#song by toad records

[ivrxquack]

Haikyuu embarrassing moments hcs

Goshiki

Tried to impress you once in gym class but ended up face planting and his pants fell down revealing his paw patrol boxers

Atsumu

Said “deez nuts”a little to loudly and it echoed through the whole mall

Nishinoya

Sleep talked about my little pony and admitted to having a crush on rainbow dash when he was younger

Oikawa

Screamed like a little girl and jumped in your arms when a rat ran by

Ushijima

Voice cracked during a project but luckily no one laughed cause he’s the great ushijima but of course tendou teased him for it after class

Yamaguchi

Almost passed out during science class cause they were looking at a Suriname toad (don’t look it up if you’re scared of holes)

Hinata

Recorded himself dancing to a Beyoncé song and accidentally posted it on instagram causing the whole school to see it

Kita

(My precious beautiful handsome intelligent baby could never do anything embarrassing but I still added him)

Was at the pet store with his little cousins and they wanted him to hold a tarantula so ofc he did but he ended up getting bit and having a really bad allergic reaction

Suna

Was listening to the most outrageous song known to man during class and his headphones died without him noticing and everyone in class heard the song

Kageyama

Thought about scary images while washing his hair in the shower and his cat just so happened to be in the bathroom with him so it knocked something over on the sink counter and he panicked grabbing the shower curtain and ended up falling and breaking his arm

I haven’t seen any writing about haikyuu in sooooo long it’s crazy so here I am cuz I lowkey miss it!

[henryplush]

I know taste is subjective, I really do. But I just got back from seeing the Mario movie for the second time and I'm still baffled by how anyone could not like it. I love how Bowser was portrayed, he's the perfect mix of cartoony villian while also managing to be a serious threat. Also his song was fantastic.

I love how much Peach cares for the Toads, she treats them like her family and it's the sweetest thing ever. I also am very fond of how she is so much more than just some damsel in distress, I know the games have done that in the past, but I do appreciate seeing it on the big screen!

And I could go on and on about how much I adore Mario and Luigi, but I don't wanna sound like a broken record. Just know that I am always thinking about them and the way they show their affection for one another makes me shrivel up and cry. Positive connotation.

[frog-toad-daily]

If you’re feeling mournful or like giving up, I want you to try and stay here a little while longer.

The frogs and toads sing because they want an audience. Be here to listen to them. Even if you don’t live near any frogs, listening to the recordings of their songs is equally as important. It means you are still here alongside them on this planet.

[pianokantzart]

What didn’t you like about The Super Mario Bros Movie?🤔

I feel like I'm just gonna repeat what has already been said a hundred times over, but... Number 1 is the pacing. This movie could've benefitted so much from just an extra fifteen minutes tacked on. The experience of watching the film for the first time is comparable to going on a guided tour in a beautiful location with a super impatient tour guide who is eager to clock out. You want to take in the scene and enjoy the moment, but next thing you know you're being aggressively shoved to the next scene without a second to breathe.

Number 2 is the jukebox songs. "No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn" was fine. "Thunderstruck" was annoying. "Take On Me" was inexcusable when you listen to the song that was supposed to be playing during that sequence!

And look, I can sorta get what they were going for if they were trying to reference the pop songs that played during The Super Mario Bros Super Show, but the amount of people nostalgically connected to The Super Show is easily dwarfed by the amount people nostalgically connected to the OG music of Nintendo (no hate on Super Show enjoyers of course, just stating the facts.) You've got an incredible catalogue of music at your fingertips and a talented composer! Take advantage! Please!

Number 3 is (some of) the casting

Jack Black, Charlie Day, and Keegan-Michael Key were fantastic (Keegan-Michael Key in particular I feel doesn't get nearly enough credit for balancing sounding like Toad of all characters while not being grating to listen to, and actually putting in a darned good performance.) Chris Pratt was okay. His voice was surprisingly fitting for Mario once I saw it? It's very everyman while being a little naturally high pitched. The one thing he lacked was the super high Mario-levels of energy. The yelling in particular needs work. Speaking of yelling... I know they kept the actors in separate recording booths for secrecy reasons or whatever, but I think Chris Pratt would greatly benefit from sharing a recording booth with Charlie Day. Especially if The Mario Bros. are going to be on screen together in future installments. DK, too, I feel was just okay. Not distracting, still pretty funny, but he didn't wow me.

Anya Taylor-Joy was, unfortunately, kind of disappointing. It feels like they just went with a "pretty lady actress with a lady voice" in the casting call. She doesn't really sound much like Peach, and her delivery falls a little flat at times. I prescribe... putting her in the recording booth with Jack Black.

As for Fred Armisen's Cranky Kong, I have to mute and put on subtitles when he's on screen. I give his performance a solid 2/10 because he is putting in energy, but the delivery is so off and the voice doesn't fit. It's actually really distracting.

[thewickedbohemian]

Thoughts on a Tracker that reminded me of a lot of my other favorite shows

so it's not a weird time, Tracker and Equalizer just swapped slots and I missed the memo

is she barefoot in the woods or is it just too dark to see her shoes

score kinda sounding like the Firefly theme

hello casual lesbianism

Reenie looking pretty and not sure what about it is making me think that but somehow Coastal Grandmother aesthetic popped in my mind

who's the mystery dude

just glad Colter's not in a love triangle with his brother, that'd be rough

seems like Reenie would rather Colter be her plus-one

ok so this is feeling a little like last week's High Potential again

Aprill Kinney (director of this episode) or whoever's decision that was really made a bad call with the camera work, holy shakycam

Bobby running against a thing I haven't even seen Garcia go up against

so Colter doesn't always have to Elliot Spencer things as sometimes Reenie trying the Sophie Devereaux approach works

mysterious secret meetings getting covered up (thank you for recording it Reenie but why aren't you taking a video)

busted, good thing she knows another lawyer

owner guy kinda creepy and was he seriously giving out toad venom (now I'm getting reminded of Thursday's Elsbeth)

Colter doing some actual tracking

and this just turned from Leverage into Bones (thank god that's not Quinn though)

lady you truly don't know the half of it

so she's sus and there's three other freaking bodies

uh oh here comes trouble (and requisite Colter fight scene)

so we have another culprit

and shit just got real dark real quick

I don't think that was meant to imply Reenie was trying to make a play for the owner but it's weird he was there

Colter freaking burning rubber and racing against time

epic showdown set up but chick saves herself (and ew)

not sure what note we leave things on relationship-wise

but does anyone know what the hell that song was at the end, it sounded cool but Google's giving me nothing

[saintsenara]

for the fic ask game 11 & 67

thank you for the ask, @practicecourts!

[ask game here]

11. link your three favourite fics right now:

i'm going to cheat and turn this into several subsections...

three favourite fics i've read recently:

the fiction of realness by @evesaintyves - a painful look at remadora and their extremely complicated relationship which pulls beauty from the wasteland and breaks your heart with it.

in virtute et tutela by @incalculablepower - a love-song to crookshanks which made me cry.

blood by @the-paper-monkey - i'm on the record, in an unpopular move, as being a delphini enjoyer, and fics like this are why; papermonkey is also one of the best writers of draco i've ever read, and i love him here, broken and strangely brave but still the whiny little boy of canon.

three favourite fics of all time:

the white road by @perverse-idyll - the fic which single-handedly turned me into someone who reads snarry; an absolutely masterful portrayal of grief, love, bravery, and self-discovery which also gives lily a magnificent central role.

second life by nwhiker and cassandra7 - just a masterpiece, the gold standard of sirius black/severus snape; a careful, spare meditation on the complexity of loving and mourning, on the merit of chance, and on the pain caused by the great divide between the magical and muggle worlds.

the cactus and the toad by mirrormarie - a neville-centric story which explores his experience in the immediate aftermath of the war and how he thinks of healing and history.

three great one-shots:

ganymede by @phantomato - an exquisite character study of one of my own favourite characters, tom riddle sr., with the most astonishing period detail and really gorgeous sense of embodiment; i've read it again and again.

portrait of a sociopath as a loving mother by myrskytuuli- a brilliant, dark interpretation of lily, which plays with canon in an incredibly interesting way.

as an entire ocean in a drop by eldritcher - eldritcher's dumbledore is among the best in the fandom, and i love how they write him and his complicated relationship with desire, belonging, and family here.

three comfort fics:

never gonna give you up by @laeveteinn - a harrymort crack-fic set in the wild historical era of 2020 which never fails to make me scream.

do badgers dream of chocolate hobnobs? by gingertart50 - a lovely little gen-fic on pomona sprout and her relationship with snape, which plays really nicely with the canon portrayal of hufflepuffs as miscellaneous and a bit dim.

crocodile heart by floreatcastellum - because i love me a bit of romione fluff.

67. do you prefer prompts and challenges, or completely independent ideas?

yes.

[totallynotthedarkreunion]

A not-so-in-depth explanation as to why Walk on the Ocean by Toad the Wet Sprocket is actually about Dr Stone

Yes they foresaw thirty years into the future that Dr Stone would exist idk how they did it I don't make the rules. Here's the song. Explanation below cut

"We spotted the ocean

At the head of the trail

Where are we going

So far away"

Okay so obviously this is the beginning of the series. Kind of vague but yk like Senku gets revived he revives Taiju and all that and he's like explaining his goals or whatever

"And somebody told me

That this is the place

Where everything's better

And everything's safe"

This is CLEARLY an allusion to Tsukasa explaining HIS goals to Senku. Like think about it. This is what Tsukasa thought about the stone world. Also "you two will never be in danger again" yk yk

"Walk on the ocean

Step on the stones

Flesh becomes water

Wood becomes bone"

This is a testament to how amazing Science™ is. "Walk on the ocean" is OBVIously a reference to the ship and Ryusui. Get it cause they're like walking on the ocean. But in a boat. This whole stanza is like a really poetic way of saying that science can make miracles happen. "Step on the stones" is especially important because they're using the STONES and the resources they get in the stone world (and also help from the ishigami villagers who are all named after stones and metals) to make advancements. Like stepping stones bringing them down a pathway

"Half an hour later

We packed up our things"

This is when they ran away from Tsukasa

"Said we'd send letters

And all of those little things

They knew we were lying

But they smiled just the same

Seemed they'd already

Forgotten we'd came"

This could be a reference to how Senku doesn't like all that sentimental stuff (lying about sending letters) and/or it could be about how Tsukasa knew later that Senku was alive but he still took care of Taiju and Yuzuriha knowing that they were traitors

Those last two lines are a play on how taiju and yuzuriha disappeared for a whole damn season

"Back at the homestead

Where the air makes you choke

And people don't know you

Trust is a joke"

Tsukasa empire during Stone Wars?

"Don't even have pictures

Just memories to hold

That grow sweeter each season

As we slowly grow old"

Obviously this is at the time before they had the camera.

After that part just cue the montage of everything happening. Suika seeing the sunflowers, chrome watching the sunset from the hot air balloon, tsukasa being frozen and revived, the Medusa, that scene where kohaku and ginro were petrified, the lightbulb, the magnet in the lightning storm, the telescope, hyoga fighting Moz, the record player, Lillian, yk yk yk

Can you tell how much this show has affected me

[the-monkey-ruler]

So, my understanding is that FengShen Yanyi is before Journey to que west. My question is, are the events of Lotus Lantern before Sun Wukong wants a place in heaven? I know those three stories the most, but I don't know if there are any others that I should know. I also wanted to ask where Chang'e's story falls between these stories.

Shang Dynasty: c.1750 B.C. - c.1066 B.C.

The Investiture of the Gods, also known by its Chinese names Fengshen Yanyi (Chinese: 封神演義) story is set in the era of the decline of the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC) and the rise of the Zhou dynasty (1046–256 BC).

Zhou Dynasty: Western Zhou: 1066 B.C. - 221 B.C.

Chang'e first appeared in Guicang, a divination text written in Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC - 256 BC).

Qin Dynasty: 771 B.C. - 206 B.C.

Wukong bursting out of the stone (Warring States Period)

Han Dynasty: 206 B.C. - 220

Wukong Dies (at the age of 342)

Wukong Trapped Under Five Element Mountain

Liu Xiang (Liu Chenxiang's father), a scholar of the Han Dynasty (first draft)

Three Kingdoms: Wei: 220 - 280

Western Jin: 265 - 316

Eastern Jin: 317 - 420

Sixteen Kingdoms: 304 - 420

Southern and Northern Dynasty: 420 - 581

Sui Dynasty: 581 - 618

Tang Dynasty: 618 - 907

Journey to the West (Chinese: 西遊記) is an extended account of the legendary pilgrimage of the Tang dynasty Buddhist monk Xuanzang

The Magic Lotus Lantern is a Chinese fairy tale from the Tang dynasty (618–907). (recreation in Qing Dynasty)

Five Dynasties: 907 - 979

Song Dynasty: 960 - 1279

Liao Dynasty: 907 - 1125

Western Xia Dynasty: 1032 - 1227

Jin Dynasty: 1115 - 1234

Yuan Dynasty: 1279 - 1368

Ming Dynasty: 1368 - 1644

Qing Dynasty: 1644 - 1911

I'm taking this from when the legends are either first mentioned OR have said IN THE TEXT when they are to take place. Chang'e was first mentioned in the Zhou Dynasty, but I am not sure if the story is meant to be even earlier depending. I have also seen that the story of Chang'e first appeared in the Shang Dynasty hexagram "Gui Zang ". The complete story of Chang'e flying to the moon was first recorded in "Huainanzi·Lanmingxun" of the Western Han Dynasty. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, the relationship between Chang'e and Yi was established, and Chang'e turned into a toad that made medicine after entering the moon palace. After the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the image of Chang'e returned to being a woman. In Han Dynasty portraits, Chang'e has the head of a human and the body of a snake. Her hair is in a high bun, she wears a long jacket with wide sleeves, and her long tail is decorated with short, barb-shaped feathers. After the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Chang'e was portrayed as a peerless beauty. 

Xiyouji is also very much in the Tang dynasty and is even said to have prolonged the Tang dynasty within the novel. Wukong’s birth and creation is to be sometime in the Warring States period and to be guessed in the Qin Dynasty. Lotus Lantern ALSO was created in the Tang Dynasty and from my understanding and its first interaction is when Liu Xiang (someone said Liu Xi) is a scholar of the Han Dynasty and went to Beijing to take an exam (this is the version of lotus Lanter were he gets remarried) He passed by the Huashan Temple and wrote a poem in the temple. He teased the temple deity, the Sanseng Mu of Huayue. Sanseng Mu was so angry that they wanted to kill him but fell in love with him in the end. I cannot say that if the original version is meant to be before or after the Wukong has been punished by heaven and is under the mountain but considering that Wukong mentions Erlang's mother and not his nephew that would be a good suggestion that is after in this version. It is in the Qin Dynasty do we see the version that Lotus Lantern being definitively placed after Wukong going on his journey in Tang Dynasty, making the legends VERY recent in comparison to others. This is the version where Chengxiang's father doesn't get remarried and is the more popular of the two honestly.

[javertafterdark]

Sending the datables a love song (+bonus Luke overhearing)

Hi this is my first time writing one of these, please let me know if you enjoyed it! Brothers version here

GN!mc, singer!mc, sfw, mostly fluff, some silly at the end

Everyone knew singing was one of your favorite hobbies. You even had your room soundproofed so you could practice without bothering anyone - not that you were a bad singer, just who really wants to hear thirty minutes of lip trills and “red leather yellow leather”? One day when you have some free time, you’re going through your sheet music to find a new song to work on. One in particular speaks to you, a love song that perfectly describes how you feel about your special someone. You decide to record your own version of the song. You only had your DDD mic to record with, and a free karaoke version of the accompaniment you found online, but it would have to do. Once you’re satisfied with the final product, you send the file to your sweetheart, saying to listen when they have a free moment.

Diavolo-

It was a good thing Diavolo had silenced his DDD before having an audience with a few of the Devildom’s nobles; he might have played the audio file for all of them to hear just because it was from you. He saw your message once he returned to his office and pulled it up immediately. Surely whatever work he had could wait just a few minutes? 

Oh he absolutely had the biggest grin on his face as he listened to you sing. Even if you sounded like a dying toad, he would have loved it all the same. It was such a bold and risky gesture, sending someone a song you recorded yourself, especially when you sang with such raw honesty. You trusted him enough to put yourself in such a vulnerable situation, even if you were far away and this was already recorded. The flaws of the recording itself just added to the charm. He loved it so much he thought he might explode right there. After the song ended, he sent you his reply.

I apologize, I was in a meeting when I received this. But I must say…

And then he proceeded to send every sticker of excitement and approval multiple times.

I can’t even begin to express how I feel properly over text. Will you join me as soon as you can?

Barbatos-

Barbatos was in the middle of preparing dinner when he got your message. Unfortunately, this step required a lot of focus and he had to ignore his DDD for a few minutes. He grew antsy as he worked. The moment he got to a stopping point, he wiped off his hands and grabbed his device. An audio file from you? How curious. He could give it a quick listen as he continued his cooking.

As your beautiful voice filled the kitchen, he found himself so charmed. You had such a lovely sound, and of course the song itself was so sweet. Those simple words brought a smile to his face and an indescribable feeling, but it was pleasant. He felt like an ingenue in a film being wooed for the very first time; who would have known you could have brought out those feelings in such an ancient demon? The song ended just as he brought out the seasoning and- oh, he grabbed your favorite seasoning and not the one the meal called for. Chuckling to himself, he exchanged that bottle for the proper one. He played your song on repeat until he finished dinner, and each time it played those feelings only grew. Just before bringing the plates out, he sent his reply.

Are you trying to distract me from my duties with your siren’s song? If so, I fear I must admit that it’s working.

Solomon-

Solomon was working on a new potion, though his progress felt more like a fly trying to break down an iron door. Setting aside another failed attempt, he let out a heavy sigh and rubbed his temples. The ding from his DDD broke the loop of trial and failure that he found himself trapped in. After seeing your name, he pulled up the message, grateful to have the brief distraction. Curious about the audio file you sent, he quickly pressed play. At the same time, he noticed the untouched, sad, and lonely sandwich that Simeon had left for him. Upon realizing how hungry he was, Solomon grabbed one of the halves and ate as he listened.

A smile spread across his face. You sent him a love song you performed yourself? How absolutely precious. Alone in his room, he let himself melt completely. How long had it been since anyone so thoroughly disarmed him? You had so much power over him, and you didn’t even know it. As the last notes faded away, he realized he didn’t want the song to ever end. An idea struck. After rooting through his supplies, he found an inert crystal ball, one that fit in the palm of his hand. He brought it back to his desk and set it beside his DDD. With a quick spell, he played the song again. The crystal burst into various colors and patterns in time with the music. At any time, he could replay the song with the accompanying light show. With the spell complete, he sent his reply.

You should come over, I have something to show you.

Simeon-

You caught Simeon just as he was doing his wrist stretches after a lengthy writing session. Just the sight of your name on the screen made him smile. He pulled up the message and tilted his head at the contents. So you sent him a recording or something? Okay, he could probably get it to play if he just tapped here. His face fell and heart sank as the file disappeared before his eyes. Before a cold sweat could break out, he sent back a reply.

I’m sorry I think I may have deleted it! If you could send it again I would appreciate that very munch!

He feared he might ruin things more if he tried to correct his spelling mistake. A few moments later, another message from you popped up with another copy of the file.

It’s okay! Just press the little sideways triangle to play it

He pressed the sideways triangle and immediately set the DDD down so he didn’t ruin anything else. The moment he heard your voice, the stress from his technological incompetence melted away. He’d heard his fair share of beautiful voices, but yours hit differently. Even through the slightly crackled recording, it felt like you were in the room serenading him. He put his hands over his chest as if that would keep his heart from soaring away. What had he done to deserve someone like you singing such sweet words to him? Did he really inspire such strong feelings in you? Did you really love him as much as he loved you? The song ended and he sat basking in the moment. After taking a deep breath, he finally replied.

Oh my, I always thought you were my muse, but perhaps it’s the other way around as well. Could you meet me for a picnic dinner in an hour? I would like to hear you sing in person.

Bonus: Luke-

Solomon was due for another sandwich, and Luke decided to bring a freshly baked cupcake with it. As he approached the sorcerer’s door, he heard a faint music coming from inside. Still, he knocked.

“Solomon, I assume you’re not joining us for dinner so I brought you something,” he called. “That other sandwich better be gone or I’m gonna be mad!”

A chuckle drifted through the door. “Come in!” Luke opened the door and entered, and he was greeted by Solomon’s smile as he traded the new plate for the empty one. “I really appreciate it, Luke. Thank you.”

“Well I can’t have you wasting away under my watch,” he said with a shake of his head. “Also, I tried something new with the cupcakes so you better tell me how you like it.” In the pause between them, Luke focused on the music. It sounded like a cheaply recorded song with a stock accompaniment, but the voice singing was beautiful. And familiar? “Solomon, what are you listening to?”

“Oh, this.” He set the plate down and picked up a small crystal ball that displayed bright colors and patterns in tune with the music. “MC sent me a song, and I thought it would be nice to have a visual beside it.”

“MC?!” Luke’s eyes widened and he shifted on his feet as he listened again. “Wow, they sound really good!” He felt his face turn red. “Do you think they would ever sing a song with me?”

Solomon chuckled. “I’m sure they would if you asked.”

The angel couldn’t help but grin at the thought. “Alright, well… don’t overwork yourself, okay?” Before Solomon could reply, Luke left to go find his DDD.

Secret bonus: The Newcomers (not serious because I don’t have too much of a grasp on them yet)

Thirteen tells you she appreciates the ballsy move but it’s a bit too cringe on main.

Raphael just replies with “Thanks.”

Mephistopheles doesn’t reply, but there’s a scathing review of your performance in the RAD newspaper the next day.

[xserenemeadowsx]

Unconditional Love (Chapter 6)

By xSereneMeadowsx

Link for Chapter 5: https://www.tumblr.com/xserenemeadowsx/719876599243227136/unconditional-love-chapter-5?source=share

A/N: Thank you everyone for the likes and follows! I really appreciate it! :) Life has been busy and my health has been a major priority as of late. I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

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Chapter 6

“We should get moving,” Peach said as she stood up and stretched. “We can start gathering some apples, bananas, and melons.”

The plumbers and mushroom man all got up and stretched as well.

“Shall we split up?” Mario asked.

“I think that would be good,” Peach responded. “I can go with Mario and Luigi can search with Toad. Sound good?”

“Sounds good to me,” Toad said nudging Mario and winking at him.

Mario looked at Toad with a raised brow.

“This means you get to have some alone time with the princess,” Toad whispered.

Mario shook his head. He will admit that he did find Peach to be beautiful and fun, but it’s not like she was romantically interested in him. He was sure she just saw him as a good friend. He decided he could live with that. Hard as it may be.

“Well, let’s get going,” Luigi said. “Times a wasting.”

“Mario and I will head north. You two take the south,” Peach pointed out to show directions.

“On it!” Toad said.

The four split up into to their assigned teams and began to search for the fruits previously mentioned.

“I really hope Y/N is doing okay,” Peach said to Mario as they trekked through rainforest like terrain. “I feel awful letting her get captured.”

“I’m sure she’s fine,” Mario said trying to comfort the princess. “We’ll get to her. I am worried too, but we can’t give up.”

“Right. I shouldn’t worry so much. Usually, it’s me who’s super hopeful with everything.”

“Well, even hopeful people can get down at times. That’s why it’s good to have others around you to help bring in some positivity,” Mario attempted in making the princess feel better.

She smiled, “You’re right. We’ll get her back. We got this.”

“That’s the spirit!”

The princess and plumber continued to chat about various topics until reaching a tree that had more apples than one could count for.

“Wow! Impressive!” Mario took in the tree with awe. Never had he seen so many apples. It was astounding to see such a tree produce so much fruit.

“Yep, pretty incredible.” Peach smiled, amused at Mario’s reaction. “Shall we start picking?”

“Yeah. Let’s get to it!” Mario said.

The two then began picking out some apples.

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Y/N sighed as she finished singing Almost Lover. She wiped her eyes of the tears that had cascaded down her face. Should she say something to Bowser about this whole songwriting being pointless? Could she endure what his reaction would be if she chose to say anything? She didn’t want to be in the same position as before. The grip he had on her when she was grabbed was strong. The claws from him could easily pierce her skin and she didn’t want to get such injuries.

She shook her head. She needed to keep herself safe until rescue arrived. She wanted to still believe that Mario, Peach, and the others would be coming to her aid. She wished they were already here, but she had to give them time. It can’t be easy storming a castle of this magnitude with many guards and troops at the ready. Plus, Bowser was very terrifying when he wanted to be. She was sure they were planning out some sort of strategy to get to her.

She annoyed herself with these repeating thoughts about Bowser. She felt like a broken record stuck on the same verse of a song. Then again though, what else was she supposed to ponder over? She liked the time spent with Bowser in the library and could see his soft side. She genuinely wanted him to be happy, but how was she supposed to express that when he could easily blow a fuse?

Perhaps, maybe it was best to let everything play out. She knew it would hurt him, but she just didn’t know what else to do. Maybe, if she waited for a certain moment to arrive, she could tell him. Part of her still wanted to tell him that he should move on. She wasn’t sure either on when the right moment would be. Maybe her gut feeling could help her out with that. Having learned her lesson that she should always listen to her gut feeling before, she could use that to her advantage.

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Bowser was resting his eyes and concentrating on images of his Peaches. Her beautiful, long blond hair, dazzling blue eyes, and her pink dress that suit her perfectly. He smiled when seeing the image of the princess. He then pictured himself and her sitting outside, he plays his song on the piano, and she sits on top of the piano as he sings to her. She was smiling at him with tenderness as she took in his words. Bowser gazed up at her with glee in his red eyes.

The words and notes flowed with elegance as the scenery around them brought about serenity. The waterfall cascading and the gentle breeze brushing the blades of green grass helped to make the scenery that much more enchanting. The princess and king were locking eyes with one another and slowly leaning in. The turtle grew nervous, but excited as their faces inched closer to each other.

Suddenly, the image of Peach disappeared and changed into a different silhouette. The silhouette revealed itself to have (hair length and hair color) and (eye color) gazing at him with adoration. She sat upon the piano and smiled at Bowser. Y/N had once again made herself appear at the most inconvenient of times. Bowser opened his eyes and shook his head. He sighed irritably as the image of his princess was again replaced by his songwriter.

Maybe it was time for him to be rid of her? No. He couldn’t do that yet. He still needed her to play the hostage. Perhaps it was high time to treat her as a hostage once again by keeping her in a cage. Only this time, put her in a cage that is in his dungeon. Yes. That should do perfectly. He smirked to himself as he got up from his bed.

“Kamek!” He called out.

The wizard instantly appeared, “Yes Sire?”

“Bring the songwriter to the throne room. I have some details to discuss with her.”

“Yes, my King.” The wizard bowed and disappeared.

Bowser walked out of his room and made his way toward his throne room. He reached the room in no time. He sat down and waited for the wizard to return with the human.

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Knocking on the door startled Y/N out of her thoughts, “Uh yes, come in.”

The wizard opened the door, “His majesty is requesting your presence in the throne room.”

“Oh, okay.” Y/N got up from her bed and followed Kamek out of her room.

Both walked in silence to the throne room. There sitting in his chair was Bowser. Kamek brought Y/N up to him and then stood back.

“Songwriter, good to see you,” Bowser said as stood up.

“Um…good to see you too…” Y/N said feeling slightly awkward.

“Kamek, close the doors,” Bowser ordered his wizard.

“Right away Sire,” Kamek responded and did as his king told him.

“So, Y/N, I have something important to tell you. Before that, I was curious. Why could I hear you sounding like you were on the verge of tears earlier?” Bowser decided he would go ahead and ask her about that anyway.

Y/N’s eyes widened. She wasn’t expecting him to ask her that so suddenly. She didn’t even think he heard her, and he had. Her gut feeling came on, telling her she needs to tell him now. She was scared, but what was she supposed to do otherwise? She supposed, if he listened, she could intertwine it with her own personal experience in the matters of the heart.

“I uh…” Y/N took in a deep breath in and out, ‘Don’t be nervous.’ She calmed herself and began again, “I was thinking about a time I went through with heartbreak…”

Bowser was now intrigued, “What happened with that?”

“I was…played a fool. The guy I was with, I really liked him, and he didn’t like me in return. He deceived me. He acted like he really cared about me when in the end he didn’t. It was a joke to him.” Y/N’s eyes began to water a little bit.

Bowser took notice of this and decided to not interject for now.

“He was in love with someone else the whole time. He just used me on the side for entertainment. He wanted a good laugh for himself and with his friends. I fell for his act. I was blinded by my own infatuation of him that I couldn’t see what he was really doing.” Y/N sputtered, and the tears came crashing down.

Bowser was feeling heavy now for Y/N. How horrible to be used in that way and yet, here he was using her. Granted, not for the same thing, but still using her…he had to follow through though. He had to for the sake of his sanity. He wanted Peaches to be at his side forever. He didn’t want Y/N to interfere.

Y/N calmed her crying down, “Bowser I…” This was it. She had to say something to him now. “What happened to me, I don’t want to happen to you. I know how you feel about the princess, but it’s not worth it to have your heart broken. You know how the princess feels about you-“

“The princess is not like that guy from your past! She will fall in love with me, and my heart will not be broken!” Bowser roared. He was determined to have his Peaches by his side.

Y/N, stunned from the yelling for a few seconds, recovered, “It’s worthwhile to go after someone who genuinely feels the same as you. I don’t want to see you hurt. The princess will never feel the way you do for her.”

Bowser’s eyes glowed in rage with a fire of fury, “Just because you had that heartbreak doesn’t mean I will have that heartbreak. My ending will not be like yours. Mine will be happy and joyful, not sad, and miserable.”

Y/N was trembling. She had told him what she wanted to and yet, it didn’t make a difference. Of course, one must choose what to do for themselves. One can say as much as they want to, but at the end of day, the person in question must decide on what they will do. She had just hoped that maybe he would consider her words, but this was a moment meant for daydreams only.

Bowser once again felt heavy for speaking to Y/N in such a way, but he had to follow through on his plans, “I have decided to put you in the dungeons. You will play your part as I had originally intended for you. The part of the hostage. Kamek will take you to your new lodgings now.”

Y/N gasped as she looked up at him with sadness. Why? Why did he have to harden his heart? She thought maybe he was trying to be better, maybe he would see what she was getting at, but it all seemed to be a lie. She put her head down and Kamek, using his magic, bound her wrists together in chains behind her back.

“Get her out of my sight,” Bowser spoke coldly.

“Yes Sire,” Kamek responded. He then transported himself and Y/N out of the throne room.

Bowser walked back to his chair and sat down. Now that he had put Y/N in the dungeons and would begin to treat her as a hostage, he felt he could really focus on what was important. Making Princess Peach his and making her see that he could give her everything and more. He closed his eyes and imagined his princess once again. He wanted to present the song to her very soon. He would have to plan to travel to the Mushroom Kingdom shortly.

Wait a second…with Y/N playing hostage, he could just let the princess come to him. Now that he thought about it, he was sure that Peaches along with those pesky plumbers were on their way here. Yes. Let his love come to him and he had the perfect bait. Y/N. He could then have the princess come with him to the music room where he would sing his heart to her. After that, Peaches will fall in love with him, and he would get another shot at his fairytale wedding.

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“How about these bananas? They look good,” Toad asked holding them up to Luigi.

“Yeah, I think those would be alright,” Luigi said.

“You know that Mario likes the princess, right?” Toad asked as he put a few bananas into his backpack.

“I do. I’ve told him before he should just tell her. I think she may feel the same way. Why pair us off together and her and my brother together otherwise?”

“Exactly! We should try to set them up on a date after we get Y/N back!”

Luigi chuckled, “I agree with you. I think my brother needs it.”

“I think so too. How about you. Anyone in your life?” Toad asked.

“Uh, not really…I mean, I haven’t exactly dated a whole lot myself. I would like to find a nice woman and settle down one day though. Just haven’t met the right girl yet.” Luigi felt a bit embarrassed.

“Hmm…I wonder…” Toad had an idea for Luigi but didn’t want to say it yet.

“Huh? Wonder what?” The plumber asked.

“Ah nothing to worry about now. C’mon, let’s head on back to Mario and the princess. I think we have a good amount of food,” Toad said.

Luigi gave the mushroom man a suspicious look but decided to play along, “Alright. Yeah, we have enough food.”

The two made their way back to the area they had stayed at earlier and waited for the other plumber and princess to return. Luigi sat down against the tree trunk and Toad joined him.

“So, what about you Toad? Dating?” Luigi decided to pop the question back at the mushroom man.

“Na. No interest right now. Plus, it is hard to find a female among so many males in the Mushroom Kingdom,” Toad answered.

“Ah, yeah, that is tough,” Luigi agreed. He did see many more males than females when having been through the Mushroom Kingdom.

The two decided to rest their eyes while waiting for Mario and Peach to return.

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“You think that the kongs will really be okay with riding on Yoshies?” Mario asked.

“I would like to think so. If not, I know the Yoshies could still help us out and the kongs can bring whatever is easier for them,” Peach replied.

“Yeah, that’s true. Hey, want to bring this melon along?” Mario held up a big melon.

“That one looks good. Let’s take it,” Peach said as she inspected it. “I think we have enough food for now and I’m sure Luigi and Toad found a good amount.”

“I think so too,” Mario agreed.

The two made their way back to the tree they had taken shelter at earlier to find Luigi and Toad sleeping.

“As much as I don’t want to disturb them, we need to get a move on,” Peach said.

“They’ll understand,” Mario replied.

The princess and plumber in red made their way over to the plumber in green and mushroom man.

Mario put a hand on his brother’s shoulder, “Hey Lu, wake up. We need to get going.”

Luigi groggily opened his eyes and looked up at his brother, “Okay.” He slowly got up and stretched his limbs.

“Toad, time to get up,” Peach said as she lightly shook the mushroom man by his shoulder.

“H-Huh?” Toad slowly opened his eyes and looked up at the princess. He got up and stretched.

After Luigi and Toad had finished stretching, the four of them talked about how they were going to lure the Yoshies to them. They wanted to each catch a Yoshi and then make their way to the Jungle Kingdom before it got too dark out. They all decided to stick together to catch the Yoshies.

They each set up a trail of the various fruits and hid in some nearby bushes waiting for some Yoshies to come up to the delicious looking fruit. The waiting wasn’t too long. Soon, 6 Yoshies came up to the trail and began eating some of the fruit. The Yoshies were pink, yellow, red, blue, purple, and green. The four friends slowly walked out from behind the bushes and carefully made their way over to the occupied Yoshies.

Peach carefully made her way over to the pink one, gently petting it and picking up an apple to feed it to the Yoshi. The Yoshi was startled but calmed down and ate the fruit the princess was offering.

“That’s it. We won’t hurt you. We need your help,” Peach spoke in a calm voice. “Would you please help us?”

The pink Yoshi nodded in agreement and lowered itself so that the princess could climb onto its back. The princess sat down on the red like saddle the Yoshi had and held onto the back of it. She waited for the plumbers and mushroom man to get a Yoshi.

Mario, spotting the red one, quietly crept up behind it picking up a banana along the way. He tried doing what he had seen Peach do by gently petting it and offering the banana to the Yoshi.

“Hey there Yoshi. We really need your help,” Mario said in a relaxed voice. “Would you please aid my friends and I?”

The red Yoshi looked at Mario in question and nodded. It ate the banana from Mario’s hand and lowered itself down. Mario got up onto the red Yoshi.

“This is sort of like riding a horse,” Mario said as he was steadying himself.

“Riding a horse?” Peach asked.

“Oh. Guess you haven’t seen horses. They’re tall and they have saddles you sit on to ride them. They are taller than the Yoshies. I could show you a picture of a horse later,” Mario replied.

“So, it sounds like you have done horseback riding before?”

“Eh, not really. Lu and I knew someone who did horseback riding before, and we had watched him perform a few stunts in a big competition with his horse. Pretty tricky stuff.”

“Sounds like it, but it does sound interesting.”

“Well, come back to our world and maybe we can take you to one of those shows.”

“Including riding lessons?”

Mario rubbed his hand on the back of his head, “Uh sure…the lessons aren’t cheap though. They are expensive to get. Maybe we could work something out with that friend of ours…”

Peach smiled, “That would be great!”

“I’ll see what we can do later then,” Mario said smiling back at the princess.

Luigi and Toad eventually got onto their Yoshies. Luigi chose the green one while Toad chose the yellow one. The blue and purple Yoshies had left after getting more of their fill from the fruit left on the trail.

“Looks like we’re ready to go,” Peach said.

“I think so,” Luigi responded.

“Alright. To the Jungle Kingdom!” Toad said excitedly.

The princess began leading the way and the other three followed her. The sun was nearing dusk, but Peach could tell that they were still making good time and would arrive at the Jungle Kingdom soon.

‘We’ll get you away from Bowser soon Y/N. Just hang on,’ Peach thought as she and the others continued riding the Yoshies.

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

“In you go,” Kamek said as he lightly pushed Y/N into the cell. The two had entered a dungeon covered with stones.

Y/N stumbled a bit but remained on her feet.

The wizard closed the large steel bar door and locked it.

Y/N watched the wizard walk away and crumpled to the stone floor beneath her. The place was cold and dreary. She was heartbroken. Bowser was using her just as she should’ve expected. Of course, she knew he wanted her to help him out, but still. When she had been with him in the library, it was so nice to see the kind side of him. She was hoping that maybe slowly the king of the koopas was changing.

He had once again done a 180 on her. He acted aggressive and uncaring toward her. She was nothing more than a tool for him to use against the princess. Y/N could tell that he was going to force the princess to love him. She shook her head. Of course, he wasn’t going to listen to her. He would learn his lesson the hard way then. She hated being cuffed up. The cuffs were beginning to irritate her skin. She knew she was slowly getting angry red marks on her wrists.

Y/N sighed and scooted herself over to sit against the stone wall behind her. She leaned her head up, staring at the stone ceiling. She was tired. So tired of being thrown around from one place to another. Being told to stay in a cage like a bird, next being treated better, then going into a dungeon. Why couldn’t she be locked up in the room she was given?

Oh. Right. Because Bowser wanted to treat her as a hostage. No duh Y/N. She closed her eyes and decided to try and think about the happier times in her life. Her life hadn’t been all bad. There were some good moments. It was wonderful getting the opportunity to do a job she enjoyed and live in a new place. While scary, it was exciting. She got to meet Mario and Luigi who were so nice and kind to her.

Meeting Peach and Toad was fun as well. She appreciated how much they took their time with showing her around the Mushroom Kingdom and the castle. Getting to sing one of her favorite songs for her friends was nice too. The jewelry and dresses that the princess had in her castle were gorgeous. Y/N smiled over these memories and next thought about her family.

How grateful she felt to have a loving mother, father, and sister. They all had done so much for her, and she appreciated that. She hoped that she would be able to see everyone again. She was grateful too for the people from her job. Her coworkers were wonderful and fun to work with. Though she hadn’t been with them long, they all showed her so much kindness and care. It’s always fun to go to work when you can work with people who are a joy to be around.

Y/N opened her eyes and stared at the bars in front of her. She didn’t like being caged up again. She decided that she would no longer try to do anything for Bowser in terms of helping him with his heart. If he wants his heart broken, so be it. She had already tried to say everything she could to him, and he didn’t want to take it. She would instead hope that he would truly learn his lesson through this heartbreak and decide to do better for himself later.

She wanted to try and go back to thinking about happier times in her life. She once again closed her eyes and let some of her fun childhood memories play in her mind.

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

Bowser had left his throne room to practice more of his song for Peaches. He played each note with care and sang with as much love as he could. Peaches is the only person who can make him happy. He smiled as he looked at the picture of the princess in pink. He couldn’t wait to look at her in person, not having to stare at a photograph anymore. His heart swelled with excitement at that thought.

The scenery in the music room had reflected the scene he wanted to use for the princess. The waterfall, grassy field and the moon shining brightly. It was a perfect setting. As cliché as it was, the king did not care. He wanted his confession to be like that of a fairytale too besides having his wedding be like that. He would work hard on making all of this come true. After he played his song and after Peaches said she felt the same, he would ask her again to marry him.

The princess would be delighted and say yes, giving him a big smooch. She would wear a different dress from the one he had her wear last time. It would be elegant and fit her in all the right places. It would be white, but it would be more decorative too. Not overly so, but just enough to show off intricate details while still being elegant.

She would walk up the aisle toward him and he would be dazzled at her appearance. Her hair would be done up and decorated with flowers. Her veil would be white covering her face and go to about mid back. She would have a train with her dress extending out a few inches. She would wear a necklace of matching flowers and earrings. Her shoes would be made of glass and high heeled with a flower on top of them. She would literally take his breath away. The perfect image of a beautiful bride.

Bowser got giddy thinking over all of that. As he smiled, someone else made an appearance in his mind. Someone he wished would disappear completely from his thoughts. Y/N. His heart felt annoyed and yet heavy. He will not deny that he enjoyed the time they had together in his library, but she is not the love of his life. Why was he feeling almost melancholy towards her? Because of what he said? Because of what he did to her? He knew he shouldn’t be questioning himself this way. He knew the answers.

He knew he had to do them. If he didn’t, she would continue to plague his mind. Yet, even as he did everything, she still invaded him. How he hated that she showed up whenever he would try to picture his precious Peaches! Y/N was getting the way of everything! Even his mentality! He can’t get rid of her yet. She still needed to be the hostage.

Bowser growled irritably. Why had he gone so soft on her in the library? Why had he done the playful the banter? Why did he find her cute? Why did he find her voice beautiful? Why is he asking himself all these questions?! He roared and slammed the lid of the piano case. He knew all these answers. He didn’t want to admit it, but…he couldn’t deny it to himself. He did have a fondness for Y/N. He was hurting because he hurt her.

His stubbornness wouldn’t allow him to express that fondness to Y/N any longer. He wanted to focus on the princess just as he originally planned. He had to. He didn’t want to do things any other way. Yet…this lingering feeling of…what was it? Regret? It filled him up. He knew he shouldn’t have treated Y/N the way he did…but it’s too late now. She probably despises him at this point. He should be happy with that because he could then get his priorities straight. However, deep down inside…he couldn’t focus.

What was he to do with his mentality, his thoughts on Y/N? Did he want Y/N to…have fondness of him too?

Link for Chapter 7: https://www.tumblr.com/xserenemeadowsx/724798091751030784/unconditional-love-chapter-7?source=share

[fairylandblog]

Fairy Ring

The phrase "fairy ring" first appeared to describe a circle of mushrooms found in grass fields in the 1590s. Having said that, the connection is significantly older, dating back at least to the fourteenth century. The first recorded instance of the Middle English word for fairy ring, elferingewort (meaning "elf-ring-plant" at the time), dates back to around 1300. This word referred to a ring of daisies created by elves dancing. In France, it is known as ronds de sorciers, which literally translates to "sorcerers' rings," and in Germany, it is known as hexenringe, which means "witches' rings." Folklore claims that fairy rings serve as portals to the realm of fairyland. When a fairy, pixie, or elf makes an appearance, a fairy ring will appear. Fairies used to dance in a ring while holding hands, and the mushrooms' circular pattern shows where they took place.

In most cases, fairy rings are considered to be hazardous locations. Most often, people believe that fairies danced and left these worn spots in the grass. Although fairies usually appear at night, they can be seen during the day. You can see the imprint of their feet running across the grass as they dance. They make frequent use of the mushrooms as a place to sit and relax. The abrupt development of the rings in the morning provided evidence of a dance that had taken place the previous evening. A fairy village that is hidden underneath is represented by the rings in Wales. Welsh legend also believes that the rings represent places of fertility and good fortune. French tradition claims that enormous toads, who swore a curse on anyone who disobeyed the circles surrounding them, protected them. Participants in the fairy dance within the circle illuminated by the moon may experience disorientation in time and space, potentially leading to their permanent disappearance. Some people experience a magical journey, while others experience a pause in time. There are some sites that claim you need to dance for a year and a day, yet it will seem like you've only been dancing for a few minutes.

There is a story told in Irish folklore about a young lady who had just returned home from purchasing bread. When she went to investigate the origin of the music, she stumbled into a bunch of fairies. She had heard the song already. She entered the fairy ring when they asked her to dance with them, and she accepted their invitation. After spending some time dancing, she informed them that her mother was waiting for her to return home. When she arrived at her house, she was taken aback to realize that her mother appeared to be much older than she actually was. When her mother inquired about her whereabouts, she responded by stating that she had gone to the market to purchase bread. Her mother revealed to her that she had been absent for over twenty years. It is strongly advise individuals not to enter a fairy ring under any circumstances. You might die at a young age, turn invisible to the world of mortals, find it impossible to escape the ring, or swiftly journey to the world of fairy tales. Furthermore, you may be forced to dance around the ring until you die from exhaustion.

[yovanismusic]

PJ Harvey - I Inside the Old I Dying (Cover)

I fell in love with this song the other day and something compelled me this morning to record a cover. A lot of the lyrics are in the Dorset dialect. It's not perfect but who gives a shit.

I recorded and processed everything in FL Studio.

I never used Tumblr before. I wanted to document my music and anything else I can think of. I've been making music for almost 10 years now. I'm working on my 2nd full length album and two soundtracks. I'll try to make "behind the scenes" videos on that soon.

Enjoy this cover.

Lyrics:

The beech buds wait, the ash buds wait The frogs and toads in lagwood holes Hedgehogs in their leafy ditch All waiting for His kingdom

The eth waits and the dead brakes That host the holly’s bloody beads They are his crown of thorns And he will rise again

Oh Wyman, oh Wyman Unray I, unray I for en Oh Wyman, oh Wyman Unray I, unray I for en

Slip from my childhood skin, I zing I zing through the forest I hover in the holway And l laugh into the leaves

Oh Wyman, oh Wyman Unray I, unray I for en Oh Wyman, oh Wyman Unray I, unray I for en

I laugh in leaves and merge to meesh Just a charm in the woak With the chalky children Of evermore

The chalky children of evermore x10

[quietwings-fics]

Spin That Record, Babe

Rating: General Audiences Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Fandom: Supernatural Ship: Gen (Gabriel & Lucifer & Michael & Raphael) Additional Tags: Dancing Lessons, Waltzing, Fluff without Plot, Shippy Gen, Gabriel and Raphael are Twins (Supernatural), in an odd angel-y sense. i just feel it deserves a mention., Alternate Universe, Agender Raphael (Supernatural), Angels Becoming Humans, Raphael-centric (Supernatural), Depowered Raphael (Supernatural), Depowered Gabriel (Supernatural), Depowered Lucifer (Supernatural), Depowered Michael (Supernatural), Gift Fic Wordcount: 3070 Summary:

A brief interlude where we find out how many angels can danceon the head of a pinin the middle of Gabriel's kitchen.

The universal experience of having a little brother is that when they find anything that piques their interest, they’re going to run to you and put it in your hands. This is true whether that brother was actually born after you or if he was created in the exact same moment as you were by your Father. This is true whether it is a handful of helium atoms he fished out of a star before Lucifer managed to shoo him away, or a particularly bumpy looking toad he picked up in the garden and is now frightened for its life, or an important discovery on the laptop he found at the thrift store. Raphael is well-accustomed to being the pair of hands that most often received Gabriel’s ‘gifts’. Gabriel waves them over, and Raphael sets down their coloring book and goes. At least, if it’s on the computer, it’s nothing they’ll have to put back where he found it when he loses interest.

“Lesson eight on the good parts of humanity,” Gabriel begins. Raphael does not point out that he’s forgotten lessons three through seven, or that lesson two was a month and a half ago. “The internet.”

“I know about the internet, Gabriel.” He smirks. Raphael thinks about the half-finished bluebird in their book. They shake their head and watch the screen over his shoulder.

“But did you know that they’ve put every piece of music they’ve ever made on there?”

“Every piece,” Raphael repeats with deadpan disbelief.

“Would I lie to you?” Gabriel says. He’s typing in a link. The computer autocompletes it for him. After a minute, the page loads, and after a minute more, it shows a compilation of ‘Recommended Videos’. The vast majority of them announce themselves to be hair braiding tutorials. Absently, Raphael touches one of their own braids. Gabriel’s typing away again, and in a moment, those videos all vanish and are replaced with new ones. He clicks one, and it takes up a larger part of the screen, a spiral of dots in the middle. So far, Raphael is pretty unimpressed.

Abruptly, music blares out of the computer. Raphael jumps back. Gabriel jolts, too, and he scrambles to make it quieter. When it’s bearable, Raphael steps close to him again and listens. It’s the exact same song they heard on the radio yesterday. It sounds different through the computer than it did through the minivan’s speakers, but that’s the only difference. The singer asks for someone to scratch their back and apologizes for any skipping tracks, and Gabriel looks up at Raphael with a very familiar expectant expression on his face. It’s been a long time since they’ve encountered it, and their reaction must be lacking. “I really thought you’d be more impressed by that. Remember when they used to have to crowd around some local bard to hear a tune or two? And now, on demand!”

“I haven’t paid attention to music in a while. How am I supposed to know if it’s any good?” That’s an acceptable enough answer and wipes away the dejected look in Gabriel’s eyes.

“When was the last time you took a vessel? The nineteen eighties?”

“The eighteen eighties. Maybe.” Gabriel looks shocked.

“Raphael,” he says, “I love you, but you have got to get out of the house more often.” He twirls his finger in a loose circle, and then he snaps. “I know a guy. Let’s see if they have some of his work and jog your memory.” Raphael should tell him that they hardly stopped and listened to the music of the times, even back then, but he’s trying so hard to help them connect to this and so they stay quiet. “C-H-A-I- No, there’s a T in there somewhere.” Gabriel wrestles with spelling until the computer gives him what he wants. “Here he is.”

The volume has been lowered to a tolerable level now. Raphael listens. It’s a different kind of song that Gabriel now presents to them. Intense when it begins, and the instrumentation is wholly unlike anything Raphael's heard by chance on the radio. Raphael leans closer, intrigued, and as the song quiets and then races again, they begin to understand. Their heart seems to speed with music, as though any part of them could leave their vessel again and take to the skies. Their chest aches with the reminder of their loss, and the song grows soft again as though in tune with their thoughts before it lifts back up. Raphael wants to follow it.

"It's beautiful," they say. When they look at Gabriel, they realize he's been watching their expression this entire time. Their hand flutters restlessly in time with the spinning chords, a growing desire to do... something with their limbs that they can't put into words. Gabriel takes their hand as he stands.

"Only one thing to do with a waltz," he comments.

And Raphael, as ever, listens to what their little brother wants to share.

"It's simple once you get the hang of it," he says. "There's a rhythm to it. One, two, three, hear it?" Raphael can't pick it out, but Gabriel puts their hand on his shoulder and rests his other hand against their waist. "Step back." When they do, he comes forward. "And to the side, and forwards, and there it is." Gabriel leads them through it, again and again, slow at first and completely out of time with the music. When the song draws to a close, he pauses. Raphael aborts a step forward before they end up tripping them both up. Before Gabriel can even go over to the computer to check, however, it begins to play a new song. "Huh. Convenient. Where were we?" It gets easier with repetition, and as Gabriel brings them in time with the music, Raphael can hear the rhythm he was talking about. One-two-three, in time with their steps, one-two-three, and Gabriel laughs. "You're a natural, Raph."

"When did you learn to do this?" Gabriel is setting the pace, but Raphael is as important to the dance as him. Their movements complete what he starts. It is achingly familiar again.

"I've had a lot of time and a lot of hobbies. Taxidermy, dish-washing, and a dozen different styles of dancing. It's all about finding the right partner." Raphael sweeps left with him. All that Gabriel doesn't say is clear in how surely he grips their hand, in the mixed surprise and gratitude that crosses his face when Raphael moves in tandem with him. They don't have to wonder how long he spent searching. The answer was one gaping wound in the body of Heaven and one empty chair at Sunday dinner. Raphael sat with his absence for so long that they forgot how vibrant Gabriel was. Now, he guides them both around the table all four of them ate breakfast at this morning, and if Raphael had the choice, the music would never stop.

Behind them, they hear the door to the apartment shut loudly. They don't need to turn around to know who it is. They read it easily in Gabriel's expression, the slight tilt of his head and smirk at the corner of his lips.

"Care to join us, Luci?" In a few more steps, Gabriel has turned them enough that they can see their brother. Lucifer looks aggravated, which is why they usually don't let him go to the store (or anywhere he's expected to interact with humans for more than five seconds) alone. His gaze drifts over the two of them, and some of that frustration melts away. He sets down a bag on the counter. Inside, Raphael can see pasta. That's reassuring. If no one supplies him with the materials, then none of them will have to live through Gabriel's more experimental cooking again. (Gabriel claims that casseroles are perfectly acceptable human dishes, but they're borderline inedible to Raphael. Likewise, he regards the fact that they tend to combine food according to complimentary colors to be abhorrent.) The music continues on as Lucifer makes his choice. The computer has an endless supply to play for them. Finally, their brother steps forward. Gabriel might have his head cocked confidently like this was all a master plan coming together, but he squeezes Raphael's hand excitedly when Lucifer looks like he'll come dance. He's fooling no one.

"What do you say? Dance with the devil?" It takes Raphael a moment to realize the question is directed at them. Gabriel tips his head at Lucifer, who is kicking his shoes off to the corner of the kitchen. Raphael was expecting him to go instruct Lucifer the same way he did them, but when offers this option, they find themselves stepping away from one brother towards another. Gabriel holds onto their hand for as long as he can before he has to let them go. He circles them, favoring a hands-on teaching method as he places Lucifer's hand at Raphael's waist where his was before. Raphael closes their eyes and listens to the music instead of Gabriel telling Lucifer the steps. They find the rhythm again.

One-two-three.

One-two-three.

One-two-"Raphael?" They open their eyes. Lucifer is waiting.

A dance with Lucifer is more difficult. He is not, or should not be, a part of them any longer. Where moving in tune with Gabriel still came as naturally as a heartbeat, it becomes arrhythmic when Lucifer takes his place. And yet, the disconnect isn't wholly in them, but in their vessels, imperfect conduits through which they must interact. These muscles were not trained to fight together, and for as light on their feet as it makes them feel, dancing isn't much like flying at all. Perhaps Raphael could match Lucifer in flight through the rings of a solar flare with ease, but a waltz leaves them both clumsy. Raphael moves to the rhythm that Lucifer hasn't picked up yet, and Lucifer steps too wide for them. Gabriel's hands land softly on their back or Lucifer's arm to offer corrections. It is, to be blunt, a mess.

Raphael hasn't had this much fun since-

Well. Since their light and laughter left Heaven.

They can see the strain his missteps put on Lucifer's pride, and for that, they keep their mouth shut. Gabriel does not, teasing him for his flat-footedness, but then Gabriel was always Lucifer's favorite. All he gets in return is a glower and an easily dodged bump. He comes around Raphael's other side and puts his hand over where the two of theirs are joined. "And lift," he says. All three hands go up. Gabriel nudges Raphael forward until they go under the arch they've formed. They didn't lift them high enough, and Raphael can feel Lucifer's wrist brush the top of their head before he corrects it. Around they go until they're back where they started.

"I want to do that again," they say. Obligingly, Lucifer lifts their hands to let Raphael under them again. It's simple, but it's delightful. They settle back into their previous positions, and the dance continues.

Raphael's not sure when Michael gets home. One moment, it's only the three of them, Gabriel now off to the sidelines as they and Lucifer have gotten better at dancing, and the next, they turn and see Michael standing near the entrance, watching them. They miss a step, and Lucifer's foot bumps into theirs. He follows their gaze back over his shoulder.

"I didn't want to interrupt," Michael says when what he means is that he knows he shouldn’t. It might be guilt or it might be pride, but either way, Michael will lament that he can never let himself be a part of them the way he desperately wants. Perhaps, if he was only faced with Gabriel and Lucifer, they would let him pull away and feel sorry for himself while he does it, but Raphael has spent lifetimes wrangling Michael. 

“Come dance, brother.” Michael is hesitant, but he comes. 

To kill Lucifer required Michael to be closer to God than to them. Son to absence, rather than sibling to what remained.

It is very hard for Raphael to see Michael as above them, by age or experience or their Father’s blessing. Lucifer can treat Michael like His surrogate on his worst days, and Gabriel looks at Michael like he should have been wise enough to protect them all. Raphael is the one who stayed long enough to comb broken feathers from Michael’s wings when he stopped doing it himself. They would have followed him until the end and cared for him in the aftermath of Lucifer's death, which would, even if neither of them ever acknowledged it, destroy him as much as falling on the battlefield himself.

Raphael rests their left palm against Michael’s right and guides his other hand to rest against their shoulder. They place their right in the middle of his back. 

“I’m leading,” Raphael says firmly. Michael’s eyes drop to where they’ve positioned his hand but they draw back to Raphael a second later. He opens his mouth to say something, but he decides against it. Raphael closes their eyes, focuses on trying to find the rhythm Gabriel pointed out earlier. It lies hidden beneath the rest of the musical flourishes, but as steady as ever goes the one-two-three. They exhale, and they step back. Michael takes a moment too long to step with them and breaks the rhythm. 

On the next cycle, Raphael tries again, and Michael, expecting it now, goes. They grow more bold, guiding him with the hand at his back. They prompt him to turn slightly with their next steps, and they manage a slow circle. It brings Gabriel and Lucifer back within Raphael’s view. Lucifer’s hand is on Gabriel’s waist, but it’s clear from the way they move that Gabriel isn’t waiting for him to decide the steps. Gabriel catches their eye. He winks, and Raphael can’t hide a smile in return.

With another rotation, they lift their arm for a spin. Michael’s hand doesn’t follow, caught off-guard again, and Raphael realizes Gabriel didn’t show him how to do this. They grip Michael’s hand and lift it for him, using their other hand to make him turn. They have to lift onto their tiptoes to get both their arms over his head.

When he’s stopped twirling, they’re still holding hands. Michael lets his grip falter, but Raphael only holds on tighter in response.

The music ends abruptly. Gabriel goes over at the computer. Raphael’s hand falls from Michael’s back. They’re expecting another waltz, another familiar rhythm. Instead, the computer starts singing again, a woman’s voice, a soulful swing to her words.

“Gabriel?” they ask. It’s a small sensory overload compared to the music they were dancing to. They can’t pick out the one-two-three. How are they supposed to dance to this?

”There’s more to this than following the steps.” Gabriel holds out a hand. “Any takers?” To go to him, Raphael has to reluctantly let go of Michael, who looks like the sudden change in tempo has sent him into shock. Gabriel takes both of Raphael’s hands in his. “Freestyle, Raph!” Raphael has no idea what that means or even where to start. Luckily, Gabriel sees. He tugs them into something similar to a waltz, the same circle, but with steps that aren’t nearly as organized. They spin together, and it can only loosely be described as ‘in time’ with the music. Gabriel looks delighted.

There's a scuffle and a thump from the couch that has them all turning. Fen's woken up from his midday nap and barrels across the checkered floor into the middle of their little gathering. Fen always moves like a dog that has not yet realized it is quite small, and as such, is constantly bumping into chairs and legs like he expects them to be pushed aside. He hits Michael's leg this time, yapping excitedly. He recovers, shakes, and circles Raphael and Gabriel, still barking.

Gabriel lets go of Raphael to pick him up, hoisting the little mutt into the air as he wiggles around and tries to lick at Gabriel's face. Gabriel spins and dips, leading to another round of barking. Some part of Raphael wonders if they shouldn't remind Gabriel about the noise complaints they've already got a collection of, but then Gabriel hugs Fen close and looks completely at peace. Their neighbors will simply have to live with a little barking and dancing.

It's Lucifer who steps forward first to take Gabriel's place. Raphael lets him. He's humming along to the chorus, and they join in, not thinking much of it until Lucifer stops all of a sudden, looking a little shaken. Raphael spares him a reaction, keeps humming, until he gathers himself and carries on like it's nothing. Like he hasn't been deprived of his siblings' voices for centuries. Some things are meant to be remedied, not talked through until the scabs are picked to bleeding.

Michael hesitates again. Of course he does. But not forever. On one twirl, (just as fun as the first time. Raphael is never going to get tired of this. Their vessel disagrees, slightly winded but it hasn't forced them to stop yet.) he steps in, and Raphael goes from Lucifer to him. There's a frustrated noise from Lucifer, quiet but clear, and Raphael takes Michael's hand and guides him until his back is to Lucifer. His focus is on them, and when they put their other hand on his chest and give him a gentle shove, he's not expecting it. He stumbles backwards into their brother.

Gabriel freezes. Fen tries to nip at his ear with a confused whine. Raphael holds their breath.

Michael hums. Lucifer is silent.

Michael's humming falters. He makes to step away. Lucifer catches the tune where he left off, wraps his arms around Michael's waist, and hooks his chin over his shoulder. For only a few moments, they sway. Michael raises a hand to lay over one of Lucifer's. Lucifer lets out a breath, releases Michael, and retreats. Michael stays frozen.

It's enough. Raphael takes pity on Michael and moves back into range to dance again. Behind him, Lucifer passes Gabriel's offered hand, but he doesn't leave. He watches them from a comfortable distance until the music ends, Michael and Raphael tire out, and Fen starts squirming to be put down.

(Enjoyed it? Any interaction is welcomed. You can even support me on Ko-Fi <3)

[sorenblr]

Hey soren, this one for you buddy: ¡chinga tu madre!

Don't be a stranger, give me your five—no, six favourite Halloween flicks. Cinematics to rot your molars to.

Uh, I'm thinking this 'wey' might be 'loco'!

Luckily I have made a record of my seasonal viewing on Letterboxd for the last several years. A lot of this is just filling in the blanks for genre staples that I missed out on during the majority of my life where I barely paid attention to film. The six that stand out to me are...

Phantasm (1979): This is a shockingly positive portrayal of male pattern baldness, and it shows just how devastating an orb can be.

Elvira, Mistress of the Dark (1988): Elvira wants to fuck a hot dumb guy, but things don't go quite as planned when this free spirit and her *gulp* generous endowment run afoul of small town prejudice! She does end up fucking the dumb guy, though. Sometimes things are as simple as we make them.

The Masque of the Red Death (1964): Vincent Price is like some sort of scary man.

Bride of Frankenstein (1935): The part at the end where Boris Karloff says "She hate me!" should have been sampled in a hit rap song... perhaps even two.

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949): A remarkably faithful adaptation. The only major embellishment is Bing Crosby crooning over the proceedings, which is a choice that I believe Irving himself would have made had it been available to him. Ichabod really is just a horny hungry guy who is also some sort of birdlike homunculus. He's a real piece of shit.

Blade (1998): Here's a picture I took of my Blade DVD (big ass AND1s and banknote worth 500 hungarian forint for scale):

I know what you're thinking, and yes, the special features are just as epic as the film itself.

[somewhereelse-inphinity]

Dear Mrs. Finch,

As Lewis's psychiatrist I can understand your desire for explanation. As I see it, the trouble began in January, shortly after we convinced your son to seek treatment for substance abuse.

Newly sober, I believe Lewis first noticed the monotony of his daily life. He kept working at the cannery but he withdrew part of himself. In our sessions I saw the same behavior.

His mind began to... wander. I asked him to describe it. He said he started small, imagining a labyrinth. He'd feel his way about. Then something moved... bats. And toads. And things that have not names. He knew it was all in his head, but he took it very seriously. I had hoped he'd find himself. But he found something more.

I worried about him then, daydreaming at the cannery. I spoke with his boss, but he said Lewis had become a model employee. Methodical, tireless, focused... Like a whole new Lewis. So I let him go on. I even encouraged him. It seemed very promising at first.

He told me he'd made a new friend on the edge of a city he named Lewistopia. He built the city up slowly, brick by brick. Then he made musicians and songs for them to play. He talked about starting a band and he was always humming something. Every day his imagination grew stronger. He no longer spoke at the cannery, but his chopping was as reliable as ever. Then one day it struck him that all the cheering crowds, even the stones under his feet were all in his imagination, so he could do whatever he wished. He held an election for a mayor and he won. They begged him to stay but his mind was already wandering.

It became a game for him. He'd conquer a city then immediately push on. He started drifting away from our reality. Until one day he forgot to go home from the cannery. Even as his mother pleaded with him, part of Lewis kept sailing on. In Lewisburg, he heard rumors of a beautiful prince/a handsome queen. The prince/The queen was on his/her own quest for radiant rainbows/sinister serpents. He followed the sound of his/her electric sitar/silver harp. His chase led him to a golden palace east of the sun and west of the moon.

Even then, his logic remained sound. He knew the world was all in his imagination, but he was so proud of having created it. In his own eyes, he'd become something greater than a king. For someone who'd never known success in the real world, I think it was overwhelming. And then it struck him that the real Lewis was not the one chopping salmon, but the one climbing the steps of a golden palace. "My imagination is as real as my body" he told me. It was hard to argue with him.

He began to forget the world we know. I think it pained him to remember Lewis, the cannery worker. He began to despise the man with the royal contempt. I still thought I could save him. Even after he said he was being crowned king over all the lands of Wonder.

The palace would be packed with his companions, including the wise calico who had insisted on advising him. His prince/queen waited, holding his crown. There was only one thing left to do. Bend down his head. And the rest I think you know.

Mrs. Finch, your son was a kind man who will be missed by all of us who knew him.

My sincerest condolences,

Dr. Emily Nuth

[tape recorder click]

[auroraknux]

Some (spoiler-free) thoughts on the Mario movie:

I agree with people about the pacing issues. It moved way too fast to develop much of anything, and unfortunately it does bring the film down. I also have this weird feeling like stuff was cut? (Can't say for sure unless we get confirmation of that.) That's the only major issue I had with it, though.

Prattio actually didn't bother me at all! And this is coming from someone who hated his voice when the first two trailers came out. Weirdly, almost none of his vocal takes in the trailers were in the film. I can't help wondering if they were using early recordings, for some reason.

The only voice that bothered me was Cranky Kong. He doesn't sound old enough. I don't hate it, I just found it a little weird.

Peach was great! She kicks ass and is very awesome. But she also isn't overly serious like so many people were assuming she would be. She's cute and badass and I love her.

Protect Toad.

They didn't do as much with Luigi as I would've liked, sadly. I still loved him with all my heart and soul. (If they give us a Luigi's Mansion movie, I'll forgive them.)

Mario and Luigi's relationship was just as sweet as I was hoping it would be! I love them so much sdfhfyhhujgf

Bowser was funny! Jack Black was such a good casting choice for him.

There are a few licensed songs in the film. Honestly, none of them felt particularly jarring to me.

The animation was absolutely beautiful! (I need this film to come out on digital so I can screenshot every frame of it)

I hope the soundtrack releases soon, because I'm dying to listen to it.

I can't think of anything else at the top of my head right now. I'm sure I'll have more thoughts to share later.

So yeah, it sadly wasn't everything I hoped it would be. I still had a great time, though, and I already want to watch it again! (And honestly, I really needed something cute and fun like this, after how crappy I've been feeling for a while now.)