#ringing bell 1978

[haveyouseenthismovie-poll]

[rjalker]

[ID: Two digital paintings of Chirin from the 1978 movie, Ringing Bell. Chirin is a ram with white fur and light skin.

In the first painting, he is shown as a lamb, frolicking through his home meadow over green grass and a blue sky filled with light clouds. His large eyes are blue and open wide, the bell on his neck shining. Fog obscures the mountain in the distance. He is facing to the left.

In the second painting, he is an adult, reared up on his hind legs, the mountain terrain around him drawn in shades of red, the sky fading to pink in the distance with the sky overhead still faintly blue. Chirin now has two sharply curved, forward facing horns that come to a sharp point, and his one visible eyes is narrowed and reflecting the red of his surroundings. The bell around his neck appears smaller, and reflects red as well.

Each painting has a pale watermark in the center, reading, "Astro griffin".

End ID.]

Earn your fangs.

[catgirlmissy]

tumblr’s tagging system is extremely broken i think, i tried looking at tags for a movie and it was like everything but the film

[soupy-sez]

RINGING BELL [チリンの鈴 | Chirin no Suzu] (1978) dir. Masami Hata

[wandered-rose]

ೀ Ringing Bell (1978)

[jojosbizarrecandyland]

Chapter 1: Joanne's Sweet Endeavor / A Sweeter Encounter

Pages: 5 Words: 1978 Summary: Joanne, a determined twelve-year-old, runs the Sweet Tooth Candy Shop while her parents are away. She expertly assists customers, helping a grandmother pick out the perfect gift for her granddaughter, and manages a group of mischievous kids attempting to steal candy. Joanne sternly confronts them, offering a small treat and a lesson in honesty. As the day winds down, a suspicious group of men loiter outside the shop. Joanne senses danger and prepares to defend the store using the magical abilities of her candy bear, vowing to protect her parents' business no matter what.

The Sweet Tooth Candy Shop was a beacon of color and joy in the heart of town, its windows lined with every kind of candy imaginable. From sugary rock candy to chewy licorice, the shop was a paradise for anyone with a sweet tooth. Today, however, the shop had a special charm—it was run by Joanne, a twelve-year-old with a knack for business.

As the bell above the door jingled, Joanne looked up from behind the counter, her brown curls bouncing with her movement. She adjusted her apron and greeted the new customer with a bright smile. “Welcome to Sweet Tooth! How can I help you today?”

The customer, a middle-aged woman with a fondness for bright scarves, smiled back. “Hello, dear. I’m looking for something special. It’s my granddaughter’s birthday, and I want to get her something sweet.”

Joanne’s eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. “We’ve got just the thing! Follow me.” She led the woman to a display of colorful candy jars. “We’ve got some beautiful candy gift boxes that can be personalized. You can choose a selection of candies to fill them.”

The woman’s face lit up. “Oh, this looks perfect. I think she’ll love these gummy bears and the chocolate truffles. How much for a box like this?”

Joanne calculated the total quickly. “That’ll be twenty-five dollars for the box and the candies.”

The woman nodded and handed over the money. “Thank you, Joanne. You’re doing a great job here.”

“Thank you!” Joanne said, ringing up the sale and packing the box with care. “Have a sweet day!”

As the woman left, another customer entered—the local neighborhood kids. Joanne recognized them instantly; they were often found eyeing the candy jars with more interest than was strictly allowed.

“Hey, Joanne!” greeted Danny, a tall boy with an impish grin. “We’re just browsing.”

Joanne’s gaze was sharp, and she was ready. “Uh-huh. Browsing, right. Make sure you don’t touch anything without asking, okay?”

The kids exchanged glances, and Danny’s grin faltered a bit. “Sure, Joanne. We were just... um, looking for something.”

Joanne kept a close watch as the kids wandered the aisles. Her instinct proved correct when she saw them covertly trying to slip candy into their pockets. With a decisive motion, she grabbed the broom that was always at hand behind the counter and walked over to them.

“Alright, enough of that!” Joanne’s voice was commanding as she brandished the broom. The kids froze, wide-eyed. “You’ve been warned. Either pay for what you want or get out.”

One of the girls, a smaller kid with pigtails, looked particularly nervous. “We’re really sorry, Joanne. We didn’t mean to steal.”

Joanne’s expression softened slightly, though she kept her stance firm. “Well, if you’re sorry, I expect you to apologize properly. And if you’re still hungry for candy, here’s something on the house.” 

She reached into a jar of sour taffy and handed them each a piece. “Now, scram. And don’t come back without paying.”

The kids mumbled their thanks and hurried out, the sour taffy already making their faces pucker in surprise. Joanne shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. She could be tough when she needed to be, but she had a soft spot for kids who made honest mistakes.

Later that afternoon, the shop was buzzing with the usual assortment of customers. Joanne’s attention was split between ringing up purchases and keeping an eye on the stock. She had just finished wrapping a box of chocolate-covered almonds when a group of older customers entered.

“Good afternoon!” Joanne called out brightly. “Can I help you find anything special today?”

A tall man with graying hair and glasses smiled warmly. “Yes, actually. We’re looking for some old-fashioned sweets. My wife and I are celebrating our anniversary, and we thought some classic candies would be perfect.”

Joanne’s eyes lit up. “You’ve come to the right place! We’ve got a great selection of vintage candies. Follow me.”

She led them to a display of nostalgic treats—root beer barrels, jawbreakers, and nougat bars. As the customers browsed, one of them, a woman with a gentle demeanor, asked, “Joanne, your parents must be proud of how well you’re running the shop.”

Joanne’s heart skipped a beat. She offered her rehearsed response with a casual air. “Oh, they’re on vacation. I’m holding down the fort while they’re away.”

The man raised an eyebrow but didn’t press further. “Well, you’re doing a marvelous job. We’ll take some of these root beer barrels and a few of the nougat bars. How much do we owe you?”

Joanne quickly rang up their purchases and bagged the candies. “That’ll be thirty dollars.”

The man handed over the money, and Joanne gave him a receipt with a cheerful “Thank you for shopping at Sweet Tooth! Have a great day!”

As the last customer left and the shop quieted down, Joanne began her closing routine. She swept the floor, restocked the shelves, and prepared to lock up. The sky outside was turning dusky, the streetlights casting long shadows.

But as Joanne turned the “Closed” sign on the door, she noticed a group of men loitering nearby. Their presence was unsettling—there was something off about the way they hovered around the shop. Joanne’s instincts went on high alert.

She grabbed her trusty stuffed bear from her bookbag, her fingers brushing against its soft, comforting surface. With a quiet murmur, she activated its special magic, and the bear’s plush exterior shifted into a glossy candy material.

Joanne felt a surge of determination. She would protect the shop, no matter what. The men approached, their intentions clear. Joanne gripped her candy bear tightly, ready to defend her parents’ store with all the courage she could muster.

And so, as the evening shadows lengthened and the Sweet Tooth Candy Shop closed its doors for the night, Joanne prepared to face whatever challenge lay ahead with the same fearless resolve she brought to running her beloved shop.

_

The Sweet Tooth Candy Shop was buzzing with energy as Joanne prepared for a new day. She had been working tirelessly to set up a new display of lollipops, each one intricately shaped into stars, moons, hearts, and other delightful forms. These were not your average flat lollipops; they were grand creations, each one a piece of edible art propped up on sturdy sticks. Joanne meticulously arranged them on the counter, her excitement evident in the way she adjusted each display.

The morning sun was just beginning to shine through the shop's windows when the bell above the door chimed. Joanne turned to see a young boy about her age stepping in. He had tan skin, dark spiky hair, and was wearing goggles perched low on his forehead. His clothes were worn and somewhat shabby, giving him a rough-around-the-edges appearance.

Joanne offered her usual friendly greeting. “Good morning! Welcome to Sweet Tooth. Can I help you find something special today?”

The boy glanced around the shop with a dismissive air. “I don’t want to buy anything from you,” he said, his tone a mix of defiance and disdain. He looked Joanne up and down, his eyes lingering for a moment longer than necessary. Though he tried to hide it, a faint blush colored his cheeks as he found himself captivated by her determination and spunk.

“I came here to take some candy,” he continued, folding his arms defiantly. “Those kids who came in yesterday? They were working for me. I’m here to take what I want.”

Joanne’s smile faded, replaced by a look of stern resolve. “If you’re here to steal, I won’t go easy on you. I’ve got a job to do, and I won’t let anyone mess it up.”

The boy’s eyes narrowed, and he shrugged with a hardened expression. “I don’t care. I’m a thief, not a saint.”

Joanne’s frown deepened. She wasn’t about to let him walk away with her candy, not after everything she’d done to keep the shop running smoothly. “Fine, if that’s how you want to play it.”

Without warning, she grabbed a handful of the newly displayed lollipops and hurled them at him. The colorful confections flew through the air, but the boy was quick on his feet. With a flick of his wrist, he transformed his left hand into a large, bladed sword, blocking the incoming lollipops with ease.

“Is that the best you’ve got?” the boy taunted, his sword-hand slicing through the air as he deflected the candy missiles.

Joanne wasn’t deterred. She grabbed more lollipops and continued her barrage. “I’m not giving up so easily!”

The boy, who had been ready to steal the candy, now found himself engaged in a fierce battle of attrition. His ability to morph his body into mechanical constructs gave him a solid defense, while Joanne’s candy-throwing skills kept him on his toes. The shop was a flurry of colors and motion as the two clashed, the floor littered with shattered lollipop pieces.

Joanne’s eyes darted around the shop, searching for more lollipops to use as ammunition. Her focus was momentarily distracted when she noticed a giant candy sculpture on a precarious stand. It wobbled dangerously, tilting towards her.

Her heart skipped a beat. “Look out!” she shouted, but the boy’s attention was already drawn to the falling sculpture. Without hesitation, he dashed toward Joanne, tackling her out of harm’s way.

With a swift motion, he shifted his back into a deformed shield, his body morphing to absorb the impact of the falling sculpture. The candy crashed down onto the shield, and for a moment, everything went quiet. When the dust settled, the boy and Joanne were lying on the floor, safe and sound, though surrounded by candy debris.

Joanne looked up at him, astonished. “Why did you save me?”

The boy’s face was flushed, and he looked away, trying to hide his embarrassment. “I didn’t want to kill you. I’m a thief, not a murderer.”

Joanne’s expression softened, and she could see the sincerity in his eyes. “You really mean that?”

The boy nodded, avoiding her gaze. “Yeah. I’m sorry for everything. My name’s Luke. I didn’t want to cause any more trouble. I’d like to make it up to you. If you’ll let me, I could work here at the shop and pay off any damages.”

Joanne’s initial hesitation melted away as she considered his offer. She could see the potential for redemption in his eyes. With a bright smile, she extended her hand. “Alright, Luke. Let’s start fresh. We’ll clean up this mess together, and you can work here to make things right.”

Luke took her hand, his expression a mix of relief and gratitude. “Thanks, Joanne. I promise I’ll work hard.”

Together, they began to clean up the shop, sweeping up the candy shards and resetting the displays. As they worked, Joanne could sense that Luke was genuinely remorseful and willing to make amends. The two of them worked side by side, their earlier conflict forgotten as they bonded over the shared task.

By the time the shop was cleaned up and ready to reopen, Joanne and Luke had formed an unexpected alliance. The Sweet Tooth Candy Shop was back to its cheerful self, and Joanne felt a new sense of camaraderie with her unlikely helper.

As they prepared to open the shop again, Joanne looked at Luke with a hopeful smile. “Let’s make today a great day, shall we?”

Luke nodded, a smile of his own tugging at the corners of his lips. “Absolutely. And thanks for giving me a second chance.”

With a fresh start and a new friend by her side, Joanne was ready for whatever the day might bring. The Sweet Tooth Candy Shop was once again a place of joy and sweetness, and Joanne couldn’t have been happier.

[useless-catalanfacts]

With festa major season coming to an end, I leave you with this beautiful video of how it's celebrated in Vilanova i la Geltrú (Penedès, Catalonia).

Festa major (called festes patronals in some areas) is one of the most popular holidays in Catalan culture, especially in the Southern half of Catalonia. Each town or city holds it on the day of their patron saint and the days around it, which means that each place celebrates it on a different day. Most festes majors happen between June and September, but there are others spread throughout the year.

It's celebrated with a lot of traditions on the streets that bring the community together. Even though it might vary from place to place, generally it goes something like this:

On the weekend before the day, there's the correfoc (the devils' dance and fire beasts from the town invite the ones from other towns and go around the streets).

Even though a few other events might have happened on the week before (such as the "spoken dances"), the festivity proper starts on the patron day's eve at noon with a bang: a loud kind of fireworks (called traca or mascletà or other names depending on the area). These are long lines of little explosives put together with a string, usually set up in the main square. Everyone gatheres around and the firecrackers are set off, with a string of loud sounds to let everyone know that the holiday starts. When it ends, everyone claps and cheers and the church bells ring.

Immediately after the firecrackers, the dance groups start the parade. It's important to know that they are not professional dancers, they are people from the town who sign up to learn the dance they like. These are traditional festa major dances, each group accompanied with their band of musicians. Each group learns their group's music, dance and clothes from the previous generation. They can change from area to area and from town to town.

On that night, there are fireworks and free concerts.

The next day, there are more parades of the dances. For lunch, families meet to have a meal together. In the afternoon, there are more dances again.

In many places, a diada castellera is held. The castellers (traditional Catalan "human towers") groups from other cities and towns are invited to perform in the town square.

You can see many of the dances that are widespread (with local variations in the clothing, choreography, and music) across the Southern half of Catalonia in the video.

You can also see one of the variations done in Vilanova i la Geltrú. There, the holiday starts by hanging a Catalan flag from the most visible point in the city: the church's bell tower. Vilanovins do this as a sign of celebration, because festa major is an icon of Catalan culture but, same as the rest of Catalan culture, it has had to endure a lot of hardships. Thanks to the fight of many people, Spain's attempt to ethnocide the Catalan people didn't succeed. Even though we had to keep speaking our language and celebrating some of our holidays in secret during Franco's fascist dictatorship of Spain (1939-1978), most of it has survived and still thrives, once again in public.

The song used in the video is one of the songs danced in the holiday. It's a traditional song from Catalonia and Occitania which we call "la polca d'Ours" (in Occitania they call it "la dansa de l'ors").

This beautiful video was made by Crispetes Films filming the 2024 holiday. It was posted by Festa Major Vilanova i la Geltrú's Instagram page.

[rainstormcolors]

@narikox: “do you think that seto was trying to please Gozaburo because he wanted to receive love from him?”

These are just my own thoughts on this. Others may read into canon differently. I know I like looking over other fans' ideas and considering varied readings and weighing possibilities.

I feel like young Seto couldn’t fully understand what he wanted from Gozaburo --- and if I’m honest, I don’t believe Seto will ever fully understand what he wanted from Gozaburo. I think it’s something that will always be cloudy to him, even if he can come to a point of understanding his own desires for connection. I feel Seto sought Gozaburo out in aspiration of being adopted by him because Seto wanted to become strong and he felt he didn’t want a loving family --- he was a grieving child who was also abandoned by his remaining family, thus I don’t feel he was well-minded and I don’t feel he was seeking warmth and sweetness out of Kaiba Corporation’s CEO Gozaburo Kaiba. He was probably bitter and felt lost.

I think a little of the movie Ringing Bell (1978), where a young lamb’s mother is killed by a wolf and the lamb goes to the wolf, asks to be raised into a killer by the wolf so he’ll never be weak again, and then the grown ram he becomes kills the wolf. But then the ram no longer fits in with the gentle herd. He seems changed into something else.

But Seto’s heart has always been more complicated than he’d like.

I think he admired aspects of Gozaburo even as Seto felt fueled to defeat Gozaburo, even as Gozaburo hurt him and twisted him up more and more. I think there were forms of idealization going in both directions --- Gozaburo wanted to raise a prized heir to carry his company and name onwards to greater heights and Seto saw a strong pillar of a man who couldn’t be crushed by the world. It was a “shared fantasy” I suppose, which is a phenomena in some abusive relationships that builds trauma bonds. “I hate you but I want to impress you. I hate you but you have things I admire in you despite that.” And Gozaburo was the companionship Seto had, as malignant as it was. Was Seto Gozaburo’s companion too? Does Seto want to think about that at all? I think it would become easier for Seto to focus on his feelings of hatred and to come to accept his experience as having been abused only after Gozaburo’s death and only after time to reflect, when the chance of impressing him is gone forever, when the glimmers Seto admired are gone forever and only the damage Gozaburo inflicted on him is left. Hatred is something at least. Underneath that, Seto might be afraid he has nothing inside himself.

Seto did hold onto the values Gozaburo “gave” to him --- seek power, be fueled by anger, losing deserves death, all conflict is a kind of war, and then Seto explicitly labels Gozaburo as a goal to surpass during Battle City.

Did Seto want love from Gozaburo? Was the way he tried to hurt Gozaburo back and “speak his language” and tell him “look what I learned from you” a kind of attempt to show love to Gozaburo as much as it was a knife plunged into him? Gozaburo spoke in the language of hurting him, so hurt Gozaburo back to tell him how much this means? Gozaburo wanted a ruthless heir and Seto became his ruthless heir. “I’ve become what you wanted.”

The ending to the movie Whiplash (2014) also comes to mind as something Seto may have been wishing for in his heart, even as he resents it. The abuser you admire and who has kept hurting you finally impressed by you and joining you, even as pieces of yourself have broken off.

I don’t doubt Seto fiercely hated Gozaburo, that he might’ve imagined smashing Gozaburo’s face in with a baseball bat in his sleep, but it’s more layered than simple hatred. That’s the other edge in Gozaburo’s suicide. “Didn’t I want you to die? Did you plan this all along? Did we both want this?” All the things Gozaburo never told him, never will tell him. Gozaburo as a human being who could die, who wanted to die. I think Seto might’ve flung into wild emotional spirals and flatlined to numbness, back and forth, in the wake of that --- and Death-T was perhaps partially a manifestation of that: a desire for destruction, a desire to live and die maybe. A new vicious opponent. Anything but the void inside himself.

I can understand why Seto doesn’t want to consciously think about these things in canon.

[guilty-gear-hot-take-hellhole]

Ringing Bell 1978. Venom coded. I can elaborate but I feel like it speaks for itself

I uhh… don’t know what that means :P

[rogueddie]

A Quiet Express Train

Steve Harrington / Eddie Munson, Word Count ; 3444

Steve gets lucky- in 1978, the year that he gets on the Polar Express, it's one of the quieter years. No worries, or anxieties. Its nice, relaxing. A "normal" train ride. And he makes two awesome friends along the way.

Steve is only nine years old when he spends his first Christmas alone.

His parents work is important, he kept telling himself. They’d be there if they could, but they’re needed at their jobs. It’s important.

Despite his attempts at denial, he understands the truth far too well. He understands how little the holiday means to them. He understands how little he means to them.

He isn’t surprised then, and he’s not surprised when the same happens the following year. Or the year after that… or the year after that.

At twelve years old, Steve is used to spending Christmas day on his own. He’s familiar with it. He knows far too well, the hope and pain that comes with the cookies and milk he leaves on the counter, always untouched in the night. He knows that he’s too old to believe in Santa.

He’s not ready to grow up.

That Christmas eve, he places the cookies and milk on the counter. He made the cookies himself this time, took the time to warm the milk up on the stove. He put as much effort in to get them better than ever, as much as he can manage.

He hopes it’s enough. He hopes that, maybe, this time it will work. Maybe this time the fairytale will be true.

He curls up in bed, pulling the covers over his head, tucking in the corners. He still remembers his mothers soft voice telling him that Santa won’t come if he’s looking. He’s not willing to take any risks.

Even when he hears a bell. Or… not a bell.

After a moment, curiosity gets the better of him. He crawls out of bed, getting up on his tiptoes so he can peak through his bedroom curtain…

Only to stumble back, falling on his ass.

He stays there for a long moment, blinking, stunned. But the bell rings out again, so he jumps to his feet. He quickly slides on his slippers and a jacket, sprinting down the stairs and out the front door.

The train is still parked in the street. He gawks at it for a moment, trying to comprehend how it could possibly have gotten on the street. It’s massive, old. Steve glances back at the houses, surprised that no one else is coming out to check it out.

“All aboard!” Someone yells, startling him. It’s a conductor, holding out a light. “All aboard!”

Steve cautiously heads over to him.

“Well? You coming?”

Steve stares at him blankly for a moment. “Where?”

“Why, the north pole of course! This is the Polar Express!”

He gestures to the train, Steve following the gesture, eyeing the big letters painted on the side in gold; Polar Express.

“The north pole?”

The conductor squints at him for moment, humming, before holding out the lantern. “Hold this please.”

Steve takes it on autopilot. He glances back at the train as the conductor shuffles through some paper.

“Is this you?”

He’s holding out a piece of paper with Steves name and address on it, other information in writing too small for him to read.

“Yeah?”

“Well, it says here; no photo with department store Santa this year. No letter to Santa either. Hm… if I were you, I’d think about climbing on board.”

Steve glances back at his house. He can’t help but think about how empty and cold it feels. Looking back to the train… it’s so bright, a glowing orange. It looks so warm and inviting…

He climbs up the steps, going through the door inside when the conductor holds it open for him.

It’s noisy inside. There’s not a lot of other kids inside, but the ones there are loud. Four of them are on their feet, one younger kid bouncing around in his excitement. It takes Steve aback- he was expecting the other kids, if there were to be any, to be the same age as him. One of them looks like they’re four.

“Steve?”

Steve turns, recognizing the girl staring back at him with wide eyes. “Hey, you’re… we’re in the same history class, right?”

“Yeah. Right.” She blinks at him, surprised. “Right, sorry, yeah. I’m Robin, by the way.”

“Nice to officially meet you, Robin.” He sits down on the seats across from her, the only place with both seats still empty. It means he can sprawl out. “So… are we really going to the north pole?”

“Yeah! We’re gonna see Santa.”

They end up talking, just about small silly things, all the way until their next stop.

Steve gets up when they stop, kneeling on the seat so he can slide the window open and peak his head out.

The trailer park looks comforting in the shadows. All the yellow lights, soft and dim, give the area a cozy feel to it.

A kid hovers at the entrance, eyes wide as the conductor approaches him. He’s got a navy robe on that’s clearly for a grown man. It drags on the floor behind him and seems to swallow him whole with how big it is on him. It matches his hair- a little short, the dark curls flying all over the place. Even from the train window, Steve can see the dark circles around the kids eyes.

Steve wishes he could hear what they’re saying, especially when the boy shakes his head, takes a few steps backwards. He’s eyeing the train with apprehension.

“What’s his name?” Steve asks the person sat in front of him. “His surnames Munson, right?”

“I don’t know,” the girl eyes him, looking a little disgusted, sitting back down. “It doesn’t matter anyway. He doesn’t want to get on.”

Steve looks back to the kid. The conductor is walking back to the train, leaving him behind. Steve can see the lamp waving, the train slowly rumbling back into movement.

The kid stares at the train, at them, as they slowly start to move away. Steve offers him a wave when their eyes meet. And, not a moment later, he starts walking. Jogging. Trying to catch up with the train, trying to jump on.

“Hey, that kid wants to get on the train!” Steve calls into the carriage, but there's no sign of an adult. He turns back to the kid, stumbling as he struggles to run through the snow. “Come on!” Steve yells, waving him on. “Hurry up, come on!”

But the train is too fast. The kid is too slow. He’s being left behind. He falls.

“We have to stop the train!” Steve says, looking at the other kids.

“But we don’t know how!” Robin says, panicked.

“The emergency break!” One of the smaller kid pushes forward, pointing.

Steve darts over, jumping up so that he can pull it down with all his weight behind it. The train stops so suddenly that it throws all of them to the floor.

But, as Steve climbs back to his feet, struggling to get his bearings… the kids face looks in through the window. He looks confused as he looks at Steve, turning to the door of the other cart and walking inside there instead.

“WHO IN THE BLAZES APPLIED THAT EMERGENCY BREAK?!” The conductor yells, the door slamming open as he storms in.

“We had to!” The smaller kid, who pointed out the break, snaps back. “That kid wanted to get on the train!”

The conductor stands up, looking into the other cart, at the kid who’d climbed on. He clears his throat. “Oh… right. Well, let me remind you… we are on a very tight schedule a-” he pulls his pocket watch out, yelping when he looks at the time.”Ah- and I’ve never been late before! And I am certainly not going to be late tonight! Now everybody, take your seats, please.”

He darts out the cart as soon as he’s sure that everyone is sat down.

Steve turns to look at Robin, who’s turning to look right back. He tilts his head to the door, to the other kid. Robin smiles, nodding. They get up at the same time, trying to be quiet and glancing back as they creep back. They’re careful to open the door quickly, carefully hurrying into the other cart.

The kid looks up when they walk in, startled.

“Hey,” Steve greets. “We just wanted to make sure you were ok.”

“Yeah. We just... well, it’d be horrible to feel lonely at Christmas. Maybe we could keep you company?” Robin continues.

“We don’t need to talk or… be too close. If that would make you uncomfortable?”

“Nah, just… looks loud in there, ya know?”

“Oh, it is,” Robin nods a little too enthusiastically. “Lots of little brats too. You were smart to come in here.”

He’s starting to smirk, one eyebrow raising. “Yeah, totally. So, is everyone on here from Hawkins?”

“Looks like it. I recognize most people, anyway.”

Steve sits on the seat next to the kid. “You’re Munson, right?”

“Most people call me Eddie,” he drawls. “You’re Harrington, right?”

“Most people call me Steve,” he fires right back.

“And I’m Robin!” Robin jumps in, like she’s expecting conflict- but Eddie is looking at Steve with amusement. “Don’t forget about me when you’re flirting.”

“Ew, gross, dude!” Steve grimaces.

At the same time, Eddie pretends to gag. “That would only happen in my nightmares!”

“Exactly.” Steve nods.

Robin just rolls her eyes, sitting on the seat across the aisle, facing them. “Whatever.”

“What are you doing for Christmas day?” Steve asks, turning to Eddie.

“Oh… not much. It’s, uh, just me and my uncle these days.” Eddie shrinks down a little in his seat, shoulders hunched.

But Steve perks up, excited. “Really? Cool! What’s he like? Your uncle? You live with him?”

“Yeah… it’s alright.”

“I’m spending Christmas at my grans house,” Robin complains. “I think it’s just gonna be me, mom, her and grandad. Boring.”

“That’s not boring!” Steve scolds. “That sounds exciting! Do you usually spend Christmas with your gran or is this year-”

“No, we usually spend it with her. For the morning at least.”

“Cool.”

Eddie eyes Steve for a moment, realizing that his excitement is genuine. “I haven’t been with my uncle long, but it’s usually just the two of us. It’s nice. He’s quiet but he doesn’t mind that I get loud.”

“What are you doin’ for Christmas, Steve?”

“Oh, uh… not much.” He smiles tightly. “Nothing that would be as impressive as tonight! Do you really think we’ll meet Santa?”

Eddie and Robin share a look, easily seeing through Steves poor attempt to change the subject. But they go along with it.

Their conversation quickly devolves into chaos. Mostly because, once he’s over the initial anxiety, Eddie is loud. He doesn’t stay seated for long, bouncing to his feet and climbing whatever he can get himself onto- but even when he does sit, he’s moving around all the time. He keeps reaching out to Steve, nudging him or grabbing his wrist to throw his hand around in his excitement.

It’s fun. Especially with how easily Robin keeps the conversation going, slowly getting more and more open, until she’s just spewing out whatever thought she has. Even Steve finds himself getting excited. Even Steve starts to get loud and boisterous and all the things his dad had tried to beat out of him.

The journey is both too long, and not enough time at all.

He’s excited, stepping off the train with Eddie and Robin sticking to his sides… but he wishes they were still on the train, talking about nothing and laughing at Eddies antics.

The conductor is yelling out instructions that Steve half listens to. He’s too distracted by the odd little place they’ve found themselves in. The little elves in red too… there’s a lot.

Eddie steps up beside him, Robin standing her ground and insisting on standing directly in front of him. She even reaches back, holding onto Steve and Eddies hands. The conductor eyes them, clearly displeased, but he just tuts, shakes his head and moves on.

They move slowly towards a round platform, or a stage, Steve isn’t sure. But it’s not too long later that reindeer start being coaxed out, towards the stage. They keep jumping up into the air, seeming to swim against gravity, the elves hanging off the ground in their attempts to keep the animals from flying away.

“This better not be a dream,” Robin whispers, turning to grin at Steve and Eddie.

Steve laughs along with Eddie… but the thought has been nagging him, hovering at the back of his head. Because that would be the explanation that makes the most sense; he’s dreaming. But, like any other time the worry tried to push forward, he ignores it. He’s not ready to wake up yet.

Trumpets play, some of the elves coming out in two lines, holding a line of bells. They shake them, the crowd cheering in response.

Steve can’t hear anything. He tells himself it’s just because of the crowd. It’s so loud, of course they can’t hear the bells from here. One of the other kids yell about how pretty the bells sound. Steve forces himself to ignore that too.

The trumpets ring again, the two large doors opening a few moments later. Everyone loses their minds, screaming, the elves climbing on top of each other…

Steve tries to peer around them, tries to see, but there’s too many elves blocking his line of sight.

“He’s here! Holy shit, he’s really here!” Robin yells, bouncing in her excitement.

“Where?!” Steve yells back.

“I see him! There!” Eddie points. “He’s over there!”

“I can’t see him!”

Steve tries, and tries, and tries. But nothing he does works. It gets worse, too many things in the way, that he can’t even see the doorway anymore. He can’t see anything.

He looks back to the stage, back to the reindeer… back the the bells that he still can’t hear.

“I wanna wake up now,” Steve whispers to himself. He tries pinching himself, but his hands are shaking too much. His chest feels heavy, tight…

One of the bells is thrown off the little belt the others are still attached to. It flies high, slowly bouncing at a stop at Steves feet. It had stayed silent the whole way. He wants to pick it up, but he knows that if he does and still can’t hear the ringing, it will shatter his heart.

“Steve?”

He looks up to see Eddie frowning. “I c- I can’t-”

Eddie makes a quiet noise, stepping forward and hugging Steve tight. Steve clutches at him just as tight though, shaking, biting back what few tears he can.

“No, no, no, don’t cry,” Eddie quietly reassures him. “It’s ok. It just… maybe it takes a moment. And it’s loud, and there’s so many people.”

“The train was so nice,” Steve chokes out, voice cracking.

“It was, it was so nice, and fun.”

“I don’t want this to be another nightmare.”

“It’s not, and it won’t be. This is real, I’m right here and so are you. You need to believe in that.”

Steve isn’t sure how long they stay there, Eddie simply holding him, but he’s sure that it’s not too long until someone clears their throat.

Looking down at them with a raised brow, red suit, holding up the little bell, and…

“You boys alright?” Santa asks.

“Yeah… yeah, we- we’re ok, right?” Eddie looks to him, eyes a little wide, sounding breathless.

It makes Steve smile. “Yeah, we’re ok.”

He nods at them, looking around at all the kids, but ultimately turning back to them. “And for first gifts,” he speaks up, before pointing to Eddie. “Lets have this young fella, right here.”

Eddie tries to keep hold of Steves hand, but he and Robin are already pushing him ahead, encouraging him to follow Santa over to his sleigh. They both watch him awkwardly clamber into the sleigh, glancing over at them repeatedly as he talks with Santa. It looks like they’re arguing.

“What do you think is going on?” Steve asks.

“Maybe Eddie wants something that he can’t get right now?” Robin suggests, shrugging.

But, then, Santa stands up, holding his hand up. “The first gift of Christmas!”

After another quiet word, Eddie is jumping down, running back to them. He’s grinning as he grabs Steve by the shoulders. “Do you believe that this is real?”

“What? I do-”

“Harrington! Do you believe?”

Steve looks to Robin, then back to Eddie. And… “Yeah… yeah, I do.”

Eddie pulls the little bell out his pocket, shaking it. And Steve can hear it. He can hear it ringing.

“Holy shit!”

“Right?!” Eddie grabs his hand, pressing the bell into his palm and closing his fingers around it. “I got it for you.”

“What? But It’s your present, you should-”

“Steve. I got it for you. It’s not my present, it’s yours. Keep it.”

“Thank you,” Steve whispers after a moment.

They turn when the cheering reaches an all time high, just in time to see Santa in his sleigh lift up into the air. They watch him as he circles the little area they’re all gathered in, slowly getting faster until, in a burst of light, he vanishes.

“All aboard!” The conductor yells, train chooing, just as the elves start to party.

They’re quiet as they step back onto the train. This time, the three follow the other kids into the main carriage. They somehow manage to squeeze all three into two seats, without being so pressed together that it’s uncomfortable. Instead, it’s nice. Warm.

Steve keeps having to jerk his head up, struggling to stay awake for long. Robin is completely gone and Eddie doesn’t seem to be hanging on much better. The night has finally caught up with them.

Steve jerks back awake, feeling Eddie slowly trying to get up.

“Where are you going?” He mumbles, sleepily reaching out to try and stop him.

“Home,” Eddie gestures out the window. It’s the same stop they’d picked him up at. “But… we’ll see each other again, right?”

“Right.”

Eddie smiles. He looks towards the door, then back to Steve, hesitating. He darts forward after a moment, kissing Steve on the cheek. He’s blushing, stuttering through a goodbye, darting off the train as fast as he can go.

Steve watches him go, blushing just as hard, fingers touching his cheek, where Eddie had kissed him.

“You still think he’s gross?” Robin mumbles, rubbing sleep out her eyes.

“He kissed me,” Steve says.

Robin snorts, rolling her eyes. She sits up though, making a clear effort to wake up.

It’s not a moment later that the train slowly pulls to a stop. And Steves address is read off. It’s his stop.

“We’ll see each other again, too, right?” Robin asks.

“Of course.” He shuffles closer so he can hug her. “Just need to find you first.”

“Well… I’m not hard to find.” She tries to smile. She looks sad.

“Good. It’ll be good to hang out when I’m sure that I’m actually awake.”

She laughs. “Merry Christmas, Steve.”

“Merry Christmas, Robin!”

The conductor smiles, helping him climb down the steps. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas.”

Steve keeps looking back as he walks up the drive. He hovers in the doorway as the train pulls away, waving. He doesn’t shut the door until he can’t see or hear it anymore.

And he’s left, once again, in his cold and empty house.

The only solace is that, by forcing himself to stay awake on the train, he falls asleep as soon as he lays down.

When he wakes up, he’s sure that it was all a dream. Thinking back, it doesn’t make sense…

Well… until he searches his jacket pocket. The bell Eddie got him is still there, still ringing with that same unusual sound. It’s still there.

His doorbell rings.

Steve rushes down the stairs, careful to calm his breathing before opening it. He doesn’t recognize the man that looks down at him, shifting uncomfortably.

He clears his throat. “Harrington. I was wondering… are your parents home?”

“Uh, no… they’re on a, um, business trip thing.”

He clears his throat again, grimacing. He turns, looking towards the car parked outside the house… which is when Steve spots him.

“Eddie!” He waves, grinning when Eddie excitedly waves back. “You must be Wayne, right?”

“I am. My boy was wondering if you’d want to come over for dinner?”

“Really? Yeah! I mean- sorry, um… if that’s alright with you.

“Of course it is,” he chuckles. “We’ll wait here for you to get yourself dressed. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas!”

[scarlettwolf24]

Ringing Bell - 1978 I adore adult Chirin's design 💕

[rjalker]

we diagnose you with a creeping sense of alienation forever. incurable

[ozonecologne]

So, I love animation history, and I've been watching a lot of forgotten animated films for the last couple of weeks...

Fire and Ice (1983): the rotoscope thing is very interesting. I love Darkwolf's design and how hot Teegra is in those early scenes, but not much else. It looks too much like He-Man and the plot drags. 2/10

A Troll in Central Park (1994): charming at the heart of things. Especially with Dom DeLuise as Stanley -- what a comforting voice from my childhood. "Anything that's real starts with a dream." I do very much wish I could live in an underground garden paradise like a little socially awkward troll. 4/10

The Princess and the Goblin (1991): a little bizarre and not very compelling, but I love the bits with grandmother Irene. The way that the attic is animated to transform into an Edenic homestead is so beautiful. 4/10

Quest for Camelot (1998): have you ever wondered what Sinbad would have looked like if they had like half the budget and story? Eric Idle is going to hell. I want to fuck the griffin. 3/10

The Ringing Bell (1978): it's considered a classic for a reason! The idea that you create what will destroy you, and love it for doing so... the idea that when you force yourself to grow up you can never go back... There will come a time when you don't fit into your old life anymore, and you did that to yourself. You destroyed what part of you was innocent and belonged here, but you've also turned your back on the world that changed you. So where do you go? What are you now? What good is a strength that requires you face the world alone? 9/10

The Sea Prince and the Fire Child (or, The Legend of Sirius) (1981): a Romeo and Juliet retelling that kind of dragged, to be honest. I love the way that the fire is animated and the underwater backgrounds; they're whimsical but there's a real primordial quality to them that I like, because the ocean is weird! The sea god design is excellent and there are some sea creatures that are truly delightful, like the bunny fish and whatever Mabuse is supposed to be. Sirius is offputtingly noodly though, and he's 80% of the movie. Didn't love this one. 5/10

Faeries (1981): I cannot believe how they pronounce "Niamh" in this. The folklore designs are really cute though. 2/10

Freddie as FR07 (or, Freddie the Frog) (1992): terrible. I should make a video essay about this film because it is batshit insane in like the worst way. Completely not worth your time but I'd love to tell you about it sometime. 0/10

Felidae (1994): what is it about violent cat series that get at me!!!! A gory noir film made about cats solving a series of cat murders? Some of the imagery really was wild here; I loved the nightmare with Mendel and the puppet corpses. Trauma and eugenics and vengeance at the heart of this one too, the villain was without a doubt a monster but you still felt for them anyway. Decently scary and well-paced, a great tribute to the source material. Also, uncomfortable cat sex scene. 7/10

The Last Unicorn (1982): all of my female friends apparently decided to watch this one at the same time, and we all got weirdly emotional about it. To escape a fetishized genocide your body is violated and turned into something that will no longer interest the conquerers. You do not want this change because this is not your body. Every day is a torment knowing that you slip further and further away from what you know you are. Every day you forget more and more of what you used to be. Eventually, you wouldn't want to go back even if you could remember. Even if you are not happy, you are safe. You are alone, all alone with the ghosts that haunt your footsteps. 9/10

The Plague Dogs (1982): GOD ok. These poor things. These poor dogs haunted by pain that they don't deserve -- "I'm a good dog." "I don't think they're doing it because they think you're a bad dog." -- and are just trying to live a good life once they escape their captors. One of them even remembers life before the torture, when he had a comfortable home and love. But now he thinks it's his own fault he's lost it. They wander the wild, hopeless, unloved except by each other, and what can they do? The world is so much bigger than them. Every decision that shapes their lives is out of their hands, and has nothing to do with them. They're cursed by the narrative. They didn't ask for this. They don't even know what they're doing out here, or where they're meant to go; they have no purpose and no reason to keep fighting for their own survival except that it's the only thing they know how to do. You start this life treading water and you end it treading water. The water swallows you all the same. 10/10

Rock a Doodle (1991): Elvis chicken???????? 5/10

Happily Ever After (1989): truly one of the most bizarre films I've ever seen. A sequel to Snow White that quite literally no one asked for and no one saw coming. I am forever haunted by "dwarfelles." I do love the prince's grubby little creature design though, he's so cute! 1/10 for him only.

Once Upon a Forest (1993): I remember so vividly watching this one when I was home sick from school one time. I don't why it stuck with me; it's not very good. 3/10 because cute animal designs

Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland (1989): gorgeous. adorable. such beautiful paintings and incredible character design! there were so many people connected to this project and it's such a labor of love. it has such a ghibli style and feel about it even though that's not technically the studio that produced it! 8/10

I also tracked down some of The Animals of Farthing Wood (1993-1995), but I'd love to watch the whole thing sometime. The Redwall series is also on my list, I loved those books as a kid.

Definitely taking recommendations! Have you seen any weird animated films you need to inflict on others?

[animenostalgia]

News - Animator Haruo Takashi, best known for working on classic anime like Himitsu no Akko-chan, Lupin the Third, and being a key animator on Sanrio's 1978 cult-classic The Ringing Bell has passed away. He was also an award winning manga artist for his 4-panel gag manga Iwayuru Hitotsu no Cho-san Shugi ("The So-Called Principal Cho-San"), which was serialized for 27 years. He was 76 years old. Rest in peace, Takashi-sensei.

[socdarlings]

contact names for the gang + socs

quotes are my perspective on the person and why i chose that name

ponyboy: ballad of a thin man - bob dylan, 1965. “song revolves around the mishaps of a boy, who keeps blundering into strange situations, and the more questions he asks, the less the world makes sense to him.”

johnny: johnny b. goode - chuck berry, 1958. “the song is about a semi-literate "country boy" from the New Orleans area, who plays a guitar ‘just like ringing a bell’, and who might one day have his ‘name in lights’.”

dallas: insight - joy division, 1980. “this song is almost as depressing as the eternal. giving up on life and hope and looking back at the past and wishing you’ve done something different. describes dallas before his life ends.”

twobit: cupid - sam cooke, 1961. “keith just reminds me of a doughboy and a loverboy, always picking up soc girls and dumping ‘em later.”

darry: the eternal - joy division, 1980. “This song just digs down into the deepest, most dank and dark recesses of tortured, unyielding depression. darry curtis is never going to ever leave tulsa and will die in tulsa. It’s just in the cards for him. This song also goes for dally.”

sodapop: little red corvette - prince, 1983. “This song is about casual dating and the fear of being replaced. It’s a sad but realistic song about the dangers of getting too attached to someone who isn’t ready for a commitment.”

steve: isolation - joy division, 1980. “A fear that never goes away. You wake up with it, you get into bed with it. You're afraid of things that are weeks in the future and of things that are tomorrow almost equally. You feel inferior to everyone, but you don't look up to them either because you just aren't like them. Steve has a hard time understanding people emotionally, and that isolates him from everyone.”

tim: cold, cold heart - hank williams, 1951. "Why can't I free your doubtful mind and melt your cold, cold heart?"

curly: behind blue eyes - the who, 1971. “‘Behind Blue Eyes’ is written from the perspective of a man who is hated and shunned. He's asking for empathy, but is clearly unhinged and seems to have anger issues.”

angela: wildflower - skylark, 1972. “She's faced the hardest times you could imagine. And many times her eyes fought back the tears. And when her youthful world was about to fall in, each time her slender shoulders bore the weight of all her fears.”

cherry: cheri, cheri lady - modern talking, 1985 “tbh I misheard this song and thought it said ‘cherry, cherry lady’. regardless the song’s about a girl who’s lost in the world, both emotionally and spiritually.”

marcia: sunday girl - blondie, 1978. “I think a happy go lucky song describes marcia best. doesn’t really show her other side with people, except cherry.”

evie: cherry bomb - the runaways, 1976. “a tough grease girl who’s just trying to survive day to day life in tulsa. does not have a good relationship with her parents. lets her soft side show around steve.”

buck: alone and forsaken - hank williams, 1952. “I just figure buck is just that kinda guy who’s always gonna be alone and can’t connect to people.”

sylvia: jolene, dolly parton, 1973. “Your beauty is beyond compare, with flaming locks of auburn hair, with ivory skin and eyes of emerald green.”

bob: the figurehead - the cure, 1982. “a depressing song about keeping up appearances and acting tough despite suffering on the inside. the man in the song is on the verge of suicide and yells out his frustrations, but nobody helps him.”

randy: heroin - the velvet underground, 1967. “this song basically describes randy turning to drugs in ‘that was then, this is now’ after everyone around him either leaves him or dies. it reinforces his idea that the warring sides of both greasers and socs will only leave more people dead and there’s no point in fighting.”