#so he's put off by winona at first but then he loves her

[cowboysuperhero]

tonight's art offering: charlie's future dog, winona! he fosters her for about six months, trying and failing to get her adopted, before giving in and adopting her himself, making her his first actual pet. alistaire is less than enthused at the prospect of a large slobbery dog inhabiting his apartment, but winona very quickly grows on him, especially after she bonds with his cat enemy of the state.

[seleneee12]

Lilith in synastry💋😈🔥💣

Lilith has been a big topic in Synastry lately.

Everyone gets so excited when they talk about a man’s Lilith conjunction to a woman’s inner planets. Lilith contacts create an intense sexual attraction in Synastry in general. I’ve noticed that women have an easier time and love their Lilith conjunct a man’s personal planets, but a man has a more difficult time when his Lilith is conjunct another’s woman’s personal planets. Men usually like when a woman’s personal planets oppose, square, or trine his Lilith. Ex: ( Liam Hemsworth’s Lilith is very closely conjunct Miley’s sun and moon). We see that even though he was magnetically attached to her for years, he couldn’t control her making him even ashamed of her and her persona. With rumors that he even cheated on her. Now he is with Gabrielle Brooks who has her sun and possibly her moon opposing his Lilith. Making the magnetic pull stronger and easier for him to handle. Another fictional example is the new movie “ The idea of you” in the movie Nicholas Galitzine character is obsessed with Anne Hathaway (I mean who wouldn’t lol). The chemistry in the movie is undeniable! Nicholas has his Lilith directly opposing Anne’s Sun and Venus. Chris Evan’s was the biggest bachelor. He dated Minka Kelly (his Lilith conjunct her moon) off and on for seven years and never married her. He dated Emmy Rossum (his Lilith conjunct her Venus) breaking things off after one year. When he met Alba Baptista he Married her after 2 years of dating (His Lilith is squaring her Venus trining her Sun). Another big example of a man’s Lilith in Synastry is Johnny Depp. His Lilith was conjunct Winona Ryders sun and Venus, his Lilith was also conjunct Kate Moss’s moon. He dated both of them breaking things off with both of them. Winona and Kate took the breakups really bad. He never intended to Marry either of them, with him breaking his engagement to Kate. Johnny Depp got his relationship Karma when he Met Amber Heard. Amber has her Lilith conjunct Johnny’s Venus, he cheated on Vanessa (his Lilith conjunct her ascendant) with Amber and then went on to marry her. Lilith in a woman’s chart isn’t always a home wrecker. When it comes to a woman’s Lilith, if she makes a direct conjunction with a man’s personal planets, especially his Venus. She has put him in a magnetic spell. This I’ve seen in many Synastry charts of long term married couples. This is because he loves her sexual lilithian nature, and embraces her wild femininity. Ex:( Taylor swift and Travis Kelsey, David Beckham and Victoria Beckham, Jessica alba and Cash Warren, Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander). There’s a lot more examples of this if you read many different celebrity couples charts.

In my own personal experience: my Fiancé and I have so many Lilith contacts in Synastry. It’s crazy. Our chemistry and sex life is off the charts. He has his Lilith opposing my Venus, moon, squaring my mars and Uranus, with a sextile to my ascendant. My Lilith is conjunct his Venus, Sun, Uranus, trining his moon. The sexual chem may also be do to our 8th house Synastry, with his mars, Pluto, and ascendant all conjunct in my 8th with my mars trining all 3. We broke up once but we never got over each other. He came back to me three weeks after the breakup, Now he asked me to marry him. Ooop! It might also be because he has his Eros and Juno conjunct my Venus, Moon, Eros, trining my ascendant. My Eros is also in his first house, but now I’m just bragging lol. Let me know if you want me to make an Eros and Juno in Synastry as well as 8th house overlay💕

[moonsceptre]

What is your opinion on the Beetlejuice 2 Dream Theory?

This theory?

My opinion is that it's very likely to be true. I walked away from the cinema extremely happy with all of the shippy moments—so happy I hadn't even considered theorising anything yet, however my first thought about the ending was, So it was all Lydia's dream?

I read through the post and was blown away by how much sense it made, but I think it helped push me to believe it when my friend sent me this

My friend is not interested in theorising or shipping, and has no connection to the BJ fandom, he's just a horror fan. Yet his interpretation of the movie's ending was a summarised version of the whole dream theory. Isn't it far more romantic to imagine Lydia having spent her life with Betelgeuse, and he's indulging her with a dream of her own child? Considering they both have a 'psychic connection', I'm not convinced that Lydia hasn't been thinking about BJ just as much as he's been thinking about her.

This user pointed out both of Betelgeuse's love songs are by artists named Richard, conveniently the name of Lydia's previous partner. The same partner who was described as a horror fan that loved playing pranks, and dressed as a Beetlejuice lookalike for Halloween.

Looks like Beetlejuice, acts like Beetlejuice—either Lydia is equally obsessed, or it's BJ projecting himself onto Lydia's human lover within the dream. Watching the movie with new eyes, I noticed in the "Later, fucker" scene that BJ is sitting in the same place Richard sat while working at the border control. "Astrid" herself has a name related to the celestial bodies, much like "Betelgeuse". You can either take this as a romantic parallel, or Tim is trying to show us that Richard's creation is based on Lydia's fixation with Beetlejuice.

Dream sequences often use characters to represent something within the dreamer's psyche. It's like an abstract analysis of the way that character thinks and feels. Astrid's sequence within the dream shows Lydia's material desires—it confirms everything was based off of what Lydia wanted, which included getting married to a 'monster' (in the sequence of events, Astrid marries a guy dressed as a vampire), and then gives birth to the Beetlebaby. I know in the first movie there is a reference to the horror movie "The Fly", so I imagine this was too.

Did anyone notice the dream sequence watching Astrid didn't actually have a clear indication for when it began? It transitioned from the movie as if everything was a dream right from the start.

Let's not forget BJ straight up looking into the camera and saying "I love a good dream sequence". Lol.

My other reasoning for believing the dream theory is what Winona said about Lydia. Winona and Tim are close friends. Winona pitched the idea of having Betelgeuse and Lydia be the endgame ship in her words, and she happily took part in this movie. If Tim had rejected the idea, why would Winona reprise her role for a story she didn't agree with? Winona knows that Lydia is Tim's self insert (Tim has said many times he relates the most to Lydia), so why would Tim approve of all the shippy moments if he opposed Winona's pitch? No one knows Lydia like him!

Winona said in this interview that she hadn't imagined Lydia ever becoming a mother, but that after a while it started to make sense. She does not elaborate on that, but explains her idea for Lydia was that she would end up a spinster in the attic. If you read the dream theory, it highlights how the movie begins with Lydia in the attic, and then transitions to Lydia's TV show, but the background is still the attic. I found the whole film very dreamlike in this way, and I think the fact that Tim has said Wizard of Oz (a movie where the girl wakes up after a dream, in which those she knew acted as characters within the sequence) is one of his favourite movies helps to put it into effect.

And finally...

It's Lydia Deetz. Lydia loves the strange and unusual.. do you really think she wasn't curious enough to contact Beej again?

[abiteofhoney]

The Vampire and The Devilspawn

our enemy Spencer Nevins makes his debut (in name only) and Magdalena is starting to embrace what she is. Velur gets kicked around. enjoy!

4626 words | Chapter Navigation

Chapter 5

And that’s exactly where she is hours later, emptily staring without a thought in her head when the door swings open. Anzurin’s eyes immediately go to the bed, but then cut to her as he jumps. “Shit,” he curses, placing a large hand over his heart. “Why are you just standing there?” 

She shrugs. “Told you I didn’t want to sleep.” 

He gestures for her to follow him into the bathroom as he talks, and she does. “That was five hours ago, Magdalena. Have you been standing there the entire time?” 

She nods until she realizes that he’s not looking at her. “Yes.” 

“Just waiting?” 

“Yes.” 

Anzurin sighs, shaking his head. “You’re an odd one, Magdalena. Come on, come brush your teeth and get ready. We have some things to do today.” 

Together, they get ready for the day ahead of them, Magdalena following Anzurin’s lead, and the first place he takes her when they leave their rooms is to a man – another vampire – that takes Magdalena’s measurements and asks her about what kind of clothes she likes to wear. Anzurin promises her that she’ll have a complete wardrobe in her room by the time they return later. In the meantime, the vampire finds her a long green skirt to wear and a loose, flowy white blouse, and she’s much more comfortable in the new clothes than she was in the rough denim. She likes the freedom of movement and the breathability, but also she really loves the way it feels to spin in circles while wearing a skirt or a dress. 

After that, Anzurin leads her in a familiar direction, back to his office. Brem is already there, waiting for them when they arrive, and eyeing Magdalena uneasily. 

Anzurin guffaws as soon as he sees Brem’s worried look. “Ha! You know, Brem, it turns out, you don’t really need to worry; she doesn’t like how you taste. Said it’s too sharp – like pineapple, apparently.” 

She had almost forgotten their brief conversation about her taste in blood, but she actually quite likes the fact that Brem is scared of her, so she flashes him a toothy smile, showing off her fangs, and says, “I’d still drink him.” Her smile twists into a sneer as she stares into his bottomless black eyes, her taunting anger turning into something real. 

“Oh, leave him be,” Anzurin says, putting his hand between her shoulder blades to guide her to sit on the small sofa off to the side, but once she sits, he goes over to his desk, taking a seat at it. “Brem, what’d you find out?” 

Brem clears his throat, turning to stand at an angle so he can see both Anzurin and Magdalena, and points at Anzurin’s desk. “I put it there for you to look over, but… not much, actually. I found her, but there’s nothing I found that really stands out. She’s twenty-one. Born to Brinna and Seager Pierce, both human. Uhm, normal human life, you know. Went to school, graduated. Stayed out of legal trouble, at least, but there’s a missing persons report out on her.” 

“That’s odd,” Anzurin murmurs, looking through the documents in front of him. “Filed by her parents?”

Brem flinches when Magdalena stands, but she only moves to stand behind Anzurin so that she can look over his shoulder. If it’s her life he’s sifting through, she wants to see it. 

“Uhm.. no,” Brem answers, shifting nervously. He’s so uneasy around her and it makes her giddy. “Her father passed, and her mother lives in Dravenhill. I think it said that a friend reported her missing. There’s an official police article about it in there somewhere.”

“A human in Dravenhill? Even odder,” Anzurin murmurs as flips through the stack of papers until he finds the right page, then scans it quickly. “Winona Daniels,” he reads, glancing up at her. “Does that sound familiar? Or, uh, Spencer Nevins?”

Magdalena thinks hard about it, repeating the names over and over in hopes that they might trigger some type of memory, but nothing comes, so she shakes her head. 

“According to this, Winona was your friend who reported your disappearance, and Spencer was your boyfriend. Suspect number one for the police, it seems, too.”

“It’s always the boyfriend,” Brem says, and it almost sounds like a joke, but the sentence makes Magdalena’s stomach drop. 

No memories return to her, not even a face to the name Spencer Nevins, but she gets the sinking feeling that they’re right, that he had something to do with her disappearing. He has something to do with why she’s what she is - a vampire with no memories. 

Clearly, Anzurin doesn’t feel the same thing, because he laughs and says, “I don’t think it’s the boyfriend when she’s been turned into a vampire and has had a devilspawn in her head, fucking with her memories.”

“What?” Brem gasps. “A devilspawn is part of - of whatever happened to her?”

“Seems like. I got in there yesterday and got a glimpse of some constructed wall where it shouldn’t be. I’m just assuming it’s connected to her lapse in memory, but I think it’s a safe guess.” 

“That’s … Wow, okay. Shit,” Brem mutters. “Has Velur brought in his intake coordinator?”

“Not yet,” Anzurin says with an angry edge. “And I don’t know what’s taking him so long.”

She grumbles just at the mention of Velur’s name and the thought of him being near her again. She hates that devilspawn more than anyone else. He was so, so mean to her when all she was trying to do was soothe her aching hunger. He kept beating her, even after she was chained, and that just didn’t seem fair. 

“You really hate him, don’t you?” Anzurin chuckles, red eyes shining as he peers at her. 

“He’s mean,” she pouts. “He hit me. A lot. It hurt.” 

He chuckles and pats her arm. “Maybe I’ll let you bite him for a little payback.”

She scrunches up her nose at the thought. She hasn’t gotten the chance to taste his blood, but she feels like it’d probably be horrible. Bitter and disgusting, just like he is. But she would also like to tear him apart; that does sound nice. She wouldn’t have to drink his blood to hurt him when her nails can cause just as much damage. “Can I kick him?” she asks with a hopeful edge. 

“Yeah, you can break his rib like he broke yours,” Anzurin says with another little huff that’s almost a laugh. He does that a lot. He looks at her then, pointedly at her side. “How’s that feeling, by the way? It should be healed by now. Does it still hurt?”

She shrugs and says, “It’s fine.”

“Good. And your hunger? You haven’t fed in a while.” 

Her attention shifts to his neck. Her hunger isn’t overpowering, but it’s always there, and she wouldn’t say no to getting to taste him. 

“Come on, I can see it in your eyes. I’ll feed you.” Anzurin stands and motions for Magdalena to follow him back over to the sofa where he sits and guides her to sit right next to him. He winds his arm around her shoulders to put his wrist directly in front of her mouth. “Be easy, just like I told you before.” 

She shifts excitedly and grabs Anzurin’s wrist, tracing her thumb along his prominent veins before she brings his arm to her mouth. She teases his skin with her fangs and tongue, not yet biting but just enjoying the salty taste of his skin. She wants to bite as hard as she possibly can, to flood her mouth with flesh and blood, but Anzurin already warned her, so she carefully punctures him with her fangs and fangs only. 

Trying really hard to resist the urge to bite down further, she keeps her fangs in his skin for a few more moments and runs her tongue over his wrist, tracing the outline of her own teeth underneath. 

“Take your fangs out and drink,” Anzurin tells her when she lingers for too long. 

Reluctantly, she does as told. 

“See, Brem?” Anzurin asks, boastful. “I told Velur that all she needed was a little guidance and to be fed. That’s all you needed, wasn’t it, Magdalena?” he coos to her, ghosting his fingers across her jawbone while she drinks from him. 

She doesn’t respond, entirely engrossed in his blood as usual. When she’s drinking from him, it’s all she cares about. It’s all she can focus on. His blood is just so good, it feels addicting, like she can’t get enough, and she’d drink from him all day if she could, whether she’s hungry or not. 

But sooner than she’d like, he’s telling her to stop. She doesn’t immediately let go of his arm, instead doing just as she did before. She licks across the puncture marks, lapping up every last drop, and then she nuzzles her cheek against it, smearing his blood across her face while she inhales deeply. The scent is imprinted in her by now, along with the taste of him. 

“Bit too into it, don’t you think?” Brem asks with trepidation.

“Oh, she’s alright.” Anzurin easily pulls his arm out of her grasp, and she whines at the loss of it but lets him go. Her tongue explores her teeth for any lingering taste. She’s not even really hungry anymore, but she wants more of his blood and his scent. She moves with him when he stands, wanting to stay swathed in his aroma.

Anzurin goes back to sit at his desk, making no mention of it as Magdalena stands just behind his shoulder. He only gives her a curious glance then asks Brem, “Where the hell is Griffin? I need him to chase down Velur. He should have been back already.”

“It’s Griff’s day off, the lucky bastard. But I can go get him. Or go get Velur myself,” Brem offers. 

Anzurin nods. “Do that. Get Velur here.” 

Brem practically sprints towards the door and rips it open, and as soon as he does, Magdalena stiffens. Walking down the hall towards them is Velur, flanked by two other devilspawn. 

“Damn it,” Brem grumbles, trudging back into the room. He returns to his spot in the corner closest to the door and furthest from her and crosses his red arms over his chest. 

Anzurin glances over his shoulder at Magdalena where she stands with a burning glare pinned on Velur. She wants to kick him. Scratch him. Bite him. Tear his limbs off of his body and watch him bleed out in agony. She doesn’t recognize the two other devilspawn with him, but the way they peer at her with those black eyes of theirs makes her want to bleed them out, too. 

“You’re trembling,” Anzurin notes, reaching out to place his hand over hers where it’s clenched into a tight fist at her side. “Does Velur really make you so angry?” 

She nods tightly. Just the sight of him boils her blood. Just the thought of his existence makes her want to burn the entire world down just to burn him with it. 

Velur holds his shoulders back as he struts down the hall, chin high and an empty black stare pinned on Magdalena, his thin face set in a haughty expression. “Haven’t put her down yet?” he jests. “You’re wasting your time keeping her alive.”

“Watch it,” Anzurin warns, his own anger winding its way through his tone. “Are you –” he starts to ask, but as soon as Velur steps past the threshold into the office, Magdalena snaps. 

She shoves Anzurin’s chair into the desk, pinning him for only a split second, but it’s enough to keep him from being able to grab her as she launches over the desk and slams into Velur. Rather than going for a bite or a scratch, she drops her shoulder and rams it into his stomach. The hit knocks him to the ground, and she wastes no time in kicking him hard in the ribs. Just as his kick did to her, hers sends him sliding across the floor, a yelp leaving his cursed mouth as he slams into the doorframe. She manages to land one more kick to his shoulder before her arms are pinned to her sides and she’s lifted off of the ground entirely. 

Magdalena doesn’t even fight to get loose, satisfied to watch Velur squirm in pain on the floor. She spits on him too, just for good measure, just like he did to her.

“Magdalena, don’t spit,” Anzurin coos calmly in her ear, despite his rapid heartbeat against her back. 

“What the fuck, Anzurin?” Velur shouts as he stands. “Punish her! Fucking kill her.”

“No,” he scoffs. “I can’t even really get mad at her, because if I’m honest, Velur, I gave her permission to kick you.“

“Why the fuck would you do that?!” 

“Oh, I figured she deserved a little payback. Did you know that you broke her rib when you kicked her?” Though he doesn’t seem to care that she kicked Velur, Anzurin carries her back behind the desk before he sets her on her feet, and he holds onto her arm as he pulls open a drawer. He pulls out a yellow-orange folder and tosses it on the desk. “Take a look, Velur. Tell me how many of those were from you.” As Velur looks through Magdalena’s x-rays, Anzurin continues, anger bleeding into his tone. “Is that how you take care of the fledglings in your coven, Velur? Do you kick them and break them until they behave, and kill them if they don’t? How many have you ‘put down’?” 

Velur scoffs, rubbing his shoulder where she’d kicked him the second time. “When they behave like her, yes. How I run my coven is none of your concern.” 

“It is entirely my concern. Do I need to schedule a visit? Brem, would you like to take a trip to Abhor Hall? You. Vek,” he snaps with a pointed nod at one of the other devilspawn accompanying Velur. 

Magdalena sneers at him when he steps forward and eyes her with those colorless eyes. He shifts his attention back to Anzurin nervously, clasping his purple-red hands behind his back. “Yes, sir.” 

“You were there when Magdalena was brought in?” 

“No – I mean, yes! Yes, I was there, but what I meant was that she – she wasn’t really brought in. Uhm, another vampire was bringing in a few new fledglings, and when I went to let them in, she was with them, but the vampire said that this fledgling was already there when she arrived.” 

Anzurin bristles, standing up a bit straighter. “What do you mean? Her creator didn’t bring her in? So we don’t even know who changed her?” 

“She doesn’t know?” 

“She doesn’t remember anything,” Anzurin explains. “Nothing before killing Herra, I’m pretty sure. Magdalena? Do you remember Vek? He would have been the first one you saw once you came into Velur’s coven.” 

Magdalena shakes her head. It was really like she just woke up in the middle of drinking form Herra. She doesn’t remember arriving at the coven and she hardly remembers anything after she arrived, either. There was the hunger, and then the blood as she fed, and then the pain as they chained and beat her. The only face she remembers seeing is Velur’s, twisted up in anger as he beat her, and a few other hazy faces laughing in the background. Vek’s face is not one from her limited memories. 

“That’s alright,” Anzurin assures her softly, then informs the others, “She’s been altered and I believe that’s why she has no memory. Someone has been digging around in there.”

“Altered?” the one named Vek repeats, daring another step forward even as Magdalena growls at him. “I suppose that would explain some –” 

“Altered or not, she killed Herra and she keeps attacking us!” Velur shouts. “Can you even imagine how bad she was before being altered? They should have just done us a favor and –.” 

“I’ve just about had enough of you. Magdalena is not going to be killed, and if you suggest it again, I’ll brand your tongue. Enough. I’ll hear no more of it.” 

“She’s going to wipe out your entire coven. She’s going to kill every last one of you, then you’ll see,” Velur seethes, and Magdalena sneers right back at him. 

“Leave,” Anzurin commands.

“Gladly!” Velur snaps, spinning on his heel and taking one of the two devilspawn with him. Vek stays where he is. 

Once Velur is finally out of sight, Magdalena is released. She shakes off the lingering feeling of Anzurin’s hold and glares in the direction of Velur’s retreat. She thinks about following after him, hunting him down until she can corner him and rip into his flesh until he’s nothing but a messy pile of bone and sinew and flesh. She wants to rip his own horns off his head and stab him with them until he’s full of holes and her arm aches. 

But he’s gone, so she instead turns her attention to the other two devilspawn in front of her, Brem and Vek. She glares, but makes no move against them. Still within reach of Anzurin, she knows she wouldn’t make it far. For now, he says he doesn’t want to kill her, but that could change if she goes too far. 

Brem surely wouldn’t mind seeing her killed, either. He’s already terrified of her, she can see it in his eyes; he wouldn’t mind at all if she were put down, if she was no longer a threat to him.

But Magdalena likes being a threat. She likes the feeling of their cold, prickly fear washing over her and she’d bathe in the sensation if she could. It radiates from Brem, from the tremble in his devilspawn hands, from the nervous flicking of his black eyes, and she wonders what it’d taste like if she could lick the sweat off of his forehead. 

How does fear taste? She’d killed Herra so quickly that the devilspawn didn’t even have the chance to be scared. But what if she took her time? What if she reveled in the fear before the feeding? Would it make the blood taste better? Sweeter, sharper, softer? Richer? She wants to know. 

“Please make her stop staring at me like that,” Brem begs as he takes a step back away from her, snapping her out of her hungry thoughts. 

Once again, Anzurin laughs, “No. Stare away, Magdalena.” But he does take a small step closer to her and she can hear the nervous patter of his heart, too. 

She doesn’t think Anzurin is scared of her, but he certainly doesn’t trust her to not attack someone, and she supposes that’s fair. She’s done a lot of biting. She has certainly given him reason to be nervous around her, but that icy fear doesn’t cling to his scent like it does to Brem’s. Even Vek has a small taste of it. 

“It’s fucking creepy,” Brem complains. “Let her stare at you like that for a while and see how you like it. I feel like … I feel like she’s looking at me like I’m her next meal.” 

“I have been on the other side of it. I woke up to her biting me,” he chuckles. “You’re almost as bad as Velur, Brem. Don’t let your fear guide you. Your fear is what she wants.” 

“I’m so glad I’m not a mentor. Are they all like this? Like her?” 

Anzurin’s touch finds her chin, turning her head and tilting it up to look at him. He studies her face, a furrow between his brows and a curious glint to his flame red eyes. “No, you’re a special one, aren’t you, Magdalena? But we’re going to find out what happened to you.  We’re going to fix it and get your memories back.” 

She frowns at that. From what she’s seen of her memories so far, there hasn’t been much good. She remembers a lot of beating, a lot of pain, and maybe she doesn’t want to remember any more of that. And maybe there’s also some good she might remember, but she’s not sure that it’s worth all the bad she’s already glimpsed. 

And besides that, she doesn’t feel like she needs to be fixed either. Sure, she’s angry and vicious and bloodthirsty, but from what she’s learned so far, that’s everything a vampire is supposed to be. It was in her instincts, Anzurin had said before. This is what she’s meant to be, so why would she need to be fixed? 

Because people like Brem are scared of her? Let them be scared. She’d actually prefer that they are. 

She pulls her chin out of Anzurin’s grip, a half-assed bite aimed at his fingers that doesn’t even come close to making contact. She pushes past Anzurin and grabs the folder holding her past. 

“What are you doing?” Anzurin asks, just a second before she tosses the small stack in the trashcan next to his desk. He quickly pulls it all back out. “Why? This is your life.” 

She shrugs. “Don’t care.” She stabs her finger to the center of her chest. “This is my life now.” 

“Yeah, but don’t you want to know what you came from? Don’t you want to know who did this to you?” 

The former, Magdalena doesn’t care much about, truthfully. But the latter… Yes, she would like to know who did this to her. She would like to be able to get her payback. Someone caused her a lot of pain, even if she doesn’t remember most of it, and they ought to pay for it. For every time they broke her, she’ll match it, so she snatches up the x-rays and begins counting every little circle. 

While she stands there and counts, Anzurin asks Vek to recount every detail he can remember from the moment he laid eyes on Magdalena. 

“Well, that was about it,” Vek says with a shrug. “She was just there – outside – so we brought her in and handed her over to Herra, and literally a few minutes later, Herra was ringing her emergency bell, and by the time we arrived, she was dead. It - it was that quick. She was in our coven for less than an hour.” 

“She’s been starved and beaten. I need to know where she came from. Anything, Vek. Think. Was she injured when you found her?” 

“No, she …” Vek gestures vaguely at her. “She was basically like she is now. A bit out of it, like she wasn’t … present in her body, I guess. I tried to ask her where she came from, how she found our coven, but all she kept saying was her name. Over and over, like it’s the only thing she knew. But a lot of them can be confused immediately after being turned.” 

Anzurin scoffs from beside her. “Her name probably was the only thing she knew. According to Inessa, she’s at least a three month old fledgling, so it wasn’t the initial shock and confusion of being changed. Someone altered her, Vek. Another devilspawn; I don’t know who. She may have just turned up at the coven yesterday, but she’s been a fledgling for months. We need to find out where she’s been and find who changed her. Figure out what’s been done to her.” 

Your name is Magdalena Pierce. Someone had told her that, hadn’t they? The voice echoes through her mind, but no visual memory accompanies it, leaving her wondering who spoke to her. Who told her her name, and when? When they left her at the coven? 

“And those are hers?” Vek asks, pointing at the x-rays in Magdalena’s hands. “Can I look at them?” 

When he reaches for the folder, Magdalena snaps her teeth at his hand and growls at him, holding it out of his reach. 

Anzurin laughs lightly, stepping forward to put himself slightly between Vek and Magdalena, a hand on Vek’s shoulder to guide him back a step. “If you are attached to your fingers, I wouldn’t get them too close to her, because they might not stay attached to you.” 

Vek nods and takes another step away. “I would like to keep them, thanks.” 

“Don’t. Grab,” Magdalena warns tightly, still glaring and baring her fangs as she holds the folder tight to her chest. It’s her life in there, her bones and her wounds and her life. She doesn’t want this devilspawn to look at it – at her. 

With a nervous laugh, Vek turns completely towards Anzurin to say, “She reminds me of this hound I had once. Hated men. Any time another man was around, she would growl and snap at them. Wouldn’t let anyone get close, or she’d lash out and try to bite you. ‘Cause, well, she was abused by men.” 

“She’s not so bad with me,” Anzurin points out. 

Vek scoffs. “You’ve fed her. My dog liked me too when she realized that I’m the one that feeds her and takes care of her.” 

Not liking the comparison one bit, Magdalena claws for his face, ripping into his skin with her nails, taking small chunks and drawing blood that splatters across her hand and to the floor. She lunges for him once more, with her teeth this time. He stumbles back and Magdalena nearly gets him, but is stopped by Anzurin who covers her mouth with his hand and gets his fingers bit in the process. “Dog!” she spits at Vek from behind Anzurin’s hand, swiping for Vek again, who is just out of her reach. 

“He wasn’t calling you a dog, dear,” Anzurin murmurs calmly in her ear, despite her wild thrashing. “I think he’s just trying to suggest that it seems you don’t like men, and that’s possibly because it might have been men who hurt you.” He adjusts his hand, keeping it over her mouth but allowing her to lick up the blood that drips from where she’d bitten his fingers. “You might be right, Vek, but she clearly doesn’t like feeling insulted, either. Maybe just mind how you phrase things. Velur’s mouth has nearly gotten him bit more than once.” 

“Understood,” Vek mutters, prodding tentatively at his scratched face. 

Magdalena shoves Anzurin’s hand off of her mouth, giddy with the way Vek flinches when she moves. She keeps her stare on Vek as she licks his blood off of her own fingers. She purrs at the taste of it, not as good as Anzurin’s but still delicious in its own way. Something like honey with a dash of chili spice. 

Vek shudders under her stare, and her grin widens as fear starts to mingle with his scent. Magdalena heads for the sofa to sit and sift through the documents of her life, but as she goes, she slowly steps by Vek, circling around him for a moment to come up behind him and sniff his neck. 

She laughs when he jumps and scurries away from her, and then she finally goes to sit down. 

Brem, from the corner, murmurs, “At least it’s not me this time,” which, ironically, earns him Magdalena’s attention. She snarls at him too, partly hating his empty black eyes, but mostly just for the fun of it. 

It’s not men she hates, but all these damned devilspawn, like them. Devilspawn like Velur and Herra and the black eyed faces that haunt her broken and scattered memories. Maybe they’re who hurt her, maybe it was the human, Spencer Nevins. Whoever it was, she’s going to find them, and she’s going to get her payback. 

~~~

yay! chapter 5! there might be 16 chapters now. i'm working on it lol.

usual taglist stuff. let me know if you want on or off! thank you and i appreciate you to the following people:

@pizzamanstan @leahnardo-da-veggie  @dyrewrites @trippingpossum @possiblyeldritch

@godsmostfuckedupgoblin @jgc-comeundermybridge @shortcircuitthegreat @seastarblue @bloodmoodtrash

@theaistired @korol--reznii @simonnebethel @danimia @written-among-stars

@lofiyaketyblr @quill-main @bellascarousel @alexanderflowerbird @lead-to-code

@annothersummerofsleep @saecarnell @albatris @solaristawrites @the-letterbox-archives

@imonthemoonitsmadeofcheese @threedaysgross @corinneglass @fifis-corner 

[luci-luck]

Earth “ponies” go first! MASSIVE autism dump comin’ atcha live

TW: ableism , grief , parental death (just in case the tags failed)

This is more so for me but I still wanted to share 🫶

Sandstone (Pinkie):

- b i g puppy energy

- Built for work but prefers to play

- Has crystal pony genes but depression makes them subdued. Can only go full crystal mode in a moment of pure and raw jubilation.

- after constantly being told who she’s supposed to be, they rejected the idea of labels entirely

- no labels for gender or sexuality means loving Pinkie does not impact your sexuality score!

- (intersex is not about gender but biological sex. That being said many intersex people use intergender as their gender as it relates to their experience as an intersex person.)

- deals with internalized ableism due to conservative fillyhood environment. Feels bad when they need to ask for help/support. Got herself an unofficial certificate in psychology so he can be his own therapist (it doesn’t work out)

- Parents would totally support the pony version of Autism Speaks just saying. Pinkie’s dad thinks neurodivergency is curable with hard work and the right attitude whilst her mom mourns the loss of her son after the diagnosis.

- ADHD makes xeir rejection sensitivity off the charts

- Internal battery runs on the company of others so can’t ever live alone.

- Had problems with food insecurity

- Relies on sugar as a steady supply of dopamine

- Can have moments of poor motor control. Clumsy

- Eyesight is bad but doesn’t wear glasses. Afraid that ponies will start thinking he is smart and they will expect even more from him. (In human world she wears contacts)

- Feels embarrassed being high support needs and just wants to be treated like everybody else. Hates when xer parents call her “special”

- Also hates being infantilized but is not confident in their decision making

- Xe is a sensory seeker unlike the rest of their family who are all sensory avoiders. Sisters compromise and try to meet his needs. Pinkie in turn tries to be mindful of their touch aversion but finds it hard sometimes. “Everypony’s just so scoop-able!”

- Trained Gummy to “stay”. Is very proud of his emotional support gator

Applejack:

- Is incredibly strong for her size

- feels like she has to constantly prove herself worthy of taking over the farm. Has gotten into arguments with Big Mac about overexerting herself

- Is a hinny (donkey mom and stallion dad) (ofc hinnies are supposed to have tails more like horse but I love the lion tail on AJ so 💁‍♀️) (I said mule in ALT text because most people don’t know what a hinny is)

- Because of this, she is more calm under pressure and thinks more logically

- has major depression from grief and ptsd (duh)

- Isn’t used to being in a stress free environment so she creates the stress

- Likes running the apple stand but certain families trigger her

- Obsessed with anything from the past generation. A time when her parents were young and happy

- Can be a bit insensitive to other’s problems and wants them to “put on their big girl pants” like she had to.

- Feels like she has to fill in the roles her parents used to do. Especially so Applebloom and Granny don’t have to stress over as many things.

- Was in the process of cutting her mane when she remembered that AB liked to braid it so she stopped half way.

- Is the mom of the friend group. Makes sure everyone’s needs are met before tending to her own. (Which is bad btw)

- Has problems with insomnia but getting better.

- Struggles with OCD and will repeat unnecessary tasks if she believes it will help protect her family

- Has an emotional support dog named Winona who also reminds AJ to take breaks 🐕‍🦺

- Sees no point in getting her chronic pain checked out. Will hopefully change her mind in the future. Wears leg braces to ease the soreness.

- Got diagnosed later on. Grief masked her autistic traits.

- Also has a hard time asking for help but has gotten better after she found out that Applebloom has been internalizing that mindset. She must lead by example

- Stick around long enough and she’ll happily invite you over with a hot cup of cider 🍺

- (Other people tend to fall in love while getting to know someone. Demiromantics however need to get to know the person first and then develop romantic feelings later)

- Thought she wasn’t capable of developing crushes until she got to know Coloratura.

[sogoodtoheritsvicious]

it’s tiiiiimeee

i haven’t watched this show in full in five years 😵‍💫but it’s october and i was gonna watch thee byeler episode aka 2x02 on halloween anyway so i thought i might as well rewatch the entire show and make it everyone’s problem

forgot about the jumpscare being right at the beginning

baby will <3

they were all BABIES and now they’re all grown and the damn final season still hasn’t premiered lmao

dustin was so adorable

“it was a seven.” “huh?” “the roll, it was a seven. the demogorgon, it got me.” the way will was incapable of lying to mike, GOD, i feel sick

fun fact: will’s adorable little “see you tomorrow!” is immediately what made him my favorite

“kiss your mom ‘night for me!” lmfao

forgot how damn good the jumpscares are

gonna need mike to see will with a gun at least once before this show is over

“damn,you look like hell, chief!” “oh, yeah? well, i looked better than your wife when i left her this morning.” HELP

“lonnie used to call him queer.” “is he?” FUCKING HELL, HOPPER 😭 i completely forgot about that scene lmfao

EL, MY BABY

benny was such a good man :( he didn’t deserve to die

that poor dog was so hated irl 😭

“you think we got a problem here?” my brother in christ, a boy is missing

“i’m the only one that cares about will!” mike loves will so much, i’m gonna cry

i completely forgot about hop’s daughter

mike sneaking out while steve’s sneaking in 😭 this show is also a comedy

winona ryder the actress that you are

chapter 2

maybe i’m going to find out in this ep i can’t remember if they ever investigate benny’s death or link it to everything else that was going on

“stop it, you’re freaking her out!” “she’s freaking ME out!” lucas was the only real one in the beginning

poor baby. el didn’t even know what privacy was before this moment.

“oh, you can speak!” she gets that a lot 😭

mike and el had so much potential as friends, FUCK the duffers for ruining them by making it romantic. now they don’t even seem like they like each other

i hope s5 focuses on more on will and lucas’ friendship

jonathan was such a good brother

brenner. always at the scene of the fucking crime.

mike naming his dino ‘rory’ because he roars 🥹

FUCK BRENNER ALL MY HOMIES HATE BRENNER

karen was such a good mom in the beginning

i hate lonnie with a passion, he’s an abusive piece of shit who should’ve been killed off

i don’t blame lucas at all for the way he was acting with el at first

“one kid goes missing, the other one runs wild? some real fine parenting right there.”

they kept pointing out so many similarities between will and el, i can’t believe they didn’t go anywhere with it

“can’t ask a corpse a question.” die. just die.

nancy: *losing her virginity*

barb: *losing her life*

chapter 3

“no one breaks in here.” yeah, they just break out

love jonathan but steve wasn’t exactly wrong about the pictures

joyce byers the mother that you are

mike wanted nothing to do with el once they found will’s “body” but we’re supposed to believe that he loved her the second he saw her in the woods.

chapter 4

i can’t believe they showed that mike has all of the drawings will has created and expected us to be normal about it

“screw his funeral!” “what?!” TEARS

jonathan loves joyce and will so much 🥺

steve was such an unbearable asshole

can we PLEASE talk about charlie being able to hold his own with winona in that scene about will’s body? we already know winona’s gonna blow it out of the water but he did just as well

completely forgot about mike doing el’s makeup this episode dkfkgjd

“where are you from, exactly?” “bad place.” 😭

that troy scene still sends

“the kid is dead. end of story.”

they put too much pressure on el. i hope when all this shit is over she’s able to just be a normal kid.

this show used to be so fucking good

i love how hop tries lying to the state trooper and when that doesn’t work he just knocks him the fuck out 😭

I FUCKING HATE LONNIE

i’m so glad they had jonathan realize that joyce was telling the truth about everything that was going on instead of just dragging it all out.

chapter 5

hate lonnie for taking advantage of joyce when she’s clearly in a vulnerable position

“wait until we tell will that jennifer hayes was crying at his funeral” lmao

all this season is showing me is how severely they’ve robbed us of joyce and will scenes in future episodes

“man, these aren’t real nilla wafers.” mr. clark must think they’re horrible friends, i’m crying. dustin is right, though, fake nilla wafers suck.

“it might even swallow us whole.” and that’s exactly what’s happening by the end of s4

“he’s wanted to go to nyu since he was six. years. old!” she should’ve killed lonnie right then & there

can’t prove it but jonathan fell in love with nancy the second she shot that can on her first try

jonathan clocked nancy’s ass BAD in the woods

forgot just how much lucas hated el this season

byeler and jancy have paralleled each other too many times for it to just mean nothing in the end.

chapter 6

the jumpscares in this show are top tier

what i love about this show is how it still has me holding my breath even though i already know what’s going to happen

“i don’t wanna be alone. do you?” “no.” i was gonna say he wouldn’t be alone cause joyce is there but i remembered he doesn’t wanna tell her til it’s all over

early jancy were so awkward, i love them <3

“i could have been killed!” “which is exactly why we need her. she’s a weapon!” but mike loves her at this point, right?

lucas loves will so much, it’s a shame we haven’t seen much more of their friendship

“you’re my best friend, too.” “okay :D” dustin looked so happy 😭

“what’s the weirdest part? me or the bear trap?” “you, definitely you.” pls

jonathan beating the shit out of steve was so satisfying

“only love makes you that crazy, sweetheart.” i’m not even gonna say anything. you all know.

we don’t give mike enough appreciation for being such a selfless person. he did everything he could to find will, he almost killed himself to protect dustin, he let el live in his basement without even knowing her, etc.

“she’s our friend and she’s crazy!” i love dustin with my whole heart

BABIES 🫶🏼

chapter 7

“if anyone asks where i am, i’ve left the country.” this season is really reminding me why mike was my favorite in the beginning

i wanna hug el so bad

“our son with a girl?” ted, to mike:

“a psychotic child broke his arm!” “a little girl, chief. a little one.” “that tone! do you hear that tone?” “honestly, i’m just trying to state a fact. it was a little girl.” this entire exchange is sending me so bad

“you couldn’t take jonathan byers.” get his ass!

it was such a great choice to have joyce be the first one to ever give el comfort because she’s such a soft, comforting person and i can’t think of anyone better

chapter 8

made it to the finale! gonna be honest, i didn’t think i’d get here in only two days but this show sucked me in the exact way it did the first time

“go to hell.” joyce is everything

waiting til this episode to give flashbacks on hop’s daughter was an excellent choice

steve just wanted to apologize to jonathan and now he’s an exasperated mother of seven. life comes at ya quick!!

choosing not to acknowledge that scene beyond this for the sake of my mental health

el is a badass but she shouldn’t have to be

brenner should’ve never made it to season 4

these kids acted their ASSES off in this show

GOD THIS JOYCE, HOPPER AND WILL SCENE

you’d think everything that went down would make nancy and karen care more about mike and pay attention to him but it doesn’t. mike deserves so much better.

will is in a hospital bed worrying about jonathan’s hand. I LOVE THIS KID.

byeler hug <3

they all really wanted to tell will about jennifer hayes crying 😭

“her name’s eleven.” “like the number?” he sounded baffled lmaooo

getting will back must’ve been so bittersweet for nancy

hop keeps throwing away lit cigarettes and all i keep thinking is that he’s gonna start a wildfire eventually

mike’s soft ‘see you, will’ 🥹

the camera!!

“your wife doesn’t have time to cook for me.” pls

the byers family 🫶🏼

my love for this show has officially been revived. rewatching this reminded me why i loved this show so much in the first place. the acting is amazing, especially from the kids, the writing was great, and the fucking jumpscares were incredible. i’m so excited to start season 2!!

[foreverdolly]

For tut sleepover I’d love dad Elvis with 9 and 26 thank you!!!

𝐌𝐔𝐃 𝐏𝐈𝐄 | 𝐝𝐚𝐝!𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐬 𝐱 𝐦𝐨𝐦!𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

prompt(s): "I love it." "I'm gonna puke." and "If it makes you feel any better then you can slap me. Lightly."

word count: 1.3k

song: fooled around and fell in love - elvin bishop

notes/warnings: this is for my 2.5k celebration! no triggers, this is a safe read. elvis is the best dad ever and loves you and your kids more than anything. we stan a girl-dad king.

The musician had grown up ridiculously poor. The kind of poor that had him eating nothing but corn bread for dinners some nights and living in government housing. He never grew up with many toys, but neither did the other boys from his side of town. They had to make do with what they had. 

The musician had grown up ridiculously poor. The kind of poor that had him eating nothing but corn bread for dinners some nights and living in government housing. He never grew up with many toys, but neither did the other boys from his side of town. They had to make do with what they had. 

An empty apple crate was a car if you tied a thick rope to the middle plank and took turns pulling one another in it. You could make forts out of broken branches and dead leaves, and the local streams were just as good as any saltwater swimming pool. 

His daughter had absolutely everything that he had grown up without. A nice big house, brand new clothes (without any patches in them), and more toys than any child would know what to do with. Instead of riding her tricycle around the house and terrorizing Miss Mary (his daughter loved to help her with the cooking), she was outside getting her hands dirty. His daughter was out in the front yard with a plate, one that she no doubt had to have stood up on her tiptoes to steal from the fine China cabinet. The baby blue dress that you had put her in just hours ago was practically black, mud splattered all over every visible inch of her tiny body. 

“Winnie!” He called out to her, hoping to get her attention. 

She didn’t look up, rather just slapped another fistful of mud onto the plate. He spluttered, feeling jilted by the act of her down right ignoring him. It wasn’t just any old plate that she was sullying either- it was your wedding china. It was cream colored porcelain with gold inlay- very expensive. He didn’t care about the price though, rather the fact that you and him had eaten your wedding cake off of it. 

Right on que, as if summoned by his panic, you appeared in the doorway behind him. You opened your mouth to ask him what he was looking at, but found out on your own very quickly. 

“Winona Mae!” You called out to her hurriedly, motioning her over with a forceful wave of your hand. “Come here, baby.” 

Elvis couldn’t help but huff in annoyance as his little girl stood up, plate in hand, and did exactly what you said. He should have known that she would listen to you over him. His brown suede jacket crinkled softly at his elbows as he crossed his arms over his chest, tapping his booted foot against the stones of the front porch, trying to look the part of an authoritarian. 

“Did you not hear me, lil girl?” He asked her once she was close enough. Her bare feet slapped against the stairs as she walked, and to his disbelief she shook her head. 

“I was busy cookin’.” Her little southern drawl was thick as she replied in a rather matter-of-fact tone. 

He couldn’t help but let out a breathy laugh as she proudly held out the plate. You and your husband stared down at the mud, both knowing that it would be better to play along with her little game of make-believe. You were the first one to lean down, admiring her handy work with kind motherly eyes. She had placed small pebbles around the perimeter of the dirt mound, even going as far to place a few leaves and sticks on the very top. You surmised that it had to be a cake. 

You pretended to sniff the air, shooting her a wide grin soon after. “Oh my- what a beautiful cake. And it smells so delicious. How did I not know that you were such a talented baker?” 

It was moments like this that had Elvis falling in love with you all over again. Motherhood suited you beautifully. Here you were, happily playing with your daughter, your stomach swelling with his child. He had the family that he had always wanted as well as a wife that he adored. You were someone that truly saw him and his heart.  

“S’cause I didn’t wanna tell ya.” She got her sas from you, he supposed. 

Winnie smiled expectantly at Evis, staring at him expectantly. He had to bite his lip to keep himself from laughing, not wanting to offend her. “It looks delicious, honey. Can I have a bite?” 

He pretended to scoop some up into his hand, then proceeded to fake chew. “It is delicious. That’s gotta be the best cake I’ve ever had.” 

“Well is mama gonna eat a slice?” It was almost like the girl didn’t realize she was coated in a thick layer of dirt. She was carrying on a conversation like everything was normal. 

Elvis was fully focused on his precious red carpets, wondering if they would ever recover from the stains they were no doubt about to endure. Thankfully you had heard what your daughter said and replied for him. 

“I’m sure I would love it, but mama can’t eat anything that might hurt the baby, and that much sugar would be bad for me.” You pointed at your rounded belly. “But I’m sure daddy would love to eat another slice.” You shot your husband an apologetic smile, but the expression was soon replaced with shock. 

“Winona, baby- don’t-” You hurriedly reached out for her, but it was too late. 

Elvis felt something cold and wet press against his mouth. He parted his lips to let out a surprised yell, which was a terrible idea. 

His daughter’s small hand was pressed against his mouth, force feeding him a fist full of mud. The earthy, gritty sludge had him doubling over the side of the porch to spit. His stomach churned as the horrific flavor hit his tongue. 

“I’m ‘bout to be sick.” He grumbled, his eyes tearing up as he tried to keep himself from dry heaving. 

Instead of sympathy on your end, he heard. . . laughter? Sure enough, you were doubled over as well, but for entirely different reasons. The white turtleneck that he was wearing under his jacket was stained, his perfect face marred with mud and chunks of grass. The usually well kept, perfectly put together man was an absolute mess. The ungodly moans and groans of disgust made the moment even more comical. 

“Are you laughin’ at me?” He gasped, his large hands braced on his knees. 

“If it makes you feel any better, you can slap me. Lightly.” You teased, only for another round of giggles to pour out of your mouth as he leaned back down, gagging dramatically loud. 

“E-Elvis? Did you hate my cake that bad?” His daughter's small voice sounded dejected as she stared up at him, her big eyes and long lashes downcast. 

He was too preoccupied with trying not to puke his guts out to correct his daughter when she called him by his first name.

No matter how disgusting it was, he couldn’t help but feel guilty for his reaction. He was sure that anyone else in his position would have acted the same way, but his daughter had him wrapped around her little finger. He should have just chewed and swallowed it; he couldn’t stand to see her upset.  “Baby, I loved it,” A pause, then another gag.”I loved it so much that I just had to spit it out, that way I could get to enjoy the slice twice.”

[thedailypalm]

winter wonderland has come and gone, and with that comes a whole new serving of fresh squeezed juice. click the link below to read all of the insider gossip as we give a rundown on palmview's messiest winter event !

palm readers here, your one and only source into the scandalous lives of florida's forgotten. our neighbors certainly got busy at this year's winter wonderland, and we're here to give you all of the inside juice. from blowouts to beaus, we're covering it all, so sit back, snuggle up and get ready because this juice is tart !

in light of the holidays we decided we'd start at a wholesome place. palmview's prom queen and helping hand have decided to take their romance to the next step, making it official under all the twinkling lights ( and in front of everyone in town ) when they hard launched by showing up and showing out at the event. a source close to the two says that their new romance has been budding for longer than we know, and that the pair are excited to start their new journey together. looks like santa visited early for these love birds !

it seems that santa may have visited another couple, as kyro and celeste were spotted getting extra close in the photobooth. i wonder if they know that there's a screen on the outside for everyone else to see ? a source says that the two insist they're ' just friends ' but the evidence we've seen says otherwise. besides, who carries a mistletoe in their purse when they're with a friend ? i've always said to each their own, but let me tell you, i've never done that with a friend !

rekindling seemed to be in the air last night, as winona and veronica were spotted hand in hand at the ice rink. veronica must not mind that winnie's been going on dates. either that, or she doesn't know, considering a source says that she was spotted being quite friendly with remy. let's only hope this doesn't put a damper in their newly repaired ... friendship ?

things weren't all jolly though, and despite the cheer in the air, not everyone managed to stay off of the naughty list. while they may have thought they'd gone under the radar, we have eyes and ears everywhere and your palm readers know all. cassius and vivienne were spotted having a heartfelt reunion, but a source says that things aren't as sweet as they seem. will the two be able to rekindle, or will the guilt of holiday's past be too much for them to endure ?

everything came to a head for julian when teddy caught him on what appeared to be a date with ex girlfriend hadley. never a good feeling when your new beau double books himself, even worse when you have an entire audience for it. not sure how julian will dig himself out of this grave after kenny shoveled in the last scoop of dirt, but perhaps santa's elves will be kind and give him a hand in the process of getting back on teddy's nice list. you didn't hear it from us, teddy, but we say run for the hills ! how can a man keep up with a woman if he can't keep up with his own calendar ?

benedict everly found himself permanently on the naughty list after losing track of devon's daughter. sources say the girl was wandering the grounds alone when vivienne found her. this led to the awkward reunion between benedict and vivienne, presumably the first since their engagement went up in flames. seems that the things you try to run from will always find their way back to you !

back from his disappearance, leon amos was spotted at the winter wonderland in far better spirits. seems the holiday cheer has gotten to him, and who knows where he's been, but we can only hope it's given him inspiration for the next album ! maybe a christmas rock song is on palmview's horizon.

our town matchmaker might be great at pairing others, but her choice in emma seems to be a sketchy one. sources say that emma and noa were seen parading around our wonderland in what seemed like a happy love bubble, but the second noa left, emma was seen flirting around with several different people. i wonder how noa will feel to find out that sydney and emma shared a kiss ? unfortunately it's definitely not cupid's season, and his bow was missed by a long shot.

the awkwardness doesn't stop there... caleb and clementine both arrived with different dates, only to leave with each other. not sure what the pair get from dragging the rest of us into their love story, but hopefully their dates were able to find a little comfort in each other. won't be long until we're sharing the news of their rekindled relationship ! as much as they'd like to say they hate each other, we all know there's a thin line between love and hate.

in a show of bravery, daniel decided to pick a fight with olivia after getting stuck with her on a ferris wheel ( another joke from santa himself ). the two didn't make any efforts to keep it lowkey, either, as the poor patrons stuck under them came to us with all the juice. rumor has it olivia wouldn't let daniel get a word in edge wise, and we can only wonder if that had a hand in their downfall. no one likes to be talked over all the time, and she seems to have made a habit of it. stay tuned to find out if their relationship is as stuck as the ferris wheel, or if they'll find a way to reconnect !

to top off all of the winter woes, knoxville oakley was spotted at the bar reeling from his soon to be fiancee's sudden departure. a source close to him says that he was practically incomprehensible, rambling on about the way she'd left without a word. we can only wonder what drove her to that point, but hopefully knox can find a little holiday cheer ! perhaps santa will leave a little self respect under the tree for him this year.

and that's a wrap on our holiday event ! always remember, we see and hear everything here at the daily palm. head on over to our comments and let us know all of your thoughts on this year's winter wonderland ! we wanna hear it all.

[infectedpaul]

oh yes beetlejuice 2 is just kinda okay . its got a lot of fun gags and sfx but. man is it too long and just kinda is like 2 different movies . like they establish its villain really early on as beetlejuice's ex wife which is hilarious in concept and her presence is really cool...for like the 5 minutes total she is on screen. then we forget about her for like an hour to focus on the human stuff and the other two 'antagonists' on top of the subplot between the deetz and delia mourning her husband + we gotta make sure to put in a bunch of. really pointlessly drawn out musical dream sequences becuse First movie (even though the banana boat segment is what. like a minute? theres two of them that are like . 3-5 times longer) idk i just feel like theres too many god damn characters in this movie

you got the legacy characters (lydia, bj, delia, charles, the shrunken heads ig?? theyre in it a lot more idk why) plus lydias daughter astrid, her boyfriend Megaminds dad, bjs ex wife, the treehouse kid, willem dafoe and theyre all taking up their own little sideplots so its like . 4 different stories all going on at once and theyre all . enjoyable...i guess but idk i feel like the first movie was simple enough with. reverse ghostbusters , two ghosts that wanna get living people out of their house so they call up this schmuck. and they just stick with that the only other plot is lydias grief and crappy family life which ties into the main couples stuff well creating a nice weird. family of sorts. in this movie it feels like they just put a pause on one story for a while and then come back to it 40 minutes later. they establish early on that astrids dad/lydias ex husband died after they got divorced and even though lydia can see dead people she has never seen the dad and the whole plot leads to. the most disappointing and milktoast conclusion of hey. We love each other . Because family.

idk. i liked how they brought charles back without bringing back jeffrey jones it was actually really funny. i really liked all the special effects and they got like a bit gorier/grosser than the first i did like that. beetlejuice himself ill be real hes never been all too funny to me hes barely in that first movie for a reason hes better in small doses. winona ryder and jenna ortega are fine i feel like they really werent given much to really show off their chops despite being in the movie a lot theyre both just kinda. rushing through the mother/daughter story line youd expect. i dont like the boyfriend he just feels like alec baldwin from the cat in the hat. speaking of which no the maitlands arent in this they literally have one line saying they found "a loophole" and just left (although i did see their crash was on the miniature in the opening, nice touch /gen) catherine o'hara no notes as always. the new villain lady i wanna steal her away shes so fine im sorry shes in it for like 5 minutes. willem dafoe being in the movie was a nice surprise and he serves. really no purpose to the movie he could be cut but he was funny i like him and his secretaries

idk 7/10 but a low 7 just wait for it to come out on sflix watch the teen titans go episode for now

[beebobeebo]

Title: Shit, Kid.

Fandom: Justified

Characters: Raylan Givens, wee Willa Givens , & Tim Gutterson

Relationship: Tim Gutterson x Raylan Givens (Givenson)

Summary: The world is so dire I wrote kid fic.

This is either my brain rebelling against writing blowjobs or having rewatched The Mandalorian.

Also, the swear jar bit is stolen from my stepdad. He still owes me thirty-four goddamn dollars.

Notes: Hippos causes an estimated 500 deaths annually. It'll come up.

"Seriously?" Tim is looking at the little blonde muppet version of Raylan sitting at the kitchen table.

"You gonna tell Dan that I can't find a sitter when you're right here?" Raylan is aggressively tugging on his jacket. "Winona and Richard are sick." Raylan is a whirl of hand motions. "Just gotta turn on cartoons and order dinner. I'll be back before either of you miss me."

Raylan grabs his hat and presses a kiss to his daughter's hair. "Hey, kiddo, Tim's gonna watch you for a little bit."

"Why Tim?" Willa asks with an impressive level of peevishness, which is what you have to call it when a kid is being a dick. She's all of six, but she'd out-Givens Arlo on one of her bad days. Shit, she rests at Raylan-levels while idly playing with her Legos.

"I'm here because, legally, you can't be left alone," Tim answers honestly as he sits down on Raylan's couch.

"Thanks, Tim. Makin' me feel good about this," Raylan says dryly. "Be good, kiddo. Tim's just here to keep the house from burnin' down and feed you dinner."

Raylan plants another kiss on the top of Willa's head. "Be good."

"You already said that," Tim and Willa say in unison. Raylan pinches the bridge of his nose and squints hard at one then the other.

"Bye, Daddy," Willa says without looking up from where she's coloring aggressively.

"Bring back beer," Tim says as he leans forward to grab the remote off the coffee table.

"And ice cream," Willa says still looking at her drawing.

Raylan shakes his head as he walks out the door shouting, "Love you!"

Willa and Tim grumble vague responses at the same time. The pair look at each other and stare for a long moment. Tim's afraid this is a wolf situation. If he breaks first, she'll establish dominance. She holds up her drawing between them. Tim is choosing to generously interpret it as a snake.

"You gonna tell me what that is?"

Willa snorts. "It's you, Tim."

"I'm a snake. I know you're only in the first grade, but that's a weak metaphor, Willa-Wisp"

"No. The snake ate you," Willa explains. "It's digesting you. Their whole body is full of their digestive system."

"Charming," Tim leans back in the couch cushions and clicks on the TV. "Tell me when you get hungry."

Tim idly clicks through the channels trying to ignore the unnerving shuffling sound from behind him. When something grabs his ankle he yells, "Fuck!"

"You owe me a quarter for my swear jar," Willa says from beneath the couch.

"You're running a racket. That stops bein' cute and starts bein' a crime at a certain point." He lifts his ass far enough off the couch to pull out his wallet. "Put it on my damn tab," he says as he holds a ten-dollar bill down by his feet. It's quickly snatched away.

Willa appears at his elbow with the unnerving speed of a child. This is why you don't fuck with horror movie kids. You punt the possessed bastards and run.

"Can I help you, ma'am?"

"Daddy likes you. Sometimes he talks about you when you're not here," she says with a flippant hand wave that's Raylan made over.

"He does the same thing with you. He's very proud of you. You know that, right?" Tim asks. He wouldn't call Raylan perfect, but he was a damn sight better than either of them had known. Raylan loved the shit out of this tiny funhouse mirror of himself.

"He's my daddy," she says matter-of-factly. "Everyone's daddy is proud of them."

"Yeah, sure," Tim says, cycling through channels. Who still has cable?

"Daddy's proud of you," Willa says as she invites herself into Tim's personal space.

Do not engage, Gutterson.

"Yeah?"

Damn it.

"He says you make bad things go away before they even get close," Willa explains as she situates herself in Tim's lap. "Like real far away."

Oh for fuck's sake Raylan.

"I guess I do," Tim admits. "I had to go to special school for it."

"Do you love Daddy?" Willa asks staring directly into his soul. God. Maybe she was possessed.

"Yeah. I even like him most of the time," Tim admits dragging his hand down his face. "Guessin' you still do, too?"

Willa is giving him the look. He knows that look. It's usually angled down at him, though. Goddamn, did this kid only get Winona's hair?

"Of course you do, he's your daddy." Tim smooths her hair. God, who the fuck was he right now?

"Richard loves me, too," She says as her face becomes eyebrows and her little jaw twitches.

"Listen, Wisp, you're only six, but you're comin' off real desperate here. You're tryin' to force me to say somethin'." Tim sighs as he leans back in the cushions and adjusts the kid so they're both comfortable. "Never force anyone to say that. Alright?"

She eyes him. He stares right back. Wolf rules. She blinks.

"Okay. But you are my friend," she says with a nod. "Can we have mac n' cheese for dinner?"

"Hell yeah, we can," he says as he snatches the remote back up. "We can also watch something with robots. No animal shows. You're learnin' some messed up shit from those."

"Like how hippos kill a lot of people?"

"Damn it, Willa. Would you just watch Voltron?"

------------------------------------------------------------

Raylan comes home to a house that smells like neon powdered cheese, has a trail of purple glitter in the carpet, and some weird shit with lion robots playing on the TV.

"Tim?"

"Shut up, man," Tim's voice hisses from the hallway Raylan tosses his hat and jacket on the couch as he heads toward the voice.

"Guessin' she's asleep?" Raylan passes Tim to look into Willa's room. He smiles softly and looks back at Tim. "See. You managed."

"Had to get all the way to Rivendell in The Hobbit before she nodded off," Tim says with a small smile.

Raylan heads down the hallway to his room. Tim follows after a final peek to make sure Willa's not drooling on the book tucked into bed with her.

"Hey." Tim grabs Raylan from behind by the hips and pulls him against his chest. "You didn't bring back beer or ice cream."

Raylan lets his head fall back against Tim's.

"You had fun," he accuses with a smile.

"Fuck you," Tim says into Raylan's hair.

"You didn't hear about the new swear jar?" Raylan turns to face Tim.

"Don't worry. I've got a three-dollar credit."

[sirxlla]

Bigger Picture

------------------------------------------------

Warnings: Fluff

Prompt: Reading with Tim on the very little time off he has during his "vacation." (aka Art told him to go home and forced him a few days off.)

Notes: female reader, italics are actions and thoughts.

-With that said it's all under the cut-

You ran you hands through Tim's hair as he laid down on the couch with his head in your lap, your fingers in his hair and nails gentle against his scalp earned a few hums of content from those pretty lips of his. He was reading Harry Potter for the first time, he didn't tell everyone but he was an avid reader. Tim always loved to read to decompress after work, it usually pulled his mind away from whatever bullshit he was dealing with.

You had told him to get audible so he could listen to them and he politely declined, a normal book book let him stay alert to his surroundings whereas an audio book didn't. Just general perks of being with someone that was in the military, they have to have the seat facing the door, they have to know where all exits are, checks the doors like three time before bed amongst other things like the way he made the bed, the way he combed his hair, the way he couldn't sleep past six and the nightmares of his time in Iraq.

"I just can't believe Art sent me home, I mean that girl needs my help." There was something about this case that was driving him up the wall and he couldnt pinpoint it.

"Maybe he thinks its cause youre too close. Maybe getting away will help you get a fuller picture." You offered your advice hoping to help calm the irritation in that Texan accent with more than just your hands.

"I feel like fuckin Blue's Clues putting all this shit together on my own then Art pulls me out and crates me." He huffs, clearly chomping at the bit to try to figure out this piece of the puzzle.

"Hey, Blue is cute, you're sexy...Entirely different." A smile graced your lips as you responded, You had spent a lot of time with him and he had encouraged a sharp tounge and quick wit. It hadnt been perfect but you were getting better at it.

"Blue didnt get punished for doing his job." Again another huff left his throat as you looked down at him.

"Art's not gonna be the only one punishing ya if you dont quit huffing, makes me feel like you dont wanna spend time with me." You stated as this was the only time you two had even remotely gotten to chill together or relax in a while.

"I'm sorry, Honey. I'm just stressed over it." His tone changed a bit.

"I don't mind you talking about the case, Baby. Im sorry, I was being selfish." Your tone changed as well, you didnt want him to feel guilty for doing his job like Winona did to Raylan.

"I just dont know why she wont talk to me, she knows its the only way to get her protection." He's still tryna scramble his brain on why this woman wouldnt talk considering she's got no reason in his mind not to.

"Maybe she wants protection for her and someone else? She got a boyfriend, best friend, mom, dad?" You asked trying to be helpful in any way you could and your outside perspective sometimes gave him that aha moment with something he'd overlooked.

"She doesn't really have anyone else. Her Daddy died when she was a kid, her Momma ran off to shithole Indiana and her boyfriend's in the Lexington jail right now for her ratting him out." He leaned his head back into your lap but that was when he noticed a bit about your belly and boobs, they were slightly larger.

"Are you pregnant?" He asks with a bit of wonder and excitement.

"Yeah, I- I was gonna tell you at dinner tonight." Your tone was nervous, tracing his nose gently knowing your kid will look so similar. He eyes flitted back and forth in realization of you but also the case.

"I think you just helped me figure this out! She's afraid that if she says something she'll go to jail and then she can't be a be a mother within prison walls." He grabs his phone and calls Raylan to update him on whats going on. Tim's brain was always slightly on work but thats just what came with dating someone in a profession as such.

You kissed his neck as he chatted with Raylan, teeth gently nipping at his neck which caused Tim to cut his conversation short.

"I gotta go, Raylan. Keep me in the know." He said before he hung up quickly with a mischevious smile on his face.

"Oh, youre getting it now!" He laughs as he picks you up and carries you back to your bedroom whilst you giggle and squeal as he tickles you.

That night was similiar to others to come, his hands on your belly, he did that every night. He was proud of you for being so strong but also so paitent with him, dating any first responder type wasnt easy and his being so much worse cause he was often being shot at in one of these shithole Kentucky hollers. You were all he could ask for, strong, paitent, kind and goddamn gorgeous.

Masterlist <- -> Tim Masterlist

[wade-winston-wilson]

"Len! Welcome home, sweetpea. Where's my Jimmy?"

Leonard McCoy knows better than to roll his eyes at his mama, less he'd like a strict talking to. That doesn't mean he won't do it behind her back as she swallows him into a hug. He melts into it without shame, 'cause it's been too damned long since he's gotten a well and proper hug from his mother. She's smaller than she used to be, he thinks, her head tucked perfectly beneath his chin; and hell, if he hasn't missed her.

Then, as if God and his mama were both out to embarrass him, Jimmy himself peers into the kitchen wearing a wide grin. His mama leans away and delivers Leonard one of her knowing smirks, one that seems to say that of course, as soon as they landed themselves a shore leave close to Earth, he'd be at her front door with none other than Captain Kirk in tow.

"Emily, it's been like, a million years!" exclaims Jim, who practically elbows Leonard out of the way to wrap his mother up in a hug of his own. No surprise there. The two of them have always been as thick as thieves, ever since Len had introduced them that first year in the academy. That was the day Len knew he was lucky to have such a woman as his mama. She had taken one look at Jim and had decided right then and there that she'd love him heart and soul--since no one else had seemed to put in the effort.

(He doesn't let himself think about how he'd done the same, on that fateful shuttle ride out of Iowa.)

"You better not be callin' me old, Jim Kirk," his mother teases, cupping Jim's face with all the care in the world.

"You? Old? C'mon, you know you don't look a day over nineteen."

Jim's smile is warm, holding her delicate wrists steady. Len leans against the counter, his own smile too complicated to express with words.

He could try with feelings, maybe.

Pride. Love.

"Always such a charmer, isn't he Len?" asks Mama, who swats at Jim's chest. She's then got that fond look on her face, the one she saves for when she's especially proud of her children. "And a Captain now, to boot. Oh, I knew you'd make it, darlin'. I am so damned proud of you, Captain Kirk."

And oh, something in Len's heart cracks at the expression on Jim's face. Jim's eyes, as blue as the sea, start to flood with unshed emotion, and his smile trembles into something fragile. Len remembers meeting Winona Kirk properly only once--a huge contrast in comparison to Jim and Emily McCoy, who bought each other Christmas presents and emailed back and forth regularly.

It'd been at their graduation ceremony, albeit briefly. Winona Kirk had shaken Jim's hand as if he were some one-off cadet, rather than her youngest baby, then had done the same to everyone assigned to the bridge under Jim's command.

Thank God for Emily McCoy, he thinks, just as Jim shoots him a look. Words can't describe that one, either, but if Len were to try and guess with feelings again... He'd say it ain't nothing short of love.

[strictlyfavorites]

Lithofayne Pridgon Jimi Hendrix’s original foxy lady1

She was the woman he could never quite date exclusively, because she was too free spirited to be tied to one man; Hendrix’s frustration at loving her alongside singers Sam Cooke and Little Willie John inspired “Foxy Lady.”

It was the 1960s, and Pridgon was dating both Little Willie John and Cooke while running with other musicians, hustlers, drug dealers and, later, “fun fun cops” who shook down people to bring her the leftover pharmaceuticals. At a party in 1962 thrown by Jack “Fat Man” Taylor, a big Harlem drug player, she met Jimi Hendrix, a struggling guitarist.  She and Hendrix had a one-night stand of sorts at Fat Man’s party and then ran into each other again outside of the Apollo one year later; Pridgon was there to see Cooke, and Hendrix was trying to get a job. But in that moment, the two began their torrid and frustrating love affair—while she was still seeing Willie John and Cooke, of course.

But Jimi, she says, so young and in love, was also “insanely jealous”. She has an extraordinary collection of love letters from him, written in florid, lyrical prose – the same style later evident in his lyrics – that prove without a shadow of a doubt the intensity of his infatuation; an intensity that scared her. “As I write more and more, I feel myself grow so very weak under the power of you,” he wrote in one.

For all her talk of being a “loose lady”, Lithofayne is clearly a romantic at heart; one who sought from the men she knew a love that was pure and uncomplicated by jealousy, disaffection and possessiveness; a love that swept her off her feet, but also a love that left her to be free. “I wanted to continue seeing Jackie and Sam and Willie,” she says. “I didn’t think about it in terms of, ‘I’m your old lady.’ I wasn’t anybody’s old lady.” She loved them all equally and unreservedly. “That was the problem,” she says. Jimi couldn’t handle that.

“He adored her, to the point of distraction,” Winona Williams says of Hendrix. “You always want what you can’t have. And he had her but he didn’t have her exclusively, and that drove him up the wall.”

One time Lithofayne recalls, he even said to her, albeit jokingly: “I’d like to freeze you in a cake of ice, thaw you out when I want to, if that was possible, huh?” “Stop talkin’, crazy,” she replied. “He talked crazy.”

Hendrix left the US in September 1966 for England, where he would find a recording contract, recognition and fame. But he made a point of tracking Lithofayne down whenever he came back to New York, and she remained very much on his mind. His deep, abiding love for her never faltered, seemingly finding form in a song he recorded in London for his debut album, “Foxy Lady”.

She tells a story that illuminates where the title may have come from. “He used to call every pet we had ‘Foxy’,” she says. One time, they found a kitten on the street and took it in; Jimi immediately named it Foxy. Later on, they bought a poodle; he named that Foxy, too. He was also in the habit of using the word in other ways: “He used to like to refer to good-looking girls as foxy. Or if I put on certain things, he’d say, ‘Wow, you look foxy in that.’”

So wrapped up was she in her own story with Jimi, she never thought for a minute the songs with which he found fame could be about her. She thinks it would make her sound “cocky” if she claimed they were now. “He was always saying: ‘This is about you. I wrote this about you,’” she says. “I just thought it was cute.”

“Jimi would have settled down with Fayne,” says Williams. “I don’t see any other woman that he’d have settled down with – but Fayne was not about to settle down. If Fayne had said: ‘Look, I want you to leave all of these women alone and we’re going to do this,’ he would have done it.”

“Well, he might have,” Lithofayne laughs, “but that would have been dumb.”

Williams is adamant that Lithofayne, the only constant in his life from the time he first hit New York in 1963 through the seven years until he died, was the one person among his circle of intimates who superseded all others. “All of these girls that think they had a part of this man’s heart need to know that his whole heart belonged to Lithofayne Pridgon,” she says. “But he couldn’t get it.” 

Her time with Hendrix, in particular, weighs heavily on her, sometimes too heavily. Over the years, friends and acquaintances have suggested things might have turned out different if only she had acceded to his demands. “In other words, if I had stopped being me and become somebody else,” she says. “Oh my God, that’s too much responsibility.” But she believes in her heart that “‘ole coulda-shoulda-woulda shit” is just a losing game.

[dreamxeyes]

My review of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, No Spoilers.

So I saw Beetlejuice Beetlejuice last night and I did enjoy it, but I have so many thoughts and questions. I will give me brief review of it here without spoilers so here it goes.

First off, it has occurred to me that the original Beetlejuice is probably my favorite movie of all time. I loved the simplicity, humor, and plot build up. It was also character driven and you had funny and unique characters that you could relate to and then you have crazy Beetlejuice who is just chaotic and adds even more zaniness to the movie. It also had great special/practical effects for it's time and the movie felt real to me. Even scary jump scenes scared me as kid, despite still loving it.

I was hyped up for this sequel and was so excited that the opening was an ode to the original. The original cast were still true to their characters. My favorite, Lydia Deetz, was of course no longer a gloomy teenager, but a grown mature mother and has trauma from her past. I loved how this was true to the original but dealt with more issues such as anxiety, trauma, depression, family issues, and even toxic masculinity and relationships. I loved how Catherine O'Hara really put on a good performance and how she, with Winona and Jenna Ortega were the perfect girl/family trio that really held the story together. There were actually some sweet heart felt moments with their storyline and I really enjoyed that. They really gave Lydia Deetz and her daughter, Astrid, a great story and I loved their happy ending.

Overall as far as Beetlejuice goes, he was still very much zany, perverted, and the fun loving goofball demon we still remember. Michael Keaton still put on a great performance and I still believe to this day it's the best character he has ever played and his performance has always been unique. We actually delve more into the underworld and it's departments with more characters and even fun cameos. And we even get more back story on Beetlejuice. In this film BJ is no really the antagonist but feels like he's more of an accidental anti-hero. It made me realize that BJ was never really a bad guy. He was just a chaotic guy that was always wiling to help people as long as there is something in it for him.

My one issue was the pacing. I felt like the movie felt so fast and a lot was going on. The original had more of a build up pacing and focused on one story line. I felt like this movie kept going and going to get the audience's attention and I think unfortunately in this day and age, movies need to be like this to help keep people more attentive. There are many ways I felt like this movie could have been edited better without losing the overall story and subplots, but I will accept it as it is. I just left the theater wanting more. I really hope a 3rd movie is in the works. A lot of people felt like the ending felt vague or abrupt, but I don't think so. I think it was more open ended and was a great ending. If there isn't going to be a 3rd, it still worked as a stand alone finale.

Of course the special effects were great! I'm glad Burton went back to the magic of film making and I could tell there was no CGI at all and everything felt real. The cinematography was great! It was definitely an appealing film and I am willing to see it again. I give it 8/10 stars.

*I do want to share more thoughts but I will keep those posts sporadic and separate as they will contain spoilers.

[watching-pictures-move]

Movie Review | Alien: Resurrection (Jeunet, 1997)

I love spending time in the world of these movies enough that I'm pretty much guaranteed to like all of them, and this has no less of the utilitarian production design, gore and goop I enjoy than the others. If anything, it's the goopiest and maybe even goriest of the bunch, although at a certain point the goop and gore blend together and it can be hard to tell the ratio of goop to gore you're looking at in a given shot. No shortage of either, that's for sure.

At this point in the series, we were switching up directors, and Jean-Pierre Jeunet seems like he would be pretty odd choice for the franchise, given his penchant for wacky mugging. Joss Whedon as screenwriter also seems like he would be a pretty odd choice for the franchise, given his penchant for ironic quipping. But I think the world of these movies has a strong enough presence that it grounds the potentially off putting tendencies of both Jeunet and Whedon. Whedon's complained of Jeunet directing his screenplay poorly, but quite frankly, this is one of the only times I've found his banter tolerable. Jeunet also wisely brings along Darius Khondji to shoot this, and Khondji gives a unifying texture to the production design, goop and gore and the tinges of wackiness that Jeunet seems so fond of.

While I only got around to this a few years ago, I think this is the first movie in the franchise I was aware of, as it was released right around the time my family came to North America and I remember seeing the toys on the shelves. (They probably looked too scary to me, I was more interested in the tie-in toys for The Lost World. I did however play the Aliens arcade game a fair bit at the mall, although we never stuck around long enough for me to make it all that far. Plus I was and still am terrible at video games.) I think the consensus at the time was that the series was running out of fumes, but quite frankly this holds up well against the majority of blockbusters today. Modern big budget movies are so often bloated and weightless. This clips along at a pretty good pace, the tastefully deployed CGI is grounded by all the practical effects and set design, and the violence is fittingly gruesome and consequential. There are seemingly more characters in this one than in previous entries, but the movie does get some impact out of most of their deaths.

I threw this on after going to see Alien: Romulus earlier today and while I liked that movie for the most part, a few things did stand out from the contrast. One, Ron Perlman demonstrates how you can make a character an incorrigible asshole while giving him texture. (And I'll never not laugh at "Earth, man... What a shithole.") Two, I appreciate that the movies up to this point had distinct looks not beholden to their eras. This looks like it could have come out a decade before or after it actually did.

Anyway, as I allude to above, I can't really be objective about these movies, and I'm at the point where I like the Winona Ryder character despite previously finding her miscast and also unironically loving the basketball scene. Plus you got that underwater sequence and the stuff with the humalien, so it kinda rocks. The humalien is so cute. Look at its nose. It even makes a squealing sound like it's meowing. Awwww, can we keep it?

[mars-mell]

Been having an off week so I'm sharing some more characters. Made them for a dnd campaign and I love them a little too much.

Here's some stuff about them 💜

Elliot (tall guy)

- poor guy is only 25 and acts like an old man

- he tells the kids to get off his lawn (it's so his tomatoes don't get smashed)

- satyr

- he's got some parental issues, he's basically grown to be the opposite of them

- oh speaking of the tomatoes he can talk/ hear them speak (as decided by the dm, also applies to other plants)

- dude goes on a whole journey so he can cure his wife's mystery illness

- seriously he loves her sm, they have the cutest little dinner dates

- he plays songs for her too <3

- get annoyed really easy most of the time and for the most part winny is the only exception to this

- I have this idea of the two of them living in a small cottage but it's surrounded by a ton of farm land. They grow all sorts of stuff and have some animals too

- he likes to do wood carving occasionally, makes little spoons and stuff to use around the house

Winona

- mystery illness

- she's had it since before her and Elliot met but it doesn't get bad until a year or two after they're married

- sometimes she has to be put on bed rest

- she hates it, prefers to be doing things

- to keep herself busy sometimes she'll bug Elliot by making noise with whatevers around and when he shows up she'll just ask for something silly like a hug or to find one of the animals

- if you can't tell these two are definitely not fully developed yet

- I based a good amount of her personality on one of my friends

- chaotic in general

- she tends to the animals, Elliot focuses on the plants

- she likes to tease Elliot a bunch, she could wake up and the first thing she says to him will be a dad joke

- I don't care if it's a fantasy world, winny has made Elliot fall for up dog

- her and Elliot are close with some other characters in the party, Winona likes to gossip with them

- they talk about the tavern and the taverns dogs sometimes because theres always something going on there

- specifically the dogs at the tavern, the whole group is scared of them

- back to her though, when she's not running around on the farm and actually takes time to sit she reads a bunch

- Elliot can read almost anything and so she decides to try and pick up a language or two also

Mostly still trying to figure out the backstory for these two, even if they're not fully thought through they're still so fun to draw and write about :D