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openheartfanfics · 3 years ago

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Sienna x M!OC

One Shots: A - M

A batch made in heaven - @rafasgirl23415 📷 Sienna bakes some Christmas cookies as she gets excited for her first proper Christmas with Lucas & his family.

A Little Too Sweet - @gryffindordaughterofathena 🦚 For people who's work involve life and death, there are days marred by sadness and there's them to hold on to each other.

A Valentine Holiday - @liaromancewriter 🎄📱📷 The Valentine Twins and their loved ones come together for an unforgettable holiday season, celebrating family traditions and making new memories.

All Fall Down - @liaromancewriter 🎭 Max and Sienna’s marriage hits a speedy bump when old insecurities arise, leading to an ultimatum neither could have predicted. TW: Postpartum complications

All My Todays - @liaromancewriter ☁ On the day of the next phase of her life, Sienna reflects on her life and love.

Always You - @liaromancewriter 📷📱 Max and Sienna attend a friend’s wedding in Greenwich, but spend more time appreciating each other.

And So It Goes - @liaromancewriter 📱 Sienna is upset about Taylor and Joe’s break up.

Art? - @liaromancewriter 📱 Is it a lion or monkey?

Auntie Sienna Meets Florence For The First Time - @rafasgirl23415 📸 Sienna & Lucas go to visit Casey & Raf four days after Florence is born to finally meet their niece for the first time.

Baby Wishes - @liaromancewriter ☁📷📱 Cassie and Kyra celebrate Max and Sienna’s new chapter during their first visit to Boston after announcing that they’re expecting their first child.

Birthday Girl - @liaromancewriter ♥ Sienna enjoys her birthday present.

Blessed With Two - @rafasgirl23415 📸 Sienna announces her pregnancy.

Break Time - @liaromancewriter 📱Ⓜ Max and Sienna find ways to keep their relationship fun, even from a distance.

Butterflies - @liaromancewriter ☁ Max and Sienna get ready for Cassie’s wedding, taking their duties as Best Man and Maid of Honor very seriously on a road trip from Boston to Newport.

Christmas Giving - @liaromancewriter 📷🎄 Sienna is all about giving during the holidays.

Christmas Miracles - @liaromancewriter ☁🎄 It’s their first Christmas together as husband and wife and a time to make new memories.

Christmas Presents - @liaromancewriter 📱 Sienna and Max disagree on the right time to plan for the holidays.

Corn Maze Adventure - @liaromancewriter 📷 Max and Sienna enjoy some fall activities on a pumpkin farm.

Counter Proposal - @liaromancewriter 📱 Sienna practices the fine art of negotiation.

Cure for a bad day - @liaromancewriter ☁ When Max has a bad day, Sienna knows just what to do to cheer him up.

Delicate - @liaromancewriter ☁ Max and Sienna plan to spend the day together and discover that they can still surprise each other.

Different Strokes - @liaromancewriter ☁ Ethan and Cassie end up going on a double date with Max and Sienna, leading to a surprising revelation. Feat. Ethan x F!MC

Dog cuddles for days - @rafasgirl23415 📷 Sienna puppy sits Maple whilst Casey & Raf are away for Luana & Alfonso’s wedding.

Dolphins and Sharks - @liaromancewriter ☁ Max and Sienna paint the baby’s nursery, and an old rivalry resurfaces.

Double Trouble But The Double Snuggles - @rafasgirl23415 📸 Sienna announces the genders of her twins a week after Casey.

Fairytales - @liaromancewriter 📷 Sienna puts an old relationship behind her.

Falling Slowly - @liaromancewriter ☁ After a busy few days, Max and Sienna make up for lost time before Cassie’s wedding.

Family Traditions - @liaromancewriter 📅🎄☁ Max and Sienna introduce their son to family traditions and make new memories during the holiday season.

Feeling Wicked - @liaromancewriter ☁ Sienna Trinh is tired of everyone thinking she’s a goody-two-shoes and decides to change her image.

Four - @liaromancewriter 📱 Sienna has important news and can’t wait to share.

Four Birthdays - @liaromancewriter 📷 Four times Sienna celebrated her birthday, as told through social media.

Giving Thanks - @liaromancewriter 📷🦃 Two Picta moments from this year's Thanksgiving.

Happy Birthday My Chosen Sister - @rafasgirl23415 📸 Casey wishes Sienna a happy birthday as she turns 36.

Happy Ever After - @liaromancewriter ☁💍 After a whirlwind romance, Max has an important question to ask Sienna.

Heartbreakers - @liaromancewriter 📱 Sienna and Max tease each other with old photographs.

Here With You - @liaromancewriter ☁ When Sienna joins Cassie for a weekend trip to Los Angeles, she and Max discover new sides to their budding friendship.

Hilltop Haunts - @liaromancewriter ☁👻 Max takes Sienna on a haunted tour of their neighborhood, and there are more thrills than chills.

Hold On Tight - @liaromancewriter ♥ When it comes to working out, Max and Sienna have very different ideas.

I Want You - @liaromancewriter ☁ It’s the night before their wedding. Their friends have everything planned, but Max and Sienna only want each other.

Impatiently Waiting For You. - @rafasgirl23415 📸 Sienna posts a pic celebrating her 20 week milestone.

In The Woods - @potionsprefect 📷 There's a surprise in store.

Indulging Obsessions - @rafasgirl23415 📸 Sienna can’t stop herself when she comes across sleepsuits with dolphins on the front for her baby boys.

Just For Tonight - @liaromancewriter ☁ Nothing in Max and Sienna’s relationship goes according to schedule, including their first official date.

Just Pretend - @liaromancewriter 📱 Max and Sienna play a fun and flirty game of "what if" over text.

Kiss Me at Midnight - @liaromancewriter ☁🎇Ⓜ Max and Sienna enjoy a special New Year’s Eve celebration.

La Vie Avec Toi - @liaromancewriter ☁ When it comes to love, these couples know it’s about every moment of every day. Feat. Ethan Ramsey x F!MC

Late to the Party - @liaromancewriter ☁ The day before a big trip, Max and Sienna contend with making new memories before a prolonged period of absence.

Love Finds a Way - @theartoflovingthomashunt ☁🛸 Ethan (with a push from Ellie) sets his friend Thomas up on a blind date with Sienna at this year's Edenbrook oncology fundraiser at a local winery. Feat. Ethan Ramsey

Magical - @liaromancewriter ☁ They’re caught up in the magic of a moonlit night.

Mama & Me Playtime - @rafasgirl23415 📸 Leaving their boys with Lucas, Sienna takes Meri to the park to play.

Max & Si’s Halloween Bash - @liaromancewriter 👻📱 Max and Sienna host their first party together as a couple, starting new traditions to go with their new life.

Meet The Parents - @liaromancewriter ☁ Sienna is nervous about meeting Max’s parents, aka, her soon-to-be future in-laws.

Mirror Image - @liaromancewriter ☁ Sienna realizes her son is more like his father than she’s comfortable with.

Missing You - @liaromancewriter ☁ When Max is away, Sienna finds herself feeling insecure and it leads to a surprising revelation.

Mothers - @liaromancewriter ☁🌸 Three mothers, three celebrations, one beautiful memory. Feat. Sienna Trinh

Motivation - @liaromancewriter 📱 Sienna has motivational words for Max.

My Boys - @rafasgirl23415 📸 Sienna finds Lucas asleep on the couch with Harry cradled on his chest.

My Loves - @rafasgirl23415 📸 Sienna posts a photo of Ava & Rafa napping together in matching outfits the day after she is discharged from hospital.

SUBMIT OPEN HEART FICS & WRITERS HERE

#textfic #sienna x m!oc #sienna trinh #open heart #open heart fanfic #open heart fanfiction #choices open heart #open heart fanfics

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dearly · 4 years ago

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oscar campaign costs

Oscar campaign budgets for films seeking nominations in multiple categories, such as “A Star Is Born,” “Roma” and “First Man,” can run from $20 million to $30 million as companies compete with each other to out-wine and dine awards voters, according to insiders at the various studios and streamers. One source said the campaign for “A Star Is Born” came in at slightly lower than $20 million, in a studio effort to spend more strategically than in past years (as with the $25 million it spent on “Argo,” or the $20 million for “Gravity,” the insider said).

The current cycle has few precedents, many sources noted. Hardly a day goes by without awards voters receiving glossy booklets about the making of this or that prestige film or an invitation to see A-listers tell stories from the set over lunch at such posh eateries as the Russian Tea Room or Monkey Bar.

Netflix has left many rivals in the dust with “Roma.” Several sources estimate that the film, a modestly budgeted black-and-white drama that is entirely in Spanish, has spent at least $25 million in its pursuit of an Oscar. As part of that effort, the streaming giant produced a pop-up photography exhibit built around director Alfonso Cuarón’s meticulously designed vision of life in Mexico City, and erected a daylong showcase of its costumes and sets at Hollywood’s Raleigh Studios. Before the holiday break in December, the “Roma” campaign sent Academy voters overstuffed pillows emblazoned with the film’s title, preceded by a 200-plus-page coffee table book of stills. That’s to say nothing of the multiple tastemaker screenings that Netflix has hosted, along with a splashy U.S. premiere celebration at the swanky Chateau Marmont.

In support of its film “Dumplin,’” Netflix rented out the ballroom of the Four Seasons Los Angeles and provided voters a catered lunch, along with a four-minute performance by Dolly Parton of her best original song hopeful, “Girl in the Movies,” from the picture’s soundtrack. The company followed it up by mailing pink plastic guitar Christmas ornaments on behalf of Parton.

The streamer is hardly alone in writing big checks for Oscars. In November, Shinola notebooks stamped with the lyrics to “Shallow” in Lady Gaga’s handwriting were sent to voters in a presentation box with a DVD screener of “A Star Is Born.” The notebook was followed by a double-disc soundtrack on vinyl featuring posters of Cooper and Gaga gazing lovingly at each other, as well as vintage-style rocker T-shirts.

Universal Pictures took the “Roma” route, shipping to voters an equally meticulous coffee table book about “First Man” and a collector’s edition of the original score. Director Damien Chazelle and his stars, Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy, sat for a spree of events, including a screening and luxe luncheon at Gordon Ramsay’s Boxwood Cafe at The London West Hollywood. The studio presented a “sound show” on the lot to demonstrate how the filmmakers gave voice to the force of gravity.

Some of these costs are accounted for before a single frame of film is even shot. Movie studios such as Warner Bros. and Universal budget in a major awards push at the development stage of movies that seem to have what it takes to go the distance. They typically incorporate those huge campaign sums into their overall marketing, say awards experts.

“If you’ve got a film with three actors campaigning, like ‘The Favourite,’ that’s going to add up quick,” one consultant said. “It’s cheaper if you’re an A24 who is only pursuing something for Ethan Hawke.”

To hype Hawke’s work in “First Reformed,” A24 plied voters with a bottle of whiskey and Pepto Bismol, a nod to his character’s gag-inducing favorite cocktail. As a cheeky plug for “Vice,” Annapurna sent digital heart rate monitors in an allusion to Dick Cheney’s damaged ticker. Not to be outdone, Searchlight plugged “The Favourite” by deploying actors in waistcoats and powdered wigs to greet awards bloggers on both sides of the Continent. They came carrying giant cakes adorned with a line from the film — “How goes the kingdom?” — written in white frosting.

Studios Spending Millions on Oscar Campaigns

#academy awards #publicity & marketing #what a fucking waste of resources #how many ppl just threw those things away

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nclkafilms · 4 years ago

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A master’s lacking homage to a masterpiece

(Review of ‘Mank’)

*Warning: contains minor spoilers*

In recent years, Netflix have really upped their awards season contributions by giving either huge budgets, total creative freedom or a mix of these to some of Hollywood's biggest directors. In 2018 Alfonso Cuaron gave us his deeply personal and technically impressive 'Roma'. In 2019 we received Martin Scorsese's long and long-awaited epos 'The Irishman'. Both received 10 Oscar nominations, but both also struggled to invite their viewers fully onboard (The Irishman in particular). In 2020, Netflix is back with 'Mank'; this time giving David Fincher a platform to create a black-and-white love letter to screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz, the often overlooked writer of 'Citizen Kane'. 'Mank' has also received 10 Oscar nominations, but has Fincher learned from Cuaron and Scorsese by making a more inclusive film experience?

In the story we follow Howard, or simply Mank as he is mostly referred to, as he has been asked to write the screenplay for Orson Welles’ first film for studio RKO. Welles has received full creative control of his films and has head hunted Mank to be his writer. Mank - being trapped to his sickbed due to a car accident - is put under pressure by a strict time limit, his secretary Rita Alexander and Welles’ desire to keep Mank away from alcohol, to which he has succumbed for years. It is, however, through numerous flashbacks to Hollywood in the 30’s that we slowly unravel the true inspiration behind Mank’s now historic screenplay for ‘Citizen Kane’. Hollywood is - as the rest of America - suffering the consequences of the recession and the film studios are under pressure from decreasing ticket sales and the threat of a democrat (or socialist as they denounce him as) running for office in California. As hinted at here, ‘Mank’ tells stories of everything from the film industry and the process of writing a screenplay to politics, media and the blurred lines between these industries while adding some remarks on Hollywood’s male dominance along the way and plenty of easter eggs to ‘Citizen Kane’ itself. We rush back and forth between Mank’s writing process and the ghosts of his past, and it is definitely an advantage to either know quite a bit about this period of time or give the film a second watch to fully understand the details of the story.

As Herman J. Mankiewicz, Gary Oldman gives another transformative performance. Oldman is without a doubt an extremely talented actor, who it is always a pleasure to observe. As Mank he gives it everything he has as the drunken screenwriter who after having fallen from the stars suddenly end up producing his best work. His acting when Mank is at his most drunk, most uncontrollable is balancing just on the edge of feeling overdone, and I am having a hard time relating to him in these scenes. It is, however, in his more subtle scenes as when he realises the potential consequences of a quick remark about the power of the film industry in relation to politics or in his final conversations with people about his screenplay, that Oldman shines the brightest. Is it an Oscar-worthy performance, though? I’m not sure.

The other Oscar nominated performance is from Amanda Seyfried as the actress, Marion Davies, the mistress of media mogul William Hearst. Seyfried - as Oldman - gives everything and her character ends up being both more relatable and compelling than Oldman’s titular character. What she does is not overly showy, but she manages to create a character who is both seductive, funny and interesting, when it comes to her trying to find her place in the grand political and artistic puzzle that she has been caught in. The scene in which she refuses to help Mank, not necessarily because she disagress with what he’s asking, but simply to save her face, is in particular well-acted and saying for the character. Sadly, Seyfried is not given that many scenes or material to work with, and as such Davies remains a character that I would have loved to see more of and explore further.

In additional supporting roles, Lily Collins as Rita Alexander, Charles Dance as William Hearst and Arliss Howard as film producer Louis B. Mayer stand out the most. Lily Collins manages to give Oldman some competition in their scenes especially regarding Alexander’s missing husband, Ian. Not unlike Marion Davies, though, Alexander is never explored in depth. We get a much clearer idea of who William Hearst and Louis B. Mayer were. As Hearst, Charles Dance delivers an icy performance as the mighty media mogul, who unknowingly becomes the focus for Mank’s screenplay. Dance is always interesting and his turn as Hearst is no exception. Especially the scene in which he recites the parable of the organ grinder’s monkey is memorable and satisfying to watch. As Louis B. Mayer, Arliss Howard also gives an icy, yet more explosive, performance as a man in power. If I was a film producer who has worked with Fincher, I would probably look in the mirror an extra time after seeing Howard’s performance as Mayer. He - along with Fincher - creates a cynical and often two-faced character, who ultimately follows the money and influence despite preaching about the importance of his MGM family (only to ask them to half their wages in the following scene). As such Hearst and Mayer are used to portray the cynicism and moral corruption caused by money and power; a familiar topic for Fincher, who this time aims his cinematic weapons at his own industry.

Another guarantee from a Fincher film is his impeccable attention to detail and unapologetic perfectionism when it comes to the technical aspects of his films. And ‘Mank’ is no exception; above everything else it is a technical marvel. The vision to create the film as if it was made in the 40’s has been executed close to perfection. The black-and-white cinematography in 2.20:1 aspect ratio (wonder why they went for this rather than 1.33:1) is a feast for the eyes; the addition of reel-change circles as part of the “degrading” post-production of the visuals does feel rather gimmicky, however. I got the “old film” feel without that, but it is without a doubt a detail held dear by Fincher himself. I would have preferred to either not have them or for the film to have been shot on film, though. Especially since the production design is beautiful and manages to create a believable and buzzing Hollywood aesthetic, which didn’t need the additional digital ageing on top. The sound design works better, adding to the “old film” feel first of all because of the fact that it is in mono, but also due to it being deliberately recorded, mixed and toned to sound “old”. It feels less gimmicky than the visual aspects of the film. To round off the film’s sound is a close to perfect score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, who once again proves their versatility by creating a playful score that oozes Hollywood in the 40’s.

Hollywood is also the main focus of the screenplay by David Fincher’s late father; a project close to the hearts of both father and son for years. But despite the endearing narrative of this aspect of the film, I cannot help but feel that the old Fincher’s script is one of the film’s main problems. It simply lacks focus and a structure that aids the story. The film is presented as the story behind the greatest screenplay of all time, but in reality it seems least interested in the screenwriting process. Of course, this holds a meaning too; about the different things influencing a screenplay, but instead it ends up standing on too many legs for it to be well balanced. The flashbacks do tell the overall story of Mank’s screenplay influences, but Fincher’s screenplay seems more interested in the politics, the film industry portrayal and the depiction of Mank’s inner demons. It never fully lands any of these plot lines to absolute satisfaction. The closest is the political story about the sudden invention of post-truth politics or “fake news”, which obviously is a comment to the current political climate. It features interesting thoughts on the ideas behind and consequences of this kind of political work, but it also distances me from the main plot, which is further sidelined by the - obviously deliberate, but questionable - lack of Orson Welles in the story. He is always in the periphery of the story, but never lands as anything but a caricature of the slightly arrogant wonder boy stripping our main hero from proper acknowledgement (for a long time).

Now, let's return to my opening question: is 'Mank' a more inclusive film experience than other Netflix awards season darlings such as 'Roma' or 'The Irishman'? Well… While 'Mank' has been the most entertaining of the three in my eyes, the regrettable conclusion must be a "no". Looking at the individual parts they are all exquisitely executed, apart from the disjointed screenplay, and the film is an immense pleasure to look at and listen to. Ultimately it is just less than the sum of all its individual parts. It has all the components to become a masterpiece, it just never weaves them into one. It is a party that we are never fully invited to. This does not mean that I do not applaud Fincher for sticking to his visions or Netflix for giving him creative freedom, I simply just wish they did not keep me at an arm's length throughout the 131 minutes.

3,5/5

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zebraslovescupcakestoo · 6 years ago

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Golden eyes chapter 23

“We want to talk.” Mickey asked and then it was Oswald's. “And we want answers this time.”

This is the big show down. Two ex-members of the Red Dragons, Now leaders of the Blue Dragon, against the two top leaders and a 'friend' of the Alfonso Mafia...

Used to be good allies for more than six years back, now it's a intense rivalry... with a ninety percent of chance this will turn into a bloodbath in a matter of minutes.

“You monkey freaks have done your job. There's nothing else to discuss anymore.” Bendy told them.

“We came here to get some answers since we're still in town.” Mickey said to him.

“Starting with what are you 'really' after? Why are you attacking the district after we agreed not to shed some blood on the streets?” Oswald then sounded pissed.

“Yeah, and I didn't. I even told the boys not do do it ON the streets... It doesn't included the sidewalks and alleys.” Bendy grinned as he thinks it's a loop hole.

The Disney's didn't like his response. “Why did you killed Mr. Vermelho? He was supposed to be your newest 'partner,' right? What did he do to set you off?” Mickey interrogated.

“He had some 'unfinished' work. He had those South American police on his trail for the necklace and he was getting a bit too close to me. Also, he 'slipped' on the murder too. They found out about how the old fart got murdered despite those doppelgangers' had rid of the evidence. Not to mention, I always wanted a nice, private vacation home over there. His place isn't so bad, just needed a little... 'redecorating' his mansion and 'garden.'”

He ordered his assassination because the police was hot on his tail, didn't 'properly' handled the murder of Mr. Blancheur and not just that, he wanted his home and his weed fields for your business and vacation home... for no cost! I gritted my teeth.

He's just sank one level lower... I need to get to the cylinder machine... and find a way to destroy it permanently!

I quietly crawled on my stomach toward the machine as they continued. “Why are you after our second home? Is it really about our territory and incomes that comes with it you're after?” Oswald questioned. Huh? But it IS what he's after... Right?

“... Why are you asking ME that? I thought you knew better. Or better yet... Why are you two so attached on that little piece of land? You have your grand home and future back in California. Why are you wasting your time here? Are you 'that' worried about me? I didn't know you 'liked' your 'visit' about oh, let's say, more than a year ago? I feel like it's been AGES!” Bendy fired back at them, specifically at Oswald.

I halted for a minute there.

That day... is it about when Bendy did something that makes them regret it? And why does Oswald have anything that makes him the center of attention? Is it... what Bendy did to him?

A lot of thoughts ran through my mind on what they could mean... Knowing how well is Bendy's methods on treating his 'guests', depending on who they are... and their 'relations.'

“Don't jump on a different subject, Bèndàn, What are you really after?” Oswald asked again with a glare.

But Bendy had a different idea... He steps back. “Since we used to be 'friends' and because I kinda 'like' you guys, I'll let these bad boys test you two to see if I REALLY should tell ya what I'm after.” Boris and Boston steps forwads.

“Getting the 'warm' welcoming treatment? That's SO like you. You always take the easy way and letting other do your dirty 'work.'” Mickey stated. I agree with you, mouse. I heard he's lazy enough to have vacations after his days off.

Boris cracked his knuckles. “You kids don't even know who you're dealing with. If you can't pass us, you can't get anywhere close to him.”

“Beat it, you over-thirty year old mattress!” Oswald pointed at him. “Your 'loyalty' and services to that Yúchǔn de èmó makes me want to puke. My brother can take care of himself far better when I'm not at home and he treats his 'co-workers' much better.”

“OH, please! As far as every go lucky animators would say that kind of slop, you southern-born bumpkins have forgotten this ain't like the old days anymore. You're playing with the big boys now.” Boston stretched his arms.

Ouch! I can't think of a comeback against this cowboy....

“I really wish there's another way to settle this... but I guess it's too late for that and I doubt you'll listen either.” Mickey looked at the cowboy with a determined expression. “We'll take your 'bet' and we'll get our answers soon enough.” He then stepped on a pipe that was conveniently next to his left foot as it got tossed in the air just high enough for him to grab it. He then got in a fencing pose.

“Oh, You challenging me to a sword play, eh?” Boston sneered as he picks up his pipe, but it was a bit longer than Mickey's.

“Don't underestimate us just because we're smaller than you two.” Mickey warned them.

“Bendy is more challenging than you two put together, you got nothing.” Boris took off his coat and fedora as he prepares for a brawl against them. He tosses them on a near by crates.

“This will be a payback for what your 'boss' did a year ago...” Oswald glared at him.

He repeated that phrase on what Bendy did to him... Why do I feel like want to know this more than I want to know about my 'sight' secrets and my... lineage?

It only took a few seconds in stare down before they ran toward each other. Excluding Bendy cause he's just sitting on the railway like he's waiting for his turn if they're still standing...

Oswald and Boris clashes first with a headbutt greet and I feel like there was an titan aura coming from them. It's like a kung fu master against a heavy weight champion boxer. Oswald didn't seemed fazed at all... Any other little guy and it's lights out.

Mickey and Boston were greeted with a clanging sound. However, what I didn't know, is that Mickey was like a speeding mice. Ok, that doesn't make sense- WHOAH!

Mickey was REALLY not slacking off on his footwork. His fencing techniques is giving the cowboy a hard time. He did a couple of times of slide circling a half moon and attacking from all different sides to confuse him. He's lucky that Mickey was handling a pipe, if it was an actual sword well... it ain't gonna be pretty.

I though Mickey's specialty was guns and bombs... Unless he learn this new technique later in his life I didn't know about it yet.

I looked back at the other two brawlers. Boris keeps trowing decent punches, but Oswald keeps deflecting them until that one punch nearly scraped pass Oswald's face. But the rabbit quickly did a left uppercut to the wolf's jaw and then he right punches square on his nose. Boris growled and attempted to punch him at full force, but the rabbit was a bit quicker than he thought. Oswald then jabbed him with another fist, this time right at his right side abs. The wolf stumbles a bit until the rabbit smacked the back side of his head and then he punches his face again, sending him falling flat on his back.

Whoa... I feel like I'm amazed yet I'm terrified at the same time... No wonder Bendy had a hard time with them on numerous things. Yet... why are they on number two in the 'underworld'?

Ah! Wait! I can't just sit here and watch. I need to get to that machine. I looked for someway to get down without being noticed. I saw a stair case leading down right next to that machine, but there's no wall for me to hide from them. Unless I can use my whip as a rope and descended it quietly and quickly, but that would need precision timing judging how they all fight and they can see me.

See me... My 'Heat eye' ability! With that I can use it to give me just enough seconds to get down and hide without anyone noticing. I hope...

But it's better than doing nothing here. I quietly walked while I'm keeping my head down until I'm on top of the cylinder machine. I carefully readied and secure my belt for a drop. I then readied myself to get down and I looked at the fight for an opportunity... I closed my eyes and concentrated.

'Just let me get down from here without being noticed.' My head didn't throb as much, but I did feel like time passes slowly as I opened them.

I quickly got over the rail and descended fast as I reached my destination. I landed and then I tugged and unhook my belt. I quickly grab it as I feel like my headache is getting stronger. I ducked where they cant see me on one side of the controller of the cylinder machine. I closed and told it I'm alright and then feel some relief. I think that was pretty good for someone who has awoken his secret 'ability' only for more about a week ago.

Man, I'm gonna have to make a scheduled on how I spend my 'spare' time... if I come out alive.

Alright, now what? I looked back to see if I was spotted by the broken pitch fork. It doesn't appeared he noticed me... I think. I glanced on the side just enough to see the fight.

I first glanced at Mickey and Boston. The mouse still had a good advantage until the cowboy grabbed his pipe. He swung it to the wall next to them, hits Mickey full force, then he swung it at the other two.

They noticed the now flying squirrel launched at them and Oswald took a chance to catch him. He did so and he puts his brother down. The other two took their chance at their vulnerable pose by trying to attack them from behind by hitting them at the back of their heads.

But they were no match for their quick reactions as they synchronized a dodgy barrel roll. As soon as they turn to them and at a quick draw, Boston has taken out a pistol.

And shot them dead straight to their hearts. The brothers had their eyes wide opened when it hit them, until they dropped on the floor after a few seconds later.

There was silence in the factory. I was horrified, shaken, my mouth was opened yet I couldn't scream...

No...

“No. Way... You lucky bastard!” Bendy complimented. He got off his seating and he got up and close in between his two friends to see his ex-friends. As I would expected from him, he maniacally laugh it off, added a 'personal' cheer leading verse and a dance.

“Ah hahahaha! Whoo! RAT SH!T! RABBIT SHIT! DYING ON THE FLOOR! AIN'T GONNA LIVE PASS TWENTY FOUR! HOORAY! DISNEY SUCKS! F#K!” He ended the last word with a double middle finger up in the air.

I didn't cared what he reacted... Mickey... Oswald... No... I tried to held back my tears, but they streamed away anyway.

They're dead... they died in a reckless attempt for trying to stop Bendy... This can't be happening for real...

“Um, Bendy... they're not bleeding.” Boris said. Huh? Not... bleeding?

“What?” Bendy 'calmly' replied. He picks up the pipe Mickey had earlier and went to the bodies. He raises his weapon. “You're supposed to bleed, you stupid motherf-”

To everyone's surprise, Mickey has perfectly caught the other end of the pipe before the demon made his first blow. We all gasped, but Bendy was the most expressive at the reaction.“WHAT?! YOU'RE STILL ALIVE?!”

Mickey took this opportunity to quick draw his gun, which I might add seems a bit familiar... He shot at Boston's pistol and it flew off his hands. It might be a fast reaction, but I did got a good look at the 'used to be' pistol that is now a blob once it hit the floor. It's that one of the weapons Oswald has crafted? WAIT! OSWALD! He's still on the floor! I looked back at them... Only to see Boris being double kicked in the face and fall flat on the floor. Mickey has successfully retrieved the pipe from Bendy with a good hand man-oeuvre. They both regain some space and from what I see, they're all alright.

I then feel a rush of relief... Thank you, God. I smiled and exhaled. Wait... Something... doesn't seem right. The bullets that Boston shot has hit RIGHT at the hearts. How are they still standing like that? It should have been a fatality.

The cowboy rushed at the door leading to somewhere. Then my 'sight' was acting up again. Huh? 'What is it this time?' I close my eyes and mentally asked it. I see a flash and opened my eyes. I 'saw' a big machine gun that's on the other side of the wall. At it's about in the range of the Disney's positions.

I don't know how they are still alive from that shot, but I'm not going to take another chance with that machine gun.

“What the h#ll, how dare you're both still alive? Boston has never missed a shot!” Boris got up and asked, backing up a bit.

They still didn't responded. “What are you guys now? Zombies? Undead? WHAT?! I want answers, or I'll cut them out!” Bendy took out again his switch blade he had earlier. I then 'saw' Boston setting up and aimed away from his two 'friends' and at the Disney brothers.

Is that what... oh no... no, not again! I'm not going to let that second chance go to waste!

I didn't cared if my cover was blown when I jumped out of my hiding spot and passed by the two gangsters as they got surprised at my appearance. I immediately leaped towards them, grab them both as we landed flat one the floor and in just at the nick of time. There was a flashing rain of bullets that shot through that wall. I heard Bendy shouted something but the rounds of bullets were too loud for me to hear what he was saying.

Once it was silenced again, we immediately looked back at them. “You GOTTA BE SH!TTING ME?! THE ACE DEFECTIVE? HERE? AND HE'S WORKING WITH YOU TWO DIP SH!TS?!” Bendy pointed out at me.

I didn't think this through, but... at least he doesn't know about 'us' yet. I got up. “No, I came here on my own free will, and I'm putting you under arrest for three account of accessory of murders under your command AND executed yourself, illegal possession of potentially deadly drugs, illegal owner of a stolen necklace and an attempted murder of two well known people. I have some hard evidence, so there's no way you'll escape THESE charges this time, Bendy Drew!” And I pointed at him. The other got up too.

His eyes twitched and glowed red. “How DARE you called me that? My last name is De Mon! Either remember that or I'll scar it deep enough on your skin so you can remember it!” He pointed again, this time with his switch blade.

I kept continuing. “Starting with that cylinder machine and those 'special' herbs. I know where those are-!” He did an attempt to stab me, but we were a bit quick on our feet and we separated a bit. Now it's just me and him. I continued.

“-AND where you'll get them. I also found out about how you 'conducted' the murder of Mr. Blancheur and Mr.Vermelho. I'll even include my witness account of one of your 'employee' under the railway too.” He then attempted to slash horizontally at my face, but I bend over in a nice close shave. I then saw something on the tip of that 'unusual' switch blade...

Then Boston reappeared. “Why in tarnation do I hear like that cat was- Oh... Dang...” He didn't expect to see me here.

“Help me with the other pipsqueaks, Bendy can handle him.” Boris shouted and they went after them again.

I hope they don't have a second gun on them, but right now I need to focus on this evil master mind first.

“You keep forgetting who's in charge here, cat boy. I OWN THIS CITY AND THE LAWS!” He tried to stab me with a jab, but with my past training on 'deflecting' the weapons, I hand palm my left hand to his switch blade holding right hand just before he thinks he got me. The weapon flung high in the air between us as we were back to back. We both saw it, turned around and we both jumped up to reach it and grab it before the other one gets it. Bendy may have that speed demon skills when his eyes turned, but I also have my 'other' skills that I can now compete...

When we landed, we were back to back again. Bendy looked at his hand to see he didn't got it. But I do. I smirked. He then got angry, turned around with a swinging kick, said 'f#k off' and he flung his blade in the air again out of MY hands. He then right punched me right in the face, then I countered back with the same move and place, then I quickly hook punched my left fist at his stomach, he patted some drops, he then hit my face with another right punch and then we both tried to kick each other off with one blow with our right legs. We both landed a good solid hit on the chests and we BOTH took the hit, hard. We stumbled a bit until we both looked up again to see the switch blade coming back. We both unintentionally used our right legs again to kick it out of our fighting range.

Judging from our position, the switch blade and our 'space', it's going straight to our legs. Once again I used my 'heat eye' ability and I carefully judge the timing... He's no slouch at 'this' speed... I suddenly have that sharp pain rushed in my head and I winced.

I felt something from my leg, but it was dull. I opened my eyes again just to see Bendy's switch blade piercing his leg and he yelped in pain before we both stumbled away from each other. I still felt that throbbing pain in my head and my vision stared to blur a bit and it hurts just by looking... What is this pain? And why do I feel like I've been drained too?

It took a lot of strength to get myself up... I staggered a bit but I was still in better shape than Bendy right now. He's bleeding from his leg as he held it and in agony.

“F#K! SONUVABEACH! F#KN CAT! I'M SOOOO GONNA SKIN YOU ALIVE AND TURN YOU INTO A- GAH!” He took out the switch blade from his injury. BAD idea. It will bleed even more, but, it didn't... instead, the blood became black and it almost stopped the bleeding. His eyes were red again.

“On second thought, you might have improved on the last time we've brawled... But you're still no match to me, let alone those two circus freaks.” He maniacally but quietly told me with his signature grind. I glanced at their fights to see what we've missed, but so far it's the same struggling situation on the second floor. I quickly checked on him again so I don't get caught off guard if he attacks. He still haven't made his next move.

In my current state, I need to end this now and try to bust that cylinder machine before I faint on the spot. Lend me some strength until the end, please. I asked him. “Since we're both on edge here, is it a bad time to tell me the REAL reason why you are after your old ex-comrades? You've done enough damage as it is.”

He raised an eye brow.“Aw, Have you forgot? They're-”

“Used to be friends, but 'someone' had stabbed them in the back. Just out of my curiosity 'nature,' who was it, really?” I want to know. “Huh?” He asked displeased. “You're-” “AH!!!” I heard Mickey's shout as he was nearly fell off the second floor safety rails by hanging from his left arm. I immediately shouted his name along with Oswald. Boston was going to hit him with a average sized wooden crate until he loses his grip on the rail and was falling.

I immediately rushed towards him despite my exhaustion state. I reached out my arms to grab him and... I caught him but we both stumbled to the ground in the process. It might have been worse if I didn't break his fall... Oswald rushes down the stairs towards us. “Mickey! Felix!” He shouted. “I'm fine... Felix?” Mickey asked. “I... I'm just a bit exhausted...” I responded out of breath. What's wrong with me? I never felt THIS exhausted whenever I'm on these missions.

Wait! We're in a middle of a group fight! I glanced at Bendy and my 'sight' was acting up. I blinked to see what is it again and this time... He was hiding a very familiar gun... the same ones the police uses! Worse still, he pulls it out and he aimed at Oswald! I immediately jumped at the rabbit before he pulls that trigger.

The sound of another gun shot had echoed through the factory. We both ducked sideways and smacked landed on one of the mats that was left unpacked on the floor. “Ozzy! Felix!” Mickey rushed in. Oswald just chuckled. “Ha! Now THAT'S what I called a triple A service and-Ah! Crap!” His mood switched quickly when he saw some blood stains on his stomach.

Mickey gasped with his right hand covering his mouth and his left pointing at something with his eyes wide opened. It wasn't his brother's blood that stained his vest...

It was mine.

The bullet had struck at my right back side and it must have came in contact when we fell. I was taking deep breath and I was holding on to my life. He got me instead.

“Ah SH!T! Felix!” Oswald eyes were widen at my injury from that shot that was meant for him. He quickly detached my whip belt and Mickey had taken off his black jacket and passes it to him. Boris and Boston then joined up with Bendy.

“Oh? Did the cat took a bullet for the rabbit?” Bendy asked playfully. Mickey angrily looked back at him. “Bendy! That wasn't fair!” “Life is NEVER fair, Micks. You need to learn when you have to do whatever it takes to get what you want. Not everyone has their life all set like yours...” He twirled his gun a bit.

“That gun...” Mickey whispered. Oswald had just finished wrapping my waist with Mickey's jacket, to prevent further blood loss.

“Oh, that? You remembered this old thing? It used to belong to Chayton, you know? Alfonso's son? I kinda 'borrowed' it back then... He used to collect these 'hard to get' weapons back when he was alive... Meh!” He then handed over to Boris and he break it like a twig with his right hand. “It was only good for one bullet anyways. The carriage was all f#ked up for somewhat reason.”

“Then... was it you? You're the one who made that shot on that 'last job?'” Mickey questioned softly, but feared.

“I'm only guilty of taking without asking to show ya one time and then holding as a 'possession' until I'm bored with it. It was almost useless and empty anyways.” Bendy vaguely answered. I then started to see some 'yellow' toning in my vision.

Mickey gasped softly. “Then... it was him? But... why are you still after our district? The REAL reason?” He looks like he was about to cry.

Bendy then made a disgust expression and finally gave up his answer...

“Oh my F#king @$$! My 'REAL' reason this and that?!” He was about to to loose it, but then he smiled and calmly answered. “I guess I'll say it if it will shove a sock in it.” He took two steps forward like he's the boss before we got our answer. “If there is one thing I love better than money... Aside from the love of my life...” He smooth talked before he made an angry expression on his next statement. “...Revenge.”

Their expression was shocked. “What?” Mickey said and then Oswald asked. “For what? We didn't-” Bendy cuts him off. “Shut it, Half-a-nesse! Before I'll make sure I'll break you again and this time I'll f#k you up even harder.” He pointed at him. Oswald held back his words and his left eye slightly twitched... I feel somewhat strange... but I'm still trying to hold on to my conscious to make any sense on what he's talking about and trying to listen through my heartbeat pounding in my head.

“The REAL reason why I wanted that territory, aside the incomes, is so that I can take it away from the ones who DOESN'T DESERVES it and turn it into dust. You BOTH deserted me and the others when those sh!t whippers came and took out almost all of 'US'” He made those quote marks gesture. “If you didn't willy nilly rejoined with that helicopter father, I would have behaved slightly differently. But I guess that inheritance and all that sh!t has made you like a f#king cheap cupcake. Too soft for your own good and it makes me ANGRY!” He stomped his left foot and some of his black blood had squirted out. “Whatever happened to sticking together schtick? That promised we all made along with it?” He then sounded sad. “We're gonna take back and make our future the way we wanted... Change this rotten luck we had... We... had a sh!tty parent who makes us runaways...We then both had found a new family... We had it all when we were at the prime time of our teenage lives...” He then started shaking and crying... I never seen him like that before... Unless it was an act. “But then when those Eastern Bastards came and took out half of us and your mentors, you both weren't there!” He lashes out his anger.

“And who's REAL fault was that?” Oswald countered. “We've been expelled from the gang after your 'last' visit that day you've turn us over to the police and our father! It was NEVER our 'fault.' It's your bosses' and yours! YOU and the other two have shipped us out!” He told them off... I remembered that other half of Mickey's story way back then... I winced in pain when my sides started to burn harder. Oswald noticed my struggling...

“You could have still stick around on your own free will... But then again... I guess things didn't go as well as it planned to be... After that massacre, I found out that the disbanded Red Dragon's territory had a pretty well advantages and a good income for a mafia guys like myself... plus, 'they' were long gone before 'ours'... and it was in 'chaos' just the way I like it.” Bendy regained his masterminded speech. “With my past experiences, all I needed to have that piece of territory, is for that 'land permit.' It was almost in my grasp... Until SOMEBODY decided to show up again and 'reclaimed' it as if they THINK they had RIGHTS!” He tone it up a bit as he looked back at Mickey.

“You BOTH had to interfered my 'night job' just so you can still think you idiots can 'change' this society... What good will it do if you had to take care of almost EVERYBODY you both came in contact with? You think you both are BETTER than I am? ME! the 'undertaker' of the underworld, a GRAND animator that's better than 'you', a bigger celebrity than all of your puny animated company with the old fart himself included! You two are just a pair of Robin Hoods rip offs who hides their f#king faces under a clown masks in public and internationals alike. SO HOW CAN A PIECE OF THRASH LIKE YOURSELVES IS MORE SPECIAL THAN I AM?!” He's now getting off the subject.

“Is this the real reason you wanted our territory for? To get even with us because of our father's company and the inheritance?” Mickey trembled but softly said. “Haven't I told you before that I wanted to earn that position the right way?! And all of that talk of yours on what we 'should have' done our lives, and what it had given us instead... IT WAS NEVER PLANNED IN THE FIRST PLACE!” He shouted back. “Bendy, we've been in the same place like you were before, but there's a difference between being what you are and who you want to be.”

They then started to laugh. “Mickey, you think being a gangster, a top member next to the 'boss' at that, is f#king easy? And who do you think you're talking to?” Boris responded. Oswald was getting tried of this stalling conversation. “It's always easy to be an @$$hole like yourselves, but it ain't gonna be worth it once your title of 'king of mafia' crown is knocked off. You'll get what you REALLY deserves, and you better pray it ain't gonna be 'US' to do the job when that day comes.” He threateningly said to them.

They then draw their guns aside Boston, which he was frowning since they only had two on them, at us. “We can fix that.” Bendy answered. “After we dispose of you three, I'll finally be able to take over ALL of the police and the Chinatown district. In just a few days, I'll be OFFICIALLY the real KING of Chicago crime mob syndicates. Then, I'll start planning to extend my empire... but for now...” He took aim at Mickey. “As my last act of 'kindness' since we're old 'friends,' all you three musketeers, rest easy and DIE!” He smile very widely as he was about to pull the trigger.

I then feared the worst again and this time, I can't move. NO!

Suddenly, Bendy's expression was then changed into a surprised look with a 'Urk!'

Then what really surprises me is that he dropped the gun and then he fell down... and he started to sleep! What the-?!

“Bendy!” Boris shouted as he went to get him but Boston had held him back just in time before another 'thing' had flung passed him. One false step would have made him the same state as Bendy.

Is that...!!! It was confirmed who it was when I heard my friends voice.

“Take one shot at them and I'll send you to dream land!” They all looked up to see who the heck it was... Sammuel Toutsaint!

“..Sam...” I wheezed then coughed up a bit of blood. Boston then tries to take the gun from Boris for an attempt to shoot him, but then there was a gust of wind passes them and they were surprised. “What in tarnation is that?!” Boston asked and then there was another familiar Irish voice. “Gun ho!” Woody shouted. “Hey hot buns! Special delivery!” He tosses it to Oswald and then he crushes Boris' gun. They both then teamed up with them and Boris retrieved Bendy and placed him like a bride style in his arms. “Ah Sh!t, Felix! You're shot!” Woody looked at me, worried about my condition. Sam was the same, but he was pissed but he kept his guards up. “How many times I told you NOT to go alone with THESE types, Ostie criss de tabarnak!”

You guys... I'm so sorry... I then felt a tear falling down on my cheeks.

“Seems like we ended our battle with a draw. Thanks to those two bird brains.” Boris spatted. “But next time, you won't be so lucky, and your 'lucky' title won't last much longer.” He glared at us.

Mickey pulled out something, but it looks like a pen... no wait, it looks a bit familiar... “Once Bendy wakes up, tell him this: The Blue Dragons will remain a neutral territory. But he's not going to get his new 'products' on our streets or anywhere else.” He then pushed the button on the top. There was then a big explosion and they all looked at the cylinder machine. I can barely looked at it, but it seems like there was a bomb hidden in that thing... Did they planned ahead? What... who are they really?

“Aw DANG! He's gonna get pissed!” Boston raised an eyebrow, as if he didn't cared in this situation.

I then felt someone had picked me up in bridal style too.. and it was Oswald... OSWALD?! My face then got very red. NO, PLEASE! I'D RATTHER HAVE THE PIGGY BACK RIDE! I'm mentally draining faster than before.

“Also, tell him this message from his 'dealer': Your 'membership account' is terminated. We'll settle this in another day.” Mickey ended their conversation before they had to leave. He then says. “Let's get out of here. Felix need to go to a hospital. Fast.''

We all scattered out of the factory as we approach to the car... I suddenly feel like I'm floating... and the last thing I saw was the rabbit's face before I lost conscious... again....

------

I was then 'awaken' in a very darken area. I feel like I was still floating, but I feel like I'm in some sort of underwater.

Where am I? Am I... dead? No! I can't be dead! Not yet! I need to be there for my family and friends!

As soon as I opened my mouth, I can't breathe. Something had prevented me to do so. I covered my mouth, but then I felt something sharp at my side where I was shot. I winced and let out whatever air I had in me. I needed oxygen, fast. I then saw someone with a white robe with a golden chain attached to her neck, she looks familiar... and she looks almost like me-!!!

“Mom...” I softly whispered. She then reached out for my left hand and the ring has started to glow brighter. I then feel like I can breathe again, but I was blinded by a white light.

------

I suddenly feel like I was in a different room when I came to. Am I awake? No. I don't remembered being standing when I lost my conscious. Normally, I would be lying down first. I looked around to see where am I. It's not anywhere I remembered before... It seems more... like a clinic, judging from the settings and the curtains.

I then saw a senior doctor with a mustache coming in. I was going to greet him until he passes right through me. I was surprised. I patted myself and I didn't pass through like a ghost... what kind of a dream is this?

“How's the little one? Is he sleeping well?” The doctor asked. Huh? I turned around and I saw him talking to someone behind the curtains. I went to see who it was and when I did saw who it was, I was shocked.

It was my mother... and she's holding a baby... is this me?... a flashback from when I was born? I don't remember this. Is this one of those crazy 'ability' from Bastet? Or something else that she wanted me to see?

“He's doing fine. Thank you so much for helping us on such a short notice, Dr. Kettle.” She said as he stroke 'my' little head.

“It was nothing, Féline. I owe you one for returning the stolen medicine from those troublesome Irish Gang members.” The doctor replied. “Have you decided a name for the new rascal?”

She looked at the baby and smiled. “I think Felix would suit him. His hair looks is like that black cat from an early cartoon I've seen a long time ago.” I was surprised. She was the one who named me? Mom... I tried to reach for her until my head started to throb, the room is blurring and it changed into a different area.

Once all's been settled, I was in some sort of an alley way. I saw a street light at my right with someone I recognized very well... BEFORE that 'accident' and he seems like he was in his early thirties... maybe.

“Dad?” I was astounded. I can still remembered his 'human' features when I was very little and I knew that it IS him! Why is he doing here? I heard some high heels clacking closer at my left. I turned at who it was and it looked like a lady in a red overcoat, with a matching red hat with yellow ribbon, a yellow sweater and she also had red high heels to match the outfit. She is also carrying a basket too... I was shocked when she came into the light to see who she was. “Mom?!” I spoke louder.

What's going on? What is this? I don't... remember any of this. I saw my father approaching to her with a serious expression on his face. She had a sad face, like she might have done something that upset him. “Did you bring him?” He asked and she nodded. She gently placed down the basket, lifted the lid, and I was shocked. It was me... I was asleep, but it was me. She gently scooped 'me' up and she embraced 'me.' “I'm sorry for keeping this a secret for so long... They are after me, and God know what they'll do to him if he's found out. You're the only person I can trust with him...I know it's hard to-” My father cuts her off, by glaring. That look frighten her, as well as myself. He took a deep breath and said.“I didn't agreed to take him just for you... I know he's mine too. If you had told me about this sooner, things would have been different and you wouldn't be giving him up right now.” She shed a tear down her left cheek and quietly sobbed. I felt pain in my chest... is this what they've meant? That part where I was... given up for my safety?

She held 'me' close for one last time and gave 'me' a kiss before she handed me over to him. She also took off her right glove to reveal a golden lioness ring. It must be that Golden ring of Sekmeth that I was 'supposed' to have! She took it off and handed that over too. “I don't think I need to explained what this is and what it does. You know it from the times we spent together...” He took it and placed it one of his pockets. “I know. I'll tell him when the times comes, speaking of him, did you gave him a name by any chance?” He asked her. “Felix. Please let him keep that name for me as my last favor.” She begged him. He was silenced for a minute while he looked at 'me.' His answer then shocked me. “I will. Just promised me also that you must NEVER show your face to him again... not while 'they' are on you.”

He turns around and leaves. My mother then started to cry quietly. “Gerald... my Felix... I'm sorry...” She sobbed a bit and I was crying too. “Mom...” I was reaching out to her, I wanted to hug her and tell her 'It's alright, I'm here!' But as soon as I lay a hand on her, she 'disintegrated' into dust. My eyes widen at the reaction. She was gone... and then I looked back to see my father standing in the street light. I was still feeling pain in my heart again, but there was also some anger that started to show.

“Dad... Why?...” I cried and I yelled. I then got up and walked to him. “She needed both of us! Why would you do that? And why did you keep this from me all this time?” I stopped behind his back. “You may be my father, but I had the right to know who was my mother too! Just... TELL ME WHY DIDN'T YOU-!” I pointed shouted at him until suddenly, I was then roughly got grabbed from my wrist by him, he turned around to look at me, but his 'image' was changed. He was much older looking with the cyborg clash from that day he was in a horrible accident. And what I remembered form the last time I saw him... He looked me straight in the eyes, glaring.

That look gave me chills down my spine, I feel a migraine rushed in my head and I was getting a bit nauseous. The scenery started to spin faster and it changes again. My father still held on to my grip as I tried to held myself together without throwing up. I screamed in pain when my eyes were burning and I saw a painful, flashing, white light again...

TO BE CONTINUED... Chapter 24.

Read chapter 22 here or the beginning here.

What what?! Did I just finish my whole story yesterday? YES I DID!!!!

Tune in tomorrow for the next chapter, cause it’s going on a daily release!

BBTIM Characters Belong to Marini4. Some OCs belong to me.

#bendy before the ink machine #bendy the dancing demon #boris the wolf #boris johnson #boston #felix #felix the cat #mickey #mickey mouse #oswald #oswald the lucky rabbit #OC #fanfiction #marini4

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relmint-draws · 1 month ago

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Silly Monkey Man doodles

#monkey man #monkey man kid #rel'sart #kid monkey man #monkey man 2024 #monkey man movie #monkey man alfonso #monkey man alphonso #idk how to spell his name #monkey man tiger #dev patel #doodles

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meret118 · 7 years ago

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A Missouri Man Has Already Served Almost 2 Decades in Prison for a Murder He Didn’t Commit, but He Still Has Not Been Freed

This Is America: Save a White Drug Addict, Jail a Black One

Manager Loudly Reads Store’s Theft Policy to Black Customers, Calls Security When Asked Why

Woman kept out of Waffle House because she’s black

Virginia Newspaper Runs KKK Flyer on Its Front Page

Missouri blacks are being pulled over by cops 85 percent more than whites — who are more likely to be busted for contraband

The Assassination of Fred Hampton, Surveillance of Civil Rights Leaders, and Harassment of Black Lives Matter Just Business as Usual for Law Enforcement. The criminalization of drug use is an easy excuse to surveil and control populations.

Black doctor and family attacked in Florida luxury resort pool — called ‘black b*tches’ and ‘n*ggers’

Florida deputy complains his Jeep ‘smells like f*cking dirty n**ger’ after break-in

Rubio campaign chair compares Obama to a monkey to defend Roseanne

Milwaukee Police Release Footage Of Cop Using Taser On Sterling Brown. Police Chief Alfonso Morales said officers “were recently disciplined,” without providing details. Video shows police lied about what happened.

White Cop Shouts At Black Suspect: ‘Pretend Like We’re Going To Shoot You’

White woman calls cops on credentialed black photographer ‘for no reason’ during Preakness horse race

Homeless [black] man jailed for three months after paying with $10 bill

Hobby Lobby manager calls cops on black customer for trying to return defective item

Black father stopped by officer after complaint of a ‘suspicious man with a baby’ in the park

Death Of Keeven Robinson, Black Louisiana Man In Police Custody, Ruled Homicide. The officers who took Robinson into custody have been reassigned pending an investigation. [Why haven't they been arrested?]

GOP lawmaker rages to Fox News that Congress is no place to discuss racism: ‘We don’t talk about those things’

Cop accuses black sorority students of ‘fighting’ — but they were doing community service

A restaurant denied a black man’s coupon — but hours later accepted the same coupon from his white friend

Santorum says Trump’s racism is Obama’s fault: ‘What’s being ignored here is the role that Barack Obama played’

#racism #police brutality #terrorism

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3monthsineurope · 5 years ago

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July 13, 2019

Happy birthday, Grandma Arlene!

Saturday we woke up around 8:30. I lazed around a bit, then we all got ready. Breakfast was provided by the villa, and was actually really good! We had pancakes, toast, eggs, and sausage, with hot and iced tea. The villa is owned by a man and wife, who are really nice. After breakfast I finished getting ready and I I got to FaceTime Mom, which was nice!

Buddy and his helper picked us up right around 10. We had a new van and Buddy brought us some water, which was nice! We had a big day ahead of us! Our first stop was the Ubud Monkey Forest. Monkeys were my favorite animal while growing up. It was really cool! Monkeys were roaming around free through this huge park. We saw monkeys eating, sitting around, running around, and playing. I got really close to a monkey and it grabbed me and showed it’s teeth! It was actually pretty scary! Bon and Alfonso pulled me away, thankfully. A monkey climbed on Adam’s head, we saw a feeding, and walked around for a while. It was really cool to see all the monkeys in nature.

Next up was a park with rice fields, swings, and photo ops. It was called the Terrace River Pool Swing. We got to see how Luwak coffee is made. Luwak coffee is really interesting! A cat type animal called a civet eats the coffee bean in the pod, and when it poops it out, they boil the bean, dry it, then roast it. Apparently it’s some of the world’s best coffee. We saw the cats, then bought our tickets for the swing. All of us were doing the Super Extreme Swing, except for Bon and Alfonso. It swung out 90 feet! Janell went first, then me, then Eugene, Allison, Kate, and Adam. It was really fun and scary!! There are three guys pushing the swing from below. We had multiple people taking pictures and videos for each person swinging. It was really fun! I definitely screamed. The swing hurt a little, because you had to lean back on some ropes.

After we all took a ride on the swing, we took pictures around the rice fields. It was pretty hot, so we called it quits there, then headed to a balcony to try all the teas the park had to offer us. We also tried the luwak coffee. I’m not a huge coffee drinker, so to me it just tasted like strong coffee.

After the rice fields, we were super hungry, so we went to a place nearby. It was so tasty! We all shared one bottle of wine, and a ton of food! We shared fried rice, noodles, a salad, ribs, fish, satay, and a ton of other stuff. It was really tasty and it only cost $18 a person! All of a sudden, I got a really bad stomach ache. Bali is infamous for giving people “Bali belly”, which is traveller’s diarrhea. I tried to go to the bathroom, but felt okay, so we got in the car.

Our next stop was a temple, Tirta Empul Temple. We all got sarongs to wear over our bottom half. I started feeling really sick, so Kate helped me find a bathroom. I was so embarrassed I started crying, ugh. I went to the bathroom and felt better. We took some photos around the temple, and saw the holy baths. People bathe in the holy water in sarongs, but we decided against that.

After the temple, we went through the nearby markets. I ended up getting a traditional Balinese purse, a magnet, and Janell got us all beer cozies, haha. We hopped back in the van, for the long ride home. Some people snoozed on the way home, but I wrote and chatted. The ride took over an hour because of the Ubud traffic. Everyone in the group, besides Alfonso, Bon, and I, were going to go get a massage. Bon and Alfonso were going with Buddy to the airport. I wasn’t feeling like getting a massage because I still wasn’t feeling well. We had to stop and reserve the massage, and then we finally made it home around 7.

We all hung out for about a half hour, then everyone left for the massage. I stayed at the villa and relaxed and wrote. I took a shower and then everyone came back around 9:30. I was going to stay up and hang out with them, but they were all blissed out from their massage, so everyone called it a night. It was actually really nice for me to have some quiet time alone, because this is really active and chatty group. I think I went to bed around 10:30. :]

#villa #bali #monkeys #indonesia #travel #friends #birthday

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old-long-john · 7 years ago

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vowel-in-thug replied to your post: Can I ask, which widely accepted headcannons you...

point me in the direction of these “remus is bisexual” liars i need to FIGHT. there’s a reason aziraphale from good omens reminded me of remus and it’s mostly because they’re both “gayer than a treeful of monkeys on nitrous oxide”

Ha! Honestly. There's a reason Alfonso Cuaron told David Thewlis to play Remus as gay in PoA. I don't know where the bi thing came from. Maybe it's part of that newfangled idea that canon is everything and therefore we must acknowledge the trainwreck of a relationship that was Remus/Tonks. Fuck that though. It's creepy and weird and I don't know what JKR was thinking. 'Pine after a man who doesn't want to be with you for a whole year while all his friends give him grief for not giving the relationship a go and eventually he'll cave in and you'll immediately get knocked up so he'll never be able to escape. Romance!' No.

#vowel-in-thug

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rayman-25 · 7 years ago

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Idée et Résumé

Quand j'ai vu la bande annonce de Jump forces, j'avais une idée en tête. Comme les personnages des univers des mangas (DBZ, One Piece et Naruto ect) qui sont projeté dans le monde réel, pourquoi je ne mets pas les personnages des univers de Disney et les youtubeur français. Comme ça, ça va ressembler à Tekken Tag Tournament 2 et Tekken 7 ou les personnages des univers parle leurs langues origines.

Par exemple, les personnages de DBZ Naruto et One Pices parle en Japonais, les personnages de Disney parlent en anglais et les personnages youtubeur parle français. Certain personnages seront des personnages principaux d’autres des personnages secondaire

Voici le résumé de l’histoire : « Après la défaite de Bill Crypto, Jeremy Johnson (Jean Crypte) retourna dans son repère pour mettre un plans. Après trois mois rester dans le sous-sol à Gravity Falls, Jeremy Johnson découvre un nouveau pouvoir, il à commencer à invoqué les personnages venue des univers des mangas. Malheureusement, il a invoqué accidentellement les héros et pas les méchants. Phineas et Ferb quant à eux, fabrique un acrobranche. Candice, comme d’habitude va essayer de montrer les inventions de ses frères à sa mère. Dipper Mabel et Dandinou retournèrent à Gravity Falls avec leur parent. Star et Marco combattirent les méchants sur terre. Jean se lit amitié avec Candice et Squeezie trouva un talisman. Georges et Rilley font la rencontre de Phineas et Ferb »

Comme de gemturtles, Super Smash Bros et Tekken 7, ce fanfic se déroule dans les univers réel et manga. Comme celle des mangas, il y aura des 5 ou 9 arcs. Ce fanfic est inspiré de Sonic forces et celle de la destruction comme Sonic 2006.

Comme dans Avengers: Infinity War, Podcast Jump Force sortira en deux parties (trois Arc en gros.)

Le premier arc est inconnue faudra attendre l’année 2019. On sait que le méchant sera pas Bill Crypto, mais un personnage qui va essayer de lui ramener à la vie.

Le deuxième arc c’est pareil.

Et le troisième sera donc un combat à la victoire d’un méchant. On ne sait pas qui mais, c’est trois arc sortira en 2019

Arc 1 : ? Arc 2 : ? Arc 3 : ?

Personnages principaux

Personnages Univers de DBZ

Gokü/Kakarotte : c’est le principal protagoniste des mangas Dragon Ball z. l’âge de Goku est inconnue il cependant un l’âge adulte. L’histoire de Goku est inconnue dans ce fanfic

Personnages Univers de Naruto Shippuden

Naruto Uzumaki : Il est le personnage principal du manga Naruto. Naruto est un adolescent âgé de 16 ans. L’histoire de Naruto est inconnue dans ce fanfic

Personnages Univers de One Piece

Monkey D. Luffy : Monkey D. Luffy, surnommé d'une manière récurrente Luffy au chapeau de paille, est un personnage de fiction et principal protagoniste de la franchise japonaise One Piece. Contrairement aux autres, Luffy n’est pas un ados mais un adulte âgé de 19 ans. Comme d’autres personnages des Manga, Luffy à une histoire un connue. On ignore comment il est arrivé dans le monde réel avec Goku et Naruto.

Personnages Univers de Death Note

Light Yagami :

Ryuk :

Personnages Univers de Bleach

Ichigo Kurosaki :

Rukia Kuchiki :

Aizen Sōsuke :

Personnages Univers de Phineas et Ferb

Phineas Flynn : Il sera le garçon de 11 ans que nous le connaissions. Au début, Phineas et son frère commencer à fabriqué un accrobranche dans le jardin. Comme dans la série original, Phineas son demi frere Ferb, Isabella, Baljeet, Buford, Marc, Rilley, Dipper, Mabel et les autres, doivent aider Goku et tous les autres personnages de manga à rentrer chez eux dans leur univers.

Ferb Fletecher : Il sera le garçon de 11 ans que nous le connaissions. Au début, Ferb et son frère commencer à fabriqué un accrobranche dans le jardin. Comme dans la série original, lui son demi frere Phineas, Isabella, Baljeet, Buford, Marc, Rilley, Dipper, Mabel et les autres, doivent aider Goku et tous les autres personnages de manga à rentrer chez eux dans leur univers.

Candice Flynn : comme dans la série originale, elle va essayer de montrer à sa mère les inventions de ses frères. Mais, elle n’arrive pas. Jean lui vin en l’aide pour essayer de les démasqué. Elle a 15 ans. Quand les personnages des univers des mangas arrivent dans son monde, elle pense que les personnages sont les inventions de ses frères.

Perry l’ornithorynque :

Personnages Univers d’Avengers

Tony Stark /Iron Man :

Bruce Banner/Hulk :

Thor :

Peter Parker / Spider-Man :

Personnages Univers de Youtube

Jean Christivoirien : Comme Candice, il à 15 ans il est le seul personnage masculin principal âgé de 15 ans. Il est fan de Mortal Kombat. Il se lie amitié de Candice Wendy et leurs amis.

Lucas Squeezie : Squeezie est un youtubeur âgé de 16 ans. Quand il rencontre les personnages des mangas, il les rejoint pour les aidé à rentrer chez eux (Jean et Alice excepté)

Marc Chrisitivoirien : le frère cadet de Jean âgé de 13 ans il aime bien les personnages manga comme Végéta et Zorro. Il aide Phineas et Ferb à envoyer les personnages de manga chez eux

Georges Dewitt : c’est un ados âgé de 14 ans comme Marco Diaz. Il s’est battre comme lui. Avec Candice, Wendy, Jean, Jeremy, Stacy et Robbie, il aide Star et Marc et les autres à sauvez Mewnie

Rilley Dewitt : il a 12 ans il aide les frères Flynn Fletcher à envoyer les personnages des mangas chez eux.

Personnages Univers de Gravity Falls

Dipper Pines : maintenant 13 ans, ses parents venait d’emménagé de Piedment à Gravity Falls. Dipper fait la rencontre de Phinéas et Ferb. Il aide les personnages des mangas à rentrer chez eux

Mabel Pines :

Mousse :

Wendy Corduroy : comme dans la série d’original il a 15 ans. Avec Candice, Georges, Jean, Jeremy, Stacy et Robbie, il aide Star et Marc et les autres à sauver Mewnie

Personnages Univers de Star Butterfly VS the Evil

Star Butterfly : elle est le personnage principal de cette série d'animation et la princesse de Miou . Enthousiaste, souriante et blonde aux yeux bleus, elle ne lâche rien et est toujours partante. Celle-ci part vivre chez les Diaz, le temps qu'elle apprenne à utiliser sa baguette. Elle ne maîtrise pas ses pouvoirs et ne sait pas encore qu'elle détient un énorme potentiel magique. Star se lie d'amitié avec Marco, Janna, Jackie plus ou moins et plusieurs autres sur Terre. Avec Candice, Wendy, Jean, Jeremy, Stacy et Robbie, Jackie, Janna et Star 13, elle sauve Mewnie

Marco Diaz : Marco est le meilleur ami de Star, personnage principal aussi. Il est quelquefois agacé par le comportement de Star qui est énergique, mais est content de l'avoir à ses côtés. Il est amoureux de Jackie Lynn Thomas depuis la maternelle, et n'a osé lui parler que depuis qu'il est avec Star. Malgré tout cela, Marco est courageux et peut accomplir de nombreuses choses par lui-même, y compris des Nachos. Marco pratique aussi du karaté au dojo, où il est souvent confronté à Jérémy. Il déteste Tom Lucitor la première fois qu'ils ont fait connaissance et quand il a voulu le tuer en gâchent sa tentative de lier son âme à celui de Star au bal de la lune rouge et se retrouve son âme lie à Star. Avec Candice, Wendy, Jean, Jeremy, Stacy et Robbie, Jackie, Janna et Star 13, Alfonso et Ferguson il sauve Mewnie

Personnages secondaires

Personnages Univers de Naruto Shippuden

Sasuke Uchiwa :

Personnages Univers de One Piece

Roronoa Zorro :

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newstfionline · 8 years ago

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Dire straits: Gibraltar faces Brexit chaos against its will

By Aritz Parra, AP, March 20, 2017

GIBRALTAR--All Antonio Molina has to do to cross the border into Gibraltar for work is wave an identity card, barely slowing his motorbike’s pace.

The Spanish delivery man’s job depends on the border being open, a fact that’s under threat as Britain leaves the European Union, dragging the overseas territory with it. Molina’s livelihood, like that of some 300,000 people who work in the region, is on the line.

“There is much fear because we don’t know what’s going to happen,” says the 46 year-old father of two, a Spanish citizen and resident who is applying for his first passport ever in case border controls become stricter. “We live in limbo; you hear one thing today and a different thing tomorrow.”

Britain has controlled the rocky speck of land for three centuries against Spain’s wishes. But being in the EU has meant the border has been open to the unlimited flow of workers, goods and money. That could end if Britain leaves the EU without retaining access to the bloc’s single market. And Spain could use the situation to press for greater control of the territory.

Gibraltar, which is barely twice the size of Central Park and home to 32,000 people, has thrived economically under Britain’s rule and open trade with Spain. Its low corporate taxes, business-friendly regulation and links to the EU market since 1973 have attracted investment. Tourists can often be seen taking selfies with the Barbary macaques, the only free-roaming monkeys in Europe, that live on the promontory known as The Rock. They can pay with pounds or euros.

With the prospect of losing easy access to Spain and the wider EU market, Gibraltar’s government says the territory is rebranding itself as a gateway for the U.K. and new markets in northern Africa just across the strait.

“It’s unfortunate. We don’t want to turn our backs to Europe, but those are the cards that we have been dealt and we have to play this hand the best as possible,” Fabian Picardo, the chief minister of Gibraltar, told The Associated Press.

It doesn’t matter that 96 percent of Gibraltarians voted to remain in the EU in last year’s referendum. Since then, pleas for a special deal that would allow Gibraltar to retain access to the EU single market and keep borders open have been blocked by Spain, which wants joint sovereignty of the territory.

Madrid’s proposal is to share foreign and defense matters with London, which keeps a strategic military presence in Gibraltar, in return for ample autonomy, investments and special tax conditions. Gibraltarians would be allowed to have a Spanish passport without having to renounce their British one.

Acknowledging such an agreement with Britain is unlikely, Spain is taking a tough line. Gibraltar has been the setting for diplomatic tensions between the two countries, including over fishing quotas, the handling of drug smuggling from North Africa and security matters, such as the killing of three IRA members by British forces in 1988.

Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis recently said that Madrid’s position remains that Britain’s control of Gibraltar “violates the territorial integrity of our country.”

Nobody expects Gibraltar’s border to be fully closed. But disruptions and queues--which already happen at times of diplomatic tensions between Britain and Spain--are a nightmare for workers and employers.

Molina’s boss, Redwood International general manager Danny Gabay, says his logistics business is already affected by increased border checks at customs. “Gibraltar is paying a price due to political situations, and obviously our businesses are in the front line,” he says.

Gabay’s office is in an airport terminal building that stops abruptly over the frontier fence, a powerful symbol of the lack of cooperation at the official level. The Spanish side never built a terminal on its side because Madrid considers the airstrip built on illegally occupied land.

That leaves the airport servicing flights linking only with destinations in Britain. And Spain has threatened to block the airport from getting EU air travel permits once Brexit happens.

European mediation has been key to solving past British-Spanish disputes over Gibraltar. But now, workers here feel like they’ll be an afterthought in Britain’s two-year negotiations with the EU.

Jesus Verdu, an international public law professor at the University of Cadiz, believes Gibraltar overall is well positioned to navigate uncharted waters. The biggest losers if Spain takes a hard line, he says, will be workers like Molina and others in the region around Gibraltar, where unemployment remains high and 25 percent of economic output is linked to jobs in Gibraltar or spending by Gibraltarians.

“There are so many things at stake that are essential both for the U.K. and for the EU that the issue of Gibraltar is being diluted and pushed right to the margins, and that is obviously a source of great concern for our region,” Verdu says.

#Brexit #Brexit and Gibraltar #Gibraltar #Spain-Gibraltar dispute

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newstfionline · 8 years ago

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As Brexit tremors ripple, the Rock of Gibraltar shudders

By Griff Witte, Washington Post, January 14, 2017

GIBRALTAR--When the apes disappear from the Rock of Gibraltar, the British will go, too.

So says a bit of local lore taken seriously enough that Winston Churchill ordered emergency primate reinforcements at the height of World War II, and residents of this fish-and-chips enclave in the land of flamenco pamper their simian neighbors with meticulous care and feeding.

Yet even as the colony of apes--tailless monkeys, really--thrives in its home at the top of the Rock, the 30,000 Britons who live at the foot of the soaring limestone monolith are feeling nervous.

They may not be going anywhere. But thanks to Brexit, Gibraltar is about to leave the European Union--giving Spain new impetus in its centuries-long quest to retake control of this strategically vital and economically prosperous territory, Britain’s sole continental outpost.

To residents--who take their Britishness seriously--Spain’s suggestions that Gibraltar could be cut off from the rest of Europe unless it accepts at least partial Spanish sovereignty represent a serious threat.

Gibraltar, they say, embodies the European ideal of shared prosperity through cross-border trade and movement. But as European bonds fray, those living there worry that the coupling of Brexit with Spanish threats could return Gibraltar to a painful past.

“Instead of feeding the goose that lays the golden egg, Spain is trying to kill it,” said Ernest “Tito” Vallejo Smith, a retired military man, local historian and tour guide. “We don’t know what’s going to happen. We’re stuck in limbo.”

In that respect, Gibraltar has company. Since Britain’s stunning vote in June to exit the E.U., the country has been locked in suspended animation, awaiting the outcome of negotiations that will reshape virtually every aspect of its relationship with its European neighbors.

As Gibraltar’s predicament shows, untangling Britain from the E.U. will not be easy. With the negotiations expected to begin this spring, British Prime Minister Theresa May has vowed that she will deliver results to a population demanding liberation from the Brussels bureaucracy and, in particular, greater freedom to limit immigration into Britain.

But she also will have to defend British financial interests, which are heavily intertwined with the E.U. And she will need to look out for each of the United Kingdom’s component parts, some of which--Scotland, Northern Ireland and Gibraltar included--voted against Brexit.

Meanwhile, European negotiators will seek to use every bit of leverage to drive a hard bargain with their soon-to-be-former E.U. ally, and to dissuade other wavering members from a rush to the exits.

The negotiations, due to last two years, could leave tiny Gibraltar especially vulnerable. Its residents know this well, and it helps to explain why 96 percent of Gibraltarians who voted in the June referendum opted for “remain.”

Unlike its rainy island motherland some 1,000 miles to the north, sun-splashed Gibraltar relies on daily movement and trade across a European border to supply nearly half of its workforce and the vast majority of its resources. And the country that controls that border is Spain--which gave Gibraltar away to Britain in a peace treaty more than 300 years ago, and has wanted it back ever since.

With the Brexit vote, Spanish officials seemed to think their moment had finally come. Within hours of the result, then-Foreign Minister José García-Margallo declared that the time to plant “the Spanish flag on the Rock” was close at-hand.

Last fall, Spain took its case to the United Nations, arguing that Britain’s hold on Gibraltar represented an outdated relic of colonialism.

Spain’s position has slightly softened in recent weeks, with the country’s new foreign minister acknowledging that Spain has little hope of regaining control as long as the U.K. government and Gibraltar authorities refuse to budge. But he also suggested there will be consequences for Gibraltarians to a spurned Spanish offer of co-sovereignty.

“They have a right to get left out of the E.U., if that’s what they want,” Alfonso Dasits told the Spanish newspaper El Pais. “But if Gibraltar wants a relationship with the E.U., it will have to go through us.”

To longtime residents, the implication is so clear it doesn’t even need to be stated. With Britain and Gibraltar out of the E.U., Spain could decide to sharply limit movement at the border, choking off the territory’s thriving economy, which is built on financial services, online gaming and e-commerce.

Most people here don’t think Spanish authorities would actually go that far. But as residents know from bitter experience, it has been done before.

“Never underestimate the lengths that the Spanish government will go to to damage Gibraltar,” said Edward Macquisten, chief executive of the Gibraltar Chamber of Commerce. “That’s the lesson of our history.”

Indeed, “steady as Gibraltar” may be a familiar phrase worldwide. But through millennia of war, siege and disputed control, this place has rarely been placid.

Its location--a peninsula jutting into the Mediterranean, with clear views of the African and European coasts plus the 9-mile strait that bears Gibraltar’s name--has made it an incomparable military prize. The Rock itself is a natural fortress, its sheer walls deterring all but the most dogged invaders.

But the same factors that made Gibraltar so coveted have also made it the object of frequent battles, as the tunnels, cannon batteries and pockmarked stone walls that litter the verdant Rock can attest.

With only one road in and out, Gibraltar is also highly vulnerable to siege. In 1969, Spain’s then-dictator, Francisco Franco, took advantage of that weakness, abruptly closing the border. The territory was cut off from supplies and deprived of workers. Families divided by the separation were forced to shout news of births and deaths across a fence, their words dying in the sea wind on particularly blustery days.

The border didn’t fully reopen for 16 years, creating a bitter and lasting memory.

“We don’t want to go back to a situation of history revisiting itself,” said Jennifer Ballantine, director of the Gibraltar Garrison Library. “It was painful enough the first time.”

Gibraltar’s chief minister, Fabian Picardo, insists that’s not going to happen--and neither is any form of Spanish sovereignty, an idea Gibraltarians emphatically rejected in a 2002 referendum.

“The people of France are French, the people of Germany are German and the people of Gibraltar are British,” Picardo said in an interview in his handsome offices off Gibraltar’s Main Street, which is lined with fruit-laden orange trees and red postal boxes bearing the seal of the Queen.

Britain’s vote for Brexit, Picardo said, was a moment of “deep sorrow” in Gibraltar--both because residents are committed Europeans and because they knew it would give Spain leverage.

But now that the U.K. has made its choice, he said, it is vital for the territory to retain access to the single European market and fluid movement for the 12,000 workers who cross the border daily. He said Britain’s government will fight for both.

“I have absolutely no doubt that London understands how important those issues are for Gibraltar and for the United Kingdom,” he said.

British officials have, for their part, insisted they won’t back down to Spanish demands. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson did so in typically colorful fashion, saying Britain would maintain “an implacable, marmoreal and rock-like resistance” to any effort to weaken U.K. control over Gibraltar.

But even so, Gibraltar’s plucky residents are girding themselves for possible hard times ahead. The monkeys--Europe’s only free-range colony--are here to stay, and so are the British. That doesn’t mean life won’t get rough.

“The Gibraltarian is a born survivor. We’ve been through sieges, through wars, through all kinds of bad times,” said Vallejo Smith, the tour guide, historian and lifelong resident who at 68 speaks from personal experience. “But somehow, we always manage to come out afloat.”

#Gibraltar #Spain-Gibraltar dispute #Brexit

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