#our song lives on

[ihavealavalamp]

Game Shows Touch Our Lives, The Mountain Goats [x]

[batbobsession]

Because this scene brings me pure joy, I re-uploaded this fic with better gifs. The first edition still had pictures obviously taken in a theatre.

Deserves a refurbishing, I think.

BatB Finale - Oneshot

Maurice never dreamed that he would end up in a place like this.

In a way, he was responsible for the scene that was laid out in front of him.  After all, he had foolishly discovered the castle and gotten kidnapped by the Beast, prompting Belle to take his place in the Beast’s horrible castle.  He could still hardly believe that the prince Belle danced with was—no, had been—the terrifying creature that locked him away for picking a flower.

He barely recognized it now, the castle, the staff, all gleaming sunlight and cascading roses, walls and windows clear and bright, couples dancing like they hadn’t done it in years.  His daughter, his fearless beauty, all dressed up in a white gown dyed and embroidered with those same red roses.  The prince, Adam, wearing a shade of blue that matched his eyes perfectly, the color of the sky, of relief, of beautiful days still waiting to be lived.

He had only struggled to paint a couple that beautiful one other time, and that was before he even moved to the village.  Before they knew about the castle, and magic, and beasts.  Before the love of his life was taken from him.

He had plenty of chances to feel envious, not just of his daughter, but of everyone else here.  The footman and the maid, for example, done up in gold and feather-white; the way they stared into each other’s eyes was something private, something only they could truly understand, but in a way, he saw it in the eyes of every couple in the room. Their love was young, like they were, yet much older than Belle and Adam’s love.  Boundless, yet unique.

Or the older couple in the corner, not dancing but singing, playing, adding more to the scene before him than he could ever hope to.  A painting couldn’t capture music, only memories of it, but he could still catch those glances full of life, love, and wonder that they exchanged between each chord.  Like they still couldn’t believe that the darkness had cleared even though they were creating their own, wonderful light with every look.  Maurice knew what that felt like; he had lived it.

Even Monsieur Jean, the potter, whom Maurice had spoken to very little before, now danced with his wife and son with a smile that completely changed the way he looked.  They were the perfect picture of a family reunited. Something Maurice could never have.

Yes, there were plenty of chances to feel envious.  But he never did, not once.  He was old, and he had lived his life.  Now it was their turn.  He was the one that would try to make something to look back on, to remember.

It was then that he glimpsed Monsieur Jean’s wife break away from the dancing and look around at all of the people gathered, her motherly gaze resting on the couple in the center of the ballroom.  Then she turned around and for a split second, their eyes met.  Something seemed to pass between them—an understanding, an acceptance.  Maurice smiled and dipped his head once.  He understood.  His song had ended, his time had passed; what would happen next was in their hands, their lives, their

love.

Maurice kept that smile as he turned to add the finishing touches.  After all, wasn’t love something to hold on to?  Wasn’t it what made the most precious of moments live on?

He would make this moment last forever, because it wasn’t just the end of an era, but a new beginning. One that would spark new ideas and changes, one that would live on and on until even time itself became familiar with its color and tune.  

A tale as old as time…yes.  

Yes, that sounded about right.

[hope-ur-ok]

this one is so fun!

[angelswidow]

[stillgotscars]

oh i just saw that today is international country music day… happy i was ridin’ shotgun with my hair undone in the front seat of his car day to all those who celebrate

[skqscook]

Trash Magic

- Lana del Rey

[hychlorions]

What if I told you that I've fallen?

[ID: Art of Susato Mikotoba and Haori Murasame/Rei Membami, done on a stylized background of swirling cherry blossom petals. Haori is falling backward, pulling Susato with her, so close that their noses are touching. Haori closes her eyes as she pulls off Susato’s cap, while Susato — still dressed as Ryutaro Naruhodo — looks down at her with eyes wide. The background is suffused with the faint colors of the lesbian flag. End ID]

[aperolangel]

♡ ‧₊˚ ⋅ ‧₊ ˖˚⊹ ꣑ৎ‎

[andy-wm]

Artificial Intelligence vs The Real Jungkook™

In JK's recent weverse live he told us plainly that he's concerned about AI-created songs that use his voice and what that means for his future as a singer.

Because without his consent, random people are feeding his vocals into what is essentially an untested and uncontrollable industrial machine that spits out cookie-cutter versions of songs in his voice.

It's theft plain and simple.

Theft of something deeply personal and intimate and priceless. Jungkook's (every artist's) voice is as unique as their fingerprint. His voice represents his blood, sweat and tears. It's the payoff for a decade of lost youth.

It's his livelihood.

And there's no undo button on this.

Once it's been absorbed into the vast archive of vocal samples, Jungkook's voice is there forever.

But it's no longer even his voice. It's an algorithm that generates data with a particular tone and cadence. It's part of the machine.

Now it's not just other artists he has to compete with to stay relevant. It's an ever-growing, never-sleeping, song factory that will use his greatest strength - his voice - to beat him.

I want to clarify that I haven't listened to any AI songs because i find it all too yuck. I have zero interest in it anyway because the whole point of songs, for me, is the expression of genuine emotion and that can only come from a human soul. I'm here for the music, not the hype.

And that brings me to another, possibly bigger problem:

Hybe - We believe in money music

We don't have to look any further than the recent MAMA show, and the VCR that accompanied TXT's performance, to know where their money-hungry managment company is headed.

All the music and some of the visual in that VCR were AI generated.

ALL THE MUSIC

Why? Because Yeonjun was too exhausted and unwell to perform.

How easy will it be for Hybe to quietly and seamlessly replace the artists we love with digital imposters?

What's stopping them from using the voice samples to produce paid promotions and endoresements?

How will we know what's authentic and what isn't in future?

If this continues, we wont.

Jungkook, despite being beloved by ARMY, was so nervous about singing that his hands were shaking. He said his self esteem was very low.

Sure, he was out of practice but that wasn't the main issue.

"Will I be able to beat AI?" he asked.

"I'm doomed. My job is dissapearing."

He knows what's at stake

And it's honestly terrifying.

I truly hope that all fans, be they army or otherwise, stand up for our artists and their right to own their voice and their creative process.

We aren't here to work a 40 hour week while the machines make music.

💜💔

[erodingsinner]

Thunderclouds forming, cream white moon. Everything's going to be okay soon. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe the next day.

[jubileedeeznuts-posting]

performance of a lifetime

[angelswidow]

I love her sm

[jaysworlds]

hello mcr girlies. which mcr song is YOUR song i mean like 'this song gets me like no one else has ever got me this is the greatest piece of music ever to be created etc etc etc' the song no one understands like you understand.

i'll go first. mine is Summertime

[transmechanicus]

Kills me inside that Dustin Bates has a masters degree in aeronautical engineering and has done research and taught classes on space exploration, and this bleeds from the first two Starset albums how full of hope and promise he was for space travel and science, and in retrospect the arc of story and tone of songs across TRIALS, HORIZONS, and [REDACTED] is deeply sad to me. All he wanted to do was explore and learn and teach, and now those dreams are doubtlessly being crushed by all the wicked problems of the world that drag us down into darkness and dirt.

[inardescere]

@hancfubuki // Pirate!Caleb x Sea God!Rafayel, served

"At this rate, the children might be targeted next."

Deep sighs echo through the giant room, walls with a shiny blue sheen glowing under the light of the fake sun, shining brightly in contrast to the gloomy expressions on the faces of everyone present. "We've warned them not to go past the barrier, and most are smart enough not to disobey when they've seen what happened to our people." They shake their heads, some with arms crossed and their brows the arched with concern and fury, thinking back on the brave souls who had made it home, away from the insistent attacks from those... Pirates-- that's what those humans had called themselves.

"Konche still hasn't returned. He might be-..."

One figure turns, expression blank as he silently tries to walk out of the hall. But he's stopped with a heavy 'wait right there', and he gives a defeated roll of his shoulders, turning back to the elders of his kin.

"You don't know what humans will do if we attack them," the old man starts grimly. They are weaker by nature but stronger in numbers, they have always spoken this truth and he... lifts his head, eyes cold amethyst and pink, stopping any more words from the elder. He knew better than anyone here what they could do to them, the Lemurians. Because they knew this, knew of his failure, the pity in some and the understanding in others, he is able to walk out without another word. It is the rule of the Deep Sea. It is a survival of the fittest. If one doesn't attack first, they will become prey to bigger fish.

Luckily for them, in their seas, they had the advantage.

"Rafayel!"

A bluenette runs towards him from the direction of Whalefall city, stopping before him. Algie, her beautiful braid coming loose, looks up at him with the same look of hope and determination, fiery rage in her eyes just as bright as she steps up towards him. "Are you going up there? I'll come with you, help you distract them if you need! Those greedy humans, they deserve to be capsized and eaten by the sharks for taking my little brother!" Rafayel lets out a silent huff through his nose, much preferring this over the dull atmosphere within the hall. "No, I'll make a better distraction," he starts with a wave of his hand, watching as the woman looks ready to fight him in protest. "I need you to take Konche back safely while I deal with them." Since they don't know what state he is in.

With an understanding nod, they swim out towards the edge of the barrier where the usual sea creatures standing guard let them pass without a knock back behind the gates, rushing up to the top. Algie looks around, on high alert and scrunching her nose in distaste as thunder crashes on the surface of the raging sea. A perfect setting, and he signs, directing Algie to the side of the ship while he floats up, emerging through the waves and standing still on the surface as the waves by his feet go still under his power. The ship is already unstable, swaying from side to side as tall waves crash on its side, water filling the deck as it slowly sinks, and sinks. The sea knows, there is fury burning under his skin.

"There's something out there!"

Finally, he's seen. Tilting his head up with a languid toss to the side, he raises his hand and pulls a flute out from his sash. The sharp melody pierces through the storm, his eyes giving the shortest of glances towards Algie who climbs the side of the ship and onto deck, covered in a thick cloak as she blends in, hidden from the pirates running to stare at his show as she finds her brother. It is easy, to play a daring tune that weaves itself through the air, into the water which heeds his calls.

One by one, tendrils of water crash into men.

As soon as they are within the sea, no level of swimming prowess could save them from the water entering their lungs, pressure pulling them downwards as if the water was sentient and was punishing those who wronged its children. If only that were the truth.

The water calms as the sound of his flute ceases, the loud splash of water catching his attention and he sees the vibrant glow of scales as Konche is plunged into the sea with Algie's arms wrapped tightly around him. The ship now sways, eerily quiet in the night as pelts of rain continue to drip. Rafayel takes a languid stroll towards the ship, hand reaching up to touch the engravings on the side, another step as he stares at the anchor the size of a whale's child. Then he hears it, a spurting sound followed by coughs. A survivor, one that he looks down at and blinks slowly. Hmm... it wouldn't hurt to bring someone in for questioning.

It doesn't matter if he dies, or lives. If left here to fend for himself, he would easily be eaten up by the waves in seconds before the fish even got to him. But out of curiosity and the lingering anger running through his veins, he crouches down, feet balanced on the surface of the water as he reaches out, tilting the man's face up by the chin like one would to a pet. He was a bit ugly, but not as much as the others he saw knocked off the ship.

"Do you want to live?"

No matter his answer, Rafayel simply shrugs and picks him up by the arm, tossing him into the Deep Sea.