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chidoroki · 3 years ago

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Isabella - 73584

I had a serious debate with myself over whether or not I wanted to sit down and spend my weekend writing another one of these praise posts. I was content with just doing one for each of the Fullscore Trio kids and ending it there.. but apparently I love this woman too much to just ignore her on her birthday. So here were are on September 9th with a list of all her best and my personal favorite moments as to why I believe she’s such a great character, antagonist and mother (yeah you heard me right). Considering she only shows up in the beginning and very end of the story, this post ended up longer than I originally anticipated, which just goes to show how many thoughts I really have about this woman. (for real, this rivals Ray’s post in terms of points but there’s far more words)

Since she also has some backstory and certain events differ between manga and anime (thanks to the second season), I’ll try to go in chronological order between both timelines instead of chapter by chapter, which might be a bit confusing as we’ll jump around the story a lot but just to bear with me as I try to makes sense of it all.

(spoilers for the entirety of The Promised Neverland & ch181.7, so if you haven’t read/completed the manga yet, consider this your first warning, because I’m literally going from start to finish with this one last time. I promise.)

- I’m not sure how well she compares to Emma when it comes to athleticism, but Isabella seemed to have no trouble climbing up and down trees when she was younger.

- Not only that, but she managed to scale the wall by herself using a method that requires a fairly impressive jump. It’s also implied that this is how she climbs the wall again so many years later when chasing the soon-to-be escapees, which helps prove that even at an older age, she hasn’t lost her touch.

- Was chosen to undergo training to become a Mom, which required high test scores and the current mother’s recommendation. She accepted the offer in order to keep living and survive as human the demons couldn’t eat.

- Based on Sienna’s comment, is it fair to say Isabella is on par with the full score trio? I mean, the woman is basically flawless.

- She was practically untouchable during her time at headquarters while training too apparently. Mom positions are scarce so the environment where these ladies fight (physically/mentally/emotionally) to even snag that job is highly competitive, and yet Isabella never let anyone deter her from her goal of becoming a Mom, which probably led to the “Iron Lady” nickname she received now that I think about it.

- She was the youngest ever to be granted the Mom position at..what, 19? 20? Somewhere around there, but impressive nonetheless considering they’re forced to have a child, build up a strong, emotionless exterior and endure so much fear. (but my goodness, the woman doesn’t age at all. she looks just as good when the story actually starts as she did her when she was a bit younger)

- It became common knowledge among the Sisters that she was also very successful in the way she raised her children.

- Her success greatly benefited the farm, as she offered up countless high quality goods, which sounds terrible, I know, but believe me when I say she gave her best effort for her children. Even though she held the Mom position, the amount of power she actually had in this system was pretty minimal, especially with how much she valued her own life. She couldn’t afford to make any mistakes or risky changes, so she settled with doing the most with what she was capable of. She provided her children with a normal lifestyle, not only to keep up the orphanage facade, but knowing that their lives would all be cut shorter than they anticipate. She gave them love in hopes that no one would ever have to feel the dread she felt after Leslie’s death and/or finding out the truth. She tried to delay that horrific fate by encouraging them to learn all they can (like teaching the trio about strategy and chess) so they could achieve higher tests scores and (unknowingly to them) add a couple more months or years onto their lives. Yes it was her job to raise these children to such high standards but she excelled at it for their sake too.

- And I know y’all will just throw Ray in my face like, “oh but he was her actual child and she treated him horribly/different.” Okay but deep down I don’t think she actually wanted to? When they both realized they were truly mother and son, Isabella couldn’t just dote on him and start treating him as such. I’m sure Ray wasn’t too fond of Isabella at this point in his life either, knowing that she sent several of his siblings away to get killed. They probably would’ve gotten along just fine in a perfect world, but since they were both aware of the hell they’re trapped living in, they emotionally distanced themselves and formed a business-like relationship as a result of Ray’s deal, which benefited them both in different ways. For Ray, it was more practical, with the obvious notion of living as long as possible along with obtaining various rewards and knowledge of the outside world. For Isabella, it helped emotionally by simply just ignoring their true relation. I believe if she clung to that realization, it would break the orphanage illusion and eventually wear down her “Iron Lady” exterior that she relies so heavily on.

- Like can you imagine how much you would have to harden your heart in order to quite literally walk children to their death every couple months for years on end and just move on like it’s completely normal? Now imagine how earth shattering it must be to think about doing the same to your actual child. All those years spent perfecting a fake smile and emotionless exterior like she was trained to have and her son shatters it in an instant. She becomes completely terrified about how he’s actually alive and in front of her right now and there’s nothing she can do to truly save him.. and yet she still recovers so damn quickly I can’t even comprehend it! But there’s still some sadness in those eyes. You can’t tell me otherwise. That one moment of weakness speaks volumes to me.

- So now with her general backstory FINALLY out of the way, we can finally start with ch01/ep01 and how her laugh is sweet and innocent. I say that because (all hidden emotions and motives aside) that’s exactly how she’s supposed to sound in this moment, not only to us but to the children as well.

- She of course checks Emma’s tracker a moment later but other than that I still think it’s a pretty genuine moment between the two.

- As previously stated, her ability to raise high quality children is unmatched, which is clear as day thanks to the fullscore trio.

- Despite their crazy level of intelligence, the trio has yet to win a simple game of chess against Isabella, even when teamed up.

- She treasures everything about the kids.

- She really cares about them, even when it’s time to send them off with a smile, which we know is thanks to her strong facade.

- But mother dearest isn’t really fine. She doesn’t like walking kids to their death, especially so young. But she can’t let them (or even herself) know that. She can’t show weakness, so she hums Leslie’s song, which is a tool she’s used for years in order to give herself strength.

- Don’t worry, I disliked her this moment happened too, just as the story intended. And here’s where her fantastic antagonist role begins for all the world to see.

- A true champ at jump scares.

- Acts completely calm the night after a couple of kids found out the secret of the farm.

- She uses the tracker in plain sight, sending whomever went to the gate last night a threatening but silent message.

- Correct Norman, that’s the “Iron Lady” for ya. Also the name of ch03 for us. Well, “The Iron Woman” but same difference.

- She switches from calculating and manipulative breeder to sweet and pleasant mother so quickly and effortlessly it’s incredible. Isabella even checked Emma’s pulse in this scene to see if she was acting normal.

- At this point she still had no idea who went to the gate (Ray didn’t tip her off yet, at least I don’t think so) but her guess couldn’t have been more precise. The level of fear she drives into both Emma and Norman was great too, but then again her presence is enough in any scene to give us chills.

- Notices her watchdog isn’t at his usual post and starts to get suspicious.

- Not only of him, Emma and Norman, but Don and Gilda as well, thus giving the five extra chores to finish in an attempt to slow down any escape planning, such as cleaning vacant rooms, organizing the pantry and inspecting spare linen.

- While the trio believes Isabella was being too soft and patient in finding her targets, she effectively catches them off guard by bringing in Krone for assistance. The trio soon realize they were actually preparing the sister’s new room and those mundane chores were just an excuse to buy time.

- Look at her, all smug. Checkmate indeed. (and totally not important, but her eyes are such pretty shades of purple)

- The sass and her no nonsense attitude.

- Immediately puts Krone in her place the moment she even thinks about shipping out the targets. Of course holding off on shipping the targets would benefit the farm, as it would produce higher quality merchandise as time passes, but plant 3 is run by Isabella and she’ll be damned if an assistant thinks they could waltz right in and decide her children’s fate.

- She check’s Emma tracker again despite her claim of knowing exactly who the targets might be. You can never be too careful.

- Her precious children managed to win a game of tag against Krone, which is still impressive considering the kind of training the sister has gone through, so kudos to her teachings.

- Knows right away that Krone was trying to take advantage, which allows Krone to realize that the opening she had to learn more about the children was all planned by Isabella herself. Her intimidating nature is enough to scare adults too.

- Reveals that Krone was mostly summoned in order to keep Ray in check after his failure.

- Despite the trust issue, Isabella still keeps up her end of the deal by requesting the items Ray asked for, thanks to the odd perks she had under Grandma Sarah which allowed her to order goods that weren’t on the supply list.

- This hug between her and Phil is just too cute not to mention.

- I imagine she makes this comment because she knows exactly how long a rope must be based off her own almost-escape.

- It’s just something about how this scene is framed alongside this dialogue that makes me think “oh, like mother, like son.”

- I blame her very thoughtful planning for my first big freak out when I watched season 1 blind, like ma’am that’s my favorite boy, please don’t.

- She conspires with Grandma Sarah in order to get rid of Krone for good, which renders the evidence sister just found out about the children’s escape completely useless. Sarah believes there might be some truth to it, but ultimately ignores it and puts her faith in Isabella’s ability of controlling the children & the situation.

- She then cuts Ray off and ends their six-year long deal, opting to control the situation herself from now on. Also, how she wanted to keep him around until the very end is kinda bittersweet. Does she mean as merchandise? Or because she wanted him to live as long as possible? Ah such a tricky little comment.

- She also tosses him across the room like a rag doll.

- Thank god for this panel existing and actually being adapted into the anime so I could hear it because I had absolutely no memory of her laughing in this moment.

- “She says it so nonchalantly,” Norman said once upon a time, and it’s still so frightening.

- As insane as her ideals seem given the circumstances, nothing she says here is really a lie.

- She has the strength to quite literally break a leg and that cracking noise still haunts me to this day.

- It wasn’t even a spur of the moment thing either. Isabella came fully prepared with bandages to fix up any injury she was willing to inflict and that thought alone is terrifying.

- Not only that, but she broke it so cleanly that Emma’s leg does indeed heal perfectly in the exact time frame she estimates. This entire moment is so unfairly impressive, like ma’am how dare you do this to Emma of all people.. like why couldn’t you at least use that kind of force to snap Peter’s neck instead or something?

- To make matters worse, she then reveals Norman’s shipment date. And it’s the following day, which sends the kids into a very understandable panic.

- Needless to say, November 2nd, 2045 was a very successful day in the life of Isabella. Woman was putting everyone in checkmate in ep08 and my anger on full blast.

- This sly smile she sends Ray’s way after announcing Norman’s shipment to the younger kids is so cruel.. it’s perfect.

- I can only imagine she asked about Ray’s whereabouts because she knew the boys were close friends and she hoped they would at least say goodbye to one another, but that’s just me.

- Puts an end to Norman’s parting words in such a simple and chilling matter.

- The way she just openly threatens Emma with others just out of earshot.

- Norman out here asking the real questions. If anything, I say she’s more “content” rather than happy. I don’t think she’s ever really thought about her own happiness, at least not often enough, hence the slight pause. This entire time she’s been focusing on how to make her children’s lives perfect, but for herself she just wants to survive in this hellish world they’re all living in.

- I’m honestly still not sure who’s final decision it is to send people to Lambda, either Isabella, Peter or someone else (honestly never bothered to check), but whether or not Isabella had any say in the matter, I’m sure she’s at least a little glad that Norman gets to live a bit longer? Perhaps that’s a stretch, but I’m putting the idea here anyway.

- I say this because I believe that’s part of the reason why she offered Emma a Mom recommendation, not only because our girl’s high test scores, but in hopes that she could live a longer life.

- Although she really stresses in an intimidation fashion how pointless Emma’s efforts are now that Norman’s “dead,” the cliff remains a major hazard and her leg is still bandaged up, Isabella still tries so hard to convince her to give up, like Ray has, in order for Emma to end her own suffering. It was the first instance during my blind watch-through were I started to get the hint that Isabella might actually care about her kids, and of course I know now it’s because she didn’t want Emma to experience the same pain she did after Leslie’s death.

- With Emma and Ray both broken, things went by rather smoothly for Isabella those last two months, though she continued to keep a close eye on them.

- Her humming is so soothing. And why it took me this long to bring up “Isabella’s Lullaby” is beyond me, but oh my god, that song and any other soundtrack that uses its melody is absolute perfection.

- Had enough sense to not let her guard down the final night, even though her efforts were ultimately unsuccessful, but the idea counts.

- Though her caretaker side is focused on more during the fire, some motherly instincts do kick in as she instructs Gilda to get the babies from her room and lead everyone outside to safety. She was also concerned for Emma’s well being, hoping all the smoke didn’t get to her when the girl vanished. (i know you can argue “she’s only worried because they’re merchandise” which is fair but c’mon, i swear she’s not completely heartless)

- Took a hot minute (ahha) but Isabella eventually realized that the kids were actually escaping solely based on what they were wearing on their feet. I’m sure Emma’s discarded left ear was a big tip off too but to come to that conclusion by noticing the shoes they had on during all that chaos is surprising.

- She looks completely insane here but I always thought this shot of her was nicely animated with all the fire (or embers? sparks? whatever they are) flying around. The laugh she does before this is also a nice bonus. Oh, and she somehow managed to secure a radio from the room Don had locked.

- Figured the fifteen kids would head towards the bridge and called in headquarters to block it off.

- But when the children didn’t appear at the bridge, she just happened to know exactly where else they might try to cross the cliff.

- In the anime’s case, Isabella climbed the wall and ran there quick enough to engage in a stare down with Emma before she finally slid down.

- The moment I knew I was doomed.

- After the 15 kids successfully escaped, Isabella admits defeat, for she couldn’t really see how much her children have grown to outsmart her.

- This iconic quote, which conveys so much truth and sincerity. There were multiple occasions where she had to distance and restrain herself due to the system that controlled her, but the love she was able to show the children was genuine. If she wasn’t held back by the strict rules enforced by Mom position, I don’t doubt she would’ve treated Ray better or became far more emotional whenever a child had to leave for good or seriously injured, instead of donning a fake smile and being closed off.

- She realizes with this unspeakable loss in merchandise, the reputation she worked so hard to build up is meaningless now and that the farm no longer has any use for such an incompetent caretaker. She figures she’s as good as dead anyway now, so she wastes no time in actually helping the escapees by reclaiming the ropes to hide their exact method and route of escape, if only to grant the kids some extra time before the pursuers really locate them.

- She doesn’t act bitter as a result of her loss, instead choosing to wish the escapees luck with the future they grasped for themselves and care for the children that were left behind.

- She’s just so pretty y’all. Thank you anime.

- She was named “Best Antagonist” (and rightfully so!) back during the 2020 Crunchyroll Anime Awards, winning over Askeladd (Vinland Saga), Overhaul, (My Hero Academia), Garoua (One Punch Man,) & others.

(Post-season 1 spoilers ahead, even though the anime is completely finished at this point, but will be touching upon her special chapter more as well.)

- Completely owns up to her mistakes that caused the farm a massive loss in profitable goods and is ready to received whatever punishment necessary, which she expects to be death.

- Only.. she’s not being killed, she’s actually being promoted to Grandma. Though Isabella was directly responsible for the children’s escape, the blame ultimately falls on Sarah who couldn’t correctly control Isabella, thus leading the old lady to be shipped out in place of the goods Isabella lost.

- Peter also notes that the farm found more worth in Isabella than Sarah, so her past merits also played a part in sparing her life, as having a woman like Isabella in charge would surely produce the level of quality the farm needs.

- Isabella eventually accepts the promotion, though she can’t help but feel hesitant and shocked about the whole deal. This woman was ready to embrace death and finally be free from this cruel world, but now she has to witness not only more kids being shipped off, but moms and sisters in training as well (yay old chapter reviews coming in clutch).

- She could have very well just refused Peter’s offer, but we all know how much Isabella originally wanted to survive, so she doesn’t just accept because this man dangled a sense of freedom in her face, she also agreed so she could have the opportunity to help her children in any way her newfound power would allow her.

- Of course, her transition to Grandma happens a bit differently in the second season, but I will give some bittersweet thanks to the anime once more for the obvious but curse them for also having this entire scene dark as hell. Let me see her beauty darn it! I can only fix the lighting so much until it looks overexposed and bad again.

Anyways, Sarah is still alive at this point and taunts Isabella with the escapee’s lives just to see how she would react, which gave her a small sense of hope. Then some demons pay a visit later on and also ask if she would want to see the children one last time, but Isabella tells them that not only would she be too ashamed to face them but that they would manage to survive Grandma’s capture plan, which involved several men blowing up their shelter. It’s now clear to the demons that these children are special, and while Isabella agrees, it’s not for the same reason the demons think so. The demons believe the kids are special because of how they were raised to such a high quality. Isabella calls them special simply because they’re her children, just as any mother would.

- In the anime, it’s the demons who offer Isabella the Grandma deal if Sarah’s current plan were to fail (which it does) and she takes it and the freedom from Grace Field House without question. Do I still believe she had similar intentions to help out the children like she did in manga at this point? Of course.

- Not even a full month into her new job did she start preparing to help Emma & the others by considering who from the current Sisters she wanted to recruit to personally assist her destroy the farm entirely.

- A month later and Isabella had already decreased the number of shipments that took place at Grace Field, which obviously helps raise the quality of the children by default, but it also means less death and gives those kids a chance to live longer.

- She completely anticipated that Matilda, Jessica, Sienna & Scarlet were conspiring against her and caught them quite easily, as they were among the top scorers.

- Each had a fair chance at becoming Moms but with those positions limited, it was obvious to figure out they were trying to force Isabella’s seat open by creating some suspicious activity to place on her almost perfect record. Unfortunately for the girls, our new Grandma is too smart for her own good and I love it.

- The four women are apprehensive to join her insane plan to go against the farm, but Isabella assures them there’s no freedom if they follow the system’s rules and betray her. The harsh reality they’re all living in will continue unless they stop competing with one another and combine forces to defeat the true enemy.

- To persuade them further, Isabella mentions the children they all gave birth to are still alive, bringing out an array of emotions from the women that they each thought they had buried deep down.

- THIS! Just all of this is wonderful and shows just how much Isabella learned from her children who once defeated her.

- To fully gain the women’s trust, she gives them Ray’s farewell note that he originally left in order to bait Krone, as proof she won’t double-cross them at any point.

- I love the fact that she kept the note close to her because it acts just like all the other various toys and items she saved in her secret room back at plant 3. The original owners were all precious to her so she kept a piece of them behind to remember them in a place only she knew about. As I said before when mentioning her “I wish I could have just loved them normally” quote, all the love she had for her children had to be suppressed when she was under the system’s control, but that doesn’t mean she never cared. Because she did, and if I haven’t made at least that clear by now then I’m failing.

- Can her intentions and love for her children be any more clear? (possibly, i’m not done with this darn post yet. how you guys holding up? i’m going a little insane at this point.)

- Anyways! Second season didn’t make the rest of the story easy so apologies for any timeline mishaps as I switch between both anime and manga events from here on out.. like how in manga Isabella is informed of the escapee’s return to Grace Field via Peter, while the in the anime it’s her who helps lures them back with a fake transmission via the radio they stole.

- Just before Emma & the others do return to Grace Field on November 13, Isabella finally reaches out to the farm’s many other Sisters to recruit them. She waited until the right moment to inform them of her crazy takeover plan so Peter wouldn’t become suspicious from all of headquarters acting/thinking differently (you know, like how Emma kept the jailbreak plan under wraps until the night of). These ladies also feel a bit wary and even think of Isabella’s offer as a joke, but with some real, heartfelt encouragement, she manages to win over every single woman to her side.

- The moment when it was first revealed to us that she was not only still alive but was also promoted to Grandma is still so powerful.

- She snaps Nat’s finger back into place after Peter broke it. (and considering emma’s group infiltrates the farm right after this, i’m pretty sure that ch170 with rallying the sisters took place before this..i think?)

- Gave me a minor heart attack.

- *CLAPS FRANTICALLY!!!* The moment she truly won me over. 

- While her betrayal against Peter in the manga is fantastic and quite possibly one of my favorite moments, the anime did give us a little something too. It shows Peter spewing utter nonsense to Emma about how she’s destined to fail, only for best girl to bite back with such a fantastic quote, and then Isabella drops the act and switches sides. While I agree Emma’s comeback is “wonderful,” it’s the English dub that completely wins me over in this scene by having Isabella comment “Now that’s my girl” instead, like bro.. hearing that makes me so happy.

- For real dude, you have several highly skilled women pointing guns at you, I think her betrayal is crystal clear.

- This is like the perfect example of how she had to conceal her feelings while bound by the system. She just misses these kids so much y’all but she can’t let her true emotions show yet.

- Having her call Peter a boy is beyond hilarious to me. Also, how she disagrees with him on so many levels is excellent, like how he believes in experimenting on kids and having the right to call yourself their parent just because you created them, while Isabella believes in raising and loving children normally and that you earn that parent title by actually being part of their lives. To be fair they both inflicted pain on kids (Nat’s finger/Emma’s leg) but Peter’s action was a mistake in itself. Isabella got frustrated back when Krone even threatened to ship out the kids who discovered the secret, so you can bet she’s probably pissed off at this boy for harming one of her kids on purpose.

- The best mother-daughter moment ever! It’s such a shame it never got truly animated since the second season decided not to give the children guns, but we get to see a small smile from Isabella after Emma decided to still call her “mom.”

- The anime never gave Peter the chance to run away, like he (somehow) managed to do in manga, so we had the chance to see someone actually shoot at him. Well, in his general direction at least. Isabella lands a perfect shot not even a full second after he pulls out that disc. Accuracy on point.

- Said this once or twice in the past in manga so I’m glad the anime brought it back.

- Remains cautious and keeps her gun raised at Peter when Emma approaches him and rightfully so considering he still had his knife hidden at this point.

- Refuses Emma’s offer to join the kids in the human world at first because she knows that her (& the sister’s) actions shouldn’t be forgiven so easily, but with some rather blunt sympathy from Ray and encouragement from her other children, she finally gives in.

- This entire post summed up in one image.

- She apologizes even though distancing herself from her kids and preparing them for death were just required of her role as a caretaker. She wouldn’t have done any of that in a normal world. (do i sound like a broken record yet? probably)

- The emotion you hear in her voice during this entire dub scene hits my heart in all the right places.

- She still thinks of Leslie after all this time and I think that’s real cute.

- Her protective nature is on full display when she protects Emma from this bastard of a demon. A truly surprising and heartbreaking moment, considering this is the woman who’s survival used to be her top and only priority in the past, but now doesn’t hesitate to give her life in order to save her kid (and by extension that small girl emma saved. also, major heart attack for me).

- Despite being critically injured, this woman still possess enough strength to hold back a demon twice her size. She doesn’t even pay any mind to its nonsense. Like the demon, people often think this is when redemption arc starts but I believe it started way back in ch37 when Isabella retrieved and hid the ropes the kids used to escape. Ever since she admitted defeat on the wall that night, she threw caution to the wind and began cheating the system in hopes to one day assist the kids achieve a brighter future. Despite all the work she’s done behind the scenes, Isabella believes there’s still so much more she can do to atone, so even though she’s already received the children’s forgiveness, she continues to assist them by jumping in and saving them directly from demons for once in her life.

- Ma’am it’s sweet you’re so concerned with their safety, but we should be asking you that question ya know? (but then again emma was the same way after she woke up from her coma).

- Knows that just apologizing and saving Emma isn’t enough to suddenly forgive all her actions and wants to do so much more for the children as a result. Even though I already acknowledged all her subtle and hidden moments, I wish we got to see her care for them more openly.

- I simply can not read through ch177 and not get emotional. No matter how hard I try, I always feel tears start to form in my eyes. Oh my god, how cruel that death can be this beautiful. It’s so unfair.

- *uses old chapter review because I’m too upset right now* “She apologizes for everything. For not treating him right and loving him as a mother normally would her own son. For making him despise his life so much and enduring so much pain that he thought the only escape was suicide.”

- “She leaves him with one last wish to protect everyone, and that completely breaks me because you know exactly how much they both care for their family. Not only would they literally die for their family, but they would live for them too if someone asked. Truly like mother, like son.” (aaaaaahhhhh)

- Her, umm.. ghost (along with Conny’s & Yuugo’s) help Ray reunite with Emma in 2049.

- All my tears aside, the anime did something right by actually keeping her ALIVE!

- Have you ever seen something so GODDAMN BEAUTIFUL in all your life?? This image is so powerful it literally tossed aside any salty feelings I had that night with how the second season ended. Seeing her like this grants me so much happiness y’all, it’s truly unbelievable. I still can’t get over it and hopefully I never will.

Okay, now I’m done, thank god. Sorry this is like ridiculously long, especially since she’s absent for sooo many chapters. Also find it so hilarious how drastic my opinion of her changed from the beginning to now, from “bitch” to “oh my god I love her so much.” I know people will always have opposing opinions whether she’s actually a good mother or not and that’s totally fine. Wasn’t trying to convince y’all of that either because yes, some of her actions are real unforgivable, but she was suffering under the farm system too and just followed through with what she was trained to do in order to survive, but while other Sisters fought to climb ranks and help themselves survive, Isabella ultimately wanted the best for her children. The more power she gained, the more risks she took and once the system crashed so did her facade.

An absolute queen.

#the promised neverland #mother isabella #tpn isabella #tpn manga #tpn anime #chidoroki used chatter

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drosera-nepenthes · 3 years ago

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A Royal Recluse: Princess Clotilde

Just at the time when, in consequence of the weakness and folly of the republican government, certain French Monarchists are looking to Prince Victor Napoleon Bonaparte as the possible savior of their country, the Prince, whose marriage to Princess Clementina of Belgium recently brought him before the public, was watching by the deathbed of his mother, Princess Clotilde of Savoy, who breathed her last on June 25. The story of this royal lady is a pathetic one and, apart from the interest that is attached to her as the mother of the imperial candidate to the French throne, her personal character was one of rare beauty.

She was the daughter of Victor Emmanuel II, first King of Italy, and of Adelaide, Archduchess of Austria, and was born at Turin on March 2, 1843. Her mother died in 1855, leaving five young children, of whom Clotilde was the eldest, the others being Humbert, the future King of Italy ; Amadeo, Duke of Aosta ; Maria Pia, the queen dowager of Portugal, and a son who died in childhood. The Queen of Sardinia (Victor Emmanuel had not at that time laid violent hands on the independent states of Italy) was an exemplary wife and mother, and her orphan daughters were carefully educated by the attendants whom she had placed about them.

Never was a princess more ruthlessly sacrificed to political interests than the eldest princess of Savoy. When a mere child of sixteen, Clotilde was chosen to cement the alliance between France and Sardinia, and was promised in marriage to Prince Napoleon Jerome, nephew of Napoleon I and first cousin Napoleon III, the reigning sovereign. Princess Clotilde was connected with the Bourbons, her very name was French and was given to her in memory of the French Princess Marie Clotilde, sister of Louis XVI, who married a King of Sardinia ; but allied as she was by close ties of blood to the Bourbons, she had nothing in common with the Bonapartes who occupied their place, and a more ill-assorted couple never existed than the middle-aged, violent, cynical and free-thinking Prince Napoleon and the daughter of the most ancient royal house in Europe, who traditions and surroundings were strictly conservative and religious. Their marriage took place at Turin on January 30, 1859. The bride was sixteen and the bridegroom thirty-seven. He had a handsome presence and was intelligent and well informed and well informed, but neither his private life nor his freely expressed opinions on public matters made him estimable or lovable. His attitude with regard to his cousin, the Emperor, was one of constant opposition, and it was reported that his anti-religious views led him to take part in the banquets organized by a group of free thinkers on Good Friday. Under the Second Empire the French Government was officially Catholic, and Prince Napoleon's hostile and aggressive attitude was pronounced ill-bred, if not worse. Throughout France he was distinctly unpopular.

The young bride, married to this unsympathetic nephew of the great Napoleon, probably had few illusions as to the sum of happiness that awaited her in her new home. There are still some old men living who remember her when she took possession of the Palais Royal, Prince Napoleon's Paris house.: a slight, pale girl, with fluffy, fair hair and bright eyes, not pretty but singularly attractive. Her high breeding stood her in good stead in the somewhat parvenu atmosphere of the Court of the Tuileries, she had a royal dignity all her own, and her simplicity of heart was combined with much quiet firmness. From the first she ordered her life according to the principles in which she had been educated. An early riser, even at the Palais Royal, she gave much time to prayer and to works of mercy, but her piety, says M. Emile Ollivier, a former minister of Napoleon II, “never made her tiresome or intolerant. She believed that the most useful sermon was the practice of the virtues that are taught by faith.” Her husband, although so widely apart from her, acknowledged her goodness. “Clotilde is a saint,” he sometimes said ; “if there were many like her, I believe I myself should end by becoming devout.”

When the disastrous war of 1870 brought terror and shame upon France, the Princess was in Paris. During that fatal month of August every day came news of a fresh defeat, and the revolution that was to break out on the 4th of September was already distinctly perceptible; the infuriated and terrified people made the imperial government responsible for the reverses that so keenly wounded their patriotic pride.

Princess Clotilde was alone at the Palais Royal ; her husband was with the army, her three children she sent to Switzerland, where Prince Napoleon had an estate; but she steadily refused to leave Paris while the Empress Eugénie remained at the Tuileries. There was not much personal sympathy between the two; it was Princess Clotilde's feeling of loyalty that chained her to the post danger as long as there was a semblance of imperial government in Paris.

In vain her husband wrote imperious messages bidding her join her children at Prangins; in vain her father sent the Marquis Spinela to Paris to escort her ; the Princess so yielding in everyday life, was unbending in her decision to remain at the palace as long as the lonely woman at the Tuileries was the nominal ruler of France ; she had shared the splendors of the Empire, and it went against her noble spirit to desert the Empress.

The letter this young woman, a stranger in a strange land, wrote to her father on August 25, 1870, has been quoted by the French papers. It is a right royal letter worthy of the daughter of kings:

“I am a French woman,” she says. “I cannot desert my country. When I married although so young, I knew what I was doing and if I did it, it was because I wished to do so. The interest of my husband, of my children and of my country require that I should remain here. The honor of my name, your honor, my dear father, and that of my country also demand it. Nothing will make me fail in what I believe to be my duty to the end... You know that the house of Savoy and fear have never gone together, and you would not wish that they should meet in my person.”

At last, when the Empress was driven from her palace by the mob, the Princess considered that she was free to follow, but how different was the departure of the two women!

The brilliant and beautiful sovereign, closely disguised, was only able to leave Paris owing to the assistance of her American dentist, Dr. Evans; her young cousin made her exit as a princess. In an open carriage, accompanied by her lady in waiting, she drove to the railway station in broad daylight. The excited people, awed by her courage and dignity, saluted her as she passed out of their sight, a truly royal and saintly figure.

Princess Clotilde lived for some years at Prangins, near Geneva, where she devoted herself to the education of her three children; then, when her husband was allowed to return to France, the difficulties of her married life were such that by mutual consent she retired to the Castle of Moncalieri, near Turin, with her young daughter. Here, in the home of her childhood, she spent nearly forty years. They were years of peace, largely marked by sorrow. Four times only did she emerge from her retreat, once in January 1878, when she heard that her father lay dangerously ill in Rome. She had suffered cruelly from the spoliation of the Holy See by the house of Savoy, and the remembrance of her father's part in the matter prompted her to fly to his bedside. On the way she heard that he was dead, and she sadly returned to Moncalieri. In 1891, she again started for Rome, this time to visit her husband, who lay dying at the Hotel de Russie. Those who saw the Princess during those solemn days can never forget her sweetness, earnestness and gentle patience. What passed between her and Prince Napoleon none can tell, but Cardinal Mermillod a frequent visitor to the sick room, professed himself satisfied, after two private interviews, that the dying man was fully conscious. The Princess, whose married life, it is well known, had been a via crucis, remained near him to the end, praying incessantly for the soul that probably owes its salvation to her intercession. Again in 1903 and in 1904, she left Moncalieri to visit her sister-in-law, Princess Mathilde Bonaparte, whose deathbed she attended.

Her life, as it neared the end became more and more that of a recluse. Her sons lived their own lives in Brussels and in Russia; her daughter, having married a Prince of Savoy, was near to her, and their visits, occasionally brought an element of joy into the silent castle. Last autumn, Prince Victor Napoleon's marriage to the Princess Clémentine of Belgium gladdened his mother's heart. It was celebrated at Moncalieri, and to those who attended the ceremony the most striking figure present was the slight, gray-haired lady, plainly dressed in black, whose eyes had the far-away look of those who are nearing the eternal shore. Even in the days of her youth Princess Clotilde's spirituality struck M. Emile Ollivier. It gave her, he says a singular insight into all questions that touch on right and wrong; she possessed the gifts of the true mystics, “who judge human affairs with a clearness and rectitude born of detachment.” Her chief link with the outer world during the long, silent years of old age was her love for the poor, to whom she gave royally, with a loving kindness that made her gifts more precious. Their grief was great when they heard of her death, and their prayers will follow her remains to the royal mausoleum of La Superga, near Turin, where the daughter of the Sardinian Kings sleeps with her ancestors.

America. United States, America Press, 1911.

#princess clotilde of savoy #italian royal family #bonaparte #napoleon jerome bonaparte #biography #french royal family #house of bourbon

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hobidreams · 4 years ago

Text

october 1868.

it’s a fine line between fear and respect.

pairing: joseon king!yoongi x reader genre: historical au, angst words: 1.3k warnings: talk of death.

moonlit throne index. this is drabble seven. start from the beginning?

“Yet another execution? Are you certain?”

“Yes, another has been planned for two days from now.”

“How many is it this time?”

“Three men. All only suspected to be Japanese spies because they spoke a few words in the language.”

From your corner in the kitchen, investigating the medicinal properties of certain vegetables when made into a paste, you pretend like you’re not listening to the two women as intently as you can.

“But that’s the fourth in a month!” The young maid’s voice is too loud, ringing out across the kitchen. “Has he truly gone insane?”

“Shh!” The head cook, an older woman you’ve known since you were but a child, shakes her head furiously with her finger pressed over her lips. “Don’t let anyone catch you saying things like that. Now you’d better hurry and bring the king his dinner or he’ll cut your head off too.” Where these words would once have been said in jest, they now carry the heavy weight of a frightening reality as the maid nods. She soon speeds off with tray in hand to avoid such a fate.

The cook, Jin-young-nim, presses her pale lips together, staring blankly at the rice porridge that bubbles away in the pot. Then, she calls your name in a soft tone.

You raise your head. “Yes?”

“Please, tell me if you can.” She hesitates. “Were you there at Minister Choi’s execution?”

At the mention of the name, you suck in an involuntary breath. You’ve tried not to think about that day for the past three weeks since it happened, but perhaps it was inevitable that all your efforts would be undone. “Yes. I… I was.”

“Is it true then? The rumors of jeonha’s…”

What can you do but nod?

The unwanted images flood your mind before you can even try to stop them.

That day in mid-September had been clear skies. You’d gathered in the public execution square, which in the past few months has seen so much spilled blood at King Yoongi’s commands that it sickens you to even think of it. Spies, rebels, and thieves alike now lost their lives every week, in addition to those behaving “suspiciously.” And if that wasn’t enough, the king had turned his bloodlust on his own court.

It was suddenly, on an inconspicuous day, that he began to hurl accusations of treason at Minister Choi. It was no secret that the king hated the man for all the oppositions to his decisions and his obsession with how things had been under the former king’s rule. That just made it all the more suspicious when a booklet of evidence appeared in the king’s possession out of nowhere, with just enough to sentence the Minister to execution.

You shouldn’t have gone to watch, but you couldn’t believe what they were saying. The king you knew would never have done such a thing, just to get rid of an annoyance. He couldn’t have fallen that far in so little time… right?

“Jeonha, I have never betrayed you!” Minister Choi, arms bound behind him like a common prisoner, had been dragged before the execution block. The king stood on the raised viewing platform, leaning against the wooden balcony with chilling ice in his stare. “You are making a mistake!”

“Please reconsider, jeonha!” Advisor Ra cried out in support of Choi. But he shut his mouth instantly when King Yoongi’s gaze flicked to him.

“Advisor Ra. Would you like to join him?”

Ra backed off, stepping back hurriedly in a bow but the threat lingered in the air. It hung over everyone in attendance like a chokehold, a feeling that was becoming too common these days. Standing in the shadows of a nearby building, you trembled at the foreignness of that blank look on his face, at the ease with which he now offered death to those who were meant to aid him. He didn’t so much as flinch when the executioner stepped up with his freshly sharpened weapon.

It was over in a second.

Most had been watching Choi’s last moments but you were still searching the king’s face for any semblance of the man he used to be. But as the sword swung down, his lips curled into a smile that was maniacal, almost crazed. His serrated scar had seemed so much redder in that light, stretched across his cheek as he held the wild grin for a moment more before he disappeared into the room, leaving his carnage and the tattered shreds of your hope behind.

Your mind does not allow you to forget it -- that terrifying look. You’re afraid it’ll replace the other memories you have of him, the ones you hold so dear that slip more and more from you as the days pass.

“He really… smiled.” Jin-young exhales at the end of your retelling, a long and tired sound.

You nod, wishing you could tell her otherwise. But you both know the changes are undeniable.

The citizens that formerly deemed him weak and useless now dread drawing his attention at all, lest they find themselves on the execution square. However, most of the rebellions across the land have ceased. Crime has been less rampant, though present still, and foreign invasion is less of a possibility with the spies (and those merely suspected of being such) taken care of. Objectively, the king carries out his proper duties and protects the land. But at what cost?

The kitchen door slams open.

It’s the same maid as before, looking absolutely frantic.

“I forgot! I forgot the rice!” Her eyes are wide in dread, hair flying loose from her up-do as she must have run all the way here. She finds the silver bowl on the counter, left behind in her haste. “Jeonha is going to kill me. He’s going to have me beheaded, or at the very least tortured and—”

“Don’t worry.” You put both hands on her shoulders, feel her entire body shudder violently beneath you. “I will bring it to him.”

“Uinyeo-nim, a-are you sure? What if he…”

You shake your head, grab the container and just go. You can’t believe he would do such a thing for such a tiny mistake, but the fresh horror in the maid’s eyes burrows right into your heart.

See, you hadn’t told Jin-young everything. You left out all the excuses you’ve made in these past months to the guards to gain access to the gardens while the list of executions piled higher, matching the number of disheveled prisoners thrown in the cells. You spent practically every hour you could spare among the trees, waiting for the chance that the king would show and reveal some tiny sign of lingering humanity like he did that humid August day. But he never once came. This time, you’re going right to him.

When you reach his expansive chambers, walk through the corridors, the area is noticeably devoid of people, save for a few necessary guards. Very few dare to venture out here unless they absolutely need to now. You were expecting this, though it still makes you uncomfortable to witness. The door to the king’s dining room is firmly closed, with the low table of food already brought inside.

“Jeonha, I have brought your rice. Forgive me for forgetting it,” you say, wondering if he would even recognize your voice after all this time.

There’s no sign of acknowledgment, or even that he hears you in the first place, but you insist on waiting a long, pensive minute.

In the end, you’re only left with nothing yet again, feeling silly for having expected anything else. Silly, for letting yourself be in this position again and again for him.

“I’ll place the bowl outside. Let me know if there is anything else you require.” Your voice sounds weak, having lost most of its fight. Then you turn on your heel, and leave him.

#ficswithluv #bts angst #bts imagines #bts scenarios #yoongi x reader #yoongi angst #min yoongi #agust d #moonlit throne #rain writes #did you think that it would be easy to talk to him? haha........ nope

1K notes · View notes

lucky-katebishop · 3 years ago

Text

What I Read in September 2021

It's been a stagnant month, but I did find a couple favorites :) as usual, composed of mainly Harry Potter fics but there's a spare Modern Family fic in there and a couple crossovers. I think I read about 27-28 fics :)

Harry Potter

Family Relations by OxfordOctopus

Plot: In which Harry realizes that not even he's exempt from how interconnected magical families are.

Characters: Harry, Pavarti, Hermione, Ron

Relationships: Hermione & Harry & Ron

Warnings: implied/referenced child abuse

Tags: Desi Potter Family; Desi Harry; Hogwarts third year; red-haired Harry Potter

*complete*

Talking to Thestrals by OxfordOctopus

Plot: In a world where Voldemort well and truly died in ‘81, where there are no Horcruxes, where Harry is sequestered off by a man in a flying motorcycle when he's six, and where the only legacy the most feared Dark Lord left behind was his politics and a heavily scarred child, nobody quite realizes that Harry isn’t okay. Nobody but the leathery creatures at the lake, and the girl who looks at them.

Characters: Harry, Luna

Relationships: Harry & Luna

Warnings: anxiety, dissociation, suicidal thoughts, bullying, implied/referenced child abuse, child neglect

Tags: Sirius Black Criticism; Hogwarts second year; Sirius Black Never Went to Azkaban; AU - No Voldemort;

My Notes: Now, I love Sirius just as much as the next girl, but this is such an interesting look at a man raising a kid when he wasn’t ready and the consequences of that (I relate a tad too strongly)

*complete*

Slytherin Politics by OxfordOctopus

Plot: Abused children don't respond well to power plays.

Characters: Harry, Draco, Theodore Nott, Daphne Greengrass

Warnings: graphic depictions of violence

Tags: violence, broken bones, Slytherin Harry, bullying

My Notes: Harry is so truly terrifying in this fic, it’s wonderful

*complete*

rotten on the inside by cassiopeia721

Plot: Harry's boggart isn't Voldemort, or even a dementor. It's something much worse.

Characters: Harry, Snape, Hermione, Ron

Relationships: Hermione & Harry

Warnings: implied/referenced child abuse

Tags: Hogwarts third year; boggarts; angst; protective Hermione; Hermione is a Good Friend

*complete*

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell by IamShadow21

Plot: Questions asked, questions unasked, secrets told and secrets kept, trust, devotion, empathy and love. Ron and Harry's friendship, from that first day on the Hogwarts Express, right through until after the Battle. Can be read as a friendship fic, or a ship fic. It's open to interpretation.

Characters: Harry, Ron, Fred, George, Hermione, Arthur

Relationships: Harry/Ron

Warnings: implied/referenced child abuse

Tags: canon compliant; canon-typical violence; friendship, hurt/comfort; protective Ron; Protective Fred; Protective George; gen or pre-slash; platonic cuddling; POV Ron

My Notes: now this could be read as pre-slash, as a relationship, or just good friends, but I am so completely head over heels in love with the idea of Harry and Ron! Best friends to lovers!

*complete*

Best Served Cold by enchantedsleeper

Plot: “C’mon, Freddie,” George says suddenly, sotto voce. “Sooner the four of us get out of here, the better.” It hadn’t been the right moment, as they were exploring the Dursleys’ comfortable house in the dead of night, to plant a well-timed trick or a trap and risk blowing the whole operation – and getting Harry into even more trouble with his sadistic relatives. Better just to get Harry out and away from that place. But two years later, Fred and George got their chance for revenge.

Characters: Harry, Fred, George, Ron, Arthur

Relationships: Harry & Ron; Harry & George & Fred

Warnings: implied/referenced child abuse

Tags: Book 4; Harry is an honorary Weasley

*complete*

east, west, home’s best by taizi

Plot: You can never have too many brothers, Ron decides, for the very first time in his life. And there's always room in the Burrow for another Weasley, even if only an honorary one.

Characters: Harry, George, Ron, Fred

Relationships: Harry & Ron

Warnings: implied/referenced child abuse

Tags: Chamber of Secrets; families of choice

*complete*

live for today, hope for tomorrow by Vennat

Plot: Professors are Hogwarts are a little more observant and a little less likely to allow their students to be in harms way. OR A canon rewrite starting from book two, featuring friendship, angst, and a severe lack of oblivious characters.

Characters: Hermione, Harry, Ginny, Ron, Luna, Fred, George, Snape, Draco

Relationships: Hermione & Harry & Ron; Harry & George & Fred; Harry & Ginny; Luna & The Golden Trio; Harry & Snape; Draco & Harry

Warnings: implied/referenced child abuse; PTSD; panic attacks; blood; vomit; injury; food issues; depression

Tags: friendship; Harry has a saving people thing; mentor Snape; BAMF Harry; Smart Harry; canon rewrite; angst; Dumbledore bashing; Book 2; Harry is a Good Friend; Harry is Bad at Feelings

*complete* [part of a series; hasn’t been updated since 2020]

The Closest Distance Between Two People by StartledStarfish

Plot: In Harry's third year, no dementors boarded the Hogwarts Express in search of Sirius Black. Remus Lupin, the new defense professor, slept the whole way there. He did not wake to cast a patronus. Harry never passed out. Never heard his mother scream. Never saw the flash of green light. Never felt the unspeakable cold drain all the happiness out of him. So when Harry’s turn came to face the boggart, his greatest fear could not be a dementor. Harry blinked and looked up into the smiling face of Albus Dumbledore.

Characters: Harry, Ron, Remus, Dumbledore, Vernon, McGonagall

Relationships: Harry & Ron; Harry & Remus

Warnings: implied/referenced child abuse; childhood trauma, child neglect

Tags: boggarts, dementors, Dursley Family Bashing; Dumbledore Bashing; healing; angst with a happy ending; Ron makes sure nobody’s sad for long; friendship; laughter

*complete*

Grey Space by noaacat *favorite*

Plot: In 1991, Harry Potter begins his time at Stonewall High, unaware that he is anything more than a boy prone to freakish accidents. When he turns fourteen, he will receive a letter that will change his life. He will learn he is Harry Potter, and be invited into a world where belonging is his birthright. Until then, he stumbles on, two steps forward and one step back, out of the cupboard and into the life he was never meant to have.

Characters: Harry, The Dursleys, Dumbledore, lots of muggle OCs

Relationships: none

Warnings: implied/referenced child abuse; implied/referenced homophobia; child abuse; child neglect

Tags: AU: Hogwarts Starts Late

My Notes: This one! Is so good! The worldbuilding alone is amazing and the author really did make me immersed in the small sleepy town of Little Whinging. Please, if you read any fic on this list, read this one! It’s so good! Instant favorite!

*complete*

Iron by belleslettres

Plot: Draco also has a penchant for shirts with fiddly collars and cuffs and will not even entertain the notion of going anywhere looking like anything less than perfection. But Harry, who will do almost anything for Draco, refuses to iron them. “My aunt used to make me do all the ironing,” Harry says. “I hated it.”

Characters: Harry, Draco

Relationships: Draco/Harry

Warnings: implied/referenced child abuse

Tags: fluff and angst; post-war; Epilogue what Epilogue; fluff; domestic fluff

*complete*

All That Stands in its Path by thebiwholived

Plot: "An old soul, people might say, and Molly has never quite been sure what such a person would look like, until the day her family meets the Boy Who Lived in a dingy train station on the way to school." Molly Weasley's perspective on the summer Harry Potter comes to stay.

Characters: Harry, Molly, Weasley Family

Relationships: Harry & Molly Weasley

Warnings: implied/referenced child abuse

Tags: canon compliant; book 2

*complete*

To See More Clearly by JellyShark

Plot: Harry didn't make it out of Privet Drive after blowing up Aunt Marge. He is alone, locked away, forgotten. To make things worse, his magic is changing, morphing into something unknown and terrifying. Harry returns to Hogwarts a changed boy, unable to hide the effects of his time with the Dursleys. His Third Year dawns, bringing with it a man who feels like home, a Hufflepuff Prefect, and a dog who reminds Harry of a time when he was loved.

Characters: Harry, Remus, Ron, Snape, Sirius, Hermione, Luna, Cedric, Neville, McGonagall

Relationships: Sirius/Remus; pre Cedric/Harry; Remus & Harry; Hermione & Ron & Harry; Cedric & Harry; Sirius & Harry

Warnings: implied/referenced child abuse

Tags: Harry Needs a Hug; Harry is an Empath; Smart Harry; Magically Powerful Harry; Mentor Remus; flawed but well-meaning Dumbledore; book 3; book 4; Snape gets worse before he gets better; angst; hurt/comfort

*incomplete* [last updated August 2021]

Holidays by diogxnes

Plot: While his housemates discuss the upcoming holidays, Harry cannot help but think of how he never experienced a real Christmas with the Dursleys. Ron notices.

Characters: Harry, Ron, Lavender Brown, Seamus Finnigan

Relationships: Harry & Ron

Warnings: implied/referenced child abuse

Tags: book 1; missing scene; canon compliant; emotional hurt/comfort; hurt/comfort; Ron Weasley is a Good Friend

*complete*

Closing In by silver_fish

Plot: Harry supposes he’ll never know how they learned about the cupboard under the stairs. He also supposes he’ll never know how they managed to make him so afraid of it, all these years later.

Characters: Harry, Hermione, Ron

Warnings: implied/referenced child abuse, claustrophobia, implied/referenced torture, codependency, trauma, panic attacks, PTSD, therapy

Tags: post-war; hurt/comfort; touch-starved; guilt; Harry centric; false memories

My Notes: This one made me emotionally exhausted but it’s written super well

*complete*

Adjustments by Velvet_Riptide

Plot: With the Second Wizarding War over, Sirius is more than excited to put everything behind him and raise Harry as his own. However, he and Remus begin to notice odd and troubling behaviors from Harry. Without answers from the source, Sirius turns to Harry's previous guardians--Molly and Arthur Weasley--and learns Harry is still making adjustments from his time with the Dursley's.

Characters: Harry, Sirius, Remus, Molly, Arthur, Hermione, Ron

Relationships: Sirius/Remus; Hermione/Ron; Remus & Harry; Sirius & Harry

Warnings: implied/referenced child abuse; childhood trauma; PTSD

Tags: hurt/comfort; coparenting; Harry lived in the Burrow for several years with the Weasleys before moving to 12 Grimmauld Place;

*complete*

Two Things by TheDivineComedian

Plot: Harry is only four years old and the Dursleys are already mean.

Characters: Harry, Petunia, Vernon, Dudley, imaginary Lily, imaginary James

Warnings: implied/referenced child abuse

*complete*

How to be happy by TheDivineComedian

Plot: The Patronus charm requires a happy memory. Harry Potter doesn't have many, and the Dementors get Sirius, after all. But the story is far from over.

Characters: Harry, Remus, Sirius, Ron, Hermione

Relationships: Harry & Sirius; Harry & Remus; Remus & Sirius

Warnings: major character death; implied/referenced child abuse

Tags: creepy; heartwarming; dementors; Hogwarts third year

My Notes: this one is a fucking doozy good lord (the tags say heartwarming but w h e r e)

*complete*

Knowledge is a Rose by Magi_Silverwolf

Plot: When Harry discovered that he had a name, he clung to that information and all that it entailed. After learning more information about his past, nothing and everything changed.

Characters: Harry

Warnings: implied/referenced child abuse; physical abuse; verbal abuse; mental abuse

Tags: emotional hurt; identity issues

*complete*

No Love for the Wicked by VigilanteVampire4311

Plot: Harry Potter was the Boy-Who-Lived. The Golden Boy. The Chosen One. But it turns out when you run head first into an unknown magical artifact and end up in a void, none of that matters. Now he's in a different time with familiar strangers who just can't seem to understand the new transfer student, Harrison Miller. With a Defense teacher he can't let his guard down for a second around, the Marauders hounding the 'mysterious' new Slytherin, and his housemates who cannot fathom a muggleborn being among them, Harry has to wonder whether fate hates him or if he is really a trouble-making freak like the Dursleys always said.

Characters: Harry, James, Lily, Sirius, Remus, Regulus, Snape, Tom Riddle, Pomfrey

Relationships: Harry & James; Harry & Lily; Sirius & Harry; Remus & Harry; Regulus & Harry; Harry & Tom Riddle; Pomfrey & Harry

Warnings: graphic depictions of violence; implied/referenced child abuse; possessive behavior; depression; non-consensual touching

Tags: The Veil; Slytherin Harry; Marauders are kinda assholes; Tom Riddle is not Voldemort yet; Severus is so done; alternate universe; angst; hurt/comfort; bullying; time travel; Marauders Era

My Notes: so far with 7 chapters in, we haven’t yet gotten to Harry interacting with anyone from the past but it’s still written really well

*incomplete* [last updated September 2021]

The snake in the daffodils by SpicyReyes *favorite*

Plot: Harry follows Sirius through the Veil of Death, and stumbles out on the other side of the Mirror of Erised, under a strange spell and stranded in an unfamiliar Hogwarts.

Characters: Harry, Remus, Regulus, Harry, Ron, James, Lily, Sirius

Relationships: Regulus/James; Sirius/Remus; Draco/Harry

Warnings: graphic depictions of violence; discussions of suicide; discussions of self-harm; suicidal ideation; implied/referenced child abuse

Tags: universe jumping; Hogwarts fifth year; misunderstandings; miscommunication; basically everyone thinks harry wants to die but he is actually just hella confused

My Notes: so, so good! And if you like this one I recommend The Devil’s White Knight which is really similar in concept

*incomplete* [last updated 2020]

been waiting a lifetime (to be with you) by justprompts

Plot: The next time he woke, Potter was shaking him awake. Just, just not the right one. He had hazel eyes for one, and class. This was not Harry Potter. This was - Well, he had just woken up and who accepts the delightfully altering time-related facts of life right as they wake up?

Characters: Harry, Dumbledore; Peter Pettigrew; Prewett Twins; Marlene McKinnon; Sirius; Remus; Lily; James; Draco; Alice & Frank Longbottom; Regulus; Draco

Relationships: Draco/Harry; James/Lily; Sirius/Remus; Marlene McKinnon/Dorcas Meadows; Alice/Frank Longbottom; Regulus & Sirius; Regulus & Draco

Tags: time travel fix-it; Marauders Era; Horcrux hunting; everyone lives/nobody dies; master of death Harry; light-hearted; POV multiple; Harry doesn’t need to be dark/evil to be master of death; irregular and slow updates; mutual pining

*incomplete* [last updated May 2021]

The Gospel Truth by twentysevensummers

Plot: When Harry arrives at Number Twelve Grimmauld Place with a black eye, he has more trouble than expected keeping the truth from Sirius.

Characters: Harry, Sirius, Remus

Relationships: Sirius & Harry

Warnings: referenced/implied child abuse; child neglect

Tags: book 5; hurt/comfort; angst; Harry needs a hug; good godparent Sirius Black; number 12 grimmauld place

*complete*

o children, lift up your voice by orphan_account

Plot: "i don't know if they could've put a flap in the door of the cupboard, now that i think about it," harry laughs nervously. "dunno if it would've fit onto it. since it's smaller than the bedroom door." hermione and ron's heads both shoot up. "what?" ron asks. "excuse me?" hermione says.

Characters: Harry, Ron, Hermione

Relationships: Hermione & Harry & Ron

Warnings: implied/referenced child abuse

Tags: friendship; slight canon divergence; character study; second war with Voldemort; physical affection; lots of hugs

My Notes: this one is so good and if you can get past the fact that the author doesn’t capitalize anything, you’re good to go (although it was difficult to get past that at first for myself)

*complete*

Muggle Management by LadyWinterlight, NerdyKat

Plot: What happens if Hermione notices signs of abuse in Harry during first year? The Wizarding World may not have laws against it, but the Muggle World certainly does...

Characters: Harry, Hermione, Mrs Granger, Mr. Granger

Warnings: implied/referenced child abuse

Tags: family

*complete*

Harry Potter & Other Fandoms

Masked Men and Where to Find Them by tinyrose65

Fandoms: Harry Potter & Daredevil & MCU

Plot: Harry Potter moved to Hell's Kitchen because she wanted a fresh start: time away from the spotlight, where she could focus on being the best Healer she could be. Trust the unconscious man in her dumpster to go and complicate things.

Characters: Harry, Matt Murdock

Relationships: Harry/Matt; past Harry/Draco

Warnings: past domestic abuse; implied/referenced child abuse

Tags: female!Harry

My Notes: this is the first in a series and the second one is also incomplete but they’re both very good and the second one has Jessica Jones!

*incomplete* [last updated 2016]

Magic and Masks by Akoia

Fandoms: Harry Potter & DC Comics

Plot: Harry Potter is anything but normal, thank you very much, he just didn't hold such nonsense as that. Follow him on his adventures through the Wizarding world and muggle world as he struggles to understand who he is, and fight the destiny that's been chosen for him.

Characters: Harry; Dick Grayson; Jason Todd; Bruce Wayne; Alfred Pennyworth; the Dursleys

Warnings: implied/referenced child abuse; canon typical violence

Tags: fluff and angst

My Notes: this is a series with six parts!

*incomplete* [last updated 2020]

Modern Family

Breaking & Entering: (The Start Of) A Love Story by dollsome

Plot: "Oh my God," Mitchell says, "this is insane." It is, for the record. It is actually ... insane.

Characters: Mitchell, Cameron

Relationships: Mitchell Pritchett/Cameron Tucker

Warnings: none

Tags: none

*completed*

#harry potter #hogwarts #harry james potter #fanfic recs #my posts #fanfiction #fanfiction recommendations #fic recs #the marauders #modern family #the golden trio #drarry #wolfstar #dc comics #batman #daredevil #marvel #mcu #my recs

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nerdyprocrastinator · 2 years ago

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Shows I’m Procrastinating Watching because I Know They Will Absolutely Wreck Me

2 September 2022

Since the last post was decently serious and actually educational, I have decided to focus this post on the nerdy side of my name. These are shows that I have been procrastinating finishing either because of the discourse surrounding them or because I found out some spoilers that I truly am not ready for. While there are a lot of shows that I could talk about for this topic, I will mainly focus on the show that has basically had me in a chokehold ever since I found out about the show's ships. But, we’ll get to that part when we get there.

3. Fairy Tale

Just starting this anime is a commitment in and of itself with the show being over 500 episodes long. I have started watching the show, but I am completely terrified to try finishing it. I managed to find myself on a side of the internet that talks a lot about some plot points that happen later on in the series. While I have not seen a lot of the show or really understand the references, I know that as soon as I actually watch up to those plot points, I will be absolutely torn apart by it. I hav fallen in love with a lot of the character through what I have heard about the show and I am just not ready for the emotional toll I know that these plot points will cause me. Instead of watching the entire show, I have chosen to watch basically any other anime that I can get my hands on through Crunchyroll and other sites/apps.

2. Fate: A Winx Saga (and Winx Club Season 8)

As someone who grew up with Winx Club, and then binge-watched it in middle school, I absolutely cannot handle how much the shows changed from the original 4 seasons that went with the actual creator’s story idea. I fell in love with the characters throughout the first 4 seasons, but once the show figured out the 3D/CGI animation for half the season, the show felt like it was just going downhill.

With the completely different art style of season 8 on Nickelodeon and its new setup for girls who are probably, like, 8, I just can’t really get into that new season. The show seems to lack the maturity that it once was gaining and actually achieved in the 4th season. This may just be a little bit of prejudice against the new look, but I just can’t handle it.

It is kind of a different story when it comes to Fate: A Winx Saga. With Fate, the creators of this version of the Winx replaced and even completely erased, some of the main characters of the original Winx show. They made a show that actually grew with its audience and forced it to go immediately into the kind of show that Riverdale is (I’m not saying there is anything wrong with Riverdale, just that Riverdale is completely different from the more daily-life fantasy adventure show that Winx was). A lot of discourse that was going on around the show when it originally aired was that it was just a normal teen drama that was using the popularity and notoriety of the Winx name to gain views. Some of my friends who have watched the show have said that it is good when you stop thinking about it as something that is connected to Winx and start thinking of it as its own separate entity. I can’t do that because I will constantly be analyzing the show and comparing it to the original show that I know and love. I just feel that they should have just created the new show without having the need to trick fans of Winx into watching a show that is majorly different from the show these fans are actually fans of.

1. RWBY

This is the show that made me actually want to write this post. When I first heard about this show, it was still on Netflix. I started watching the first few episodes, but I only got a few minutes into the first episode before I decided that it wasn’t for me back then.

Well, years have passed and I found a compilation video on YouTube that introduced me to a very popular relationship on the show. As I watched the compilation multiple times, I fell in love with one of the characters and decided to try watching it to see if it was something that I could actually watch and stick with. Well, as the show continued, I got closer and closer to a really big scene in the 3rd season from the compilation and I just couldn’t handle the idea of watching the characters I loved continually get hurt and be in pain.

I stopped watching for a little bit so that I could regain the courage to finish the show. During this little break, I saw another compilation that has cemented in my heart that I literally would not be able to finish the show without absolutely sobbing my eyes dry. The compilation was about the relationship in the 8th season (yes, I know it’s weird to watch a compilation of an extremely later season of a show I didn't watch much of the first time and still planned to go back to). The scene I saw was a major character death where the “love interest” (it was kind of like a will they/won’t they love triangle type of situation) of my absolute favorite character. I already loved this character and she had been through a lot from the parts I had actually watched in the show itself and in the compilations, so seeing a character she grew extremely close to die would be too much for me to have watch her go through. Especially since I was actually also a fan of the “love interest.”

This show is on my “wait-as-long-as-possible to finish” list because I will only finish watching this show if I find a compilation that shows that the dead character actually comes back to life and the two can continue to live their lives together and happily in love.

Honorable mention to Young Justice for a very similar reason to RWBY. I am just not ready to watch the love interests of my absolute favorite characters die and then watch as my favorite characters struggle to live their lives without the ones that I believe are their absolute soulmates.

Reach out through the comments to talk more about shows that you are absolutely procrastinating watching for whatever reasons. I’d love to hear from you guys.

#procrastinating #i procrastinate a lot #nerd #rwby #fairy tail #fate the winx saga #winx club #tv shows #tv seires

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bagog · 3 years ago

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What On Earth Has Happened

Hey, no story here, no experiments. Just a play by play of an awful year in my life. Please don't reblog. Trying to just get it down in one place for people who care about me. Long, sob-story beneath the cut.

Air - 'Things are looking up!' I had started to drift a bit from tumblr. The porno purge came and a lot of my friends trickled off the platform after that. I went back to school, attempting to score myself a Masters degree in something that would pay enough to get me out of Student Debt. I was doing great, picking things up fast. I got a new job at a company doing pretty menial work, but the people I worked with were great conversationalists. The work didn't involve dealing with customers at all, paid well, and was small and accomplishable tasks. Essentially I was being prepped to take a better position at the place once I had my Masters. Covid happened, then. Earth - 'The Whole World Sucks Right Now' My company was "essential," so I continued going to work, now on weird schedules. The company I worked for was profiting off Covid, all the while making fun of it as an overblown conspiracy, even as their own epidemiologist urged them to take better precautions. Work became hard to swallow. Water - 'When your lowest place could be lower' The apartment I shared with my boyfriend flooded. The lowest place in any sewage system is typically the bathtub, such that if it backs up, it does so into that tub. Our lowest point is the toilet. So the apartment flooded. Three times. Roots growing through the sewage outflow meant that, often, you needed to wait a solid hour between toilet flushes, or else the toilet would back up with such gusto the sewage would slosh down the hallway and into the living room. We mopped many times. The problem was finally fixed 8 months later, necessitating our having to camp because our house had no water. Fire - 'To destroy all you've done' One afternoon, I smelled burning. Going to our bedroom, I found our shelf a column of flame. I could barely breathe for all the smoke, but I managed to grab a blanket and beat the fire out. On the other side of the room, the pages of the books upon another shelf had begun to crisp from the heat, the blinds on all the windows were warped. The whole apartment had been about to go up. I'm kinda scared of fire now. Heart - 'When moving is too much to ask' Personal health sorta hit a new low. Migraines kept me out of work for two full weeks. I have seasonal foot pain, I always assumed from hiking for a living in my 20s. Turns out it was gout, all the while. Gout is exceptionally painful: it's like a messy pile of razor blades in the ball of your foot every time you step down. At work, I could barely stand. Walking from my car to the door became something I needed to psyche myself up for. Not a lot can stop a gout flare-up once it's in full swing, so I just had to wait it out. For a month. Two. Some of the worst sustained pain I've been in. Little did I know that, in January, come the kidney stones. Kidney stones feel awful. Feel like total shit. Gout and kidney stones are comorbid--brought about as a result of the meds I take to help me focus. So any day I don't drink enough water is a day when my kidneys or my foot just starts aching. But going back to September of 2020... Homophobia - 'goddammit' Finally things are looking better. I'm limping quickly again. Then I am called into the HR office. I am told that two sexual harassment charges have been brought against me. I'm told that one individual has alleged that I, while in the restroom, used a reflective toilet brush to attempt to peep him under a stall wall. I did not do this. I do not understand--reflective toilet brush?? wtf. The second allegation: I just straight up looked over a stall at a guy. I didn't do this either. I'm asked to defend myself, I ask who or date or time of day. I am given nothing. I remark that I don't think I'm tall enough to see over the stall, and I do not understand about the toilet brush. Of the ten minutes of the meeting, I spend 8 of them trying to get my head around how a claim about a reflective toilet brush has me here. "Would you like us to go now to see if you're tall enough to see over the stall? If that would help your defense?" says the HR head. "Yes, I

would," says I. We did not go. I am told that the accusers have no reason to be collaborating, or to even know each other made a claim. This is bullshit, because it was a company of 80 people, and only a quarter of those employees used the restroom where my alleged harassment was to have taken place. Before I am dismissed from work for the day to go home and wait to find out if I'll be fired or not, I march into the HR office once more and say "I hope none of this is happening because I'm gay." The HR head looks positively offended. I got fired cuz I'm gay. Next day I got a call. They'd come to the "objective truth" (that phrase is burned in my mind), and were terminating me. Apparently they discounted the toilet brush rumor, after all. But they really honestly believed I looked over the stall at a dude. Nightmare - 'No Fear One Fear' Let me tell you something: this is a nightmare. This is my honest-to-god nightmare. I've been terrified of getting accused of something in a bathroom since I was 11 years old. I am incredibly self-conscious and careful in public restrooms. To be fired? From a place full of people I like? And all of them will think I'm a pervert. My boyfriend worked at the same place. He would now have to work there every day dealing with people looking at him and wondering what he must think of his boyfriend. That sent me on a spiral. I'm still out of work, almost a year later. It would have been the worst mental health crisis of my life if it wasn't for my boyfriend, my support network, and the meds I've finally been able to get ahold of. Oh, also. My two accusers? Were roommates. HR knew they were roommates. They basically collaborated on a story to get me fired. The story circulating around the place (I still have acquaintances I talk to working there) has dropped the reflective toilet brush entirely. I guess they thought it was too unbelievable. So anyway, the people who accused me are now telling a different set of events than what I was told. Absolute horse shit. Tried to go to my city's human right's council to see if my situation warranted further attention. I gave my side of the story--including tales of the straight manager who had had enough harassment charges brought against him that he was no longer allowed to meet female staff--which indicated I'd been treated differently and wrongly. My old job made an impassioned argument that the committee violated their First Amendment rights(?) ('Freedom of speech' is the biggie with the First Amendment, for people who cba re:USA). I won the vote!! But one member of the committee was missing. So there weren't enough people for the vote to pass. Dismissed. We took it to the EEOC to make an official federal complaint. Just a week ago, an agent of the US Government patiently explained to us that these laws are literally designed to fuck over the worker and protect the employer unless they are epically stupid, and unfortunately, mine had not been epically stupid. So there's nowhere to go, no recourse to be had. It's over, I guess. Family - 'How to sum it up quickly...' My family hit me with the old soft-disown. No more calls, no more communication. They think they are loving me by not having contact with me. By depriving me of my family, they hope it will make me realize that the path I'm on is destructive, and I'll return to them living an upright life. No. I'm living an upright life, now. And if my family can choose to throw me away, then they are not a family I choose. Then my dad hit me back two months later, absolutely gaslighting me and pretending we never had the disown conversation at all. Reality - 'I don't know who I am anymore' I have trouble knowing what's real, anymore. Every message my dad sends on the surface seems loving and supportive and plaintive. I feel I must be the one in the wrong. I got fired for bullshit reasons. It doesn't feel real. "My family can't possibly have ceased contact with me: that's one of those things I know can never happen!!" But that did happen. So what else that feels real, actually isn't? I do

mean to be so dramatic, and I won't apologize for it. But I truly do feel like my mind has been pretty thoroughly unseated by the last year. Whoever I am, I'm becoming someone different. More distilled, at very least. I've discovered a lot of things about myself: trauma that has likely led to a lot of my mental health problems. Discovered I actually have RAGING ADHD, and it has robber me of a lot of things I wanted to do, and now is sort of consuming me completely. I'm looking for help. Trying to get better. Here's hoping. Every bold point above could be its own book, for all my thoughts about them. But enough of that for now. Love you. Thanks for reading.

#personal #depressed writing #life update #2020 sucked

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stuckinapatriarchalbullshitland · 4 years ago

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Unreleased songs - ɟ

Hi, babies 👋🏼. Long time no see 😂 As I said I would, ta-daah!

So, honeys, today’s topic is about unreleased songs as the title of the post suggests, but that’s not what you think. Let me explain. For years I’ve been investigating the world of celebrities, the world of Hollywood, and the more time passes, the more things I’m able to discover, even if ‘slowly’ because I work. As I mentioned in the ‘Award shows’ post, thanks to the time I still have for a while because I’m on vacation for a few more days, I finally had time to find out some information about ‘who?’, ‘how?’, and ‘why?’ we’re getting blessed with so many unreleased songs. I haven’t found an answer to everything yet, but I’m working on it. For now, I’ll tell you what I know and my theories. If any of you know anything more, please, PLEASE DM me: @fa-by.

Let’s go in order. ‘Who?’:

I think that like me, many of you have always wondered ‘Who’s leaking all these songs? Is it a hacker? Is it the artist’s management? Is it the artist themself?’. The answer to these questions is unfortunately still only what I think. For me, it’s the artist’s label. Labels are usually the ones that own the master recording copyrights. [If you want to know more about the subject, I wrote a post about it: ‘How the music world works’. If you’re interested, Mari did this very cool thing for me. All you have to do is click on the #f anon on her blog to see all my posts (I know I sounded like a grandma, but I said it’s cool because I didn’t know it could be done. I’m pretty good with tech in general, but I’m still pretty new to the Tumblr world, okay? Don’t make fun of me 🤓🤣)]

As I also explained in that post, a recording agreement states that the label becomes the owner of all the master recordings recorded by the artist during the period of the agreement. And yes, this also includes unreleased recordings. And that’s why I’m very convinced that it’s the label. Labels are at the tip of the pyramid, and they are the ones who make every decision about their artists. Managements, agents, publicists, etc., only execute directives. So I think they’re the ones leaking those songs through their own IT departments.

It also depends on the cases and why, but sometimes instead, they even paid someone outside, hackers or ordinary people, to do it. The same methods they used to ‘hack’ and spread even false personal data and information about their artists. The reasons vary of course. They may have leaked a song because their artist hadn’t released something in a while and to keep fans engaged. They may have done it to see the fans’ response to that genre of song and if they’ve vibed with it to be able to choose the kind of direction for their artist to take for the new album and next single. They may have done so with a song they knew they were going to officially release just to get more attention on the song itself (example: ‘Love Incredible’ and ‘First Man’). They may have done it simply for publicity and to get people talking about their artist. Really, they may have done so for all sorts of reasons.

This, however, happened mostly in the past. Now, based on what I’ve discovered, I’ve realized that there’s also another reason why they do it. And this reason, leads us to the next question: ‘How?’

I’ve already anticipated how they did in the past and sometimes still do. By using their IT departments or by paying someone outside to do it for them. But I haven’t yet explained how they do it now, which leads to my discovery.

*Little story for you first*🙃 (#donthateme)

I was simply scrolling to see what new music was released and if there was any interesting news. The typical “I was minding my own business when”, you know? Well, that’s how I came across ‘Party Animal’.

I can literally picture you saying to me: “But, Faby, Party Animal is an old song!”. Yes, it is. Party Animal is a 2017 song sung by Charly Black & Luis Fonsi. But did you know that a remix with Camila on it should have been released and that it got scrapped?? 🤯🤯🤯🤯 That’s what I came across! In the snippet to be more precise. I knew the remix existed [I also talked about it in one of my last posts to reply to an Anon], but I’d never listened to its snippet, so imagine my surprise when I found it in front of me out of nowhere! And they even created a mashup between her snippet and the original song to see how the remix would’ve turned out to be. I’m gonna put a piece of the mashup with Camila’s snippet at the end of the post for you to listen to.

Party Animal brought me to the snippets of ‘It’s Only Natural’ ft. Skrillex, the original demo of ‘Sangria Wine’ which together with Pharrell, was initially also supposed to have J Balvin and Young Thug on it, ‘Pretending’ by Lauren, and many others that I didn’t yet know existed, including those I knew about and that I listened to again, like for example the first version of ‘Havana’, that is the first real original demo with Starrah, or ‘Who Can I Run To’ by 5H, or ‘If It Ain’t Me’ by Dua Lipa ft. Normani (leaked unreleased song, recorded for Dua’s Future Nostalgia album), etc., etc.

What happened then? Thanks to those snippets and to the re-listening of all the ones I already knew, I resumed investigating as I’d already started doing this summer, and I finally discovered this:

*end of the little story*

There are sites. Hackers sites that sell these songs. Yes, you read that correctly. SELL. These sites sell unreleased and exclusive music from any artist. From top A singers to less famous and unknown singers. Anyone can register and anyone can buy the songs. Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, if you’re lucky enough to have A LOT of money to throw around, then those sites are for you. These sites are not cheap. Some of them charge you money even when you just register.

Do you want examples to better understand? Okay, let’s talk about our Camren.

Remember when I submitted the post with Lauren’s ‘Inside’ studio version on December 17th? Remember how many of you felt guilty to listen to it even though you were happy to do it and even though I told you that Lauren herself said it wouldn’t be on the album? Well, do you wanna know the real reason we got this leaked? Because a Camila fan BOUGHT it from one of those websites and released it as a ‘Christmas gift’ for all of us!

Do you know how on July 21 we had ‘Curious’, ‘Cleopatra’, and ‘Unforgettable’? How on August 22 we had ‘Just Like You’ ft. Jack Ü? How on September 3 we had ‘Come When I Call’ ft. Pharrell Williams, ‘Taxi’, and ‘Eyes on You’? And how the next day, the 4th, we had ‘Terrified’? The only reason we’ve been blessed with all of these unreleased songs by Camila, is because people BOUGHT them from those sites exactly as it happened with Inside!

We’re about to be fed with a lot more, guys. You see, this is another thing I discovered. These websites [I only know of four at the moment, and honestly? It was pretty easy to find them, so it won’t be a problem for you either. But please, please, please guys, don’t ask me to tell you the sites here publicly because I won’t. I don’t want any problems.], these hackers, sometimes release snippets for free to spark buyer interest. These snippets then end up on the internet, and that’s how we ‘mere mortals’ also learn about the existence and titles of songs discarded from albums. But most of the time, even the snippets have to be bought because they’re about highly desired songs. This happens because, for example, maybe an artist has mentioned them in an interview and therefore fans want them.

I’ll give you a practical example. Remember when Camila talked about The Boy? We obviously all freaked out because not only was it a song written by Ed Sheeran that she rewrote almost completely, but mostly because we WANTED and WANT to hear it. Same thing that happened with God Is a Woman. So what did the hackers do? They put the snippets up for sale because they were both very requested songs. Once the snippets were sold and spread well, they put the songs up for sale in full. And do you wanna know how much The Boy is on sale? $3,000 on one unreleased selling site, and $3,500 on another one [Prices I read from the comments of some accounts that are registered on those sites]. I wasn’t kidding when I said they aren’t cheap… Although there are songs that cost less, such as ‘Thinkin Bout One’ (song discarded from the album ‘Camila’) which is currently on sale for $300. Still waaay too much and pretty over the top for my ass.

If you happen to see snippets of Camren’s unreleased songs or 5H’s around, it’s only thanks and because these websites are selling them. Unfortunately, there’s no possibility of having them in full unless someone pays for them first.

And all this leads us to the last question: ‘Why?’

Why? Very simple answer: for money. As I said I explained in my ‘How the music world works’ post [and I’m truly sorry to bring this up again, but it really makes sense with what I’m saying and if you don’t understand what I’m talking about now, then I suggest you go read that first and then come back here], labels buy some songs for the album from authors and ghostwriters, and invest on the artist by giving them an advance to make that album. This advance is mainly reserved to pay for the recording of the album, and this means paying for the recording costs, which includes the payment of A LOT of other things that I explained there. What interests us in this case, is that the recording costs also include all those songs that were later discarded from an album.

The labels paid to have the artist do those songs, and since they weren’t released, they didn’t make any money off those songs. Neither the labels nor the artists who recorded them. Or rather, the labels have certainly regained the money invested to make them thanks to the recoupment of the recording costs. Either immediately, or in any case later thanks to cross-collateralization. But the artist? They just lost money, and they both earned no royalties or licenses precisely because those songs were never released.

So what did they come up with to make money on those songs too? They put them up for sale. Theory’s time: In my opinion, labels use hackers because they know how not to be tracked. Think about it.

I’ll give you an example. If you were to create a site, would you know how to protect it? Would you know what data is coming in and out of your website? Would you know which functions are constantly running and which are not? Would you know which programs transmit data externally and which ones don’t? Would you know which programs are suspicious? Would you know to create alternative algorithms, security plugins, and serious firewalls that prevent unauthorized access? I could go on all day, but if your answer is no, then I guess you get my point.

They use external hackers. People outside their IT departments in such a way as not to create any kind of connection between them. They use them as they would use publishers, distributors, and collection agencies with an officially released song all at once. It’s a give-and-take. The hackers take the necessary security measures and create the sites, the labels pass the unreleased songs to them, and the hackers put them up for sale. Once sold, the hackers get their share and the labels get the biggest percentage. It’s actually brilliant if you think about it.

Now let’s move on to the last small part of this post.

Do the artists know that their unreleased songs are for sale? I think they really do. And I’ll tell you more. I think they have deals with their own label to get their share of sales as well. I believe that they’re also themselves (with label approval of course) who choose which one to put up for sale and which one to keep to use in the future, whether it’s for an album or simply to take and use part of the lyrics from that song for a new one.

And then, think about it for a moment. Do you really believe that if someone else had ‘stolen’ them and put them up for sale, the labels wouldn’t have noticed? That they wouldn’t immediately have shut down their sites and take action since it’s not a single song? And I’m also talking about legal measures that they would have taken together with the authors of those songs since they, the labels, are the owners of the master recording copyrights, and the authors are the owners of the composition copyrights. Come on, my friends. Do you have any idea how powerful major labels are? But anyway.

Do I think we have a problem? Do I think all of this could lead to problems for the girls for their future sales? Nope. I honestly think this is just more publicity for them. I think thanks to these songs, people/fans can even more and really see how talented they are, especially in lyrics. Lauren for example, who still hasn’t graced us with her album. These songs are like appetizers while waiting for the main course: LJ1.

And now I’m really done 😄 I remind you that all these unreleased songs for sale are scraps of their albums, scraps of remixes and collaborations, and scraps in general, so they’re not really harming them by selling them. Don’t let yourself get unnecessary heart attacks, please🤣

If you have any questions, as usual, all you have to do is ask. I send you lots of love with virtual hugs 🤗 Stay safe. Stay patient. Be kind to yourself and others. I love you, babies. As usual, always with love, F ❤️

As promised, this is the mashup piece with Camila’s snippet:

Still here, hi 👋🏼😊 aaand super bonus for you just because I love you. I know this is gonna literally make you scream, jump, cry, and I mean, it will literally get you out of your minds exactly as it did to me. I present to you a demo of No Way (my second favorite 5H song) ONLY SUNG BY CAMREN!!!!!! It’s only 42 seconds, and the only difference is actually Camila who sings also Normani’s part before hers, but JESUS FUCKING CHRIST, it’s heavenly 😻😍 Thank me later and for now, just enjoy, my children, just enjoy:

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

___

Party Animal

youtube

I have the post the audio apart from this so you can hear it too

#submission #f anon #self reblog after this

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ifliamsmile · 4 years ago

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Days Gone; Dick Grayson| Ch2

summary: After Dick’s death, you faced the worst feeling during months: Grief. Day by day the pain grew inside your life and you had no expectations of being able to pass through that until someone appeared again bringing all of this down but still, a lot of things changed and even though you looked for answers, the turnaround that life brought you was gently welcomed.

pairing: Dick Grayson x y/n

warnings: angst.

prologue

previous chapter

wanna be tagged?

Living without Dick during these months has been the closest I got to hell itself. September, October, November, December and the last image of him saying goodbye still makes me wonder if it’s true the saying that god doesn’t give us more than we can take, because honestly, I’m not sure if I can take this any longer.

I don’t know how much of myself have died in this time, but I surely can say that a little bit dies everyday, I get alright when the guys are around, Rachel, Jason, Donna, they tried to fix me and I feel a little less broken until I’m alone and lately..that’s all the time.

People often say that when someone dies, their image will fade away, bit by bit, from your mind, but it’s clearly an utterly lie, because Dick’s face only gets more and more real in my head, his voice and the gap in my heart everyday when I wake up and his side on the bed is still empty, yes..it is so cruelly real to me.

It was still morning, around 8 AM, when I got up. I took a shower and left to the closest coffee shop. I needed these caffeine doses to start my day, San Francisco was amazingly cold these days and coffee was more than necessary.

Rachel loves it here, she was still asleep when I left and I couldn’t wake her up since she trained a lot yesterday, so I came alone.

I ordered my doppio coffee and waited to receive it in the next county.

“Y/n Grayson” the clerk called my name pointing that my order was ready. I’ve been using Dick’s nickname ever since we got married when we were younger, but hearing it would always remind me of him first. Because I always loved calling him like this when I was mad, or just pretending to be, I smiled to myself hearing my own thoughts. I was going to take a sip of my drink when I felt a hand on my shoulder and I instantly turned around to see who it was.

And for a minute, I wished I could have turned around slowly, because the image I saw in front of me made me dizzy, almost like I would fall on the ground. My hands shaked and the grip on the cup of coffee got loose.

I only realized that it hit the ground when the person in front of me looked down and so did I, following his look.

He had shaved hair and a scar on the side of his head which looked like a wing. And a look..this look that I would never forget, the same tiny and tight brown eyes that he had. I could only be crazy, maybe I’m seeing things, because this man looks exactly like.. Dick.

He looked at me again, locking our looks and my legs trembled again.

“Dick is dead Y/n, I’m sorry”

“He got shot in the head, Y/n. I’m truly sorry. He’s gone”

Bruce’s voice telling me he had died echoed in my head..it couldn’t be him, Dick died.

“Y/n—” the man spoke and hearing his voice was excruciating. Why does it sound exactly like my husband’s voice? “It’s me, Richard.”

No. Absolutely no. No fucking way.

“How's it even possible?” I spoke, almost inaudibly, shaking my head slowly, in disbelief.

“Can we talk?” he tried to reach my hand and in instinct I moved it away from him but maybe touching him was the only way to find out it wasn’t my mind playing tricks on me, so I did. I touched his hand and he was there, physically, in person, not less than that and for my relief: I wasn't crazy.

My other hand covered my mouth and a lonely tear streamed down on my cheek, what was going on? I asked myself.

“Can we please talk? I— I need to talk to you.” he asked again and I nodded, still scared.

“Not here, please— I can’t” I snapped. I couldn’t do this here. He nodded.

“I have a place, can we?”

“Yes.” I said quickly, I needed to get out of there, I wasn’t ready for this.

Dick took us to a loft. It wasn’t far from where we were and took us almost 5 minutes to get here, it seemed so new, like he had just got here.

We got in the place in silence, no words were spoken since we left the coffee shop and I was still trying to breath and digest everything.

I entered what seemed to be the living room and he was right behind me.

“Y/n—” he said and I stopped. His voice calling me broke me in uncountable pieces, what did life expect from me?

I turned around to face him and the tears took my vision again.

“Richard.” I said his name.

“I’m here— I'm here, Y/n” he said and came closer. Dick took me into his arms and I cried my heart out.

He was back.

I don’t know how many minutes I spent like this, crying on his chest, but he kept his chin on the top of my head.

“Look at me—” Dick asked “Please.”

I lifted my head and looked at him. He wiped my tears with his fingers.

“I’m afraid I’m truly crazy and hallucinating and—” I said.

“I’m not a hallucination, Y/n. You touched me, I’m real.” Dick said firmly but still soft, looking into my watered eyes.

“It’s too much for me to understand.”

“Well, I’m not capable of explaining you a lot now, except for the things I remember, but I’ll try my best to make you understand, I promise.”

“What do you mean?”

“Let’s sit here.” He led me to sit on the sofa in front of a fireplace, which made the place warmer.

I stood there looking at him, waiting to hear what he had to say, anxiously looking for an answer.

He half smiled looking at me, in his usual position, resting his elbows on his thigh, crossing hands.

“What’s so funny, Grayson?”

“I thought that through all these months you’d have forgotten me.”

“Are you kidding me—You can only be kidding me.” I told him in disbelief

“Alright, alright, I’m kidding. But the truth is..I don’t remember everything, to be honest, I don’t remember anything..But you.”

He looked at me and I couldn’t say anything, confusion took my look, I was perplexed, he didn’t remember anything.

“What happened in the night you died?”

“I didn’t..they told me I got shot in an attempt to kill commissioner Gordon, the bullet that hit me was actually trying to hit him. They told me I lost a lot of brain tissue and my memory was compromised. So now I can’t remember anything and the only thing that’s alive enough in my mind for me to remember, it’s you.” He looked down.

“Oh my god, Dick..”

“They call me Ric, Y/n..” they? Ric? what the hell.

“They?” I asked

“The people who were treating me. The ones I ran off, my doctor..she was from the Court of Owls, she was trying to keep me there and my memory only got worse so I needed to leave,I— I couldn’t forget the only thing that remained.”

“This is too much. I can’t imagine how you could deal with all of this.”

“I couldn’t, I am not dealing, I’m running, I’m struggling because I can’t face it. But finding you is a sight of hope.” he said

I got closer to Dick, Ric, It didn’t matter because my Richard was back. I hugged him and I couldn’t contain my emotion. He hugged me back, even stronger.

“I’m so sorry that you had to go through this all alone, It must have been terrifying.” I told him with one of my hands on his cheek.

“Would you believe if I told you that it feels a little better now?”

“Maybe, yeah” I smiled at him and he opened his bright smile. God, how I missed this, how missed him. “

“Sorry if I went into shock when I found out that you didn't die. I deserve some credit— You should be grateful that I didn't scream or run” I completed.

Dick smiled. All the sensations that Dick used to cause me were still there, perhaps even more intense. The chill in the belly didn't seem to want to go away.

“Stop smiling, it's not funny at all” That's what I said, he nodded and broke the smile, but the damn gleam in his eyes didn't go away.

“Forgive me” Dick said, his intense, emotion-filled tone immediately caught my attention. His gaze held mine, in that familiar way of seeing the depths of his soul. Pure and intense. Sincere and...Passionate.

I did not dare to interrupt him. Silently, I gave him the authorization to continue.

“If I could have done everything differently, I would have found you before, just so I wouldn't see you suffer that way. It breaks my heart to see you like this and— to know that I am responsible. You are the last person in the world I would hurt, you know that. I would trade places with you without a second thought, if it were humanly possible.”

I pressed my lips together in a thin line and held a stubborn tear that wanted to escape from the corner of my eyes.

“There’s nothing to forgive, Richard, you got shot, you lost your memory and gratefully you still remember me.”

“Maybe now you see that all the times I told you you were unforgettable it was true.”

I smiled and looked down slightly shy.

“So cheesy, Grayson.”

“I didn’t come sooner because they were watching you.”

“They who?”

“The court of owls”

“What— Why would they?” I was completely unable to understand this situation.

“That’s what I was trying to figure out before I left the clinic.” he sighed “Especially why they stopped watching you for three days. That's why I approached. I couldn't miss a chance. I've been trying to communicate with you for the past few months, but they just didn't give up. And I couldn't put you in risk, even if I had no idea what they wanted with you.”

I smiled at the end of his sentence.

“You have the incredible power of thinking about me even in the worst scenarios.”

“Yeah, that’s your fault.”

“What?” I pretended to be mad

“You heard me, that’s your fault that I can’t stop this, this unending feeling that no matter what’s going on, protecting you with my life will always be my duty. Your fault that I love you like this. Deal with this.” He had a sassy smile on his face and his sincerity made me melt.

I felt Dick's hands gently take my face, so I surrendered to the moment, because there was no reason not to.

I let my touch feel his lips touching mine, and thanked the heavens for having another chance to kiss him. Because my flawed and ridiculous memory had almost forgotten how splendid it was to be in his arms, having his lips molded to mine, caressing every possible inch of her mouth.

I had forgotten how wonderful it was to have Dick's strong hands caressing my cheeks, then reaching down to my neck and plunging into my hair, pulling it with the strength necessary to dictate the rhythm of the kiss and transform my desire into the purest essence of lust.

I had forgotten the intoxicating sensation that it was to have Dick so close, that his perfume tame my nostrils, that his rigid and strong body made me feel protected from whatever harm the world might cause me.

Because with Dick everything was complete.

With Dick everything was just fine.

#dick grayson imagines #dick grayson x yn #dick grayson x you #nightwing x you #nightwing x reader #nightwing x y/n #dick grayson x y/n #batman imagines

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theouijaboard-archived · 4 years ago

Text

Séance Live Event 2 - 14.03.2021, 4pm - 7:30pm GMT

When: 11th September, 1888, late night Where: Baba Yaga’s Tent Led By: Baba Yaga Featuring: @hauntedyves, @ishmaelhassan, @lucianriviera, @treadboards, @mvsquerade, @maudxlytton, @pollysheedy

Transcript below the cut. The following has undergone minor edits for clarity and continuity’s sake.

Seating plan: Zoya - August - Yves - Polly - Lucian - Ish - Maude - Baba Yaga

Baba Yaga 16:05

Their coming was announced by a dreadful event ; the Friend worked to answer the questions before the darkness ascended, but with the recent occurrences and the slashes of metaphysical claws, she did not need to look the Ball into the Eye to know that the Six are coming - and if it was a lighter situation, perhaps she would’ve played around, toyed with their mood and amused herself with both ignorance and fear oozing from their pores. But, it was a solemn situation and there was no need to sour it further - her appearance, all clad in black lace and her silver hair adorned with silver-and-amethyst pins, black tourmaline and obsidian and onyx hanging from her ears, neck, and clasped around her wrists and long, bony fingers, was enough to put that primal fear in people’s hearts.

“Come all, and enter. Leave your doubts behind you, or walk no further - the doorway opens and if you come here to mock or ridicule, your sanity may soon leave you.” A fair and usual warning, whisper soft murmur echoing through the tent as the people enter. “You are late. Take your seats and let us begin. Be careful to not disrupt the ring of salt behind your chairs. Do not move until all is spoken and answered, and the spirits are laid to rest.” Baba Yaga speaks and the watery gaze softens for a brief moment as she watches the attendees in her tent, fingers curling around the chicken foot hanging from her neck and pressing against her beating heart.

Polly Sheedy 16:09

Polly was terrified beyond belief. None of this gave them any comfort, but they had far too many questions, and too few answers. There were few who could provide them, but Baba Yaga was one. Their eyes fell to the chicken foot, and they felt a little queasy, but dutifully, silently, sank into their seat.

Lucian Riviera 16:10

He took a seat as requested, to the right of Polly and left of Ish, the previous experience had left him with more questions than answers. It had also stirred the notion of an idea he wished to put to the test today when he'd heard of a second reading. An idea he'd planted in Maude's mind at the botanical garden not several days past. Idly he wondered if she would act on his whimsical notion but there was only one way to find out.

Yves Sinclair 16:10

He had desired answers and from the passing words of other, he had heard of possibilities and promises. Not much of a superstitious man, Yves would've been fine all on his own if it weren't for the recent events of death that seemed to linger at the corner of every street. Even his own mind seemed to begin playing games with him as he felt an inkling of strange ... paranoia overcome him. Thus, here he was - ready to follow the directions of Baba Yaga, perhaps she would have answers to the prodding questions in his mind.

Ish Hassan 16:12

Ish was still shaken from the previous encounter with the world beyond the veil. He'd tried to convince himself time and time again that it was all made up nonsense designed to get inside their heads, parlor tricks and games, vague stories that made the hairs on the backs of their arms stand him. He tried to act like none of this was true. He followed the stranger's instructions, taking his seat.

Maude Lytton 16:13

Maude enters the tent, her expression serious and formal, as she did not want to admit to have been convinced of the existence of ghosts by a stranger no less. She sits on the chair and gives a sharp glance at Mr Riviera's direction. She only hopes that the woman doing the séance is not some kind of charlatan, although the chicken feet are a nice touch.

Baba Yaga 16:14

Lips stretch into a smile and the old woman laces her fingers together. “Everyone in attendance remove your gloves, if you have them, and place your hands on the table. If you seek the comfort of another living creature’s touch, you may join hands with the people sitting beside you. With the outwardly placed circle, contact is not necessary for the communication to flow.” Baba Yaga’s smile disappears, head tilting to the side, as if she’s listening to a noise behind her - slowly, she turned, and the misty gaze fixes upon the First, upon Yves ; “You, boy! Ask us.”

Ish Hassan 16:26

He felt no need to hold hands with anyone. At least Baba Yaga didn't require it of them, so he placed his hands on the table, remaining quiet as he listened to the young man ask his questions.

Yves Sinclair 16:17

While the others appeared to react in fear, Yves was nonetheless intrigued - his curiosity had certainly piqued, gaze fixated a bit on the strangeness of the chicken feet. There were so many questions racing through his head and yet, which one was he to ask? It was as if his throat was caught but he finally managed to utter the words, "Who is it that is here?" Perhaps it was a foolish question but surely, there must be an identity to those who lingered from the otherworld. He wanted names, identities to put upon the faceless entities.

Baba Yaga 16:20

Eyes glazed over, the old witch smiles. "Wrong questions you ask, Yves. Who? Perhaps a what would be more suited."

Yves Sinclair 16:23

Of course there would be mysteries upon mysteries to something as strange and unthinkable of the supernatural. It would be too easy to receive an answer he mused. He pursed his lips to ask yet another question but paused - perhaps this time he'd make an attempt to sound less like an imbecile. "Then the ghost ... I believe there is one that has had the ill fortunate of attaching itself to me, pray - what for? Why?"

Baba Yaga 16:25

The woman's smile widens, a distortion of warmth ; of rot and madness intertwined. "For your sanity."

Polly Sheedy 16:28

If they had been scared upon entering, that feeling only worsened as proceedings began. Polly let out a tiny, almost imperceptible squeak, wide eyes darting between Yves and the old witch.

Zoya Fox 16:32

Zoya had to give it the old witch -- the lace, the jewels, her clothing seemingly woven from night itself all worked in her favor. Zoya was not a skeptical woman, but she still had to credit someone's performance in the face of many who seemed not to believe.

Zoya was not a fearful woman, either, though perhaps she should've been as her gaze darted curiously between Yves and Baba Yaga.

Yves Sinclair 16:30

He nearly snorted, what sanity was there for someone like him? Certainly the dead would have better judgement but perhaps that was an overestimation. "Then what of the girl? Chapman I believe, is she present? Perhaps she may unearth the truth of her ill fated passing." Yves wanted a hard fact, anything to show proof that this was truly, real.

Baba Yaga 16:34

Head tilts to the side, watery eyes glazed with something akin to mirth, and then she speaks. "Such rotten mind you have! Little Annie might be dead and buried, but why do you think she'd answer to you? Better still, why do you think we will let her speak? Her soul has not departed, but a place she haunts is not here."

Yves Sinclair 16:36

A part of him almost smiled, surely rotten was an understatement - his mind was akin to filth in some shape or form. "Poor girl must have something to say if she's rationale enough to seek justice ... it all seems so strange," he muttered. "And the man, perhaps she could speak of him. Where is that man?" Yves gaze was fixed. He wanted a story.

Maude Lytton 16:37

Maude frowns, not liking this new information, not liking it at all. These ghosts enjoyed playing with their questions and attention then? She also hoped, naively, that the poor woman was in a better place. Perhaps an afterlife or maybe even oblivion would be better than become a haunting. She attempts to give Polly a comforting smile, very probably failing.

Lucian Riviera 16:38

Now that was interesting, but the place she haunts is not here? Baba Yaga seemed to provide more insight than Muiris' vague responses. But did that mean they would have to conduct a séance around the space of where the recently departed's demise had occurred?

Baba Yaga 16:38

The smile drops and it's exchanged with a frown. She sniffs, as if she's been crying, before her expression turns to rage and the witch growls ; “Away, away he went - they never stay once the deed is done.”

Polly Sheedy 16:40

They caught Maude's eye, offering a shaky, half-smile that didn't reach their eyes. Had they been sat beside her, they would have no qualms about gripping her hand tightly on the table. Every question, and every answer, was hitting far too close for comfort.

Zoya Fox 16:41

She frowns at the answer, instinctively leaning closer in interest. How intriguing. How foreboding.

Yves Sinclair 16:40

The new information was something. He hadn't realized he had been holding his breath for the answer. "The deed ... so you can confirm that he is the culprit?" He wished he had brought a notepad to jot it all down but then again, he had yet to see evidence with his own eyes. Was he buying into it all so quickly with the ravings of a seemingly mad woman?

Baba Yaga 16:42

Watery eyes fix upon the boy and the corners of her mouth quick into another smile. "Someone is. But, it is not the one you suspect, little boy."

Yves Sinclair 16:44

A quizzical look flashed upon Yve's fair features. "I'm not exactly the brightest," he muttered or so were the words of his father. Yves glanced over at the others. Surely one of them would have some more insight. "So then the culprit remains free and on the prowl?"

Baba Yaga 16:47

The witch's expression softens, but it wasn't her who spoke. "Brighter than you think. Though, perhaps, it is safer for you to remain dim witted." A grin stretches her lips, and then she nods - pure excitement radiating off her. "Oh, yes! Yes, yes, yes! Free and hungering for more blood, sweet boy!"

Yves Sinclair 16:50

"Dumb and free is better than clever and dead I suppose," he murmured. The confirmation was expected but it still sent chills down his body. "Then all I have left to ask is if these ghosts that haunt, are they merely bored perverts?" A mischievous grin appeared on his visage, a part of him nearly laughed (wholly inappropriate) but everyone else appeared so grim it was truly as if they were in attendance of a funeral.

Polly Sheedy 16:51

despite their fear, the utter terror that gripped their heart, Polly spluttered a little, the first genuine smile coming to their face since they left the Britannia a week before.

Lucian Riviera 16:52

It was only just that Lucian stifled a snort at the young man's retort, he'd been raked over hot coals by this spirit but it seemed he could give as good as he got. Commendable by all accounts if a little unwise to taunt the dead.

Ish Hassan 16:55

Ish's eyes widened, unable to hold a stoic reaction around the young man. He'd been working around the docks most of his life, so few things could surprise him, but there was something to the unparalleled confidence of Yves that took him off-guard.

Baba Yaga 16:53

The expression falls, and the gaze turns stormy, but a gleeful grin plays on her lips. "We are not chained by the same rules that chain you. We are here to drink. To eat. Though our sustenance comes from your sanity. Now i have a question for you, little boy. How long do you think you can hold onto yours?"

Zoya Fox 16:56

Like Lucian and Polly, she also stifled a short laugh, eyes glimmering with amusement. Finally, someone brash enough to shake up the bleak atmosphere. The amusement faded from her features as a voice spoke once more, and she wondered vaguely just what sort of demons were haunting Yves.

Yves Sinclair 16:57

For all his faults, he was a rather honest boy. "Not long." But if he were to truly lose it all, he'd certainly go out with a bang. "But the mania could be fun," he pondered the idea for a moment, how much more of a family disappointment could he really be sounded like the true challenge of the question. He had said his share and now it was up to the rest of the lot.

Baba Yaga 16:59

The smile widens for a brief moment - then the head tilts to the side, listening, listening. The curtain moves and the old woman laughs - but, the laughter does not belong to her. The moment of minute insanity passes and she takes a sip of a strong, spiced liquor in front of her, before the expression turns apologetic, sliding from Yves towards another ; and a giggle erupts from her when the Second and Third come hand in hand - but, it is to the Second she turns first, the owner of Britannia. “What do you seek to unravel?”

Ish Hassan 17:01

He had known that Baba Yaga would call upon him, and somehow he was still unprepared for it. He couldn't help but be conscious of the other sets of eyes and ears in the room. The things he wanted to ask weren't exactly things he wanted to say in front of the others, but that was the nature of the beast (no pun intended). "When I asked how you died, you said who's to say I lived. If you didn't live, then what exactly are you?"

Baba Yaga 17:04

The woman laughs, and the feeling that washes over her is giddy ; almost teasing. “Who is to say I have never lived? All that is alive will one day die.” Then the expression drops and something sombre takes over her. "Yet not all that is dead had once lived. I am dead - and dead I will remain."

Yves Sinclair 17:05

The concept of something that wasn't truly alive but not entirely dead sounded like nonsense in its entirety. For all Yves could put together, this entity could've been as trivial as an ant. Their gaze remained on Ish as they wondered what otherworld being chose to latch unto him.

Polly Sheedy 17:06

they had to hold back the shiver that ran up their spine. To talk of ghosts was one thing - the dead had been people too once. But Yves first, and then Ish, spoke of something else, a different matter entirely. Baba Yaga's answer puzzled them, unable to make sense of the riddles in the words of the spectre.

Lucian Riviera 17:06

As the attention in the room shifted to Ish he naturally reached for his cane, discreetly unscrewing the handle and returning the blackwood to rest against the arm of his seat. The handle remained in his palm, upended and a cap flicked open, tonight was certainly proving more insightful he thought as he took a sip of the contents though Ish's spectre seemed unwilling to provide anything of true note.

Ish Hassan 17:08

He felt all their eyes upon him, the penetrating gaze of intense curiosity, of perhaps fear. He wet his lips with his tongue, keeping his hands flat on the table in a conscious effort not to toy with them awkwardly. The answer gave him nothing. "Do you know who is responsible for the Whitechapel Murders?"

Maude Lytton 17:10

For once she is distracted by something, she looks at Mr Riviera drinking in the middle of a séance and talk of murders. If she forced her empathy, she would understand the need for something stronger in a stressful situation, but still

Lucian Riviera 17:10

The shift in his curiosity is immediate and there is no helping the way his eyes flicker over to Maude, a small expression that might very well mimic the implication of I told you so reflected in the bright intensity of his gaze.

Polly Sheedy 17:10

their breath hitches in their throat, eyes locked on Ish. They were almost certain that he was dangerous - was he asking to discern the answer, or to find out how much he himself had to hide?

August Palmer 17:10

August’s role as an actor was to untangle words, not make them. He considered briefly sending the riddle to his brother—the academic one, ever eager for a puzzle. The mention of the Whitechapel Murders broke his thought. He watched closely.

Baba Yaga 17:09

The witch's head tilts to the side, watery eyes fixing upon the man - and her smile widens. "Yes."

Zoya Fox 17:12

her eyes widen at baba's proclamation, but she supposed it'd be too much to actually reveal the killer's identity. it'd surely make maude's job much easier.

Ish Hassan 17:11

Was that it? Ish narrowed his eyes, brows knitting together as he looked upon the woman, the vessel. "That's really all you're going to say about it?" He scoffed, shaking his head. He wanted to ask is it me? but he didn't dare, especially in front of the others. "Where do you go when you're not with me?"

Baba Yaga 17:12

The woman giggles in amusement. "Yes." ; but, then her smile widens and it dances between mirth, and wickedness, and madness. "I never leave you."

Maude Lytton 17:13

Once again she stops her desire to stare suspiciously at Mr Hassan. Just a slight glance, with her memorising his expression and the entity's words. She's going to have to talk with him at some point in next days.

Ish Hassan 17:14

Well, that was fucking horrifying. A cold chill made its way down Ish's spine, hairs standing on end on the arms beneath his jacket. He was quiet a moment, unsure how much further to go, unsure whether he wanted the answers, but unable to keep himself from asking the questions. "Are you the reason I've been having blackouts?"

Zoya Fox 17:15

her gaze slides briefly to ish in curiosity. another ghost with an attachment—the dead were awfully obsessive. but what was the owner of the brittania hiding that called the spirit to him so? blackouts?

Polly Sheedy 17:15

Blackouts? That was.. interesting to say the least. It did little to turn off the gut feeling they had about Ish, the sensation that he could hurt them, but perhaps it explained the moments of kindness they felt in between.

Lucian Riviera 17:16

His attention on Maude was enough to pick up the glance in Ish's direction, all focus on him true but this gave him the impression of something else. He'd known Ish a long time, long enough that he had faith in the man despite his strange demeanor of late. But his latest question... Black outs? Well, that was interesting to say the least.

Maude Lytton 17:16

Blackouts? the man who acted was too much nervous near authorities and had a dead being imply dangerous things, had blackouts

Yves Sinclair 17:18

Blackouts? well Yves could relate to a certain degree. After all, he had it happen several times when he had a bit too much booze and was out on the streets promenading and doing all the things a rake enjoyed doing. Maybe Ish was like him. But judging from the man's reactions, something told Yves otherwise.

Baba Yaga 17:16

She laughs, something high pitched and ringing of triumph. "Ah, so you do know what questions to ask! Yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! And they will never cease!" She laughs again, cold eyes fixed upon the poor, young man.

Lucian Riviera 17:19

He had little intention to call upon the child that seemed to have opted to return to him today. He had questions, and at the response sat forwards a little in his seat eyes burning with intense curiosity.

Polly Sheedy 17:20

They felt utterly sick to their stomach, head shaking from side to side as though trying to prevent the woman's words from reaching their ears. For the first time, they felt a pang of sympathy for Ish. Being haunted was disturbing enough but this ... there was nothing about this that any sane person could handle

Ish Hassan 17:20

He remained motionless and quiet for several moments. He was certain he could feel his heart hammering away in his chest, echoing in his ears. He was frozen, and could only stare at his own hands so as not to make eye contact with anyone else in the room.

August Palmer 17:22

August made a mental note to steer clear of the Britannia for a little while, or perhaps the East End altogether.

Baba Yaga 17:22

To the Third she now looks, and the expression shifts into something warmer, before it fades, confusion briefly evident on her face as she takes a long sip of the drink, fueling her vision, eyeing Lucian. “You are strange. They like you, but they don’t like you. Speak, and let us answer.”

Yves Sinclair 17:24

And he thought he was indecisive, seemed like this ghost had commitment issues like him. Well it was nice the dead were relatable, made sense given they were once human too.

Lucian Riviera 17:25

His smile was wry at that, "well, they wouldn't be the only ones to be conflicted on that account," his head tilted thinking of the strange spirit that had seemingly chosen to attach itself to Ish. It sounded crazed, like the stories of souls he’d heard were confined to the walls of Bedlam not but several miles from here. The revelation lingered and he had questions his eyes darted briefly aside to his accomplice who was looking at anything but any other person in the room. “I wish to speak to the spirit bothering Mister Hassan, for how long is it that you have kept him company?”

Ish Hassan 17:27

Ish stared at Lucian. No, this wasn't how it was supposed to go. "What are you doing?" he asked in a desperate whisper to Lucian. "Don't speak to it..."

Baba Yaga 17:26

She turns and the grin returns. "Forever."

Lucian Riviera 17:28

His attention remained fixed on Baba Yaga as Ish spoke up, but his expression was resolute, determined. "I find that hard to believe considering how long I've known the man," his posture straightened, hands clasping together around the flask in front of him as he leaned on the table. "What business is it that keeps you from moving on or do you just enjoy torturing good people?"

Yves Sinclair 17:29

He wondered how many of people would be interested in a good ol drink after all this. He wondered if it was even possible for a ghost to properly haunt should they all be caught in a drunk stupor.

Baba Yaga 17:31

The smile remains wide and the teeth appear sharp - sharper than they are. “What keeps us all from moving on, Lucian? Dead or alive, what difference does it make? Resentments and pain, delight and madness. We all feed from what you give us.” She pauses and then the cold eyes fix upon Lucian's. "You've known him long but I've claimed him longer. You feels us and you don't feel us. You dance to tunes we play, when we play them." The smile widens again ; "There are no good people, Lucian."

Lucian Riviera 17:35

The reasoning the ghost provided made sense, which meant that in order to sort this situation for any of them they would just have to cut this thing off. Starve it out into exposure and deal with it then. "I wouldn't go so far as to say that, there are some good people in this world," his eyes narrowed a fraction, "do we have anything to fear from you?"

Polly Sheedy 17:36

They frowned. They would never disagree out loud, too afraid of angering the spirits that joined them, but on that front, they could not agree. If there were no good people, then what was the point to anything? They were grateful to Lucian for voicing everything they were thinking, and shot him a look of appreciation.

Ish Hassan 17:43

He wasn't convinced he was 'good people', but Lucian's defense of him was rather touching. He might have been a thief, liar and cheat, but Lucian was also a pretty good friend. It would have been comforting, had there been anything in this situation that would allow Ish to be comforted at all. Of course they had something to fear. They should all be terrified.

Baba Yaga 17:37

The witch smiles. "If there are, you are not one of them." Head tilts to the side and she the razor sharp grin returns. "Undoubtedly."

Lucian Riviera 17:40

The chuckle that follows is quiet albeit rueful, "ah, so kind of you to give your judgement of a stranger but you didn't answer my question."

Maude Lytton 17:41

Interesting that the entity thought of Mr Riviera as a bad man, wasn't he known for his philanthropy? What would make it have this opinion? It could be also theorised that the ghost was lying, no matter how much suspicious Mr Hassan looked like

Zoya Fox 17:47

when hardly anyone saw through lucian, this ghost did. yes, lucian had helped her as a young girl, but he was certainly not a saint.

Polly Sheedy 17:48

The assessment of Lucian was another thing Polly did not agree with. They let out a small cough, a frown appearing on their face. "I think otherwise," they said in a half of a whisper.

Lucian Riviera 17:50

Lucian made no claim of good intentions, other people simply did that for him. The church was one such example, he'd been commended and applauded for the act but he'd never claimed responsibility for ever doing it for anyone else. Did he refute them? No. But who was he to correct them either? It was their fault and err in making false assumptions about him in the first place after all. He was many things a good man, certainly not, but also not the worst by far. Glanced at Polly, giving them a small nod of acknowledgement. "Kind of you to say kid," he said under his breath.

Baba Yaga 17:42, 17:51

"Did I not? You asked us if you should fear us. Undoubtedly, you should."

The laughter erupts from the old woman again, and with another drink between the spirits, she turns to the next unfortunate soul and her grin widens ; “All the world’s a stage, but answers have never been staged. Ask us away, August.”

August Palmer 17:55

"... And all the men and women merely players." August manages an uneasy smile. The line was one of the first he learnt but he puts it down to coincidence. "I hope it won't offend to ask after my death scenes. How do they fare?" Rahat’s corpses were one thing, but the chance to speak to a real source, or at least someone versed in death—he supposed even mystic frauds have to be—was difficult to resist. Zoya could listen too, since there was talk of renewing her Desdemona. She wouldn’t thank him, of course, but such was the burden of a selfless mentor.

Baba Yaga 17:56

She looks at the man, head tilted to the side, but she does not smile as she speaks. “Overplayed. There is no romance in dying, there is no glorification in feeling your life seep away from you, like sand from a broken hourglass.”

Zoya Fox 18:01

overplayed! oh, if she could burst into gleeful laughter, she would. even august palmer isn't impervious to the criticism from the dead. she sends him a sympathetic smile instead.

August Palmer 18:00

“Yes, I suppose you’re right. Your sort of death doesn’t sell tickets, though, unfortunately. Audiences see enough of it.” There is no detectable malice in his words. August sounds almost apologetic. “Who are you?”

Baba Yaga 18:02

She looks at him and the teasing tone returns to her voice - thought it sounds sharper, higher pitched. “Why does it matter? Must you name a thing to know it? Let us say I am a spectator in you badly written play, watching it all crumble and unfold.”

August Palmer 18:02

August winces, barely perceptible. His nails have dug into the cut on his palm, hard enough to break the scab. He hadn’t even noticed. Zoya feels suddenly very close—too close. He keeps his eyes trained on Baba Yaga’s chicken foot. “What do you want from me?” The question comes out steady, and he is thankful for it.

Baba Yaga 18:04

They like that this one goes straight to the point - no dancing around and tiptoeing around the topic. She smiles, but it is a sad smile. “To feed. Death is dry and it burns our throats.”

Ish Hassan 18:05

Ish didn't quite understand the actor's thoughts or point of view. He couldn't fathom being a performer. He preferred to keep to himself, but he remained alert, listening as best he could, though still perturbed by his own haunting.

Zoya Fox 18:07

she catches him wince and thinks, see, you are not unshakeable. there's something bittersweet about the witch's words—zoya would not like to see august fall for her to rise, but if that is how it must be, then let him crumble.

August Palmer 18:11

“Ah.” There was little else to say to that. August had certainly felt the press of vulture’s wings more acutely of late, sometimes even beside him, and 'the devourer becoming the devoured' had an attractive irony to it. Still, real life didn't work like the stage. This time he was thankful for it. “Before you polish me off, is there a message for us?” He asked.

Baba Yaga 18:13

The expression turns sympathetic and the razor sharp smile softens. “Beware the coming days. Not all is how it seems. Wood rots from within.”

August Palmer 18:17

The words made August falter. Another riddle, though this one was a little clearer to him than the last. He felt a strange wave of gratitude to the ghost, which surprised him, then a nausea. He leant back in his chair. "Well, that's me done."

Baba Yaga 18:18

Murky eyes turn towards the next, the detective extraordinaire, and once agains she laughs, drinking the contents of her glass and filling it again - they are thirsty ; and it is best they did not feed off her. “Speak, child.”

Maude Lytton 18:19

Pausing a few seconds to gather her thoughts, Maude turns her head towards the woman, refusing to call her even in her thoughts as "Baba Yaga". She already had her questions in mind and so she starts with a simpler one. "Who are you then? what is your name, if you even have one or remember it" she can't help but think that a simply answer is going to be hard to get, however she must start somewhere. If it is a ghost then it was a person, so nothing more proper than asking this thing its damn name.

Baba Yaga 18:21

She looks at the woman and the expression turns to one of pain. “I am the one who lurks in the shadows. I am the one who watches over you, when all others are dead and gone. Damnatio memorie follows me. Damnatio memorie forbids me to speak of it, though I do remember it. But you may call me as you please.”

Maude Lytton 18:25

Now the ghost is speaking latim, Maude ponders. She will not name it, refuses to do it and give it power somehow, even this she knows. Maude will remember its words of guardianship, not knowing how to feel about this.

"Are you the cause of the flickering lights of my lights, then? i sincerely hope you don't desire my death too. i believe death by fire is not particularly a good way to go." she starts almost amused, her attempts of initiating a dialogue feeling silly. Why would the damn ghost mess with her lamps? A child crying for attention it was not. However she attempts to make what's nearly a joke, not letting her guard down for a second. This thing was not human anymore and it most certainly wasn't bound by things like morals, it wanted something and would try to get it from her. Perhaps she should feel lucky to not have died in a fire and be the on the other side of the séance.

Baba Yaga 18:27

The witch blinks, and a smile returns to her lips. Ah! She is the smart one. “Yes. The power of it belongs to me.” then, a brief pause, before the spirit adds ; “You will not perish in fire.”

Lucian Riviera 18:28

The theatre goers in the room were certainly a cause for entertainment, but somehow Lucian's interest is piqued by the discomfort of the detective. These séances were proving so much more enlightening than he'd ever thought possible. The Latin he recognises but its meaning is unfamiliar though clearly this spirit has wisdom in its years. Who is it from her life he wonders, does she know?

Maude Lytton 18:31

Staring defiantly at the woman, she's not going to get honest answers, it is are capable of lying even if the woman before her is not a charlatan. It probably enjoy holding all the cards, enjoying their confusion and fear. She refuses to give it this pleasure. It's too nice, too polite, all the previous ghost didn't bother to hide their harming intentions, why would she think otherwise of this one? Either is a poor soul or it's something more malicious and smart enough to play nice. "What are your intentions? do you want anything of me?" not knowing where it stands is one of the most troubling this, so she hopes it's also greedy for something, else why would it be spending effort to talk to her?

Baba Yaga 18:32

She clicks her tongue, as if disappointed. And it thought the detective was smart. “I do not wish you death, for you are of no use to me dead. But, have you not been paying attention? All of us dead desire the same thing.”

Maude Lytton 18:36

"You desire my suffering then? Me crawling in fear? Your hunger for any feeling or sensations must have addled your ghostly brain. You'll not find me so easily scared" she snaps, knowing very well her words are half-truths, she is scared, although not of ghosts.

She makes an effort to not glance at Mr Riviera, not surprisingly, she feels irritated enough to coat her words with sharpness. She did not enjoyed being toyed with, the ones who played around with their answers thinking themselves too smart to say the truth ended having her fully attention, not because she approved of it, but because she would not let it go until her questions had answers. At this point she felt surrounded by these type of persons. And she must compromise, she needs clues, leads, any tips and this is the truth she doesn't want to admit to herself or to anyone. So she let herself be convinced my that man. "A particular man convinced me of the ludicrous idea of making inquiries about the poor women's murders. Will you answer my questions clearly or I will require a specialist to decipher your choice of words?" she stress the last words, challenging the ghost.

Lucian Riviera 18:38

There was no way of suppressing the slight grin that comes knowingly with his reference, instead he masks it by taking a sip of his drink his eyes tracking back to Baba Yaga for her response. They had little else to lose after all, and why not use the dead to their advantage if they had knowledge of pertinence?

Baba Yaga 18:38

She smiles - like a mother would smile to a child throwing a tantrum. But, the ghost chooses to latch onto the other portion of the questions. “We do not speak of another that is dead. If you want to know of it, you must ask her.”

Maude Lytton 18:45

Feeling both exhausted and angry, Maude feels small. It's not something she's prepared to and how hateful it is to allow this parasite of a ghost to feel any of her dark emotions. It doesn't answer her question, she notices it and expects it, but still, it's not the first time she desires the supernatural ability to punch this thing. Her mouth opens a little and then closes, her hesitation obvious. Asking for help with ghosts is ridiculous and a complete failure of her part, but she *must *have answers. What's dignity if even a word could help her stop the killer? She even doesn't care if the ghosts attempts to feed of her emotions, let it try, she only wants the killer caught.

"Would you know where to find the suspect that was with the last victim before her death?" she finally asks, not wanting to remember Annie Chapman, afraid of saying her name and invoking the memories of her body, the pool blood.

Baba Yaga 18:46

The woman tilts her head and nods, once. “I would.”

Lucian Riviera 18:47

There is a delightful sense of triumph that comes upon hearing that response. The warm fire of recognition and being proven right. Wonderful. Simply wonderful.

Maude Lytton 18:49

"And you will not tell me it she finishes, a bitter smile decorating her face. "Perhaps the next séance, if you're feeling more generous, parasite"

Baba Yaga 18:50

The ghost that speaks through her makes an abrupt departure and Baba Yaga laughs again, fingers curling around the glass as she takes another long sip of the drink - and it turns to the Third again, and the Final one. “It is not your turn again, you’ve spoken already!” she almost yells, then turns to the young waif. “Speak, dear.”

Polly Sheedy 18:53

Polly had fallen silent as proceedings had gone on, almost hoping to fly by unnoticed. For a moment, they dared to hope it worked. Alas, Baba Yaga seemed to have other ideas. "Um..." they sat a little straighter, hands trembling where they rested on the table, voice husky with fear. They reflected on what had been happening to them, the voices they had relied on to keep them safe. They had nothing to fear from those spirits - but there was nothing to say they were present tonight. "I suppose I would like to know ... am I in danger? From this - this killer?" They pause for a moment, and add as an afterthought. "Thank you."

Baba Yaga 18:54

She smiles, and it is a sad smile. "Yes, you are in danger. But, not only does the ripper threaten you."

Polly Sheedy 18:57

a sharp intake of air, and Polly is silent for a moment, eyes darting around the circle in a sudden state of mistrust of everybody in it. Their face pales, taking on an almost grey colour. "I've heard spirits." They confess, looking once more upon Baba Yaga, sure they know of what they speak. "I know they protect me, somehow. Warn me of the danger. I just want to know why me? Why not Annie Chapman or the others?"

Lucian Riviera 19:00

Warn her of danger? Interesting. It seems as though Polly had been holding back that little nugget of information. And if they warned her, that meant they must be able to sense the Ripper's presence... It certainly made Polly's situation far more unique than he'd initially anticipated.

Baba Yaga 18:59

The solemn look returns, but the gaze remains soft. “I pity you. You keep choosing wrongly.” It pauses, then relents ; "All living things must walk their path. We send out our warnings, but not many listen."

Polly Sheedy 19:03

The urge to clamp their hands over their ears was only intensifying with every word. It was one thing to be confronted by unintelligible whispers in their ear. To hear the words so clearly was another, even if they couldn't make sense of the warnings. Choice? That was one thing they wasn't sure had ever been in their grasp. "Does that mean the other victims heard as I have?" If that was so, they didn't want to think about what that might mean for their future - or lack of. "I am grateful. For the protection of your warnings." They wanted to make thay clear - lest the whispers stop, leaving them fumbling in the dark.

Baba Yaga 19:05

Watery eyes turn to a soft mist, silver sheen coating them. “No. They refused to listen. To see."

Lucian Riviera 19:06

It was easy to spot the distress Polly was currently experiencing, and naturally whether out of a state of genuine care or something more dubious he reached aside and gently touched the back of their hand. A silent gesture of support in trying times. He could be many things, but he wasn't completely heartless.

Polly Sheedy 19:10

they jumped a little at the unexpected touch, but upon realising it came from Lucian, let out a sigh of relief. There was a comfort in the gesture, drawn from a time long ago when he alone had been their source of protection. Tears slipped thick and fast down their cheeks, the sorrow in Baba Yaga's eyes wrapping tightly around their heart. "I'm sorry." They spoke as softly as they dared. "These warnings... do they come from people like me? Like Annie Chapman? Is that what you are?"

Baba Yaga 19:11

Head tilts to the side as she watches the waif. "No. I protect you, but others failed to listen to their own. All lay in graves they've made for themselves."

Polly Sheedy 19:13

They nod their head a little. There's a warning in their words, a plea to listen. They know that is a fate they could share - but this is their one armour, the sole thing that could save their life. "I'm grateful to you," they need them to know that, to know that they trust their guidance. "And I will listen. I promise."

Baba Yaga 19:15

Head inclines into a soft nod, and there is a softer smile on her lips than before - but, then she turns to Lucian again and the expression turns to a light growl. "Ask us then."

Lucian Riviera 19:16

His expression masked the way his mind raced, connecting tangents and notions together in an intricate web far grander than any of them in the room. A path constructed of ideals, methods of advancement. Yet when he spoke his voice is soft, sombre even for he takes no pleasure from these deaths, and his question when spoken is more an offer to the departed than any formal request, “what is it that we can do to help you?

Baba Yaga 19:18

The question has not come as a surprise - nothing surprises it. But, the expression softens once more as the witch - and the thing she speaks for - studies Lucian. “Not all of us need helping, boy.”

Lucian Riviera 19:21

The thief inclines his head in deferment to the authority in the room that is both the spirit and vessel through which it speaks. He is not so prideful that he will not defer to higher powers should they come knocking and right now they rattled the very foundation of every aspect of this reality. "Perhaps not but everyone needs something," his eyes lift once more, "do you have a message to pass on to those in the room?"

Baba Yaga 19:22

She inclines her head into a deep nod again, and watery eyes skim every single soul in attendance. “There will not be a happy end - but all things end. After one horror there will come another. Prepare yourselves, for the ending is nowhere in sight. There cannot be a happy end, not for some of you.”

Polly Sheedy 19:25

the message isn't a prospect that polly wanted to hear. At the confirmation there are more horrors to come, they whimper, hand rising to cover their mouth.

Lucian Riviera 19:26

Ominous, certainly but the message isn't surprising to Lucian. He thinks for a moment, only one further thought comes to mind. The phrasing of which is particular and deliberate. "Will you be willing to help us find the one responsible if they are known to you?" he pauses to give weight to his next addendum "to keep those at risk safe?"

Polly Sheedy 19:29

they leaned forward, hardly daring to breathe. This question seemed so important, and they felt a rush of gratitude to Lucian for asking it, for doing what he could and keeping them safe.

Baba Yaga 19:30

She pauses, head tilted to the side. "I would be willing, if help is what you desire, but others may not be of shared sentiment. But, if I help you will owe us a favour."

They laugh, both voices intertwining - hers and the ghost's - and then they are no more. Baba Yaga finishes the glass, murky eyes closing as the bony fingers curl around the chicken’s foot around her neck. A long exhale interrupts the silence that’s enveloped the room, and the witch opens her eyes to look at the attendees. “They are gone and they wish to speak no more. I hope your questions have been answered, for tonight they will yield nothing more.”

—- FIN —-

#seances #seance live event 2

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mischiefandi · 4 years ago

Text

Prom? - Peter Parker

A/N: sooo, it’s been a hot minute since my last fic on this blog haha, and by hot minute, I mean over a year and a half hahaha (not counting my drake fic). This also happens to be my very first Peter Parker one-shot, so I really hope you guys enjoy it!

Summary: Peter wants to ask Y/N to go to prom with him, but will it go as planned?

Warnings: it’s pretty fluffy ngl

Word Count: 4,3k

“Y/N, wait up!” Y/N whirled around instantly at the sound of the familiar voice calling out her name.

The corners of her lips quickly quirked up when her eyes rested on her best friend, Peter. He was running towards her, his backpack jumping up and down against his back as he leapt across the hall and past the lockers to catch up with her. His eyes met hers, a bright smile on his face.

“Didn’t get much sleep last night?” she asked him, glancing at his obviously mismatched socks peeking out from under his pants and disheveled hair.

“Uh, yeah, not really. Ned and I stayed up really late to finish building the Lego Death Star.”

“How’s it looking?”

“She is officially up and running- I mean obviously not- up and running, I mean, it’s just a bunch of Legos- what I’m trying to say is-,”

“-Peter?”

“Yeah?” he asked, lips slightly parted, eyes wide with anticipation.

“Why are you rambling? You only ramble when you’re really nervous about something,” said Y/N, smiling tentatively at her friend.

“I’m not rambling? Why would you say I’m rambling?”

Walking alongside Y/N and passing by the brightly-colored prom posters plastered on the walls, Peter looked down at the floor and she laughed, the angelic sound turning the color of his cheeks to a deep shade of red. He was nervous. Truth be told, she had always had that effect on him. Making him blush and stutter was something she did a lot more than she noticed. But he was more nervous than usual that day. Prom was right around the corner, and the students of Midtown High had been asking their significant others to the dance. Almost everyone had a date at this point. Except for Peter, and hopefully, Y/N.

Y/N chose to ignore her friend’s anxious antics and spoke again, her skirt twirling a bit as she danced ahead of Peter, still facing him. His pulse quickened at the sight of her. She truly was the most gorgeous girl in the world, at least in his eyes. She always wore sweet dresses and skirts, and she was never seen without two little hair clips in her gorgeous hair. She didn’t wear makeup aside from a light shade of pink lightly applied to her soft lips by her delicate fingertips. Her eyes sparkled with joy everywhere she went. She was sunshine. She was his sunshine. Or at least, he wholeheartedly wished she was.

“I had lunch with Tobias and Jessie. It wasn’t half as fun as building a toy spaceship would have been but-”

“-it’s not a spaceship Y/N! We’ve talked about this,” he whined with a smile tugging at his lips and she burst out laughing before hooking her arm around his own and kept walking, dropping her voice to a lower tone.

“I’m just messing with you, Parker.”

Her breath hit his neck and every single hair on his body raised at the warm feeling, his muscles tensing as she held onto his arm and swung it a little on their way to History.

It was moments like these, harmless to her but so utterly overwhelming to him, where he wished the simple action meant the same thing to the both of them. Where he wished her heart fluttered when she saw him run towards her, where he wished she was holding onto him because the idea of not feeling his touch was simply unthinkable.

Moments like these, he wanted nothing more than to lower his lips to hers and kiss her in front of everyone. They didn’t matter. Only she did.

“When do you go home? I always confuse Ned’s timetable with yours,” said Y/N, furrowing her brow.

“I-uh- have History with you and then Calculus right after.”

“Ha! Sucks to be you! After this, I am done for the day, and thank God too ‘cause I’m exhausted!” she added with a sing-songy voice.

Peter rolled his eyes at her but grinned from ear to ear as she rushed into the classroom, his body feeling light as air. A feeling that was about to disappear in just a matter of seconds.

“Oh my god Toby-…”

Inside the classroom, a dozen students stood next to Tobias who was holding a bouquet of pink roses in his hands, a dorky smile splashed across his face. Peter’s heart sank as he glanced at Y/N. She looked completely dumbstruck as the crowd held up a large poster with the words : “WiLL YoU Be mY DaTe To PrOm?” written in bright purple glitter letters.

Peter suddenly felt like melting into the ground and disappearing, the harrowing reality striking him. She was going to prom with Tobias and he was a fool. Squeezing past the students who had gathered around to watch the promposal unravel, the distraught boy slid out of the classroom and walked past the lockers.

An eruption of cheers coming from inside the class made his heart throb and he shut his eyes, accelerating his pace, knowing full well that what he had prayed wouldn’t happen, had.

Peter burst through the main doors of the school and stumbled down the stairs as he chewed on his lower lip, trying to inhale and exhale through his nose with serenity but failing miserably. He wasn’t going to admit it, not even to himself, but he was fighting tears right then and there. Ignoring the confused looks students were throwing him, he dashed down onto the sidewalk and turned a sharp left. Crossing the street, Peter ran towards the small alley by the dry cleaners and he stopped to catch his breath. He was probably going to get in trouble for skipping class, but he didn’t care. He needed to get away.

His eyes stung with emotion and he groaned out loud, weakly huffing before resuming his journey. After running past the dodgy trash cans and garbage, desperately trying not to inhale the unpleasant air engulfing him, he finally came to a halt and placed his backpack on the concrete ground. The strong smell of something rotting and other things he’d rather not think about filling his nostrils, Peter grimaced as he hurried to take off his blue sweatshirt and beige pants. Throwing his clothes in the backpack, Peter struggled to get into his spidey-suit, his shaking fingers making his task a little bit more difficult than usual.

The disguised teenager then spewed a web at his things, sticking them to the brick wall opposite him, looked up, and leapt. Closing his eyes, he felt his feet leave the ground and the wind blow against his suit-covered skin. He always embraced the feeling he got while jumping up into the sky, the sensation unparalleled, but this time, his thoughts were clouded by the cheers he had heard just minutes before.

Peter shook his head as he landed with a smooth flip, his breathing slightly ragged, and he resisted the urge to yank his mask off, knowing it was still too big a risk taking it off so close to the ground.

Again, he spewed webs all over the place, pulling and jumping and spinning around the towers and buildings that surrounded him. A few excited squeals could be heard as he flew above the crowded streets of New York but he didn’t bother stopping for a selfie. He needed to go somewhere quiet, somewhere he could be alone with his thoughts and his dejected self.

He found it soon enough.

It was the small fire escape he had spent most of his summer and early fall lunches at, calling Happy every single day to tell him what he had done around New York and to describe the crimes he had stopped. It was a place he knew well, a place he had gotten used to. His old faithful.

Peter huffed and rubbed the back of his neck after pulling off his tight mask, his hair messy and uncooperative. He tried to pass his fingers through the locks but his disheveled mop refused to set itself straight, so he gave up.

Looking out at the horizon, Peter gazed at the Manhattan skyline, the lines and corners of the buildings in front of him clashing with the sunlight. He had always loved this view. It wasn’t the best one in the city, but it was something, and it was his. You could still hear the cabs and the people down in the streets, but the sound was music to Peter’s ears, as was the sound of Y/N’s laugh, the sound of her voice.

Peter’s eyes welled up and he angrily rubbed at his them. Tobias was an idiot. He was. He liked baseball more than breathing and his stupid smirk made Peter’s blood boil. He wasn’t a bad boy, but he liked to pretend he was and that was something that annoyed Peter more than anything else. He seemed to think it was cool to say idiotic things, and he thought it was fun to smoke and drink cheap beer and wear a leather jacket. He was a walking cliché.

But…he was nice, and pretty funny once you got used to his sense of humor. And he was a decent chess player. He even liked Star Wars. He was a good guy, and that’s what Peter hated about this most of all.

Peter had liked Y/N for months, but he had always been so afraid of telling her how he felt. It was because he knew his awkward rambling would quickly turn him into a blabbering fool and he would hate himself for making his friend feel uncomfortable. But mostly, it was because he was terrified she didn’t feel the same way. It wasn’t just the obvious humiliation that scared him, it was the idea of losing the beautiful friendship he had with her. She was his everything, and losing her would hurt more than anything else.

As he gazed at the view, Peter thought back on the wonderful times he had spent with her since the beginning of the year.

They had met in that very same classroom in September. She was sitting in front of him, her back turned on him. He was absent-mindedly staring at the blackboard, his thoughts on something unimportant when she suddenly turned around and clapped her hands against his desk, bright yellow nail polish painted on her nails catching his eye.

“Do you have a highlighter I can borrow?” she asked, her voice smooth as honey.

Peter’s mind blanked, his eyes widening at the sight of her beautiful eyes, eyes he would often get lost in later down the line.

She watched him curiously, a confused but kind smile on her lips.

“Earth to Parker?” she insisted playfully and the boy snapped out of his daze.

“You know my name?” he asked her, bewildered.

“Well yeah, aren’t you in Debate Club?”

Peter’s brow furrowed and he leaned in a little, the sudden scent of sweet vanilla and strawberries invading his senses.

“Yeah, how do you do that?”

“Oh, I’m psychic,” she replied, shrugging nonchalantly as though this was a perfectly normal statement. Peter’s eyes widened a bit and she giggled, shaking her head with a grin.

“I’m kidding, obviously! I talked to Mr. Harrington about joining this morning. He showed me a picture of last year’s team and told me everyone’s names,” she explained.

“Right, obviously. My bad,” Peter replied, chuckling softly. His eyes clinged to hers. They were beautiful and vibrant, twinkling with joy as she smiled at him. He was enthralled by her. Though her smile became hesitant as the seconds grew longer.

“So, um, about that highlighter?” she said, laughing nervously.

“Right! Yes, a highlighter. I’ve got plenty of those!” Peter exclaimed, shoving his hands in his pencil case, retrieving a bright blue felt tip pen. He grinned, victorious, and she laughed again, the sound sending butterflies in his stomach.

“You’re a lifesaver! Thank you,” she said softly as the History teacher walked in and sat himself down at his desk, the students starting to quiet down.

Peter smiled at her and shook his head.

“No problem. By the way, it’s cool you’re thinking of joining Debate. I like it a lot.”

“Yeah, there weren’t many clubs at my old school so I really wanna branch out, try something new,” she said.

“Alright everyone, let’s all use our inside voices from now on. I suggest we start the year off with a reading from your textbooks, page 7,” the teacher drawled and Peter reluctantly looked down at his history book, his fingers slowly flipping through the pages in sync with the other students, the girl’s back facing him again, though not for long. She turned around again and held out her hand.

“I’m Y/N by the way, Y/N Y/L/N,” she said with a grin.

Peter smiled at her and took her hand, his body jolting at the feeling of her skin against hers, soft and soothing like herself. He calmly shook her hand and chuckled.

“Peter Parker. It’s nice to meet you.”

That had been the first of many History classes filled with laughter, fun, and inside jokes, all so dear to Peter. Y/N finally joined Debate which he was thrilled about. He also introduced her to Ned, and the trio started to hang out after school, watching movies and going on walks around the city. Y/N especially loved nature so she constantly dragged Peter to Central Park, giggling at the sight of squirrels and little children running around the pathways. He always felt so lucky falling in step with her, her arm linked around his, something she always did.

Months later, their friendship was even stronger than before, the pair confiding in each other and exchanging stories and secrets they hadn’t told anyone else. Peter told her about his uncle’s death and how difficult it had been going through that, and she told him about her insecurities and fears. She was afraid of being alone, of being left behind, and she wasn’t confident, something he just couldn’t understand.

He couldn’t think of anything he didn’t like about her. Yes, she was very stubborn, she hated to admit when she was wrong, and she didn’t like Star Wars. But that was all fine. It was who she was, and he loved who she was. Because aside from her flaws, she had wonderful qualities that made her so very special. She was a joyous and optimistic ray of sunlight, happy and enthusiastic about everything. She was understanding and kind too, always by his side in case he needed anything at all. Y/N was curious as well, asking questions about anything and everything, constantly in the mood for an adventure. She was vibrant and just the sight of her made his days a hundred times brighter.

He couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment where he had fallen for her. It was all of the little things about her: how her eyes sparkled when she was happy, how she always skipped ahead of him to get to History, how she hummed to herself whenever she looked up at the sky. Insignificant things in the eyes of a stranger, but so precious to Peter, like little drops of gold gifted by the universe, destined only for him. He cared so much about her. Which is precisely why he wanted to invite her to the prom.

He had spent weeks trying to come up with the perfect way to do it, afraid of doing something too tacky or cheesy. He wanted to do something memorable, but what if he messed it up with his rambling? Peter had so much he wanted to tell her, his extracurricular activities being one of those things. He still hadn’t told her he was Spiderman. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust her. He knew she would never betray his confidence, of that he was sure. He wasn’t sure, however, that she wouldn’t see him differently. Maybe she’d think he was lying, or maybe she’d only like him back because he was Spiderman. So many maybes and what ifs.

Peter eventually told Ned about his feelings and fears, and Ned wasted no time, immediately encouraging his friend to confess the truth to Y/N. The whole truth.

“She won’t see you differently, it’s Y/N! She’s the most down-to-earth person we know. And she’s crazy about you, even I can see it.”

“She’s not crazy about me…” Peter replied shyly, his eyes fixated on the floor.

“Um. Yes, she is. Do you not see the way she looks at you? Heart eyes!”

After much deliberation and planning, Peter had finally mustered up the courage to reveal himself to Y/N, tell her how he felt about her, and ask her to go to prom with him. It was no small feat. But now it was too late; she was going with Tobias. Peter was so disappointed, angrily cursing at himself for wasting so much time and for letting her get away.

He had worked so hard on what he was going to say and on the actual promposal, and he had been so nervous as well. When Peter got to school that day, his lungs felt like they were about to burst from anxiety. He was unbelievably scared, terrified even of what was going to happen later that day. After school, Y/N was going to go home and see what he had left for her.

Oh no.

Peter shot up, the sudden realization hitting him square in the face like a pack of bricks. She was going to go home and see what he had left for her. A huge pit formed in his stomach and he hastily covered his face with his mask, immediately spraying his webs onto the building opposite him and leaping off the railing of the fire escape. He had to get there before her.

Almost out of breath, he jumped and somersaulted off apartment complexes, flying above tourists excitedly calling out for him just like they always did, but again, he paid them no mind, mentally apologizing to them. The air grew a little cooler as the late afternoon settled in, a welcome breeze blowing against Peter’s warm body.

“I’m almost there, almost there. Can’t let her see it.” He thought to himself when a ding sound suddenly interrupted his inner dialogue. He gripped onto the side of a deli, taking out his phone and his heart sank further down.

Y/N: peter?? where’d u go?

Y/N: I told the teacher u were sick, what’s going on??

Y/N: peter you’re scaring me!! where are u??

Y/N: I’m heading home cus I cant find u

Y/N: pls call me and tell me ur ok

Peter groaned. He quickly typed in a vague but somewhat explanatory answer, praying it would stop her from worrying.

Peter: I’m okay. Just had to take care of stuff!

Y/N: I’m almost home, r u sure ur okay??

The suit started to have difficulty clinging to the building so Peter decided to shove his phone back in his suit and leave. He couldn’t risk her seeing what he had done in her room. Thankfully, he wasn’t too far from her apartment, only a few blocks away.

After what seemed like an eternity, Peter finally reached the apartment building, his nerves wracked and fingers shaking. Shooting a small web onto the glass window of Y/N’s bedroom, he managed to slide the panel up, effectively slipping inside, eyes immediately landing on the giant web he had meticulously created for her. It spread from her bed to her desk like a gleaming trampoline, only much more delicate. The shiny white strings clung to each other, forming a large and uneven set of letters that spelled out the word he had planned to say out loud to her.

Prom?

He sighed loudly, removing the mask from his face, his hair messy and disheveled as usual. Passing a hand through it, he turned around to shut the bedroom door, but he stopped dead in his tracks when his eyes met Y/N’s.

They were wide with astonishment and shock, her lips slightly parted, expression completely blank.

Peter gasped, desperately gesturing towards the webs behind him.

“I can explain! I-“ he exclaimed, but she cut him off, taking a step forward.

“You’re Spiderman?” she almost shrieked and Peter’s finger immediately reached his lips in a shush signal.

“No one can know, Y/N!”

“You’re Spiderman?” she tried to say in a hushed tone, her voice wobbling a little. She couldn’t believe what she had just seen.

“Yeah. I’m Spiderman.”

“So that’s why you run off after school and you’re always really jumpy and nervous?” she inquired, eyes still wide open.

Peter’s heart stopped for a second.

“Well-um, that’s part of it,” he croaked.

“Peter, what’s going on?”

The boy looked at his friend, the girl he cared so much about. She seemed genuinely concerned, her brow furrowed as she gently contemplated him. He hated the thought that he was the cause of her worries, so taking a deep breath, he looked down at the ground, and finally, spoke.

“The truth is yes. I’m Spiderman, and I’ve been meaning to tell you that for a while, because I really care about you and you mean so much to me and I hated not telling you but I was afraid that you’d see me differently or that you’d think less of me, so then I talked to Ned about it and he told me I should tell you, and I wanted to, and I also really wanted to ask you to go to prom with me, so I thought I’d do both, because you’re amazing and you deserve the truth and you also deserve a great promposal but I didn’t know what to do so I figured I would do both at the same time, right?

“So then I did this and I was gonna walk you home and skip Calculus and I was gonna tell you once you saw the webs in your room but then at school, Tobias asked you, and I’m really happy for you, and I didn’t want to make you feel bad, so I came here and I was gonna clean it all up but you’re here too and I’m sorry, I’m so sorry- I didn’t mean for you to see this- I mean I did, but-“ he rambled on and on, unable to stop the words from spewing out of his mouth, only to be cut off by Y/N.

“-Peter, I said no. When Tobias asked me. I said no,” she said, her voice gentle and sincere.

Peter couldn’t believe his ears. Had he heard her correctly? His hands trembled a bit as he passed them through his hair yet again.

“What?” he asked, unsure.

“I mean, I said yes in front of his friends because I didn’t want him to feel bad in front of everyone, but I talked to him right after and told him no.”

“Wh-why would you do that?” Peter muttered, bewildered by her words. Why would she say no to Tobias Pierson?

“Because I don’t want to go to prom with him. I want to go with you,” she replied hesitantly, her cheeks filling with red as she bit her lip.

Y/N Y/L/N wanted to go to prom with him. He just couldn’t believe what was happening. He found the courage to look her straight in the eyes and the kind look she was sending him made his heart skip a beat.

“You do?” he whispered, unable to take his eyes off her.

Y/N giggled nervously, her arms tense with anticipation hiding behind her back as she shifted her weight.

“Are you kidding? I’ve been dropping hints for weeks!”

“You were? When?” Peter exclaimed.

“Um, like when I sent you pictures of prom dresses and asked you which ones you liked best. Or when I told you about how Marcus had just asked Jess and I told you it was really sweet and she was a lucky girl, and-“

“-those were hints?”

“Yes! Although, now that you mention it, obviously not very good ones.”

“Well, technically, your hard work paid off,” Peter said, a soft smile drawn on his lips as he gestured back at the large and shiny webs.

“I still can’t believe you’re Spiderman.”

Peter tried to suppress a frown before speaking again.

“How does that make you feel?”

“Peter, I don’t care if you’re Spiderman or Batman or Wonder Woman for that matter. You’re Peter. You’ll always be Peter to me. You’re the one who always makes me smile, the one who makes every day, no matter how terrible, so much better. You’re the person I care about the most. I’m just happy you felt like you could tell me.”

“Really?”

Y/N nodded with a grin, her beautiful eyes twinkling like they always did.

“You have no idea how relieved I am to hear you say that,” Peter said, breathing out for the first time in what seemed like ages. His heart felt light and airy, utter joy settling in his abdomen like warm tea. She cared about him too, and that simple fact sent a whirlwind of butterflies straight to his stomach.

“So, weren’t you going to ask me something?” she said playfully, her grin widening.

Peter laughed, suddenly remembering why he was in her room in the first place.

“Y/N, will you please go to prom with me?”

Y/N stepped closer to him, just inches away from the suited teenager, her gleaming eyes boring straight into his before lifting her body on the tips of her toes, reaching up to place a soft kiss on his crimson cheek and saying:

“I thought you’d never ask.”

A/N: I hope you guys liked it! feedback is always appreciated and feel free to reblog :)

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