#my disillusionment with the genre continues

[the-hype-dragon]

"oh don't read THIS mediocre fantasy series, try THIS one instead, it's the best the genre has to offer!" *recommends something even worse*

[animasola86]

News travels fast in Hogwarts

Notes: This is a sort of spin-off to my Sexy Times with Sharp series. It needed some drama, I suppose. (Also can be read individually!) This is the attempt of an interactive "adventure"! At the end of this post you'll have two options for how it may continue.

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!reader

Genre: Angst/Drama // Words: 3.8k // [READ ON AO3]

Synopsis: Sebastian finds out about your affair with a certain Potions Master.

WARNINGS: Angst! Drama, baby! Implied student/teacher relationship. Implied past relationship. ALL THE IMPLICATIONS! I just love implying things, okay? (MC might be losing it!)

News travels fast in Hogwarts

“So it's true?”

His voice caught you completely off guard, so much so that you shed your Disillusionment in shock. You had hoped to sneak out of the Faculty Tower unnoticed, and you would have, but then he had seen you.

“Sebastian? How did you –”

He scoffed, crossing his arms in front of his chest as he watched you with his head tilted to the side. “Please, I taught you that spell.”

You stared at him before your gaze wandered along the hallway. Students passed in and out, but luckily nobody looked at you and the Slytherin boy twice. “What are you even doing here?” you hissed as you looked back at him, clenching your fists.

“I wanted to see if the rumours were true...” he said quietly.

“Rumours? What rumours?” you asked with an agitated scowl.

“Come on, don't play coy, love, it's quite obvious now, isn't it?” His eyes scrutinized you. There was a spark in them, and you didn't know if it was mischief or disgust.

You steeled yourself, squaring your shoulders, and even though you still remained at least a head smaller than him, you stared up at him with the darkest gaze you could muster. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

His eyebrow twitched when he held your gaze. “Just tell me why,” he then said, lowering his voice when a chattering group of students came down the staircase from the Gryffindor Tower.

“Why what?” You remained adamant in not telling him anything. Because it was none of his business.

He sighed and licked his lips before his gaze wandered over your head, and a dark grimace swept over his freckled face. “Honestly, why him?” he muttered, and you followed his eyes in confusion, then felt a searing heat rushing through you when you saw the tall man limping away into the other direction, oblivious to you and Sebastian discussing his very existence in your life.

Your head snapped back, and you stared at the Slytherin boy's chest in front of you, trying to force the blush down. Suddenly he grabbed your chin and made you look up at him, and you blushed even more, despite your best efforts not to. His brown eyes stared into your soul, and you bit your lip so hard you almost tasted blood.

“Was I not enough?” he then whispered, his thumb teasingly pressing against your bottom lip.

You froze, holding your breath, before you finally mustered the will to slap his hand away and take a step back. “Apparently...” you hissed at him breathlessly.

He looked almost hurt, then pushed his hands into his pockets and sighed. “You're playing with fire, you know that, right?” he said, his voice low and menacing.

You narrowed your eyes at him. “Are you threatening me?” you asked quietly.

A frown creased his forehead. “I would never,” he said, tilting his chin up to look down his nose at you. “I'm just saying you should be careful.”

“How is this not a threat?” you snarled, staring at him.

“You know I would never expose your secrets,” he replied gently, his features softening slightly. “I swore that to you, and I still mean it. But... I might not be the only one who noticed this.”

You swallowed hard, looking away for a moment, your cheeks burning. “Who's spreading these rumours then?” you whispered under your breath, but he still heard you.

“Oh, just some jealous girls,” he said. “Those who want to be in your place, but can't.”

You looked up at him, chewing on your lips. “How obvious is it?” you then asked, the anger in your face switching to genuine concern.

He gave you one of those smirks that used to drive you crazy. “Well, you do spend a lot of time in his classroom... after class...”

“Others do too!” you said defensively. “We're allowed to study there!”

He chuckled, his eyes sparkling. “In his office, too?”

Something hot crawled into your stomach, clawing at your insides. Trying to play it off, you scoffed and turned away, shaking your head. Before you could storm off, his hand was on your shoulder, pulling you back as if you were just a leaf in the wind. You stumbled, staring up at him as you struggled to find your bearings.

“People heard you,” he then whispered as he leaned closer, his hot breath ghosting your cheek.

Your eyes widened, and a sudden cold crashed through your nerves. “You're lying,” you mumbled as you stared up at him, almost pleadingly, hoping he'd be joking.

“How do you think those rumours started?” he said and leaned back, putting his hands on his hips.

“No,” you mouthed and averted your gaze again, your face burning in shame.

“You've always been so vocal,” he whispered, a dreamy sigh falling from his lips. “I wish I could hear that again some day...”

You clenched your hands into fists and stared at your shoes, shaking from head to toe, tears burning in your eyes. “Don't be obscene,” you muttered, your voice trembling as well.

“You know, there's a way to disperse these rumours...” His voice was smooth and low, and it caused you to shiver deeply. He even stepped a little closer, his warm body inches away from yours.

You didn't dare look at him, but again, he made that choice for you as he put a finger under your chin and moved it up until your teary eyes met his. There was no malice or mischief in his gaze, just that familiar warmth you used to melt into. But those times were over, and you found solace in a different pair of eyes now.

He reached a hand up and cupped your face, his thumb wiping over your warm cheek, tracing the scar under your eye. A single tear slipped from your lashes, and he let it roll over his digit before he pressed the pad of his thumb along its trail. “Why did you ever leave me?” he then whispered, mesmerized by your glistening eyes for a moment, ignoring his previous train of thought.

You swallowed hard, blinking another tear away. “You... you left me,” you breathed hoarsely.

He cocked his head, pressing his lips into a thin line before he licked them. “I was in a bad place...”

Staring at him, you felt a strange pull in your stomach. “I was always there for you...” you whispered, furrowing your brows. He continued to stroke your cheek. “But you pushed me away...” you added with your lips quivering.

“And you let it happen,” he said, his tone becoming harder, colder.

“I tried, Sebastian,” you replied, inhaling sharply. “You made it really hard to stay with you... so, in the end, I was glad when you distanced yourself from me... when you let me go...”

“You were glad?” he hissed, his eyes dark when he stared at you. “So it's my fault you ended up with him?” he spat, his grip on your face tightening as he grabbed your hair.

You winced. “Don't do this...” you whispered, that lump in your throat growing.

“Do what? Fight for my girl?”

“I am not your girl,” you said through gritted teeth, slowly regaining your composure. Grabbing his wrist, you tried to pull his hand away, but his fingers remained tangled in your hair. “And don't think I'll come crawling back to you because you threaten to expose me!” you hissed under your breath, glaring up at him darkly. “I still hold all of your secrets, too, you know?”

He froze at your comment, his freckled face paling before his cheeks burned up, and he let go of your hair as if it had stung him. “You wouldn't dare,” he replied threateningly quietly, the muscles in his jaw clenching. “I just told you I wouldn't expose any of your dark and filthy secrets, and you remind me of... of...” His voice broke then, and he shook his head, taking deep breaths as he stepped away from you.

“I'm sorry,” you breathed. “I didn't mean to –” You sighed, shaking your head as well, angrily wiping at your face. “But you were playing dirty, cornering me like that? Judging me? What did you expect me to do? I'm no longer the silent follower, Sebastian, I won't just nod and play along and follow you to the end of the world...”

“Shame,” he muttered. “We had something, you know? Trust and understanding and...” He clenched his jaw so hard you were sure you heard the bones grind together. “Do you love him?” he then asked, staring at you with those damn puppy dog eyes.

You stared back, forcing the memories away that he had pulled into the forefront of your mind. “That is none of your business,” you said quietly, trying to sound neutral, but your voice was trembling badly.

He watched you, silently, his face set and grim.

Swallowing hard, you held his gaze, waiting for any other comment, before you took a deep breath and squared your shoulders. “I'm going to go now,” you stated then and turned around, feeling his stare burning into your back.

It took him five seconds and two long strides before he grabbed your wrist and pulled you back so hard that you ended up pressed to his chest with his arms holding you tightly, leaving literally no room for debate.

You froze against him, painfully aware you were standing in the middle of the hallway with curious eyes staring at you as several students passed you by, whispering under their breaths.

You suddenly knew what he was doing. And you didn't know if you should be furious or grateful.

“Play along,” he breathed into your ear before he leaned back and cupped your cheeks with both hands, then slowly lowered his face towards yours and –

You were back in the Undercroft, the memory so strong you could smell the dust and mildew of the vast room. And you could feel Sebastian's lips on yours, warm, soft, wet, his tears mixing with yours, their salty taste only making you lean in closer as you kissed him desperately, never wanting to let go again, forcing him to stay by your side with your lips glued to his, your hands clawing at his robes, holding him together as he was falling apart.

He mirrored that same intensity now, years later, as he held you firmly in his grip, his lips searing hot against yours. And you couldn't do anything but let it happen. Your mind was racing, your heart aching, guilt creeping up your throat like bile, burning your insides. And yet you raised your hands and grabbed the back of his shirt, digging your fingers into the fabric, and held onto him as you eventually kissed him back.

When he leaned away a little to catch his breath, your tears were streaming down your flushed face. He wiped them away, gently holding you as he watched you closely. Your vision was blurry, and your mind switched between seeing Sebastian's face in front of you, and a weathered, grim, scarred one that made your knees shake and your stomach churn.

Your breath was as erratic as your heartbeat, your lips parted and trembling, your head spinning. The world around you was just a blur, all those whispers and stares melting away.

“Let me be your alibi,” you then heard him whisper as he leaned back in, his lips moving along your wet cheek to your ear and down your neck, leaving a trail of fire on your skin.

You took a shuddering breath, your head tilted to let him kiss your neck, nibble on it, suck on it, and you gasped when you felt his teeth sinking a little deeper into your skin. The sudden pain cleared your vision slightly, and you let go of him to press your hands against his chest. He looked at you, cheeks reddened, his dark eyes so intense you felt your legs trembling. “What are you doing?” you breathed, barely audible.

“Helping you disperse those rumours,” he whispered back, the corner of his lips twitching upwards.

You furrowed your brows, a sudden burst of anger crashing through you. “By making me look like an even bigger whore?” you said harshly through your teeth.

He frowned, genuinely taken aback by your words. “What? No, I...”

“The girl who can't decide, hm?” you hissed, your tone mocking, mirroring the many comments you'd heard behind your back. “Always back and forth, always crawling back to you, or to any man who's available, really, right? That's what they think I am... and that's what I'll always be...”

His gaze darkened before he looked over your head and around the hallway. Then he grabbed your wrist once more and pulled you along until he shoved you behind the statue of the One-Eyed Witch, his hand firmly on your mouth as he pinned you to the wall. Your eyes widened as he caged you in.

“Don't talk like that,” he hissed, staring down at you darkly.

You grabbed his wrist, and he let you pull his hand down. “But it's the truth, isn't it?” you whispered, more than aggravated now. “We were a mess, Sebastian. On and off for years... And there was always talk. Hell, the moment I stepped foot into this school, there had been talk. They always talked about me behind my back, no matter the reason. And I never cared, do you understand? Not when they thought I'd bewitched you, because why else would someone like you fall for someone like me, hm? Or when they thought I'd exchanged you for Ominis – which I never had, by the way?”

He listened to you intently, his lips pressed into a thin line, his eyes narrowed. But he didn't interrupt you.

“Oh and when we finally broke up for real? Do you remember the rumours then, talking about, oh poor Sebastian, oh lucky Sebastian, he finally had enough of her. It was always in your favour, because I've always been the odd one out, the late bloomer, the special strange girl. I never wanted that, any of it, but I didn't have a choice. And I thought I could have an equal in you, someone who understood, because you were there from the very beginning. But you had your own baggage to carry – and I don't blame you for it, please know that! I never did, I wanted to help you carry it as much as I wanted you to help me navigate my own confusing life.”

You inhaled deeply and looked down, staring at his tie. He still only listened, his body unmoving as it pressed you to the wall, his hands loosely by his sides.

“But things don't always go the way you want them to go. And too much has happened... even though I thought we could be normal together.” You scoffed quietly. “Normal, whatever that is, right? I was never supposed to be normal, and so I embraced it, I let them talk. And it ate me up. We grew apart, and I let it happen because I couldn't fight anymore. It was too much, Sebastian...” Swallowing hard, you felt another tear roll down your cheek. “And... I suppose I was destined to create more rumours, eh? I didn't mean to, but somehow, I found him and he found me...”

A twitch went through his body then as he tensed up, his hands clenching into fists. You looked up cautiously, blinking your tears away. Your heart ached, and you raised a hand to clutch at the front of your shirt to calm it.

“He listened, he was there, he understood. It was easy to open up to him, he already knew half of my secrets, he'd watched me from the very beginning, too...” Your eyes wandered away, your mind showing you those dark eyes and the gentle half-smile that grazed a stoic face. “You know, maybe it was easy because he reminded me of you. He also has a lot of baggage, and maybe I am just drawn to those broken souls, who knows...”

You looked back into his brown eyes, noticing a slight change to his tense, angry expression, his face was solemn, but in a strangely warm way.

“I never meant to hurt you,” you continued quietly. “I didn't do this out of spite, okay? I needed time for myself, and he gave me the confidence to look ahead and not back. And I helped him too, we are helping each other. And I don't care about rumours, I honestly don't. Let them talk...”

“They could burst your perfect little bubble so easily, don't you see that?” he finally said, his voice low and grave, any trace of warmth gone again. “Seeing a teacher,” he whispered darkly, your heart jumping as he finally named it, “being... intimate with a teacher, sneaking into his quarters...” He shook his head, a gesture full of disappointment. “It could get you expelled, it could lose him his job, ruin both of your reputations, it could make you even unhappier than you were before.”

“I –”

“Don't say you don't care, you do! Of course you do, you would be a fool if you didn't!” he replied harshly under his breath, leaning his head closer to yours until his forehead was pressed against your own.

You stared at him, his hot breath brushing against your trembling lips. “So what? What do you expect me to do? Stop it all, come crawling back to you?” you said through your teeth.

“Why do you make that sound like it's the worst thing that could happen to you?” he whispered back, clenching his jaw.

The sudden darkness that surrounded him made you want to back away, turn your face away, bring any distance between him and you, but he only grabbed your chin and forced you to look at him. You stared back, anger rising inside your throat. “Because that's what it would be,” you spat coldly.

He leaned his head back, but kept his hand on your chin, his eyes dark and dangerous. “You don't mean that...”

Narrowing your eyes, you gritted your teeth, your entire body tensing up against his. “Let me go, Sebastian,” you then whispered in defeat, putting all the meaning into your words.

He looked at you, long and hard, then finally took a tiny step back, lowering his hand. But he still kept you pinned between his body and the wall. “Never again,” he breathed darkly.

“Don't you want me to be happy?” you said quietly, a small sob emerging from your throat.

“I want you to be happy in my arms,” he said, “not his.”

You took a shuddering breath, goosebumps rippling over your skin. His intensity had always been your downfall. Slowly, you raised a hand and placed it on his chest, feeling his heartbeat thundering against your palm. “I won't leave him, he doesn't deserve that,” you whispered while your eyes wandered over his freckled face. “He needs me as much as I need him...”

“I need you, too,” he mouthed barely audible, his eyebrows furrowing slightly.

You felt your eyes watering, the sadness in his dark gaze almost tearing you apart from the inside. “I... I chose him,” you whispered with your voice shaking badly.

“Did you?”

“Yes.”

He looked down then and closed his eyes, taking another step back from you. Your hand fell to your side, the distance between you and him growing again. You remained leaning against the wall, watching him with your heart racing and your mind spinning.

He turned around, and you saw him peering past the bump of the statue. “If...” he started, looking back at you over his shoulder, “if you ever change your mind...” he whispered, letting his words hang in the air for a moment.

“I know where to find you,” you finished the thought and nodded.

His eyes roamed your face, full of sorrow and longing, and you had to clench your hands into fists and press your back into the wall to not jump him right there and then. The pull he still had on you was frightening. Eventually he looked away and stepped out of the niche and onto the hallway, and you saw him taking the stairs down to the dungeons, leaving your line of sight.

It took you a very long time to compose yourself again. When you finally emerged from behind the One-Eyed Witch, your legs were trembling, and you stood in the hallway for a moment, watching the flow of students move up and down the Grand Staircase, the thrum of chatter and stone grinding against stone lulling your racing thoughts.

Eventually you made your way to the Great Hall, and while you walked, you couldn't help but hear those whispers again. You had tried for months, for years, to ignore them, but now they seemed even louder. The stares seemed darker, more hostile, some even more condescending. You felt your heart sink, but kept going until you reached the large oak doors.

You had lost your appetite the moment you had pushed them open, and you felt your entire stomach drop when you were suddenly staring up into two very dark eyes in a weathered face full of scars and wrinkles – and disappointment. Your lips moved, forming a silent “No...” as a group of laughing students passed you, giving you knowing looks full of malice.

News travels fast in Hogwarts.

It was only a few seconds before you were left standing again, his tall body limping past you, his face tense, his jaw clenched. You felt like crying, like bursting at the seams, so on edge you were shaking like a leaf. Once you could move again, you whirled around, watched him leave – and then you witnessed him stopping once more, this time staring at a tall brown-haired boy whose freckled face paled.

Suddenly both of them were looking at you, their gazes like ice shards piercing your very soul. Whispers grew louder around you, comments like daggers aimed at your heart. You heard your own breaths echoing in your ears, loud, panicked, horrified. Something squeezed your throat, your vision blurred...

...and you woke up with a silent gasp, a jerk rushing through your limbs, pushing you back against a warm body. Strong arms held you tightly, and you inhaled deeply, your heart thundering inside your chest.

Just a dream, you thought, but you were soon torn between feeling relieved and absolutely disturbed at how real it had all felt. A very strange dream. Slowly you turned your head towards the person lying behind you. It had been just a dream, right?

End notes: Ohh, evil author, IT WAS JUST A DREAM!!! Or was it? And who's lying behind her, hm? Well, that is totally up to you! I just wanted to write some angst, sorry.

You can now decide how this story will continue! In whose arms will she wake up? What will happen?

→ Option 1: You wake up in the arms of Aesop Sharp → Option 2: You wake up in the arms of Sebastian Sallow

[ MASTERLIST ] [ AO3 ]

[swappetf11]

A New Dawn

In the dimly lit corner of the Rusted Nail, a dive bar hosting the local Battle of the Bands, Ophelia’s boots thudded against the wooden stage. Her heart raced in sync with the quick, heavy beats of the drums as her band, "Eclipse of the Heart," took their places. The place was packed, the air heavy with anticipation and the sharp scent of spilled beer. Around them, the crowd—a mix of punk diehards and curious locals—murmured with excitement and skepticism.

Ophelia, with her raven-black hair and eyes lined darkly to match, glanced at her bandmates: Jake on drums, Chris and Milo on guitars, and Sam handling the bass. They looked every part the stereotype of a grunge/punk/emo/goth band—dark, rebellious, and unapologetically themselves.

When they started their set, the music was raw and powerful, echoing through the crowded room. Ophelia's voice was a fierce lead, cutting through the noise with lyrics that spoke of disillusionment and defiance. They played their hearts out, giving every ounce of energy to the performance.

However, as the last chord faded and the applause roared, the judges’ faces told a different story. Their expressions ranged from mild amusement to outright disapproval. Ophelia's heart sank as the judges delivered their verdict, predictably favoring a more mainstream, pop-oriented band. Despite the sting of rejection, the band gathered their gear with their heads held high—disappointment was an old friend.

As they sat around a rickety table nursing their drinks in defeat, a sharply dressed man approached them. His style clashed vividly with the venue’s grunge aesthetic—sleek, polished, and clearly expensive. He introduced himself as Damian Hart, a record producer known for turning obscure bands into sensations.

“I've been watching you perform over the last few months,” Damian began, his voice smooth and convincing. “You have the raw energy, the chemistry, the skill. You could be the biggest band of the decade. But,” he paused, looking each of them in the eye, “your genre isn’t exactly hot right now.”

The band exchanged wary glances. They had heard this tune before—the siren call of commercial success at the price of their identity.

Damian continued, "With some improvements, my team can transform you into the hottest band in the world."

Ophelia, ever the spokesperson, voiced their concerns. “We appreciate your interest, Damian, but we play what we feel. Our music, our style—it’s us. We aren’t ready to give that up.”

Damian smiled, a knowing, almost predatory flash of teeth. “Come to my studio, see the resources I can offer. Talk it out. You have one week to decide.”

After Damian left, the discussion among the band was intense and heated. Some argued that their chances of making it without changing were slim; others feared losing their soul in the slick machine of the music industry.

In the end, curiosity and the faint, desperate hope of achieving their dreams without compromise won out. They decided to meet Damian in his studio.

A week later, they stood outside a sleek, modern building that looked more like a tech company’s headquarters than a music studio. Inside, the lobby was bright and intimidatingly stylish.

Damian greeted them with a grin. “Welcome to the future of your careers,” he announced, gesturing them inside.

The door swung open to reveal a state-of-the-art recording studio, its walls lined with gold and platinum records. As they stepped inside, the uncertainty was palpable, each member wrestling with their desires and doubts. Here, in the heart of this gleaming studio, their future hung in the balance. Would they find a way to retain their identity, or would the allure of fame and the polished hand of Damian Hart sculpt them into something unrecognizable?

The answer lay somewhere ahead, in the conversations and decisions that would unfold in this very studio.

The members of "Eclipse of the Heart" walked into Damian Hart’s studio dressed in their signature goth, emo, grunge style—baggy, dark clothes, dark and messy hair adorned with streaks of vibrant colors, and makeup that made their looks dramatic and moody. Damian was waiting for them, a smile spreading across his face as he took in their appearance. He seemed genuinely thrilled, not at all put off by their defiant, dark aesthetic.

"Exactly the raw, authentic vibe I love!" Damian exclaimed as he ushered them into the heart of his recording studio, where the walls vibrated softly with the hum of latent music. “You have the essence, the raw material. I can make you famous with just a few tweaks—polishing your look and refining your sound without losing your core.”

His plans remained deliberately vague, tossing out terms like "cleaning up" their style and sound. Damian's mention of dance lessons caught the band off guard; it was far from their usual routine of thrashing on stage to the heavy, emotional beats of their music.

The band spent hours in the studio testing vocal ranges and experimenting with different sounds. Damian worked them hard, pushing them to explore the edges of their talents, but always with a persuasive charm that made the hard work seem worthwhile.

As the long day wound down, Damian suggested they celebrate their new partnership. “To the future—the rise of 'Eclipse of the Heart' as the new legends of rock!” he toasted, handing out glasses filled with a shimmering, dark liquid that seemed to catch the light in unusual ways.

The band members clinked glasses, the sound crisp in the plush studio. They all took hearty sips, the drink sweet and oddly warming as it went down.

Damian watched them with a sharp, calculating gleam in his eye. “That’s not just any drink,” he began, as their faces turned towards him with sudden wariness. “Consider it a little... booster, a potion of sorts, to help you embrace the changes coming. You’re on the brink of greatness, and sometimes, greatness requires a little extra push.”

The members of the band exchanged nervous looks, the earlier excitement tinged now with a hint of uncertainty. What had they just agreed to? What had they just ingested? Damian’s previous charm now seemed to cloak something more enigmatic, possibly sinister.

As the initial warmth from the drink settled into their stomachs, each band member felt a strange energy coursing through their veins—an invigorating yet unnerving sensation. Damian's smile widened as he observed the subtle changes in their expressions.

“Now, let’s get back to work,” he said, clapping his hands together. “We have an image to build and a sound to perfect.”

As they moved back towards the recording area, each step felt slightly more buoyant than before, their minds buzzing not just with music, but with a myriad of unasked questions about what the future truly held for them under Damian's guidance.

As the members of "Eclipse of the Heart" resumed their positions in the studio after the toast, something extraordinary began to happen. The potion they had unwittingly consumed started to take effect almost instantly, catalyzing a startling transformation that reshaped not just their bodies, but their identities as well.

Before the Transformation:

Ophelia (Lead Singer) - A striking woman with raven-black hair, heavily lined eyes, and a powerful stage presence. She embodied the spirit of goth and emo culture, often wearing dark, dramatic makeup and clothing that ranged from Victorian gothic to modern punk.

Jake (Drummer) - Tall and lanky with long, tangled hair often dyed in streaks of green or blue. His style was eclectic, mixing elements of punk rock with vintage grunge.

Chris (Guitarist) - He sported a full beard and multiple tattoos peeking out from under his sleeves. His hair was usually kept in a messy bun, and his clothes were predominantly black leather and denim.

Milo (Guitarist) - Known for his stark white hair and smudged eyeliner, Milo’s look was the most emo of the group. He favored tight, black clothing that matched his somber demeanor.

Sam (Bassist) - With his dyed deep purple hair and piercings, Sam had a more vibrant punk vibe. He loved wearing band tees, ripped jeans, and studded belts.

The Transformation:

As they played, they began to notice subtle shifts in their reflections in the glass of the sound booth. Their features, their hair, even their body structures started changing.

Ophelia transformed into Oliver. Her delicate features became more angular, her body taller and more masculine. Her long black hair shortened into a stylish, messy quiff that somehow retained a hint of her former self’s flair.

Jake's transformation was less drastic in terms of gender, but his appearance shifted dramatically. His lanky form filled out with muscle, and his hair transformed from a tangled mess to a neat, short crop. Gone were the colorful streaks, replaced by a natural chestnut color.

Chris saw his tattoos fade away, and his beard receded to leave a clean-shaven face. His transformation rendered him almost unrecognizable, with a preppy haircut and a more refined, boyish charm.

Milo changed into Michael, with his white hair darkening to a soft brown. The emo edge softened into a boy-next-door look, complete with clear skin and a warm smile that was seldom seen before.

Sam turned into Simon, his purple hair reverting to a natural sandy blonde. His piercings disappeared, and his once wiry frame grew more athletic, embodying a wholesome appeal.

After the Transformation:

The band, now consisting of Oliver, Jake, Chris, Michael, and Simon, found themselves dressed not in their usual dark and edgy attire, but in matching outfits that were clean-cut and stylishly mainstream. Each member looked like a quintessential boy band star—charming, approachable, and uniformly attractive.

Damian Hart, observing the complete transformation, clapped his hands in delight. “Perfect! Just perfect! You’re no longer a niche band. You are now 'New Dawn,' poised to capture the hearts of millions around the world. Let’s introduce you to your new sound and style.”

The members of the newly formed "New Dawn" looked at each other, a mix of bewilderment and intrigue in their eyes. Their old identities seemed like distant memories, and as they began to play again, even their music style had shifted—less gritty, more polished and pop-oriented. The transformation was complete, and their journey as a new band was just beginning.

The members of the newly transformed "New Dawn" awoke the next morning in a plush, unfamiliar room within the recording studio complex, their minds clouded with a heavy fog of confusion and fragmented memories. Each of them experienced the aftermath of their transformations differently, grappling with both physical and psychological changes.

Awakening and Realizations:

Oliver (formerly Ophelia) was the first to stir, his new, deeper voice groaning softly as he sat up. He felt an unusual weight and strength in his limbs, a stark contrast to his previous physique. Running a hand through his now short hair, he stumbled to the full-length mirror across the room. The reflection that greeted him was shocking—a man with sharp features, a broad shoulder, and the beginnings of facial hair shadowing his jaw. He hesitated before reaching down to explore further, confirming the full extent of his transformation. Touching his face, feeling the roughness of stubble, Oliver felt a surreal disconnection from the image staring back at him.

Jake, now far more muscular and clean-cut than his previously lanky self, woke up with a start. His head pounded as he tried to piece together the events from the night before. As he moved to get up, he noticed the strength in his arms, feeling strangely powerful. Looking in a mirror, he touched his face and hair, marveling at the transformation. The absence of his colorful hair streaks and the new neatness of his appearance was jarring yet oddly fascinating.

Chris woke slowly, his mind clouded with disjointed memories of music and laughter that now seemed out of place. Feeling his smooth chin and short, tidy hair, he realized his tattoos were gone. Puzzled, he stood, examining his now preppy and youthful look in the mirror. The clean-shaven face looking back was so different that he momentarily wondered if he was still dreaming.

Michael (formerly Milo) was disoriented, blinking at the brightness of the morning light. His hand automatically went to touch his hair, expecting to feel the familiar long locks but finding instead a neatly styled brown hair. Standing up, he felt lighter, almost buoyant. His reflection showed a charming young man, the somber emo edges completely smoothed away.

Simon (formerly Sam) was the last to wake, immediately feeling a difference in his body’s posture and build. His exploration in the mirror confirmed the loss of his piercings and the change in his hair color to blonde. He flexed experimentally, noticing a newfound athleticism in his movements.

Exploration and Adjustment:

As each band member confronted their new identities, a mix of astonishment and curiosity filled the room. They gathered together, sharing their experiences and slowly accepting the reality of their transformations. Oliver, particularly, had a complex range of emotions to navigate. He felt a peculiar mix of empowerment and loss; the physical strength was exhilarating, yet the change in gender identity was profound and disorienting.

They spent the morning exploring the changes in their appearances and voices. Vocal tests revealed that their ranges had adapted to suit a more mainstream pop sound, a far cry from their gritty rock roots. The changes were comprehensive, affecting not just their bodies but seemingly imprinting new, instinctive behaviors and preferences geared towards their new image as a boy band.

As the day progressed, Damian Hart reappeared, pleased with the results. He was eager to move forward, outlining their new schedule filled with dance rehearsals, media training, and recording sessions. The band, still adjusting to their new selves, listened with a mixture of excitement and trepidation, aware that their journey into fame was just beginning under very different circumstances than they had ever imagined. Oliver, in particular, felt a deep sense of foreboding mixed with curiosity about what his new identity could achieve in this unfamiliar world.

As the day progressed, the reality of their situation settled heavily upon the members of "New Dawn." They recognized that the transformation was irreversible; the potion they had unknowingly consumed had changed them permanently. There was no going back to who they once were—physically, mentally, or musically. The stark realization underscored an important lesson that had come too late: always read a contract thoroughly before signing.

Bound by their new identities and driven by the polished direction of Damian Hart, the band started to navigate their new lives. Damian was relentless, channeling their initial shock and confusion into a whirlwind of activity. They were ushered from one rehearsal to another, spending hours in the studio perfecting their new sound—a catchy, pop-oriented shift from their former gritty rock roots. Dance routines, once alien to their former selves, became part of their daily regimen, further molding them into the quintessential boy band.

Rising to Fame:

With Damian’s guidance and the resources of his production company, "New Dawn" quickly produced their first single. The song was engineered to be a hit, with infectious melodies and lyrics that, while simpler than their previous introspective themes, were designed to resonate with a broad audience. The single was a commercial success, climbing charts rapidly and gaining the band a surge of new fans who were unaware of their previous personas.

Encouraged by the success, the studio pushed the band harder. Albums followed, each more polished than the last, blending their harmonies with synthetic beats and radio-friendly hooks. Music videos showcasing their choreographed dance moves and clean-cut aesthetics flooded popular music channels, embedding them further into the mainstream music scene.

Touring and Stardom:

As their fame grew, "New Dawn" began touring, selling out stadiums worldwide. Each concert was a spectacle of light and sound, designed to showcase not only their musical talents but also their transformation into global idols. Fans waved banners, sang along to their catchy choruses, and celebrated each member's meticulously crafted public persona.

Despite the external validation and the adulation of crowds, the members of "New Dawn" occasionally felt the pang of their lost authenticity. Oliver, in particular, wrestled with his new identity, missing Ophelia's fierce independence and raw vocal power. Yet, he couldn't deny the thrill of performing before thousands of screaming fans, the adrenaline rush of living a dream sculpted by circumstances beyond their control.

Reflection and Acceptance:

In the quiet moments away from the limelight, the band members often reflected on their journey. They had achieved more fame and success than they had ever imagined possible, but at a cost that each dealt with in their own way. They realized that their story was unusual, a stark lesson in the importance of agency and understanding in one's path to success.

As they continued to ride the wave of their stardom, they learned to embrace their new selves, finding small ways to inject genuine emotion and personal truth into their performances. For Oliver and the others, "New Dawn" was not just a new beginning forced upon them; it was an opportunity to redefine what success meant, balancing the glossy façade of celebrity with the lingering spirit of their former selves.

With the decade drawing to a close, the once-thriving boy band "New Dawn" found themselves at a crossroads. The time had come for contract renewal, and not all members felt the same pull towards the spotlight that had guided their early careers.

As they gathered to discuss their futures, the atmosphere was tinged with nostalgia and contemplation. Over the years, the transformations they had undergone—both physical and musical—had weighed heavily on them. The allure of returning to their original selves, to the music and identities they had before becoming "New Dawn," proved too strong for some.

One by one, the members voiced their desires. Jake, Chris, Michael, and Simon decided to revert to their former personas. They longed for the rawness of their early music, the gritty authenticity of their goth and punk roots. The process of reversing their transformations was complex, involving both physical and psychological adjustments, but they were determined.

Oliver, however, chose a different path. Having fully embraced his identity as Oliver, he felt no longing for his past as Ophelia. His transformation had opened new vistas in both his personal and professional life, and he saw potential beyond the confines of a band. Oliver decided to go solo, carving out a niche for himself within the music industry that respected both his talents and his unique journey.

With a mix of sadness and excitement, "New Dawn" officially disbanded. The members who returned to their original selves found a renewed sense of purpose, reconnecting with their roots and their fans from the days of "Eclipse of the Heart." Oliver, embracing the path of a solo artist, ventured into new musical territories, his style evolving but always reflecting a piece of the journey he had undergone.

As they all moved forward, their paths diverged but remained linked by the shared experience that had forever changed their lives. The end of "New Dawn" marked a new beginning for each of them, filled with possibilities as limitless as their ambitions and dreams.

Twenty years after disbanding, the members of "Eclipse of the Heart," once transformed into the boy band "New Dawn," decided to come together for a reunion tour. Age, experience, and the individual paths they had taken had shaped them once more, each bringing a rich tapestry of life into their reunion.

Oliver

Oliver, now in his early fifties, had enjoyed a successful solo career after the split. His style had matured, leaning more into a blend of rock with subtle electronic influences, reflecting his continuous evolution as an artist. Age had added a distinguished touch to his appearance, with more pronounced lines marking his face and threads of silver running through his once entirely dark quiff. His stage presence, however, remained as dynamic as ever, seasoned with the confidence of years performing solo.

Jake

Jake returned to his grunge roots after the dissolution of "New Dawn." Over the years, he dabbled in music production, which added depth to his understanding of music. His hair, once short and neat during his boy band days, was now shoulder-length and streaked with gray, and he wore it tied back most of the time. He had retained his muscular build, though it was now more rugged and less sculpted.

Chris

Chris had moved away from music temporarily to pursue a career in graphic design, but he never lost his love for playing the guitar. His transformation saw him embracing a more laid-back style, often seen with a light beard and glasses that gave him a scholarly look. His tattoos, once faded during his time with "New Dawn," were now vivid again, each a story from his travels and experiences.

Milo, now Michael

Michael had continued his career in music, exploring different genres and even venturing into acting, which brought a theatrical flair to his performances. His hair, once brown, was now liberally touched with gray, but he styled it with the same care as always. His attire had shifted to a more sophisticated, tailored look, reflecting his dual career in music and film.

Sam, now Simon

Simon had taken a break from public life to focus on his family, only playing small local gigs once in a while. His return to "Eclipse of the Heart" was a resurgence of his youthful passion, energized by his time away from the limelight. His once athletic frame had softened, but his energy and enthusiasm during performances were as vibrant as when he was younger.

The Reunion

Their reunion tour, dubbed "Sunset Returns," was not just a revival of their old songs but a celebration of their growth and enduring bond. The promotional materials featured them in a mix of contemporary and vintage styles, highlighting their journey through the decades. On stage, they blended their classic hits with new tracks that reflected their current musical styles and life views.

Fans, new and old, flocked to their concerts, eager to see the transformation of their favorite band members and to relive the nostalgia interspersed with fresh excitement. The tour was a testament to their resilience as artists and the timeless appeal of their music, bridging generations and tastes.

[lamemaster]

Terms of Loving You (Chapter 2)

Pairing: Maedhros x Teleri Reader

Genre: angst and DRAMA~~

Word Count: 1.7k ish

Chapter 1

Summary: The blooms of the trees mingled and parted to mark the passing of time. No letter, no message arrived for Nelyafinwe. Stuck in an impasse, your story remained paused in Tirion's dining hall. That wretched hall.

AN: Oh boy do I love writing Maedhros in the real format of male species. Thank you all who read Chapter 1. There will be more chapters I think...? @a-contemplation-upon-flowers I hope you like this my teenage self would be very smug about her writing with the adult me.

"I find it quite unfair that my son Kanafinwe's singing and music are seen as talents beyond realms, but a princess who chooses to pursue dancing and theater is seen as indecent," none dared to look at Feanor in the eye. Even Makalaure stilled in his seat. He, too, had not stood up for you, despite being a peer. "And you, my son," Feanor addressed Maitimo, "I allowed you to attend court but not become one of them. It seems to me that you find these coots better than the rest of us. You, too, have become a part of them." A dangerous edge of challenge lingered in Feanor’s speech.

"Had she blindly agreed to everything," Feanor began, his voice laced with a mixture of scorn and respect, "I would have never accepted her as my daughter-in-law. But the Telerin princess is worthy of my respect." His words carried a fierce conviction, an acknowledgment of your strength and defiance in the face of an unjust situation.

Feanor's gaze shifted, piercing through the room as he continued, "She is more worthy than the elf who could not fulfill his marriage to my mother." His words hung in the air, a direct challenge to Finwe's own choices and actions. There was an edge to Feanor's voice, a bitter reminder of the past and the pain it had caused.

Feanor pushed back his chair and left the room in a flurry of motion.

Maitimo sat there, stunned and wounded by your words. His mind raced, trying to make sense of your objection, but he couldn't comprehend it. How could you accuse him of not loving you to the core of who you were? Hadn't he given everything he had to your relationship?

A surge of anger welled up within him, mixing with the confusion and hurt. He had cherished you, treasured you as his own, and now you stood before him, returning his gift as if it meant nothing. The ruby hairpin, once a symbol of your love, now felt like a painful reminder of your shattered bond.

He couldn't fathom why you would choose yourself over their love. Wasn't your love strong enough to overcome any obstacles? Hadn't you shared moments of joy, of intimacy, of vulnerability? He had believed your connection was unbreakable, but now it seemed fragile, ready to crumble under the weight of your disillusionment.

The bitterness of betrayal crept into his thoughts. How could you leave him like this, casting blame upon him without giving him a chance to defend himself? The rage within him grew, fueled by a sense of injustice. He felt wronged by your accusations as if his love and efforts had been disregarded and discarded.

Maitimo wanted to confront you, to demand an explanation, to make you see the depth of his love. He longed to shake you, to make you understand that he had given his all. But beneath the anger, a flicker of self-doubt lingered. Had he truly missed something? Had he failed to see your needs, your desires?

Confusion and frustration battled within him, tearing at his heart. He loved you, and he couldn't bear the thought of losing you. But he couldn't comprehend your objections, couldn't grasp why you had decided to walk away from your love.

For any relationship to work it required understanding and willingness to sacrifice, to give up… Maitimo had seen it work that way. One had to give up something to gain another. And you… you did not deem him important enough to give up your passion for him.

The blooms of the trees mingled and parted to mark the passing of time. No letter, no message arrived for Nelyafinwe. Stuck in an impasse, your story remained paused in Tirion's dining hall. That wretched hall.

Both struck by pride and ego, remained resolute. Maybe it was during those long days when the silence between you both remained, a testament to the impasse in your relationship, that rumors began to circulate about the King of Teleri searching for a son-in-law, a potential groom for the youngest Telerin princess.

'It wouldn't come to that,' restlessness and anguish filled Maitimo. Surely you would not agree to something like that. Despite whatever had happened, you still loved him as he loved you. There had always been such rumors about the royals.

Maybe that was the reason Nelyafinwe found himself attending every distant feast and festival. Just a glance or even a chance to speak to you would be enough. He was sure he could convince you. As for King Olwe… his search would end soon, and Maitimo would make sure of that. There was no one more suitable for you other than him. He was sure of that.

All he needed was a chance meeting where he would pour his heart out to you. He would show you his side of things. All that had been left unsaid and then… you would understand his intentions. His path and yours had to be the same.

Nelyafinwe's wishes came true soon. In a springtime celebration held at Taniquetil, he met you. Or more accurately, he caught a glimpse of you. Amidst a sea of giggling elleth, Maitimo caught a glimpse of you. His heart skipped a beat as he saw you, still as beautiful as ever. He wondered if you were aware of his presence or if you had yet to notice him. Hope surged within him, for in that moment, it felt as if the stars themselves had aligned to reunite the two of you.

Amidst all the signs of joy and merriment, Maitimo couldn't help but notice the subtle traces of sorrow in your eyes, the delicate curve of your smile that didn't linger as it once did, and the absence of adornment in your hair. He made a silent promise to himself to remedy it all.

Your eyes, your smile, and your hair—Maitimo vowed to bring back their radiance. He patted the ruby hairpin tucked away in his cloak, the symbol of your love. He knew he had to be the one to place it in your hair again.

You remained standing as the crowd around you dwindled. Many asked you for a dance, but you declined, and Maitimo couldn't help but smile. You would dance next to him. Only him.

Making up his mind, he stepped in your direction. With everyone lost in the merriment of the celebration, now would be the optimal time to talk to you. Whisk you away from all the noise.

"Did you fall off the horse and break your foot, or do you really just hate Taniquetil?" Maitimo stopped in his tracks. There stood in front of you an ellon, a Vanya lord, who smiled at you with an emotion that enraged Nelyafinwe. An expression that made the eldest Feanorian want to rip the ellon away from you.

You did not decline the ellon as you had done for the entire evening. "I might as well have broken my foot. You Vanya have horrid taste in music," your voice rang out, and for the first time, it was full of joy and mirth.

"How dare you, princess," with a faux-offended expression, the Vanya stepped closer to you, and Nelyafinwe clenched his fists. His head pounded as the scene unfolded in front of him. "I'm going to drag you to dance this instance," the Vanya whispered, his lips so close to your ear. Seething with fury, Nelyafinwe marched where you stood. This Vanya had to be stopped. There's no wa—"Don't threaten me with a good time, Agastya," your hand landed in the Vanya's hand, and the prince of Tirion watched as you stepped into the crowd of dancing elves.

Your steps were followed by the Vanya lord, whose hands held you close, whose smiles you returned like you had once done for him.

"This is what I wish for her," Maitimo noticed King Olwe, who stood talking to a group of Vanya and Teleri around him. "Isn't this what every parent desires? Your son and my daughter would truly complete each other," the world stopped as Maitimo heard the words fall from the Telerin king's mouth. "If not love, then may Illuvatar grace her with companionship such as this. What do you think, Vaisik?" The crowd erupted into cheers and congratulations.

Maitimo's heart sank as he listened to King Olwe's words. The realization hit him like a blow, leaving him breathless. The thought of you being with the Vanya lord, of completing each other, shattered the hope that had begun to bloom within him. His chest tightened, constricting with a mix of anger, frustration, possessiveness, and jealousy.

The sight of you dancing with the Vanya lord, your laughter and smiles filling the air, felt like a knife twisting in Maitimo's heart. Every graceful movement, every touch between you and the Vanya lord, ignited a fiery turmoil within him. He couldn't bear the thought of someone else holding you, of being the one to make you laugh and smile.

A surge of possessiveness coursed through Maitimo's veins, urging him to step in, to reclaim you as his own. He wanted to tear you away from the Vanya lord, to be the one who held you close and brought joy to your life. The jealousy that consumed him intensified, driving him to the edge of restlessness.

As he watched you, his mind filled with doubts and insecurities. What did the Vanya lord offer that he couldn't? Did he possess something Maitimo lacked? The fear of losing you, of being replaced by someone else, gnawed at him relentlessly. He couldn't fathom a future without you by his side, and the thought of you finding happiness with another fueled his restlessness.

[lazuli-writes]

Spark

summary: Ron makes the first move for once.

pairing: Ronald Weasley & Daphne Greengrass

genre: fluff / young love

estimated word count: 3300 words

a/n: Remember folks, copying other people’s works is plagiarism and that’s illegal. Don’t be that kind of person. Anyways, hope you all enjoy it :)

©little-lazuli. Do not copy, repost, or translate without permission

“Why don’t we get out of here?”

Daphne’s eyes widened for the smallest second, before a mask of collection and calmness returned to her face. “I would like that.”

Ron barely waited for her answer as he grasped her hand. Together the two ushered themselves around the grooving bodies of their schoolmates. He knew somewhere, somehow, someone was watching the silvery duo make their swift escape from the snowy hall.

But he didn’t care.

The ringing voices of students, hymns from the Weird Sisters and reprimanding shouts from professors died as Ron led Daphne out of the great hall.

A simple utter of the charm and the proper swirling of his wand, saw Ron bewitch both himself and Daphne, the two shimmering with the textures and images of the walls behind them. Like that of a chameleon.

“Ron, what are we doing?”

Ron quieted Daphne’s harsh whisper, “just trust me and stay quiet.”

Ron could barely make out her head nodding before he led her up the steps and out of the entrance hall. The occasional student lingered. Some students were crying from a ruined date or the occasional boy or girl wistfully nostalgic of the night they had.

With his hand in hers, Ron led her up the moving staircase. Some of the portraits seemed to recognize the presence of students as the occasional comment was thrown their way.

“No funny business”

“Snakes in the corridor”

“Gonna have some fun I see”

The two fourth years ignored them all as Ron took step after step, his attention focused solely at the task at hand.

“Ron, where are we going?” Daphne’s question registered itself in Ron’s ears. Was her voice always so soft?
“I found this place in the castle. A secret room if you will. I really want you to see it.”

He offered out, hoping that the complete confidence in his voice would be enough to deter the heiress from asking anymore questions.

It was not.

“Remember the last time you found a ‘secret room’ Ron?”

Of course she would bring that up. Ron rolled his eyes as they continued their ascent. It was one time! And I was only a first year, could you really blame me? “I have not the faintest recollection of the event in which you speak of my lady.” Ron uttered. The tiniest of smirks gracing his face. Though he knew she couldn’t see it, he held no doubt she knew what face he would be making at that moment.

“Oh really?”

“Really really.”

The fifth floor, great, we’re almost there.
“You have not the faintest recollection of a certain piece of moldy roast being consumed by a certain redhead? At… what was it called again? A death day party?”

Ron shivered as the two finally made it to the Seventh floor corridor. Escorting her forward to their destination, he couldn’t help but feel the slightest bit nauseated at the memory. Professor Snape nearly decapitated me with his eyes for all the upchucking I did near the old potions room.
“Yeah… not a single recollection at all.”

Ron’s response extracted a laugh out of the Greengrass girl he had grown so fondly of. It only took another second or so before he found it.

“Finally!”

He took a swift glance of the surrounding hall before finally releasing the disillusionment charm he had casted. One look at Daphne and his breath caught itself locked up in his throat. Despite the confused glare she maintained, as she eyed Barnabas the Barmy, Ron couldn’t help but become enraptured in the sight before him. Again.

He had to hand it to her. No amount of slytherin tutelage would have been able to make him a fashion icon. But a single Hogsmeade outing with Daphne sure did fix that.

Her golden hair was held up in a ponytail, with only the most beautiful strands of her hair making up her curtain bangs. The emerald hairpiece at the base of her ponytail glimmered under any and all light. The silver sheath dress she had was decorated with a layer of a pale green sheer, enchanted to shimmer like the stars in the sky. And the shimmering shawl of hers that looked like mist itself was just beautiful in his eyes. The way her hands held unto her waist, her mouth turned up in annoyed curiosity and the furrowing of her eyebrows. Everything just seemed to fit perfectly for her. It was all just so beautiful.

All the while, his own ensemble did nothing but compliment her own. He didn’t know whether that was intentional or not on her part, but surely didn’t care. The silver pea coat felt like a second skin, forcibly accentuating the sleek figure he never knew he had. The pale green lining of the coat gave off the same visual as her dress. The slacks and robes he wore were worth more than almost all of his belongings in Hogwarts combined. And while her shawl shimmered, his dress robe that fit loosely over his outfit did not, giving the stark contrast of the duo an almost wily visual.

It was all too much, but Daphne’s insistence on the matter and her numerous threats were enough to make Ron back down. And he was glad that he had.

“Think of a place. Any place in the world you want to go. Maybe a place you want to show me one day.”

Daphne’s eyes sang with confusion and the tiniest bit of contempt. Ron figured that she probably thought of this as another prank he had installed for her. He kept his honest and positive demeanor despite the young witch’s slight sourness.

“Why would—”

“Please Daph, trust me okay.”

The puppy eyes he had been practicing on her for the past four years, bloomed in its full glory. Hands clenched softly under his face and a hauntingly adorable smile graced Ron’s jaw as he peered down at the shorter girl.

Pursing her lips and with a single eyebrow raise, Daphne muttered her response.

“Fine.”

Closing her eyes, Ron watched as she stood there for a solid thirty seconds before finally opening her eyes, gazing up at him questionably.

“Did you think of a place?”

“Yes.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes Ron.”

“Well that was a little fast, are you s—”

“Yes Ronald!”

Ron flinched only slightly at Daphne’s raised voice. She’s getting impatient, might as well get the show on the road.
“Okay now step two, move—”

“I thought you said we were going to a secret room?”

“We are, but two things need to happen.”

“What kind of room demands such irrelevant tasks to be done?”

“This room.”

“Ron, what—”

“Now all you gotta do is pace back and forth three times—”

“What!?”

“Trust me Daph, just pace—”

“I’m not a circus animal Ron.”

“I never said that y—”

“Why are we really here Ron?”

“Do you want to see the room or—”

“Of course I do, but I will not let you subject me to another one of your pranks or training exercises in order to get inside.”

“This is nowhere near related to training—”

“You literally told me to practice breathing last week Ron.”

“And pacing three times is not comparable to inhaling and exhaling—”

“You literally told me to ‘think about my actions’ the last time I lost to you in a duel before you put me in timeout.”

“There was no timeout, it was literally Theo’s turn—”

“What kind of door demands we do these tedious tasks just to—”

“This one!”

“Don’t interrupt me—”

“You’ve been interrupting me—”

“Wow real mature Ronald—”

“Greengrass. Pace back and forth three times in front of the bloody painting now.”

Ron froze. He couldn’t believe how firm he sounded. And by the looks of it, neither did Daphne. Her once annoyed mask was replaced with a few seconds of shock, before narrowing down into a minuscule scowl, and something else… a fire in her eyes that he couldn’t quite describe.

“Fine… Weasley.” The heiress growled out, now exceptionally annoyed at Ron addressing her with her family name. Something he hadn’t done since first year. Ron could only stand there, sweat drowning the back of his neck as he tried to keep his firm posture.

Her scowl remained latched onto Ron’s rigid stare. Her narrowed eyes watched him the entire time as she paced back and forth. Luckily the sound of magically appearing doors broke the staring contest. Ron breathed a sigh of immense relief at Daphne’s glare no longer being held on her face. Instead, one of pure shock took place, and Ron couldn’t help but giggle out at her frozen figure.

“What… Ron… What is…”

She turned to him, eyes pleading for an answer to this mystery.

Now or never. Be the competition, be bold.
Taking a hold of one of her hands before she could react, he led her to the doors, opposite to that of the absurd tapestry,

“Daphne, I present to you, the come and go room.”

And when he opened the great wooden doors, Daphne released a gasp and Ron couldn’t help but do the same.

We’ve been here before.
Ron couldn’t figure out whether it was Daphne or the room that enjoyed playing mind games. The eerily empty room looked almost identical to that very same room back in first year. The disused classroom. The Room with the mirror.

Moonlight seemed to glare through the false arch way windows. A thin layer of dust glazed itself over the floor and walls. And at the very end of the room, the accursed mirror stood proud and tall.

Ron could not do anything but remain stuck. His mind wandered high and far at Daphne’s choice of a room. The only thing keeping him grounded was Daphne herself. The hold he held on her hand seemed like a heavy anchor to reality, a foundation so firm and unshakeable. And yet, he still shook at the mere thought of being here again.

“Daphne… why are… why here?”

He didn’t even hear his own voice, but the question was still uttered, and Ron now felt nervous at the thought of her answer.

A gentle caress of his cheek brought his face away from the mirror and to the Greengrass heiress. Her eyes gazing deeply into Ron’s. Ron put his free hand to her hand at his cheek, looking below at her with a conflicting level of emotions clouding his eyes.

“I don’t know how you do these things Ron. But can you give me a second to explain?”

The soft melody of her voice felt like honey, but even the sweetness of her words seemed to weigh down on his soul. The last time I was here, that mirror nearly broke my damn heart.
He nodded, his eyes now completely on her as she began, “The last time we were here, we both saw things that hurt us. It’s been three years Ron. I was always curious about whether or not…”

Ron held her gaze, pleading silently for her to continue.

“I wondered about whether or not I got what I wanted.”

Ron hummed his understanding. Still rendered slightly immobile at the turn of events, he took a few moments to himself to steady himself.

She’s right. Maybe I finally got the love I wanted from my family. All of it. The love, the attention, the doting, the care, the acceptance. All of it. And I just never realized it.
“Ron”

Daphne’s call, so soft. So sweet. It pulled him from his thoughts, sobering him up from the drunkenness of melancholy that nearly swallowed him.

“I’m sorry I ruined a probably beautiful plan Ron. Would you like for us to leave?”

Ron was quick in his denial at her words. He shook his head quickly. Maybe a bit too quick for her liking, but he didn’t care. Daphne never led me astray before. She’s right, maybe I need to see this for myself as well.
“I wanna do this.”

Concern washed over her face, one of her hands still holding one of his, while the other held his cheek. Drawing calming circles with her thumb with both.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Somehow, the duo made their way towards the mirror. And before Ron could get the chance, Daphne put a placating hand on his arm, “May I go first please?”

The fourth year boy simply nodded, a smile finding its way into Daphne’s face as she took a steadying breath. She then faced a copy of the Mirror of Erised in all its glory.

Ron watched fiercely at the expressions that dawned Daphne’s face, ready to remove her from a possibly horrible sight.

But he was relieved to see Daphne do nothing but allow her once timid smile, expand into that of a child. The smile being one of genuine happiness. So filled with love, hope and wonder.

“I guess my parents really do love me.”

Ron nodded at her words, too busy enjoying her safe and cherishing reaction to the mirror’s reflection.

Eventually, a small chuckle escaped her before Daphne stepped away. She put a comforting look his way and rubbed his back.

“You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to, Ron.”

Ron smiled as well, touched at her concern before catching her eye.

“Thank you Daphne.”

Curiosity and dread held his throat while wonder and concern caressed his soul.

What would I see this time? The last time was horrible. I longed for love and acceptance. Did I finally get it?
Stepping into view of the mirror, relief hit Ron like a bludger. He didn’t see his family. They weren’t hugging him, doting on him, gazing at him with all the love the world had to offer. And for a split second, he felt divine in that moment. I can now say that I had everything I ever wanted, right?
But no. This wasn’t the case. Because soon enough, the image of a certain blonde heiress made its way over to Ron. ‘Daphne’ held that sweet smile she always had, ‘her’ eyes gazing into his own with all the love in the world, she stopped before a simple peck to the cheek was given to him. He watched with a furious blush at the reflection before him. ‘Daphne’ didn’t seem to mind, for she was too busy letting her head lean itself on his shoulder as she then mouthed the words he could die happy hearing.

‘I love you’

“Ron”

His reverie shattered at Daphne’s call. He turned to her, the girl’s eyes widened with concern but subtle relief at the lack of tears leaving his eyes like the last time.

“Yes Daph?”

“Are you okay?”

Turning back to the mirror, Ron could only blush further at ‘Daphne’s’ arms wrapping itself around his back, barely registering her mouth moving once again.

‘Now or never. Be the competition. Be bold’
The same words Tracey told him when Ron confessed to her his feelings for Daphne. In typical Tracey fashion, his close friend seemed to know the right way to motivate Ron. And with her words in mind, Ron moved forward with his plans dauntlessly .

Be bold.
Ron returned to Earth at the epiphany that occurred. He had worked this hard, he fought this uphill battle for so long. He wasn’t going to let the opportunity fall from his grasps.

With all the leftover traces of gryffindor courage in him, Ron rounded on Daphne, who seemed a bit startled at his suddenness. Her amber eyes gazing deeply into his blue orbs. His breath hitched as he once again seemed immobile for the smallest of seconds before going forward.

Be Bold.
“Do you trust me Daphne?”

Ron took hold of her hands with his own. Holding their joined hands between them. He kept his eyes up at her face as she glanced down at the hands between them. He began to rub circles on her hands. Rubbing in the same fashion she did just moments before. Catching his glimpse once more, Daphne nodded.

“I trust you Ron.”

His heart began to drum in his ear. Here goes nothing.

“Close your eyes for me please.”

She did as she was told, the faintest hint of her own blush slowly forming.

Be Bold.
Not giving himself the chance to back out, Ron slowly leaned down, his eyes closing on the descent. And in the softest and most gentle way, he placed his lips upon hers.

He did not miss the way she inhaled so sharply at the act. He did however, miss the way her eyes flew open. Her eyes caught sight of his face, trembling slightly, but fixed in the actions it was committing. The circles he was rubbing into her hands seemed to slow and tremble as well, almost as if indicating the mere anxiety that raced through Ron’s brain as he kissed her. As he kissed Daphne.

Ron didn’t know how much time passed, even if there was a watch, a clock or even a spell to indicate such a thing. Doubt sneakily crept into his soul as her reaction—or lack thereof—began to garner his attention. But that lasted for mere moments as he felt the witch moving to hold his face in place, feeling her press forward into the kiss as well.

The young duo shared their first kiss. The moonlight as the only witness to their tryst. The moment seemed to last both forever and never as the two broke away. Ron’s eyes opened, to see a flushed Daphne, a hand of hers moving to cover her lips, while the other held itself close to her stomach.

Her eyes seemed to be floating, giving itself no intention to catch Ron’s eyes.

“Daphne… I—“

“Why did you do that?”

Her whisper, sending shivers of worry and dread down his spine.

Oh Merlin, she hates me! I buggered it all up! I’m such an arse!
“I-I… I didn’t—“

“Did you want to do that?”

Again, her question seemed to only solidify Ron’s fear, but he still answered truthfully.

“Yes.”

Silence. For the longest ten seconds of Ron’s life, it was naught but complete silence. And then it wasn’t.

“What did you see in the mirror Ron?”

That’s it! She bloody well figured it out didn’t she!? Why are all bloody women mind readers!!!
“You.”

Daphne hummed in response. Her eyes were still dancing around and her mouth was still covered with one of her hands.

Ron couldn’t help but fidget under the pressure of the situation. I blew it, he thought. Damn it! I fucked it all up? Me and my stupid wishes, why the bloody hell did it have to show me Daphne!? WHY!?—
Warm lips interrupted his thoughts as Daphne pecked his lips. His eyes grew bigger than the giant squid. And absolutely lost in the moment as Ron’s cheeks burned pink. He was sure his cheeks were now permanently scarred with this new pink hue. His mind raced faster than a firebolt, as he tried to comprehend what happened in the past few moments in time.

“Ron..”

His eyes refocused on Daphne, her own eyes slightly misty and a dreamy smile on her lips.

Shite! I made her cry!
“You’re spiraling.” Her words seemed to freeze his mind. Steadying his breaths, Ron could only gape. Opening and closing his mouth multiple times, struggling to find the words.

“I.. don’t know… I can’t find the words to tell you how I’m feeling Daph.”

He winced at his own words, embarrassment slowly flooding its way into his system. He would have allowed it if Daphne hadn’t stopped him.

“Do you feel like kissing me again.”

Her hopeful smile, yet narrowed eyes was a sight to behold. Ron’s blush and flustered posture resulted in him barely gargling out a nod of confirmation.

“Then what are you waiting for Weasley?”

“Uh… n-nothing… Greengrass.”

Ron could almost squeal in victory as his emotions flipped itself on its head.

Rushing forward, Ron wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her ever so softly towards himself once more before grasping her lips with his own.

Another kiss. Success!

[kamreadsandrecs]

Title: The Temptation of the Night Jasmine (Pink Carnation #5) Author: Lauren Willig Genres: romance, historical, Regency romance, adventure Content/Trigger Warnings: period-accurate misogyny, depictions of mental health issues, depictions of period-accurate mental health treatments, references to childhood neglect Summary (from publisher’s website): After years abroad, Robert, Duke of Dovedale, has returned to England to avenge the murder of his mentor. To uncover the murderer’s identity, he must infiltrate the infamous, secret Hellfire Club. But the Duke has no idea that an even more difficult challenge awaits him-in a mistaken, romantic-minded young lady. Charlotte Lansdowne wistfully remembers the Robert of her childhood as a valiant hero among men. Too aware of his own flaws, Robert tries to dissuade Charlotte from her delusions, even as he finds himself drawn to her. When Charlotte takes up a bit of espionage-investigating a plot to kidnap the King-Robert soon realizes that she is more than the perfect partner in crime. Caught in a dangerous game full of deadly spies and secret rites, Robert and Charlotte must work together to reveal the villain…and confront their true love. Buy Here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-temptation-of-the-night-jasmine-lauren-willig/11098348 Spoiler-Free Review: Thus far in the course of my reread of this series, I’ve generally compared my previous experience of the book from when I first read it, to my current experience as I’ve read it now 10-plus years down the line. And so far, what’s happened is that the book in question has either lived up to my memory of it, or (as in the case of the previous two books, but especially in the case of the Deception of the Emerald Ring) failed to live up to that experience. But in the case of this book, I’m going to have to say that my current experience of it actually exceeds my previous experience. I remember being entertained by Charlotte and Robert’s romance, but not liking it as much as Letty and Geoffrey’s. Now, though, I think I might actually like Charlotte and Robert’s romance more than Letty and Geoffrey’s, mostly because I thoroughly enjoyed ups and downs of their dynamic - in particular, the way Charlotte deals with her disillusionment regarding Robert, and how they resolve that in the end. It was clearly painful, but I really enjoyed how Charlotte negotiated that pain and came out all the stronger for it at the end. As for Robert, I found him interesting because he was so different from the previous four male leads. The way he thinks of the nobility and their habits and pursuits are very different from the way Richard, Miles, Geoffrey, and Lord Vaughn think about it, and it was really rather refreshing to get another perspective on that whole thing. His own concerns regarding the relationship he has with his family and his title are also interesting to read about, mostly because of how conflicted he is about both. Speaking of family, I realize that in today’s online climate, the whole thing about Robert and Charlotte being cousins may lead to some rather...LOUD displays of scandalized horror from certain quarters. So to make things clear: it’s laid out in the first chapter that Charlotte and Robert are VERY distantly related, so their romance is rather like two people from a small town occupied by a handful of families getting together and settling down. Secondly, such marriages were common amongst the nobility from many cultures around the world as a means of consolidating and holding on to money, property, and power. Hell, in many cases the consanguinity would be MUCH closer than the very distant relationship Charlotte and Robert have, with first cousins oftentimes being viewed as acceptable for such marriages. It might not be right, but the fact remains that such marriages were practiced in the past, they were practiced during the Regency, and continue to be practiced today. (If you’re interested in how such marriages can go awry across the generations, then look into the Habsburgs, whose family tree - and the consequent health concerns - make for morbidly fascinating reading.) Additionally, this book dips into something that not of novels set during the Regency look at: King George II’s mental health. I won’t get into that too much because of spoilers, but suffice to say that there’s a reason why this specific period in time is so often called the “Regency”, and George II’s mental health had much to do with it. This novel also gives readers a glimpse into how mental health conditions were treated, and it puts into perspective just how VERY far we’ve come in the 21st century when it comes to mental health treatment. Makes me damn thankful too. So overall, this reread was a lovely ride - one that I think is better than the previous novels thus far, and ranks higher than Deception of the Emerald Ring, which was my favorite up until this point. Here’s to hoping the next one’s not so bad - though I’m also setting my expectations low because it takes place in British-occupied India. Rating: five jasmine flowers

[maximuswolf]

Just my thoughts on the band Disturbed

Just my thoughts on the band, Disturbed In the world of modern rock and nu-metal, few moments have carried the cultural weight of the iconic “Ohh ahh ahh ahh ahh” from Disturbed’s “Down with the Sickness.” This guttural cry, a primal scream from the depths of the human psyche, serves as an auditory signal that transcends mere musical expression, encapsulating the chaos and catharsis embedded in the fabric of late 1990s and early 2000s angst. Delivered by David Draiman, the band’s frontman, this anguished vocalization echoes the psychological torment and the unrelenting fight for self-identity that defines the era. It is a visceral release, an almost ritualistic invocation of inner turmoil, which connects with listeners on a deeply emotional level, serving not just as a sound, but as a cultural shorthand for rebellion, vulnerability, and existential rage.The uniqueness of the “Ohh ahh ahh ahh ahh” is not merely in its guttural, almost animalistic execution, but in its symbolic role within the song itself. It punctuates the narrative arc of “Down with the Sickness,” amplifying the moment when Draiman’s character confronts the personal demons that have plagued him for years. The sound embodies the trauma and fractured psyche central to the song’s theme of suffering and self-destruction. In the realm of cultural significance, the scream becomes a reflection of a generation’s collective disillusionment with society’s expectations, personal pain, and the internalized violence that often goes unspoken. It is as much a psychological release as it is a musical exclamation, bringing to the surface the darkest recesses of human emotion.Culturally, the “Ohh ahh ahh ahh ahh” encapsulates the spirit of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, marked by the rise of nu-metal and alternative rock, genres that gave voice to a generation struggling with disillusionment, mental health issues, and a fractured sense of belonging. In the broader context of music history, it stands as a response to the sanitized, polished sounds of pop and mainstream rock, offering instead a raw, unapologetic expression of human chaos. This vocalization became an emblem of rebellion, a call to arms for those feeling alienated by mainstream culture, particularly the youth caught in the grip of an increasingly disenchanted world. Its cultural importance cannot be overstated, as it both encapsulates and critiques the inner workings of the human condition in a way that resonates long after the song ends.In examining the legacy of “Down with the Sickness,” one cannot overlook the profound effect that Draiman’s vocalization has had on subsequent generations of listeners and artists. It is a sound that has been both imitated and idolized, its guttural intensity becoming a hallmark of the genre. It speaks to the cathartic power of music, where the voice—at times distorted, at times primal—acts as a vehicle for emotional release and connection. In a world where the act of speaking out is often stifled or commodified, the “Ohh ahh ahh ahh ahh” exists as a beacon of unfiltered emotion, a reminder of music’s ability to capture the intensity of the human experience. Through this moment, Disturbed has not only crafted a signature sound, but also a cultural artifact that continues to echo in the minds of listeners, forever entwined with the era it helped define. Submitted January 01, 2025 at 10:02PM by Lounginguru https://ift.tt/PcuT7h9 via /r/Music

[yuv4na]

5 Bands that define generations

Rock music has seen the rise of countless legendary bands that have etched their names into the annals of music history. Among these luminaries, there exist five bands that transcend genre boundaries and captivate audiences across generations. From indie darlings to alternative icons, let's embark on a journey through the sonic landscapes crafted by The Smiths, The Cure, Radiohead, The Strokes, and Deftones.

These bands have not only shaped the soundscape of their eras but have also left an indelible mark on the fabric of modern music, exploring themes that resonate deeply with listeners worldwide.

1. The Smiths:

Formed in Manchester in 1982, The Smiths, led by the enigmatic Morrissey, crafted a sound that juxtaposed catchy melodies with introspective and often melancholic lyrics. Their music explored themes of alienation, unrequited love, and the struggles of everyday life. Tracks like "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" and "This Charming Man" are emblematic of their lyrical depth and musical innovation.

2. The Cure:

With frontman Robert Smith's haunting vocals and introspective lyrics, The Cure delved into themes of love, loss, and existentialism. Their music often explored the darker aspects of human emotions, creating an atmospheric and immersive listening experience. Tracks like "Just Like Heaven" and "Lullaby" evoke a sense of dreamy melancholy that resonates with listeners.

3. Radiohead:

Radiohead's music is characterized by its introspective lyrics, innovative soundscapes, and existential themes. Their albums often explore the complexities of modern society, technology, and the human condition. Tracks like "No Surprises" and "Fake Plastic Trees" poignantly capture feelings of disillusionment and alienation in a rapidly changing world.

4. The Strokes:

The Strokes' music is characterized by its raw energy, catchy hooks, and lyrics that often reflect the hedonistic pursuits of youth. Themes of rebellion, romance, and urban life permeate their music, creating an electrifying and relatable listening experience. Tracks like "Hard to Explain" and "Reptilia" capture the essence of youthful exuberance and defiance.

5. Deftones:

Deftones' music is characterized by its fusion of heavy metal, alternative rock, and shoegaze influences. Their lyrics often explore themes of inner turmoil, existential angst, and emotional catharsis. Tracks like "Change (In the House of Flies)" and "My Own Summer (Shove It)" juxtapose heavy riffs with ethereal melodies, creating a visceral and immersive listening experience.

In conclusion, these five bands have not only shaped the sonic landscape of their respective eras but have also left an enduring legacy that continues to inspire and influence musicians to this day. From The Smiths' introspective musings to Deftones' visceral catharsis, each band has contributed something unique to the rich tapestry of rock music, exploring themes that resonate deeply with listeners worldwide.

Sources : Spotify , Wikipedia , Rolling Stone , YouTube , Britannica

[circuit-music]

2023 Music Recomendations

2023! This year really propelled right along at a nice pace. Seems like after years of chaos and uncertainty that many things were starting to return to familiar while still looking cautiously ahead. A lot was happening and thankfully there was PLENTY of good music to coincide. Observations and listening habits:  • Techno-ebm still ruling the majority of what I listen to and purchase.  Still remains exciting to me and there’s still plenty of fuel left in the tank in my opinion. In that genre, enjoyed the new releases from Comfort Cure, Semantix, Nuxx Vomica, Red Deviil, MVTANT and more. • That new beat/Italo/future-synth sound really had my attention this year with some absolute bangers. It’s got a bit of 80’s retro flair, it’s uplifting and absolutely motivating.  Absolutely loved the entire “Love Lines” album from Nuovo Testamento, while Rue Oberkampf, Facets, Fiero, More Ephemeral and more all brought sprightly energy in 2023 as well. • Synthpop and Wave continued to be robust this year with releases/singles from Fragrance, Korine, and Lust For Youth amongst others. The New Division “Modern Life” album was an absolute gem, as was the phenomenal Zanias “Chrysalis” LP. • Lots of releases crossed genre lines in 2023 (without being pretentious af about it either). While often difficult to categorize, many still perked my ears right up including Die Selektion, Years of Denial, Mission to the Sun and Frett.  • Few things in alternative, shoegaze and pop this year were engaging, including a new album from Everything But the Girl after a lengthy absence, a teaser single from ambient/shoegaze darlings Mint Julep, a jangly guitar pop single “Ayn” from my not-so-guilty guilty pleasure The Ocean Blue, and new work from OMD.  • The industrial genre still churns and yes, will still give a listen especially when it’s material like Klack “Body2Body2Body” single! Great fun! Mode Bionics “Precise Control”, Realite “Crusher Zone”and PC World all thrust me back to 90’s era stompy-stomp rivethead delight. “The Incomplete Truth” by Sheffield powerhouse EBM masters Randolph & Mortimer delivered a force from beginning to end.  • Post-Punk seemed oversaturated, and the term over-used in 2023, but cutting through the clutter was the magnificent “Playground” album from House of Harm who seem to want to distance themselves far from the label altogether. That gorgeous track “Roseglass” reminded me more of synth-darlings Iris than anything dark and mopey. • Essential reissues from Code Industry, Schicksal and MCL (“New York” on the legendary ZYX!!), Section 25, Max and Intro were all cool to see. Can’t forget those notable tunes amongst all the modern gems.  alright then without further ado:

:: My Album of the Year for 2023 :: Zanias – Chrysalis Unveiling Chrysalis, her third monumental solo effort, Zanias marks some of the finest work of her musical career, further solidifying her reputation as a dynamic channel for raw emotional catharsis and intellectual exploration. This latest album, released via her label, Fleisch Records, is a hopeful and optimistic ethereal pop opus. It represents a significant evolution in her production techniques, offering the most genuine avatar of Alison Lewis’ (Zanias) musical philosophy to date.

Zanias masterfully interlaces avant-garde, otherworldly sonics with elements of darkwave, dazzling dance rhythms, surreal synth textures, indie pop, and folk harmonies. This intricate blend carves her unique signature within the astral pop landscape, evoking ethereal otherness. ‘Chrysalis’ was seeded by a number of unfortunate events in Lewis’ life but using her own music as therapy, she has weaved a cocoon of hope from the despair. Song topics include the human condition, burnout, disillusionment, bereavement and the toxicity of capitalism. Written and recorded between her adopted home of Berlin and the rainforest of Queensland in Australia, despite the various foods for thought, this is the possibly the most accessible Zanias album yet.

The excellent ‘Simulation’ opens and is a bittersweet ode to Berlin where “This city is a fable, nowhere else to go. This city has enabled us all and it’s breaking my soul”. Despite the introspection as expressed by a hauntingly contralto vocal, the backdrop glistens. Capturing “a broken reality” where “everything’s shattering”, a joyful escapist euphoria counters those feelings.

The swaying avant pop of ‘Metrics’ is beat-centric, ghostly yet danceable with a catchy buzz. Meanwhile if Madonna had more gothic tendencies around her ‘Bedroom Stories’ period, the dark and ethereal ‘Burial’ might have been the end result. Its lush synth strings and voiced-derived layers points towards global pop, but is much deeper. If you listen to one song this year from my playlist, make it “Burial” – words and emotions escape me. I danced to the song, other listens gave me a good cry. A cathartic experience with a solid beat. With glorious arpeggios and lush synth strings, ‘Lovelife’ is wonderfully trance, bolstered with bass guitar by live bandmate Laura Bailey aka NEU-ROMANCER while an array of pitch-shifted voice samples act as an abstract lead vocal before the actual one kicks in. With ominous tones reminiscent of THE CURE’s ‘A Forest’, ‘Closing’ uses a number of interesting vocal treatments which provide intensity over the snappy rhythmics.

In a departure, ‘Teatree’ features virtual strums and could be considered an eerie ZANIAS folk ballad while also taking a more sedate approach, ‘Departure’ projects a more atmospheric tone with rung textures and a white noise backbone. To close, the ‘Chrysalis’ title song goes for a full acoustic intro before beats and electronics make their presence felt as our heroine emerges from her sheltered state into her next stage of growth.

Evocative and captivating, ‘Chrysalis’ is the best Zoe Zanias long player to date. Alison Lewis remains independent and true to her art while providing a new-found immersive immediacy that will help her music reach a wider audience. That balance is no easy feat to achieve but with some new approaches, she has managed it. Look for Zanias to release remixes and alternate versions from Chrysalis in 2024 as well as a new experimental follow-up titled Ecdysis in the coming months, featuring tracks from the same time period.

::: ::: :::

Ah, I could go on and on. I love writing and talking about music. Your comments and conversation are welcome, but let’s wrap this up…

This isn’t a top 10, top 25 or even a top 50. Instead, it’s an A-Z recommendation list encompassing many genres as those lines are getting more and more blurred. A good tune is a good tune, regardless of genre.  

HIGHLY encourage you to get out there and seek out new music; Visit the record stores, go hear a new DJ, fire up Spotify or another streaming service, check out some new music via podcast, DJ mixes, label sites, online retailers, even Facebook. One of the best sources for discovering new music is Bandcamp – a plethora of discoveries to be found out there. If you do the work, you’ll be rewarded ;)      Speaking of Spotify – I made a playlist this year featuring plenty of the bands on my list. There’s at least a track or more from the artist who have a presence on Spotify. Sadly a few bands on this list aren’t on the platform but check Bandcamp and you can have a listen. Here’s the link:   https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1PYVw5uRCYlu9RGLnno861?si=ea8eb848f834415d

As in years past I’m certain I missed a few things, ignored the hype on certain releases or just plain forgotten something. It’s a chore to compile this list, but I love to do it. There’s a ton of new pioneering music out there for sure waiting to be discovered and it’s the “what’s next” that keeps me a motivated music fan. There’s never a dull moment in speaking, writing, DJ'ing or promoting new music, so I’ll keep doing it and hopefully be a guide for you all ;).   If it needs mention and I overlooked it - I may do an addendum in the next week or so. Anyways, got your notepaper and plenty of beverages ready? Don’t be a TL:DR (Too Long: Didn’t Read) fool. Read up. Enjoy the music of 2023!

::: ::: :::

Abby Knives – The Flowers of Evil

Alpha Sect & Weever – Machine Crime

Alpha Sect – Geile Tierre

Andi + Machino – Parafernales

Asymetric80 – Meraki

Autumns – Eaten Inside

B1980 – Body Awareness

Body of Light – Bitter Reflection

Brixx – Erotomania

Chrome Corps – Intimidation Tactics

Code Industry – Structure (RE)

Comfort Cure – Design International

Comfort Cure – Not My Taste

Curses Presents Tutto Vetro – No Mercy

Cyberaktif – A Single Trace

Damaged Clock – The Key of the Future

David J Bull – The Energy EP

Die Selektion – Zeuge aus Licht

Djedjotronic – Smog on the Dancefloor

Ethan Fawkes – Belgium is Back Remixes

Everything But The Girl – Fuse

Facets – Breakable

Fiero – Pulse Seductor

Fragrance – Dusts & Disorders

Frett – Nottwo

Fuedal – Unit 1

GBxCL – Carved Upon my Stone

Ghosts in the Machine / Kris Baha – Ghosts in the Machine

Handful of Snowdrops – Gabrielle 35th Anniversary EP

Hanged Man – Deathwish

House of Harm – Playground

ISO City – Back on the Grid

IV Horsemen – Parade Nocturne Remixed

Inva//id – Cover Story

Jorgen Thorvald – Ghost Citizens 7”

KRSSV – Coupe Fuego

KLACK – Body2Body2Body

Korine – Tear Lust for Youth – Accidental Win (single)

Lust for Youth – Giorgia (single)

MVTANT – Low Culture Metal Bodies

Magnum Opus & Ravetop – Fear in Our Veins 7”

Max & Intro – We Design the Future (RE)

Meshes – Always Against

Mind | Matter – Ode a La Foudre

Mint Julep – All Summer Long

Mission to the Sun – Sophia Oscillations

Mode Bionics - Precise Control

Monolith – Concrete Playground

Nasdrowie - Hardlines

New Division, The – Modern Life

New Frames – Scherben

New Scene – Waves

Notausgang – Shredded With Time

Nuovo Testamento – Love Lines

Nuxx Vomica - FTEV

Nuxx Vomica – Easy Go (Semantix Remix)

Omon Breaker – Compromat

Ortrotasce – War

PC World – Infinite Dream Weapon

Parasite – Cipher EP

Randolph & Mortimer – Solta No Caos feat. Avnoar (Alen Skanner Remix)

Randolph & Mortimer – The Incomplete Truth

Realite – Crusher Zone

Red Deviil – Overkill

Red Deviil – Seperado De La Realidad

Red Deviil – Tendencias Ocultas

Rhys Fulber – Brutal Nature Reux

Rival Cults – Indoctrination

Rue Oberkampf – Moths (single)

Rue Oberkampf – Solitude (single)

SDH – Fake is Real Section 25 – Retrofit (RE)

STKD:999 – Borders of the Mind

Schicksal – 24 Hours / Perpetum Cycle I + II

Semantix – Caustic Motion (single)

Semantix – Violent Protocol

Serfs – Half Eaten By Dogs

She Lost Kontrol – In The Realm of Electricity Remixed

Soft Crash – Free Yourself (single)

Soft Moon – Exister remixed

Spike Hellis – Altitude Sickness (S/T Remixes)

St. Theordore – Majesty

Survival Paradox – Dysfunctionalism

Various Artist - 5 Years SOIL Records

Various Artist – Cage of Flesh (Kindcrime Records)

Various Artist – Die Erlosung: Kapitel II (Crave Tapes)

Various Artist – KEYI Magazine Charity Compilation

Various Artist – Next Wave Acid Punx Deux

Various Artist – Precious Decay Selections (Miseria + Oraculo Records)

Various Artist – Shedding Skin (Bite Records)

Various Artist – The Brutality of Rhythm (Mecanica)

Various Artist – Under the Stone Vol. 2 (Bruto Industries)

Visceral Anatomy – Vol. II

Yansyet – Tears of the Motherland Remixes

Years of Denial – Suicide Disco Vol. 2

Zanias – Chrysalis

Zanias – Metrics (single)

Zanias – Simualtion (remixes by Clouzer, Alen Skanner, Forces)

[vischys]

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩, as it turned out, was what brought Ink and the rest of @demon-blood-youths into the city. That would mean the odds of the Vanguard to retreat and seek her own safety would be nil. The swordsman's inner disillusionment was quickly pushed aside upon harkening what the trio informed him next:

"...weapon from some guy who came to him for help. "

"Now thinking about it....did Ethan say who this guy is?"

"He just said this guy is also watching Horrors for a while too and up close, like...uh... an informat."

An informant. A liaison.

At the stark connection, the cambion's eyes narrowed and his features visibly hardened. Perhaps whatever conspiracy currently ensuing was not as convoluted as he initially assessed.

"...I am not surprised that they leveled up from eating too much of the pills or something."

The corner of Vergil's lips twitched in subtle amusement from Navarro's choice of wording, recalling their conversation of the same subject back underground regarding the Horrors' prosaic disposition of dubbing their fraction and serum after a title and genre of a certain gothic novel.

And just as the protagonist of said novel succumbed to the potency of the serum he made himself and ceded a degree of inhibition with each dose imbibed, so did those so-called Commander Beasts imbibed themselves into deformation.

"Hell...we haven't seen any of the Horrors right now."

"Maybe that demon bird is still flying around... Shdwkyz said that bird...what's her face, Shrika?"

It would seem that none of his youthful companions could tell whether the rest of the Horrors were present in the city. Perhaps some odds were still in his favor after all that the notorious leader of the Horrors had omitted himself from their incursion into the city.

"I think the Horrors are just waiting for the guy who stole their stuff to show up first."

Not if we could apprehend this thief first. Mayhaps he could prevent the Killer Night's entry into this stage of conspiracy by removing his reason therein. I need to check upon Dante and clarify the circumstances, post-haste. Since his brother was the one who was designated to rendezvous with their liaison and the party deemed as the main candidate to be both the informant and thief that the Horrors sought.

His gaze flitted toward his breast where his communication device was pocketed in the inside of his jacket.

"Vergil! What about you? Did you come here because of their bounties?"

The cambion parted his lips to answer his demoiselle's inquiry by imparting his supposed mission to neutralize the Horrors and retrieve the HYDE formula, but the sudden shrill of ringing tone and vibration from aforementioned device beat him to it, alerting him of his brother, as though somehow managed to sync with his mind from afar had sensed Vergil's summon of his presence and thus the timely call.

Vergil dipped his chin as an apologetic gesture toward Ink as he reached inside his jacket to retrieve his antiquated cell phone. Perhaps Navarro could fill her in on what Vergil had shared with him regarding his own reason and business in the city? Otherwise he could always did thus himself after this phone call.

“Vergil!” Came Dante's voice from inside the receiver. To foreign ears, his brother sounded almost like his normal self – casual and lighthearted – but Vergil could detect an unmistakably underlying tone of relief as he continued. “Finally you pick up! Do you have any idea how many times I have tried to call you? ”

“ Dante, ” Vergil replied with a tone that sounded wry to untrained ears, but he knew his brother too could detect a hint of immense relief in it at the discovery that both of them were alive. “ My apologies, brother, I fell deep below ground that this inferiorly manmade device failed to transmit the signal required to receive your call. ”

He could sense Dante's amusement from the receiver at his half-sarcastic, half-matter of fact reason.

“Thought you forgot how to pick up a phone call. What happened that got you somewhere underground?”

“ I shall apprise you of the details later. Now, establish your whereabouts. ”

“We're heading back to the center of the city.”

Vergil didn't miss the "we" instead of "I". His brother was not alone evidently. What are the odds he was with the liaison he was supposed to meet?

“I have our guy with me,” Dante confirmed readily, sounding as though he had heard Vergil's unspoken wonder. “Listen, Vergil. We've been had. This liaison Morrison mentioned– Hey!”

He could hear the sound of hurried footsteps in the background indicating that someone ran away. Tried, truly. For soon he could hear a familiar gunshot from his brother's twin firearms followed by a loud masculine yelp.

“Listen, Mr. Liaison,” Dante's voice sounded distant albeit had taken on a dangerous edge, indicating that he lowered his phone in favor of addressing his interlocutor on the other side. “You have one job, see? All you have to do is be a good boy and stand still as I'm having a brief heart to heart with my high and mighty brother here.”

Vergil couldn't but mentally snort in affectionate mirth at his brother's theatrical remark. A performance archetypal to you, little brother. There's a devil inside you as well, even if others tend to overlook that fact.

“He is not famous for his patience and frankly, after hours trying to find you while dancing between zombies and creeps alike, I think I kinda share his genocidal temper for now. Don't ask, twin stuff. Anyway, the gist is, don't try to run as I drag your sorry ass to him or the next shot won't be a miss.”

He couldn't hear the other man's stuttered reply, but it's safe to assume that the liaison must have heeded his brother's threat. Vergil would know, for Dante too possessed his own brand of diabolic intimidation when he deigned to use it for once.

“Sorry about that,” his brother's voice sounded loud and clear again from the receiver. “Anyway, Vergil, I am bringing the guy to your place so we can decide together what to do with him. Where are you now?”

At his brother's question, Vergil tilted his head slightly with his gaze flitted at one point to another in their vicinity, visibly looking for any landmark or perhaps a building name board or any manner of identification that would denote the place they currently were.

𝐀𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐨'𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, the Slayer made his way together to a nearby abandoned complex, which seemingly used to be an emporium just days prior. As Ink and her comrades made a beeline to the vending machine, Vergil opted to claim a space against the wall nearby, settling with his arms folded and back leaning against it as he observed the @demon-blood-youths distributing what victuals they managed to beat out from the machine.

Keep reading

[kimtaesss]

I LOVED YOU | JK.2

Summary: being friends for 10 years means nothing, especially when he betrays your trust so easily.

Pairings: Jungkook x reader ; Taehyung x reader

Genre: angst, fluff, friends to (?)

Warnings: Taehyung + oc intimidate moments (somewhat); Confused Taehyung; Oc being a mess and indecisive; JUNGKOOK!!!

Authors note: I feel like this might be too short…

masterlist | 01 | 02 | tba

“I can’t believe that- that jerk!” You spit out in disgust. Your body from head to toes, was filled with anger and disillusionment. He hasn’t changed, will he ever?

“Well believe it” Taehyung continues on from your rant. He had the right to feel frustrated. But it wasn’t about the little shove that Jungkook had given him. Rather it was the fact that Jungkook hurt you. He hurt you with his words, and actions. He had hurt you, when you were most vulnerable. And Taehyung didn’t prevent that from happening either.

“I’m sorry” Taehyung’s voice cracks, while shifting on the couch. He covers his face by pulling down his hoodie. He couldn’t bear the idea of you being in any state that wasn’t happy. He knew you were in pain, and yet here you were trying to console him.

“What- what’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing” He responds.

But if everything was alright, why was he sniffing? And why did his voice crack? He also wasn’t showing his face. Everything was just not alright. So, why couldn't he be honest? Maybe you were just a horrible friend to everyone, so they don’t trust you enough to be vulnerable. After all that’s what Jungkook does to you, he pushes you aside.

“I understand if you don’t want to talk or need space. But just know that I’m here for you, always and forever”

“Always and forever?” Taehyung pulls the hoodie away, so you can get a clearer view of him, and vice versa. His eyes were the first thing you noticed. They were puffy, and red. He looked disappointed and tired? Maybe it wasn’t that but that’s what you got from the first glance.

“Yes, of course” your eyebrows furrow, while you hold his hand. They were freezing cold. It felt as if he was stuck in a freezer or had just taken a bath with only ice in the tub. It instantly made you feel chills over your body.

“I think I have something to keep you warm”

You frantically search up and down, left and right all over your small apartment and try to find anything to make him warmer.

He notices the lines above your eyebrows, and the way you run around in circles, sometimes hitting yourself, just to find him something and he gently smiles. He sees you’re worried about him, and he understands it’s because you feel guilty, but he’s just going to pretend it’s because you care about him. At least in the way he cares about you.

“I can’t find anything!” You toss the socks you had just picked up a second ago, when you thought it was a good idea to use socks as gloves.

“Why don’t you just hold my hand?” Taehyung partially jokes. But to his surprise, he doesn’t see you refuse his proposal, in fact he sees you shrug, and stare towards him.

“I-I was just- you know, joking” he trips over his words, and he sees you softly laugh. Instantly he feels more relieved and excited.

“Well what if I actually wanted to do it”

Your large innocent-looking eyes reeled him in. His jaw was hanging low, as salvia was about to come out.

“I would gladly accept that offer” he cleared his throat, while making space for you. He patted the spot for you to continue walking towards him. He was beginning to look stiff and awkward. He was sitting up straight, and kept looking in front of him.

“Are you always this nervous?” you giggled, while staring at his sitting position.

He looked like he was in trouble, or in detention. It was quite a funny scene for you. But you caught a glimpse of his elbow, and you were back to feeling a heavy amount of guilt on your chest.

“Does it hurt” You softly place your hand on his arm, and leave enough space to not touch the scraped area.

He looks up to you, and swears he could feel his heartbeat in his head. You looked beautiful, has he mentioned that today? Maybe he hasn’t, especially since it’s been hectic but still he should have. Because you did, look beautiful that is.

“No. Not as much anymore”

You immediately felt butterflies, they were all flying around in your stomach. There was no other explanation for feeling the way you were now. He looked really good, but his soft plump lips made you want to get closer. You kept glancing at him and then his lips. You weren’t sure if you were being obvious, but you couldn’t hide it either.

“I- I’m glad” you managed to answer, staring at this perfect man in front of you.

“Yeah me too”

It was his turn to bounce from staring at you, and then your lips. They looked soft and homely. They kept telling him ‘kiss me’ without having said a single word.

He wasn’t sure of doing what he wanted to do, so instead he decided to take things at a slower pace. “Hey, I know this sounds ridiculous after the night we had but do you want to go eat something?”

What he had initially wanted to say was, ‘would you like to go on a date with me’ but it’s clear to him, or frankly anyone that he isn’t Jungkook, that you were madly and utterly in love with him. Why? Well, he wasn’t so sure of it himself. Jungkook was an ass so why did you fall for him and not Taehyung?

“I would love nothing more” you blushed before, during and after you replied.

Taehyung tucked his lower lip behind his upper lip, and nodded his head before getting up, reaching out his hand to not only lift you up, but to make sure you have the best day of your life. This was the only opportunity he’s had to just be you and him, and he was planning to use it.

“I can’t believe you let me walk out of my apartment looking like this?”

You had a crop top that said ‘bite me’ and some Christmas pjs. Thankfully Taehyung gave you his sweater, so now you could at least zip it up, and cover at least one uncomfortable and ugly clothing.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about! You look better than anyone else here” he compliments while pushing your chair back and then forwards, allowing you to smoothly sit an inch closer to the table without having moved a muscle.

“Okay, now you’re being too nice” you slouch to cover your flattered self.

He shakes his head as a no. “You’re just not seeing what I am”

“Well what do you see?” you respond, while fixing your posture feeling uneducated, compared to him and the other people in that restaurant.

“Hmm… I see” he points at myself, emphasizing that it’s his own opinion.  “I see a drop-dead gorgeous, head-turning, strong, and alluring woman”

When he said all those beautiful things to describe you and the manner he said it, it made you want to cry. You felt noticed and it sounds stupid but you haven’t received that since, well ever. It’s these exact words that made you even more confused.

But then again, he is your friend. So, he’s probably saying all this because you’re clearly upset about everything that went down and how it went down.

“You’re only saying that cause you’re my friend” you emphasize in your gloomy state. You don’t even pick up your fry, you play with it and you’re aware of how you’re looking right now, but you don’t have the energy to hide how you feel.

“Well I don’t lie to my friends. Especially if they mean to me a lot like.. you” he holds an intense gaze, while admiring the freckle beside your nose. He always called it your beauty mark.

He couldn’t grasp how vulnerable you were being right now, he was afraid of breaking or hurting you even more. He didn’t want to push you, but he also didn’t want to make you feel unnoticed. He knew you’d like the extra attention, but not in a superficial way. It was more of a ‘can you see me for me’ way.

He wanted to reach over and give you the biggest hug or shoulder rub. But he just knew deep down, you’d hate that because you’d break down that instant and you hated nothing more than to be the center of attention.

“I really do appreciate you Taehyung” you couldn’t smile nor show it on your face, just truly how grateful you were. But you had hoped that he understood where you were coming from.

He simply sends you an endearing smile, and it felt like he sent a hug your way, the way it embraced you and made you feel better.

You eventually decide that it’s time for you to suck it up, and eat the damn fry that’s beginning to get cold. You even lift it up and place it in front of Taehyung’s mouth so he could take a bite. But before he could take a bite, you move it and eat it instead.

“Hey! You tricked me!”

You laugh and snort altogether. He really had this spark and talent to make you feel comfortable. That’s what you loved about him, whenever you were in his presence, your mood was automatically lifted, whether you realized it or not.

“Okay but you complained your outfit when I’m literally in swim trunks”

You both laughed along your silly, dumb jokes. You never realized how truly comforting Taehyung’s presence was until today. He instantly lifted up your bad spirit, and you could not ever repay him for making you feel loved and important.

“At least you look handsome” you comment, while shifting your head towards the other side.

“ You think so?” He scoffs, while reexamining his outfit. His pink swim trunk shorts, with a yellow baggy t-shirt.

“Yes!” You answer, but it sounded more like you were questioning him. In a way you were, how could he not know all these things about him.

He began covering his face with the napkin that was once placed on the table. But you could still see the red tint on his cheeks, and that shortly led you to also have the same or darker red cheeks.

This was perfect. He was perfect. You couldn’t have imagined any other way to end your night, especially after the day you had. You were glad to have accepted Taehyung’s offer to come out and eat. You stare at him, and try to fight the smile that wants to sprout.

It wasn’t until you heard a familiar deep voice shout, that you realized that happiness is only limited.

“Just great! I have the traitor and loser right in front of me”

“Jungkook?!”

You see him walking away. You look back at Taehyung, he nods his head and points towards him. He knew you wanted nothing more than to go after him and who was he to stop you? No one. He wasn’t important to you. Or not like Jungkook was.

“I’ll call you, okay?”

Again he nods his head, and glances around for a waiter, to ask for a to go box. He even packed your things, in case your talk with Jungkook ended horribly.

He knew it would hurt. But he also knew you were worth the pain.

The tears and cries that have been wanting to escape your very drained eyes, were beginning to be released. You had kept them under lock and key, by blinking every single one away when it started to feel wetter than usual. That was the thing about Jungkook, he always pushed you to tears.

“Jungkook! Wait up!” You utter a loud, piercing cry.

You run after him and in the process of doing so, you wonder why you were foolishly running after someone who does not want to be caught. Instead of staying beside someone who will only ever run towards you.

But it was too late now. The damage was done, so you had no other choice but to keep chasing after Jungkook. And when you have the slight advantage of being close enough to grab him arm, you do. However, once you do. He immediately pulls away, and slightly pushes you in the process.

“What do you want?” he growls, as his ice-cold eyes look directly into your very skull.

You were afraid. Afraid of being open to him, and instantly being shut down. But you had no other choice, you were going to finally be honest and how he took it was not your fault.

“You to listen to me”

You stood your ground. You forbid yourself from allowing him to see you in the state he has left you, broken.

“Why don’t you go back to him. He’s clearly the one for you” he begins screaming like some insane person and it didn’t make sense to you.

“What are you talking about?! He’s a great friend of mine, and because of me he’s hurt”

“Don’t. I’m the one who shoved him not you” he says it in a gentler tone, and you know it was his way to reassure you, that you were in fact not at fault.

Deep down you know it’s not your fault, but there is also a part of you that continually blames you for involving Taehyung. If you had kept your mouth shut, if you had just stopped being a baby, Taehyung would not have been hurt. So maybe you are at fault. The more you think about it you realize you’re the problem.

“Yeah but he got shoved because he was trying to protect me”

“Protect you?! From what, me?!”

You didn’t respond verbally, but you looked away. He immediately knew the answer to his question. It was your tell, when someone asked something, and you looked away, you were either hiding something, or afraid to speak up.

Jungkook’s nostrils flared as he stared at you. He couldn’t believe you’d think even for a second that he would hurt you. Your heart raced in your chest as you looked at Jungkook and took a step backwards.

“You think I'd hurt you? like really hurt you?” he whispers.

His voice cracked, and you felt like you needed to look up into his eyes. They were glossy, and you knew he was sad. You were stupid, you should have kept your mouth shut. You should have just dealt with the pain yourself. Or maybe you should have approached things differently. It was too late now, but then again you had finally voiced all those doubts and feelings. It wasn’t fair for you to deal with pain all alone. You don’t know, this is all messed up.

He begins to slowly walk towards you, and you feel like you have to stay in place. He places his hands on your ears, to get a better grip of you. He reaches down and connects your foreheads, your nose is pressed against each other, and your lips slightly touch. You both were breathing heavily, and it felt like you hadn’t seen each other, it felt like you were separated for years. You needed to feel his lips, you wanted to know what it felt like kissing him. He wanted that too, he really did. But then you said something, something that shattered him into the smallest of pieces.

“I don’t know”

You attempt to kiss him, but once you do, he pushes you away.

“Don’t. Please don’t”

And with that he walked away. You saw his figure getting smaller, and further away. It could also be the tears that built up the minute he moved away from you. You were close, you were about to kiss and you had to ruin it. You ruin everything. But maybe it’s better that way, afterall why would you kiss someone that doesn’t love you back. Why would you want someone who chooses to leave? Why would you kiss someone that hurts you?

Tag list: @mwitsmejk @bambamsthings @belovedsthings @jamlessstars @bjoriis @jeonzll @oxzie @whipwhoops @driftapart @taeriffic @laylasbunbunny @ellesalazar @boredcatto @bunbunbunnykoo @taeees-world @rainfprest @sparklingprimrose @jossabelle88 @bloodline1632 @neg-l3ct @bbtsficrecs @bloopkook @petalsofink @bliss-1111 @linours @crissteetee67 @starbtslove @laurynne5 @hollyweird0 @fragmentof-indifference @kooliv @halesandy @bloodline1632 @sukunasrealgf @bnagtanx1306

[landonsvietnameselitblog]

Reflections on a Year of Reading Vietnamese Literature

Titles Read:

Things We Lost to the Water by Eric Nguyen

Stealing Buddha’s Dinner by Bich Minh Nguyen

Book of Salt by Monique Truong

Monkey’s Bridge by Lan Cao

Word Count: 695

Getting to spend a year reading Vietnamese literature definitely helped me connect with my heritage more, especially as I was able to learn some new words since I’m not too familiar with the language. It was comforting to see some Vietnamese words mixed in with English, and the names of foods that I frequently enjoy. Some common themes include family and assimilating into the United States. Some of the novels I read included characters who had to immigrate to the U.S. for better opportunity, but in doing so, they had to face racism and microaggressions. The characters would have to adopt aspects of American culture in order to fit in, but language and food would be aspects that they would try to keep. Family is a big element because it’s often the only thing they have when everything is lost. Even if there is separation or tension, they often look back to family for comfort at some point. Another common element is having a setting in France, or Paris specifically. This is likely due to Vietnam having a history of being colonized by the French, so there is some connection and glorification there. Some of the main characters have connections with France so the setting takes place there at times.

What I learned from Things We Lost to the Water was that happiness is a relative thing. At first, all of the different family members enjoyed each others’ presence, but eventually the children began to grow up and go on their own path. One brother joined a gang, but ended up turning his life around and getting a girlfriend. Another brother would do well in school and want to travel to Paris, but he was hit with disillusionment and got into an unhappy relationship. All of the character’s fates were different and they were able to shape it by following their own self interests. In the end though, the only thing that is permanent is relationships with others, which is seen as their home being ravaged by a hurricane.

What I learned from Stealing Buddha’s Dinner was the importance of being in tune with your culture, even if it’s just with food. I loved the fact that every chapter was named after a different food, and each chapter was an interesting story about the author’s life. I saw the importance of building your own identity and not trying to be like everyone else, as tempting as it may be. I was also validated on some experiences of being a Vietnamese American.

What I learned from Book of Salt was that it’s important to create memorable experiences because they can guide you in life. The main character is constantly looking back to conversations he had with family members or former relationships to help guide his current decisions. He often faces things that knock him down, such as getting fired from his employer, but then he gets right back up on his feet and perseveres. 

What I learned from Monkey’s Bridge was that nothing is permanent. The main character faces many traumatic experiences, such as the war, her mother being terribly injured, and her father suddenly dying.  As a child, these are things that she didn’t expect, especially as her family would be perfectly fine the day before. However she would have to move on and continue to grow as a person, for example wanting to pursue a college education. 

In general, I learned that I was capable of making daily commitments. Especially for the beginning of the year, I was incredibly consistent, and there was always an urge in the back of my mind to get it done if I suddenly forgot. I also learned that I am actually quite fond of novels and memoirs. I usually don’t read books unless it’s for a school assignment, so it was nice to explore some different genres and see what I liked. I was also able to learn about a lot of the general experiences of what it was like to immigrate to the U.S., and that things like microaggressions in school aren't uncommon. Overall, I formed better habits and learned more about my own culture.

[formulatingfiction]

Malediction - WIP Intro

Title: Malediction

Form: short story

POV & Tense: past tense, third person limited

Genre: contemporary, literary fiction

Themes & Subject Matter: truth, trust, reality, mental illness, unhealthy mother-daughter relationship, disillusionment

Setting: a mix of Victorian-style and cottage-style house is in a very isolated area of the bush*. the house belongs to mc’s mother. the house is small and showing light weathering.

Status: writing the first draft

Summary: Mother believed the family was cursed. ‘The curse–’ Mother had told Olive, ‘–will affect all things in life.’ It is why Olive’s dog succumbed to the snake-bite, why her and Mother’s pockets seemed to get caught on the cupboard doorknobs more often than other people’s, why Olive must always stay there, in their home.

‘Our family wasn’t always like this.’ Mother would say, her eyes staring through Olive, seeing into the past. ‘No, this family used to have good luck.’

Characters-

Olive: Olive is our main character. She’s a petite red-haired girl with freckles spotting her cheeks and nose. The story takes place from her perspective (in third person) and starts on the day before her 16th birthday. She is a sweet young girl but very naïve. She loves to draw with the cheap pencil set her mother bought from the local Post Office. She also loves to learn. She wants to make her mother happy, no matter what it means for herself. Her mother is her whole world and all she has. Olive has been home-schooled by her mother since six years-old, her dad left when she was young, Olive knows no-one else. With no evidence or contradictions from the outside world, Olive has been left no choice but to believe in the curse that plagues their family.

The Mother: The mother plays the role of a subtle antagonist in this story. If you were to ask my characters what the antagonist in their lives were, they would say the curse. The mother is a bit of a scattered character. Her moods, ideas and opinions shift frequently. The only things that stay the same are her love for Olive, her fear of the curse, and her willingness to protect Olive from it. The mother can often be found in her wrinkled purple t-shirt that she owned before Olive was born, her red hair scraggly and dry. It is heavily implied throughout the story that the mother is suffering from some type of mental illness.

My Thoughts:

So, my friends, this is my very basic introduction to my current WIP Malediction. Some things may be changed as I continue writing since I’m trying my hand at discovery writing for the first time. Also, it is still a little baby being in its unfinished first draft phase. Because of its first draft/discovery status, the characters (and the story really) aren’t as fleshed out as I’m hoping they will be in later drafts. Anyway, if you read this my appreciation for you is indescribable.

*the bush is Australian slang for a wooded area, kind of like a forest? but more Australian. Hahaha why is the bush so hard to explain, here’s a link to explain it better.

[latte-fairytaekwoon]

𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙇𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 (𝙎𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙈𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙞)

Pairing: Song Mingi (Ateez)× Reader (Female) ft. Park Seonghwa (Ateez)

Genre: Angst, Fluff, Humor.

Word Count: 3.5K

Summary: Mingi has liked Y/N for the longest time and works up the courage to confess to her.......until he witnesses her confessing to someone else.

Tag: @seacottons . Happy birthday my tiny goofy goober.

❏ ❐ ❑ ❒ ❏ ❐ ❏ ❐ ❑ ❒ ❏ ❐ ❏ ❐ ❑ ❒

"Scribbling away another love letter that you'll end up throwing in the garbage bin yet again?"

Mingi quickly covered the paper in front of him with his large hands, startled by the voice of his friend who silently came in the room.

"Yeosang don't freaking scare me like that! Seriously, I'm going to ask Seonghwa to put a bell on you."

Adjusting the glasses on his nose, Mingi carefully folded the paper before placing it inside a pink colored envelope which he ended up wrapping a string around it. For the final touch, he attached a small flower on it like he did on all the other ones, this time it was a mini red carnation, which he gently kissed before placing it in the stash with the others.

Yeosang simply shook his head and sighed.

"Mingi, I'm no relationship expert, but don't you think it'd be better to tell Y/N how you feel instead of pouring your heart out into a piece of paper and storing it in a cold corner?"

The taller male sat still for a couple seconds, thinking about his friend's words. Maybe he would....and yet-

"No I- I can't do that! I mean, look at me. I'm just Mingi and she's Y/N."

Yeosang rolled his eyes.

"Yes, glad to see you know both of your names. But what's keeping you from telling her? Like seriously?"

Kicking himself off the chair, Mingi slumped onto his bed, sprawling all over it and groaning dramatically.

"She's super cool, funny, kind, caring and has eyes to die for..."

Lifting his head up he smiled goofily at Yeosang who just scrunched his nose at how lovesick Mingi was. Coming back to reality, Mingi rolled over onto his back. Clutching a nearby pillow, he hugged it as he looked at the ceiling.

"And I'm just me.......she'd never fall for someone like me..."

Yeosang sat next to him. Patting his arm in an effort to comfort him, he suggested:

"Why not try still? Who knows? Maybe you'll end up being surprised yourself."

Mingi pondered over his Yeosang's words long after he was gone. He looked back at the stash of written confessions he had drafted over the past months.

"Why not? After all, it wouldn't hurt me to try......"

"Right?"

❏ ❐ ❑ ❒ ❏ ❐ ❏ ❐ ❑ ❒ ❏ ❐ ❏ ❐ ❑ ❒

Y/N paced back and forth around the living room, feeling extremely anxious and agitated.

"It's ok Y/N. Just breathe and you'll be fine. The worse he can do is reject you right? No biggie." She mentally told herself.

Looking back at the cake on the island, she double checked to make sure it looked perfect and even. She had to remind herself to thank Yunho for telling her what his friend's favorite cake was, even if he had demanded a cake of his own as payment for the information. She got startled when she finally heard the door open.

"Don't panic! Don't panic!" She couldn't keep herself from fidgeting with the sleeves of her sweater.

Maybe there was still time to back out of this, maybe she could pretend she dropped the cake for all of them, even if he was the only one there at that moment. She was so frustrated she actually leaned her forehead against the wall in front of her and whined lowly.

"Y/N?" She finally heard him speak.

Without turning around, she lifted a hand behind her to signal him to not speak. Taking a deep breath she declared:

"Listen! I'm only going to say this once so hear me out...."

The man behind her stood there, eyeing her curiously, wondering what she'd say. He was pretty shocked when he heard her continue.

"I've liked you for the longest time now...... like seriously like you. Every time I see you, I feel like my heart is about to jump out of my chest..."

Sighing softly, she got to the final part.

"I understand if you don't feel the same, if you'll see me as nothing but a friend. After all, you're an idol and have so many pretty faces constantly surrounding you, and you're so handsome, so perfect and sweet and cute and- ugh! I just wanted to let you know that I really really like you ok?!"

She felt so embarrased by herself and actually contemplated banging her head against the concrete in front of her. She already could feel the rejection coming, the silence being the huge indicator. Not able to bear the silence anymore, she turned around.

"Stop dragging it on and just tell me- Seonghwa?!"

She was beyond mortified when she saw the eldest Ateez member in front of her, who was now poking at the cake.

"I mean........ I appreciate the sentiment Y/N, but you should know my favorite ice cream is strawberry. Not .....whatever this is..."

Y/N snatched the cake away from him.

"It's not for you idiot! And the confession wasn't for you either!"

Seonghwa pretended to be hurt by her words.

"Ouch. You hurt me so bad." He mock pouted, causing her to roll her eyes.

"But honestly, thank God it wasn't for me. I was about to get a heart attack from thinking about how to let you down gently."

Y/N looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

"I mean, no offense Y/N. You're cute and all but I just see you as a friend." He explained.

"None taken. You're cute and all but I just see you as the other's nanny." She teased him.

"Hey you take that back!" He swatted at her, causing her to laugh and almost drop the cake.

"Ok but if you weren't expecting me to come by the door? Who were you expecting?"

Leaning his elbow on the wall, Seonghwa looked at Y/N with a mischievous twinkle in the eye.

"Tell me. I must know who among our members is it that makes your heart pound so much?"

"That's my secret." She pretended to zip her lips tightly.

"Awww come on! I hardly get any excitement anymore! Tell me! I wanna know!" He continued pestering her to dish it out.

She bit her lip before deciding she could trust him.

"It's.....it's Mingi. ..."

Seonghwa immediately got a shocked look on his face which terrified Y/N, but then it confused her when he started smiling widely.

"Are you serious?! That's great!" Seonghwa actually hugged her tightly.

"Why is that great?"

Seonghwa leaned in, pressing his lips to her ear.

"Because, he may or may not be also crushing on you....hard."

Seonghwa chuckled at her reaction.

"Cute. Super cute."

Seonghwa couldn't resist the urge to nuzzle his nose against her cheek, making Y/N make gagging noises at his affection and jokingly attemp to escape his grasp.....

Yet neither of them noticed the heartbroken pair of eyes that was watching them.

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Mingi was upset for the next few days and didn't even try to hide it. He couldn't get that image out of his head. He could still hear Y/N's voice say:

"I've liked you for the longest time now...... like seriously like you. Every time I see you, I feel like my heart is about to jump out of my chest...

I just wanted to let you know that I really really like you ok?!"

He was so shocked to hear her say that. For the longest time he had wanted to hear her utter those words....

But they weren't for him, they were for someone else.

He couldn't stay anymore. He quietly exited the dorm to give them both the space they needed. Waiting for several minutes outside, he debated whether to go back inside and see what happened or just go back to the company to practice the choreography once more and hopefully get his mind off things. Curiosity getting the better of him, Mingi slowly opened the door again and silently peeked his head back in.

He instantly regretted it and wished he had just gone back to practice. It absolutely destroyed him watching his Hyung be lovey dovey with the girl of his dreams and he knew he'd hate the coming days. Which was why he stayed in his room or just went out to practice to keep his mind occupied.

He wasn't in the mood to play with Yunho, mess with Hongjoong and especially not eat what Seonghwa cooked. It started to worry the others and of course, it also worried Y/N to no end. She tried to cheer him up, make him his favorite foods or try to get him out of bed, but it was all in vain. Mingi would end up shutting down more and just dismissing her attempts, sometimes harshly.

"Y/N please just leave me alone! I don't want to see you!" He yelled at her one day when he just couldn't control what he'd kept bottled up inside.

He instantly felt bad when he saw her sad and disappointed eyes, but didn't apologize. He simply grabbed his coat and went for a walk, leaving the poor girl in total disillusionment. Y/N sat down on his bed, her hand gently stroking the throw blanket he always kept.

"Now you've got a long face. Don't tell me it's contagious."

Usually she'd chuck a pillow at Yeosang's comment, but she didn't even feel like doing that.

"What's with you?" Yeosang asked as he took a seat next to her.

"I'm just....hurt.." She admitted.

"Why?" He continued his interrogation.

"I just......wanted to help Mingi but instead he lashed out at me and it hurts because I care about him a lot and it hurts to have the person you like treat you so coldly."

She didn't even realize she had just told Yeosang her secret, but she was too hurt to even think about the words coming out of her mouth. Yeosang however seemed intrigued by what she said, and knowing how Mingi was pining for her as well, couldn't understand either why he'd make her feel that way.

"If it's any consolation..... he likes you too."

Although Seonghwa had already hinted that Mingi liked her too, she couldn't really take his words seriously because Seonghwa tended to misinterpret things. But she knew Yeosang was straightforward and honest in everything, plus he wouldn't make something like this up.

"He does?" She looked at him incredulously.

Yeosang nodded. Remembering the box Mingi hid, he got up, not caring whether it was ok or not to do this, but something had to be done. Picking up the red box he placed it on Y/N's lap.

"Read them. They're Mingi's. Maybe there you'll find a clue about what's bothering him."

Ruffling the top of her head, Yeosang exited the room and closed the door behind him, knowing she'd probably want the privacy.

Snapping the latch up, Y/N was more than surprised to see several letters neatly laid out in the box. There were at least a dozen of them, all addressed to her and stacked by the order they were written in. The envelopes were all different colors, and each had a unique flower attached to it, some already dried out from how old they were, but others were still fresh and vibrant. Picking up the first one in the stack, she noticed it was dated 1 week after she had just moved into the apartment next to them.

"Dear Y/N,

I know you'd find it odd to hear me say this, but I think you're so pretty and nice and I was wondering if one day you'd like to go on a date with me? Let me know."

She giggled softly at how cute he was. She poured over the next letters one by one, each time they were getting longer and longer than the last one, and they certainly became more romantic.

"Dear Y/N,

It's been only a few minutes since we all went to bed cause New Year's is over, but I honestly can't sleep. Not when my head is filled with images of you at the party, looking absolutely gorgeous in that dress you wore. Let me tell you, I could hardly keep myself still when the fireworks began. I seriously wanted to kiss you right then and there, and I would have, but that would have probably freaked you out and I can't have that. Admiring you was enough for me and I know I will get to kiss you, even if it's only in my dreams."

Y/N fondly remembered that. She recalled how she fantasized about Mingi kissing her as well. She desperately wanted him to cup her face and just plant his luscious lips on hers. She could feel herself blushing as she thought about how they would feel and what would they taste like. It was well an hour later but she finally reached the last letter, which was actually written up just yesterday. This time it was in a dark blue envelop and it had a tiny stem of Forget-Me-Nots on it.

"Dear Y/N,

I know it's foolish to keep writing these things when I now know you can never be mine, when I know your heart belongs to someone else. But I need to get it off my chest and finally say this:

I love you..."

She clutched her heart when she read that, tears already forming in her eyes.

"I love you, but I can never have you. Yet I hold no resentment towards you. You're free to love who you want. I wish you and Seonghwa Hyung nothing but happiness and I hope he treats you like the princess you are.

Forever yours, hoping you never forget me,

Song Mingi."

Y/N furrowed her eyebrows, wondering what he meant by being happy with Seonghwa. Then it hit her. Mingi had started acting strange the day after the misunderstanding with Seonghwa happened. Which meant he must have seen something and thought-

"Oh my God!"

Y/N quickly ran out the room, almost bumping into San who dramatically slammed his back on the wall, holding his beloved baby high above any danger.

"It's ok my precious Byeol! Your father has saved you from this heathen who doesn't know that she shouldn't run in the house especially when I'm with child!"

San shook his head and held the feline close to him as he walked into his room to play with her, singing an unintelligible tune that wasn't exactly pleasant to the siamese' ears.

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Y/N was once again sweating nervously. She kept looking and shuffling the plate of macarons in the middle of the table. She specifically poked at the pink one, hoping it wouldn't fall apart or anything. She could hardly take a sip out of her own coffee as she waited for Mingi to get there. She was beginning to worry he wouldn't show up at all, but Yeosang promised to make sure he did. She took out her phone to text Yeosang, ask him if he succeeded or should she just think of something else.

"Y/N? Did you call me here?"

She fumbled with her phone that almost dropped out of her hands when she finally heard Mingi and saw him standing there in front of her.

"Uhm...yeah. Please sit."

She gestured for him to sit which he hesitantly did. He kept his glance on the table, not even looking at the drink or treats in front of him. Wanting to break the ice, Y/N shifted the cup and plates closer to him.

"Look. I got your favorites."

She hoped to get a reaction out of him, but nothing. He barely batted an eyelash at them.

"Oh.....thanks...." Still made no move to take anything.

Feeling impatient, Y/N shoved the plate of macarons closer, making it touch his hand.

"Mingi.....won't you please take one?"

He sighed in defeat, and as expected, he took the pink one.

"I appreciate your effort Y/N. You're a good friend. But don't you think your boyfriend might get jealous of you doing this? We all know how Seonghwa is with his possessions."

Y/N wanted to refute that statement right then and there, but instead, she chose to wait. Mingi took a bite out of the macaron, or at least attempted to but it felt oddly hard and weird. Examining it closely, he accidentally broke it apart in two pieces, and out came a tiny folded paper. Mingi looked at Y/N, who just pointed to the paper, her eyes urging him to open it. Mingi carefully unfolded the paper and his eyes went wide as he read the contents:

"I love you too♡"

Confused and wondering what it meant, he was going to ask Y/N about it, but she began explaining:

"That day.....that you saw me and Seonghwa..... I thought it was you who was standing behind me."

If they weren't sitting in a booth and had instead been at one of the tables with high chairs, Mingi would have seriously fallen out of it.

"That confession....was supposed to be for you.."

Mingi couldn't believe what he was hearing. He actually pinched himself to make sure it wasn't another beautiful delusion his mind was making up.

"Are.....are you serious?" He had to be sure.

Y/N nodded her head.

"Then....then why was Seonghwa kissing your cheek afterwards?"

Y/N giggled softly.

"That wasn't a kiss. He was just being the little shit he was and teasing me about you."

Now it all made sense. Seonghwa did enjoy teasing Y/N and that teasing was always followed by a pinch to her cheek, a squeezing of her nose, or even messing up her hair.

"So it was all a misunderstanding?" Mingi asked.

"Yeah. A rather big and painful one if you ask me." She added sadly.

Then Mingi's eyes shot up as he realized something.

"Wait! What do you mean you love me too?"

Now it was Y/N's turn to blush.

"Well...... Yeosang kinda showed me all the letters you wrote."

Mingi thought he was about to have a heart attack.

"Please tell me you didn't read them all."

When she bit her lip, Mingi grimaced and covered his face.

"How embarrassing. I want to die now."

"Well.....I thought they were really sweet and romantic. I loved every one of them."

Peeking out through his fingers, Mingi squeaked out an "Really?"

Y/N couldn't resist the urge to uncover his face and coo at him.

"Yes I did, almost as much as I love you."

Mingi blushed intensely at her words, both of them bursting out into little giggles.

"So that cake you made.......those words you said..... it is for me?" He looked at Y/N with hope in his eyes.

"It was always you Mingi."

Pouting, Mingi held out his pinkie.

"Promise?"

Linking her own pinkie in his, she promised:

"Promise it was you and it will always be you."

Mingi was happy once again now that everything was cleared up and he found out the girl he loved reciprocated his feelings. They left the cafe together, both shy and quiet as if they were a newlywed couple. Mingi kept glancing over at her, wanting to say something, but didn't know what. Unconsciously, he brushed his hand against hers.

"Sorry!" He apologized when she whipped her head at him.

"I swear! I wasn't trying to-"

His words got caught in his throat when she held his hand and continues walking as if it was totally normal. Mingi couldn't stop himself from smiling at their physical contact.

"So uhh..........when is it an acceptable time to have our first kiss?"

His question made her burst out laughing. He however didn't find it funny.

"I'm serious! I just want to know when it'll be an acceptable time to kiss my girlfriend!" He complained.

Stopping in their tracks, Y/N faced him.

"Ok you really wanna know?"

Mingi nodded. Feeling bold, Y/N got on her tippy toes and pecked his lips so quickly it took Mingi a couple seconds to register what happened. Y/N began running back away and laughing at his dumbfounded expression. Once he got over the shock, Mingi began sprinting over to her.

"Hey! No fair! Come back here! I wasn't ready! Let me kiss you properly!"

Having longer legs, he easily caught her and threw her over his shoulder.

"That was so mean." He huffed as he began walking again, not caring if people looked at them weird.

"Ok what can I do to make it up to you?" She offered.

Humming softly, Mingi answered:

"I want you to cuddle me while we watch movies."

Y/N shrugged.

"Done. It's a deal."

Not hiding the smug smile on his face, Mingi added:

"And I want to kiss you."

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[townofcrosshollow]

Oh man I'm glad someone asked abt romance 😂 now I know not to waste my time reading your stories 😃

I know it’s not good practice to respond to insults, but the logic behind this insult fascinates me and I absolutely must deconstruct it. Obviously the impulse to voice your dislike of something you haven’t even engaged with when you could just... y’know... continue to not engage with it is something you should probably analyze about yourself, anon, because I can’t imagine it manifests itself in healthy ways in your real life. Plenty of people saw that post and politely unfollowed me, as they should if they aren’t interested in my work!

But more importantly, I want to point out to anyone who didn’t read it that my response was not that there is no romance in any of my games (there will be, as mentioned in that post), but that the romantic elements will not follow the same structure that happens to be popular. The idea that something is not just not your cup of tea but a “waste of time” that you believe is worth shaming for not following a very specific formula is a bit sad.

The modern revival of IF was born out of disillusionment with a formulaic and conformist gaming industry pumping out copies of the same mindless shooters oriented towards cishet white men year after year. The idea that some IF readers would want this lovely, diverse, nonconformist medium to be a slightly more woke version of exactly what it is against is concerning. The IF community is full of diverse writers telling diverse stories in an array of different genres with diverse and unique characters. More importantly, it’s full of writers telling the stories they want to tell, stories that often wouldn’t be marketable as traditional novels or traditional video games. That is what gives it its worth, and I hope it’s something that most readers appreciate about it regardless of which genres or stories they personally prefer.

[macgyvertape]

Castlevania kinda had a pacing problem

spoilers for all of Netflix’s Castlevania. I haven’t seen much analysis for the show on tumblr, im honestly curious if discussions I had with irl friends mirror what fandom talks about

tldr: Castlevania seems inconsistently paced from season to season, and within season as well, leads to a lot of characters motivations feeling unclear so characters repeatedly explain why they are doing something while they’re doing it

overview of the seasons:

S1 I know somewhat of a test for Netflix but it has good main trio character establishment and sets the scale of the conflict

s2: pretty complete emotional arc for most characters and resolves the plot of killing Dracula while setting up additional characters to continue the story. Isaac, Hector, Carmilla all established with the audience as characters whose story would continue

honestly I would bet this is the most popular season

S3: s2 did a bit of worldbuilding, but this season really fleshed out the world with both a wide range of locations and exploring the question of “what now, Dracula is dead but vampires and night creatures remain”.

There were basically 4 plot threads: 1) Sypha/Trevor investigating the cult & Saint Germain; 2) Hector & Carmilla (also introducing Lenore, Striga, Morana); 3) Isaac’s journey of revenge & self discovery; 4) Alucard sits around the castle and is betrayed.

overall characters roughly feel like they are in the same place if not worse. A big criticism I saw at the time, which hold up after rewatching this before s4 is nothing felt resolved for the main characters

I would say this season is where the pacing issues start to become apparent, juggling 4 plot threads that lack a central theme or even mutual character connection. If there was a central theme it would be “humans are awful to each other”. The Judge doing Hot Fuzz style murders, The Wizard in the tower, Sumi & Taka

S4: it starts with the same 4 plot threads, though upfront it is made clear that the plot theme is “people are trying to resurrect Dracula”, and the progression of the plot works to resolve unrelated plot threads until the main trio reunites for the boss fights. To me and my friends watching it was obvious that the show would reunite the main trio, the question was how and how far into the run time.

Season 4 is why I’m writing this essay, for the past 2 days I’ve been like, yeah that character sure explained their motives repeatedly maybe with some philosophical discussion, but it’s just such a weird place considering where they were in s3

Alucard’s arc:

Where he was left in season 3, it was after killing people he had trusted in self defense and impaling their corpses. It was clearly meant to parallel Dracula’s dislike of humanity. However overall his character lacked a proactive motivating force.

Honestly the most interesting thing I found in s3 was Alucard clearly misses Sypha and Trevor, however they don’t miss him or refer to him

One reason Sumi & Taka betray Alucard is for the secrets and power of Castlevania. After inviting the village including St Germain who Alucard was warned of into the Castle, Alucard makes 0 effort to secure anything, not even his personal childhood room. Guess he really learned nothing

Discussing St Germain, I think it’s funny that they had a several minute flashback sequence for his lost girlfriend (who doesn’t have a name or a voice actor), to remind the viewer of who he is, and to justify how he’s suddenly back and down for murder.

In s4 there is the call to help the village, and the walk back to the castle is a montage of Alucard opening up to Greta and becoming friendly literally overnight. He laughs off the impaling, and basically all of the darker things he went through in season 3, which has me asking what was the point of his season 3 arc then? 

Honestly writing this I realize the biggest parallel he has with Dracula is the call to action from a bold woman with a dramatic entrance speech which then leads to a romance

Isaac’s arc:

in s3, with all the other themes of “humanity sucks” I was always unsure if the townspeople were meant to appear irrational while attacking a larger force instead of letting him pass through an leave, or him not caring about how he’s provoking them is meant to show his insanity

ive seen the discussion elsewhere, curious about the Discourse here

is s4 Isaac has the whole monologue about how he now has agency but him gaining that agency was his s3 arc. In s4 he’s already at the point of accepting it. By the end of s4 he’s one of those who comes the furthest from his first character appearance to his last.

s4e5 where of Isaac attacking Carmilla in Isaac’s 2nd appearance had him resolving like 4 plot threads at once (Carmilla, Striga& Morana, Hector, and Isaac himself).

but i do wonder if Trevor, Sypha, or Alucard even know any of these people exist. I think not

I was honestly confused if I missed a scene from his dialogue about building something and what is inherent nature, to “My plan has evolved, my plan is now conquest” because he only conquests the one castle and the rest is left unclear

Upon rewatch the connection there is “killing [the wizard] felt just ... I liked that feeling”, so the show says that Isaac in the end attacked Carmilla for the sake of justice and not revenge.

Isaac in his last conversation expresses the theme of s4 “build something new on these old bones, where people can live for the future”

however, his arc honestly feel scenes were cut, and then dialogue was written around it. He’s the only living character who doesn’t show up in the epilogue and the sentient night creature “what if I could empty hell” dialogue was some of the most interesting worldbuilding. Night creatures with sentience and possibility of regaining memories!!!!

The Council of Sisters & Hector’s arc:

oh I’ve already seen s4 discourse about Lenore/Hector while searching for character analysis, a chunk of it seems to be rationalizing the absolute difference between how s3 ended with these characters and s4. It was extremely confusing for me and my friends; wondering if 1) was Hector showing more emotional intelligence than before and putting on a facade to cover up hatred? Nope 2) did more time pass than 6 weeks for there to be some kind stockholm syndrome? No, Hector seems fine to let Lenore kill herself

The slave control ring: played up in the climax of s3 and easily solved s4. s3 Lenore says if he tries to harm them, flee, or take it off it would cause crippling pain, in s4 Hector just easily cuts off his own finger.

for a control ring that they take time to show a version being on the Rebus, it doesn’t do much controlling of Hector

also guess the definition of “do harm” just refers to direct action

Lenore in s4: has no purpose in conquest, has that useless remarked on by multiple characters, is imprisoned, then kills herself after a genre aware philosophical discussion. This essay is long enough, but what the fuck happened to this character who ended s3 clearly physically and sexually abusive? Seriously this was one of the biggest writing changes to the point where she was treating Hector as an equal. Compare her last words in s3 “shh the real people [vampires] are talking”. The change in the relationship is actually something I would have taken being shown, or atleast told of what exactly caused this change other than the vague “you adopted him”

Striga&Morana get the best arc of the Council. 3 scenes: the tent argument, Daybreak armor fight & argument resolution, declaration of feelings and turning away. You could argue Castlevania is plot to be connective tissue between fight scenes, but for all the dialogue about human resistance in different seasons it was nice to see it. Overall the scenes were short but had a lot of showing what their relationship is not just telling,

unlike Carmilla. For as much hyping up as they did with her, and as much power as she had, she only appeared in 2 episodes and no other group except Isaac knew about her military conquest.

the map scene where she states her motive for conquest of wanting to take things from old men is the key example of how characterization became tell not show. How interesting was that monologue compared to the past seasons flashback to her murmuring the old vampire lord, or all her repeated insults of men/man-children that shows how she judges people??

That monologue had to carry the weight of justifying the Sisterhood bonds falling apart as well as why her motivation changed from building a human pen from Styria to Braila to world conquest. I think it did so poorly

Sypha & Trevor

really Sypha & Trevor have the main plot in the show. I checked and post season 1 the only episode they don’t appear in is s4e6, which is entirely devoted to the Isaac, Hector, and Council of Sisterhood arc. Their partnership and adventures are the main plot of the show.

Its easy to see what Trevor’s arc was over the show: coming to peace with the deaths of his family, taking up the mantle of being a Belmont, and starting a new family with Sypha.

With Sypha I actually had to scroll through tv tropes for what is her character arc, and I guess hers is disillusionment from adventure and life outside the speakers? My friends joke that Sypha’s magic is what the plot demands to look cool in a fight, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Tangent: the ending of their arc was easy to guess: as soon as Trevor went to fight the final boss alone I literally said “oh i bet Sypha’s pregnant, Trevor’s doing a heroic sacrifice, theyll use the unexplained magical dagger mcguffin, and 60/40 odds that he goes through an infinite corridor to outright come back vs just the implication he might come back”

I guess my final thought of the show, was overall the SUPER Final Boss got my by surprise. It was a good twist I enjoyed. Not that Death appeared, I had guessed that from the heavy foreshadowing, but I was surprised by who it was, because I had thought I thought the characters involved feeling shoehorned into the plot was just more bad writing. The Alchemist who put St Germain on the path or murder for no discernible motive for helping? Sure gotta move the plot along. New Dracula court member Varney who has a whole introduction with almost every character he meets and banter about his smell? Sure thats basically how all characters talk with a snarky and acerbic voice.