#mark x ilene

[blade-liger-4ever]

Glad I'm not the only one who ships them. 😊

“I don’t suppose your family has any tips in slaying dragons, do you?”

“Slaying dragons is a western concept. In the east, they are sacred. Divine creatures who brought wisdom and strength. Even redemption.”

[uhhhyaenbyjade]

How I Would Change Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (if i was smart enough to direct and write movies)

DISCLAIMER: I loved GxK, and I believe it is an entertaining movie! This is just my take on how I would've liked to see things happen, with it connecting to the previous installments more, as well as tweaking some minor details here and there.

SPOILERS BELOW THE CUT! DON'T READ IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE MOVIE

So, the biggest change I am adding is that Madison Russell from Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Godzilla vs. Kong. I was honestly surprised when I heard that Millie Bobby Brown wasn't involved in the project at all, and I feel like Maddie's presence could have really helped flesh out some of the human aspects of the movie.

The only other thing I am really changing from the movie is adding cameos that link the movies together better, as well as making some minor attempts at making the science less... fantastical. I am not deleting any scenes from the movie, just altering them and adding a few more. Hopefully, this keeps a good balance between the human aspect versus the Titan aspect. So, the movie would probably turn out to be approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes in length, compared to the 1 hour 55 minute run time. I am only going to have bullet points for the parts I am altering/adding, so anything I leave out from the movie is otherwise unchanged or doesn't have enough of a difference to warrant a bullet point.

During the scene where we see updates of MONARCH over the past few years, we don't just see Dr. Ilene Andrews in interviews, but also cameos from Dr. Ilene Chen and Dr. Ling Chen, and possibly some other cameos like Sam Coleman or Mark Russell. Less emphasis on being thankful for Godzilla's help (because yeah he's helping, but also thousands of people are dying directly from him), but more emphasis is placed on MONARCH helping with relief efforts, and the usage of the Titan Warning System we saw in MONARCH: Legacy of Monsters. Also, instead of the other MONARCH person we see in charge (who I think is Hampton, Rachel House's character?) we see Deputy Director Verdugo.

Another small change is that MONARCH isn't trying to "stay ahead of DC" here. I understand why they did that, but from my understanding of the previous iterations in the Monsterverse series, MONARCH was supposed to be considered trustworthy and the top Titan research group after King of the Monsters, especially after the fall of APEX. So, instead, MONARCH is just trying to find what answers they can give to the United Nations as soon as possible.

When Godzilla kills Scylla, we get an explanation of how Scylla was causing problems to the natural world, as well as directly challenging Godzilla for Alpha status, which was explored in Godzilla x Kong: The Hunted.

At the MONARCH school (which I really hope is a school for children of MONARCH employees, or at least a school funded by MONARCH, and not an indoctrination school), we see that Jia is a student at the school, and Maddie is there as well (I don't know what year this movie takes place in, but it takes place sometime after GvK in 2024. Timeline-wise, Maddie was 17 in 2024, and probably a junior/senior in high school, so depending on how long it's been since GvK, she could be a teaching assistant of some kind, or a senior in high school) and friends of each other. They both have visions as the Hollow Earth signal is received; Jia has flashbacks of her past on Skull Island and of her time in Hollow Earth, and Maddie has flashbacks of her encounter with Mothra, Godzilla, as well as when she faced Ghidorah and MechaGodzilla. Both of them also have the same quick flashing vision of the future events of the movie.

When Ilene comes to check on Jia after the incident of her drawing on the desk, Maddie is there, and there's a new scene where all three of them talk about what is going on. Maddie says that MONARCH is too rigid in their thinking, and mentions that there's someone who could help them.

In Miami, Maddie and Ilene meet up with Bernie, and Maddie is integral in helping Ilene convince Bernie to help.

During Trapper's introduction scene where he gives Kong his new tooth, we also have Nathan Lind and Mark Russell show up to witness the event. They are both there to say goodbye to the Hollow Earth transport team, and Maddie joins Trapper, Ilene, Jia, Bernie, and a MONARCH military member (instead of the asshole Mikael, it would be one of the G-Team members from Godzilla KOTM to add more emphasis on their death; either Jackson Barnes or Anthony Martinez would probably be the most recognizable ones)

Instead of Godzilla going to France's nuclear power plant and destroying the place to absorb the radiation, and therefore attacking the humans who attacked him (which kind of went against the whole "the Titans are the guardians of nature" thing and the previous characterizations of Godzilla in the Monsterverse), he goes to some abandoned nuclear site. I would say Chernobyl, but I doubt they'd put that in the movie due to Russia's Invasion right now. But just some abandoned nuclear plant somewhere would work.

Inside Hollow Earth, there are issues with the HEAV due to the signal disrupting the systems, but they are quickly able to figure out the best way to traverse the land; when Jia and Maddie sense the pulse, the HEAV lands until it is over, and then repeat. On their first landing, the G-Team member dies. After they find the Mothra temple, it is Maddie who approaches the glowing dragonfly and presses the button on the wall, allowing them to find the Iwi civilization.

In the scene where we first see Shimo, there is more emphasis and origin on the crystal that Skar King uses to control her; perhaps the crystal is a part of Shimo's ice crystals that we see on her back, and has strange properties due to the Hollow Earth's radiation? We also give Shimo more of a personality. When she first appears, Shimo would be curious about Kong, but flinch at sharp movements from anyone. And then when she is forced to attack, it'd be obvious that she doesn't want to, but Skar King forces her to with the crystal.

I want Shimo to have more characterization in the movie. I've seen people complain that she was just... kinda there. Like, her whole purpose was to keep Skar King from getting bullied too badly. So, by really showing that Shimo is being forced into this and that her natural state is curiosity and warmth (as opposed to her icy nature ;D ), it provides more depth to her character, making the viewers want to see her freed.

When Godzilla arrives at Tiamat's lair, they fight again, but instead of killing Tiamat, Godzilla is able to force Tiamat out like he did in Godzilla: Dominion. Again, too much unnecessary (although insanely badass) murder for a "guardian of nature". He goes into the hibernation to evolve himself.

In the Iwi civilization, we get a more scientific look at the Iwi culture. I don't understand the gravity thing the movie tried to go for, so instead I want to focus on the cultural aspect; they are similar in most aspects to what was seen in Kong: Skull Island, but there are clear differences in dress, the markings they wear, and their ceremonies. This would also be where we go into more detail about how essential Mothra is to this group of Iwi people, instead of her being shoehorned in when all we've seen previously was the Iwi and Kong's species. We see Jia figuring this out and clearly being happy at this. I would also go into them using crystals more, like how we saw with the guard's spears, instead of the gravity-based science. These crystals would be seen to have a mystic quality, explained by Mothra's radiation, perhaps.

When Kong arrives at the Iwi civilization with Suko, that's when Trapper leaves to go back to the Outpost to retrieve the gauntlet for Kong, THEN we go into seeing the lore behind Skar King and Shimo at the temple. This provides a better sense of time between Kong's arrival and his getting the gauntlet since it honestly felt way too fast.

Inside the crystal temple itself, we see the history of the war between Skar King and his ape versus Godzilla and Mothra. I'd love to have Shimo seen more as a threat, with them explicitly saying and having a longer conversation that Shimo was the one who started the last Ice Age, and that before she was captured by Skar King, she had frozen Ghidorah in Antarctica. There is perhaps slightly more exposition here, with the prophecy including not only the "Iwi from Skull Island", but "a girl touched by Mothra".

In this scene, I want to explore Maddie's connection to Mothra. In the Godzilla: King of the Monsters Official Novelization, it is implied that there is some connection between Mothra and Maddie after the scene in the Temple of the Moth. It is hinted at when Maddie has a vision of Mothra while she is unconscious during the Boston battle. I would love to explore that more, and there'd be a deeper explanation in the Official Novelization, something with Mothra bonding with Maddie since there weren't any twin priestesses like there usually is, perhaps.

This is when Trapper returns and gives Kong the gauntlet, and when Jia sends the latter up to bring Godzilla down to help.

Maddie and Jia both go up the crystal temple to the top, where they find that Mothra has a cocoon up there; Maddie realizes that this is what Mothra must have been doing before she arrived in Boston to help Godzilla (I remember reading somewhere that the director said that Mothra was likely off laying an egg during her absence between showing MONARCH where to find Godzilla and her arrival in Boston. This would work really well in my opinion, and a lot better than her materializing out of magic crystal dust.

When Kong arrives on the surface to summon Godzilla, they still fight a bit. However, it becomes clear early on that Godzilla really isn't into the fight; he has obviously been sensing the signal the whole time, so he knows that something is happening with Skar King and Shimo. With previous movies (and especially MONARCH: Legacy of Monsters) trying to convey Godzilla's intelligence, it isn't a far stretch to suggest that Godzilla would figure out that Kong is trying to get his help. Still, the fight goes on for long enough that Mothra arrives to keep them from beating each other up too much. We see Jia and Maddie reach out to Kong and Godzilla respectively.

When Skar King arrives at the Iwi civilization, the Iwi tribe uses their knowledge of the region's radioactive properties (again, nothing gravity-based science-wise because that was all confusing and likely very bad science) to try and send energy through the crystals, messing with the portals from Hollow Earth.

There is no more anti-gravity fight scene. Although I enjoyed it a lot (seeing Godzilla swim through the air and the apes use the rocks to climb around were honestly so cool), it doesn't fit with the "improved" science I am attempting to do. Another ground fight, but they go around the tunnel so they're all still fighting on different planes.

Due to the close proximity to the surface, Ilene is able to warn MONARCH, and they work with the United Nations to evacuate Rio de Janeiro, since there is a tunnel appearing there. This brings us back to the beginning, where I wanted to do away with the "be grateful for Godzilla even though he destroys thousands of people's lives every time he's on the news" thing at the start.

When Skar King and Shimo arrive in Rio de Janeiro, since Kong, Godzilla, and Mothra are unable to stop them due to the immense amount of apes in Skar King's army, there is a lot of destruction. We see Skar King force Shimo into starting another Ice Age, though again, we see that she really doesn't want to do what he says. She starts freezing the city, and the MONARCH evacuation teams there panic as they get closer to their position, before Godzilla, Kong, Jia, Maddie, Trapper, and Bernie (the humans are in the HEAV, with a brief exposition that Mothra was staying back to stop all of Skar King's apes from destroying the Iwi civilization).

This fight is pretty much the same, but the civilians are barely present, and we only see them evacuating a few people away in the HEAV. The final battle still focuses mainly on the Titans, with a heavy amount of emphasis on the crystal from Skar King's whip. I'd keep the absolute bullying that Skar King got the same, but the explanation for this is that Skar King is much older now, and his opponents over-leveled themselves expecting him in his prime.

Mothra arrives from the tunnel, and this is what distracts Skar King long enough for Suko to use Kong's axe to break the crystal that controls Shimo. Once this happens, we see that Shimo can feel it, and she immediately stops attacking Godzilla and looks around in curiosity and amazement. She flinches when Skar King is trying to order her around while he is being bullied by Kong, but with a trill from Mothra and a growl from Godzilla, she joins in bullying her tormentor.

After the fight, there is more of a delay before the ending; we see Bernie on the news talking about his podcast, achieving his movie-long wish to be believed; we see Maddie saying goodbye to Mothra as she leaves and Maddie reunites with her dad and also Josh from GvK; Jia stays with Ilene, but she has a newfound connection to the Iwi sister tribe in the Hollow Earth; Mothra flies across the ocean while Godzilla swims below her to emphasize the symbiotic relationship, and they both take a nap in the coliseum (Godzilla is considerably more careful as he steps through the city this time); Kong returns to the Hollow Earth with Suko and Shimo, and he leads the apes out of their imprisoned area and to the main area of Hollow Earth, where his kingdom is.

For an end credits scene, it'd be Ilene and Jia in the Iwi civilization, where they get permission from the priest lady to see a special part of the temple, where it reveals prophecy-art of Kong, Mothra, and Godzilla fighting against their next enemy.

Obviously, without anything known about future projects, we don't have any end credits scene for this movie. If there is another movie (I thought I saw somewhere that Adam Wingard wanted to direct a trilogy of Monsterverse movies, which means another GxK installment could be in the future, perhaps?), I don't think they'd do what many people want and bring back a Toho villain. Based on the trend of what they've done in the series so far, the next installment would include an original villain with some connection to both of them. So I'll list out some options of what I'd like to see, of both Toho villains and original villains:

Toho: Hedorah, Biollante, Destoroyah, and my personal choice; Battra.

Original: Methuselah, Leviathan, another threat from space (not SpaceGodzilla, since that'd be difficult to work out in this series I think, but maybe something along the lines of Ghidorah's family, since I think they were briefly mentioned in the King of the Monsters Official Novelization), or another threat that goes against Hollow Earth and the surface. Maybe a giant worm-like creature or burrowing Titan could be a good idea, since it'd be able to go back and forth between the two worlds. It'd provide a nice background for how the portals are made.

So, there it is! I hope you guys enjoyed it and like my ideas for how Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire could have been improved. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

[dragon-stones]

Fandom: MonsterVerse (Legendary Pictures Movies) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Godzilla/Mothra (MonsterVerse) Characters: Godzilla (MonsterVerse), Mothra (MonsterVerse), Rodan (MonsterVerse), Queen M.U.T.O. (MonsterVerse), Behemoth (MonsterVerse), Original Female Character(s), Original Non-Human Character(s), Jia (MonsterVerse), Trapper (MonsterVerse), Mark Russell (MonsterVerse), Ford Brody, Ilene Andrews Additional Tags: Parent Godzilla (MonsterVerse), Parent Mothra (MonsterVerse), Post-Movie: Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024), Titian Family, Nesting, Telepathic Bond, OCs play minor roles, OCs play major roles, Rating May Change, No Beta we die like Ghidorah, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Protective Godzilla (MonsterVerse), Monarch Organization (MonsterVerse), Baby Kaiju, many characters will appear and I may not be able to tag them all

Summary

It has been three weeks since the battle with Skar King and Shimo's release from the tyrant. Nature's balanced and all is well. Yet something strange has happened. Godzilla takes note as the other Kaijus have awaken and not by his own doing. Something has caused the others to stay awake, even though he had called for them to return to sleep.

It's not until all hear a voice calling for help, that Godzilla moves himself to investigate. Finding something unexpected, the King of the Monsters now finds himself in the sudden aspect of fatherhood.

Follow the King and his subjects as they traverse through this new exciting part of their lives.

[thegreeks]

MASTERLIST: Mr. Darcy x You

A Winter's Love at Pemberley:

admiring your two children playing in the winter snow

A Dance Beneath the Stars:

enjoying a day with your busy husband and ending it with a loving dance with thanks to his sister Georgianna

A Most Unexpected Surprise:

• Part 2

telling your husband you are to be expecting a second addition to your family

A Love Beyond Time:

your lovely wedding day with your Mr. Darcy

A Dance of Words:

your friendship with Georgianna Darcy leads to the beginning of your courtship

A Heart All Their Own:

due to encouragements from friends and family, you and your husband realize it's time to expand your family

The Dance of the Swan:

playing piano and dancing to Carnival of Animals XIII The Swan with Mr. Darcy at his ball

The Heart's Awakening:

an unknown bitterness sparks when an acquaintance makes a move on your close friend Mr. Darcy

An Affectionate Rebellion:

Lady Catherine de Bourgh comes to Pemberley to scrutinize the unity between you and her nephew

• Prequel- The Warmth of Home:

the joys of an aristocratic life with your husband and son Edward

An Undisclosed Love:

Bingley!Reader; You and Mr. Darcy confront the tension of the inexplicably drawing connection, marking the quiet beginning of a romance

Love and Tenderness:

your gentle, intimate wedding night with Mr. Darcy

Confession of Broken Hearts:

you cannot bear to see the one you love show tender affection to another, thus you urgently confess

Whispers in the Storm:

• Part 2

• Part 3

an urgent calling for you and your husband to Longbourn amidst a terrible storm

Tremors of Betrayal:

• Part 2

grappling with the haunting presence of your husband's past love

The Cost of Pride:

Mr. Darcy reflects on pride that caused the greatest loss

Tender Moments: Home with Darcy:

loving moments at home with your dear husband as you reflect on your union

Gentleman's Restraint of Yearnings:

coming across you on a walk, he realizes he is not at liberty to comfort you though he wants to be

Melting Hearts:

"I felt as if I were melting inside, and I might go on and on melting" - Joanna Glenn, "All my Mothers"

Between Love and Grief:

• Part 2

"Love and grief, joy and pain. They're very close together. Or perhaps sometimes they're not even different things." - Joanna Glenn, "All My Mothers"

A Fevered Return:

Mr. Darcy returns home to Pemberley to find his wife has taken sickly

A Visit to Longbourn:

Bennet!Reader; shortly after your marriage, you receive an invitation to your family in Longbourn

Jealousy and Devotion:

"Such is my life; A minute ago I was happy, immersed in a book. Now I feel a misery only violence could cure." - Kim Addonizio, "''Round Midnight,"

Ripples of the Lake:

finding yourself in an unexpected lakeside encounter, revealing a surprising side of Mr. Darcy

A Family Announcement:

Bennet!Reader; telling your dear friends and family you are to be expecting a child

A Tour to the Lakes:

a journey to the Lake District with your dear husband

Tormented Love:

"- You don't love me? - Yes, but in torment." - Marina Tsvetaeva, from Selected Poems; "Poem of the End,"

Whispers in the Dusk:

"It is dusk. I want to know how to be close to you. Closer." - Else Fitzgerald, "Everything Feels Like the End of the World"

A Night at Netherfield:

"I was oversensitive. I'd been told this my entire life. It was a liability, my sensitivity, but it was also a power," - Suzanne Scanlon, "Committed; On Meaning and Madwomen,"

In the Stillness of Night:

with footsteps in the unease of night, your husband Mr. Darcy protects you from any danger

Ink and Affection:

"Writing to you is like kissing you. It is something physical" - Simone de Beauvoir, in a letter to Nelson Algren

---

[godzillajuniorreborn]

Reblog if you ship Ilene and Mark. 

[hrodvitnon]

Abraxas Deleted Scene/Chapter 17 Preview (Maybe)

Welp, seeing as I’m getting back to working on Abraxas I figure I might hand out not one but two deleted scenes, one of which might (very big might) be in the next chapter, so in that case it might count as a preview. Both of these scenes were originally going to be in Chapter 16, before I realized how feckin’ long that chapter was growing.

Deleted Scene: Screams on the Radio

Thor bristles at the sound.

“What the hell?” Martin gives the radio a thump and recoils as if given an electric shock; the noise coming out of the radio sounds less like the static of Monster X’s communication and more reminds him of a dentist’s drill.  Madison fiddles with it to narrow down a signal, or—

"—AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—"

Madison nearly falls backwards, heart going a mile a minute in her throat.  What the fuck?  The voice on the radio keeps screaming, high-pitched and guttural.  She doesn't need to look at Ilene or her father to see their expressions; she's never heard something so bloodcurdling, so bone-chilling in her life, but they probably have.

By now the voice on the radio is howling with rage.  Madison reaches to shut it off but something in the sound stays her hand - she finds herself frozen in some morbid sublime trance as something becomes recognizable, the feral whooping and babbling that barely constitute as language begin to form words.  Madison’s gut sinks and her eyes water.  She’s never known what madness sounds like, not really.  But in this moment Madison has a terrible feeling that after all this time, after surviving whatever hell she and San have gone through only to get dragged back down, Vivienne Graham has finally been reduced to shrieking insanity.

“Turn it off,” Ilene whispers.  “Please.”

(And because my brain does what it does, the scream was based on Asuka’s in End of Evangelion. So there’s that.)

---

Deleted Scene/Maybe Preview: Apotheosis

“All our times have come Here but now they’re gone Seasons don’t fear the reaper Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain, we can be like they are”

All eyes on the bridge collectively land on Madison, who has a momentary defensive expression of ‘what're you looking at me for?’ before her brain catches up and realizes the muffled old tune is coming from her back pocket.  The tips of her ears turn pink and she fumbles to pull the offending object out.  So this is how the robot uprising begins: a teenager’s Spotify playlist developing a sense of gallows humor.

“Really?” Madison hisses at her phone.  “Really?”  She kills the music, mumbling an embarrassed ‘sorry,’ but then stares in confusion when her phone buzzes with feedback.  Static bursts all around and operatives check their own devices, wildly rising to a crescendo at the Argo’s communications, then cuts itself off.  There’s a moment of silence as Rick fiddles with the equipment to isolate a signal.  Something comes through and between the skips and distortions, Mark immediately recognizes lyrics being recited.  It’s a slower tempo than the original song, and almost without meaning to Mark hums along.

“Love of two is one Here but now they’re gone Came the last night of sadness And it was clear she couldn't go on...”

The radio crackles, and when Madison catches a British accent her heart skips a beat.  She doesn’t say anything, both not wanting to risk losing the connection and something in her soul relieved to hear that familiar voice.  However it soon becomes apparent that a male voice - that of San - slides seamlessly in tune with Vivienne’s, the two singing in perfect unison... or was it already like that? 

“Then the door was open and the wind appeared The candles blew and then disappeared The curtains flew and then he appeared, saying don't be afraid...”

Within the sinkhole where Berezniki once stood, crimson bolts of electricity arc around a solitary shadow.  A pair of glowing red orbs slowly blink open.  The duet has a serene, dreamlike quality, but the hairs on the back of Madison’s neck stand on end and beads of sweat form on Mark's brow; Barnes curses and Martinez crosses himself.  Ford is still scared of plenty of things: disarming bombs, inattentive drivers on the highway, facing down a vengeful mother MUTO after he'd blown her nest sky-high.  What little he can see of the shape indicates a body language that’s relaxed, maybe even bored.  So why do the sparks of hell-red lightning make him want to deal five angry MUTOs rather than face this thing?

That’s when Madison realizes: the voices are undercut with rumbles of something... else.  It’s the kind of cold, quiet anger Vivienne could conjure if pushed hard enough in her old life, where her usually friendly smiles show a little too many teeth.  Only now that anger has been magnified to something that could pound a city into dust.  Electricity arcs again, and in that brief spark of light a face looks up at the Argo, resembling an elaborate draconic skull.  From his spot Martin gasps out a word those Berezniki miners spoke of before disappearing, of something that was coming.  Palach; Executioner. 

The skull smiles, all teeth and no warmth, and the eye of a hurricane sings.  

“Come on, baby, and she had no fear And she ran to him, then they started to fly They looked backward and said goodbye, she had become like they are She had taken his hand, she had become like they are Come on, baby, don't fear the reaper...”

[theimaginesyouneveraskedfor]

Way Down We Go XI

Part I Part II Part III Part IV Part V Part VI Part VII Part VIII Part IX Part X

Your fingers tapped on the table, your body betraying the oddity of the situation. A day ago, you would not have thought to be sitting across from Thranduil. Least of all, you would not have expected him to be so content. You watched the exposed tendons as they tensed and relaxed with the movement of your hand, listening to the slumbering breath which permeated the chamber.

Legolas was curled up on the sofa against the wall. His day had been so exciting that he had quickly succumbed to his fatigue after supper. He had been talkative, almost in disbelief that his father had not yet exiled him to his room. His voice had slowed and turned to snores, the calm after the storm.

Thranduil’s sudden shift, his newfound amenability, kept you wary. There was a time, when you had been tending to him and trying to force him through recovery, when you had thought he was improving. When a glimmer of hope had sparked within you and you had foreseen a return to form. But he had quickly dashed that optimism and you couldn’t help but fear he would sour once more.

“Y/N,” You looked up as Thranduil watched you; you had not noticed his observation nor heard what question he had asked.

“Hmm?” You stilled your hand and hid it under the table, “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you.”

“Are you well?” His concern still riled suspicion within you.

“I’m fine,” You shrugged, “I was just thinking,” You glanced over his bandaged face, holding his gaze until he shied away. You looked down at your hand, tracing the rippled scars along your fingers, trailing up your wrist. “May I ask you something? Without you taking offense?”

“I shall try not to vex myself,” He replied slyly, “What is it?”

“The bandages? Why do you--I mean, I tended to those burns myself. The last I saw, they were nearly healed, scars more than wounds,” He gulped as you spoke, tilting his head so that his hair shadowed his hidden face, “Why do you still wear them?”

“Mmm,” For a moment, his eyes flashed with anger, curtailed by a spark of fear. He hesitated and reach up to touch the dressing along his jawline, “You...your arm, so easy to hide. But me. I haven’t dared to look in the mirror because I know the horror I would see; myself. Healed, yes, but not as I was.”

“None of us are,” You ruminated, “But it doesn’t help to hold onto the past.”

His silver eyes bored into you but you refused to look away. As long as he shielded himself behind his bandages, he’d be weak to his self-pity. It was the last remnant of the darkness which had swallowed his life after Ilene’s death. His grief could not subside so long as he clung to it so ferociously.

He reached up, his longer fingers running over his cheekbone until he reached his forehead. He pulled loose the end of the dressing, a minor twitch before he began to unravel it. Slowly, he bared himself to you, one inch at a time. You had seen him before but there was a vulnerability to the act which made it seem a brand new revelation.

He let the length of bandage coil into a pile on the table and you stood wordlessly. You brought your chair closer, sitting closest to the scarred side of his face. The flesh no longer weeped but what remained was only ruins of the former king. The muscles of his cheek were exposed, his left eye was paler than his right, the parity made more obvious by the mottled skin. He shied away as you peered over his face.

“It has healed,” You declared, thinking aloud, “As my arm has. The dragon fire...I’ve read much of how it never ceases to touch us. We shall always have those phantom pains as if the flames still lick at our flesh. We will be marked forever for our tragedy.”

His eyes fell downward and he gripped the edge of the table. He breathed deeply and glanced over at his sleeping son. “A mirror?” He quavered, “If you will.”

You rose slowly, looking around yourself carefully. “In the vanity,” He waved his hand towards the aforementioned desk, the mirror above it covered with linen. “In the drawer, there is a hand mirror.” You crossed to the table and retrieved what he asked for; the mirror had once belonged to your sister.

You returned to him and sat on the edge of your chair, handing him the mirror face down. He nodded and took it, examining the delicate engravings along its back. He turned it reluctantly and held it up, looking at himself with dread. The exposed muscles of his cheeks tensed and his lip trembled as his eyes filled with tears.

“Thank you,” He whispered, “It is as terrible as I thought but I fathom it’d be worse without your tending to it. Even after I was so cruel.”

“I told you, it’s fine,” You kept your voice low as if you would wake Legolas, though he was so deeply asleep, nothing could reach him.

“How am I to be the king I was?” He lowered the mirror in despair, laying it on the table softly, “I cannot be...I--” He almost choked, and brought his hand to his mouth as if forcing back his emotions.

“You’re not, but it doesn’t mean you can’t be king,” You said, “May I?” You hovered your fingers beside his cheek and he nodded warily. You touched his flesh, the warmth of it, the contrast of smooth and rippled. You cupped his face with your hand and lowered it, intertwining your fingers anxiously. “I may have a solution, entirely superficial but more effective than those.” You alluded to the bandages strewn on the table.

“Alright…” He accepted with reserve, looking to you with a mix of hope and desperation.

“I’ve been studying cures, and while there are none to be had, there are tricks, ones I see little need for myself, but interesting nonetheless,” You forced your hands apart, trying to appear confident, “Glamours to hide the scarring. Beneath will still be flawed, but to any other, it would be as if the dragon’s breath had never grazed your skin.”

“And you can teach me?” He sat straight, brushing his hair back from his face.

“I can try,” You replied, “I’ve not done so myself but I have a book. The instructions are simple enough. I could take the prince to his chamber and return with it this night.”

“Tonight? Oh yes, as soon a possible,” He said leaning forward eagerly, for a moment, holding that same light which had sparked in Legolas not hours ago. “Thank you,” He rose and took your hands, pulling you to your feet, “Thank you, Y/N. I was so wrong to have ever been so loathsome.”

After Y/N has left, Thranduil had uncovered the mirror of the vanity and sat before it, staring at his reflection. It had taken some hours to perfect the glamour, but despite her yawns and sagging eyelids, Y/N had patiently read and re-read the instructions until he had it right. She had rolled up her sleeves and exposed her burned arm but had seemed not to notice for his own shame.

Yet, she hadn’t made him feel shameful. She didn’t shy away as he had expected, but she had seen him before. She had been the one to rub the soothing balm upon his burns and to check upon him, even in his darkest days. But he had been so unkind to her and for that, she should have seen him as the most repulsive creature. He truly saw himself as such.

He did not fear so much the eyes of his subjects, let them see the sacrifice he had made on their behalf. The scars of having fought beside and for his people. What frightened him most was the thought of his own son laying eyes on what remained of his father. For how much he had pushed his son away, he did not want to do so again. He wanted to the be the king and father Ilene had known him to be.

And the thought of Ilene, the letters of her name spelled across his mind, the visions of her eyes and soft pink lips, left him with peace. No longer did the pain overcome him and stab his heart so entirely, but instead he looked back upon the time they had been blessed to be together with mournful reverence. He should be so thankful as to have had her for his queen for even a single day.

He was trying now. For her, for himself, for Legolas. Trying to move forward knowing there was no going back. Trying to look onward instead of hiding in shadows. Mirkwood would not fall so long as he was king, and neither would he. There was still glory to be had in this life.

His lips twitched as he kept himself from smiling. There was more left of Ilene in this world than he had known. It was not just her son, but her sister. Y/N and her piercing eyes, her unyielding stature, and unbending will. So unlike her sister and yet the same tenderness was hidden within her. All this time, she had shown it and Thranduil had been too blinded by his own misery to see it.

He could still feel her fingertips upon his cheek. He had been surprised at how gently she had touched him, how kindly she had looked upon him. Without pity or spite, though she owed him both. She had looked to him with a want to help him. Without thought for herself. Even as he watched her grimace as a pang tore through her arm when she bent it; the same pain which encircled his eye socket or the tendrils of his shoulder from time to time.

And now, he was tired. Truly tired. Not that fatigue which comes with grief or self-pity, but that which comes from living. From being with those you love and seeing the world around you without the tint of the past. The tiredness which holds within it longing. Longing for the morning, for tomorrow, and the day after. For the light which comes beyond the dark.

[welovedaisyjohnson]

Destroy All Monsters

by Orca478

The world thought they saw everything when aliens and evil robots flew in the sky, but what we’re witnessing, is something that we weren’t prepared for, the return, of an acient súper species.

The Titans.

Godzilla, Mothra, Kong, Rodan, Ghidorah.

Tony always knew of their existence, and he knew they would rise, and that when they did, the biggest fight for the planet would begin.

Tony must team up with his old family friend, Dr. Serizawa, Phil’s team, the heroes that side with him,so that Godzilla and Mothra can come in top, and the world isn’t destroyed by more sinister monsters.

Friendships are formed, a relationship between him and Daisy blossoms, and he learns of his true bond with the Titans.

The world must prepare for the monster brawl, but of course, the rogues aren’t making it easy. But soon even they would have to realize the truth.

This is Godzilla’s world, we’re just living in it.

Words: 674, Chapters: 1/35, Language: English

Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Godzilla: King of The Monsters (2019), Kong: Skull Island (2017), Godzilla vs. Kong (2020)

Rating: Not Rated

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: F/M

Characters: Tony Stark, Skye | Daisy Johnson, Godzilla (Legendary | MonsterVerse), Mothra (Kaiju), Kong (Legendary | MonsterVerse), Rodan (Kaiju), King Ghidorah (Godzilla), Serizawa Ishiro, Phil Coulson, Melinda May, Alphonso "Mack" Mackenzie, Leo Fitz, Jemma Simmons, Thor (Marvel), Bruce Banner, Brunnhilde | Valkyrie (Marvel), Loki (Marvel), James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Vision (Marvel), Peter Parker, Mark Russell (Godzilla), Emma Russell (Godzilla), Madison Russell, Ilene Chen, Rick Stanton, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanov (Marvel), Sam Wilson (Marvel), Clint Barton, Wanda Maximoff, Nick Fury, Maria Hill, Carol Danvers, T'Challa (Marvel), Stephen Strange, Scott Lang, Hope Van Dyne, Pepper Potts, Shuri (Marvel), Christine Palmer, Howard Stark, Jackson Barnes (Godzilla), Diane Foster

Relationships: Skye | Daisy Johnson/Tony Stark, Godzilla/Mothra (Kaiju), Phil Coulson/Melinda May, Alphonso "Mack" Mackenzie/Yo Yo Rodriguez, Bruce Banner/Brunnhilde | Valkyrie, Leo Fitz/Jemma Simmons, Madison Russel/Peter Parker, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark & Vision, Tony Stark & Thor & Bruce Banner, Tony Stark & Phil Coulson

Additional Tags: Civil War Team Iron Man, IronQuake, Tony Stark Has A Heart, BAMF Tony Stark, BAMF Skye | Daisy Johnson, Protective Skye | Daisy Johnson, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, mosugoji, Godzilla and Mothra being parents, Tony is their Prince, Mothra protects her baby, Kong and Rodan mind their own business, But they are good, No Thanos, Ghidorah killed him, not team Cap friendly, Not Steve Rogers Friendly, delusional steve, Not Natasha Romanov Friendly, not wanda maximoff friendly, Protective Phil Coulson, Awesome Phil Coulson, Thor (Marvel) is a Good Bro, Bruce Banner Is a Good Bro, New Avengers, Monarch is better than SHIELD, Dr. Serizawa is Tony’s godfather, This is Godzilla’ world we are just living in it

Read this at https://ift.tt/3iRqh0k Ao3 works tagged 'Daisy x Tony Stark'

[docrotten]

Review of Godzilla King of the Monsters on Horror News Radio 327

This week on Horror News Radio:

Sharks attack again in 47 METERS DOWN: UNCAGED,

Harold the Scarecrow rises in SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK,

And the Grue-Crew review… GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS

This is HORROR NEWS RADIO, the official GRUESOME MAGAZINE podcast. Back with Doc Rotten once again are the scariest, goriest, bloodiest co-hosts on the 'Net.

Dave Dreher, the lead news writer at Gruesome Magazine.

And award-winning filmmaker and host of Decades of Horror 1980s, Christopher G. Moore.

And Podcasting Rock Star and International Cosplay Queen, Vanessa Thompson.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Christopher G. Moore shares his visit to CON CAROLINAS - May 31 - June 2, Charlotte NC

https://concarolinas.org/

HORROR NEWS OF THE WEEK

[TRAILER] More terror 47 METERS DOWN: UNCAGED

https://www.slashfilm.com/47-meters-down-uncaged-trailer/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhOJXUmvLQ8

[TRAILER] More fear with SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK

https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3564945/second-scary-stories-tell-dark-trailer-unleashes-series-terrifying-nightmares/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vlya92LZqZw

[TRAILER] A24 dresses up the fright with IN FABRIC

https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3563701/trailer-fabric-a24s-hot-new-horror-movie-haunted-dress/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biHUTtV4K40

[NETFLIX] A return to Jim Henson's THE DARK CRYSTAL

https://www.slashfilm.com/the-dark-crystal-age-of-resistance-trailer-jim-hensons-puppet-fantasy-world-makes-a-stunning-return/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSV42j8lccg

[RUMORS] HANNIBAL Season 4, to be or not to be

https://bloody-disgusting.com/tv/3564054/bryan-fuller-assures-no-one-given-hannibal-returning-television/

[COMING SOON] Blumhouse to tell our future with MAGIC 8-BALL

https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3565084/shake-ball-die-blumhouse-turning-iconic-magic-8-ball-toy-feature-film/

[NETFLIX ] Can Adam Sandler save Halloween in HUBIE HALLOWEEN?

https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3564535/adam-sandler-heads-salem-massachusetts-save-halloween-netflixs-hubie-halloween/

FEATURE TOPIC: Godzilla King of the Monsters

The crypto-zoological agency Monarch faces off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah.

IMDb

Directors: Michael Dougherty

Cast:

Kyle Chandler … Mark Russell

Vera Farmiga … Dr. Emma Russell

Millie Bobby Brown … Madison Russell

Ken Watanabe … Dr. Ishiro Serizawa

Ziyi Zhang … Dr. Ilene Chen and Dr. Ling

Bradley Whitford … Dr. Rick Stanton

Sally Hawkins … Dr. Vivienne Graham

Charles Dance … Jonah Alan

Thomas Middleditch … Sam Coleman

Aisha Hinds … Colonel Diane Foster

O'Shea Jackson Jr. … Chief Warrant Officer Barnes

David Strathairn … Admiral William Stenz

SUPPORT HNR:

THIS MONTH ON PATREON

http://gruesomemagazine.com/patreon

HNR T-SHIRTS

http://gruesomemagazine.com/tees

UPCOMING CONS / FESTIVALS:

DARK X FEST June 29-30, Hudson OH

https://eeriefrequency.wixsite.com/darkxfest

RALEIGH SUPERCON - July 25 - 28, Raleigh, NC

https://raleighsupercon.com/

SCARES THAT CARE WEEKEND - August 2 - 4, Williamsburg, VA

https://www.scaresthatcareweekend.com/

FLASHBACK WEEKEND August 2 - 4, Rosemont (Chicago) IL

http://www.flashbackweekend.com/

DRAGONCON - August 29 - September 2, Atlanta, GA

http://www.dragoncon.org

GENRE BLAST - August 30 - September 2, Winchester, VA

https://www.genreblast.com

DAYS OF THE DEAD CHARLOTTE September 27 - 29, 2019 Charlotte NC

https://www.facebook.com/events/1854105538214750/

NIGHTMARES FILM FESTIVAL October 24 - 27, 2019 Columbus, OH

http://www.nightmaresfest.com/

NEW YORK CITY HORROR FILM FESTIVAL December 5 - 8, New York, NY

https://nychorrorfest.com/

CONTACT

Feedback:

feedback@gruesomemagazine.com

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/gruesomemagazine/

Facebook Group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/HorrorNewsRadioOfficial/

Events:

https://gruesomemagazine.com/events/list/

Vanessa, Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/scarlettspitfire

Vanessa, Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/scarlett_spitfire/

Christopher, Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/ilikefilms/

Christopher, Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/FilmmakerChristopherGMoore

Doc, Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/DocRottenHNR

Dave, Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/drehershouseofhorrors

Rocky Gray, HNR Theme Song:

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialRockyGray/

EXIT

Next Week on HNR: Ma 

    Check out this episode!

[populse]

Pop Politics Headlines: Handmaid's Tale, Captain America, Beyonce

Hulu’s Handmaid’s Tale Is Queerer Than It Ever Was and Closer Than I Knew (Autostraddle)

The first three episodes of Hulu’s adaptation of The Handmaid’s Tale debut April 26th and you should watch them because they are incredible, and so queer, and so feminist, no matter what noted Scientologist Elizabeth Moss says about “humanism” and regardless of and/or because Ilene Chaiken is apparently somehow obliquely involved in this production. The first three episodes were directed and executive produced by Reed Morano, who creates a chilling radical feminist aesthetic that resonates like her work on Beyonce’s “Sandcastles” and the gay TV series Looking. We’ll be publishing Dorothy Snarker’s review of the first three episodes on the 26th.

But right now I wanna talk about this queer feminist story and where it might land in your gut.

A recent profile of Atwood by Rebecca Mead in The New Yorker argues that similarities between the story and our present moment exist, but are not exact parallels. Donald Trump, thrice married, is not a model for traditional family values, and his religious affiliations seem mostly politically strategic rather than heartfelt; he prefers golfing on Sundays to church-going. To those differences I’d add another, more obvious one: Gilead has been structured in response to declining Caucasian birth rates and increased infant mortality, the result of chemical contamination, sexually transmitted diseases, contraceptives and feminism. Although birth rates have been in steady decline in the modern era, too, it’s hardly an emergency — we’re actually suffering from overpopulation. This is alarming in a different way: all those environmental factors that destroyed babies in Gilead are destroying the land and resources our abundance of babies need in the modern world.

But, as Mead points out, “what does feel familiar in The Handmaid’s Tale is the blunt misogyny of the society that Atwood portrays.” The bodies of the women of Gilead are owned and regulated by a male power class for whom reproductive rights and sexual freedom are framed as concepts that inevitably harm women, and from which men are permitted to “protect” them.

Captain America as a Nazi has gone too far, Marvel Comics

History is important. It tells us where we come from, informs where we're going, and if we ignore it then we're doomed to repeat its mistakes.

You know who doesn't seem to care about their own history, or respect those who came before them (or really anyone)? Marvel Comics.

The entertainment juggernaut (X-Men pun intended) recently began a universe-wide storyline called Secret Empire, enraging fans beyond the normal geeky outcries. In this latest and likely temporary multi-month arc, which Marvel has been building toward for a year now, it's revealed that patriotic hero Captain America is actually not a patriot. 

He's a member of the evil organization Hydra, the villainous group aligned with and directly based on World War II era Nazis. That's right, Marvel has, in effect, made Captain America a Nazi.

Turning Steve Rogers into a life-long secret Hydra member, a fictional organization based on the Nazis who at different times in comic book history are either synonymous or allied with that violent white supremacist group, is beyond offensive. It shows not only a lack of understanding about the character, it trivializes the importance of the Holocaust and the murders of millions of people and it's impact on early comic creators. 

Beyonce to Fund Scholarships for Women At Four Colleges (Bloomberg)

Beyonce is marking the anniversary of her album "Lemonade" by announcing scholarships for women to attend selected colleges.

The singer announced that her Formation Scholars Award will go to one female student at each of four schools. The schools are Boston's Berklee College of Music, New York's Parsons School of Design and two historically black colleges, Howard University in Washington, D.C., and Atlanta's Spelman College.

The announcement says the scholarships are aimed at encouraging and supporting women "who are unafraid to think outside the box and are bold, creative conscious and confident."

[dragon-stones]

Fandom: MonsterVerse (Legendary Pictures Movies) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Godzilla/Mothra (MonsterVerse) Characters: Godzilla (MonsterVerse), Mothra (MonsterVerse), Rodan (MonsterVerse), Queen M.U.T.O. (MonsterVerse), Behemoth (MonsterVerse), Original Female Character(s), Original Non-Human Character(s), Jia (MonsterVerse), Trapper (MonsterVerse), Mark Russell (MonsterVerse), Ford Brody, Ilene Andrews Additional Tags: Parent Godzilla (MonsterVerse), Parent Mothra (MonsterVerse), Post-Movie: Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024), Titian Family, Nesting, Telepathic Bond, OCs play minor roles, OCs play major roles, Rating May Change, No Beta we die like Ghidorah, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Protective Godzilla (MonsterVerse), Monarch Organization (MonsterVerse), Baby Kaiju, many characters will appear and I may not be able to tag them all

Summary

It has been three weeks since the battle with Skar King and Shimo's release from the tyrant. Nature's balanced and all is well. Yet something strange has happened. Godzilla takes note as the other Kaijus have awaken and not by his own doing. Something has caused the others to stay awake, even though he had called for them to return to sleep.

It's not until all hear a voice calling for help, that Godzilla moves himself to investigate. Finding something unexpected, the King of the Monsters now finds himself in the sudden aspect of fatherhood.

Follow the King and his subjects as they traverse through this new exciting part of their lives.

[dragon-stones]

Fandom: MonsterVerse (Legendary Pictures Movies) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Godzilla/Mothra (MonsterVerse) Characters: Godzilla (MonsterVerse), Mothra (MonsterVerse), Rodan (MonsterVerse), Queen M.U.T.O. (MonsterVerse), Behemoth (MonsterVerse), Original Female Character(s), Original Non-Human Character(s), Jia (MonsterVerse), Trapper (MonsterVerse), Mark Russell (MonsterVerse), Ford Brody, Ilene Andrews Additional Tags: Parent Godzilla (MonsterVerse), Parent Mothra (MonsterVerse), Post-Movie: Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024), Titian Family, Nesting, Telepathic Bond, OCs play minor roles, OCs play major roles, Rating May Change, No Beta we die like Ghidorah, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Protective Godzilla (MonsterVerse), Monarch Organization (MonsterVerse), Baby Kaiju, many characters will appear and I may not be able to tag them all

Summary

It has been three weeks since the battle with Skar King and Shimo's release from the tyrant. Nature's balanced and all is well. Yet something strange has happened. Godzilla takes note as the other Kaijus have awaken and not by his own doing. Something has caused the others to stay awake, even though he had called for them to return to sleep.

It's not until all hear a voice calling for help, that Godzilla moves himself to investigate. Finding something unexpected, the King of the Monsters now finds himself in the sudden aspect of fatherhood.

Follow the King and his subjects as they traverse through this new exciting part of their lives.

[dragonzair]

Ilene Chen (the Chen twins, really) has been living rent free in my head and I don't think it'll rest until Legendary does announce a Mothra movie this July during her 60th anniversary

[hrodvitnon]

Hrodvitnon’s awake, time for Halloween shenanigans. Kong decides to humour Jia and the Hollow Earth Monarch team by making an impromptu Jack’o’lantern. Mark, Maddie and Monster X come to visit, and immediately ask how A: they got hold of MechaGodzilla’s decapitated head, and B: why it’s being used as an improvised Jack’o’lantern.

Hey, Apex isn't gonna use the head scrap for anything, might as well hold onto it for decoration... and that leads to Ilene Andrews mentioning that she had to explain what Halloween is to Kong in a way he can understand (with Jia as interpreter); turns out Kong is treating the Mech-O'-Lantern as a means to ward off evil spirits, and as a joke he waves it in front of Monster X yelling in Titanspeak "DEMON BEGONE! DEMON BEGONE!"