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stay-midnight · 4 years ago

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Royals. I

Hyunjin x Male Reader

(Late Hyunjin Day Special)

a/n: Look at me and my late ass post again 💀, Anyways, this would be split up into two or tbree parts cause it’s gonna be a bit long than my other fics. So enjoy this for now 🤧 Smut would be on the second part which would be posted in a week or two (No promises though cuz 🤡)

Things to note: Royal AU!, Insult Fight, Implied Changsung (BinxSung), All of skz is here/mentioned, Implied Hookups, TXT is mentioned, Y/N’s a bit of a dick, Hyunjin is barely mentioned here yet, Minho is also a bit of dick, flirty Minho, Minho and Y/N tension, maybe some Seungmin x Y/N here and there too-. Prince! Felix, Jeongin, Changbin, Jisung, Hyunjin, Seungmin, Y/N and Knights! Minho and Chan. Y/N’s last name here is "Hyangsu"

W.C - 2.9K

A prince of the Hwang Kingdom is having their 21st birthday and you were invited, you were a bit salty about this since you really just wanted to relax after these past weeks of taking different lessons from your oh-so-called studious teacher.

As a prince of Hyangsu Kingdom, you were called to attend the Hwang Prince’s birthday ball, and attending this party was of your at most displeasure since you just wanted to have a relaxing break from your studies.

It was a 21st birthday after all, the age where you’re supposed to find a possible suitor and you just didn’t want to see girls fawning over someone.

You sighed in annoyance as your butler comes rushing with different clothes from your wardrobe, ranging from the royal-tailored attire, elegant clothing to a more casual one.

“Just pick me something that looks presentable as Prince, please.” you mumble to him as you glared him down causing him to tremble at your passive-aggressive tone.

You didn’t even know why they’re so serious about this, you’ve went to many royal banquet and events before, and none of them have ever got your parents or workers so.... worked up.

Is it because the Hwang Kingdom was one of the most powerful in the continent? You wanted to scoff at that thought but you may not be wrong.

In the end of playing a game of picking clothes with your butler, he picked a white suit with gold lines tattered over it, it had a gold plating at the shoulder, a red silk belt matching with the red silk long half-blouse, and white pants accompanied by white boots with a red sole.

After getting dressed you walked down to the lounge, waiting for the caravan to arrive.

You were a bit rude and snappy to people, you hated if they interrupted you one bit, not to mention you were sarcastic and people find it hard to win arguments about you. The only things people really liked about you are your looks and brains, you actually had a brain, unlike those snobby rich prince and princesses — who thinks they own the whole world, and the only aspect that are important to them are looks and money.

You sigh as you wait for the royal caravan to arrive.

. . . .

After minutes and minutes of waiting, “Sire?! The caravan is here, the carriage you are going to stay in is ready outside the palace gates.” your butler said fast, fixing his tie and cleaning his monocle afterwards.

You nodded and stood up to walk over to the gates, without command or words exchanged — the guards opened it as soon as they saw you walk down the path. Bowing respectfully at your presence which you answered with a simple “Thank you.”

You hum at the sight of the royal carriage — colored white with intricate designs and patterns made with real gold and of course, the family crest at the side of it.

A knight in a silver suddenly came out of the royal carriage, removing his helmet and smiling as he waved at you.

You let out a small smile back to him, Ah, the one and only Lee Minho, “Minho.” you spoke, reaching out to shake his hand, to which he gladly obliged.

“Y/N. Always a pleasure to see the prince. Well, if you were a bit more excited about this.” He teased, letting out a few snorts. Petting your head while constantly laughing amusedly.

“I’ll stick a fork in your eye one of these days, you stupid knight.” You gave him a death glare as a warning.

“Ah, Prince, you’re so kind~” he grinned, winking at you too, you rolled your eyes at his behaviour. He was always like this, flirty and sometimes egotistic. You didn’t mind it though since he is an amazing duelist and mentor. He isn’t a King’s guard for no reason.

But one day, his cocky attitude is gonna bite him in the ass.

You grumbled and moved forward to the royal carriage, “Lino, you should move, we can’t be late remember?” You tsked, giving Minho a smirk.

“Whatever.” He spoke up in an sassy tone, you snorted at him, to which he glared at you.

He entered inside the carriage, with you slowly following right after.

After entering inside, you sat down at one side while Minho sat near you. It was spacious inside as expected and a small window was also in place.

You had no interest in staying awake for 3 hours during the ride so you decided to take a nap.

“You could use my shoulder, you know?” He teased, patting his shoulder while smirking at you.

“Shut up.” you mumble as you shifted a bit so your head could rest more comfortably against the wall.

As much as you wanted to just sleep laying down at the long couch-like thingy where you’re sat at, you can’t because this stupid knight is watching you.

And the last thing you want is him, teasing you for being less than ‘formal’.

Slowly, the sounds around you seem to deafen itself out causing you to relax your shoulders and fall asleep regardless whether Minho is there watching your every move.

Opening your eyes as you felt someone poke your cheek, your eyes drifted slowly to the side. You were eye to eye with the knight, faces inches apart.

Your recently droopy eyes from sleeping — shot open in panic, “W-What are you doing!” you stuttered, leaning back from him which made him grin.

“We’re at the city, prince~” He pets your hair, running his hand through it softly.

You glowered and slapped his hand away, “Ugh, keep your hands to yourself, Lino.” you tried to glare the knight down.

“Ah, Feisty.” he smiled back at you to which you responded with a scowl making him laugh loudly.

“No need to be so aggressive~” Minho winked making you just look away and give up, you ignored him and looked out through the window, finding the surrounding endearing.

The loud chattering from the outside is muffled by the walls of the carriage, from at first glance, this was a very happy city.

It has a warm and vibrant tone to it.

. . .

The carriage comes to a sudden halt after riding in what seems to be a hill due to how it felt riding it earlier, the ground was sloped upwards.

The coachman driving the carriage suddenly spoke up, “We’re here, sire.” he spoke up, muffled by the wooden walls but you caught it.

With a sigh, you opened the door and slowly stepped down — your eyes widening at the sight of the towering castle.

It had a wonderful structure, the stone bricks perfectly fit into one another and of course the Hwang family crest adorned the flags that were raised.

Your kingdom’s castle was in no means small but it pales in comparison to that.

Looking around at the surroundings, you saw that a lot of royals were around, some you recognized and some that you had no idea where they came from.

You looked far and noticed the view of the capital at the city which you saw while taking a ride.

“...Prince Y/N.” After getting lost in a little bubble after staring at the refreshing view, Minho was nudging your shoulder.

“Hm? What is it?” you said, looking at him with raised eyebrows as you fixed the tie of your suit.

He rolled his eyes, “Did you even hear what I said?” he glared, tapping his foot on the ground multiple times.

“Would I be asking you if I did?” you shot back, clicking your tongue in annoyance as you waited for his answer.

He groaned at your attitude, “You have to sign up to enter the castle. Lose the attitude too, prince.” he said in a careless tone, looking at you with his icy glare.

“Who are you to talk like that to me, knight..?” you scowled at him as you stood your ground firmly.

What was happening now was in contrast to earlier, this was a more serious battle between you and Minho. These were times were usually one of the houseworkers back at your kingdom, steps in to stop both of you and succeeded most of the time.

To be honest though, this fight shouldn't escalate at all.

. . .

From the distance though, someone was watching both of you in amusement, “The party hasn’t even started and they’re bickering all ready.”

“Chan if you could stop them, please?” The man with long black hair commanded to the person next to him.

The knight fixed his posture and nodded, “Of course, my prince.”

“You can call me by my name, you know? We’ve been friends for a long time.” the long-haired man chuckled.

“Still need to use honorifics, sire.” the shorter smiled at the taller before leaving to stop the heated glare-down and exchange of insults at the entrance.

He took one last glance at the royal that was bickering with a knight, finding him amusing but at the same time, he found him interesting.

“Might need to keep an eye on that one.” he hummed to himself before going back inside the castle.

. . .

Minho just recently called you a brat and undeserving of being called a prince of your kingdom, he even mentioned your brother, the crown prince — next in line to the throne — he says of how your brother is just better than you in every way. This sends a devastating pang to your heart as this was not only hurtful to your pride but in a way, he also disregards all your hard work.

“Fuck you. You have no rights to tell me this. You are not my brother nor my parents. You are merely a fucking knight!” you said, shouting the last part.

Your own eyes are tinted with anger, wanting to choke the life out of your escorting knight.

“What, isn’t what all I said was t—”

An applaud was heard from the near distance, cutting Lino off and causing your head to turn to the source of sound.

The man with the curly locks and a pretty face bowed to your direction, “The opening ceremony of the party is starting soon, Prince Hyangsu Y/N. I suggest you sign the guest book and head on inside.” he smiles at you, dimples shown causing you go soften your look.

“While you,” he said sighing after, pointing to Minho with a finger.

“...Fellow knight, let’s chit chat for a bit.” he coughed and grabbed Minho’s hand — dragging him away despites the struggling knight's protest.

You looked around and noticed some of the royals still outside, staring at you with a hint of disappointment probably because of your fight with Minho.

You grumbled, annoyed and angry at the disrespectful knight — you'll most likely have to talk with Minho after this god-forsaken party.

. . .

A yawn almost slipped out of your mouth as the host of the party or ball, at this point you question which is it. The speech lacked any entertainment of the sorts causing you to just listen with half-lidded eyes.

Then came the introduction of the Prince that is having their born day.

A tall man suddenly came out of the curtains, aura filled with confidence and pride, gleaming and filling the room. You inspected his face and not gonna lie, he was indeed pretty, prettier than most princes you have seen — Long black locks neatly tied up in a ponytail, alluring eyes, thick and kissable li— You snapped out of your little bubble after noticing that you were checking the Hwang, this is not good.

You turned away from the center of attention and looked for your small group of friends but felt as if someone was boring holes into your skull.

Turning back, only to see no one staring at you but instead just the continuous blah blah blah’s by the Hwang Prince.

Sighing, you continue to scout the palace room for any signs of a certain fox-eyed brat, someone who dressed too dark and a ray of sunshine.

You clicked your tongue in annoyance when you still haven’t spotted the trio.

. . .

The Prince finally stopped talking and just announced that the dance will start in about an hour, giving his guests — free time to converse with one another.

After going through a sea of screaming princesses that want to marry him, you sighed in relief and just wished to leave this place. That is, until you finally caught a glimpse of a familiar royal. Finally.

You poked the shoulder of the foxy prince which startled him, almost causing him to spill his red drink over his royal wear. “God, Y/N, couldn’t you just approach me like a normal person.” he tutted.

Then returned his dimpled smile, he hugged you with one hand unable to engulf with his arms due to the drink he was holding.

“I thought you didn’t go to this clownfest.” you sighed, your words having a sarcastic tone.

“Me? Yang Jeongin wouldn’t miss a ball, especially one that is hosted by one of the richest kingdoms.” he laughed, taking a sip of his drink.

“Is that wine or juice? Also, why are you talking in third person?” you stared at him with confusion.

“This is red water.” he sassed mockingly causing you to roll your eyes and flick his forehead a bit too hard with your index finger.

“Ow!” Jeongin squinted his eyes at you.

He pulls on your ear at payback which you took easily before yawning and looking at the clock impatiently. You wanted to return home and sleep, and also give Minho a lecture.

“Where’s Bin and Lix?” you piped up before taking a seat at the small seat near a pillar, curiously scouting the again for signs of them.

He sighed and sat down right next to you, “Felix-hyung is hunting for more exotic food, since he liked the Shark meat a bit too much and well...” he trailed off, taking a sip of his drink and clearing his throat.

“Bin-hyung is getting flirted slash hitted on again by Prince Jisung of the Han Kingdom. I thought the he already gave up but nope. He still pursuing the Bin booty.” Jeongin chuckled, calling over a roaming waiter for a refill to which the worker happily obliged

You laughed at that since Han has been shooting hearts at Changbin for a long time and always had flirted with him at different parties. Changbin had always rejected his advances though.

“Also they sent a new representative from the Kim kingdom. I’ve never seen him before. Looks cute though, might be your type.” Jeongin said, nudging your shoulders and pointing at a specific direction. Your eyes raked over the prince’s form, charming and handsome but at the same time cute — He was leaning back at the wall, also drinking something.

You grumbled though, this is once again Jeongin trying to hook you up with someone again. It didn’t end well last time — The last prince, Jeongin hooked you up was Prince Yeonjun — All he wanted was sex though, causing you to immediately cut off ties with said prince, leaving a bit heartbroken at that since he only said that he wanted sex after you already spent the night together.

“Not this again, Innie.” you tsked, crossing your arms around your chest.

“Come onnn~.. I thought Yeonjun liked you a lot, he stared at you a lot during Taehyun’s party” Jeongin mumbles since he knows, that you don't like fooling around with people who didn’t even have a single interest on being on an actual relationship.

He felt bad matching you up with him, since he thought that was time you actually would get out of the singles’ list.

He nudged you and tilted his head to the Kim prince’s direction, “He’s walking over here.”

Your head immediately snapped to him, “Did he notice me staring at him earlier?!” you whispered nervously.

He raised his shoulders as he doesn’t know but you could already hear his evil mind spouting not-so-good ideas when he let out a grim grin.

“Well.....~ Y/N, I have to go find Felix, I kinda wanna try the shark meat, Ok byeeeee~” he said as if he was in a rush but this was just a part of his scheme.

“Jeongin, wait, don’t lea—” You couldn’t even finish your sentence before he was out of sight, the man was already extremely near you, his eyes never leaving your own.

You gulp, not knowing what to do in this situation.

In a mere second, you were face to face with the unfamiliar prince. He looked down at you with a emotionless face before sitting down next to you.

“My name is Kim Seungmin, yours?” He spoke with a honey-laced voice crossing his legs as he looked at you with curious eyes.

A smirk was starting to form at the corner of his lips before you opened your mouth to speak.

But nothing came out

He was attractive but he had soft features and an aura that resonates well with his features. He had this cute puppy-look to him but by that smirk he isn’t all that rainbows and sunshines.

Now, this is totally not good.

Little did Y/N know someone was watching this interaction in the distance, a prince than seems to be allured to you ever since he saw you within the crowd. He doesn't seem happy though~

~ tbc

#kpop x male reader #stray kids x male reader #hyunjin x male reader #male reader #lgbtq #skz #hwang hyunjin #skz fics #skz imagines #skz scenarios #skz aus #royal skz #kpop scenarios

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skeptic-roach · 4 years ago

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my 2D headcanons!!

this man is the sweetest mf ever i’m telling y’all i’m so in love with him

-i will die on the hill that is trans 2D. he started testosterone pre phase one and got top surgery between phases one and two

-due to his mom being a nurse and him having a pretty thick medical history, he's really good when it comes to taking care of medical related things. he always seems to know what to do when someone is sick no matter what the cause is

-this man will go on for HOURS about his special interests and it's adorable because his eyes light up and he talks with his hands a LOT

-i said ace was real touchy feely and stuart is on the same level. this man thrives on physical affection. these two are the clingiest mfs on the planet which worked out wonderfully when ace was in the band because they were constantly hanging off of each other. movie nights? they were cuddled up together. casually sitting at a table together? one of them had their feet in the others lap. ace would let him braid his hair and stu would tell him stories about doing noodles hair when she was little

-he and ace are arcade masters, do not expect ANYTHING if you're with them and they're playing seriously. he will let someone win if they seem bummed out abt losing to much tho and he will totally spend his tickets to get cute things for his friends

-when he gets nervous or distracted, he'll fidget with literally anything in reach, so the band will buy him fidget toys every now and then if he loses them. he draws little doodles on his page corners and chews on his pens/pencils

-he chews on a lot of stuff actually, like draw strings and his sweater sleeves and especially drink straws. sometimes he'll gnaw of his cigarettes if he zones out. he can't cook that well but he still tries sometimes and he actually makes a really good full english (i feel like it would be a bit blasphemous if he couldn’t)

-stuart '2D' harold pot, aka king of leaving dirty dishes and laundry everywhere. his room is full of empty tea cups and dirty plates and half drank water bottles. he leaves his dirty clothes on the bathroom floor after showers

-sticky notes. everywhere. he makes notes to remember something then forgets he made the note in the first place and every empty space on his desk is covered with them

-he LOVES small creatures, especially bugs. he used to leave his window open all day in the hopes that a bug or bird would come in and he'd get to watch it fly around but after an unfortunate bird poop accident with a rather feisty pigeon, he has since stopped doing this

-stu really likes little house plants but he's kinda shit at taking care of them so one year noodle got him a low maintenance succulent and he was over the fucking moon, about it he was so happy

-stuart loves to tinker with literally anything. he'll go out of his way to buy household appliances he doesn't need just so he can take them and put them back together, he loves seeing how things fit together and work

-he sleeps curled up in a little ball and he always hugs something in his sleep it's very adorable

-he may always be cast as the empty headed soft boy but homie is actually wicked smart, he just forgets things a lot and has some trouble processing things sometimes. he CANONICALLY has a law degree hello??? that shit takes brain power. he knows at least a little bit abt a lot, he knows a lot abt his special interests, and he’s always willing to learn something new

-he gets mad whenever he thinks abt when fidget spinners/cubes got really popular and banned from most schools because he knows they're really helpful and it annoys him to no end that neurotypicals ruined it for people who need them to help them focus

-any time he's concentrating on something, his tongue pokes out a little bit and he's usually got a hand in his hair playing with it if he isn't using both of them

-stu gives great massages. it's a perk of having big pianist hands. however he's always worried he's pressing too hard so he's really apprehensive until he knows the person he's massaging is comfy

-he loves funky socks (this is more canon than hc but shut up) anytime he goes anywhere that sells eccentric socks he'll buy at least three pairs he doesn't have. the band always gets him new ones for his birthday n shit too

-ever the avid gamer, he always keeps tabs on gaming news. he's totally a playstation main. his favorite console of all time is the ps2 and the switch is his close second. he doesn't mind pc gaming but he isn't best at it

-he can get very philosophical and loves late night talks about life and it's meaning. he loves watching russ do taxidermy projects as well. he gets a bit sad thinking abt how the animals are dead but he finds it a tiny bit comforting watching russel turn them into art

-so we know 2D canonically smells like butterscotch already but also,,, the lingering scent of percription medication. this man smells like werthers original and a pharmacy at the same time and i think that's great. with the added bit of stale cigarettes ofc

#headcanons #2D #gorillaz #this will be updated later #fixed the last one since i just saw the interview where it's stated he smells like butterscotch angel delight #which i think is fucking wonderful

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anhed-nia · 4 years ago

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BLOGTOBER 10/4/2020: SOCIETY

Without having a survey to back me up, I feel comfortable asserting that as a horror fan, you go through different phases with SOCIETY. It’s a basic fact of life, and yet it morphs and mutates underneath you, shocking you anew just when you think you’ve got a grip on it. You never forget your first time, because there is simply nothing like it. Then, after you get over the initial shock of its patented brand of body horror, you start to take it for granted; it's so broad and monolithic that it becomes something like the Grand Canyon--when it’s not right there in front of you, you begin to experience it more iconically, as part of the wallpaper of existence, rather than an in-your-face confrontation with the limits of experience. Then, you revisit it every few years (or months, depending on what sort of person you are), and the prophylactic layer that your brain has wrapped around your memories of it--the one that allows you to think of SOCIETY as a fun, wacky cheap thrill--begins to crumble, and you realize all over again how iconoclastically vile it is. Wherever you happen to be at, with this inimitable genre landmark, you'd be hard pressed to deny that it earns its royal status among horror movies, just for being so uniquely fucked up.

Filmmaker Brian Yuzna is best known as the co-creator of the indispensable RE-ANIMATOR (or as the co-writer of HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS...depending on what sort of person you are, again), itself a milestone achievement in the blending of sex and gore that so characterized '80s horror production. That film clearly brought out the best in Yuzna and frequent collaborator Stuart Gordon (also of HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS fame...among other things), but it's interesting to see how they operate apart, to understand the unique ingredients that each filmmaker brought to the more perfect union of their classic Lovecraft adaptation. Gordon skewed darker and more intellectual, as evidenced by the end of his career with the shattering mob thriller KING OF THE ANTS, the disturbing true crime drama STUCK, and the Mamet-penned EDMOND. Yuzna, for his part, is almost anti-intellectual, preferring to cook up blackly comic, semi-pornographic nightmares like his two increasingly horny RE-ANIMATOR sequels, the terminal S&M fantasy RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD 3, and the shamelessly hokey comic book adaptation FAUST: LOVE OF THE DAMNED. Yuzna's lack of shame is really his defining feature as an artist, and nowhere is this more obvious than in his directorial debut and signature masterpiece, SOCIETY.

Salvador Dali's "The Great Masturbator," a chief visual inspiration for SOCIETY.

Yuzna was able to leverage the success of RE-ANIMATOR to lock in two directorial opportunities, BRIDE OF RE-ANIMATOR, and a bizarre body horror exercise about a Beverly Hills orphan who discovers that not only are his adoptive family from a different bloodline, but they're not even from the same species. That both pictures employed the writing team of Woody Keith and Rick Fry gives you a little taste of what to expect from SOCIETY, but to be frank, the latter threatens to make the former look like a very special episode of ER; "overkill" barely begins to describe SOCIETY’s ambitious assault on the human body. In a recent interview, the philipino-american director giggles perversely, "I think my friends were a little embarrassed for me (when they saw SOCIETY)," and this sound bite reminded me that the last, most important ingredient that Yuzna contributes to any project is unabashed joy. It's a little hard to imagine stomaching SOCIETY without it.

In this unusual scene from the class struggle in Beverly Hills, Billy Warlock (son of HALLOWEEN 2's Michael Myers, Dick Warlock) plays Bill Whitney, a rich, handsome, athletic high school student with a heavy duty anxiety disorder. Although he appears to have it all, he is plagued by nightmares and hallucinations, reflecting suspicions that the family that spoils him is also out to get him. Perhaps this is all understandable, though. Bill is under a lot of pressure these days, with his parents devoting all of their attention to his sister's coming out party, and his narcissistic girlfriend pushing him to ingratiate himself to the assholes higher up the social ladder; it's enough to make any teenager feel alienated and insecure. But, do these garden variety anxieties account for his visions of his sister's body deforming itself unnaturally, or the dubious evidence he finds that her debutante ball involves incestuous orgies and human sacrifice? Is Bill simply crumbling under the strain of societal expectations, or is the friction with his shrink, his parents, and his peers all symptomatic of an elaborate plot against him by elites who are truly less than human?

I can’t believe they use this cheapo blanket trick MORE THAN ONCE in a movie that is famous for its unforgettable special effects, and I guess I kind of love it.

In case I haven't made the answer abundantly obvious, I'll add that while SOCIETY is the purest expression of Yuzna-ness on the market, it has an important co-author in Screaming Mad George. The eccentric japanese FX master, whose name is apparently an amalgamation of Mad Magazine, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, and...George, has produced some of horror's most outrageous makeup and visual effects, mostly for Yuzna, many of them in SOCIETY. If you've seen even a trailer for Alex Winter's 1993 oddity FREAKED--which is itself a grossout criticism of American social standards--then you are already familiar with SMG's trademark style. He specializes in twisted perversions of the human form that would make a cenobite blush, driven by a penchant for puns, and influenced equally by THE THING's Rob Botin, and Big Daddy Roth’s Rat Fink style. Screaming Mad George is instrumental in articulating Yuzna's premise: that behind the shimmering veneer of success and sophistication, the upper class are just a bunch of degenerates, who literally degenerate into something unimaginable behind closed doors. It's impossible to imagine SOCIETY without his sinuous, slithering monstrosities, or his indescribable realization of their most important social event, "the shunt".

One of many great images from a zine I wish I owned, on SMG’s Facebook page.

It's easy to get overwhelmed by SOCIETY's visual impact, but its message is just as potent now as it was at the end of the Reagan era: Rich people are not only different from the rest of us, but in fact, they aren't even human. Writers Keith and Fry make an interesting choice of hero to help put this across. A lazier writer would have selected any archetype from the Freaks and Geeks set to create an easy Us vs Them tension, but SOCIETY is led by a promising young man who, for reasons he himself does not yet understand, is just not "the right kind of people". Bill appears to have every advantage in life, including a level of popularity that wins him presidency of the debate team despite his nerdier rival’s superior prowess--and yet, he suffers from a stigmatizing psychiatric disorder that is the natural result of feeling indefinably different from one's peers, and intuiting that, as a consequence, they don't even really like you. The shallow jock with deep-seated emotional problems is a much more interesting protagonist for this kind of social allegory than the charismatic outcasts that you get in movies like THE FACULTY and DISTURBING BEHAVIOR, for whom the idea that the elites could be aliens is just de rigueur.

It's worth noting that this complexity of character extends to Bill's love interest, sympathetic society girl Clarissa Carlyn (Playboy Playmate Devin DeVasquez). At first, she seems villainously eager to introduce Bill to the many splendors of "the shunting", but as the plot against him mounts to its horrifying conclusion, she defects. There appears to be a reason for this, although honestly, this is the most difficult part of SOCIETY for me to wrap my head around. Clarissa lives as an essentially independent adult, only burdened by her mother (Pamela Matheson), a possibly brain damaged hulk who lurks in and out of various scenes just to be disturbing, always announced by some toots on a tuba, before eventually siding with our heroes. I'm really not sure what's supposed to be going on in this part of the movie, except that this character contributes to a number of distasteful jokes. But, I hold on to the idea that by virtue of whatever disorder Mrs. Carlyn suffers from, she serves the purpose of priming Clarissa to rebel, since her very existence makes her daughter something of a societal outcast herself. That's the best I can do.

In any case, everyone working on SOCIETY commits completely, with Mrs. Carlyn being no exception. The movie's climactic orgy of the damned is an all hands on deck operation, just as reliant on Screaming Mad George's artistic abilities as it is on the actors' responsibility to make you believe that this fucked up shit is really happening. There's a visceral patina of sleaze spread over the entire film, dripping from the way that characters talk to and touch each other, flirting and flaunting their bodies in a distinctly unseemly fashion, even when it stays within the realm of mundane reality. This constant sinister, insinuating attitude on the part of the whole cast lays the foundation for what is to come, and while I appreciate everybody's hard work, my favorite performance is from an actor who only comes in at the very end: David Wiley as society king Judge Carter. Wiley's career consisted almost exclusively of the most ordinary sort of television work, which makes his outrageous turn in this alien porno flick all the more respectable. While other characters transition from suspicious pod people to full-on mutated perverts, Judge Carter has to show up just for the finale, establish his authority, rip off his clothes, and plunge straight into a sea of slime, happily fisting his way through the cast. Wiley meets this challenge with aplomb, making of himself a hybrid of Robert Englund and Gene Hackman, perfectly embodying the movie's joyful absurdity, and never betraying the slightest hint of embarrassment.

SOCIETY is very much a don't-look-down type of endeavor, a fairy that could expire at the slightest lapse in faith. There's a visual pun in the last act that's so gross, so offensive, so frankly idiotic, that I don't have the courage to describe it; my whole body tenses up when I know this scene is coming, as if it were the meat hook scene in TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE or the brutal rape in the middle of SHOWGIRLS. I don't like it, but at the same time, I respect Yuzna's unhesitating commitment to show it to me, and I think that actor Charles Lucia should get some kind of award for shouldering the burden so valiantly. SOCIETY is a daring movie in the truest sense, a film with more balls than brains, and in this it exposes the limitation of intelligence and taste, and the real need for pure transgression, in producing art of any real value. You might argue with me about whether Yuzna's masturbatory magnum opus really qualifies as art, but to respond to that, I'll quote the great transgressor Alejandro Jodorowsky: "If you are great, EL TOPO is a great picture. If you are limited, EL TOPO is limited." So stick that in your shunt and smoke it.

youtube

PS Here, have this stuck in your head for the rest of your life.

#blogtober #2020 #society #brian yuzna #screaming mad george #woody keith #rick fry #billy warlock #Keith Walley #devin devasquez #david wiley #horror #black comedy #satire #body horror #social criticism

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supertweetycherry · 5 years ago

Text

DIE HARD || [iv. Girl Talks and Boys]

—Pairings: BTS x OC

—Genre: BTS Mafia Au, Slight Fluff, Angst (a lot of it), Heartbreak, Thriller

—Ratings: 18+ | MA Content | R

—Warnings: Abuse, Rude Behaviour, Fighting, Blood, Death, Weapons/Blades and Mentions of Sex, Mentions of Killing.

—Summary: She belong to them. They belong to her. It’s simple as that. Period.

—Word Count: 7k

Navigations -> Masterlist || MASTERPOST <<Part 2 || Part 4>>

Chapter 3 - Girl Talks and Boys

“—the local law enforcements in South Korea are still working on the case of the famous murder mystery of the Lee Enterprise executive director, Jung Jae-hee. The case has become a global interest as it is related to the world’s most dangerous and notorious gang of the decade. Tweets, news articles and unseen videos are being surfaced around the web, with ‘Bangtan’ trending on social media. It is being speculated that the notorious group of viscous killers are residing here in America, causing fear and a state-wide panic around the country. The United States government has yet to say anything official about the rumors. Till then, the focus has been shifted onto the murder case and the increasing mafia activities in South Korea—”

Yoona hummed to herself as she sipped onto her herbal tea for the tenth time in the past hour. Her small fingers cupping the warm cup as her ears continued to pick up the words of the nearest news channels playing in the large cafeteria.

It has been few days since the actual incident and people are still continuing to hear the old, recycled news over and over again. The amount of channels covering this piece of segment for the last few days has left a large gaping hole in Yoona’s ears. She was sick, tired and exhausted of it.

Yes, a murder happened in her home country.

Yes, the victim was her former boss.

And yes, the culprits might be the worldwide famous gang called ‘Bangtan’. A native Korean gang who had appeared out of nowhere.

So what? Deal with it!

Yoona sighed loudly as she buried her face into her arms. Her ears picked up the change in the news reporter’s voice. It seemed more feminine now. Pulling her head up a bit, she glanced at the large TV as a new segment rolled in.

“—moving on, the three-day search for the two college girls in Beverly Hills has now come to an end as the local authorities here in the downtown Los Angeles, discovered a series of dead bodies in the Chinatown district of the city. A total of five girls were found, dead and tortured, with their vital organs missing from their bodies. Two of those bodies matched the description of the two missing girls while others are still unaccounted for. The bodies have started to decompose suggesting that they’ve been dead for quite a while before a citizen of Chinatown found them in a ditch near his area—”

The 26 year old groaned and rubbed her ears in frustration as the segment ate her brain up, again. She dipped her head back into her arms, pushing the warm beverage away from her fingers. Sure, she felt remorse, pity and sadness for the dead girls but it also annoyed her that her surroundings are filled with so much of negativity. It triggered her in a way that she didn’t like.

That is until... a large folder slammed onto the white table infront of her. The loud bang that erupted from it was enough for yoona’s tired, aching muscles to tense up again. She had to hold down her cup tightly before it could jump and topple down the table due to the vibrations.

“You know, a small warning would have been sufficed.” Yoona said slowly as she threw a slight glare at the person who dared to interrupt her personal ‘me-time’.

“Bitch please. You should be happy that a mere peasant like you has the honour to be in my holy presence. Not even kings can afford me.”

This only earned the intruder a mocking eye-roll from the 26 year old beauty.

“Don’t you have work to do, your highness?” Yoona mocked as her shaking nerves relaxed. She pulled herself up and continued to drink her warm tea. But it wasn’t warm anymore.

“Not when there’s juicy gossip.” Her friend smirked before shoving the said folder in Yoona’s direction. Yoona stared at it blankly. It was black in colour and looked quite thick. “It’s about Jung Jae-hee.”

“No.”

The mere mention of the late director was enough for Yoona to do a 360 turn and never look back again. She picked up her cold tea and left the small table she was sitting on.

“Yuriii...”

“No, Suzy.” Yoona ignored her friend’s whining as she dumped her cold tea through the drain before leaving the blue coloured cup in the sink. “Why are you all so obsessed with her death? People die all the time. Just get over it.”

The little shiver in the older girl’s voice should have been enough for Suzy to stop pestering her friend. But like the stubborn chick she is, Suzy continued in her voyage to tell the new juicy gossip she had discovered recently.

Yoona didn’t like it when her only friend gave her a sudden smirk before pushing her right through the fire exit’s door and right into the stairs that suddenly appeared in her view.

“Suzy!” Yoona exclaimed when she realised that the younger girl had practically kidnapped her.

“Shush.”

“But—”

“I said shush, Yuri. I need some girl time with you. And this, my friend, is the best way we can relish our old memories, considering hardly anyone looks our way these days.”

That was true. Yoona couldn’t deny that fact. They were the noisy, cheap girls of the company. No-one gave them a second glance unless they needed a one-night stand or something. Yoona wasn’t exactly sure how they gained that reputation. She had never been active in her love life unlike her friend, Suzy. Yoona had kept herself quiet, timid and hidden most of the time. Infact, she’s a pure virgin, with no skills at batting her eye lashes at any pretty boy. So, why?

“You want us to bond over a murder case?”

“No, I want us to bond over the world’s most dangerous species... boys.” The girl exclaimed, making Yoona groan.

Boys is a topic that Yoona tends to stay away from. There are just too many old and painful memories associated with them.

“Come on, don’t be a spoil sport. There are many varieties in here.” Suzy insisted as she pulled Yoona near the steel railings where they found a clean spot to sit on. The older girl didn’t like how open and wide spread the exit was. She peeked down to see an array of blue stairs leading down to the ground floor. They were designed in a zigzag formation, continuing on and on for what seemed like, forever.

It wasn’t Yoona’s first time at being kidnapped by her friend. Suzy had done that to her many times on multiple different occasions. But today, the familiar scenery of the descending stairs was unwelcoming. Not to mention, the see-through glass that acted as the walls of this passageway was too exposing and open for her taste. She could literally see the giant skyscrapers from here with a visibility record of 100%.

Yeah... Lee Enterprise is too rich for their own good.

“So, this baby here—” Suzy held up the thick folder. “—was delivered to the queen boss this morning. And like the curious, evil person I am, I snagged it before she could have a chance to read through the papers.”

Yoona raised her eyebrows at this before shaking her head in disappointment.

“No wonder files kept disappearing around Ji-Soo. She’s too dumb to notice her surroundings.”

“Exactly.” Suzy smirked before flipping through the pages. “And that is how ARIA files must have been stolen from her desk. She really needs to invest in a good secretary.”

Yoona couldn’t help but smile at this. Her uncle’s plaything ‘ARIA’ has been unresponsive for the past few days. The files continued to be missing while no-one has any idea as to what has been going on with ARIA. The large casino building is one of their major money-making sites here in the American branch.

“Anyways, back to the topic, there’s a postmortem report in this folder indicating that our lovely girl, Jung Jae-hee, might not be so innocent as we thought.” Suzy teased, flickering to a page filled with numerous Hangul symbols. “I’m not great at reading Hangul, but by the look of this, I can tell, Jae-hee had an intimate intercourse with her killer. It was right before she was killed. How exciting is that?”

Yoona was spooked by her friend’s glazed eyes.

“Exciting? How is it exciting?” She questioned.

“You very dumb dumb bimbo...” Suzy groaned, hitting Yoona on the head. “Jae-hee was known to have a special, unique taste in men. Whoever she chose to be worthy of her attention, was a diamond from the rarest mines. Think about all the boys that surrounded her. Danny, Brad, Jackson, Bambam and our very own, Taemin.”

The older girl scoffed at her eldest cousin’s name.

“Taemin had a crush on her?” Yoona asked, whacking her brain to remember all the interactions between the two people she despises.

“He still does. Why do you think this baby is here in my hands?” Suzy said in glee, pointing at the opened folder.

“So, what’s the point?”

“The point is that my dear Yuri, Jae-hee had an impeccable taste in men. Which means whoever she had sex with was just as impeccable as her taste. Wanna see who that could be? There are few delicious choices in here.”

The older girl felt scared at her friend’s weird taste in men. She wanted them to bond over a series of hot killers? No thanks.

“No.” Yoona said, shaking her head. “You seriously have a messed up kink regarding these ‘delicious choices’. I’m not interested.” She continued, standing up on her feet.

“Honey, you haven't experienced the dark, steamy side of the world of guns. So women up and sit down.” The younger girl pressured, tugging down on Yoona, forcibly. The force of the little tug, sent the older girl spiralling down onto her bottom.

“Ya!” Yoona shrieked but was ignored by the younger girl.

Suzy threw a smirk in Yoona’s direction before she opened her mouth to recite the names of the killers like an intimate, sex broadcast on a radio.

Yeah, she was that crazy.

“Suspect number one: Do Kyung-soo. Code name is D.O. Height is unknown and DOB is unknown. His occupation is being a freelance hot-headed assassin. He has a body count of 256 people including both women and children. He fights with his hands and bites with his mouth. Known to be very brutal with his victims and has a large thirst towards sex. He’s the maniac elf that even the local law enforcement can’t control.” Suzy read off the folder as Yoona sighed in defeat. She made herself comfortable on the stairs before glancing at the photo of the man that her friend was so intimately reading about.

“The guy looks normal to me.” Yoona commented, not feeling any kind of attraction from the young-ish looking boy. “He’s a bit cute, but not cute enough.”

“You hardly feel anything towards any boy, sweetheart.”

Yoona forced a smile back in her friend’s direction. If only her friend knew about the lost boys from her past.

“So, who’s next?”

Suzy gave a bright smile to Yoona. She patted the older girl in affection before flipping the page to the next person.

“Suspect number two: Kwon Ji-yong. Code name: G-dragon. He’s a sniper, mainly works for the local gang called ‘Big Bang’. But it says here, he’s known to have involved in various assassinations of high profile victims. He’s a bit old for our age but still, he has an impeccable taste in women. Who knows Jae-hee might have fucked him before she departed to hell.”

Yoona looked closely at the picture. The guy looked a bit familiar. Or was it his eyes that reminded her of someone?

“Wait...” she said slowly, letting an old memory resurface. “Isn’t he—”

“Yup. The one and only.” Suzy nodded, cutting her off with a wicked smirk. “Jae-hee must have been one lucky girl to bang one of the most wanted criminals in the world.”

Kwon Ji-yong, AKA the G-dragon, was one of the snipers who was involved in the assassination of Donald Trump, the deceased president of United States of America. The attack took place an year ago. Upon deeper investigations, it was revealed that a series of snipers and killers were hired to kill the president. It was a month of horror for all of Americans and the president himself. There were so many attacks, so many explosions, the streets were flooded with criminals trying to get to the 73 year old man. But in the end, it was the two Asian killers who managed to cut the old man off. And Kwon Ji-yong was one of those Asian killers. The only one who had his face plastered on every news channel.

“Wow..” Yoona gaped at the new information.

“I know right? When I saw him, I had the same reaction.” Suzy commented, running her fingers through the photo. “Too bad he's a wanted criminal. I would have loved to bang this beauty.”

Yoona cringed at the cliche.

“He has a tattoo.” She offered, trying to get Suzy’s glazed eyes off the photo. “A large insect tattoo.”

“So he does.” Her friend teased with a devilish smirk.

“And multiple ear piercings.”

“So he does.”

“He’s not good. He’s bad.”

“Doesn’t matter to me.” Suzy countered with another smirk. “After all, bad boys are known to bring the heaven to you.”

Yoona groaned at her friend’s infatuation with criminal boys. The very first year into their friendship, Yoona had discovered the crazy obsession of bad boys that lives inside the younger girl. It peeked out from time to time whenever the younger girl’s sexual frustration increased, which by the way was a lot of times. Maybe that’s why the 24 year old was no longer a virgin. The pure innocence was lost in a dark, steamy one night stand three years ago.

“You’re still stuck on that boy, aren’t you?” Yoona questioned when she saw Suzy fingering the little trinket in her neck. It was a little necklace piece shaped into a Bluebell, hanging dangerously close to her round cleavage. It always makes a bell like noise whenever it was moved by her fingers or her olive skin.

“Who?” Suzy asked, snapping out of her glazed look. She was still fingering the little necklace.

“You know... that tall, steamy, purple-haired sex god who let you ride him for hours and hours.” Yoona teased, finally enjoying the moment.

A small hue of red appeared on Suzy’s cheeks. Her lips curled into a small smile as a warm feeling entered her chest.

Yoona chuckled at the blushing young girl. That boy must have been very special to cause the great Bae Suzy to blush like a little girl.

“Hush... stop laughing. It’s not funny. We’re going off topic!” Suzy exclaimed, flicking at Yoona’s obvious giggling state. “Yuri, Stop!” The younger begged. “We have to focus on Jae-hee!”

“Oh come on!” Yoona whined, flicking at the folder. “I’m more interested in your steamy one night stand than this folder full of lazy criminals.” The words caused Suzy’s ears to turn red. “Come on, let me do the honours.”

A terrified look appeared in Suzy’s eyes. Before the younger girl could react, Yoona had already snatched the folder out of Suzi’s fingers before throwing it over the railings. It clattered down the small, narrow gap quietly before a loud thump was heard indicating that the thick file has touched down on the ground floor.

Suzy gaped at her friend’s actions before looking down the railings. Yoona followed the same movements, only to discover the large heap of flying papers still descending down the stairs slowly due to the air and their light weight. The black folder itself was lying limply on the bottom floor like a dead man.

“Y-you just... oh my god!” Suzy couldn’t form the words. She looked so shocked that Yoona tried not to look too guilty. Looks like her habits of being unpredictable were acting up again. “That was Ji-soo’s file you dumb child! I was gonna put it back. But now it’s...”

“Don’t worry, she’ll just think it’s lost like the ARIA files.” Yoona shrugged before pulling the younger girl away from the railings. “Now tell me more about your knight in the shinning armour.”

It’s funny how Yoona changed her mood so quickly. A moment ago she wanted nothing more than to run away from Suzy’s constant prodding into her dead boss’s case and now, she wanted nothing more than Suzy to tell her about the dreamy boy she encountered in her euphoric adventures three years ago. She didn’t even care about the giant stairwell that was now flooded with colourful photographs and Korean paperwork outlining the details of a very sensitive case around America and South Korea. Something that could put a lot of people in a tight spot.

“Please?” Yoona begged, trying not to cringe at herself. Suzy looked tormented between her friend and the file on the bottom floor. After few seconds, she sighed in defeat.

“Why do you want to know so much about my man, lady?” Suzy countered, not liking the sudden interest.

Yoona grinned to herself. I’m interested because then you will forget about that stupid murder case and not give me anymore of those painful headaches that I’m already dealing with. She played the words in her mind.

“Because I love a good romantic story.” She beamed at the younger girl. Lies. I hate romantic stories. They always end up with a sad ending. Like mine did.

“Fine.” Suzy agreed, still giving her friend a suspicious look. She clapped her hands before opening her mouth to recite the memorable night once again. But before she could, a loud noise from down below interrupted them. They both panicked as they heard a hoard of footsteps making up the staircase.

With no time to think, they sprinted out of the same fire exit door that they originally came through, just barely escaping the steely eyes of the eldest Lee child who was sprinting up the stairs to find the person who stole the files from his sister’s desk.

He grumbled when he couldn’t find anyone and stared hopelessly at the mess of photos and papers that covered the stairwell, revealing the origins of his illegal sources.

“Fuck.”

*******

“—it has now been confirmed that the missing vital organs of the girls found dead earlier in Chinatown, are up on the black market to be sold to the highest bidder. The local police force are trying to trace the source of origin, but nothing has been found yet. With this new killing spree, young girls are advised to stay in their homes until the culprit has been arrested. The death of these girls has raised awareness issues around—”

“I can’t believe he actually did that.” Jongin commented as he grimaced at the graphic pictures being displayed on the large TV. His elder brother who sat beside him also looked uncomfortable. “Hyung, you should keep him in South Korea. He’s too brutal for America.”

“I wish I could, Kai. But I might have pissed him off real bad this time.” Minseok admitted as he shivered at the screams he heard that day. He was a member of the mafia too. He has seen his fair share of murders and has indulged in various killings but bangtan?... Bangtan is on a completely different level compared to him. They were ruthless and crazy-minded.

“Where is he now?”

“Honestly speaking... I don’t know.” Minseok replied with a shake of his head. He exhaled loudly and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I have a feeling he’s still here, lurking around somewhere in the city.”

A tensed silence passed through them. Their body tensed up at the thought of their cousin still roaming around somewhere in the city. It’s dangerous for that guy to be here. The man had the most unstable mind in the group despite being the oldest and most responsible. He was an obsessed freak.

“This is too depressing for my liking.” The younger joked. Minseok couldn’t help but smile at the lame joke.

“Yeah, it is.”

There was a small pause between them, before Jongin spoke again.

“I wish Chen hyung was here. I miss him.”

The words were quiet and faint to the normal ears, but with minseok’s enhanced hearing, he heard every syllable. He also heard the painful longing that was hidden behind the tone. He looked at his youngest brother with a sad smile.

Kim Seokjin wasn’t the only one who had lost his love that night. Minseok had lost one of his little brothers that day. Kim Jongdae. He usually went by ‘Chen’. He was assigned as a bodyguard for the lovely Lee Yoona, swearing and dedicating his life to protect the girl who has once saved him when he was little.

“I miss him too, bud.” Minseok replied with the same tone. He really wanted his little brother back. But it was too late. The cheerful, playful boy was gone. He died that night, taking three shots to the chest for the very girl he was trying to protect.

Unknown to the Kim family, somewhere back in their home country, in a dark, dirty cell, a man laid on the floor, whimpering from the recent torture he has just received. His face was half burnt. His body was filled with numerous scars and painful wounds. He was shaking on the cold floor as he cried himself to sleep, thinking of only one thing. His brothers.

*******

“That was a close call.”

Yoona couldn’t agree more. She was slumped down onto her soft, leathery chair, relaxing as she closed her eyes and thought about the unexpected getaway she was involved in few hours ago. All thanks to Suzy of course.

The older girl glared at the younger girl who was invading her cubicle like a tall tree. Suzy’s eyes were focused on Yoona’s slumped state. After their hurried escape, they had separated into different directions, promising to meet up after the coast was clear.

“How can you be so relaxed, Yuri? We nearly got caught this morning!” Suzy whispered-yelled in a low voice. She was sitting on Yoona’s desk, a pile of papers acting as her cushion underneath her curved butt.

“The only thing I care about is that we escaped. And the fact that I will never let myself be kidnapped by you again.” Yoona muttered, poking a tongue out at the younger girl.

Her friend pouted.

“Oh come on!” Suzy whined. “We both know you were enjoying it.”

“Correction. You were enjoying it, I wasn’t. I was miserable.”

Wrong move.

“Fine, then be miserable forever.” The younger girl hissed before jumping off the table and leaving the workspace.

Yoona shook her head in disappointment. She was used to Suzy’s unexpected angry tantrums. Rubbing her head in complete tiredness, Yoona stood up and made her way to the furthest water station that served cold water and some cold ice cubes. Something that she truly needs to soothe the pain in her head.

Despite her bruises being healed, she still felt her body ache from time to time. The lack of a nutritional diet and her constant voyages of skipping meals produced sudden headaches and body weaknesses inside her. It sometimes affected her health in a bad way, but it doesn’t faze her even one bit. She’s careless with her existence. It’s something she has tried to work on but she never had the right motivation.

“Ahh... this feels nice.” She mutters to herself. The small bag of ice cubes was now placed against her forehead as she sipped onto the cold water quietly. The coldness from the bag was seeping into her skin, soothing the hot pain that penetrated her forehead like fire. She wanted nothing more than to fall asleep right here and then. But something stopped her.

A loud voice echoing behind her.

“ENOUGH!”

The loud volume of the voice was enough to tell her that it was coming from the nearest cabin which turned out to her uncle’s. Putting her makeshift ice bag and the water cup down, she walked further down the corridor that led to her uncle’s cabin. The curiosity cat inside her was bubbling to know the reason behind the loud voice. Her body shook in nervousness as her feet led her to a slightly ajar door. She stepped a bit closer and peaked through the small open space.

Her cousin Ji-Soo was crying as she held her right cheek with her hand. The tears that tickled down the younger girl’s face almost made Yoona regret her decision to eavesdrop. It was then her eyes travelled to the fuming figure that stood like an angry bull, pointing his angry, blazing eyes at his own daughter.

“Do you see this, Ji-Soo?” The man screeched, holding a stack of papers in her cousin’s face. “This means that someone transferred the property on their name, leaving us with no authorities over ARIA. They took possession of our one of the largest money making revenues in America. Do you know how it could affect our reputation here? Or back home? We will be mocked!”

Yoona griped the door frame a bit harder. She wasn’t surprised at the news, considering the disappearance of the property files was a dead giveaway, but she did feel a bit disappointed though. It doesn’t matter if Lee Enterprise is being controlled by her uncle right now. The company is still part of her family’s legacy. Any losses that it faces, it affected her directly. She had a sense of duty towards it. ARIA was one of the true blessings to their company. It brought a good fortune to them. So, loosing the property was a big disappointment to her.

“Appa, I swear it wasn’t my fault. I had no idea.” The younger girl whimpered as Yoona felt a pang of guilt hit her. She felt an urge to hug the girl. Despite her younger cousin’s hatred towards her, Ji-Soo was still her partially blood sister. Whether she admits it or not, they were related by blood. So, when her uncle raised her hand to hit Ji-Soo again, Yoona’s heart clenched at the sight. She held herself back from entering just in time to see another tall figure blocking the raised hand.

Taemin.

Her oldest cousin. The brother who fiercely loved his sisters except Yoona. He stood over Ji-Soo like a protective tiger.

“It wasn’t her fault.” He said firmly, gazing into the man’s eyes who gave him birth. Yoona bit her lip in silence. She felt jealous that her younger cousin is so lucky to have such a protective brother on her side. It nearly made her miss her dead sister who promised to stay by her side forever too.

“You of all people should know that Ji-Soo would never do this, dad. The files were stolen. It’s not her fault.”

The elder man huffed angrily at his son. He exhaled loudly before returning back to his seat.

Yoona felt a bit awkward standing there. She was about to move away is when her cousin’s next words stopped her.

“I know who did this.” His voice was laced with venom. “I know who stole the papers and sold them to a bidder.” There was a forced silence in the air, before he spoke again. “The Kim Industries.”

A sudden chill went down Yoona’s back. She lost the ability to breathe for a second. It’s been years since she had heard that name.

“Don’t be ridiculous. They all died that night.” Her uncle countered, grumbling to himself.

“No, not them. Their extended family. Kim Minseok.”

Yoona felt her eyes water at the familiar name. Minseok was one of the supposed brother she had when everyone was still alive. He took care of her just like her older sister. But after that night, he never got in contact with her. She figured either the man didn’t know she was alive or he hated her for killing his brothers. Four members from the Kim family died that night. It was enough for anyone to hate her, considering they all died protecting her.

“He’s been inactive for years, son.” The eldest Lee said, resting his head on his chair. Yoona could see Ji-Soo cowering in her spot on the fancy couch. “He’s an emotional mess due to his brothers deaths.”

Guilt hit Yoona like a wave of water. Was the man she considered as her older brother was really messed up due to his brothers deaths? Does that mean he hates her?

“Kim Minseok has been very much involved with everything we have neglected, dad.” Taemin’s voice echoed through the small gap. “He’s been eating off our hands without a blink from us. I just discovered his little projects.” A slam of a heavy folder sounded among the room. “He has been gambling in the mafia since the very beginning, staying under the radar to avoid us. All the projects we have been involved in, his company, Kim industries, has been snagging them one by one. And ARIA is one of them. Even after those little bastards are dead, their family line still continued to dominate us.”

The 26 year old felt her fingers grip the doorframe tightly.

“How far off is he?” There was a thick tension radiating from the room. Everything had gone so quiet suddenly.

“Far enough to topple down the lowest of our rank in the circle.”

The circle. Yoona has heard about them before. A mysterious group of leaders. The term has come up in many of her uncle’s secret conversations when she had accidentally stumble upon them. Like today.

There was a silence in the room before something creeked and the door she was leaning on, swung open, toppling her balance and crashing her down to the floor. She groaned slightly at the pain. That was until someone gripped her hair and dragged her into the room.

She bit onto her lips from screaming out.

“We have a pest here, dad.” Yoona gulped as she recognised the harsh voice of her oldest cousin. Her luck has finally ran out. “Let’s teach her a little lesson.”

Squeezing her eyes shut, she waited for the fateful slap that would grace her cheek... but after a minute of waiting, it never came. She slowly opened her eyes to see what was happening.

Taemin’s raised hand was being blocked off by another arm. The arm that was covered in a stripy grey suit with the finest material known to mankind. Only one person in the family has a taste for rare things. Her uncle.

“Leave her.” Her uncle’s firm voice cut through the thick silence. Both of his children stood gaping at the man. As for Yoona, she was surprised and shocked to hear the words. Lee Sung-Woo has never defended Yoona before. Her uncle was the one who gave his wife and children permission to torment her with verbal, physical and mental abuse. He let them break her down into bits as he watched from his throne quietly, not giving any care to his beaten and bruised niece. So, why now?

“But dad—”

“I said, leave her.” The older man repeated the words with a dark undertone to his voice. His son shivered before dropping his hand to his side. Yoona glanced at her eldest cousin, only to see him glaring at her. Something told her that she was still in the danger zone.

The elder Lee turned to face her, his light brown eyes boring into her dark ones.

“Get up, Yoona. I have a job for you.” He said, giving her a genuine smile that raised red flags in her head. His face showed the kind features he had mastered over the years while his eyes reflected his true intentions towards her.

Still stunned by his words, Yoona didn’t move from her position on the ground. She still sat on her knees, dress ruffled at places and hair pulled out into a messy hodgepodge due to her eldest cousin’s tight grip on her.

A sudden pain enveloped her when the same man applied a bit of strain onto her escaping roots, causing her to whimper softly.

“Don’t push your luck, pest.” She clenched her jaw at his words, holding herself back from bitting at him. It will sign her an eternity of pain if she ever did.

Slowly but surely, the 26 years old beauty picked herself up from the floor. She stood on her feet with shaky legs as her uncle walked back to his leather chair in the middle of the room.

“I won’t ask you how much you have heard because I know you have heard everything.” The male spoke, rubbing his hands together. “And frankly, it’s a good thing you know this now.” Yoona was puzzled by his words. “Do you remember Minseok?” She nodded which earned her a small laugh from him. “He always stuck around you and your sister like a magnet.”

Yoona bit her lips. Was he mocking her?

By now, she has been forcibly pushed onto a chair, across from her uncle’s table.

“Do you know he hates you?” Her body stiffened. “I bet this vendetta he has going on against Lee Enterprise is because of you. I mean, you were the reason for the death of his brothers after all. How can he not hate you?” Yoona felt a chill run down her back at those words. Her chest ached at the idea of Kim Minseok hating on her. She knew he did, but it hurts a lot when someone say that to her directly. “You very well know who was the target that night.” Yes, she knew. Yoona was the target. Lee Yoona and her older sister. The offspring of the current Lee family.

“And you know why he—” Before he could continue, Yoona cut him off with her hand banging on the dark polished table.

“You don’t need to tell me the past because I know what happened.” She hissed, trying to keep her tears at bay. “I know they died because of me. What do you actually want, uncle?”

A sudden pull on her hair was enough to know that his bratty children are acting up again. She could feel the long nails behind this one. It has to be her darling female cousin.

“Let her go, Ji-Soo.”

“But appa...”

“Let. Her. Go.” The younger child growled before letting go of Yoona’s hair. The 26 year old was surprised at the sudden change in her younger cousin’s behaviour. One moment she was crying and the second she’s on her feet like a wild cat, ready to tear her apart.

“What do you want from me?” Yoona demanded after a full minute of silence.

Traces of a faint smile appeared on her uncle’s lips. He pulled something out of his nearest cabinet and slapped it down onto the table infront of her. She stared at it blankly. It was a large yellow envelope about the size of an A4 page.

“I want you to go on a little trip for me. It’s indefinite of course.” He pointed to the envelope. “All your tickets, identity papers and everything else is in that envelope. You are going to be starting a new life. A new name, a new look and a new identity. Congrats Yoona, you are the new executive director of Lee Enterprise for the Korean branch. You’re going back home.”

“What?!” Three different voices in the room screamed, and Yoona was one of them.

“What do you mean?” She asked, stunned at the words he just blurted out.

His children were also looking at him in shock. Ji-soo’s hand was curled around a nearby couch pillow while Taemin’s fist was turning white due to the pressure he was applying on the chair next to Yoona.

The 26 year old flinched when the leather of the chair curved inwards at the raw strength. She looked at her uncle in obvious shock and fear.

“We need a new person to take the position. It been chaotic in our home country. Since you are practically useless to me right now, I have assigned you as the acting head. The position is yours to work with.”

“What—No!” Ji-Soo said in outrage. “That’s my position! How could you just give it to her?”

“I don’t need to explain my reasons to you, Ji-Soo.”

“But appa—” the girl looked appalled at her father.

“Leave my office. Both of you. Now.” The direct order was cold and piercing to his children’s hearts. The man who had never raised his voice on his kids, unless they did something wrong, is choosing their dirty cousin over them.

When Yoona heard the loud slams of the cabin’s door, she lifted her eyes up to the old man.

“Let’s talk in peace, shall we?”

********

Meanwhile, miles away from America and right into the heart of South Korea, a dark figure, clad in the most darkest attire of an assassin, battled his way through a crowd of armed men as his silver blade pierced through their bodies one by one. With each duck and with each stroke of his blade, blood spilled out onto him like splashes of water. The oncoming rain from above hit him like bullets as he rolled on the wet pavement and slashed at yet another men. His clothing that was designed in the most expensive polymer, tightened around his lean figure as he bent, jumped and rolled under various stalls to avoid the oncoming slaughter of the real bullets, aimed directly at his prominent limbs.

“Ya, hyung!” A childish voice whined from behind him. “Hurry up and save me already. I’m hungry!” A young boy said, jingling the silver metal cuffs on his wrist. He was sitting on a nearby stall, sucking onto a lollipop as armed men surrounded him.

The boy was unfazed by the ring leader who tried to make him cower in fear.

“Pali, Pali hyung!” He whined again when the ring leader tried to take away his lollipop. “Ya! You little cockroach, let go of my lollipop or I swear I’ll stuff your butthole with them.”

The assassin who was in the middle of a trio fight, shook his head in annoyance. He bent and rolled on the ground, letting his blade do the work instead.

“Aish.. this kid.” He muttered to himself before throwing one of his trusty knives at the grubby hands of the ring leader. The old, puggy man screeched in pain as his right hand is pierced by a pointy blade in the shape of a Star. “Stay the fuck away from my brother’s lollipop!”

The said brother smiled and continued to suck on the juicy blob of sugar.

Another minute passed, and the assassin’s enemies has decreased in numbers. Bodies piled up the wet pavement as the last of the armed men fell to the ground with a sliced neck. The only one remained was the puggy ring leader and his two trusted men.

“Daebak! Hyung, your awesome!” The younger boy cheered, clapping his cuffed hands together like a teenage Pom Pom girl. His light brown hair also bounced as he jumped up and down.“I feel so proud. My hyung is the best!”

The said hyung scoffed. He has heard that line several times from the younger boy on many different occasions.

“You say the same thing to others, Jungkookie.”

“No, I don’t.” The boy lied, giving the elder a huge, innocent pout. The tongue that has now turned blue due to the lollipop he has been sucking, lapsed around his puffy lips like a little boy. “Pali, Pali! Save me and let’s go for dinner.” He whined again, pouting his lips and widening his doe-eyes.

“Aish...” The said assassin grumbled before raising his sword like a true ninja. He grit his teeth and charged at the last remaining set of men.

A minute later, all three them fell lifelessly on the ground with broken limbs. The younger bunny boy cheered, jumping on the stall like a little kid.

“Yay! Let’s go for hotdogs now!”

The assassin clad in black huffed and wiped his sword clean with his sleeves. He stashed it back into its holster behind him before tugging on his younger brother’s metal cuffs and pulling him off the stall with one hard pull.

The said boy stumbled to his feet before landing on the wet pavement with a thud. His pretty, child-like face turned into a scowl as he felt the rain water seep into his black pants.

“Hyung!” He exclaimed angrily.

“This is the only favour I’m doing for you, Jungkookie” The assassin said in a husky voice as he removed his face mask. He pulled his hood back, revealing a nest of dark orange hair. “Go back home or I’ll dob on you. Next time you get kidnapped by goons, fight your way out. Don’t call me for help.”

“But it’s fun watching you fight.” The boy whined innocently. But he stopped when he noticed his hyung’s narrowed eyes. “Fine. Whatever.”

And with that he pulled himself up on his feet, discarding the metal cuffs on the ground with no help. His hands swiped another lollipop out of his pocket before he skipped away, throwing a simple smirk over his shoulders.

“I swear I’m going to skewer him one day.” The assassin mumbled before shaking his head. Who is he kidding? The bright, sunny angel inside him would never let the dark ninja kill his maknae.

Stupid brotherly bonds.

Tag List: @demonic-meatball, @youtube-obsessed-duh, @trinityautumn, @original-internetmonster, @seoul9711, @jinniesjoon94

86 notes · View notes

katefiction · 4 years ago

Text

Second Chances - Part I

by mrandmrswales (Emily) / August 23. 2013

This is slightly different to what I normally write but I’m quite proud of it so far! There should be another part to it, as its quite a long fanfiction. Thank you to the lovely Maria for helping me with the title, I was stuck about this but I think it fits nicely. Anyway, don’t forget to give me feedback and I hope you like reading it! (This is all fiction)

The first thing that 19 year old Catherine Middleton saw when her lids fluttered open that first morning was the sight of rain pouring down outside the thin glass window. The trees swayed vulnerably under the force of the cruel wind. Kate let out an inaudible groan and squeezed her eyes shut again, imagining that the rain and wind were nothing but the soundtrack to a typical morning at home. The previous night had been a haze of plane flights and driving through rocky terrain until a cluster of cabins had loomed out of the night. Kate and about 20 others had been herded from a car and split into one of the many cabins, males one way and females the other. By that point, everyone’s eyelids had been drooping and sleep had been a welcome relief.

‘All right everyone up!’

A shrill voice echoed through the hut and several loud groans echoed across the room. Kate grinned at the sound, remembering the fuss that would occur in the mornings at boarding school. She pulled herself up off the floor, her back protesting at the night slept on the floor. Her body would have to get used to it, she had 10 weeks left of this.

Half an hour later, the women were herded out of the hut, across the wet, cold yard and into a small kitchen. A huge vat of porridge bubbled on the small cooker and roughly 10 boys sat bleary eyed at a long bench while many more were gathered in a parallel room to be briefed by the other guides. A couple of hushed whispers and giggles erupted from behind Kate and she turned back to see the source.

‘Oh my god!’

‘I can’t believe it’s really him!’

Kate rolled her eyes and turned to sweep her gaze across the bench, her eyes eventually settling on a young man with familiar eyes and a mob of blonde hair. It was no other than Prince William.

————————————————————————————————————————————–

‘Hi I’m Will.’

‘Kate. Pleased to meet you.’ William met her gaze from under his blonde mop of hair and smiled bashfully. Kate turned to the sink to hide the sudden blush creeping up her neck.

‘Shall we get started?’

‘Yep. What needs to be done?’

‘I think the dishes and then the cutlery.’ Kate said, her gaze sweeping over the pile of dirty plates beside the two tiny sinks. Outside the window, the sun swept its golden rays from over the distant hills and the sound of their friends laughing and chatting filled their ears. ‘Let’s get it done shall we?’ Kate said at the envious look on William’s face.

‘So…um, where abouts do you live?’ William asked racking his brain for conversation starters. Kate smiled.

‘I live in a village called Bucklebury in Berkshire.’ She replied softly. ‘You live in London I suppose?’

William shrugged, ‘Yeah, but I also live in Scotland I guess. I go there quite a lot.’

‘Ah nice. I love Scotland.’ Kate replied with a reassuring smile.

William grinned, happy to have a mutual interest at last. ‘Yeah. It’s always been my sanctuary because the paps can’t get to us there.’ He replied casually and Kate shot him a glance. The idea of being chased around by strange men seemed absurd, but to him it was presumably normal.

‘What’s it like being royal?’ She asked suddenly, blushing furiously at his amused look. ‘Sorry..I..that was an odd question.’ She muttered, but William shook his head, turning back to the dish he was drying.

‘It’s just something that I’ve always been aware of. Mum always kept Harry and I grounded but the idea of being King always hung over me. I’m different, but I have always resented being so. The paparazzi make it harder of course because nothing is ever private to them.’ Kate smiled sympathetically.

‘I can’t pretend to know what it feels like to have old men chasing you around but I can guess. It must be really ghastly.’

‘Yeah it’s pretty bad. It makes finding girlfriends or making friends hard because they’re never afraid to hunt them down and find every last detail about them.’ William sighed and moved onto the next plate. Kate tutted and did the same, shooting glances at his hunched frame and floppy blonde hair. The idea of having a casual conversation with the future King of England at a sink in Chile seemed almost dream-like and unimaginable, but to her surprise it was so normal. He was just like any other 19 year old boy except slightly more experienced in life’s hardships.

‘So what university are you going to go to after the summer?’ She asked flippantly. William grimaced and opened his mouth to speak.

‘Oh I’m-’

‘KATE?!!! CAN YOU COME HERE PLEASE? MARK HAS SPILT WATER ON YOUR JUMPER!’ William was interrupted and Kate groaned.

‘Excuse me.’ She said and rushed from the room, William shooting an amused glance at her as she hurried from the room.

—————————————————————————————–

It was a crisp, cool morning as Kate left the cabins to make her way down to the woods where she was to chop wood with William. Dew shone like diamonds over the springy grass and the mist hung over the trees, cloaking the area in grey. The hill was steep and wet as Kate tentatively made her way down towards where William stood, already chopping wood. He looked up as she approached

‘Hello again, you and I always seem to be together!’ He grinned ‘Come to check I’m chopping right?!’

‘Yeah, Kirsty said she didn’t trust you not to accidentally chop your arm off’ Kate replied with a chuckle. William’s face twisted into mock hurt and he handed her an axe.

The two began chopping in contented silence, the sound of birds chirping joyfully and wood splitting under the blow of metal being the only noises that filled the valley. Kate looked up through her fringe at William, admiring the concentration on his young face, every now and again reaching to sweep a lock of golden hair away from his face. He looked at her suddenly and she blushed.

‘Admiring my talent at chopping wood?!’ He teased and Kate laughed.

‘Most definitely. One might even think you did it as a professional’ William tutted but smiled all the same.

‘So tell me about yourself. Do you have any brothers or sisters?’

‘I have a younger sister and brother called Pippa and James. Pippa and I are very close because were quite close in age, whereas James is quite a bit younger than me. I love him very much though, although he does drive me mad sometimes! Although, Pippa drives me more mad! She knows how to wind me up better than anything.’

William smiled ‘Care to share how?’

‘That would be telling!’ The two’s eyes held each other’s for a moment and Kate felt a small blush creeping up her neck.

‘So.’ She said suddenly, shaking her head free from thoughts of drowning in his clear blue eyes. ‘You just have Harry? You get on well?’

‘Oh yes, Harry is one of my best friend. He, like your sister loves to wind me up though. Especially in public when I can’t do anything about it! Ever since Mum…died. We’ve been very close. I was the one that…told him.’ William’s eyes shadowed over and his face became sad, almost vulnerable. Kate said nothing, averting her eyes so as to give him a moment. She had never dreamt that she would ever hear William talking so openly to her of all people about his mother, one of the most famous women who ever roamed the earth and was so dear to him.

Before she could stop herself she blurted out ‘I can’t even imagine how hard that must have been.’

William looked at her and she saw his eyes soften slightly as they roamed over her. ‘It was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. It tore him apart, and even to this day I’m the only one who ever truly knows how badly it did. You don’t recover from something like that.’

‘No.’ Kate said softly and stepped forward so she was level to him.

‘I miss her so much’ He whispered, his eyes locking with hers.

‘Your mother would be so proud of everything you’ve done. You’ve been a fantastic brother to Harry and you’ve held yourself together. That’s more than some people could do. She replied softly.

He looked at her for a moment ‘You’re a special girl Kate.’

‘I like to think so.’ Kate replied jokingly and he grinned, the sadness broken.

‘Shall we play a game?’

‘A game?’

‘Yeah. How about 21 questions? So I can really get to know you.’

Kate laughed ‘Go on then, but I can assure you I’m a very boring person.’

‘No more boring than me. Right, first question: How old were you when you had your first kiss?’

’16.’

What’s your favourite food?

‘Aw that’s a hard one. Umm… I’m going to go with my mum’s spaghetti bolognaise.’

‘Good answer. What’s one of your most embarrassing moments?’

‘The time I accidentally flashed my ‘behind’ at my housemistress. We used to do it at the boys and she walked in one time. Oh God it was so embarrassing.’

William laughed ‘Right, question number four: What is it of me that you like the most?’

‘Your eyes.’

William raised his eyebrows ‘anything else while we’re at it?’

‘Shut up and ask me the next question!’

‘All right! Favourite sport?’

‘Hockey’

‘Favourite item of clothing?’

‘My little black dress.’

‘What do you want to be when your older?’

‘I still don’t know. Something to do with fashion I think.’

‘Favourite colour?’

‘Blue.’

‘Favourite movie?’

‘Ummm. Probably-’

‘CATHERINE?!’

Kate jumped and William turned around. Kirsty, their activities leader stood at the top of the hill. ‘YOUR NEEDED UP HERE PLEASE! IS THE WOOD ALL CHOPPED?’

‘YES! JUST COMING’ Kate shouted back and began to gather her wood together. ‘Guess we’ll have to finish this another time.’

‘Guess so. Well see you later, I’ve just got a bit to go.’

‘Okay.’ Kate smiled and tore herself away, reluctantly heading back to camp, cursing whoever it was that needed her.

——————————————————————————————-

‘Good Morning everyone, today is the day when you meet the children at the nursery for the first time! Now you all have had training the last few days so you know what you’re doing. Just have fun and be gentle with them, particularly you lot!’ Kirsty their trainer said with a laugh, pointing at the men who were listening to her with huge grins on their faces.

Kirsty continued, Kate and the others listening intently to their team leader as she ran them through the details of the school day. Kate had been looking forward to doing this rather than just doing activities at the camp as she loved children. From across the circle of people, she caught William’s eye and he grinned cheekily at her. The two had grown close as they were often thrown together in activities such as hunting, chopping wood or just washing up. She had even heard William say he preferred her company to some of the other girls who did nothing but ogle him or giggle when he spoke. All in all however, they all got on well and had become fast friends. Kate had grown close to many of the women and men, some older, some younger. William had become her closest confidant and the longer she spent in his company, the more Kate was beginning to fall for him. She had tried not to, especially as she knew he wouldn’t like her back like that. However, unfortunately when it came to love, logic never came into it. Kate stuck her tongue out at him and turned back to listening to Kirsty, trying to ignore the tingly feeling in her stomach from his smile.

Kate watched with a huge grin on her face as Will and Mark Turner careered around the patio with two 3 year old boys on their shoulders. A huge amount of noise was coming from all four and Kate and the other volunteers were all watching and laughing as the boys screeched with joy. The last two hours had been spent teaching the children to read and spell, with time imbetween for playing. The children were all very sweet and Kate had started to fall in love with several of the little girls who insisted on playing hairdressers with her long hair. Kate was about to turn back into the classroom to continue the English lesson she was teaching when William glanced up and grinned at her from underneath a lock of blonde hair. Immediately, a shiver ran down her spine and she smiled dreamily back. Beside her, her friend Ellie looked suspiciously at her. Kate caught her eye and blushed.

‘What?’

‘You’re not falling for him are you?’ She whispered back, concern mingling with amusement.

‘What? No of course not. He’s like my best friend!’

‘Yeah, but that look you just gave him was hardly platonic.’

‘Oh come on Ellie, he’s good looking but I don’t like him like that.’

‘Me thinks the lady doth protest too much’

Kate tutted and turned away, not wanting Ellie to figure out the truth from the blush on her cheeks. She knew it was ridiculous and she would get over him but in all honesty, she knew that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. She just hoped he would realise or even return her feelings.

‘Perhaps tonight at the salsa dancing he will whisk you onto the dance floor and kiss you passionately!’ Ellie whispered again. Kate snorted and returned her eyes back to where William was now cuddling several youngsters, however Ellie’s words niggled in her head. Maybe tonight was the night.

—————————————————————————————-

Kate shivered and warmed her hands over the roaring bonfire, captivated by the different colours dancing together in harmony. Beyond it, shadows of her friends illuminated against the night sky by the flames showed their bodies, dancing in harmony to the music that roared through the village. Laughter filled the air, partly to do with the alcohol supplied to them by the villagers and partly to do with the Salsa dancing, many partook in. Turning her head to the left slightly, she caught sight of William, leaning against the wall of a little hut, casually holding a glass of local beer. His deep laughter sent a shiver down her spine which she revelled in momentarily before chastising herself for allowing him to have that effect over her. Standing in front of him in a casual stance, stood Hilary Castle; her blonde hair glowing in the light of the fire and her lithe body leaning into him. She watched with jealousy as he dipped his head closer to her to hear what she was saying before laughing again, throwing his head back in mirth while his blue eyes twinkled. Unable to watch any longer, Kate stood up and wandered over to where the salsa dancing was taking place. Within minutes she was thrust into the arms of a slightly drunk village boy, the music running through her as she allowed her inhibitions to leave her.

It took one glance over to ruin the evening for Kate. All of a sudden, the warm tingly feeling from the dancing and the alcohol and the laughter left her. She felt numb, her eyes unable to tear themselves away from the sight of his lips moving over hers, their bodies pressed against the wall in eagerness and the glass of beer abandoned on the floor at their feet, its contents leaking over the grass. The shrieks of laughter from her drunk companions only reminded her that what alcohol she had consumed was not enough to numb the pain of him kissing someone else. Extracting herself from her partner’s iron grip, she hurried over to the bar and grabbed a glass of something.

‘You okay?’ Kate jumped and whirled around to face a young local. He had large brown eyes and floppy hair. He grinned at her ‘I’m Marcos’, holding out his hand to shake hers. Then, he pointed to the large glass she was about to knock back. ‘Do you just want to get really drunk or is there something wrong?!’ He asked, sounding amused. ‘That stuff is strong.’

‘Oh. Well…I just. Um.’ Kate stuttered, her brain refusing to form coherent thoughts. Then, on seeing his kind expression, sunk into the chair next to him and buried her head in her hand. ‘To be honest, I just want to block out the image of the guy I like snogging the face off someone else.’

‘Ahh.’ He replied, and took a measured sip of his drink. ‘Guy troubles.’ Kate nodded and gave a muffled sniff. ‘Well I know the perfect way of clearing your head.’ Kate looked up at him and raised an eyebrow.

‘What would that be? And don’t say Salsa dancing, I’m really not in the mood.’

He chuckled. ‘Salsa dancing, when done with a professional, is very sexy. It looks fantastic and is perfect for getting back at him. You don’t have to do much, leave it up to me. All you have to do is look interested in me, laugh and smile and he will be fuming.’ He replied, puffing out his chest proudly. ‘Come on!’

Kate hesitated. She didn’t want to be petty, but it did sound perfect at showing him she didn’t care. Plus it would save her from disgracing herself tonight and ending up with a colossal hangover in the morning. Giving him her hand, she allowed herself to be pulled from the chair and into the open, next to the roaring fire.

Kate was vaguely aware of the noise surrounding her as they cheered her and Marcos on. The music fired through her veins, stronger than what alcohol could have done. His arms around her were like an iron vice, but were gentle at the same time. Their hips moved in unison and his eyes bored into hers. If she didn’t know that the look on his usual cheeky face was for effect, she would think that he was a passionate lover. He spun her around, flipped her upside down and lifted her to the sky, all the while; never leaving her eyes. She played her part, laughing and smiling, although it didn’t take long for it to become natural rather than forced. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw William, watching. His features knitted together in a conflicted expression while Hilary stood beside him, cheering them on like the rest of the blurred faces around the campfire as she passed them. Marcos let out a small smile every time he saw her eyes dart away from his to see William.

‘It’s working’ He murmured, flipping her down again suddenly, a shriek of laughter escaping her lips as he did so.

The evening ended with them all singing around the fire, most very drunk by now. Kate herself was feeling a bit woozy, having had a few drinks with Marcos afterwards. She had caught William watching her, even so with his arm draped around Hilary, a woozy smile on his face and his usually clear blue eyes hazy. She ignored him, hoping that maybe he would see how much he had hurt her. Surely he knew that she liked him? Perhaps he didn’t. Kate had pushed that thought out of her head. Practically everyone else knew she liked him, surely he did too?

Kate collapsed into bed that night feeling happier than she had in days. Slowly the sounds of singing quietened down, and one by one, everyone had fallen into a contented sleep. Kate slept soundly, a small smile still playing on her lips. William however, lying next door, lay awake, the images of Kate pressed against another man with a huge smile on her face flashing through his mind, mingling with the ones of his lips pressed against Hillary’s. Confliction ran through him, was it possible he liked Kate? She was his best friend…but what about Hilary? He knew he liked Hilary also. Kate couldn’t possibly like him, he thought. Eventually William fell into a troubled sleep, alcohol numbing his thoughts.

————————————————————————————————————————————–

Kate let out a huge yawn as she made her way to the kitchen the following morning for breakfast. Truth be told she had a little headache, but nothing compared to what it could have been if Marcos hadn’t stepped in when he did. Wondering if there was some porridge, she opened the door and entered the small, messy kitchen. Her heart sank as she saw the one person she really didn’t want to see sat at the large table in the middle. He looked tired and was gulping down a cup of coffee. He looked up as she entered and smiled nervously.

‘Morning Kate’

‘Morning’ she replied, ‘Is there any porridge going?’

‘Yeah it’s on the stove’

Kate helped herself, trying to ignore the tense silence that passed between them. It made her sad, she didn’t want their friendship compromised. She smiled at him as she took a seat opposite him.

‘You look tired’ She commented as he knocked back the dredges of coffee from his mug. He shrugged.

’Yeah. Last night was quite wild.’

Kate nodded, her lips set in a tight line before she began to eat her porridge.

William lifted his head up from where they had previously been staring into his coffee cup and his blue eyes held hers for a few magical seconds.

‘What do you think of Hilary? Is she as nice as I think she is?’ He asked, trying to make light of the awkward situation.

‘Yeah, she’s lovely. Had a crush on you for ages. She wouldn’t shut up last night!’ Kate chuckled, but it sounded hollow and empty, a shell of its previous self.

William nodded nervously and opened his mouth to speak when the door flew open and William was interrupted. Hilary entered, in all her shining glory, her blonde hair done in a French plait and a tight white top highlighting her curves.

‘Morning!’ She chirruped loudly, settling herself next to William ‘How did you sleep Wills? Hope you spent all night dreaming about me like I did!’ Kate struggled to hold in a wince as she laughed loudly, flipping her hair back and thrusting her chest out.

William smiled, ‘Of course. Who could forget about you?’ Kate’s wince was even more obvious than before and Hilary turned to her, her eyes narrowed

‘Is something the matter? Your ruining the atmosphere between me and my boyfriend’ She announced to which Kate laughed hollowly.

‘Boyfriend? So shoving your tongue down a practical stranger’s throat one evening suddenly means you’re together does it?’ Kate stood up suddenly, picked her bowl up and dumped it loudly in the sink. ‘I’ll be in the village if you need me’ and swept out, leaving William and Hilary staring in astonishment after her.

————————————————————————————————————————————–

Hi Kate,

Pippa here! I miss you lots but I’m sure you’re really enjoying yourself out in Chile! I can’t believe that Prince William is in the same place as you!! You will have to tell me ALL the gossip when you get back! My friends and I are seriously jealous of you! A-Levels are as tiring as always, even more so without you to help me! I broke up with Louis and I really wish you were here to give me advice. It sucks but I’ll get over it. I felt it best as he’s leaving for Australia in a few weeks. Do you have your eye on someone? I bet you do! Anyway, Mum wants to add a note on so I’d better finish! Write back soon okay?

Lots of Love

Pippa. Xxx

Darling Kate,

I hope you’re doing well, I’ve been checking the weather forecast every day to see that you will be okay. You’re in for a bit of nice weather for a while so that will be nice. Thank you for the lovely letter you sent a few weeks ago, it sounds lovely out there. We miss you so much, James and Daddy send their love. James is in the middle of his exams so high tension running through the house on weekends! Pippa tells him to stop worrying but you know how hard it is for him! I miss being able to talk to you about things darling but I suppose I’d better get used to it since you will be off to University soon! Must end now darling as I’m running out of space. All my love and kisses

Mummy xxx

Kate smiled in amusement at her sister’s chatty expressions as she wandered away from the tiny post office in the village. Some of her anger and upset had cleared on receiving her letter and the sun shining made her feel brighter.

‘Hello again’ Came a familiar voice behind her and she spun around to face Marcos, his dark eyes dancing and his hair messy. ‘How’s your head?!’

Kate grinned despite herself, his smile was infectious. ‘Not too bad. Although watching Hilary and William snog over breakfast didn’t help my mood.’ Marcos frowned sympathetically

‘Not even the sexy salsa with a dashing signor helped?’

‘No.’ Kate sighed and began to walk, him trotting beside her as they made their way to the local crafts shop.

‘He’s an idiot then.’

‘No he’s not’ Kate replied before she could stop herself.

‘So are you.’ He said, rolling his eyes. ‘Come on’ and he grabbed her arm and herded her into the shop.

Half an hour later, Kate and Marcos came out of the shop, giggling happily about nothing. Kate felt considerably brighter than she had since she woke up and having bought a few goods for her family had cheered her up.

‘Don’t look now.’ Came Marcos’ voice suddenly, breaking into her thoughts as they made their way back through the village towards the cabins. Kate lifted her head and her eyes scanned the area, falling on the sight of two lovers kissing against a tree. She giggled,

‘Why? It’s cute, they’re just kissing!’

‘No really. Don’t look Kate. It’s William and little miss leave-me-alone-to-snog-my-stranger-boyfriend.’ Kate’s heart plummeted into her stomach and she averted her eyes.

‘Lets go the other way’ She mumbled, but Marcos grabbed her arm and looked at her, his eyes blazing.

‘No. were going to walk right on past.’

‘Oh do we have to?’

‘Yes.’ And with that, he began to drag her up the path towards where they stood, arms entwined and heads bent.

She thought she’d made it past without either noticing, the cabins were so close and she was nearly there-

‘-Kate?’ She winced and turned apprehensively around

‘Yes?’

William was looking up at her, his hair messy and a guilty look on his face. Hilary stood beside him, also slightly rumpled and her lips swollen. William stepped forward

‘Are you okay? You seemed a bit upset this morning.’

‘Oh yes I’m fine! Absolutely smashing.’ She said cheerfully, desperately trying to keep sarcasm out of her tone. “There’s nothing like watching the guy I’m in love with snogging the face of someone else three times in the space of 24 hours” She thought.

William didn’t look convinced and opened his mouth to speak when Hilary stepped forward. She looked a little put out.

‘William. I know she’s your best friend but is there really any need to waste any more of our time together worrying about her? I mean she looks fine to me! Excuse us Kate, my boyfriend and I have some business to attend to.’ She said, a smug look on her face as she finished. She grabbed William’s arm at which he suddenly looked very irritated. Kate ground her teeth together and turned to leave

‘Come on Marcos. Let’s get a drink.’

Marcos nodded obediently and hurried after her, concern etched on his tanned face as she stormed off, all the while William staid rooted to the spot, watching her leave.

to be continued…

#mrandmrswales #royal fanfiction #cambridge fanfiction #kate middleton

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deliasbabe · 5 years ago

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Dancing Through Our House With The Ghost Of You

Billie deals with her own ghosts. Kind of a Character study, I guess. Inspired by the song “Ghost of You” by 5SOS. Part 2 coming soon!

Words: 2,148

Warnings: Language, Major Angst

As Billie stepped out of the taxi and grabbed her luggage, she glanced up at the place she at one time called home. It still was home, in the general sense. All her things were there, all her pots and pans and picture frames. But could she really call a place she hadn’t stepped foot in in almost a year home?

Ten months and sixteen days, to be exact. She kept count. The trip was only supposed to last six months, just a quick visit to some of the most haunted places in Europe for her new special. But the longer Billie was gone, the more she realized she didn’t want to return, not that there was much to come home to anymore. She kept extending the trip, using the extra funds from you not being there to do it. Then, once Lifetime’s funding ran out, she financed the trip herself, dragging her new assistant, Amanda, along with her.

As the medium stepped through the threshold, she could have sworn she heard the familiar humming of that one NSYNC song you always played on loop, the one Billie relentlessly teased you for. It put her at ease, sent the butterflies in her stomach swirling about, only to be crushed moments later by reality. There was no humming, no NSYNC song, and most importantly, there was no you.

“I can take your bags to your room for you.” Amanda offered, breaking Billie out of her trance. She didn’t know how long she had been standing there, but it must have been a while.

She shook her head, still dazed. “No, sweetheart. That’s ok, I can do it. Why don’t you…” Billie trailed off, too lost in her own thoughts to say a proper command.

“Get dinner started?” Amanda asked, Billie nodding in return, “Stir fry ok?”

“Yes darling, that’s fine.” Billie said, Amanda quickly reaching for Billie’s hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze, but all it did was make the woman’s veins run ice cold. It was wrong, so so wrong. In the absence of you, Billie had so carelessly fallen back into her old ways, and in turn, Amanda had fallen into her bed. She hated to think that the girl she had showered with affections only days before now repulsed her, but the woman had to face the fact that Amanda was only a placeholder, a European flame, although Billie knew her assistant thought it was more, thought she was more.

Billie carefully walked up the steps, hating the hollow sound her heels made when they came in contact with the refinished wood. Everything about this was harsh, even the silence. Her home always used to be so soft, comforting, like her own personal safety blanket. Nothing had changed, the house was still the same, and Billie had to wonder if maybe it was you who kept the house alive, kept its heart beating and warm blood pumping through its veins. Maybe, maybe not. Maybe the house was just a house, maybe you were just you, but something told Billie the chill in the air wasn’t thawing anytime soon.

Billie threw her suitcase on the perfectly made, king sized bed and kicked off her heels. It didn’t feel right to call it her bed anymore, not when she could still smell your perfume on the comforter, not when the echoes of your giggles radiated around the room. Billie had always been sensitive to energies, lingering presences that had been etched into the walls and woven into the fibers of the 1000-count sheets, and yours was everywhere. She untucked her silk button down and unzipped her pants, changing into her favorite pajamas that she had for whatever reason decided to leave behind. She wasn’t the type to change right after arriving home, you had spent countless nights teasing her about wearing her heels until the moment she climbed into bed. But something about the way the silk felt on her skin made her want to scream, and truthfully with the way the night was going, she wasn’t sure she would be awake much longer. With a sigh she sat on the bed, unzipping her suitcase and pulling out the contents, ready to put each article back in its designated spot and erase all of Europe from her memory. She heard the soft padding of bare feet on the stairs, glancing up to see you, dressed only in her striped button down and leaning on the doorframe. It wasn’t real, she knew it wasn’t, but she couldn’t help but indulge herself for a moment, memorizing the kinks in your mused hair, your gleaming smile and the way you gripped tightly to her favorite coffee mug.

“Thought you might want some coffee.”

That was the morning after the first night you two had spent together, and it was a moment Billie wanted to burn into her brain for eternity. Still, she hated to torture herself like this, and she forced herself to look away from your form, shaking her head to clear the vision. She glanced back at the open door to see it empty, and breathed a sigh of relief, or despair, she wasn’t sure which.

When the smell of dinner began to waft into the bedroom, Billie decided to head back down. Despite her being fully aware that she was leading Amanda on, she felt obligated to keep the charade up for a little longer, if nothing else than to keep Billie away from her own thoughts, which seemed to be quickly spiraling. The unfamiliar feeling of her own bare feet on the wooden steps gave her a sense of grounding, or so she thought. Things were different, she was different, and there was no use being swept up in the past.

She heard the familiar song before she had even made it to the ground floor, her heart pounding wildly as the tune blended with the sizzling of the stove.

“And I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills…”

Billie’s steps lightened, sneaking up to the entryway of the kitchen and indulging herself for a moment. You always sang while you were cooking. Frankly, there really wasn’t ever a moment you weren’t singing or humming or making noise in general, and Billie loved it. She loved hearing you from rooms away, loved knowing you were always there, loved always having you on her mind. She watched you push the vegetables around the pan and she smiled softly, but something felt wrong, and the smile quickly dissipated. It didn’t sound like you, it sounded like…

“Billie? Billie?” Amanda asked, snapping the woman out of her trance, “Are you ok?”

“Yes, I’m fine dear.” Billie said, glancing down at the floor as her heart dropped, reality settling in once again. This was wrong, all of this was wrong.

“Are you sure?” Amanda asked as Billie glanced back up, “You’re crying, love.”

The medium swiped her thumb across her cheek, catching a single tear with the long nail. She didn’t even know she was doing it, and she let out a small, frustrated grunt. Her gaze returned back to the floor, “Why don’t you head home sweetheart? I can finish this.” She didn’t dare look up, not wanting to see the disappointment stamped across the redhead’s face. She knew Amanda thought she would be staying, there was hardly a night she didn’t end up in Billie’s bed, but even the idea made the woman’s skin crawl.

“Are you sure? Because I can…” Amanda said, Billie glancing up only long enough to see the realization sink in and her jilted lover’s face harden, “Ok. I’ll see you tomorrow, Billie.”

Billie knew she wouldn’t be back. It would be just like all the times before, all the times where she had so carelessly thrown her flings to the curb. All of the women before you, probably all of the women after. Her resignation would be a text, effective immediately, once it finally set in that she was just like the rest, one of the many. She wouldn’t be able to bring herself to call, not that Billie blamed her. She knew what she was, what she always had been. A womanizer who loved the chase, but couldn’t ever get serious. The longer the chase was, the longer the relationship would last, but she really didn’t have to say much to get Amanda into bed, and so really, the game was over before it had even begun.

You were different, or at least Billie thought you were different, right up until she did the same to you. But you weren’t easy to catch, and maybe that was why she held on so long. You weren’t wooed by her shameless flirting, you had no interest in her games. She actually had to work for you, fight for you, and you weren’t an easy girl to trap. When she finally got ahold of you, she swore it would be different. But if it was different, you would still be there, you would have gone with her to Europe, not Amanda, just like you two had planned.

Then again, maybe it was different. Billie knew she wouldn’t think twice about letting Amanda go, in a week she wouldn’t even remember her name. She would be a face, one of the many, that would fade quickly. But Billie had spent the past ten months thinking of you constantly, wishing it were you and not her. That had never happened before. She certainly didn’t see ghosts of her past lovers floating around the halls, just you.

Forgetting about dinner entirely, Billie decided to tackle her demons head on. She wanted to get it over with, despite knowing it would be brutal. She didn’t want to see flickers of you every time she entered a new room over the next few days, didn’t want the constant reminder, so she grabbed a bottle of wine and moved through the rooms one by one, choking down tears. There you were, begging her to dance in the living room, studying at the dining room table, standing in her office covered in paint. Each memory was like taking a dagger to her chest, one after the other. There wasn’t a single room in the house where she didn’t see you, didn’t feel an ounce of your presence. One bottle of wine quickly turned to two, trying to numb the aching feeling that was spreading from bone to bone, nerve to nerve. It was harder than she thought, brutal in every way. You were smiling at her from the balcony, whispering to her in the bathroom, you had even left your mark in the laundry room, and it hurt, it really fucking hurt.

By the end she was stumbling, the second bottle dropped and shattered somewhere on the second floor. She didn’t care, because as she fumbled down the stairs, she was hit with the sucker punch. You were standing by the doorway, bags packed and gauze covering your forehead, hiding the numerous stitches underneath, the ones from the car accident. Your cheeks were tear stained, red rimmed eyes staring back at her filled with hurt and betrayal.

“Bill, are you sure you want to do this?”

Billie dropped, tucking her knees to her chest as she let out a guttural sob. She didn’t want to do it; she knows she didn’t. Hell, she knew then, but she couldn’t stop herself, and she did. She let you go, all because she was scared. That accident almost killed you, and the medium realized she couldn’t bear the idea of losing you. She hated that she was so attached, and once you said those words, she snapped. She ended things and they ended badly, and she never gave a reason, but you knew, you knew her better than she knew herself. She pushed you away because at least then it was a choice, and Billie needed that choice.

The woman looked up and you were still there, your eyes boring into hers as you shook your head.

“Bye, Billie.”

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Billie sobbed, dropping her head into her knees, hoping if she didn’t look, she wouldn’t see you walk out that door, never to return. But Billie couldn’t run from this, couldn’t pack her bags and head back to Europe, not anymore. But this house wasn’t home without you, and Billie wasn’t Billie without you, and you were gone. She hurt you, broke your heart in two, and now she had to pay the price.

She sobbed and sobbed until her lungs burned, never lifting her head. She heard the front door open, instinctually turning away from the noise. “Amanda,” She squeaked out, “I told you that you could go home.”

There was no response, and Billie thought she must have imagined it, that was until she heard a familiar voice.

“Billie?”

#wow I kind of hate how this turned out #the first third is good but the rest is trash im sorry #I should have just finished it last night #billie dean howard #billie dean howard x reader #AHS #ahs imagine #ahs murder house

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mister-maiden · 4 years ago

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Paper Mario: Origami King - A good game, but not for Paper Mario

I enjoyed Paper Mario, Origami King...but it simply didn't feel like Paper Mario.

I'm not sure how to say this, but the newest installment just didn't feel like the old games I used to enjoy. It had none of the familiar mechanics I loved. That fun feeling of really just being paper that the other games manipulated so much to a key level that was so seamless I didn't have to think about it.

I miss the companions we had in previous games. Each one was so unique in their abilities. A cute Koopa that lost his father to a dragon to whom we find once more. A witch who leaves her sisters to join the troupe, a freaking Goomba, a Bo-omb, hell a a Boo! I miss the amazing atmospheres and enviornments of each area corresponding with the characters. I absolutely loved the area in Thousand Year Door where you help a colony of small creatures and you gain the help of the female ghost Flurrie. These were such memorable moments and areas that are just ingrained in my brain. The amazing fighting ring with a Mini-Yoshi. I made so many wonderful memories with these characters and areas...and I simply can't connect these types of feelings to the Origami King.

The areas are just bland archetypes of pre-existing areas we have always explored with little to no change. Good old plains with tall grass or ancient temples of fire and water. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't as fun either. Truly so far the only area I remember- and it is out of frustration, is the part when Bob the Bo-Omb rolls down hills annoyingly to find him in areas that make no sense as a joke, meanwhile having you tediously walk around empty areas with small toads folded in Origami...which is a nice touch but just felt annoying to find after the 60th toad.

The theme park was cool, but it completely lost its luster after the 20th battle that went exactly like the previous ones...but let me tell you about how much I absolutely despise the battle system to the point I ignore battles when I can.

The battle system is in such a way so inherently tedious that it becomes a hassle just defeating a normal enemy because of how little reward you recieve from what you have to use. Your items break so there isn't much of a reward in truly exploring. Most enemies take a minute of tedious movement and slow fighting that it simply isn't fun. In past games you had the advancement of levels and a soundtrack that I bounced to in every fight. As I type I can actually hear the music just rhythmically playing like a record in my head.

Since the games system revolves quite a bit around the battle system, it was important they made it fun. This system is just really boring. You simply have items, and movement of the board which forces it into a repetitive cycle of moving it perfectly, then using a single tier upwards to kill the enemies in a single hit so you don't have to be a part of the situation anymore. I don't remember the music, I hardly remember the enemies, and I truly miss how my comrades would actually assist me in battle with their own unique moves and fighting styles. Items and power ups in the previous games actually had reasonings to using each. Some for defence lowering, some for AOE, some for exploiting weaknesses, etc. This one? Just pick the item that will kill them in one shot so you can remove yourself from the equation.

The jokes from Toads are good. I will certainly give the game that. I actively laugh in some portions, but it gets lackluste after the 60th toad as I said before.

I believe they could have used the origami portion of the game much more in combat. Using origami attacks, items, special abilities..I think the addition of the Toads you rescued in combat was good!...until you have to use resources to even use them. That and the assistance is legit the game forcing the puzzle into a way that is perfect. There is no strategy to using the toads. It just makes combat even more boring...hell I bought this game for myself for my birthday and I still haven't even beaten it. I've lost complete interest in this game after only defeating the water elemental. Hell I can't even remember where I last left off.

Maybe I haven't gotten far enough into the game to enjoy it, but so far I just haven't held the interest to beat it :c I am disappointed.

It's a good game..just not a good Paper Mario Installment.

#paper mario #mario #nintendo #nintendo switch #Origami king #Paper Mario origami king

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trinuviel · 6 years ago

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The Spiral, the Storm and the Wheel

THE SPIRAL

The White Walkers are in many respects a mysterious and somewhat frustrating enemy in Game of Thrones. They never speak but they do have some form of intellect since they create grisly patterns out of severed body parts: 1) a bisected circle and 2) a spiral. Both symbols originated with the creators of the WW, the Children of the Forest - and the spiral in particular is associated with the creation of the Night King since the tree where he was created was surrounded by a spiral created out of standing stones.

It is still unclear what the spiral signified for the Children of the Forest - but in an interview in The New York Post, Dave Hill, one of the writers on the show, explains that the Night King has adopted the symbol as a way to mock his creators:

The question is: has the meaning changed through this appropriation? That is at present not possible to answer since we have no idea what the symbol originally meant to the Children of the Forest. However, I do think that we can attempt to figure out what the Night King means when his people re-create the spiral through dismembered human and animal bodies. Because these spirals are a message, in a sense, and he’s saying “I am coming for you” while at the same time making a mockery of something that was sacred to his creators.

This spiral looks a lot like a wheel without a rim, endlessly spinning around and around. This is rather interesting since Daenerys Targaryen repeatedly talks about “breaking the wheel” in relation to her political ambition of conquering Westeros (I’ll return to this subject later). If the spiral is a spinning wheel, then what does it mean? The image of poor little Ned Umber at the center of a spiral made of severed human limbs in the first episode of season 8 inspired Professor Tyler Dean to write a very interesting opinion piece on the website of the publishing house Tor, which specializes in science fiction and fantasy:

The Mexica believed that time was a spiral. Not a circle, where everything that happened previously was destined to happen again, identical, ad inifinitum. Not linear, where the way forward was uncharted and momentum, progress, and change ruled the day. But, as author/illustrator James Gurney once pointed out to my eight-year-old brain, a combination of the two: a spiral. The forces of history push us ever forwards, but events rhyme with one another—parallel but not identical. That was what I couldn’t get out of my head after watching “Winterfell,” the final season premiere of Game of Thrones.

...

Spiral time is uncanny. We are reminded of familiar events and sequences but they are spiked with the creeping dread that they are not quite what we think or expect them to be.

...

We might be tempted to think of spirals as orderly and predictable, but “Winterfell” reinforces the idea that time in Westeros is not organized in a tightly-bound pattern but a widening gyre: each revolution around the center may echo previous events, but it brings its own entropy and decay. (Tor.com)

This idea of time as a spiral is a very interesting one but what I find especially compelling is this notion of the spiral being connected to an idea of entropy and decay. Tyler goes on to quote The Second Coming, a famous poem by W.B. Yeats:

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned

THE STORM

The notion of decay in relation to the spiral set off various chains of association for me - about how the Night King and the White Walkers are an inhuman and unrelenting force of destruction, in that sense that they come close to be the magical equivalent to a destructive force of nature. The NK is even described as such by Jon Snow who says that he is the Storm. That made me connect the spiral with images of storm systems as they look from space.

On the right we have a picture of a spiral that the WW made from dismembered horses after they defeated the Night’s Watch at The Fist of the First Men in season 2. The picture to the left is a satellite image of a hurricane. The visual resemblance is very close indeed.

In the first episode of season 8, the spiral was reintroduced when Tormund, Beric and the remainder of the Night’s Watch come upon what remains of the Umber seat, The Last Hearth, after it has been run over by the WW.

When it turns out that poor little Ned Umber has become a zombie, Tormund and friends set fire to him and the body parts that make up the spiral. This is the first time that we’ve seen the spiral associated with the element of fire. This has led people to note a certain resemblance between the spiral and the style in which the Targaryen sigil is rendered.

There is indeed a bit of a likeness - and it is worth noting that the Targaryen sigil and the spirals that the WW each have seven arms.

(source)

Is this resemblance merely a coincidence or is there a deeper meaning at work? It is hard to tell but I want to explore this connection a bit further because the sole known Targaryen of this story is, in fact, also visually connected to the spiral symbol. In season 4, Daenerys Targaryen wears a dress made from laser-cut fabric that sports a repeated spiral pattern.

She is also known as the Stormborn because she came into the world during the worst storm that Westeros had seen in living memory. She is also a very war-like character and it is worth remembering that in the books “storm” is often used as a synonym for for “war”. With a bit of squinting one can even perceive s spiral shape hidden in one of the final images of the season 3 finale where Daenerys is lifted up by the freed slaves of Meereen.

It is faint but you could make an argument that it is there. This connection between Daenerys and the Night King is enhanced by the larger thematic framework of GRRM’s story. They are both associated with the extremes of Ice and Fire - indeed, just like the dragons are Fire Made Flesh, so are the White Walkers Ice made Flesh, which I have examined elsewhere.

THE WHEEL

The spiral also somewhat resembles a wheel, as I’ve previously mentioned. I’m not the only person who has noted this resemblance, @lady-griffin mentions this resemblance in this post. In the later seasons, Daenerys Targaryen has become known for wanting to “break the wheel” - but what does that mean?

In season 5 she tells Tyrion Lannister that she’ll have the support of the common people in Westeros and she describes the feudal system as a wheel with spokes made up of the noble Houses. In this context, it seems as though she wants to destroy the feudal system of the country she wants to conquer. However, as she herself mentions, her own House is part of this system and she’s not intending to create a radically new system since she still wants to be Queen. She still wants to occupy the hub of the wheel, i.e. the Iron Throne. She simply wants to remove anyone who can be a threat to her power. What she wants is not a more democratic system but an absolute monarchy with her at the top.

Nebulous and contradictory plans is very typical of Dany’s political rhetoric but I’m rather interested in how she describes this system:

“Lannister, Targaryen, Baratheon, Stark, Tyrell. They’re all just spokes on a wheel. This one’s on top, then that one’s on top. And on and on it spins, crushing those on the ground.”

This conjures a specific concept of Classical (and later Medieval) thought: the Rota Fortuna, or Fortune’s Wheel:

In medieval and ancient philosophy the Wheel of Fortune, or Rota Fortunae, is a symbol of the capricious nature of Fate. The wheel belongs to the goddess Fortuna (Greek equivalent Tyche) who spins it at random, changing the positions of those on the wheel: some suffer great misfortune, others gain windfalls. Fortune appears on all paintings as a woman, sometimes blindfolded, "puppeteering" a wheel. (Wikipedia)

Interestingly, the show invokes Fortune’s Wheel visually in the opening credits. Thus, the Rota Fortuna embodies the political game that dominates the show. Fortune’s Wheel is the very embodiment of the Game of Thrones!

The thing about Fortune’s Wheel is that it never stops spinning. The same goes for the political game - there will always be someone who seeks power, regardless of whether there is a throne or not. The games of power and influence exist wherever human society exist regardless of what kind of government they have - there will always be politics and power plays. The only way to truly stop the spinning of the wheel is to eradicate humankind. There can be no game if there are no players.

This leads me back to the what the spiral may have meant for the Children of the Forest. The NK has adopted this symbol as an act of mockery - it signifies blasphemy on his part according to show writer Dave Hill. In this context, it is important to note that the WW always create this spiral symbol out of dismembered bodies - it is made of dead things and, in a way, the spiral as it is made by the WW symbolizes Death. If the WW’s spiral is an image of Death and it represents an act of blasphemy on the part of the NK, then it is very possible that the spiral signified Life for the CotF - symbolizing that Life spins ever onward through nature.

They created the NK by killing and magically re-animating a human man. The original blasphemy was theirs - and there’s a certain symmetry to the fact that the weapon they created by polluting their own magic turned against them. On a final note I also wish to point out that the Weirwood tree where the CotF created the NK is now dead!

This is actually a very important detail because in ASoIaF lore, weirwood trees are practically immortal. They don’t wither and die - unless they are interfered with.

#game of thrones #spiral #symbols #the night king #the children of the forest #the white walkers #daenerys targaryen

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wickedbananas · 7 years ago

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How to Rock MozCon 2018 Like the Marketing Superhero You Are

Posted by FeliciaCrawford

MozCon is just around the corner, meaning it’s time to share one of our absolute favorite posts of the year: the semi-official MozCon Guide to Seattle!

For those of you following the yellow brick road of I-5 into the heart of the Emerald City to spend three days absorbing all the SEO insight you can hold, this should help you plan both how you spend your time at the conference and outside of it. For those watching on the sidelines, scroll along and you’ll find a treasure trove of fun Seattle ideas and resources for future cons or trips you might make to this fair city by the sea.

And if you’ve been waffling on whether or not to take the plunge (to attend the conference — I wouldn’t recommend plunging into the Puget Sound, it’s quite cold), there may still be time:

We’re now over 99% sold out, so act fast if you’ve got your heart set on MozCon 2018!

Official MozCon activities:

We know you’re here for a conference, but that’s only part of your day. After you’ve stuffed every inch of space in your brain with cutting-edge SEO insights, you’re going to want to give yourself a break — and that’s exactly why we’ve put together an assortment of events, activities, suggestions, and Seattle insider pro tips for how to fill your time outside of MozCon.

The MozCon kickoff party!

With day one behind you, we’re guessing you’ll be some mix of energized, inspired, and ready to relax just a bit. Celebrate the first day of MozCon at our Monday night kickoff party with a night of networking, custom cocktails, and good music at beautiful Block 41 in Belltown.

Meet with fellow marketers and the Mozzers that keep your SEO software shiny while you unwind after your first full day of conferencing. It’s our privilege and delight to bring our community together on this special night.

Our famously fun MozCon Bash

There ain’t no party like a MozCon party! We invite all MozCon attendees and Mozzers to join us on Wednesday night at the Garage Billiards in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. From karaoke to photobooth, from billiards to shuffleboard, and peppered liberally with snacks and libations, the Wednesday Night MozCon Bash is designed to celebrate the completion of three days of jam-packed learning. This is the industry party of the year — you won’t want to miss it!

Birds of a Feather lunch tables

In between bites of the most delicious lunch you’ll find in the conference circuit, you’ll have the opportunity to connect with your fellow community members around the professional topics that matter most to you. Each day there will be seven-plus tables with different topics and facilitators; find one with a sign noting the topic and join the conversation to share advice, learn new tips and tricks, and discover new friends with similar interests.

Monday, July 9th

Google Analytics & Tag Management hosted by Ruth Burr Reedy at UpBuild

Content-Driven Link Building hosted by Paddy Moogan at Aira

Mobile App Growth hosted by Emily Grossman at Skyscanner

Content Marketing hosted by Casie Gillette at KoMarketing

Local SEO hosted by Mike Ramsey at Nifty Marketing

Podcasting hosted by Heidi Noonan-Mejicanos at Moz

Workflow Optimization hosted by Juan Parra at Accelo

Tuesday, July 10th

SEO A/B Testing hosted by Will Critchlow at Distilled

Community Speaker Connection hosted by Sha Menz at Moz

PPC + SEO Integration hosted by Jonathon Emery at Distilled

Meet Your Help Team hosted by Kristina Keyser at Moz

Agency Collaboration hosted by Yosef Silver at Fusion Inbound

Site Speed hosted by Jono Alderson at Yoast

Featured Snippets hosted by Rob Bucci at STAT Search Analytics

Voice Search hosted by Dr. Pete Meyers at Moz

Wednesday, July 11th

Content Marketing Q&A hosted by Kane Jamison at Content Harmony

Paid Search Marketing for High-Cost Keywords hosted by Trenton Greener at the Apex Training

SEO A/B Testing hosted by Will Critchlow at Distilled

Team Hiring, Retention, & Growth hosted by Heather Physioc at VML

Local Search hosted by Darren Shaw at Whitespark

Machine Learning & Advanced SEO by Britney Muller at Moz

Reporting Q&A hosted by Dana DiTomaso at Kick Point

The delight is in the details

MozCon is literally brimming with things to do and ways to support our attendees when they need it. Aside from our hosted events and three days’ worth of talks, we’ve got things to fill in the cracks and make sure your MozCon experience is everything you’ve ever wanted from a conference.

Photobooth with Roger: Admit it — you see that cute, googly-eyed robot face and you just want to hug it forever. At MozCon, you can do just that — and memorialize the moment with a picture at the photobooth! Roger’s a busy bot, but his photobooth schedule will be posted so you can plan your hugs accordingly.

Ping pong play sesh: Don your sweat bands and knee-high socks and keep your paddle arm limber! During breaks, we’ll have ping pong tables available to burn some excess energy and invite a little casual competition.

The world map of MozCon: Ever play pin the tail on the donkey? Well, this is sort of like that, but the donkey is a world map and (thankfully) there’s no blindfold. You’ll place a pin from wherever in the world you traveled from. It’s amazing to see how far some folks come for the conference!

Local snacks galore: Starbucks, Piroshky Piroshky, Ellenos Yogurt, and Top Pot Donuts will happily make themselves acquainted with your tastebuds! Carefully chosen from local Seattle businesses, our snacks will definitely please your local taste pallet and, if past feedback is to be believed, possibly tempt you to move here.

Stay charged: Pining for power? Panicking at that battery level of 15% at 10am? Find our charging sofas to fuel up your mobile device.

MozCon is for everyone

We want marketers of all stripes to feel comfortable and supported at our conference. Being “for everyone” means we’re working hard to make MozCon more accessible in many different ways. The Washington State Convention Center is fully ADA compliant, as are our other networking event venues. But it’s important for us to get even better, and we welcome your feedback and ideas.

Here are a few of the ways we’ve worked to make MozCon a welcoming event for everyone:

A ramp on the stage

Live closed captioning of the main event

Walkways for traffic flow

Menus featuring options or special meals (that actually taste good) for dietary restrictions

A nursing room

Gender-neutral bathroom options

Lots of signage

T-shirts that fit different body types

Visible staff to help make everyone’s experience the best possible

A proud partnership with 50/50 Pledge, furthering our commitment to better representation of women on stage

Strict enforcement of our Code of Conduct and TAGFEE

Bespoke city exploration — Get to know Seattle!

In years past, Tuesday nights were reserved for our MozCon Ignite event, where brave folks from myriad backgrounds would share stories in lighting-fast Ignite-style talks of five minutes each — the only rule being it can’t be about marketing!

While MozCon Ignite has always been a much-loved and highly anticipated event, we’ve also listened closely to your feedback about wanting more time to network on your own, plan client dinners, go on outings with your team, and in general just catch your breath — without missing a thing. That’s why this year, we’re folding Ignite into the official MozCon schedule so everyone can benefit from the tales shared and enjoy a fun five-minute break between SEO talks.

Wondering about what topics will be covered at Ignite this year?:

The Ninja Kit to NOT Get Sick While Traveling by Dana Weber at Seer Interactive

My Everest: How 10 Years of Chasing Tornadoes Came Down to One Moment by Tom Romero at Uncommon Goods

Baseball Made Me a Better Engineer by Tom Layson at Moz

Trailblazer: How Reading One Book Changed My Life for Good by Lina Soliman at OSUWMC

Drag Queen Warlocks, Skateboarding Sorcerers, & Other Folks by Jay Ricciardi at Tableau

Voice Dialogue Therapy: Listening to the Voices Inside Your Head by Kayla Walker at Distilled

We’re opening up Tuesday night as your chance to explore the Emerald City. We’ll have a travel team onsite at the conference on Tuesday to help you and your friends plan an exciting Seattle adventure. Perhaps you’ve met a fantastic group of like-minded folks at a Birds of a Feather lunch table and would love to talk featured snippets over fresh fish n’ chips at the Pike Place Market. Maybe you’ve always wanted to catch the view at the top of the Space Needle (recently renovated and reopened to provide even better views!). Or perhaps a quiet sunset picnic overlooking the water at Gasworks Park seems like the perfect way to relax after a long day of learning and networking. Regardless of whatever floats your boat, we encourage you to plan local meetups, invite your newfound and long-standing friends, and forge a few irreplaceable Seattle memories.

Wondering what there is to do, drink, eat, and see in Seattle?

Well, who better to ask than us Seattleites? Using tons of real suggestions from real Mozzers, we’ve put together a Google Map you can use to guide your exploration outside the confines of the event venue — check it out below!

Seattle’s got more to offer than we can name — get out there and discover the renowned Emerald City quirks and quaintness we’re famous for!

Travel options:

Seattle’s got a pretty solid transit system that can get you where you need to go, whether you’re traveling by bus or train. The city also has its share of rideshare services, as well as taxis, bikes, ferries, and water taxis, depending on where you're headed.

Public transportation

King County Metro Trip Planner: Traverse the city by bus! You can also download an app to get real-time bus info (I like the One Bus Away app, developed here in Seattle by University of Washington grads)

Light Rail: Connecting the north end to the south, the Light Rail can move you across Seattle quickly (and even drop you off right at SeaTac for your flight home!)

Water taxis and ferries can float you right across the Sound (and offer a lovely view while they’re at it)

A Transit Go ticket or ORCA card will happily power your public transit excursions

Bikeshare programs: As you wander the city, you may notice brightly colored bicycles patiently awaiting riders on the sidewalks. That rider could be you! If you’re feeling athletic, take advantage of the city’s bikeshare programs and see Seattle on two wheels.

Rideshares and taxis

Uber & Lyft can get you where you need to go

Moovn is a Seattle startup rideshare company

Two taxi services, Seattle Yellow Cab and Orange Cab, allow for online booking via their apps (or you can call ‘em the old-fashioned way!)

Are you ready to rock MozCon?!

If you’re already MozCon-bound come this July, make sure to download the app (must be on mobile) and join our Facebook group to maximize your networking opportunities, get to know fellow attendees, and stay up-to-date on conference news and activities.

If you’re thinking about grabbing a ticket last-minute, we still have a few left:

Grab a ticket while you can

And whether you’re going to be large, in charge, and live at the conference or just following along at home and eagerly waiting the video release, follow along with the #MozCon hashtag on Twitter to indulge in the juicy tidbits and takeaways attendees will undoubtedly share.

Sign up for The Moz Top 10, a semimonthly mailer updating you on the top ten hottest pieces of SEO news, tips, and rad links uncovered by the Moz team. Think of it as your exclusive digest of stuff you don't have time to hunt down but want to read!

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ebaeschnbliah · 7 years ago

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WHEN THE MAN WITH THE KEY BECOMES KING

________________________________________________________________

A metaphorical reading ot 'The Reichenbach Fall'

If TRF is a scenario that happens inside Sherlock's head, on his Mind-Stage, then Sherlock himself is the creator of the character 'Jim Moriarty' and the way he is portrayed in this episode. Jim's external appearance, his profession as a criminal mastermind, his behaviour, the words he uses .... everything is constructed by Sherlock. It's how Sherlock perceives what Jim represents.

And Jim seems to represent some of Sherlock's darkest fears but at the same time he is also the cause of immense fascination. Jim - the dangerous and destructive side of Sherlock - a side which turns everything into negativity. Boredom grows into depression .... depression increases into suicidal thoughts.

And when Sherlock's mind suddenly starts to contemplate about the topic of 'girlfriends and boyfriends' .....

... while I’m flattered by your interest ...

... it doesn't take very long and 'Jim' focuses exactly on this topic as well ('hello, sexy'). At first Sherlock deeply enjoys to learn more of this thrilling part of himself. He enjoys playing the game. Not long though and Sherlock starts perceiving Jim as an uncontrollable danger, as a risk for everything that is dear to him ... especially his heart (John). But Jim stubbornly refuses to stay away. Very quickly he turns into the criminal mastermind, the consulting criminal, a constantly growing threat, ticking like an unstable bomb .... ready to explode at any moment. And suddenly it becomes an absolut necessity for Sherlock to examine and investigate and deduce this 'threat' more closely ....

More under the cut ....

Previous to The Reichenbach Fall

In ASIB Irene crosses the threshold of 221b. The first incarnation of sexuality. And though the plot makes it absolutely clear that male as well as female clients are on her customers list, Irene says just as clearly that she is gay. Is this the moment when Sherlock deduces his own sexuality? (Explosive ... it's more me) Is it really a big surprise under these circumstances that Irene is adviced by no one else than Jim Moriarty 'how to play the Holmes boys'? Sherlock the 'virgin' ... the vulcano hidden under a snowcapped mountain ... covered by icy glaciers ... the summit high above the clouds ... the head .... the BRAIN ... the 'ice man'.

And Jim is blowing raspberries at the BRAIN ... 'Jumbo Jet. Dear me, Mr. Holmes, dear me' ....

In THOB Sherlock visits Baskerville. An extremly guarded governments facillity. The section of the BRAIN where frightening monsters are created? (The Return of Baskerville ... in S4) Soon it turns out that the monster in question - the HOUND - is fake but the man behind this horror story creates a drug which serves the same purpose. It induces fear. And when Sherlock looks behind Frankland's mask at the end, it is no one else than Jim Moriarty who grins manically back at him.

Jim has become the face of Sherlock's sexuality

The very last scene of THOB shows how Jim is released from his high security prison by Mycroft ... the BRAIN. This indicates that it is a conscious decision of Sherlock - of his BRAIN - to release what Jim represents and take a closer look at this special topic ... despite all his concerns and his fears ....

First cases and gifts in The Reichenbach Fall

GALLERY DIRECTOR: Falls of the Reichenbach, Turner’s masterpiece, thankfully recovered owing to the prodigious talent of Mr. Sherlock Holmes.

SHERLOCK: Diamond cufflinks. All my cuffs have buttons.

Cufflinks are a device to fasten shirt cuffs. Shirt cuffs .... one could call them the 'soft' version of handcuffs. Handcuffs are generally used to restrain and to capture.

Diamond cufflinks for metaphorical handcuffs ... an interesting present for bringing back 'Reichenbach'. Maybe something precious to endure captivity a little easier?

And .... TURNER'S masterpiece? To turn something, can also mean to change something. This could be used for a very nice little wordplay. :))))

”Top Banker Kidnapped” ”Sherlock Holmes was last night being hailed a hero yet again for masterminding the daring escape of the kidnapped man."

As the public applaud, the boy smiles and offers a small gift-wrapped box to Sherlock. He takes it and rattles it briefly. SHERLOCK: Tie pin. I don’t wear ties.

A tie is 'a long piece of cloth worn around the neck'. One could call it the 'soft' version of a leash. Or even a garotte ... a device used for strangulation. Strangulation and asphyxiation are main themes throughout Sherlock BBC.

Sherlock gets this present for bringing back a 'Top Banker'. Finances are one of the most important foundations of any government. This seems to be a plausible connection to Mycroft .... the BRAIN.

A precious little jewlery to adorn a metaphorical leash or even garotte as a present for reestablishing the BRAIN ... choosing logic and reason over a suffocating and drowning heart? :))))

LESTRADE: Peter Ricoletti: number one on Interpol’s Most Wanted list since nineteen eighty-two. But we got him; and there’s one person we have to thank for giving us the decisive leads. .... We all chipped in.

As Sherlock tears open the wrapping paper, Sally and Anderson grin expectantly. He pulls out a deerstalker hat.

Oh, the deerstalker! Sherlock calls it 'death frisbee'. This hat seems to be of great imortance on many levels at the same time.

it's the most famous trademark of canon Sherlock Holmes

it can be used as wordplay 'deer=hart' ... 'dear/heart' ... 'stalking the dear heart' ... the dear/heart being John. (Sherlock, the Stag and the Skull)

it can be used as an indicator for changing the levels/plays on Sherlock's Mind-Stage. (Stalking the Deerstalker)

On this level though ... with the main theme circling heavily around sexuality ... the meaning of the deerstalker seems to be none of the above mentioned. As many people have already pointed out, the deerstalker represents also the Victorian era - a time where homosexuality had been forbidden and prosecuted.

Sherlock gets the 'hat' for arresting a man called Ricoletti. The name Ricoletti turns up again in TAB - associated with the murderous ghost bride Emelia.

she commits suicide like Jim,

her substitute body lies in a morgue like Irene's,

she fakes her death and goes undercover like Sherlock,

she kills her husband like Mary kills Sherlock.

I think one can safely say that Emelia is a mirror for all of them. And when Sherlock finally lifts the veil of the bride it is again Jim who's hiding behind it.

Short version: Sherlock receives the deerstalker as a gift for arresting Ricoletti the criminal .... Ricoletti the bride behind whose veil hides Jim .... Jim the master criminal who represents Sherlock's sexuality ... homosexuality. Well ....

Places of power under attack

Three places of great power are invaded by Jim Moriarty at the same time.

The Tower of London - a high security facility where the precious Crown Jewels are harboured.

The Bank of England - a high security facility where immense wealth is kept, a powerful foundation of the government.

Pentonville Prison - a high security facility where 'the dangerous' are imprisoned.

At all three places ... tea is served directly before the attack

'Tea-Code' has already become a classic and TLDs ... 'Is "cup of tea" code?"... confirmed it.

In the nearby surveillance room, one of the two men watching the security footage from all around the Tower turns to his colleague. SURVEILLANCE MAN 1: Fancy a cuppa, then, mate? SURVEILLANCE MAN 2: Yeah, why not?

A man brings a tray containing a cup and saucer and a milk jug into the office of the bank’s Director.

The prison’s governor, with an enormous “Keep calm and carry on” mug full of tea on his desk, slams a file down onto his desk as several warders sit or stand nearby.

The moment Jim calls ..... the tea gets spilt

At the Tower of London: "This is an emergency. Please leave the building." In the surveillance room, the man slams down the cups of tea he was bringing back and grabs a phone as he starts to dial.

At the Bank of England, the Director looks down at the cup of tea he is holding as the liquid inside begins to shimmer and the building vibrates gently. BANK DIRECTOR: The vault! Alarms blare and his screen flashes the alarm “VAULT OPENING” as a graphic shows the door to the vault swinging slowly open. The Director’s jaw drops and he stares in disbelief, his tea cup slowly tilting in his hand until the tea pours out into his lap.

In Pentonville Prison, the governor is just lifting his mug to his mouth as alarms begin to sound. A prison warder bursts into the room. PRISON WARDER: Sir, security’s down, sir. It’s failing! The governor surges to his feet, accidentally sweeping his mug off the table and onto the floor.

But only at one of the three locations Jim shows up in person. Jim Moriarty comes to Tower Hill to claim the Crown Jewels

With a diamond and a fire extinguisher Jim shatters glass that is 'tougher than anything' (Elephant Glass?) to get to the famous symbols of rulership.

And Jim dresses up as King of the Empire.

Applying a methphorical reading .... the Empire/England/London represents Sherlock's body. And going by the assumption that this episode is located inside Sherlock's head ... acted out on Sherlock's Mind-Stage ... then ....

Sherlock envisions that homosexuality is ruling his body

Crown Jewels .... Definition by Urban Dictionary

'UK slang for penis and balls. Because they are a guarded treasure.'

Maybe this is a nice moment to bring back once more the icon on Jim's phone. The one he uses as a symbol for attacking The Tower of London and the 'Crown Jewels'? Someone has chosen the shape for that crown. When it is fully open .... looks like this .... before it explodes .... :))))

Side note: The little cross at the top and the bigger one lower down .... they look suspiciously like stylised pirate flags. Pirate signs are used in Baskerville to warn of explosives and it is Sherlock 'thie pirate' who enters Sherrinford.

Baskerville - the tip of the iceberg - the little cros (your idea @gosherlocked :) and ... 'I have to go deeper' ... to Sherrinford - the bigger cross?

Then Sherlock gets the message ....

Is this the moment when Sherlock feels that his investigation ... his Mind-Stage experiment ... gets more and more out of control? Is this the moment when he desides it's better to send Jim back behind prison bars? Jim gets arrested. The 'trial of the century' takes place with Sherlock as 'witness for the prosecution'. But then 'no evidence is offered and the defence rests'. Sherlock and the judge (the BRAIN?) simultanously recite the summing-up speech:

"I find myself in the unusual position of recommending a verdict wholeheartedly. You must find him guilty."

No defence - not guilty - Jim walks free

It seems that at this point Sherlock isn't able anymore to keep Jim behind lock and key. Jim sucessfully invades every locked room, breaches every security system, summons all kinds of assassins (emotions) near Baker Street.

The Tower of London - SEXUALITY?

The Bank of England - finances/goverment/BRAIN?

Pentonville Prison - the imprisoned dangerous/unwanted EMOTIONS?

And apparently no court is able to condemn him and send him behind bars again. Jim doesn't only walk free, he even visits 221b himself, the valued home Sherlock shares with his HEART. He threatens everything and promises Sherlock a fall. Jim has become the man with the key. The king. He can take everything he wants. There is no such thing as privacy and secrecy anymore. Jim can blow up the whole world. A 'spider in the center of a crimianl web with thousand threads and he knows precisely how each and every single one of them dances'.

This is how Sherlock envisions Jim

If Londond/Engalnd is a metaphor for Sherlock's body ..... is this how Sherlock depicts his own sexuality? As an insane demon under whose reign he would become a 'prisoner of his own meat'? And a threat for everything he holds dear?

his HEART (John)

his HOME (Mrs. Hudson)

his WORK (Lestrade)

First Irene then Jim. An attracktive and fascinating but misbehaving and manipulative dominatrix, who wants to have Sherlock on a leash and an equally fascinating but dangerously insane criminal mastermind, who wants to burn Sherlock's heart to ashes. These are the characters Sherlock choose to represent sexuality - his sexuality - on his Mind-Stage.

Are they representing Sherlock's deepest fear? That he might be dominated by sexuality, by emotions and sentiment .... by love? Is he afraid of losing control over all those unwanted feelings which are beginning to stir inside him? Ready to break free at any moment ... even from behind elephant glass ... ready to overwhelm him? What is he going to do to avoid this? What is he going to do if he can't avoid this?

I'm too clever to become a prisoner of my own meat

An episode prior - in THOB - Henry Knight tells Sherlock what he keeps seeing as his lost memory slowly starts coming back. Just a couple of words: "Liberty" and ... "in". Sherlock's first association with these words is ....

Liberty in death ... the only true freedom

Is this what Sherlock believes to be his last resort? Is this the reason why both - Sherlock and Jim - commit suicide at the end of The Reichenbach Fall? Is Sherlock's fear to feel emotions so big that he rather chooses death instead? At least in this version of the play .....

I’m afraid. Always been able to keep myself distant ... divorce myself from ... feelings. But ... my body’s betraying me. Interesting, yes? Emotions. The grit on the lens, the fly in the ointment. (Sherlock THOB)

What might be the reason for such a severe anxiety of not only sexuality but all kinds of other emotions as well? Something seems to be lurking in Sherlock's past. Something must have caused Sherlock's need to 'divorce himself from feelings' in such a drastic way.

Maybe Sherlock still asks himself the same questions after the 'fall' ... the same question he asked Mycroft - his BRAIN - already in ASIB at the beginning of S2:

'Do you ever wonder if there is something wrong with us?'

When Sherlock comes back from his hiatus in S3, he starts exploring and investigating the concept of the 'facade'. HIS facade. Who is she? What is she? Where does she come from? Why is she like this? Why did he chose her to be like this?

And all those questions will finally lead to another one .... the key-question Sherlock asks himself after S3 ... in a very 'special' episode ... in TAB:

What made me like this?

I shall have to go deep ..... into myself ....

(Side note: I left out the theme of the kidnapped children of the ambassador, of Sherlock being framed for a crime he didn't commit and the media as a source of (fake) secrets and scandals and guarded knowledge. All this seems to be more related to Sherlock's past ... to the event that changed a very emotional child into someone who felt the need to create the facade of an unfeeling sociopath ... to hide his heart behind that mask.)

I leave you to your own deductions. Thanks @callie-ariane for the scripts.

September, 2017

@gosherlocked @loveismyrevolution @sagestreet @sherlockshadow @monikakrasnorada @darlingtonsubstitution @raggedyblue @sarahthecoat @221bloodnun @kateis-cakeis @shylockgnomes @tjlcisthenewsexy

#when the man with the key becomes king #jim moriarty #mind stage #metaphorical reading #representing sherlocks sexuality #homosexuality

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the-master-cylinder · 5 years ago

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SUMMARY Anglers from the fishing village of Noyo, California catch what appears to be a monster. The young son of one of the anglers falls into the water and something unseen drags him under the surface. Another angler prepares a flare gun but he slips and accidentally fires it into the deck, which is soaked with gasoline dropped earlier by the boy. The vessel bursts into flames and explodes; everybody aboard is killed. Jim Hill (McClure) and his wife Carol witness the explosion. Later, Jim and Carol’s dog goes missing and the pair finds its dismembered corpse on the nearby beach.

The following day, teenagers Jerry Potter (Meegan King) and Peggy Larson (Lynn Schiller) go for a swim at the beach. Jerry is abruptly pulled under the water. Peggy believes it is a prank until she discovers his mutilated corpse. Peggy screams and tries to reach the beach but a monstrous figure drags her across the sand. The humanoid creature tears off her bikini and rapes her.

That night, two more teenagers are camping on the same beach. Billy (David Strassman) is about to have sex with his girlfriend, Becky (Lisa Glaser) when another humanoid monster claws its way inside, kills him and chases Becky onto the beach. She outruns her assailant but then runs into the arms of yet another monster, which throws her to the sand and rapes her. More attacks follow; not all of them successful, but few witnesses survive to tell the public about the incidents; only Peggy is found alive, though severely traumatized. Jim’s brother is also attacked, prompting Jim to take a personal interest in the matter.

A company called Canco has announced plans to build a huge cannery near Noyo. The murderous, sex-hungry mutations are apparently the result of Canco’s experiments with a growth hormone they had earlier administered to salmon. The salmon escaped from Canco’s laboratory into the ocean during a storm and were eaten by large fish that then mutated into the brutal, depraved humanoids that have begun to terrorize the village.

By the time Jim and Canco scientist Dr. Susan Drake (Turkel) have deduced what is occurring, the village’s annual festival has begun. At the festival, many humanoids appear, murdering the men and raping every woman they can grab. Jim devises a plan to stop the humanoids by pumping gasoline into the bay and setting it on fire, cutting off the humanoids’ way of retreat. Meanwhile, Carol is attacked at home by two of the creatures, but manages to kill them before Jim arrives.

The morning after the festival, normality seems to have returned to the village. Jim asks the sheriff about Dr. Drake. The sheriff mumbles that she went back to the lab, where she is coaching a pregnant Peggy, who has survived her sexual assault. Peggy is about to give birth when her monstrous offspring bursts from her womb, with Peggy screaming at the screeching baby.

PRODUCTION The 1980 release from Roger Corman’s New World Pictures has become infamous (and popular) for its mutant/beach bunny interaction and its shocking climactic variation on Alien’s chestburster. And amazingly enough, the notorious feature was directed by a woman! Although she has done many movies, Barbara Peeters knows what her legacy is. “I’m the mother of the Humanoids from the Deep,” she laughs. “No matter what I do, that damn movie haunts my ass!”

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The Iowa-born Peeters is a founding mother of the modern B-movie. While women were denied directing gigs at major studios, the dynamic Peeters was helming drive-in fare with feminist messages. Before Humanoids from the Deep, she did the girlbiker flick Bury Me an Angel (1972) and the sex comedies Summer School Teachers (1975). “It didn’t matter if it was a prison, biker or horror flick, because I would always manage to get my thinking in somewhere, even if it was just a comment,” she recalls. “When I did Humanoids, though, I was not a horror fan. I literally did it because I needed a job. As a kid, I thought Creature from the Black Lagoon was the scariest movie ever made. I looked at it before I started, and used whatever worked!”

Peeters recalls that she came onto Humanoids late; all of Corman’s boys turned it down, even Joe Dante and Roger finally offered it to me. Of course, I took it. After all, how many girl directors got offered a movie in those days?” She also faced a personal crisis: “I had been diagnosed with cancer, so it was important I show the industry I could still work.

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“It was a rough shoot,” she continues. “I believe that’s why the guys turned it down! No sleep, shooting all night on water. I worked in a wetsuit, which is funny because I can’t swim. We put the camera on a barge, got our wide shots. When it was time to shoot close-ups, the tide came in! It was a constant battle with the elements; the water was so choppy, we gave $5 to the first person to throw up. We found the location in June: Fort Bragg. When we went back to shoot, it was Thanksgiving, so the girls froze! I walked into ocean blowholes to find caves for our monsters.”

“I remember freezing,” says Turkel. “If you look at the boat scenes, I’m wearing a swimsuit while Doug’s in a sweater. I loved doing the monster autopsy, because I got to wear a nice warm lab coat!”

Actress/model Turkel had previously appeared in films like 1977’s thriller The Cassandra Crossing and the 1979 sci-fi actioner Ravagers (1979), while McClure was a ’50s cowboy star who had starred in ’70s cheese such as At the Earth’s Core, The Land That Time Forgot and Warlords of Atlantis. He once claimed Humanoids had a different title when he agreed to star in it.

“That’s true,” Turkel says. “When I got the script, it was called Beneath the Darkness, an interesting horror-thriller like Alien. Imagine how I felt when they changed it! Friends teased me when TV ads announced ‘Humanoids from the Deep, starring Ann Turkel!’”

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As for veteran actor Morrow, “I loved him,” Peeters says. “I admired him in The Blackboard Jungle. His daughter visited during the shoot and hung out on set. Nice family; he died two years later. But we knew from the shoot that Vic was the clumsiest man on two feet. He never did his own stunts; Vic couldn’t walk and chew gum—he was the first one to tell you that. He really struggled in our fight scenes, and Doug McClure got Vic through those. Doug was a stuntman who could do anything; we choreographed our parking-lot brawl around him. We kept Vic in back, although he got to kick a guy in the stomach—he liked that!”

McClure, however, “was a funny drunk,” Peeters fondly recalls. “We had to ration his booze through the day. I had a PA keep an eye on him. We had to let him have a beer every couple of hours, because he was an alcoholic, and Vic was right there with him! Vic got cranky on booze and Doug got cranky sober, so we had to monitor them and make sure one got enough and neither got too much.”

Turkel “was nice,” Peeters says. “We probably should have done a nude scene with Ann-she was gorgeous! She was a Ford model in New York before she became an actress and married Richard Harris. She looked great in a swimsuit, too.” And the actress soldiered on through Humanoids even as she was going through an upsetting drama in real life. “Richard told Ann he was divorcing her right in the middle of filming. I can’t tell you how much I appreciated that,” Peeters says sarcastically. “God bless her; Annie fell apart for 24 hours and then pulled herself together and did it. We were very tight; she’s a sweet girl.”

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“That was difficult,” Turkel admits, “but I wasn’t gonna let it affect my performance with all Barbara was going through, I wanted to help her as much as I could.”

The mutant fishmen show a complete lack of political correctness throughout Humanoids. Besides reckless sexual behavior, they also bump off children and dogs! “I didn’t mind killing the kid, murdering men and raping women, but I couldn’t bear to see dogs dead,” Peeters says cheerfully. “I left the set when the dogs were lying on the dock. They weren’t really dead, of course, but as a dog lover, I couldn’t bear to see them like that.”

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SPECIAL EFFECTS The Humanoids are impressive brutes, equal parts Alien and ’50s critters like The Gill Man. With their exposed brains, mouths full of serrated teeth and nubby tails, they’re truly disturbing, resembling H.P. Lovecraft’s Deep Ones and sharing their lust for human women.

“On set, we called them ‘Noids,’” Peeters reveals. “When I read the script, I got to the part where it said, ‘Thousands and thousands of Humanoids emerge from the ocean…’ I asked Roger, ‘How are you planning on doing that?’ and he said ‘That’s your job!’ I believe we had two full bodied Humanoids, and the others were parts. I would hide how few we had with a flash of an arm, with one really close-up and another running way in the background. Sometimes I used mirrors! For the finale, I had Humanoids on a merry-go-round with mirrors, so I had the same one run back and forth in front of it. That meant you would see him in the foreground, but also see his reflection and think you were seeing two. We used pieces to create a third and another half in frame choking someone, so you got the sense that there was an army of Humanoids. It was a mathematical problem; I felt like Jesus with the loaves and fishes.

“Those monsters were invented by Rob Bottin, who we called “Robin’ back then,” the director recalls of the artist who would soon break out with his landmark work on The Howling and The Thing. “Robin was still a young boy

very serious about his monsters! Everything with him was dramatic and passionate. He broke down crying one day, I don’t remember why, but I thought, “Oh my God!’ It reminded me how young he was. Rob had a great team of guys, talented and hard-working. [Stuntman] Diamond Farnsworth was my ‘Noid who took the most abuse; he was terrific. I loved my ‘Noids.”

“I actually played a Humanoid,” Bottin laughs. “Several of my guys did also. I had the crew come to my place in El Monte, rather than go all the way down to Corman’s studio in Venice about 40 miles away, so we could do an effect in my garage. I thought I was smart, but I didn’t realize that while I was showing them the gag in my garage, Roger had them move my furniture onto the front lawn to shoot a scene in my living room!” As for working in the Pacific in a bulky Humanoid suit, “I kept telling the crew to be on the lookout for a hapless drowning whale-it would have to be me!”

Fellow Humanoid Steve Johnson, who also went on to an illustrious FX career, remembers that being an undersea mutant was no picnic. “Those suits were impossible to get into and out of,” he says. “Once you put on that costume, you were in it for the night. As a Humanoid, you had a tail made up of a series of hinges, so you could not sit down because that tail was incredibly uncomfortable. They also had extended arms, made by Chris Walas. We covered them with hemp fiber as seaweed, to hide the foam and joints, because nothing was finished! We were shooting all night, and making stuff up as we shot.

“Barbara Peeters thought I was the best Humanoid when it came to taking hits,” Johnson proudly continues. “Any time a Humanoid was shot, that was usually me all squibbed up. I raped one of the girls and doubled a male victim after he was mauled, because he didn’t want to wear all the prosthetics when his face is ripped off.” “Steve was great—a hardworking Humanoid, bless his heart,” Peeters adds.

“I had two great joys making the film,” Johnson says. “In one, a Humanoid gets a crowbar in the brain. Since I made the head, I said I would do it, because everyone else was afraid to; we had one head, so it had to be one take. I was nervous, but I knew where and how hard to hit it.

“Then I saw the funniest thing I have seen in my entire career: Bottin, in full Humanoid suit, with those ridiculously long arm extensions. Once you were suited up, you couldn’t even stand without help! With his tail on, he couldn’t sit, and he had those extensions he couldn’t take off, so he could not do anything with his hands—and they wouldn’t get to the shot. That always happens on movie sets, but he had been suited up for three hours as we filmed on a dock.

“Finally, Rob just blew up-screaming and yelling at the entire production team while wearing this Humanoid suit!” Johnson laughs. “He was gesturing with these big arms, wearing the monster head-it was the funniest thing I have ever seen.”

Also part of the Humanoids monster crew was Kenny Myers, “I was a makeup artist for Rob, but I did a bit of everything, including taking care of the guys in the suits,” he recalls. “I think my name is misspelled in the credits! I helped sew together the original Humanoid suit, which took eight hours, and we actually sewed the guy into the outfit, because the pieces hadn’t been assembled yet. Shawn McEnroe and I sewed all these rubber pieces on by hand.

“Rob, Steve and their crew had just finished Tanya’s Island, and were completely burned out,” Myers continues. “The guys were walking zombies, so Rob brought me in for fresh blood. We never got a Humanoids script, so we never knew what was coming at us until the day before. Things like the dead dog on the beach? We literally threw clay onto a board and sculpted it! We used foam and hair to make that dog; almost everything was done in a day.”

How did Humanoids from the Deep come about?

Roger Corman: Much like with Piranha, someone had brought me the screenplay for Humanoids- I can’t remember who—and I had it rewritten and we made it simply because I liked the story. It was unusual, actually, that both pictures came from outside sources, because more often than not, all the ideas for our films came from me.

Humanoids is full of sex, nudity and sexual violence. Having a woman Barbara Peeters, direct it was unusual. Did you hire a woman because the subject matter was potentially volatile?

Roger Corman: No, I brought Barbara on board because she was a good director.

Did you tangle with the ratings board at all with this film?

Roger Corman: On Humanoids, we stayed within the boundaries of the R rating, and had no problem getting it. If I remember correctly, we had to cut very little, if any. thing. When I talked to Barbara about the movie PIRANHA initially, I told her that the premise was very simple: the Humanoids rape the women and they kill the men. And she said, “OK, got it,’ and that’s what she did!

Being a Humanoid victim was not easy, according to actor Greg Travis, who plays KFISH DJ Mike Michaels at the film’s end. “It was my first movie I was 19, and a Humanoid rips my chest off,” says Travis. “I’m with my girl sidekick, Miss Salmon (Linda Shayne), as the monsters attack. I’m caught between a Humanoid and Miss Salmon, so he kills me. They put a prosthetic across my chest, so when he claws me, my chest falls off, blood squirts and I spasm.

“The monsters were creepy, though they were never quite as scary up close as they are on film because of lighting,” Travis notes. “Linda was uptight because she had to get topless. I was gonna do a hand move pretending to touch her chest like a dial, but she got bent out of shape and wouldn’t do it. I did get to put a K-FISH sticker on a girl’s butt, though.”

The actor recalls that a good deal of improv went into the experience: “There was a DJ in the script, but I ad-libbed most of my dialogue. As I was a stand-up comic, they liked what I did. My roommate David Strassman was also in it, with his dummy, Chuck Wood. He’s the ventriloquist with the girl. He plays Vegas now. We always laugh about being killed by Humanoids from the Deep!

“We did pickup shots all night in Malibu,” he continues. “I bought a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken on my way down. The crew laughed at me: “You don’t need that; we have craft services bringing a big dinner!’ But their truck couldn’t find the location, so my chicken was all they had.

They loved me, man. Especially Rob Bottin, he and I ate KFC all night.” In the midst of the mayhem, Peeters includes a disturbing moment where a Humanoid pulls a little girl away for mating purposes. “I liked that because it was unsettling,” she says. “There’s another shot of people screaming and running around a crying baby. I got that from Sam Peckinpah, who said, ‘You don’t realize you’re in danger until you see children in danger.'”

Her favorite scene, however, “is when McClure’s wife, played by Cindy Weintraub, is home alone with their baby. You see a shadow on the wall as Humanoids attack. You can never get a baby to cry on cue, but he started screaming on his own. I thought that sequence was scary, as the monster hand comes through the door. You go ‘Oh shit!’ as Cindy grabs the knife. That low angle of the hand really worked. We also did a cool close-up across the room-you see the fire and a slow pan across the Fisher Stereo to Cindy. We included that shot because Fisher said if I did it, I could have the unit. I always loved freebies!”

In Humanoids’ crowd-pleasing climax, Dr. Drake discovers that Humanoid rape victim Peggy (Lynn Theel) is pregnant. She suddenly realizes this isn’t a normal pregnancy (first clue: Peggy got pregnant in a day!), and the poor girl’s stomach explodes as she gives birth to a baby creature. “We shot the monster birth at a community hospital in Fort Bragg,” Peeters recalls.

“Rob made it all happen; it was an elaborate scene he pulled off. One guy pumped blood while another Kenny—was under the table pushing the baby through; it was hilarious. Annie saying, ‘Push, dear, push!’ to get the little Humanoid out was like a Saturday Night Live sketch.”

“Oh, that was so funny,” Turkel adds. “Here I am, a scientist, and all I do to help is say, ‘Push, Peggy, push!’ It was a very messy scene, too.”

“That monster baby is one of my all-time favorites,” Myers says. “I was under the table, Lynn was pregnant on it and this is where it got insane. I had this pregnant appliance on her, and I was between her legs with a pump, making her belly jump. Lynn started giggling-Kenny? You’re tickling my thighs!’ My head bobbed up between her legs, the most obscene-looking thing you’ve ever seen. Nobody could stop laughing during this dramatic scene! Lynn had the hotel room across from us effects guys, and was a doll. A Playboy Playmate, nicest girl you’d ever meet; even sang me ‘Happy Birthday,’ ” Myers says fondly.

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“Oh, Lynn was a trouper,” Peeters says. “I felt bad, because we put her through a lot. In the scene where we find her in the kelp bed, Lynn turned blue from hypothermia! The ‘Noids went into freezing water with wetsuits underneath, but poor Lynn was just in a bikini, dying out there.”

Peeters wasn’t responsible for the film’s worst moments of misogynist monster mayhem. After Humanoids wrapped, Corman had Battle Beyond the Stars director Jimmy T. Murakami punch up the sex and violence. “Roger put in a couple of nude-women scenes to spark up the movie,” Peeters explains. “He added the Salmon Queen being ravaged to the ending we shot, the tent attack and the rape of Peggy on the beach-shot on a dark and grainy film stock that didn’t match ours. When Peggy’s attacked, I only shot her screaming, with her hands clawing the sand as the Humanoid drags her away. You saw the monster’s hand on her leg, that’s it—you didn’t see anything else because it was too early! You don’t know what happened to her. Later, in the ‘Noids’ nest, you find her naked in the kelp bed and think, ‘Oh my God-at least she’s alive!’ I don’t really think we needed the shot of the Humanoid humping her, though I have no problem with nudity; I just thought it took the terror out and changed the whole tone.

“Roger decided to have ‘one of the boys’ do those scenes,” she continues. “When Ann and I went to the screening, we saw them for the first time, with no idea they had been added. I was furious, because I had put in so much energy and went through hell to make the film. Seeing this stuff, with no attempt to integrate it? Ugh! It pissed Ann off, and she was much more vocal about it than me.”

“I really was,” Turkel says. “That’s why I went public, it wasn’t the film I made. I did it because Richard (Harris) pointed out to me that Peter O’Toole had the same thing happen with Caligula, when they added [pornographic] stuff after he shot his scenes. I complained to SAG and People magazine.”

For her part, Peeters “wanted my name taken off, because it wasn’t the movie I made—and they misspelled my name on half the posters anyway! I appeared in the LA Times disowning Humanoids as it opened.” She adds that, as in her previous features, she had hoped to imbue Humanoids with a feminist message. “That’s what Ann and I were making: a horror movie from a feminine point of view. We felt we could make a scary film based on man’s obsessive desire to f**k with nature, the feminine side. The Humanoids were payback for corporate greed—it’s always the young, the old and the women who pay these bills. We did it within the horror formula. That’s the movie we made, then we saw what the boys did to it; the crass puppet and big-tittied Salmon Queen were creations of pimply dorks jacking off to a trite, worn-around-the-edges dick fantasy. That’s not what Ann or I wanted our names on. If there’s any message in Humanoids, it’s feminine survival in a male-dominated world; it ain’t easy out here, baby!”

Peeters recovered from cancer to become a respected director. “I now run Platinum Productions; I want to make films for senior citizens, an ignored market,” she says. “I’m working on mature comedies where I want everyone on the crew to be 50 and older, including the leads.” She caught Humanoids on TV recently, “and you know what? It’s a fun little thing,” Peeters says. “Overseas, it was called Monster, like the Charlize Theron movie. I laugh every time somebody says, ‘Monster won the Oscar’!”

SCORE/SOUNDTRACK

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CAST/CREW Directed Barbara Peeters Jimmy T. Murakami (uncredited)

Produced Martin B. Cohen Roger Corman (executive)

Screenplay Frederick James Story by Frank Arnold Martin B. Cohen

Doug McClure as Jim Hill Ann Turkel as Dr. Susan Drake Vic Morrow as Hank Slattery Cindy Weintraub as Carol Hill Anthony Pena as Johnny Eagle Denise Galik as Linda Beale Lynn Schiller as Peggy Larson Meegan King as Jerry Potter Breck Costin as Tommy Hill

Rob Bottin … humanoids creator & designer Roger George … special effects Chris Walas … special effects Karoly Balazs … makeup artist: second unit (as Charles T. Balazs) Steve Johnson … special makeup effects assistant Marla Manalis … hair stylist / makeup artist Shawn McEnroe … special makeup effects assistant Kenny Myers … special makeup effects assistant (as Ken Myers) Margaret Prentice … special effects makeup (uncredited)

CREDITS/REFERENCES/SOURCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY Starlog#296 Fangoria#265

Humanoids from the Deep (1980) Retrospective SUMMARY Anglers from the fishing village of Noyo, California catch what appears to be a monster. The young son of one of the anglers falls into the water and something unseen drags him under the surface.

#80sFilms #80sHORROR #NewWorld

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writerspink · 6 years ago

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install reticent corroborate regretfully strength murder concise cunning intention holy satire query confused progression disillusion background mundane abrupt multiple enormously introduce emulate harmful pragmatic pity rebut liberate enthusiastic elucidate camaraderie disparage nature creep profitability impression racist sobriety occupy autonomy currently amiable reiterate reproduce cripple modest offer atom provincial augment ungratefully expansion yield rashly allude immigration silence epitome exacerbate somber avid dispute vindicate collaborate manufacturer embellish superficial propaganda incompetent objective diminish statistics endure ambivalent perpetuate illuminate phenomenon exasperate originality restrict anxiety anthropology circumstances aesthetic manufacturing conventional dubious vulnerable reality precedent entity success term critical repair underscore stepmother republican hesitantly classic wary contents prediction immediate invoke notorious implicit excluding input skeptical foster element punish frank humanity profound dessert orthodox substance disappear encourage neighborhood elder superfluous naive ascertain complacent resilient deafening military tend prudent glare acceptance skillfully induce monster beam gullible conciliate vessel petty cantankerous disclose archaeology anecdote disdain electronics substantiate subjective tourism advisable joyful incredible provocative psychological ruins discipline condone indifferent misfortune judgmental industrialize tasty assume astute mission mar protective definitely escape oppress shocked virtual zealous endorse qualification hostile eccentric abstract disparate geographical scrutinize generalization tolerate activity claim dogmatic influential obsolete extol implausible subsequent resource chronic benevolent improve confidential ambiguous seriously dearth perplex hatred throughout dine contemporary evoke essentially economic flagrant obscure alleviate eloquent dreaadful clumsy sympathy victim condemn vigor condescend spontaneous quell reprehensible substantially sleeve equivocal ironic decry errand articulate progressive eradicate refreshments elicit aspiration recently exemplary bribery theoretical disingenuous partisan revere particle nostalgia self-aggrandizement debunk tyranny rhetoric hierarchy warning whimsical venerate commend assert miserable awful vibe constrain undermine explicit differentiate compliment scrupulous contempt erroneous ideal refute imply cynical rash presume insight revival vary delay renounce indignant offensive temperate circumstantial export peep logo advertise suppress distort chunk convoluted denounce overwhelming fertility rigorous acquire arrogant university antagonize profitable indulgent strategic breathing idiosyncrasy profession frugal discern accommodation adversary incredulous disturbance digress social belie roam smug continual pertinent voluntarily elite subtle blame sincerity lick horror censure involvement candid infer futile impetuous exploit bewilder sustain diligent sincere protect sealed musical empathy callous parenthetical insure acorn sarcasm seize sacrificially allege emphatic irrelevant progress diplomatic stunned improvise deride reconcile meticulous deject scientifically incontrovertible pressure justify gloomy depict supplant endurance analogous diary bolster slip contemplate pesticide glow religious advocate negligent creator lament fundamental embrace throne inherent inferior valuable thrive trivial pretense reserved capricious refresh refusal flight boost explanation coherent prevalent tenacious official royalty assassin rub poach delete

10.2

warrant circumscribed somewhat explosive optimistic mandate previously detract opinion intuitive feasible intimate persistent humble simplicity tempt deliberate painful unethical fundamentals discrepancy remorse pessimistic possibility conclusion acknowledge impregnate soberly creation paralyze suitability oblige tranquil medal arbitrate pacify illusory susceptible vibrate vengeance infection democratic stressful grave speculative sample identification stifle obligation revenge organization namely mediocre practical scream weaken consensus affectionate deficient treacherous console isolation ingenious memory melodrama despair awestruck composition regret recommendation celebrity decision devoid opaque ornamentation longevity participate dread restore interrogate aid accordingly mislead embarrassment optimism domestic apt funds virtue geography fundamentally thoroughly press despite horrible chilling rental esteemed disappointment innovative contemplation assign popularize haunt deafen serene percent estrangement suffer extravagant throng estimate comment priesthood mass dreadfully promote periphery animated saying relate clarity triple derivative succeed distortion register suicide improvement discreet inquisition probable curative incident praise convenience baffle covet dreadful genuinely weary undisturbed disgruntled humility renown nonchalant monopoly comedy vague decisive inconsequential announcement fabricated nevertheless vigilant scarce neglectful hushed attainment tedious explode snatch pslm agency sentimental tension adhere meanwhile sacred avert conformity likewise challenger accessible responsibility peril contact event roast fallible catastrophic competitor violate resolute deceive exaggeration discredit intolerable approve paste dimly novelist demeanor norm politician satisfaction obvious vehicle reservation defer involve restoration crush audible assistant backpack attain inanimate commemorate confrontation emigration parasite disperse quantitative laughter policy vulgar occasionally repay effective eulogy starvation empty therapeutic overall immortal encompass inappropriate opportune engagement illustrate turmoil observatory classification expression reminiscence comedian invention depress remedy protagonist gesture texture diplomatic election prolong conducive emotional invigorate curiosity expressive %

K-12 Words was originally published on PinkWrite

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aspiringminimalist · 6 years ago

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Summer 10x10

From July 17-29th, I participated in a special wardrobe challenge created by Lee of StyleBee called a “10x10,” and in this case, a #Summer10x10. The rules of the challenge are to wear only 10 items for 10 days, with no repeat outfits. These limitations tend to bring forth increased style creativity, mixing items you would’ve never thought to match together before. It’s fun, and it gets your fashion brain wheels turning. Also, summer is my fav season for dressing, so, easy sell!

If you do the math on those dates, you’ll count 13 days, so it was really my #Summer13x13. I knew I had a back-to-back trip planned when this season’s challenge was due to begin so I packed my suitcase accordingly. I know the temperature would vary between 65°-90°, and that I would be mostly doing “city life” activities (concerts, museums, theatre, dining out). Commonly, the 10x10 includes shoes and outerwear; I did not count these items. I used 3 pairs of shoes and a jean jacket in addition to the following 13 items:

v-neck cardigan

black collared tank

striped collared shirt

solid collared tank

striped crop top

floral shirt

leopard crop top

floral kimono dress

floral maxi skirt

black silk dress

lasercut eyelet leather skirt

high waist jeans

high waist brocade shorts

I actually ended up changing clothes on two occasions to go from day to night activities, so these 13 pieces actually yielded 15 outfits! I’ve outlined them below, along with my rating of how comfortable/stylish/utilitarian they felt:

Day 1: 3+12 (+1, as needed) The first day was a travel day, so I knew I needed to be comfortable, limited accessories for the metal detectors. So I chose a shirt with a pattern, unbuttoned the bottom of the blouse and tied it up crop-style, which worked great with my high-waist jeans. I wore my knockoff “Crocs” sandals for easy-off for airport security. Rating: 7/10

Day 2: 2+11 I spent my first day in town just walking around. I tied up this black shirt in front like the other, because the skirt is high-waisted as well. I wore this with my black Bernie Mev wedges and felt high-style, but still ultra comfortable. Rating: 9/10

Day 3: 6+9 (+1 as needed) Movie theatres are cold! But girls nights call for floral, so I went all out. Wore my tan fisherman sandals, and a tan belt to tie it all together. Rating: 8/10

Day 4: 4+12 A chill house party called for a chill outfit. I wore that blouse knotted at the front like the others, and put a matching bandana in my hair, vintage-style. Shoes were my fisherman sandals, which were perfect for my long walk home. Knocked off a point only because I wish I would’ve brought #1, my sweater! Rating: 7/10

Day 5 (day): 8 I found a secret beach in a middle of a park, complete with a lifeguard and everything. I wore my itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini underneath this dress, and it was the perfect easy-on, easy-off outfit, especially with my Crocs. Rating: 10/10

Day 5 (night): 2+12 After the beach I went to co-work with my friend at a rock gym, so I needed to be a bit less dressy than my fab kimono. Wore a hair turban to up the style game, and my Crocs, to stay cajz. Rating: 6/10

Day 6: 1+5+12 This was my debut singing at a jazz club in a new city. I had a matching blue flower in my hair, and Ramsey Lewis’s drummer told me I sounded just like Billie Holiday--and that I was the only one “doing her right.” I only wish I would’ve worn the white skirt, as it would’ve photographed better, and my Bernie Mevs instead of my sandals, to give me some height! Rating: 9/10

Day 7: 7+13 I was surprised that it took my a whole week to wear either of these items, because I really default to them at home. But I’d never worn them together, so this was a new combo for me! For short-shorts mixed with leopard, I wore my fisherman sandals as not to look like a streetwalker (especially as I was walking the streets in a pretty shady part of town so as to find the best Asian food!). Wore my hair in a black turban to cover my rollers. Rating: 7/10

Day 8: 10 Another plane night to another new city, and wanted to be comfortable, but also not be krinkled when I arrived because we were going straight to the theatre. I wore this dress with my jean jacket, and my Crocs (damn security checkpoints!). Tied my hair up in a leopard turban to keep the pincurls in check, and took it off and set the curls free for the show! Rating: 10/10

Day 9 (day): 4+13 It rained this day :( We had planned to go to the beach but it wasn’t in the cards, so before it got too wet, we went to the park, did cartwheels, and then hung around the house all day. I tied the blouse up in a crop-knot as before. Fisherman sandals were king on a slippery day like that, and I matched them with some natural wood jewelry to pull in the brown tones. Rating: 6/10

Day 9 (night): 1+3+13 Went to an intimate music venue to see my two favorite artists play some jazz, and this outfit was perfection with my fisherman sandals and matching tan vintage Coach purse. Rating: 9/10

Day 10, or The Day I Saw Hillary Clinton: 1+5+11 I ended up with free tickets to Hello Dolly on Broadway with theoneandonly Bette Midler, and Hillary Clinton sat in my row, a few seats away. The entire theatre was enraptured, standing ovations for both Hill and Bette… but I digress: I loved this outfit. Wore the skirt and wedges I wished I’d worn to the jazz club, but this time the combo of legs showing + higher heels made me feel too exposed, so my new rule is one or the other! Rating: 8/10

Day 11: 3+9 Stripes and florals are a match made in heaven. On July 4th I wore 5+9, and I loved it, so I tried with a subtler, fatter stripe, #3, and loved it. I was also having dinner with a friend who long hence told me never to wear black because my soul was too colorful to be clothed in such a dark color. He was right then, and I still try to adhere to his wish to this day! Crocs sandals because much more rain. Rating: 9/10

Day 12: 2+12 I was supposed to go a barbeque, but actually ended up at a long-lost-family dinner. This was professional enough (once I tucked the shirt in) for that. Fisherman sandals and wooden jewelry and leopard turban to add color. Rating: 7/10

Day 13: 6+12 Comfort was key because I spent 6 unanticipated hours on a bus. Thank you, stretch jeans, thank you breezy tunic, thank you Crocs sandals. Rating: 6/10

Things I Learned:

I love mixing patterns and textures - stripes + florals, floral print + floral brocade, small floral + big floral, lasercut + stripes. The trick is to do 2 patterns, not 3. 3 is possible, but really hard to pull off.

I gravitate towards dresses, and I will feel underdressed in anything else, even skirts.

I’m into the crop top + high-waisted bottoms trend. If the top isn’t cropped, I will “cropify” it by tying it up somehow.

Holdover lesson from last 10x10: Accessories are everything. Do not misunderstand; if I were to wear Day 12’s outfit again with no wooden accessories, or black shoes, or no leopard turban, it would have gotten a 3/10… maybe. Accessories can transform. Don’t forget them!

Favorite Outfit:

Definite tie between my two dress days (Day 5 and Day 8). I didn’t think that silk dress would be on the map at all, but with that leopard turban, anything can become my favorite outfit… ;)

Power Item:

My jeans were definitely my most used item. Had they not been high-waisted, however, I would’ve assuredly worn them half as much, because I was really into the crop tops this time.

Could’ve Left At Home:

It was nice to have the variety of multiple colors and patterns, because I tend to get bored really easily, but since I had more access to laundry/drying spaces than I anticipated, I think I could’ve left two items at home and yielded similar (or more interesting!) results: my leopard crop top (#7) and my solid blue collared tank (#4). The leopard turban gave me the animal print I crave in my life, and the blue striped crop top and the solid one seemed redundant since I was cropping the latter as well.

_____

You can see all of my outfits under the Instagram hashtag “#summer13x13″ and see everyone’s items under #summer10x10 or #10x10friends.

Did you do the #Summer10x10? What were your favorite outfits? What did you learn? Are you going to participate in the 10x10 fall edition?

#10x10 #10x10friends #stylebee10x10 #unfancyremix #summer10x10 #summer13x13

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tainghekhongdaycomvn · 7 years ago

Text

How to Rock MozCon 2018 Like the Marketing Superhero You Are

Posted by FeliciaCrawford

MozCon is just around the corner, meaning it’s time to share one of our absolute favorite posts of the year: the semi-official MozCon Guide to Seattle!

And if you’ve been waffling on whether or not to take the plunge (to attend the conference — I wouldn’t recommend plunging into the Puget Sound, it’s quite cold), there may still be time:

We’re now over 99% sold out, so act fast if you’ve got your heart set on MozCon 2018!

Official MozCon activities:

The MozCon kickoff party!

Our famously fun MozCon Bash

Birds of a Feather lunch tables

Monday, July 9th

Google Analytics & Tag Management hosted by Ruth Burr Reedy at UpBuild

Content-Driven Link Building hosted by Paddy Moogan at Aira

Mobile App Growth hosted by Emily Grossman at Skyscanner

Content Marketing hosted by Casie Gillette at KoMarketing

Local SEO hosted by Mike Ramsey at Nifty Marketing

Podcasting hosted by Heidi Noonan-Mejicanos at Moz

Workflow Optimization hosted by Juan Parra at Accelo

Tuesday, July 10th

SEO A/B Testing hosted by Will Critchlow at Distilled

Community Speaker Connection hosted by Sha Menz at Moz

PPC + SEO Integration hosted by Jonathon Emery at Distilled

Meet Your Help Team hosted by Kristina Keyser at Moz

Agency Collaboration hosted by Yosef Silver at Fusion Inbound

Site Speed hosted by Jono Alderson at Yoast

Featured Snippets hosted by Rob Bucci at STAT Search Analytics

Voice Search hosted by Dr. Pete Meyers at Moz

Wednesday, July 11th

Content Marketing Q&A hosted by Kane Jamison at Content Harmony

Paid Search Marketing for High-Cost Keywords hosted by Trenton Greener at the Apex Training

SEO A/B Testing hosted by Will Critchlow at Distilled

Team Hiring, Retention, & Growth hosted by Heather Physioc at VML

Local Search hosted by Darren Shaw at Whitespark

Machine Learning & Advanced SEO by Britney Muller at Moz

Reporting Q&A hosted by Dana DiTomaso at Kick Point

The delight is in the details

Stay charged: Pining for power? Panicking at that battery level of 15% at 10am? Find our charging sofas to fuel up your mobile device.

MozCon is for everyone

Here are a few of the ways we’ve worked to make MozCon a welcoming event for everyone:

A ramp on the stage

Live closed captioning of the main event

Walkways for traffic flow

Menus featuring options or special meals (that actually taste good) for dietary restrictions

A nursing room

Gender-neutral bathroom options

Lots of signage

T-shirts that fit different body types

Visible staff to help make everyone’s experience the best possible

A proud partnership with 50/50 Pledge, furthering our commitment to better representation of women on stage

Strict enforcement of our Code of Conduct and TAGFEE

Bespoke city exploration — Get to know Seattle!

Wondering about what topics will be covered at Ignite this year?:

The Ninja Kit to NOT Get Sick While Traveling by Dana Weber at Seer Interactive

My Everest: How 10 Years of Chasing Tornadoes Came Down to One Moment by Tom Romero at Uncommon Goods

Baseball Made Me a Better Engineer by Tom Layson at Moz

Trailblazer: How Reading One Book Changed My Life for Good by Lina Soliman at OSUWMC

Drag Queen Warlocks, Skateboarding Sorcerers, & Other Folks by Jay Ricciardi at Tableau

Voice Dialogue Therapy: Listening to the Voices Inside Your Head by Kayla Walker at Distilled

Wondering what there is to do, drink, eat, and see in Seattle?

Seattle’s got more to offer than we can name — get out there and discover the renowned Emerald City quirks and quaintness we’re famous for!

Travel options:

Public transportation

Light Rail: Connecting the north end to the south, the Light Rail can move you across Seattle quickly (and even drop you off right at SeaTac for your flight home!)

Water taxis and ferries can float you right across the Sound (and offer a lovely view while they’re at it)

A Transit Go ticket or ORCA card will happily power your public transit excursions

Rideshares and taxis

Uber & Lyft can get you where you need to go

Moovn is a Seattle startup rideshare company

Two taxi services, Seattle Yellow Cab and Orange Cab, allow for online booking via their apps (or you can call ‘em the old-fashioned way!)

Are you ready to rock MozCon?!

If you’re already MozCon-bound come this July, make sure to join our Facebook group and download the app (must be on mobile) to maximize your networking opportunities, get to know fellow attendees, and stay up-to-date on conference news and activities.

To download our MozCon 2018 app, head to the Google Play or iTunes store. Download the Bizzabo app and verify your registration with the email you signed up with for MozCon. Once you've verified registration via your mobile browser, you'll be ready and rarin' to go!

If you’re thinking about grabbing a ticket last-minute, we still have a few left:

Grab a ticket while you can

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isearchgoood · 7 years ago

Text

How to Rock MozCon 2018 Like the Marketing Superhero You Are

Posted by FeliciaCrawford

MozCon is just around the corner, meaning it’s time to share one of our absolute favorite posts of the year: the semi-official MozCon Guide to Seattle!

And if you’ve been waffling on whether or not to take the plunge (to attend the conference — I wouldn’t recommend plunging into the Puget Sound, it’s quite cold), there may still be time:

We’re now over 99% sold out, so act fast if you’ve got your heart set on MozCon 2018!

Official MozCon activities:

The MozCon kickoff party!

Our famously fun MozCon Bash

Birds of a Feather lunch tables

Monday, July 9th

Google Analytics & Tag Management hosted by Ruth Burr Reedy at UpBuild

Content-Driven Link Building hosted by Paddy Moogan at Aira

Mobile App Growth hosted by Emily Grossman at Skyscanner

Content Marketing hosted by Casie Gillette at KoMarketing

Local SEO hosted by Mike Ramsey at Nifty Marketing

Podcasting hosted by Heidi Noonan-Mejicanos at Moz

Workflow Optimization hosted by Juan Parra at Accelo

Tuesday, July 10th

SEO A/B Testing hosted by Will Critchlow at Distilled

Community Speaker Connection hosted by Sha Menz at Moz

PPC + SEO Integration hosted by Jonathon Emery at Distilled

Meet Your Help Team hosted by Kristina Keyser at Moz

Agency Collaboration hosted by Yosef Silver at Fusion Inbound

Site Speed hosted by Jono Alderson at Yoast

Featured Snippets hosted by Rob Bucci at STAT Search Analytics

Voice Search hosted by Dr. Pete Meyers at Moz

Wednesday, July 11th

Content Marketing Q&A hosted by Kane Jamison at Content Harmony

Paid Search Marketing for High-Cost Keywords hosted by Trenton Greener at the Apex Training

SEO A/B Testing hosted by Will Critchlow at Distilled

Team Hiring, Retention, & Growth hosted by Heather Physioc at VML

Local Search hosted by Darren Shaw at Whitespark

Machine Learning & Advanced SEO by Britney Muller at Moz

Reporting Q&A hosted by Dana DiTomaso at Kick Point

The delight is in the details

Stay charged: Pining for power? Panicking at that battery level of 15% at 10am? Find our charging sofas to fuel up your mobile device.

MozCon is for everyone

Here are a few of the ways we’ve worked to make MozCon a welcoming event for everyone:

A ramp on the stage

Live closed captioning of the main event

Walkways for traffic flow

Menus featuring options or special meals (that actually taste good) for dietary restrictions

A nursing room

Gender-neutral bathroom options

Lots of signage

T-shirts that fit different body types

Visible staff to help make everyone’s experience the best possible

A proud partnership with 50/50 Pledge, furthering our commitment to better representation of women on stage

Strict enforcement of our Code of Conduct and TAGFEE

Bespoke city exploration — Get to know Seattle!

Wondering about what topics will be covered at Ignite this year?:

The Ninja Kit to NOT Get Sick While Traveling by Dana Weber at Seer Interactive

My Everest: How 10 Years of Chasing Tornadoes Came Down to One Moment by Tom Romero at Uncommon Goods

Baseball Made Me a Better Engineer by Tom Layson at Moz

Trailblazer: How Reading One Book Changed My Life for Good by Lina Soliman at OSUWMC

Drag Queen Warlocks, Skateboarding Sorcerers, & Other Folks by Jay Ricciardi at Tableau

Voice Dialogue Therapy: Listening to the Voices Inside Your Head by Kayla Walker at Distilled

Wondering what there is to do, drink, eat, and see in Seattle?

Seattle’s got more to offer than we can name — get out there and discover the renowned Emerald City quirks and quaintness we’re famous for!

Travel options:

Public transportation

Light Rail: Connecting the north end to the south, the Light Rail can move you across Seattle quickly (and even drop you off right at SeaTac for your flight home!)

Water taxis and ferries can float you right across the Sound (and offer a lovely view while they’re at it)

A Transit Go ticket or ORCA card will happily power your public transit excursions

Rideshares and taxis

Uber & Lyft can get you where you need to go

Moovn is a Seattle startup rideshare company

Two taxi services, Seattle Yellow Cab and Orange Cab, allow for online booking via their apps (or you can call ‘em the old-fashioned way!)

Are you ready to rock MozCon?!

If you’re thinking about grabbing a ticket last-minute, we still have a few left:

Grab a ticket while you can

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