to kill. Introduces Cross and William Squire's Hunter, probably the most iconic Hunter of the series. Also contains fodder for Callan/Lonely in the way of a very protective Callan.

A Village Called 'G' (S03E04) - The entire Section goes on red alert when Liz, Hunter's ever-punctual secretary, fails to show up for work. Trying to trace her, Callan begins to suspect that Liz's disappearance involves not an enemy from the present, but a ghost from her past. Liz finally gets a turn in the limelight, and we're treated to some background on her childhood.

Breakout (S03E08) - By surrendering to the police, wily KGB operative Nikolai Lubin seeks safety in a British prison, out of reach of Hunter and the Section's interrogators. Hunter, however, has other plans - engineering Lubin's "escape" under the guise of a KGB operation. A rare episode in which Callan and Cross display some teamwork.

Call Me Sir! (S04E02) - Upon Callan's return, dire circumstances force him to accept a new position within the Section - one that affords an entirely different perspective on his work, particularly regarding his relationship with Lonely. Callan receives a promotion he never asked for. More I cannot say without spoiling the plot.

If He Can, So Could I (S04E05) - Cross's behavior on his previous assignment calls into question his fitness for service. Nevertheless, Callan assigns his former rival the perilous task of protecting a dissident Russian poet. Snell puts Cross through the wringer in this one, and the way Cross cracks reflects Callan's own insecurities. The ending scene between Callan/Lonely is absolutely phenomenal - one of the few times Callan goes to pieces emotionally, revealing the enormous strain he and his fellow agents are under. Edward Woodward won a BAFTA for this performance.

I Never Wanted the Job (S04E08) - After witnessing a gangster's execution, Lonely runs afoul of the killers and the police, jeopardizing both his cover and Callan's life. The closest this series gets to fluff. Some cute Callan/Meres/Hunter interaction plus an offhand comment by a character about how Callan must be "queer" for Lonely make this a very shippy episode.

The Richmond File: Call Me Enemy (S04E11) - Alone at a remote safe house, Callan debriefs a high-ranking prospective defector - a man known as Richmond, who promises to reveal a traitor within the Section. This is it. This is what spy dramas are about. Not fast car chases or gunfights, but two people on opposite sides trying to manipulate each other with deception and lies. Edward Woodward and T.P. McKenna give career-defining performances in this battle of wits between veteran agents who have more in common with each other than their respective employers... or do they? The episode is like a stage play and provides a rare bit of history on Callan and Meres.

External Links

YouTube Playlist - The entire series ripped and uploaded by yours truly.

Video Downloads - High quality video encodes of the entire series, again done by yours truly, as well as scripts for all episodes (including the missing ones) and other goodies.

Big Finish - New audio adaptations of the Callan short stories.

Digital Tapestries Fan Site - An old fan site with creator interviews, character profiles, and synopses of all the episodes in seasons 1-2.

Michael J. Bird's Fan Site - Another fan site that includes scans of the Callan short stories and links to a few missing episode scripts.

It's So Last Century - Reviews of most commercial Callan releases along with some newspaper article scans.

[lasclcats]

Sobat drama sky castle sub indo

SOBAT DRAMA SKY CASTLE SUB INDO 480P

SOBAT DRAMA SKY CASTLE SUB INDO SERIAL

SOBAT DRAMA SKY CASTLE SUB INDO FULL

SOBAT DRAMA SKY CASTLE SUB INDO SERIES

Critically-acclaimed and multi-awarded 2020 sports-themed Hot Stove League gave Jo Byung Gyu a Best New Actor recognition for his performance as Han Jae-hee. Months later, he took on the role of student-turned-evil-spirit-hunter So Mun in The Uncanny Counter that propelled him to greater popularity.

SOBAT DRAMA SKY CASTLE SUB INDO SERIES

The series appealed to a wide local and international audience and is currently awaiting its second season. Shortly after the fantasy mystery aired its finale, There is An Alien Here was released, where he depicted a man who becomes part of an alien research club. Just last month, it was confirmed that he will be on the frontlines of the film Even If I Die, One More Time as Jeon Woo Seok, a 40-year-old stuntman who returns to his youth. The morally upright Woo-Joo is maximizing 2021 both in the big and small screens. Sky Castle tells the story of several families from high society who live in swanky SKY Castle.Earlier this year, Chani starred in the webtoon-based music-fantasy-romance Must You Go opposite Park Jung Yeon. TaroMilkTea 1053 am As of Episode 16 Sky Castle has officially gained the HIGHEST Rating from any Cable Drama in Korea. While everyones still reeling from the shock of what happened a new family whose background and values seem very different moves into SKY Castle.

SOBAT DRAMA SKY CASTLE SUB INDO FULL

Nonton SKY Castle Sub Indo Streaming Drama Korea Terbaru Gratis Download Film Korea videos Subtitle Indonesia. Watch Korean drama SKY Castle English Sub Full Episodes Online in High Quality at DramaCool.Ī few days ago Kim Hye-yoon won Best New Actress at the 55th Baeksang Arts Awards for her breakout role in social satire SKY Castle.

SOBAT DRAMA SKY CASTLE SUB INDO 480P

Streaming Nonton Sky Castle Subtitle Indonesia Nonton Drama Sky Castle Download Drama Sky Castle 240p 360p 480p 720p HD stream drama full episode sub indo hanya di Dramaindo. Ask an Actor SKY Castles Kim Hye-yoon by stroopwafel. It was built by the first president of Joo Nam University the most prestigious university in Korea. It is about the college entrance examination private education and the medical field in South. SKY Castle is a satirical drama that criticizes practices from corrupt business hierarchy to extreme parenting environments. Meski memiliki kesempatan untuk menembak mati Joo Young Soo Chang. Most of the residents are doctors and law school professors of the university.

SOBAT DRAMA SKY CASTLE SUB INDO SERIAL

Gratis Download Drama Korea SKY Castle 2018 Full Episode Nonton streaming online drama SKY Castle 2018 sub indo SKY Castle 2018 freeload download serial drama korea SKY Castle 2018 subtitle indonesia. Suh Jin throws a lavish Sky Castle style party for Myung Joo to congratulate her for succeeding in getting Young Jae accepted into Seoul National University School of Medicine. Watch the Nam brothers review SKY Castle a drama series that examines the climate of the Korean education system through the stories of four upper-class fam.ĭespite having the chance to shoot Joo Young dead Soo Chang lets her go with just a warning. Soo Chang memiliki satu tujuan dalam benaknya yakni menemukan dan membunuh Kim Joo Young. The drama describes all the ins and outs of how the wealthy make their children enter a top university. Ignore the haters ignore your doubts this drama officially beat Goblin and Reply1988 - if that dont convince you then have fun missing out That is all. After this incident he plans to be a better father to his son Young Jae. Soo Chang has one goal in mind find and kill Kim Joo Young. SKY Castle a private luxury condo community where wealthy doctors and professors live. Sky Castle EP 8 Eng Sub - After going away for a while Soo Chang comes back to Sky Castle. SKY Castle ini bertempat di sebuah gedung apartemen berlantai empat di pinggiran Seoul yang dihuni oleh beberapa profesional seperti hakim jaksa dokter profesor dan. The only problem is Soo Chang has no way of contacting his runaway son. The drama has impeccable directing story is full of plot twists comedy is subtle and melds well and the cliffhangers are absolutely wild. You can watch SKY Castle English Sub Korean drama online free Streaming in HD Quality at DramaCool. Sf9 S Chani Talked More About His Kiss Scene With Kim Bora In Sky Castle Sf9 Scene Castle Sky Castle - Episode 8 Setelah pergi sementara Soo Chang kembali ke Sky Castle. Stylized as SKY Castle is a 20182019 South Korean television series starring Yum Jung-ah Lee Tae-ran Yoon Se-ah Oh Na-ra and Kim Seo-hyungIt aired on JTBC on Fridays and Saturdays at 2300 time slot from Novemto February 1 2019.

[majornelson]

Xbox Game Pass: Mortal Kombat X, Ashen, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, And More This December

Here are the new games coming soon to Xbox Game Pass:

Mortal Kombat X (December 7)

Jump 25 years into the future as the epic Mortal Kombat saga continues. Mortal Kombat X introduces a new generation of fighters (including the return of some fan favorites), brilliant cinematic presentation, and the Character Variation system that allows players to pick from special moves, attacks, or weapons that impact both the strategy and fighting style of each character. Gather your best buds to battle it out in this fantastic fighting game.

Pro Evolution Soccer 19 (December 13)

PES 2019 recreates soccer by showcasing the power of football through authentic leagues and enhanced realism — and Xbox Game Pass members will have access to all the action! And now thanks to a recent game update that added new stadiums, team kits, and a new range of football boots and balls, the game is better than ever before. Xbox Game Pass members are invited to compete in the upcoming season of PES League, Konami’s official global esports competition, to find and award the best player of PES 2019.

Spintires: Mudrunner (December 13)

In the harsh wilds of Siberia, take control of mighty, off-road vehicles in Spintires: Mudrunner. Experience mud, torrential rivers, and other harsh obstacles powered by an impressive physics engine that simulates some of the toughest environments known to man. Drive 19 formidable vehicles, each with their own customizable attachments with nothing but your wits and navigational abilities, or with up to three friends at your side in multiplayer! Work together to haul lumber and unlock new vehicles and maps as you go.

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice (December 17)

From Ninja Theory, one of the creative development teams added to the Microsoft Studios family earlier this year, and the makers of Enslaved: Odyssey to the West and DmC: Devil May Cry, comes a warrior’s brutal journey into myth and madness. Set in the Viking age, a broken Celtic warrior embarks on a haunting vision quest into Viking Hell to fight for the soul of her dead lover. Created in collaboration with neuroscientists and people who experience psychosis, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice will pull you deep into Senua’s mind.

Ori and the Blind Forest (December 20)

Often described as exquisitely beautiful and heart-wrenchingly emotional, Ori and the Blind Forest earned critical acclaim – with over 30 industry awards to its name – and deeply passionate fans when it arrived on Xbox One. Moon Studios’ side-scrolling platformer combines incredible art, stirring music, challenging gameplay, and powerful narrative into a landmark game that shouldn’t be missed..

Shadow Warrior 2 (December 20)

The lovechild to one of the most frantic franchises in the world and developer Flying Wild Hog, comes the best FPS melee combat system ever made. Slice your enemies into sashimi with lethal blades or go out with a bang using staggering amount of firepower and archaic magic to purge the world of evil. With those elements combined you have the wackiest, weirdest, and bloodiest looter-shooter ever made. Jump into the shoes of Lo Wang, your friendly, neighborhood ninja slash assassin, slash hitman, slash, slash, slash… Defeat unending waves of monsters on your way to solve the mystery of a girl magically locked in your head.

During The Game Awards, we also announced these three titles were coming to Xbox Game Pass:

Ashen (December 7)

An open world co-op action RPG about a wanderer in search of a place to call home. As you adventure through the realm of Ashen, you’ll occasionally encounter other players in a passive, co-operative multiplayer open world. It’s up to you to decide how to deal with them – fight together against evil, invite them into your party or simply ignore them.

Kingdom Two Crowns (December 11)

Work with other players in the brand-new solo or co-op campaign mode to build a kingdom and secure it from the threat of the Greed. Experience new technology, units, enemies, mounts, and secrets in the next evolution of the award-winning micro strategy franchise!

Below (December 14)

A procedural terrarium filled with life, mystery, and death. Test your adventurer mettle against The Isle’s subterranean labyrinths. Explore a large, interconnected underworld crawling with cunning wildlife, deadly traps and stalked by a shadowy presence. Survive the perils of The Depths and unearth what lies below… or die trying.

Join Xbox Game Pass Today

With over 100 great games for one low monthly price, including highly-anticipated new Xbox One exclusives the day they’re released, including the highest-rated* Xbox exclusive of this generation Forza Horizon 4, plus more games added all the time, Xbox Game Pass gives you the ultimate freedom to play. If you haven’t tried Xbox Game Pass, join today and get your first month for $1, and discover your next favorite game.

For the latest Xbox Game Pass news, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, download the Xbox Game Pass app for Android and iOS and keep it tuned here to Xbox Wire. Until next month, game on!

*Source: Metacritic

via Xbox Live's Major Nelson https://ift.tt/2BW0i57

[180abroad]

Day 111: Anfield

Today we visited Anfield, home turf of Liverpool Football Club and Jessica’s personal sports Mecca. We arrived early, with plenty of time to walk around the grounds and have some lunch before our scheduled tour of the stadium.

We entered through Paisley gate, named for legendary Liverpool player and manager Bob Paisley. Three trophies above the gate represent the three European Cups that LFC won under his management--a record only two other European managers have ever tied--and the crest on the left half of the gate is of Paisley's birth town, Hetton-le-Hole in northeast England.

Just inside the gate is a statue of Paisley's predecessor, the equally if not more legendary Bill Shankly. With Paisley as his assistant coach, Shankly ruthless rebuilt the team (and much of the stadium) from the ground up and dragged it from B-list ignominy into the spotlight as one of the greatest teams in all of Europe.

Shankly was famous for his relationship with the Liverpool fans. From the beginning, he insisted that the fans are the most important members of any team, and he saw their faith in him and the organization as sacred. He understood how much the team meant to the people of Liverpool, and always worked hard to show them how much they meant to him in return.

He’s also the one who picked You’ll Never Walk Alone to be the team’s anthem. It was a spur of the moment decision, but it proved momentous. It remains one of the most iconic and beloved anthems in all of sports, and it has since been adopted by numerous other teams around the world, including Celtic FC in Glasgow, Borrusia Dortmund in Germany, and FC Tokyo in Japan.

As the statue says, he made the people happy.

The Liverpool Football Club is rich in history and lore, and every corner of this place honors that heritage with pride, including a monument to one of the darkest chapters in the team’s--and the city’s--history.

ESPN has an excellent "30 for 30" special on the Hillsborough disaster--Jessica had me watch it when we were in York--but I'll do my best to summarize it here.

On April 15, 1989, Liverpool was playing a semi-final match against Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield. Shortly before kickoff, a surge of fans entered the already overcrowded pens at one end of the stadium. The pens were standing-room-only sections of the stands that were fenced off from the rest of the stands, with only a single gate for entering and leaving.

Panic ensued, and fans and police alike scrambled to tear down the fences and help people escape the crush. When the dust settled, a horrifying 94 people were found dead from crushing or asphyxiation--over a third of them children and teenagers. Over 700 others were injured, including two who would later die form their injuries.

Almost immediately, the police and the Sun newspaper released the story that the disaster had been caused by Liverpool fans who had broken down the gates and recklessly stormed the pens. The rest of the country already thought of Liverpool fans as a bunch of drunken hooligans, so the story was easy to believe.

But it was a lie. Having failed to sufficiently prepare the grounds and his officers to handle the massive crowds attending the game, Police Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield--the man who officially blamed Liverpool fans for breaking down the gate--ordered himself that the gates be opened to relieve the restless crowds, having apparently forgotten that doing so would lead the throngs directly into already full pens of Liverpool supporters. Even as the bodies were being laid out on the pitch, Duckenfield was calling reporters and debriefing his lieutenants to ensure that only the “correct” officer statements made it into the official record.

False reports were leaked to the press, including absurd claims that Liverpool fans robbed the bodies of the dead, urinated on police officers, and attacked medics trying to resuscitate the victims. For years, Hillsborough survivors and the victims’ families were not only unconsoled but actively villainized as scum.

The Sun is still firmly boycotted throughout the city, and anti-Sun posters are still proudly displayed on walls and taxis.

The Sun finally apologized and recanted the false stories in 2012, but for the people of Liverpool, it was far too little, far too late.

The government inquest that followed the disaster took three years to complete and ultimately ruled all the deaths to be accidental. The inquest declined to accept testimony from two practicing doctors who had been in attendance at the game and were critical of the emergency response provided. The only doctor whose testimony was admitted was that of the hosting stadium’s club doctor.

Meanwhile, an independent government investigation into the police handling of the incident thoroughly and definitively contradicted the official story, clearly exposing the cover-up and laying the blame squarely upon the police and the stadium’s design flaws. The report led to major safety improvements in stadiums across England, but no one was held accountable for the 96 dead Liverpool fans.

Years later, in 1997, the Labor party won control of parliament from the Conservatives. One of their campaign promises was to reopen the investigation into Hillsborough. The result was little more than a sham. The justice appointed to the investigation was openly hostile and derogatory of the people of Liverpool, and he declared that only new evidence would be admitted for consideration.

Since the facts of the police incompetence and cover-up were already available during previous investigations--albeit ignored--they were deemed inadmissible. Unsurprisingly, the investigation upheld that Hillsborough was an accident and no one was at fault.

Finally, after years of bitterness and failed civil suits--funded by the people of Liverpool themselves--a new independent panel was commissioned by the government in 2009 and in 2012 ruled that the Liverpool fans were in no way at fault for the disaster.

Nothing was done about it, but it was the closest thing to justice that Liverpool had gotten in over 20 years since the disaster happened.

Subsequent investigations uncovered the fact that police reports from the incident were not only curated by the brass but forged wholesale. Over a hundred officers’ statements were found to have been either edited without their consent or fabricated entirely, the originals lost to the void.

The story isn’t over. To date, not one person has yet been held accountable for in a court of law. Just this year, charges were brought against chief Duckenfield for gross negligence and manslaughter, and his trial is currently set to begin in January 2019.

Hillsborough is more than enough of a tragedy in its own right, but it’s also a case in point for the relationship between Liverpool and the rest of England. And it’s not hard to see why so many people here see themselves as Scousers first and English a distant second.

Speaking of Scousers, it was high time for something less somber: lunch.

I had my first taste of scouse, a local specialty consisting of spicy meat stew with beets and red cabbage mixed in. Scouse was a popular dish among British sailors, so naturally it became popular in the major industrial port city of Liverpool. Nowadays, the dish is so strongly affiliated with the city that the people of Liverpool are called Scousers and their unique dialect (a blend of English, Irish, and Welsh) is called Scouse.

Our hearts and bellies warmed, we headed into the club museum, which was filled with stories and artifacts from the team’s founding in 1892 up through the current year. One room was entirely filled with personal memorabilia from recent team superhero Steven Gerrard, and another was occupied by the team’s five European Champions League cups--two more than the next-best team in Britain, Manchester United.

One room in the museum was made up like a section of the stands, with screens and speakers recreating the experience of being at a game while fans around you sing the team anthem, “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” Even as an outsider to football fandom, it was an incredibly moving experience.

Finally, it was time to tour the stadium itself. Jessica had visited the stadium twice before, but this tour was different. Much of the stadium had been recently renovated, and because it was the off-season, the tours were all given on self-guided tablets that we could use to scan various signs and displays for more information. Stationary guides were posted at intervals to answer questions and make sure we didn't get lost.

The tour starts on the top floor with a rundown of the team’s best managers and the victories the team earned under their leadership.

Then we turned a few corners and came out into the sunlight and glorious green pitch.

Jessica couldn’t have been happier if she was in Disneyland.

The stands on the right-hand endzone are called the Kop and where the most diehard Liverpool fans sit (if they ever do sit) during home games. The name is used for similar sections in stadiums across England and dates back to the Second Boer War of 1900. Many fields, including Anfield, had hills nearby where people could sit and watch the game. Returning soldiers compared the hills to a South African hill named Spion Kop, where a major battle took place. The hill at Anfield became known as Spion Kopp, then just Kop. Eventually, the hill was leveled to make room for larger stands, and the stands that took its place took on the name as well.

After taking it all in for a good few minutes, we continued on inside the stadium for more displays covering the history of team and stadium.

One large window looks out toward the shockingly close Goodison Park, home turf of the rival Everton Football Club.

Our tablets filled us in on the history of the rivalry, but of course, Jessica already knew it all and had long since enlightened me.

Anfield was originally used by Everton, the city’s first professional football team. But as Everton became more and more successful, Anfield’s owner tried to get more and more money out of them. He also wanted to sell booze in the stadium, which the church-owned Everton FC opposed. Eventually, in 1892, Everton got fed up and built themselves their own stadium on the other side of Stanley Park, less than a mile away (and in the backyard of a church).

Left with an expensive new stadium and no team to occupy it, the owner decided to make his own team. And so Liverpool F.C. was born.

Along the way, we ended up talking with one of the stationary guides for a good while. It turned out that the first game Jessica went to at Anfield was also the first game that the guide took his grandson to. They reminisced over the great last-minute goal by Stevie G to win the game.

Somehow, though the conversation kept turning to sad things. When he asked us where we were from, we ended up talking about the terrible fires up in Napa and Sonoma the previous autumn.

Downstairs, we saw the newly renovated dressing rooms, where Jessica was able to get her picture taken with the jerseys of some of her favorite players, including Gerrard and Mané. Using the guide tablets, we were able to scan each jersey to bring up a short interview or highlight reel about the player.

Whereas the home dressing room is warm and cushy, the visiting teams’ dressing room is drab and spartan. A selection of jerseys in the niches showed an all-star team opposing players who've visited Anfield, picked out by former Liverpool defender and local Scouser Jamie Carragher.

We didn't go onto the field itself--stepping onto the grass of that holy of holies is literally a crime unless you are a player or a groundskeeper--but Jessica got to touch the famous “This is Anfield” sign that the Liverpool players tap every time they go out onto the pitch.

Sadly, we didn’t get to go into the dugout or the Kop since they were both closed for maintenance.

Leaving the stadium, we walked around for a bit and went into the massive new Club Shop. Jessica got some LFC stickers for her laptop, and we both got some refreshments--it had gotten surprisingly late in the day, and we’d done a lot of exploring.

While we were there, a giant-screen TV showed France knocking Argentina out of the World cup, ushering in the Round of 16.

Before heading home, we took a quick stroll through Stanley Park and caught another glips of Goodison.

On the bus back to our Airbnb, we saw another sign of city’s socioeconomic standing.

We ended up missing our stop and wound up back in central Liverpool. Getting home would take another good bit of walking--plus a major detour in search of a convenience store that actually sold decent food--but it all worked out in the end.

Back home, we watched Pirates of the Caribbean 3 and tried to ignore the obscenely loud birthday party next door that went absurdly late into the night for a kid’s party.

Next Post: The Magical Mystery Tour (and a Cathedral, too!)

Last Post: To Liverpool (With the Beatles)

[aion-rsa]

Upcoming Must-See Movies in 2021

https://ift.tt/2XPPY8Z

It’s 2021. Finally. If you’re reading this, it means you’ve hopefully gotten through the wreckage of last year unscathed and are ready for a brighter future. And if you’re also a movie lover, this certainly includes a trip (or 20) back to the cinemas.

Sure, theaters were technically open in some places last fall, but the moviegoing season has largely remained dormant since March 2020. Yet given good news about vaccines starting to become available, and an absolutely stacked 2021 movie release calendar, we have reasons to be cautiously optimistic.

Indeed, 2021 promises many of the most anticipated films from last year, plus new surprises. From the superhero variety like Black Widow to the art house with Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch, 2021 could be a much needed respite. So below is just a sampling of what to expect from the year to come…

The Little Things

January 29

One of the year’s earliest high profile releases is also the first of WB’s film slate on HBO Max. The Little Things is a serial killer thriller in the old school mold. It also boasts a brutally talented cast that includes Denzel Washington and Rami Malek as the detectives, and Jared Leto as the killer. As the latest movie from John Lee Hancock (The Founder, The Alamo), this looks like the type of star-led seediness that used to dominate the multiplex.

Maclolm and Marie

February 5

Assassination Nation writer-director Sam Levinson returns for a decidedly stripped down and intimate character study about two people on the threshold of their lives changing–and perhaps splitting apart. With Zendaya and John David Washington in roles unlike anything we’ve seen the pair in before, they play a couple returning home after the premiere of Malcolm’s (Washington) first movie. He’s on the cusp of life-changing success as a director, but when confronted by Marie about past secrets and hard truths… the night takes a turn.

Judas and the Black Messiah

February 12

It’s kind of hard to wrap one’s head around the annual “Oscar race” in a year when little trophies don’t seem so damn important, but Warner Bros. feels strongly enough about this movie that it’s getting it into theaters and on HBO Max right in the thick of the pandemic-delayed awards season. And judging by the marketing, it’s bringing heat with it.

Shaka King directs and co-writes the story of Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya), who became the chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party in the late 1960s and was murdered in cold blood by police in 1969. LaKeith Stanfield plays William O’Neal, a petty criminal who agreed to help the FBI take Hampton down. This promises to be incendiary, relevant material — and it’s almost here.

Minari

February 12

Lee Isaac Chung directs Steven Yeun–now fully shaking off his years as Glenn on The Walking Dead–in this semi-autobiographical film about a South Korean family struggling to settle down in rural America in the 1980s. Premiering nearly a year ago at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won both the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award, Minari had a quick one-week virtual release in December, with a number of critics placing it on their Top 10 lists for 2020.

Its story of immigration and assimilation currently has a perfect 100 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics lauding its heart, grace, and sensitivity. A few of ours also considered it among 2020’s best.

Nomadland

February 19

Utilizing both actors and real people, director Chloé Zhao (The Rider, Marvel’s upcoming Eternals) chronicles the lives of America’s “forgotten people” as they travel the West searching for work, companionship and community. A brilliant Frances McDormand stars as Fern, a woman in her mid-60s who lost her husband, her house, and her entire previous existence when her town literally vanished following the closure of its sole factory.

Zhao’s film quietly flows from despair to optimism and back to despair again, the hardscrabble lives of its itinerant cast (many of them actual nomads) foregrounded against often stunning–if lonely–vistas of the vast, empty American countryside.

I Care a Lot

February 19

A solid cast, led by Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage, Chris Messina, and Dianne Wiest, star in this satirical crime drama from director J. Blakeson (The Disappearance of Alice Creed). Pike plays Marla, a con artist whose scam is getting herself named legal guardian of her elderly marks and then draining their assets while sticking them in nursing homes. She’s ruthless and efficient at it, until she meets a woman (Wiest) whose ties to a crime boss (Dinklage) may prove too much of a challenge for the wily Marla. It was one of our favorites out of Toronto last year.

The Father

February 26

Anthony Hopkins gives a mesmerizing, and deeply tragic, performance as Anthony, an elderly British man whose descent into dementia is reflected by the film itself, which plays with time, setting, and continuity until both Anthony and the viewer can no longer tell what is real and what is not. Olivia Colman is equally moving as his daughter, who wants to get on with her own life even as she watches her father’s disintegrate in front of her.

We saw The Father last year at the AFI Fest and it ended up being a favorite of 2020; Hopkins is unforgettable in this bracing, heartbreaking work, which is stunningly adapted by first-time director Florian Zeller from his own award-winning play.

Chaos Walking

March 5

This constantly postponed sci-fi project has become one of those “we’ll believe it when we see it” films until it actually comes out. Shot nearly three and a half years ago by director Doug Liman, Chaos Walking has undergone extensive reshoots and was at one point reportedly deemed unreleasable.

Based on the book The Knife of Letting Go, it places Tom Holland (Spider-Man: Far From Home) and Daisy Ridley (The Rise of Skywalker) on a distant planet where Ridley, the only woman, can hear the thoughts of all the men due to a mysterious force called the Noise.

Raya and the Last Dragon

March 5

Longtime Walt Disney Animation Studios head of story, Paul Briggs (Frozen), will make his directorial debut on this original Disney animated fantasy, which draws upon Eastern traditions to tell the tale of a young warrior who goes searching for the world’s last dragon in the mysterious land of Kumandra. Cassie Steele will voice Raya while Awkwafina (The Farewell) will portray Sisu the dragon.

Disney Animation has been nearly invincible in recent years with other hits like Moana and Zootopia, so watch for this one to be another major hit for the Mouse.

Coming 2 America

March 5

The notion of whether nostalgia-based properties are still viable has cropped up repeatedly in the last few years. However, streaming, which is where Coming 2 America finds itself headed post-COVID, makes golden oldies much safer. This sequel—based on a 32-year-old comedy that was one of Eddie Murphy’s most financially successful hits—sees Murphy back as Prince Akeem, of course, along with Arsenio Hall returning as his loyal friend Semmi.

The plot revolves around Akeem’s discovery, just as he is about to be crowned king, that he has a long-lost son living in the States (we’re not sure how that happened, but let’s just go with it). That, of course, necessitates another visit to our shores—that is, if Akeem and Semmi presumably don’t get stopped at the border. The film reunites Murphy with Dolemite is My Name director Craig Brewer, so perhaps they can make some cutting-edge social comedy out of this?

The King’s Man

March 12

This might be a weird thing to say: but has World War I ever seemed so stylish? It is with Matthew Vaughn at the helm.

An origin story of sorts for the organization that gave us Colin Firth and the umbrella, The King’s Man is a father and son yarn where Ralph Fiennes’ Duke of Oxford is reluctant about his son Conrad (Harris Dickinson) joining the war effort. But they’ll both be up to it as the Duke launches an intelligence gathering agency independent from any government. It also includes Gemma Arterton, Matthew Goode, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson as charter members.

Oh, and did we mention they fight Rasputin?

Godzilla vs. Kong

March 26

Here we are, at last at the big punch up between Godzilla and King Kong. They both wear a crown, but in the film that Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures have been building toward since 2014, only one can walk away with the title of the king of all the monsters.

Admittedly, not everyone loved the last American Godzilla movie, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, but we sure did. Still, Godzilla vs. Kong should be a different animal with Adam Wingard (You’re Next, The Guest) taking over directorial duties. It also has a stacked cast with some familiar faces (Kyle Chandler, Millie Bobby Brown, and Ziyi Zhang) and plenty of new ones (Alexander Skarsgård, Eiza González, Danai Gurira, Lance Reddick, and more).

It’ll probably be better than the original, right? And hey with its HBO Max rollout, questions of a poor box office run sure are conveniently mooted!

No Time to Die

April 2

Nothing lasts forever, and the Daniel Craig era of James Bond is coming to an end… hopefully in 2021. In fact, delays notwithstanding, it’s a bit of a surprise Craig is getting an official swan song with this movie after the star said he’d rather “slash his wrists” before doing another one. Well, we’re glad he didn’t, just as we’re hopeful for his final installment in the tuxedo.

Director Cary Joji Fukunaga is a newcomer to the franchise, but that might be a good thing after how tired Spectre felt, and Fukunaga has done sterling work in the past on True Detective and Maniac. He also looks to bring the curtain down on the whole Craig oeuvre by picking up on the last movie’s lingering threads, such as 007 driving off into the sunset with Léa Seydoux’s Madeleine Swann, while introducing new ones that include Rami Malek as Bond villain Safin and Ana de Armas as new Bond girl Paloma. Yay for the Knives Out reunion!

Mortal Kombat

April 16

Not to be deterred by the relative failure of Sony’s Monster Hunter in theaters at the tail end of 2020, Warner Bros. is giving this venerable video game franchise another shot at live-action cinematic glory after two previous tries in the 1990s. Director Simon McQuoid makes his feature debut while the script comes from Dave Callaham (Wonder Woman 1984, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) and the cast includes a number of actors you’ve seen in other films but can’t quite place.

The plot? Who knows! But we’re guessing it will feature gods, demons, and warriors battling for control of the 18 realms in various fighting tournaments. What else do you want?

A Quiet Place Part II

April 23

The sequel to one of 2018’s biggest surprises, A Quiet Place Part II comes with major expectations. And few may hold it to a higher standard than writer-director John Krasinski. Despite (spoiler) the death of his character in the first film, Krasinski returns behind the camera for the sequel after saying he wouldn’t. The story he came up with apparently was too good to pass up.

The film again stars Emily Blunt as the often silenced mother of a vulnerable family, which includes son Marcus (Noah Jupe) and deaf daughter Regan (Millicent Simmonds). However, now that they know how to kill the eagle-eared alien monsters who’ve taken over their planet, the cast has grown to include Cillian Murphy and Djimon Hounsou. While the film has been delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak, trust us that it’ll be worth the wait. Is it finally time for… resistance?

Last Night in Soho

April 23

Fresh off the success of 2017’s Baby Driver (his biggest commercial hit to date), iconoclastic British director Edgar Wright returns with what is described as a psychological and possibly time-bending horror thriller set in London. Whether this features Wright’s trademark self-aware humor remains to be seen, but since the film is said to be inspired by dread-inducing genre classics like Repulsion and Don’t Look Now, he might be going for a different effect this time.

The cast, of course, is outstanding: upstarts Anya Taylor-Joy (Queen’s Gambit) and Thomasin McKenzie (Jojo Rabbit) will face off with Matt Smith (Doctor Who), and British legends Diana Rigg and Terence Stamp. And the truth is we’re never going to miss one of Wright’s movies. Taylor-Joy talked to us here about finding her 1960s lounge singer voice for the film.

Black Widow

May 7

Some would charitably say it arrives a decade late, but Black Widow is finally getting her own movie. This is fairly remarkable considering she became street pizza in Avengers: Endgame, but this movie fits snugly between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War. It also promises to be the most pared down Marvel Studios movie since 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and that’s a good thing.

In the film, Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff is on the run after burning her bridges with the U.S. government and UN. This brings her back to the spy games she thought she’d escaped from her youth, and back in the orbit of her “sister” Yelena (Florence Pugh). Old wounds are ripped open, old Soviet foes, including David Harbour as the Red Guardian and Rachel Weisz as Nat and Yelena’s girlhood instructor, are revealed, and many a fight sequence with minimal CGI will be executed.

How’s that for a real start to Phase 4? Of course that’s still assuming this comes out before The Eternals after it was delayed, again, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Spiral

May 21

Chris Rock has co-written the story for a new take on the Saw franchise. Never thought we’d write those words! The fact that it also stars Rock, as well as Samuel L. Jackson, is likewise head-turning. It looks like they’re going for legitimate horror with Darren Lynn Bousman attached to direct after helming three of the Saw sequels, and its grisly pre-COVID trailer from last year.

Hopefully this will be better than most of the franchise that came before, and given the heavily David Fincher-influenced tone of the first trailer, we’re willing to cross our fingers and play this game.

Free Guy

May 21

What would you do if you discovered that you were just a background character in an open world video game—and that the game was soon about to go offline? That’s the premise of this existential sci-fi comedy from director Shawn Levy, best known for the Night at the Museum series and as an executive producer and director on Stranger Things. Ryan Reynolds stars as Guy, a bank teller who discovers that his life is not what he thought it was, and in fact isn’t even real—or is it? We’ve seen a preview of footage, so we’d suggest you think Truman Show, if Truman was trapped in Grand Theft Auto.

F9

May 28

Just when you thought this never-say-die franchise had shown us everything it could possibly dream up, it ups the stakes one more time: the ninth entry in the Fast and Furious saga (excluding 2019’s Hobbs and Shaw) will reportedly take Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his cohorts into space as they battle Dom’s long-lost brother Jakob (John Cena, making a long-overdue debut in this series). Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Jordana Brewster, Helen Mirren, and Charlize Theron all also return, as does director Justin Lin, who took a two-film break from his signature series. Expect to see the required physics-defying stunts, logic-defying action and even more talk about “family” than usual.

Cruella

May 28

Since Disney has already made an animated 101 Dalmatians in 1961 and a live-action remake in 1996, it is apparently time to tell the story again Maleficent-style. Hence we now focus on the viewpoint of iconic villainess Cruella de Vil, played this time by Emma Stone. She’s joined in the movie by Emma Thompson, Paul Walter Hauser, and Mark Strong, with direction handled by Craig Gillespie (sort of a step down from 2017’s I, Tonya, if you ask us).

The story has been updated to the 1970s, but Cruella–now a fashion designer–still covets the fur of dogs for her creations. This is a Mouse House joint, so don’t expect it to get too dark, and don’t be completely surprised if it ends up as a premium on Disney+ in lieu of its already delayed theatrical release.

Infinite

May 28

This sci-fi yarn from director Antoine Fuqua (The Equalizer) stars Mark Wahlberg as a man experiencing what he thinks are hallucinations, but which turn out to be memories from past lives. He soon learns that there is a secret society of people just like him, except that they have total recall of their past identities and have acted to change the course of history throughout the centuries.

Based on the novel The Reincarnationist Papers by D. Eric Maikranz, this was originally a post-Marvel vehicle for Chris Evans. He dropped out, and the combination of Fuqua and Wahlberg hints at something more action-oriented than the rather cerebral premise suggests. The film also stars Sophie Cookson, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Dylan O’Brien.

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It

June 4

James Wan is already directing a new horror film this year so he’s stepping away from the directorial duties on the third film based on the paranormal investigations of Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga). That task has fallen to Michael Chaves (The Curse of La Llorona), so expect plenty of the same Wan Universe touches: heavy atmosphere, superb use of sound, and shocking, eerie visuals.

Details are scarce, but the plot—like the other two Conjuring films—is taken from the true-life case of a man who went on trial for murder and said as his defense that he was possessed by a demon when he committed his crimes. That’s all we know for now, except that, intriguingly, Mitchell Hoog and Megan Ashley Brown have been cast as younger versions of the Warrens.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife

June 11

With the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot criticized (fairly) for its lack of imagination and castigated (unfairly as hell) for its all-female ghost-hunting crew, director Jason Reitman–finally cashing in on the family name by returning to the brand his dad Ivan directed to glory in 1984–has crafted a direct sequel to the original films.

Read more

Books

Ghostbusters: Afterlife – Who is Ivo Shandor?

By Gavin Jasper

Movies

The Greatest Movie Sequels Never Made

By Jack Beresford

Set 30 years later, Afterlife follows a family who move to a small town only to discover that they have a long-secret connection to the OG Ghostbusters. Carrie Coon (The Leftovers), Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things) and Paul Rudd (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania) star alongside charter cast members Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, Annie Potts, and, yes, Bill Murray.

In the Heights

June 18

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s first Broadway hit musical gets the big screen treatment (by way of HBO Max) from director Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians). Set in Washington Heights over the course of a three-day heat wave, the plot and ensemble cast carry echoes of both Rent and Do the Right Thing. While a success on the stage—if not quite the cultural phenomenon that Miranda’s next show, Hamilton—it remains to be seen whether In the Heights can strike a chord with streaming audiences.

Luca

June 18

Continuing its current run of all-new, non-sequel original films started in 2020 with Onward and Soul, Pixar will unveil Luca this summer. Directed by Enrico Casarosa–making his feature debut after 18 years with the animation powerhouse–the film tells the story of a friendship between a human being and a sea monster (disguised as another human child) on the Italian Riviera. That’s about all we have on it for now, except that the cast includes Drake Bell and John Ratzenberger.

Pixar’s recent track record has included masterpieces like Inside Out, solid sequels like Toy Story 4, and shakier propositions like The Incredibles 2, but we don’t have any indication yet of what to expect from Luca.

Venom: Let There Be Carnage

June 25

Can anyone honestly say that 2018’s Venom was a “good” movie? A batshit insane movie, yes, and perhaps even an entertaining one in its own nutty way, but good or not, it made nearly a billion bucks at the box office so here we are.

Tom Hardy will return to peel more scenery down with his teeth as both Eddie Brock and his fanged, towering alien symbiote while Woody Harrelson will fulfill his destiny and play Cletus Kasady, aka Carnage, the perfected hybrid of psychopathic serial killer and red pile of vicious alien goo. Let the carnage begin!

Top Gun: Maverick

July 2

It’s been 34 years since Tom Cruise first soared through the skies as hotshot pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, and he’ll take to the air once more in a sequel that also features Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Miles Teller, Jon Hamm, and more. The flying and action sequences from director Joseph Kosinski (who worked with Cruise on Oblivion) will undoubtedly be first-rate, but the studio (Paramount) has to be nervous after seeing one nostalgia-based franchise after another (Blade Runner, Charlie’s Angels, Terminator, The Shining) crash and burn recently.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

July 10

With Shang-Chi, Marvel Studios hopes to do for Asian culture what the company did with the groundbreaking Black Panther nearly three years ago: create another superhero epic with a non-white lead and a mythology steeped in a non-Western culture. Simu Liu stars in the title role as the “master of kung fu,” who must do battle with the nefarious Ten Rings organization and its leader, the Mandarin (the “real” one, not the imposter from Iron Man 3, played here by the legendary Tony Leung). Director Destin Daniel Cretton (Just Mercy) will open up a whole new corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with this story and character, whose origins stretch back to 1973.

The Forever Purge

July 9

One day nearly eight years ago, you went to see a low-budget dystopian sci-fi/horror flick called The Purge, and the next thing you know, it’s 2021 and you’re getting ready to see the fifth and allegedly final entry in the series (which has also spawned a TV show). Written by creator James DeMonaco and directed by Everardo Gout, the film will once again focus on the title event, an annual 12-hour national bacchanal in which all crime, even murder, is legal. How this ends the story, and where and when it falls into the context of the rest of the films, remains a secret for now. Filming was completed back in February 2020, with the film’s release delayed from last summer by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Space Jam: A New Legacy

July 16

There are two types of folks when it comes to the original Space Jam of 1996: those who were between the ages of three and 11 when it came out, and everyone else. In one camp it is an unsightly relic of ‘90s cross-promotional cheese; in the other, it’s a sports movie classic. Luckily for kids today, NBA star LeBron James was 11 for most of ’96, and he’s bringing back the hoops and the Looney Tunes in Space Jam: A New Legacy.

The film will be among the many Warner Bros. pics premieres on HBO Max and in theaters this year, and it will see King James share above-the-title credits with Bugs Bunny. All is as it should be.

Uncharted

July 16

An Uncharted movie has been a long time coming. How long you might ask? Well, when the idea of an Uncharted movie first started getting bandied around Hollywood, the earliest game in the series just launched to rave reviews in the PlayStation 3’s first year. We’re now on PlayStation 5(!), and Mark Wahlberg has gone from angling to play young hero Nathan Drake to starring his wisecracking sidekick, Victor “Sully” Sullivan.

Still, we’re here with an Uncharted movie finally in the can. Directed by Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland, Venom), the video game movie stars everyone’s favorite web-head, Tom Holland, as Drake, a pseudo-modern day Indiana Jones. Whether it lives up to that older franchise’s storied legacy remains to be seen (especially given its gaming roots), but one thing’s for sure, Holland will get to show off more gymnast skill thanks to Uncharted’s famous parkour iconography.

The Tomorrow War

July 23

An original IP attempting to be a summer blockbuster? As we live and breathe. The Tomorrow War marks director Chris McKay’s first foray into live-action after helming The Lego Batman Movie. The film stars Chris Pratt as a soldier from the past who’s been “drafted by scientists” to the present in order to fight off an alien invasion overwhelming our future’s military. One might ask why said scientists didn’t use their fancy-schmancy time traveling shenanigans to warn about the impending aliens, but here we are.

Jungle Cruise

July 30

Disney dips into its theme park rides again as a source for a movie, hoping that the Pirates of the Caribbean lightning will strike once more. This time it’s the famous Adventureland riverboat ride, which is free enough of a real narrative that one has to wonder why some five screenwriters (at least) worked on the movie’s script.

Jaume Collet-Serra (The Shallows) directs stars Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt down this particular river, as they battle wild animals and a competing expedition in their search for a tree with miraculous healing powers. The comic chemistry between Johnson and Blunt is key here, especially if they really can mimic Bogie and Hepburn in the similarly plotted The African Queen. If they can sell that, Disney might just have a new water-based franchise to replace their sinking Pirates ship.

The Green Knight

July 30

David Lowery, the singular director behind A Ghost Story and The Old Man & the Gun, helmed a fantasy adaptation of the Arthurian legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. And his take on the material was apparently strong enough to entice A24 to produce it. Not much else is yet known about the film other than its cast, which includes Dev Patel, Alicia Vikander, Ralph Ineson, and Kate Dickie–and that it’s another casualty of COVID, with its 2020 release date being delayed last year. So this is one we’re definitely going to keep an eye on.

The Suicide Squad

August 6

Arguably the most high-profile of the WB films being transitioned to HBO Max, The Suicide Squad is James Gunn’s soft-reboot of the previous one-film franchise. It’s kind of funny WB went in that direction when the first movie generated more than $740 million, but when the reviews and word of mouth were that toxic… well, you get the guy who did Guardians of the Galaxy to fix things.

Read more

TV

Peacemaker: Suicide Squad Spinoff With John Cena Coming to HBO Max

By Mike Cecchini

Movies

The Suicide Squad Trailer Promises James Gunn’s “1970s War Movie”

By David Crow

Elements from the original movie are still here, most notably Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn and Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller, but the film promises to be weirder, meaner, and also sillier. The first points are proven by its expected R-rating, and the latter is underscored by its giant talking Great White Shark. Okay, we’ll bite.

Deep Water

August 13

Seedy erotic thrillers and neo noirs bathed in shadows and sex are largely considered a thing of the past—specifically 1980s and ‘90s Hollywood cinema. Maybe that’s why Deep Water hooked Adrian Lyne (Fatal Attraction, Indecent Proposal) to direct. The throwback is based on a 1957 novel by the legendary Patricia Highsmith (The Talented Mr. Ripley), and it pits a disenchanted married couple against each other, with the bored pair playing mind games that leave friends and acquaintances dead. That the couple in question is played by Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas, who’ve since become a real life item, will probably get plenty of attention close to release.

Respect

August 13

Respect is the long-awaited biopic of the legendary Aretha Franklin, with the Queen of Soul herself involved in its development for years until her death in August 2018. Authorized biopics always make one wonder how accurate the film will be, but then again, Aretha had nothing to be ashamed of. Hers was a life well-lived, her voice almost beyond human comprehension, and the only thing now is to see whether star Jennifer Hudson (Franklin’s personal choice) and director Liesl Tommy (making her feature debut) can do the Queen justice.

Candyman

August 27

In some ways it’s surprising that it’s taken this long—28 years, notwithstanding a couple of sequels—to seriously revisit the original Candyman. Director Bernard Rose’s original adaptation of the Clive Baker story, “The Forbidden,” is still relevant and effective today. Back then, the film touched on urban legends, poverty, and segregation: themes that are still ripe for exploration through a genre touchstone today.

After her breathtaking feature directorial debut, Little Woods, Nia DaCosta helmed this bloody reboot while working from a screenplay co-written by Jordan Peele (Get Out). That’s a powerful combination, even before news came down DaCosta was helming Captain Marvel 2. And with an actor on-the-cusp of mega-stardom, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, picking up Tony Todd’s gnarly hook, this is one to watch out for.

The Beatles: Get Back

August 27

Peter Jackson seems to enjoy making films about what inspired him in his youth: The Lord of the Rings, King Kong, his grandfather’s World War I service informing They Shall Not Grow Old. So perhaps it was inevitable he’d make a film about the greatest youth icon of his generation, the Beatles. In truth, The Beatles: Get Back is a challenge to a previous documentary named Let It Be, and the general pop culture image it painted.

That 1970 doc by Michael Lindsay-Hogg zeroed in on the band’s final released album, Let It Be (although it was recorded before Abbey Road). Now, using previously unseen footage, Jackson seeks to challenge the narrative that the album was created entirely from a place of animosity among the bandmates, or that the Beatles had long lost their camaraderie by the end of road. Embracing the original title of the album, “Get Back,” Jackson wants to get back to where he thinks the band’s image once belonged.

Death on the Nile

September 17

Murder on the Orient Express (2017) became a surprise hit for director and star Kenneth Branagh. Who knew that audiences would still be interested in an 83-year-old mystery novel about an eccentric Belgian detective with one hell of a mustache? Luckily, Agatha Christie featured Poirot in some 32 other novels, of which Death on the Nile is one of the most famous, so here we are.

Branagh once again directs and stars as Poirot, this time investigating a murder aboard a steamer sailing down Egypt’s famous river. The cast includes Gal Gadot, Armie Hammer, Letitia Wright, Tom Bateman, Ali Fazal, Annette Bening, Rose Leslie, and Russell Brand. Expect more lavish locales, scandalous revelations, the firing of a pistol or two, and, yes, more shots of that stunning Poirot facial hair.

The Many Saints of Newark

September 24

The idea of a prequel to anything always fills us with trepidation, and re-opening a nearly perfect property like The Sopranos makes the prospect even less appetizing. But Sopranos creator David Chase has apparently wanted to explore the back history of his iconic crime family for some time, and there certainly seems to be a rich tapestry of characters and events that have only been hinted at in the series.

Directed by series veteran Alan Taylor (Thor: The Dark World), The Many Saints of Newark stars Alessandro Nivola as Dickie Moltisanti (Christopher’s father), along with Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, Corey Stoll, Ray Liotta, and others. But the most fascinating casting is that of Michael Gandolfini—James’ son—as the younger version of the character with which his late dad made pop culture history. For that alone, we’ll be there on opening night… even if that just means HBO Max!

Dune

October 1

Could third time be the charm for Frank Herbert’s complex novel of the far future, long acknowledged as one of the greatest—if most difficult to read—milestones in all of science fiction? David Lynch’s 1984 version was, to be charitable, an honorable mess, while the 2000 Sci-Fi Channel miniseries was decent and faithful, but limited in scope. Now director Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049, Arrival) is pulling out all the stops—even breaking the story into two movies to give the proper space.

Read more

Movies

Dune Trailer Breakdown and Analysis

By Mike Cecchini

Movies

What Alejandro Jodorowsky Thinks of the New Dune Trailer

By Mike Cecchini and 1 other

On the surface, the plot is simple: as galactic powers vie for control of the only planet that produces a substance capable of allowing interstellar flight, a young messiah emerges to lead that planet’s people to freedom. But this tale is dense with multiple layers of politics, metaphysics, mysticism, and hard science.

Villeneuve has assembled a jaw-dropping cast, including Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Zendaya, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, and Javier Bardem, and if he pulls this off, just hand him every sci-fi novel ever written. Particularly, if relations between the director and WB remain strained…

Morbius

October 8

Following the monstrous (pun intended) success of Venom, Sony Pictures is making its second attempt to mine Spider-Man’s universe of villains with the dark tale of Dr. Michael Morbius (Jared Leto), whose efforts to cure himself of a fatal blood disease turn him instead into a blood-drinking anti-hero. Morbius has been lurking around the Marvel Comics canon since 1971, often either sparring or teaming with Spidey, and it remains uncertain whether he’s got the cache to carry a movie on his own. In addition, can Leto wash away the bad taste left behind by his tattooed and grilled Joker in Suicide Squad?

Halloween Kills

October 15

2018’s outstanding reboot of the long-running horror franchise—which saw David Gordon Green (Stronger) direct Jamie Lee Curtis in a reprise of her most famous role—was a tremendous hit. So in classic Halloween fashion, two more sequels were put into production (the second, Halloween Ends, will be out in 2022… hopefully).

Read more

Movies

Halloween: A Legacy Unmasked

By David Crow

Movies

How Jason Blum Changed Horror Movies

By Rosie Fletcher

Curtis is back as Laurie Strode, along with Judy Greer as her daughter, Andi Matichak as her granddaughter, and Nick Castle sharing Michael Myers duties with James Jude Courtney. Kyle Richards and Charles Cyphers, meanwhile, will reprise their roles as Lindsey Wallace and former sheriff Leigh Brackett from the original 1978 Halloween (Anthony Michael Hall will play the adult version of Tommy Doyle). The plot remains a mystery, but we’re pretty sure it will involve yet another confrontation between Laurie and a rampaging Myers.

The Last Duel

October 15

What was once among the most anticipated films of 2020, The Last Duel is the historical epic prestige project marked by reunions: Ridley Scott returns to his passion for period drama and violence; Matt Damon and Ben Affleck work together for the first time in ages as both actors and writers; and the film also unites each with themes that were just as potent in the medieval world as today: One knight (Damon) in King Charles VI’s court accuses another who’s his best friend (Adam Driver) of raping his wife (Jodie Comer). Oh, and Affleck plays the King of France.

With obviously harrowing—and uncomfortable—themes that resonate today, The Last Duel is based on an actual trial by combat from the 14th century, and is a film Affleck and Damon co-wrote with Nicole Holofcener (Can You Ever Forgive Me?). It’s strong material, and could prove to be one of the year’s most riveting or misjudged films. Until then, it has our full attention.

Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins

October 22

While the idea of a Hasbro Movie Universe seems to be kind of idling at the moment, corners of that hypothetical cinematic empire remain active. One such brand is G.I. Joe, which will launch its first spin-off in this origin story of one of the team’s most popular characters. Much of his early background remains mysterious, so there’s room to create a fairly original story while incorporating lore and characters already established in the G.I. Joe mythos.

Neither of the previous G.I. Joe features (The Rise of Cobra and Retaliation) have been much good, so we can probably expect the same level of quality from this one. Director Robert Schwentke (the last two Divergent movies) doesn’t inspire much excitement either. On the other hand, Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians) will star in the title role, and having Iko Uwais (The Raid) and Samara Weaving (Ready or Not) on board isn’t too bad either.

Eternals

November 5

Based on a Marvel Comics series by the legendary Jack Kirby, the now long-forthcoming Eternals centers around an ancient race of powerful beings who must protect the Earth against their destructive counterparts (and genetic cousins), the Deviants. Director Chloe Zhao (fresh off the awards season buzzy Nomadland) takes her first swing at epic studio filmmaking, working with a cast that includes Angelina Jolie, Gemma Chan, Kit Harington, Salma Hayek, Richard Madden, Brian Tyree Henry, and more.

Read more

Movies

Upcoming Marvel Movies Release Dates: MCU Phase 4 Schedule, Cast, and Story Details

By Mike Cecchini and 1 other

Movies

The Incredible Hulk’s Diminished Legacy in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

By Gavin Jasper

In many ways, Eternals represents another huge creative risk for Marvel Studios: It’s a big, cosmic ensemble film introducing an ensemble that the vast majority of the public has never heard of. But then, it’s sort of in the same position as Guardians of the Galaxy from way back in 2014, and we all know what happened there.

Elvis

November 5

Obviously we’ve all seen musical biopics before—too many after Walk Hard broke the formula down—but Elvis promises to be something different. A new passion project from Baz Luhrmann, the filmmaker behind Moulin Rouge!, Romeo + Juliet, and The Great Gatsby, Elvis is expected to be a radically stylized account of Elvis Presley’s rise to all shook up fame. With an impressive cast that includes Tom Hanks as manager “Colonel” Tom Parker and Kelvin Harrison Jr. as B.B. King, and with up-and-comer Austin Butler as the King of Rock and Roll himself, it should be a hell of a show.

King Richard

November 19

Will Smith’s King Richard promises to be a different kind of biographical film coming down the pipe. Rather than being told from the vantage of professional tennis playing stars Venus and Serena Williams, King Richard centers on their father and coach, Richard Williams. It’s an interesting choice to focus on the male father instead of the game-changing Black daughters, but we’ll see if there’s a strong creative reason for the approach soon enough. The film is directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green (Monsters and Men, Joe Bell).

Mission: Impossible 7

November 19

Once upon a time, the appeal of the Mission: Impossible movies was to see different directors offer their own take on Tom Cruise running through death-defying stunts. But then Christopher McQuarrie had to come along and make the best one in franchise history (twice). First there was Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation and then Mission: Impossible – Fallout. Now McQuarrie and company have set up their own separate quartet of films with recurring original characters like new franchise MVP Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) across four films.

Read more

Movies

Audio Surfaces of Tom Cruise Raging on the Set of Mission: Impossible 7

By Kirsten Howard

Movies

Mission: Impossible 7 – What’s Next for the Franchise?

By David Crow

Thus enters M:I7, the third McQuarrie joint in the series and first half of a pair of incoming sequels filmed together. The first-half of this two-parter sees the whole crew back together, including Cruise’s Ethan Hunt, Ilsa, Benji (Simon Pegg), Luther (Ving Rhames), and CIA Director Erika Sloane (Angela Bassett). They’re also being joined by Hayley Atwell and Pom Klementieff, but really we’re all just eager to see what kind of insane stunts they can do to top the HALO jump in the last one.

West Side Story

December 10

Steven Spielberg has just two remakes on his directorial resume: Always (1989) and War of the Worlds (2005). While the former is mostly forgotten and the latter was an adaptation of a story that has been filmed many times, his upcoming reimagining of West Side Story will undoubtedly be directly compared to Robert Wise’s iconic 1961 screen version of this classic musical.

A few numbers in previous films aside, Spielberg has never directed a full-blown musical before, let alone one associated with such powerhouse songs and dance numbers. His version, with a script by Tony Kushner, is said to stay closer to the original Broadway show than the 1961 film—but with its themes of love struggling to cross divides created by hate and bigotry, don’t be surprised if it’s just as hard-hitting in 2021. Certainly would’ve devastated last year….

Spider-Man 3

December 17

Sony has finally gotten to a “Spider-Man 3” again in their oft-rebooted franchise crown jewel (technically though this film is still untitled). That proved to be a stumbling block the first time it occurred with Tobey Maguire in the red and blues, but the company seems undaunted since Tom Holland’s third outing is expected to bring Maguire back—him and just about everyone else too.

Read more

Movies

Spider-Man 3: Charlie Cox Daredevil Return Would Redeem the Marvel Netflix Universe

By Joseph Baxter

Movies

Spider-Man 3 Adds Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange

By Joseph Baxter

With a multiverse plot ripped straight from the arguably best Spidey movie ever, 2018’s Into the Spider-Verse, Holland’s third outing is bringing back Maguire, Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man, Alfred Molina as Doc Ock, Jamie Foxx as Electro (eh), and probably more. It’s a Spidey crossover extravaganza that’s only missing a Spider-Ham. But just you wait…

The Matrix 4

December 22

Rebooting or continuing The Matrix series has always been a tough proposition. While the original Matrix film is one of the landmark achievements in science fiction and early digital effects filmmaking in the 1990s, its sequels were… less celebrated. In fact, directors Lily and Lana Wachowski were publicly wary about the idea of ever going back to the series. And yet, here we are with Lana (alone) helming a project that’s been a longtime priority for Warner Bros.

Read more

Movies

The Matrix 4: Laurence Fishburne “Wasn’t Invited” to Reprise Morpheus Role

By John Saavedra

Movies

The Matrix 4 Already Happened: Revisiting The Matrix Online

By John Saavedra

The Matrix 4 also brings back Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Jada Pinkett Smith. This is curious since Reeves and Moss’ characters died at the end of the Matrix trilogy—and also because Laurence Fishburne’s Morpheus did not, yet he wasn’t asked back. We cannot say we’re thrilled about the prospect of more adventures in Zion after the disappointment of the first two sequels, but we’d be lying if we didn’t admit we’re still curious to see the story that brought Lana back to this future.

The French Dispatch

TBA

Wes Anderson has a new film coming out. Better still, it is another live-action film. While Anderson’s use of animation is singular, it’s been seven years since The Grand Budapest Hotel, which we maintain is one of the best movies of the last decade. Anderson  is working with Timothée Chalamet and Cristoph Waltz for the first time with this film, as well as several familiar faces including Saoirse Ronan, Willem Dafoe, Tilda Swinton, Léa Seydoux, Adrien Brody, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, and, of course, Bill Murray.

The French Dispatch is set deep in the 20th century during the peak of modern journalism, it brings to life a series of fictional stories in a fictional magazine, published in a fictional French city. We suspect though, if Anderson’s last two live-action movies are any indication, it’ll have more than fiction on its mind–especially since it’s inspired by actual New Yorker stories, and the journalists who wrote them! We missed it in 2020, so here’s hoping it really does go to print in 2021!

Other interesting movies that may come out in 2021 but do not yet have release dates: Next Goal Wins, Don’t Worry Darling, Nightmare Alley, Antlers, Blonde, The Northman, Resident Evil, Red Notice, Those Who Wish Me Dead, Army of the Dead.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

The post Upcoming Must-See Movies in 2021 appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/2NfKJ0o

[multiple-fandomimagines]

Steve Harrington Masterlist *updated 2/15/21*

NONE OF THESE ARE MINE!!! I did NOT write any of these! I believe they are amazing fanfics, written by insanely talented people, and deserve to be shared. ALL CREDIT GOES TO THE AUTHORS!!!

Steve x Billy

Bad by flippyspoon (Billy Hargrove x Steve Harrington)(Billy Hargrove & Eleven)(Billy Hargrove & Max Mayfield) Billy hates the cold but he takes walks in the snowy woods anyway. Never know who you’ll meet there.

Pain, Will You Return It? by shocked_into_shame (Billy Hargrove x Steve Harrington) When Billy gets beaten to a literal pulp by his dad, the police get involved. Billy has to come to terms with what he has done to those around him. He doesn’t want to be like his dad. Especially when he sees Steve Harrington. When he sees Steve, he wants to be good.

Marquee Moons by flippyspoon (Billy Hargrove x Steve Harrington) Billy helps out with some demodog bustin’.

Runaway by ohmbgosh (Billy Hargrove x Steve Harrington)(Billy Hargrove & Jim Hopper)(Billy Hargrove & Eleven) Jim Hopper just wants to find a Christmas present for his telepathic daughter. He didn’t ask for all these extra teenagers in his home.

Holiday’s at the Henderson’s by ohmbgosh (Billy Hargrove x Steve Harrington) For some reason Steve really wants Dustin to get along with Billy. Since it’s almost Christmas, Dustin reluctantly gives it a shot.

To Build a Home by inkyreveries (Billy Hargrove x Steve Harrington) In which Neil Hargrove dies and Billy and Steve go back to Hawkins.

Saint Anger by maikurosaki (Billy Hargrove x Steve Harrington) Hopper sighed and scratched his beard. “Look, kid, the reason why I'm offering you a second chance is because you need it. You don't deserve it, but you need it. So I got your back.” Or how, on his harrowing road to redemption (because second chances don't come easy), Billy Hargrove loses a good-for-nothing father, but gains a tough little sister, a giant older brother, a preppy boyfriend, and an obnoxious pack of nerds, not necessarily in this particular order.

Angels Come To Us Disguised by AuthorsBane (Billy Hargrove x Steve Harrington)(Protective Parent Jim Hopper) It's a quiet night in Hawkins. That is, until Chief Hopper receives news he would have been able to live without. What follows is the worst night on call he can imagine once Billy Hargrove and Steve Harrington get involved.

"It's like the Body Snatchers!" by ChangeTheCircumstances (Billy Hargrove & Max Mayfield)(Billy Hargrove x Steve Harrington) Max wonders if her life will ever be normal again, if anything can be normal in a place like Hawkins. She doubts it but there's at least one thing she's sure of: the last person to ever realize what's really going on in this crazy place will be Billy. No way would anything supernatural ever happen to him.

Don't Tell Me There's No Hope At All/ Together We Stand, Divided We Fall by Straight_Outta_Hobbiton (Billy Hargrove & Max Mayfield)(Billy Hargrove x Steve Harrington) Billy's used to being afraid of his father, and he knows he's not the only one scared. But it's one thing to know your stepmother gets smacked around every once in a while and another thing completely to find her body on the bathroom floor.He's a mess, Max is even more of a mess, and Joyce Byers is a queen among mothers, she really is.

Hargrove by petersnotkingyet (Billy Hargrove x Steve Harrington) “Chief?” “Yeah?” Hopper responded. It was barely eight o’clock; he’d just made it to the office. “Principal Wallace needs you down at the high school. The Hargrove kid’s sleeping in his car again, and they can’t get him to wake up.”

stand (in the place where you live) by Boardingschooled (Billy Hargrove & Max Mayfield)(Billy Hargrove x Steve Harrington) After the gate is closed, Billy Hargrove has to face the consequences of what he's done, and it's all thanks to Hopper and his habit of taking in strays. Alternatively: Billy becomes a good big brother, learns how to apologize, and makes some very gay mixtapes, not in that order.

Holding Out For A Hero by TumbleTree Billy had never cared for the kids Steve called his own. He had already started tolerating them for Max’s sake and not because she almost busted his nuts that one time with the baseball bat. But when Steve had looked at him with those big brown eyes, begging him to keep an eye on the kids while he was on some ‘vacation’ with his asshole parents Billy couldn’t say no.So fuck Steve for putting him in all the situations that followed that conversation. He owed him a ton of blow jobs for all the shit he had to put up with now.—Five times Billy protected their kids and the one time they protected him…sort of.

We Slip And Slide by CallieB It came from the Discord, y'all.Pure indulgent post-S3 fluff, including but not limited to the discussed concepts of: - Billy moving in with Joyce - The Jonathan/Billy friendship we all need - Grouchy Hopper - Jonathan and Billy smoking weed together and arguing about music. Because punk and metal are two different things. BUT they unite against Steve’s taste - Robin and Jonathan being excellent wing-persons - Hop and Billy teaming up against Mike to protect El - Shovel talks all round - Robin being clever and eating popcorn - The you rule/you suck board

the greatest adventure is the family you’ve searched for coming alive by ThePackWantstheD Billy spends a night fighting monsters with a crowbar in his hand after Harrington knocks him into the Byers’ fridge.In the aftermath, he and Max call a ceasefire.or: Billy Hargrove gets the family he deserves in the form of three children taking up the seats of the camaro, in the form of Billy teaching Max that she can be as badass as she wants without being less of a girl because Billy taking care of himself doesn’t make him less of a man, in the form of the blood and bruises and broken bones that Eleven and Billy share, in the form of Will Byers learning that he’s not the only boy in Hawkins who wants to kiss other boys.

The Great Escape by flippyspoon  Hopper’s been in a cell in Kamchatka for three months. He’s got a routine and he takes it one day at a time. And then a certain blonde bad boy from Hawkins shows up.

Limits by That_Is_Americas_Ass Everyone has their limits.Max has just finally hit hers.She’s done with hiding behind closed doors listening to her step-father Neil hurt her brother, his own flesh and blood son, beyond reason and without remorse. She’s done watching her own mother cower in ignorance behind a mask of indifference. She’s done hiding in the dark while Billy takes the abuse to try and save her from the heartless man who dared call himself their father.Of all the monsters lurking in Hawkins, who would have guessed the worst of them all was living in Max’s own home?

Shovel Talk(s) by Invaderdumbass Max wasn’t a great sister, hell she wasn’t even a decent sister until recently. It took her brother dying, El spilling the secrets that lurk in her home, then him coming back to life for her to shape up.Or a bit of a Max Mayfield character study and everyones got an opinion on Billy and Steve getting together.

Steve & The Kids

A Chance To Heal by usa123 (Steve Harrington & The Stranger Things Kids)(Protective Parent Jim Hopper & Steve Harrington) Missing scene from the end of 2x09 The Gate in which papa!Hopper is in full swing, Eleven believes Eggos can (help) cure any injury, and Steve gets all the platonic love and affection he deserves.

Found Families by darkangel86 (Jonathan Byers x Steve Harrington x Nancy Wheeler)(Protective Steve Harrington)(Steve & The Kids) One year and six months had passed since Lonnie had last set foot in Hawkins and in everyone's opinion that was still too soon for him to show his face again. So, of course the first time he shows up at the house, its Will who's home. Alone. For one of the first times since he'd been back from the Upside Down.

Misplaced Kids by StrangerStars (Steve Harrington & The Stranger Things Kids)(Protective Steve Harrington) In which Steve can't find the kids and freaks the hell out.

The King of Hawkins High by el_spirito (Steve Harrington & The Stranger Things Kids) (Protective Parent Jim Hopper) Just some missing scenes/an episode tag to the season finale because Steve got the crap beat out of him and there were just so many opportunities for our strange little family to bond and angst and persevere together. Featuring slightly-delirious-but-still-a-mom Steve, protective Dustin, snarky children, and paternal Hopper, among other things.

Common Cents  by StrangerStars (Steve Harrington & The Stranger Things Kids)(Parent Jim Hopper & Steve Harrington)(Joyce Byers & Steve Harrington) Making a will at eighteen seems incredibly morbid. The lawyer stares at him long and hard the entire time. She acts like he's contagious, like she might catch her death from him or maybe he'll ruin her rug by dropping dead in her office. Steve figures she has nothing to worry about. If anything's going to kill him, it's probably going to be a monster from the Upside Down. In which Steve hunts monsters, becomes a deputy, makes a will, and finds a family. Among other things.

The Steve Harrington Guide to Babysitting by UnoriginalToast (Steve Harrington & The Stranger Things Kids) Steve has been tasked with babysitting El after the Gate is closed, which sounds like an easy enough job. After all, she's too tired to be much trouble, right? But what Steve doesn't factor in is the trouble her four nosey friends and that girl with the shitty brother can get themselves into.

Icebreaker by futureboy (Steve Harrington & The Stranger Things Kids) Steve’s annoying new eighth-grader friends officially induct him as an ally to their party. It’s a prime opportunity for him to get to know that superhero buddy of theirs who keeps saving their skins.

"It's like the Body Snatchers!" by ChangeTheCircumstances (Billy Hargrove & Max Mayfield)(Billy Hargrove x Steve Harrington)(Steve Harrington & The Stranger Things Kids) Max wonders if her life will ever be normal again, if anything can be normal in a place like Hawkins. She doubts it but there's at least one thing she's sure of: the last person to ever realize what's really going on in this crazy place will be Billy. No way would anything supernatural ever happen to him.

Don't Tell Me There's No Hope At All/ Together We Stand, Divided We Fall by Straight_Outta_Hobbiton (Billy Hargrove & Max Mayfield)(Billy Hargrove x Steve Harrington) Billy's used to being afraid of his father, and he knows he's not the only one scared. But it's one thing to know your stepmother gets smacked around every once in a while and another thing completely to find her body on the bathroom floor.He's a mess, Max is even more of a mess, and Joyce Byers is a queen among mothers, she really is.

proud by mercytio (scundtrack) (Billy Hargrove & Max Mayfield)(Steve Harrington & Max Mayfield) max graduates and steve tells her exactly what she needed to hear

Steve x Reader

I Want You To Show Me by v_writings (Steve Harrington x Reader) Steve finds you in your secret place after dropping Dustin off at the Snow Ball, and talking about how he’s feeling leads you to do something neither of you could have expected.

[etoilesdephan]

Christmas Light

This is a little gift fic for @phillybops as part of our Secret Santa exchange <3 I want to wish you the very best in 2018, Kayla, because you truly deserve it. You're a talented, sweet person and it's about time that world saw and acknowledged it <3 I always enjoy seeing your works because they are so well thought-out and I can't wait until they really go out into the world!!!

(I know this seems a little similar to a fic you've likely read but I want to admit that when this idea came to my mind it instantly made me think of you <3 Probably cause you always bring me joy!)

Length: 1.6k

Summary: One call can change an entire night.

=====

Nothing exciting ever really happened in their little town, but duty was duty and it was Dan who had decided to stay back while the rest of the officers in their small department had left. The Merry Christmas wishes had been exchanged, some tiny presents too, and soon - it fell quiet.

Christmas had always been a bit of a bittersweet celebration for Dan. His family was far away, and he didn't really have anyone else to celebrate it with. He had called them, his family that is, during the day, seeing the funny photos that they had sent him as the family had taken a trip to Philippines for the festive season. They had made him laugh, and the cheer in their voices - had made him warm.

But all that was gone and passed, and when Dan looked up again, he saw the darkness behind the window panes, an occasional passing car of some of the few remaining working servicemen in the town lighting it up during the Christmas eve.

He cleared his throat, and set up a festive playlist on his phone; he had nobody to report to about the work etiquette tonight. His uniform was crisp, his gun was holstered, he held a pen and a piece of paper to work on some of the remaining reports whilst trying not to think of everyone having a jolly good time with their loved ones; he was sure that a little Christmas cheer in the background was fine. Because although he had reassured the other officers that he would be fine, he couldn't help but to feel a bit blue all alone.

A sigh escaped through his nose, and he eyed the landline to the station that remained quiet; he was ought to be happy, after all if he had no work, it meant that people were coexisting peacefully.

And yet.

He couldn't help but to feel a little lonely.

It was the smell of cheap hot chocolate with some stale mini marshmallows that he had found in the cupboard of the kitchen that brought a little more of the Christmas cheer to him, and he merrily hummed along to the Christmas song as he brought the cup up to his face.

The phone rang.

He nearly choked.

Still coughing and wiping at his upper lip where some of the melted marshmallow had stuck, he quickly picked up the phone and cleared his throat.

“Officer Howell speaking, what's your emergency?” Though raspy from the cough, he kept his voice professional and ready to serve. Perhaps a domestic incident had occurred, and he was prepared to swipe in and try to save the Christmas if it was a must.

“Merry Christmas, Officer Howell!” The voice on the other end was cheerful, relaxed and the sudden greeting caught Dan by surprise. “I-uh,” The stranger on the other end paused, and the little awkward pause made Dan arch his brow curiously though he knew the other man wouldn't be able to see it.

“There's no emergency,” The man on the other end finally admitted and Dan slunk back into his chair at that and released a silent breath; he'd been sort of looking forward to some action that would make him forget the loneliness of working over Christmas, but it was his duty to ensure peace, so he was ought to be happy, of course.

“I just wanted to thank everyone who is working over Christmas, so - thank you, Officer Howell!” The words poured warmth into Dan's soul and though he knew it was an unnecessary blocking of the line, he was thankful to this stranger who had taken his time to call.

“Hello?” The man questioned when Dan didn't answer and Dan nearly jumped at that, the words falling from his lips in a stammer that he had thought that he'd grown out of already.

“Y-yes, thank you!” He paused and there was a shift on the other side, “Merry Christmas to you too!” He added, allowing the smile to take over his lips and when the stranger spoke, his deep voice was lined with traces of a smiling cheer.

“Thank you! Bye!”

And the line went dead even before Dan could think of what to answer.

Warmed and amused by the call, Dan slowly picked up his cup again and tasted the cheap chocolate on his tongue. But the feeling began to deflate slowly when he looked up.

The department office always looked dull to him, with its greys and browns, and though they had brought some decorations to lighten the place up, the tinsel was sparse and the wreath was plastic and dusty. Even the plastic tree in the corner with the baubles and the old blinking lights did nothing to hold the festive mood.

And the chocolate tasted cheaper than ever.

He had barely picked up the pen again when the phone rang once more and he swiftly picked it up, “Officer Howell speaking, what's your emergency?”

He hadn't expected a laugh.

He knit his brows together, peeved, “If this is a prank I will have to remind you that all inbound calls are registered,” That as if made the person on the other end choke momentarily.

“No, no! I promise this isn't a prank!” Dan suddenly realised that he recognised the voice, and the crease in his forehead deepened.

“Didn't you already call?” He asked carefully and it was returned with the sound of a hummed nod.

“You seemed like you could use more Christmas cheer, Officer,” The stranger explained and Dan bit at his lip; they were not supposed to engage in leisure conversations on the duty line. But it was Christmas and it was impossibly rare that anything ever happened in their already rather uneventful little town during this time.

“Thank you,” He finally uttered after a pause and he propped the receiver between his shoulder and ear, “May I ask who is spending their Christmas time on the phone?” Curiosity was strong and small talk had always been a bit of an issue for Dan when it came to new people. One reason why he wasn't keen on the annual New Years party coming soon, where the newer officers were bound to bring their spouses and even a child or two.

“Why don't you just call me a Secret Santa of cheer?” The stranger seemed to think hard on the name and Dan laughed, unable to hold it.

“That is a mouthful,” He replied when the stranger made a sound that sounded like a small whine on the other end. “How about I call you Bob instead?” Dan could almost hear the way that the stranger made a face on the other end.

“Come on, not Bob! You make me sound like a default character from The Sims,” Dan laughed at the stranger clearly pouting on the other end, “It's Phil, Officer Party-pooper.”

That made Dan laugh even more and he made a tsk-ing sound into the receiver, “Bad-mouthing an officer is an offence, be careful.”

‘’What are you going to do about it?’’ The stranger, no - Phil, retorted with ease and Dan could see the mystery man leaning back into a seat with a shit-eating grin on his face as he so effortlessly teased Dan. Almost like they had known each other for long years now instead of the few minutes of total phone time.

‘’You have the rights to remain silent, everything you say can and will be used against you in court,’’ His voice as official as he could muster, Dan replied, but the sound wavered when the grin took over his features at the muffled snort on the other end.

‘’I guess I better make it count then, huh?’’

‘’I guess so.’’

The conversation lulled to a silence, and though not uncomfortable after the healthy dose of laughter, Dan eyed the clock that ticked the seconds away lazily on the wall. He knew blocking the line was bad, but he couldn’t help but to feel thankful for the company.

Phil on the other end seemed to have a similar thought process, finally interrupting their silence with a small sigh though there was something happy about the simple exhale. ‘’I should let you work,’’ He said quietly and Dan’s heart sunk a little though he knew that it was ridiculous to feel that way.

‘’Yeah, I will get in trouble if the line is unavailable,’’ He was hesitant to be the one to hang up first, and it seemed that Phil felt the same way.

Dan bit at his lip, looked up at the clock again and then down at the paper calendar in front of him where year was close to the end.

There was nothing to lose, right?

‘’If you’re up for it,’’ He started and there was a squeak of a chair on the other end as if Phil had moved too quickly to sit up straighter again, ‘’We can continue this discussion in the morning.’’ There was a smile on Dan’s lips, and he felt his heart beating quickly, for he had little to nobody outside his work and family, and no matter the outcome, making plans with someone new was always exhilarating.

‘’My, is this a breakfast coffee date, Officer Howell?’’ Phil’s voice was full of laughter and it poured more warmth into Dan’s bones.

‘’It can be if you want to,’’ He couldn’t believe when the words left his lips.

‘’Then I will see you in the morning.’’

And perhaps the night was lightened by the slow falling snow behind the window, but the rest of the night seemed so much brighter and jollier than it had been before.