#tbh i really didn't even try to fit it into canon timeline | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

bumblewarden · 2 years ago

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Oooooh that image is too cute >< Beachy playtime for the kiddos!

Y'know, i bet if Astala and Novhen both accompanied Adaia on her smuggling outside city bounds, then he probably knows how to swim in this AU! All it cost was a little sand in someone's mouth XD

Tbh i didn't think about how effectively having a bloodborne disease would affect the threat of a werewolf bite 👀 I'll have to add that to his argument. Excuse me while i ✏️✏️✏️✏️

(And yes! The human commoner! Because Novhen's Joining got moved up so far on the timeline in his canon, i'm going to end up bringing Ainsley in. From the mod description, i think the modder might've made up the name themself, but i'm still taking it XD That way, there's still a third person to accompany Daveth and Jory, and we can now get 3/3 Joining deaths! An auspicious prelude to the battle yet to come!)

It's a bit terrible that Novhen feels completely justified in how far he went while scouting, and given that he only stopped once he triggered a location-based cutscene, i guess he's not technically entirely wrong. But he really should've come back sooner. I can feel the arguing boiling up, perfectly setting up the stage for a fight, yes!

Novhen: What do you think a scout does?

Astala: A scout tell us what to expect ahead. A scout doesn't try to handle it all by himself.

Novhen: You say that like I intended to get caught.

Astala: It doesn't matter what you intended. What matters is that you did get caught.

Novhen: And I talked my way out of it. If getting found matters, so does that. The way you act, you'd think I couldn't be allowed to step ten feet away from the party before I had to report back!

I think it's a fair assessment that Adaia would be some flavor of disappointed at Novhen endangering himself so recklessly for others. Really goes to show that you can teach whatever lesson you want, but you can't control what lesson is actually learned. The lesson Novhen really internalized is that it's up to him to protect the alienage, but he doesn't seem to also get that, as part of the alienage, he also must be protected. Even from the most pragmatic of view points, he's no good to anyone dead. Maybe if they had just a little more time with her before or if she at least didn't die the way she did

Novhen didn't register who killed Adaia beyond them being guards, so he wouldn't have been able to get a revenge without destroying the entirety of the city guard, which wasn't very realistic. It's entirely plausible for the perpetrators to still be kicking around Denerim, perfectly murderable. Who's up for a little family bonding exercise 🔪?

Bonus for Alistair's efforts in not listening: he's probably got a very different accent than them. He was raised in the West Hills, and the Tabrises are from an insulated community in a city on the other side of the country. It's going to be very easy for him to not listen in when they all puts their minds to it XD

Most Alfish-speakers are probably also fluent in Fereldan, so it would make sense for Ilanlas to prioritize learning Fereldan. But i'm now imagining Ilanlas, who is fluent in a Dalish language and a has had the smallest amount of Fereldan lessons, trying so very hard to piece together what their argument is about. Every once in a while, he thinks he hears a word he recognizes but not much more. Could they please slow down, he's trying to eavesdrop XD This clearly isn't the language lesson they're meant to give him, but they do say immersion is the most effective way to learn XD XD XD

I remember city elves in Origins having American accents, and in keeping with Novhen (and city elves more broadly) being Jewish-coded, i headcanon Denerim's elves as speaking with a Brooklyn accent. It's also just a fun accent. I do draw on a few more sources for Novhen's word choice, but the accent is Brooklyn. Also, Shianni with a New York accent? It just fits. Accents are also however the sort of thing we can just gloss over to ignore any potential worldstate conflict lol. I think Sera's accent being the odd one out from the rest of the Denerim alienage can be related to her distancing herself from her being an elf

Novhen would be very interested in popping in on the Dalish lessons but even more so would definitely take great offense to being called culturally assimilated to humans. Shows what Ilanlas knows of the world that he thinks either side of the alienage wall is only differentiated by the amount of poverty present. He'll remind him that their common ancestors didn't live in aravels but rather cities up until Orlais and its Chantry stole the Dales

It… might take a while for him to be allowed back at language nights after that. These two, i swear…

It's probably not information available to him, but could you imagine if Novhen knew about the Dalish being descended from the nobles of the Dales and their knights XDXD

Novhen: Typical nobles. Always thinking their way is the only way. We're just as elf as him.

Ilanlas: Excuse me???

It might have to fall on Astala to inform Ilanlas that they're speaking Trade and Fereldan for the group's benefit, but city elves do still speak their own elven language

Admittedly, a lot of Novhen's Andraste-was-an-elf argument hinges a lot on the idea of "How many humans do you know of who would stick their necks out for an elf when they could've gotten away with just saving themselves?" ^_^', but i wonder how it might evolve once they meet Andras. Specifically, would they think the name Andras came from Andraste (the equivalent to being named Christian) or that they share an (elven!!) etymology. Novhen for one thinks "Andraste" could very well be a contraction of "Andruil'enaste"

Also, this is just a meta level note from me tha he would mean nothing to him even if he were somehow able to access it, but Andraste is a suggested name for a female elf in the DND 5E PHB js:

(Also, hi to Keyleth there!)

I hope none of her children got taken in by the cult enough to follow Solas into the conflict or at least that they stay safe if they do

If Inquistor [mumbles name indistinctly] ever shows up post-Trespasser to recruit Novhen after somehow finding out about his knowledge of the lore (but hopefully not about his religious affiliations) (Leliana might've shared about many of his campfire stories featuring the Dread Wolf not realizing about the particular position he's in.), Novhen is desperately trying to get out of this. He's still processing all of this new information about Fen'Harel. He does not need to get involved in a war over it. They expect him to immediately believe stories of his historically maligned god planning to end the world? Especially with all the conflicting information flying around, if he's forced to join, it may well be on Solas's side. He's going to dart eyes at Astala and beg for help as subtley as he can. Sorry, ser. You heard her. We're retired.

And i just thought of this, but i could see Morrigan objecting their planned party on the basis of lacking a mage ("No, the golem does not 'make up for it'.") and saying that she has her ways of stalling the Taint. They don't really have a way to refute that. Astala and Ilanlas have firsthand experience with similar stalls. Still, Novhen is very opposed to the idea of her throwing herself into danger unnecessarily like that (Not a nice feeling, is it, Novhen?)

Also, i can see how in Astala's canon, Sulri being present would only make Bhelen more on edge about Astala's apparent indecision. Regardless of Sulri's intentions, they did not part ways on the best of terms, so it'd make sense for him to be nervous seeing her. Novhen might use that as another argument against Ilanlas joining on the expedition (besides the arrow thing). He's also heard about his recruitment went down and may be worried about how the caves would affect him. Not the most exciting situation to be proven right in

I don't know if there's anything Astala can offer besides her company that will give Novhen any sort of calm, but he at least knows better than to get drunk in the Deep Roads. Once they return to Orzammar, he'll probably still refrain from getting black out drunk because they still have to survive until the next Assembly. That's something

And you're right that he wouldn't want golems to go back into production. A pair of city elves would know exactly how demand for warm bodies would be filled, and they aren't having any of it

It's also good to hear that Novhen's influence has spared Astala from an assassination attempt XD Even if Astala were still trying to play both sides here, Novhen would make it very clear to Bhelen before leaving that they intend to name him king

So in addition to all the other non-Warden companions, that leaves… Alistair and Ilanlas in Orzammar. Oh, they are having the Worst girls' nights (gender neutral). Are they agreed that the politics are the worst part of the job? And this would be before Zevran is willing to admit to himself that he's fallen for the Warden, right? Zev's just going through all of these strong emotions, head in his hands, in complete denial of the source of these anxieties being that he's starting to care for Astala, who's been absent in the Deep Roads for over a month now

Just imagine Astala shoving the crystal phone into Novhen's hands the second it hits the market XD XD XD XD "If you ever disappear again, you are going to call me weekly, or I will find you and drag you home myself. No excuses"

Apparently, there's some throwaway line in Inquisition from Alistair that he was hunting down leftover darkspawn in the Thaw Hunt after the Blight. I only know that from the wiki though. I imagine he's spending this time with Kader and Andras to excuse how they're absent from Awakening but still alive later to keep tabs on Tabris. Caron travels with Mhairi the twins to Vigil's Keep because you seem to need a mage for the Joining. Don't quote me on that

It sounds like Khêd and Novhen have a good basis for a potential friendship then! Probably enough so that someone just got recruited to fight the Mother~ Sorry, mate. Double-edged sword. I just hope the friendship would actually pan out if they ever interacted XD

I doubt the concept of scouts (in the sense of how girl scouts do it) really exists in Thedas, but Pavle is going to be requesting some form of acknowledgement for his progress. Apparently, the reward of knowing how to fend for himself is not enough. And now Radka's wanting something too. Great. Novhen would have learned enough basic naturalism skills while travelling with Duncan and Alistair before the Blight, but he's going to sit in on the lessons anyway because he knows it's not his strength without technically being part of those lessons. He might even embroider badges to occupy his hands during ;D And now you don't have to deal with them asking for rewards. You're welcome, Ilanlas. History books are going to look back at this as the birth of the Grey Scouts XD XD

It's really hard to say which of Radka's faces is more of a mask than the other. It's likely both to an extent, but she's worn the Carta mask for so long, she struggles to tell it apart from her true self

And i think Astala would be able to notice Novhen spiraling. There's a difference between being able to hide your feelings (which he could probably still pull off to some degree, even from her) and being able to hide a change in behavior. After Broken Circle, he might just listen to her pleas to stop too

Twins AU (Round 2)

Since our original post exchange got a tad bit long, @bumblerhizal I’m starting a new one here ^^ First, a few things on the doodles: I’m still cackling XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD Especially about Amell (Pavle) going all “woe is me! 😩😩😩” over the dirt on his favorite robe while these two Alienage kids with probably multiple patches and mends on their clothes just look at each other like “can you believe this guy” XD XD XD XD XD XD XD It’s sooooooooo good and I am now imagining Pavle coming face to face with Sigrun’s particular brand of cheerful dead inside XD XD XD The official Grey Warden merch is amazing and our guys are great models. I really want that on a shirt now (and I could, now that I think of it. Ooooooh it’s tempting). I love Valendrian’s grey hair counter. The expression is on point XD XD XD The Plum of Peace should be a Feastday gift. And it’s very good to see reference for Radka, Pavle and Mr Andras (Who looks so kind!!!!!) Mousevhen is absolutely adorable. I want to give him all the pickled beets in the world

Keep reading

#novhen tabris #astala tabris #ilanlas mahariel #au: tabris twins #ever so briefly back to the yiddish and swiss german thing!#there's a whole host of aspects affecting what accents and dialects are easier to understand but exposure has got to be one of the biggest #most groups in the us that still speak german have been historically isolated (like with pennsylvania dutch)#or are closed off as a result of the world war era xenophobia that otherwise destroyed most of the then-thriving german-american cultures #(like with texasdeutsch)#even churches switched to english #a fascinating topic but very tragic if you ever look into it #everyday use of yiddish is marginally more accessible in the states

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gellavonhamster · 6 years ago

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the eye of the storm, or a still life with pineapples

teen and up audiences (?) || Bertrand Baudelaire/Beatrice Baudelaire/Lemony Snicket + guest starring other ships and characters || pre-canon, canon divergence

ao3 link || originally posted in Russian

As famously said by a famous cartoonist and later by an even more famous musician and before them, probably, by many other famous and not so famous people, life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans. For example, less than half a year ago I was certain that in a little while, I would marry the woman I love, and dance with her at our wedding, which would be held in a place called the Vineyard of Fragrant Grapes. A few months passed, and here I was dancing at the wedding indeed, but not as a groom and not with the woman I dreamed to marry. However, she was also attending the party, and radiating beauty in her refined wedding dress just like in my erstwhile dreams. It was her wedding – her and another man’s, and I didn’t doubt that many guests were surprised I was invited and, on top of that, entrusted with reciting one of the wedding blessings. Then again, there weren’t that many guests: only the trusted long-time associates, most of whom both the newlyweds and I had the honour to consider our friends. Some of them were familiar with the events which had resulted in my bride marrying someone else; as to the rest of them, I hoped they were too well-mannered to whisper behind my back. On the other hand, if they decided to spread some gossip, I would not have minded it much. In these latter days, all kinds of things were being whispered about me behind my back, said out loud, and printed in the newspapers. If I had a chance to choose between the discussions of my love life and the accusations of crimes I had nothing to do with, I would have chosen the former without a moment’s hesitation. Unfortunately, in practice, there were two options: either both the former and the latter or just the latter, and I had no choice anyway.

Even the celebration venue was not what I had expected. The Vineyard of Fragrant Grapes was undoubtedly very lovely at that time of the year, but just like many other gardens, libraries, restaurants, post offices, bookstores, and tailor shops, it had lately become unsafe for the members of our organization. It was far too risky to organize the wedding in a widely known place. That was why the ceremony itself, as well as the celebratory banquet, took place in a small hotel outside the City. It was called The Eye of the Storm, and that name was more than appropriate. “The eye of the storm” is an expression which means an area of calm weather at the centre of a hurricane, both literally and figuratively, and so the present celebration seemed a calm moment at the centre of the hurricane of feuds and treachery that was raging in my life, as well as in the lives of the groom, the bride, and all the guests. An attentive visitor would also notice another eye – the motif used in the design of the hotel, from napkin rings to the moulding on the ceiling. To paraphrase the definition provided above, one could say that the eye of the storm is an area at the centre of a hurricane where the world is quiet.

“Snicket, wake up!” called the lady I was dancing with. “Do you want us to bump into someone?”

“Sorry. I got lost in thought. And we wouldn’t have bumped into anyone: you’re the lead.”

“And good thing that I am. For a moment I felt like I was dancing with a coat rack or something like that. You alright?”

“Of course I am, R,” I smiled at my partner who was none other than R, the Duchess of Winnipeg. “How about you?”

“I’m fine, L. You know me,” she smiled back, but I saw it in her eyes that just like me, she couldn’t stop her gaze from drifting to the bride, who was dancing with her beloved in the centre of the ballroom. “It’s been long since I’ve come to terms with the fact that this is how it’s going to end. It’s only that when I used to imagine all of this before, it was you, not Bertrand, and it was easier somehow. But it’s nothing.”

When I first met R, she was yet to become the duchess and the renowned meteorologist and the multiple fencing champion of VFD. Back then she was just the daughter of the previous Duchess of Winnipeg, now deceased; just a little girl who had just got her volunteer’s tattoo and, being confused and a little bit scared, went to explore the infirmary in search of someone who would explain to her where she was, why she was taken away from home, and where her parents were. That evening, she didn’t find the answers to all of her questions, but she found a little boy – me – who, like her, had just been tattooed and didn’t understand what was going on. We were already friends when we met Beatrice, the woman whose wedding we were dancing at today. When we understood that both of us were in love with her, we promised each other that we wouldn’t let that circumstance ruin our friendship. There is an absorbing Gothic novel in which three friends propose to the same girl, and remain friends after she chooses one of them. Similarly, my friend and I both courted Beatrice, leaving it up to her to choose one of us and not expecting that in the end, just like in that novel, there would be three contenders for her heart, and it would be the third one that she would favour. One could only hope that at that point, the similarities with the novel would end, although taking into account Beatrice’s fondness for bats, she would surely be amused by the prospect of being turned into a vampire.

“I do know you, R,” I confirmed. “And that is exactly why I am worried.”

“Oh, come on. If you want to know, today I feel much better than over the last two months combined. Look around, L: even in these trying times we’re surrounded by noble and trustworthy people. My dear friend got married and is happy. I am dancing at her wedding in a wonderful dress and in an excellent company, and who knows,” she winked at me, “perhaps it’s in that excellent company that I’ll meet someone who would help me to let go of the past at last.”

“You will meet – or you have met?” I asked, intrigued. My friend smiled cryptically. “Who is she?”

“Look to your left. See a beautiful girl in a peach dress standing by the window?”

The girl was beautiful indeed. Something about the features of her face seemed familiar to me but I didn’t know her name, which was what I told R.

“Sally Sebald,” she told me, with the same conspiratorial look. “The little sister of Gustav, our Monty’s new… assistant.”

If “our Monty” had heard the way R had spoken the word “assistant”, he would have definitely pretended to be offended to the marrow of his bones. However, at that moment he was busy dancing with that very assistant. The music stopped, and the band bowed in response to the applause, then proceeded to flip through the sheets, selecting the next piece to play.

“I’ll leave you for a while,” R announced. “I must ask her for a dance. Promise me you won’t just stand by yourself ruining everyone’s mood with your long face.”

“I promise. Go for it,” I squeezed her hand, wishing her luck. “And I’ll go grab a bite.”

With that, I made my way to the cold table at the opposite end of the ballroom. “Cold table” is an expression which here means “a buffet-style table with the dishes that the guests are expected to help themselves to” not a table that is cold to touch, although I couldn’t have had any idea if that particular table was cold to touch before I ever touched it. As I was eating mushroom tartlets, I watched the dancers. Here was my brother waltzing with Olivia Caliban, and there was my sister, talking animatedly about something to her partner during the dance – and looking, as I was pleased to notice, like after all the recent troubles and worries she was finally at peace. Some of the guests might have been watching her too and wondering who she was dancing with: Frank or Ernest? That was, of course, the wrong question, while the right question would have been “How many Denouement brothers are there, actually?” I shifted my gaze to R, who was dancing with Gustav’s sister, then to Gustav and Monty and then to Ike and Josephine Anwhistle and so, looking over the dancing couples one by one, I finally met Beatrice’s eyes as she looked at me over her husband’s shoulder. My heart sank. That ballroom was full of people I held in great affection, and still I had to abandon them tomorrow, to flee abroad in order to save myself and everyone who was closely associated with me and could get in the firing line because of that. I didn’t know when I would see all of them again. Just the thought of it made me suffocate with grief.

“Snicket,” someone said. I turned around. There was a woman standing next to me, one that was different from the other guests for two reasons. Firstly, most of the invitees were the same age as the bride and the groom, while this woman was much older. Secondly, I have never met anyone with a hair as thick, long, and unruly, presently already greying. Even if she had tried to arrange it in some sort of a hairdo on the occasion of the party, all the pins and clips clearly were already lost, unable to tame this natural disaster. “Do you mind?”

“An interesting question. For a well-mannered person, there’s only one answer to it,” I observed, “which could be in equal measure correct or incorrect depending on how much…”

“Snicket,” my chaperone interrupted me, annoyed, “I asked because you’re standing by yourself ruining everyone’s mood with your long face. If you’re fine with being in such condition, I can leave you alone.”

“I didn’t mean to offend you, Theodora,” I objected. “Shall I pass you something? The salmon sandwiches are really good.”

“Thank you, I’ve enough for now,” she showed me a full plate. For some time we stood there eating and not saying a word, enjoying the music, the meal, and, to the lesser extent, each other’s company. Finally, Theodora said what she apparently wanted to say from the start.

“I grew wary when I saw you here, quite honestly,” she began. “I knew you were invited, as astonishing as it may be, but I was still surprised you’ve showed up. I’ll admit I feared that at the last moment you’d… pull some trick. I even told Bertrand about it, but he just waved it aside.”

“Well, that just proves the student has surpassed the teacher when it comes to getting other people,” I shrugged. “I suppose you wouldn’t trust me, but I didn’t even think of ruining the ceremony. Believe it or not, I sincerely wish Bertrand and Beatrice nothing but happiness.”

“You’re a peculiar person, Snicket.”

“Am I? I thought I am insufferable and lack respect for my elders.”

“And that, too. It won’t ever cease to amaze me that you and Bertrand hit it off.”

My brain instantly came up with a couple of presumably witty responses concerning how well we hit it off indeed – the champagne might’ve been to blame – but I restrained myself. There were some things she’d better stay unaware of.

“Life is full of surprises,” I observed instead. Theodora looked at me dubiously.

“I’d like to believe you’re telling the truth,” she said. “That you really came here to congratulate them on their marriage, and not to wallow in self-pity or make them doubt they made the right choice. You’re a peculiar person, Snicket, and that is precisely why I feel I really might be right to believe that. Care to ask the old hag for a dance?”

“With pleasure,” I agreed. This conversation was somewhat upsetting me, and it appeared I was already failing to keep the promise I gave R anyway. “May I have this dance, Theodora?”

The look on her face told me she was expecting some other answer, in which I would have pointed out, for instance, that I see no old hags here, but she still gave me her hand, and we went dancing.

***

The celebration ended late into the night. Many kind words were said to the bridal couple, many wonderful songs were sung, and the young Quagmire, evidently inspired by the example of his friend Bertrand, seized the moment to propose to his beloved. Finally the time came for everyone to head home. I was hanging around the hotel lobby and making my adieus to the guests: some of them were waiting for their taxis to arrive while some preferred to make use of the secret tunnel that connected The Eye of the Storm to a number of VFD buildings in the City. I was bidding farewell to my friends: sometimes a handshake, sometimes an embrace, and sometimes simply an exchange of phrases which would’ve seemed nonsensical to the uninitiated. My future appeared to me full of uncertainty and loneliness, and the volunteer’s work kept becoming more and more dangerous with every passing day. If I was destined to never meet my comrades again, then I wanted to remember them precisely the way they were that evening: happy, content, elegantly dressed, and with a newly found confidence that we may still be bound to witness the victory of nobility, valour, and erudition over cunning, avarice, and bad taste.

“We’ll meet you by the road junction at nine,” my brother said, clapping me on the shoulder. He was obviously worried. I didn’t want him to worry about me – I was doing that myself just fine. “Are you sure you don’t want to leave earlier? You could get there in time to catch the…”

“It is highly likely that our enemies have infiltrated the crew of the Prospero. You know that yourself,” I didn’t let him finish. “I’ll take the train. Don’t fret about me, Jacques. Better try to get some sleep. Or…” I cast a sidelong look at Olivia, who was standing nearby and apparently waiting for my brother, “spend the time until morning the way you see fit.”

It was twilight outside The Eye of the Storm, but I had no doubts Jacques blushed.

“You’re taking a lot of risk, L,” he said, displeased. “Are you sure it’s worth it? After all, everything has changed now…”

“I know,” I said. Deep down, I wasn’t sure indeed if it was a good idea. If it was appropriate now, no matter how much we wanted to believe it was. But I couldn’t act differently. Firstly, I had given a promise. Secondly, if I changed my mind, then – who knows – I might miss the last chance to feel happy that I’d get in my life. “I am only sure that if I leave now, I am going to regret it. See you tomorrow, Jacques.”

He frowned but said nothing more and, after hugging me once again, got into the car and left. I headed back to The Eye of the Storm. My brother and Olivia were the last ones to leave; presently the only ones staying at the hotel were the employees and the newlyweds. I sneaked a look into the ballroom and saw them talking about something to the hotel owner. The bride laughed at something and took her groom – her husband – by the hand. I was standing there in the dusk and thinking: what if my brother was right? Wouldn’t it be better for me to leave before it’s too late – just like that, without saying goodbye? I shook my head, chasing these thoughts away as if they were circling me like Snow Gnats, and hurried to the second floor. At the very beginning of the corridor, a bored-looking hall porter was sitting on a chair and cleaning his nails. I approached him.

“Mr. and Mrs. Baudelaire are wondering if the still life with pineapples displayed in the ballroom is for sale,” I said.

The hall porter raised his head to look at me.

“Unfortunately it isn’t. It’s the only thing our owner has to remember his late grandmother by,” he replied, and gave me the key from the luxury suite. There was no further conversation between us; I took the key and headed to the suite.

I entered the room, closed the door behind me, and looked around. As it is commonly known, luxury accommodations differ from the regular hotel rooms in the number of amenities and the refinement of the furnishings. In the present case, one of the indisputable advantages of this suite in comparison to the other rooms was a bookcase with a great number of books on its shelves. I looked over the room, checking, among other things, the presence of weapons and fire extinguishing tools hidden under the bed in the event of the enemies of the bridal couple finding out where the wedding was taking place and deciding to pay a visit. Then I took a collection of poems by Oscar Wilde from one of the shelves and immersed myself in reading, hoping for once I wouldn’t get much time for that.

Indeed, I didn’t have to wait for long. There was the sound of steps and voices, and the just married burst into the room – it struck my eye that they were still holding hands. They didn’t notice me because as soon as Mr. Baudelaire shut the door behind him, Mrs. Baudelaire pinned him against that very door and kissed him. Since she threw off her high-heeled shoes the moment she ran into the room, she had to stand on tiptoe to kiss him, which looked absolutely adorable.

I watched those two who had clearly forgotten at that moment about the world around. Without a doubt, the Baudelaires were a beautiful couple. Beatrice was lovely even wearing an old tracksuit covered in dirt after the annual orienteering competition held in the city sewers – presently, in a white and golden wedding dress, she looked like an angel. Bertrand, handsome and well-built, looked dapper in a cream-coloured suit with a tea rose on the lapel. I was feasting my eyes on the both of them, all the while racked by doubts as to whether I’d better withdraw through the window before they noticed me. I even started to reflect on how wide the windowsills of The Eye of the Storm were, but then the Baudelaire spouses pulled away from each other and finally realized they were not alone in the room. My presence did not surprise them in the slightest.

“You’re here,” Beatrice said, and her face lit up with such joy that I shook all the thoughts about the windowsills out of my head.

I put the book back on the shelf.

“I asked the hall porter about the painting with pineapples,” I said. “It is not for sale.”

“What a pity,” Beatrice replied merrily, ran up to me, and kissed me on the lips.

I was not destined to tie the knot and start a family. When I was engaged to Beatrice, I tried to ignore the thought of it but it was always with me, in some hidden corner of my mind. It was there when Beatrice accepted my proposal and in the early days of our relationship and when I was twelve years old and Theodora was telling me that her previous apprentice, the same young man who was half-smiling now as he watched me kiss his wife, would become a husband and a father, while all that awaited me was loneliness. I was not destined to find the happiness harped on about by writers and telenovela characters and the designers of those advertisement posters that featured parents and two children, always a boy and a girl, carelessly consuming cereals or ice cream. But I knew happiness of another kind, and while the creators of cereal advertisements would hardly be able to appreciate it, I suspected that some writers could have understood me. I was kissing the woman that wasn’t mine in the eyes of the law and the society yet still was mine as much as I was hers – that is to say, with all her heart and all her soul – and I was happy. That was more than enough.

Beatrice pulled away from my lips.

“I was mad the whole evening I couldn’t just come up to you for no special reason,” she told me. “Couldn’t dance with you, not even once.”

“It is important that as many people as possible are sure we’re not together anymore,” I reminded her. “You have plenty of your own enemies, Beatrice. You shouldn’t have to deal with mine to boot.”

“I refuse to believe that any single one of the people who were here today…” she started, but stopped short. Perhaps she remembered how fragile the bonds of friendship can be, and in how much danger they can be put both by ambition and the sense of duty. Perhaps she remembered about the family whose manor she used to visit as a child and about a night at the opera and the poison darts; about the articles in The Daily Punctilio and the stolen sugar bowl. I pulled her close. I didn’t want her to think about those things on the day of her wedding.

Bertrand coughed. I met his eyes, and felt Beatrice softly push me away. It occurred to me that kissing the wife right in front of her husband’s eyes is extremely improper, so when he approached me I decided to atone for my behaviour, and kissed him too. If Beatrice always kissed with all the fervour of the woman who could fight off a giant eagle with her bare hands, then Bertrand always did it with all the thoroughness of the man who enters a lions’ cage without fear because he has studied their habits in all detail and thought out all the actions required in case the situation gets out of control. I didn’t see Beatrice’s face the moment my lips touched Bertrand’s, but I knew she was smiling.

I ran my hand over his chest and felt for the tea rose.

“Been wondering all evening if it’s natural or not,” I said. My head was spinning. I still hadn’t fully got used to the effect these two had upon me, and this might have been our last night together.

“Artificial,” Bertrand said, took the flower out of the buttonhole, and put it into my pocket. “Take it. As a keepsake of this day.”

“Thank you,” I said. As I was looking at him, I hoped yet again that if Beatrice’s children (who were bound to be born one day: she’s always wanted to become a mother) take after their father, they’ll inherit Bertrand’s features, not mine. I wouldn’t mind to pass on the colour of my eyes or my hair, but certainly not my innate tendency to corpulence that created certain inconveniences when it was necessary, for instance, to exit the building through the basement window. As to Bertrand, he was outrageously good-looking from head to toe – I remembered vividly how it used to annoy me back when I had just met him. I used to be itching to hit him even though he never actually provoked me in any way. I didn’t want to admit for a long time that what was hiding behind that was simply the longing to touch him. “But I think that can wait. I am not leaving yet, after all.”

“Will you stay till morning?” Beatrice asked hopefully.

“I am to meet Jacques and Kit by the road junction a mile from The Eye of the Storm at nine o’clock. They’ll take me to the railway station – not the nearest one, but the one after – where I shall board the train at nine twenty-nine.”

“It’s five minutes to two now,” Bertrand observed, glancing at his wristwatch.

“About seven hours,” Beatrice said, taking a step towards Bertrand and me, and put her hand on my cheek. “Almost the whole night.”

“Your wedding night, by the way,” I reminded. “Are you sure that…”

“Lemony Snicket,” she interrupted me petulantly, and slapped me on the lips lightly with the tips of her fingers, “yes, we are sure, we’ve discussed all that more than once, we told you the password that got you the key to our room for a reason. If the world was simpler and quieter, you would’ve been getting married today as well. Consider this as your wedding night too. And before you’ve managed to make some other silly statement: yes, we’ve discussed that as well.”

I looked at Bertrand. He nodded without thinking twice.

“The fact that Beatrice and I are married now doesn’t change a thing,” he said. “Remember that when you return to the City. You will return one day, won’t you, Snicket?”

I was about to answer honestly, “I don’t know”, but I just couldn’t.

“I’ll try to,” I said. That was also true. I would have given anything not to leave the people I loved more than anything else in the world, but since I had no other choice, all that was left to me was to make every effort to come back to them sooner or later.

“All right,” Beatrice said. “All right,” she repeated, and it seemed to me I saw tears glisten in her eyes and I felt scared. She stopped me with a motion of her hand before I could say anything to her. “We’ll talk about that later. Are you feeling sleepy?”

“Are you suggesting I go to sleep, Beatrice?”

“I suggest you accept that you’ll only get to sleep on the train.”

With that she pushed me to the bed – a large bed, the kind that three people would fit on with ease. Beatrice moved towards me and I moved back until I fell on my back right on the blanket. Beatrice lifted her skirt a little and climbed first onto the bed, and then on top of me.

“Careful, Snicket,” Bertrand said as he noticed that my hands slid under her skirt. He sat on the bed and bent over me. “She’s got a dagger in her garter. Sheathed, of course, but you never know.”

I grabbed the tip of his necktie and pulled him closer.

“How interesting,” I said. Beatrice was straddling me, rising a little and then pressing herself to me again, and I was moving towards her in sync. “Do you also have anything hidden underneath your clothes, Mr. Baudelaire?”

“See for yourself,” Bertrand offered, and kissed me.

The storm was raging outside the hotel, yet only figuratively. Clouds were gathering over all the fearless and well-read people who have dedicated their lives to science, literature, and keeping the world quiet. But I and those two that I loved were in the eye of the storm: literally, because that was the name of the hotel, and figuratively, because that night we weren’t thinking about the schemes of our enemies and the everyday dangers that befell our friends. I was happy in a way the one whose beloved has just married someone else rarely is, and here, in the eye of the storm, nothing could take that happiness from me – at least not until the morning.

#asoue #a series of unfortunate events #lemony snicket #beatrice baudelaire #bertrand baudelaire #duchess of winnipeg #s. theodora markson #jacques snicket #lemonberry ice #beatrice x r #snicketverse #my fic #gella talks snicketverse #tbh i really didn't even try to fit it into canon timeline #i just wanted to write some light-hearted self-indulgent ot3 fic and i went for it

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yokohamabeans · 2 years ago

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Do you think any of the Tenjiku boys ever killed anyone? Beside the Haitanis I mean. Izana asked Mucho to kill for him during the Kantou Incident and Mucho didn't hesitate to try and slash Angry, then Kaku stopped him and said something about not letting Tenjiku corrupting him too soooo... Any thoughts on that?

Good day to ya Anon!!

Aside from the Haitani Bros, we've only heard about Izana driving a kid to suicide when he was 12 (Chap 173). He also apparently brutalized that kid's friends to 'the point of no recovery', so that's pretty close to killing someone too, if you ask me!

As for my headcanons/beliefs about the other Tenjiku guys - TLDR:

At the point of Tenjiku: No, I don't think any of them have killed anyone.

At the point of Rokuhara Tandai / KMG: No too, but they're probably more desensitized to the idea of manslaughter after being around South.

At the point of adulthood (In the Naoto-Got-Shot Timeline): Yeah, they've probably had a number of deaths to their names assuming they've all remained in the underworld. Honestly speaking, even in the other timelines, as long as they stuck with Izana it's likely they all became criminals (except Mucho, maybe). Kakucho, who's the most pacifistic of them all, did not hesitate in shooting Takemichi, so he's probably already used to killing people by that point. And if Kakucho's done it, I'm sure the others would have too. As for the Bonten Timeline: It's canon, they've killed many.

If you're asking me about their inclination for homicide... I think with the exception of Kakucho and Kokonoi, all of them would kill someone even at the point of Tenjiku tbh, but their feelings about / motivations and causes for killing will differ.

Mucho: Will kill out of duty / necessity + Will kill in a fit of rage (as shown with Angry). I suppose that counts as pre-meditated murder because Izana previously told him to, but I don't think he'll kill anyone for pleasure or take joy in it. I think he'll generally be rather indifferent to having killed someone actually, just seeing it as part of the job, but will likely also silently suffer some existential guilt. He doesn't strike me as someone who will mull on or regret his actions, so if he does turn over a new leaf, it'll be more like 'what's done is done, all I can do is atone for it' and not 'I wish I never stuck a knife in that guy all those years ago!!'

Mocchi: Will ACCIDENTALLY kill someone in a fight. Mocchi has been shown to have at least some moral standards so he won't want to murder anyone. (Besides, where's the fun in fighting a dead guy?) But then again, he's also pretty reckless and seems prone to losing himself in a fight (which is probably how he ended up beating a policeman up even though that's a really senseless thing to do) so I think it's possible that he may go too far with the punches. But if he does end up killing someone, he'll probably feel more guilty than the Haitani Brothers and be more emotional about it than Mucho. His first kill will probably eat him up quite a bit.

Shion: I think he will be open to the idea of killing for street cred, or THINK he is some hardass who won't hesitate to put a bullet in someone, but I see him simply just chickening out at the very last minute tbh haha. Like while raining down punches with his knuckle-dusters, he'll be like "eh?? this guy isn't moving?? Am I really gonna do it?? Am I really gonna kill this guy???" and then stop at the fatal punch and go "you're not worth it, consider this as me being merciful!!" or something haha. If driven enough he may also end up killing someone after all. I think he'll be incredulous about it and the incident may even make him even more out of control. Honestly with Shion, his head is so far up his ass that it’s hard to tell where his morals lie…. (I’m sorry Shion fans, I say this affectionately)

Because CB3 included them in Tenjiku, I'll include Sanzu / Hanma / Kisaki but there isn't much to say--these guys WILL kill and HAVE killed (except Hanma, but we all know it's just a matter of time....)

#asks #anon #tenjiku #mutou yasuhiro #kanji mochizuki #madarame shion #TR braindumps #kakucho

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absynthe--minded · 3 years ago

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In your opinion, what qualifies as a "good" book-to-film adaptation? Does it need to follow every detail and beat in the book to the letter, or is it more important to capture the heart of the characters and the greater themes of the story at the cost of changes to the source material?

(I'm largely referring to LOTR here, but you could apply this to any other example you see fit)

so the thing about LotR specifically, and about the Legendarium as a whole, that makes it different from other properties, is how intricate it is. this is a multi-millennial epic spanning tens of thousands of years, and everything that happens in it happens at specific times for specific reasons. @monstrousgourmandizingcats pointed out to me that the Rings of Power were forged at a very specific time in Númenorean history as well as elvish history - this was before Númenor was the colonizing superpower that it was at the end of the Second Age, so doing something like smacking Isildur into the middle of this drama makes no sense whatsoever. the amount of depth that's present in the worldbuilding is intense compared to basically any other fandom I've been in, and the level of consistency is remarkably high, even in terms of the drafts (there is a definitive canon imo, and adhering to that is difficult but worth doing)

my frustrations with Amazon's show are mostly stemming from the fact that the things it's doing - condensing the timeline, mashing all the characters together, mixing heraldry and familial sigils, deciding that for some reason the Harfoots are now proto-Hobbits rather than a Hobbit ethnic group - are fucking with that established world. Instead of taking the story as it was already given, and filling in the gaps and dramatizing what was already written, this is being treated like "the novel Tolkien never wrote", but that's the problem. he did write it, everything that's being covered in this series that they didn't invent was already written down, and the things that were left out were tiny details, not massive gaps.

I don't think this is a good adaptation because I don't think that it's going to make for a very intelligible story, to pick and choose and mix and match. I don't think whatever's onscreen will be Tolkien, it will be Amazon's very expensive badly-written AU fanfic The Rings of Power. There might be a couple of fan-favorite moments but I highly doubt they'll actually mean anything, I can tell exactly how much respect they have for the tiny details from just the Vanity Fair article. tbh at this point I even have problems with the Jackson adaptation, but that's for another ask, if people want to know what they are.

but that's not really the question you asked, sorry; I'll do my best to answer that now. 'what makes a good adaptation' varies from source material to source material, and I think it's a ridiculously difficult job that many people fail at, because there's not a one-size-fits-all approach.

despite that, I can try and come to a conclusion about what I like based on the adaptations that I think succeed at what they're doing, and I'm gonna pick four of my favorites - The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005), The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992), The Phantom of the Opera (1989), and Stardust (2005).

(more below the cut, tagged 'longpost')

all of these are vastly different from one another, take unique approaches to the source material, and have wildly varying relationships with the concept of book-accuracy.

LWW includes absolutely everything from the book (easy, as it's a very short children's book) and even adds in a full rendition of the big battle at the end that is skipped over in text as well as some additional scenes to provide character development or heightened tension. the place where I think it's goofiest and fails the most is the White Witch Sled Chase that culminates in the four Pevensies washing themselves downstream to escape the wolves, but that's a short action scene that nonetheless provides Peter the chance to showcase his capabilities as a leader and keeps the stakes and tension high. In this case, a good adaptation follows the plot accurately, includes relevant character details, preserves the order of events, and builds on existing dynamics in the cast to make the story compelling for those familiar with it, extrapolating motivation and conflict from stated events. It's a lot like gapfiller fanfic in that way, it's sticking to the canon but enhancing it when something feels lacking.

PotO89 is barely an adaptation of the original Leroux novel - Christine Daaé is now Christine Day, Raoul is now Richard, the Persian is a Scotland Yard investigator, and Erik is now cursed by the Devil in a 100% literal Faustian bargain and his 'mask' is crafted from the skin of his victims. There's far more blood and gore, a campy vibe that lets Robert Englund ham it up, and a Final Girl confrontation with the killer in the modern day that involves Christine destroying Erik's music. Why, then, would I call this a good adaptation? Because it preserves the gothic horror of the original novel, it maintains the strong and fiercely independent characterization of its heroine who in the book calls herself the mistress of her own actions, and it leans hard into the romantic tension between the two leads. It preserves the feeling and the emotional themes of the original novel (except Erik's redemption, but that's because this is a slasher movie) while also never forgetting that it's a horror film, and because it never forgets it's a horror film the tension between Christine and Erik exists more or less as it did in the original text. I certainly haven't found a more accurate take on that relationship. The core issue here is that Leroux's original novel isn't particularly cinematic - it rambles, it gets bogged down in the middle, there are side characters who get forgotten halfway through the book. In this case, trying to accurately adapt the story would fail, because it doesn't work as a cinematic experience, so the best approach is preserving the vibes instead of trying to remember every single detail.

The Muppet Christmas Carol is a return to the example set by LWW - a great deal of the dialogue is taken right from the Dickens book, and while it cuts out certain scenes that emphasize the needs of the poor it doesn't ever shy away from the fact that Scrooge is fucking over people who need help and compassion, it makes up for that in other places. Also, the songs help explore the feelings of the characters and establish moods quickly and effectively. Unlike LWW, it makes several removals from the source material, and unlike PotO89 it's trying to adapt the book it's based on rather than preserve emotional experiences, but it threads the needle very deftly by never losing sight of what the important parts of the story are, and spending time with them. On top of that, the actors (both human and Muppet) throw themselves into the roles, really selling them and setting the emotional scene immediately, which means that even though it moves at a brisk pace the story doesn't feel rushed or lacking. The lesson here is 'if you can't adapt the story in full, find the parts that work best, and make those really shine'.

Stardust is based on a work by @neil-gaiman (who is almost certainly not going to reblog this but one can hope, you know?) and it's somewhere between Carol and PotO89 in terms of accuracy. It's telling a story that's technically the same as the book - a boy named Tristan (or Tristran) crosses over a wall into Faerie to retrieve a fallen star for the girl he's got a crush on, and the star turns out to be a woman, and then they fall in love - but the major difference is tone. The original Stardust is a somewhat absurdist fairy story with an intricate plot and complicated structure that relies heavily upon fairy tale logic and reader awareness of common tropes, and the film is a romantic comedy fantasy story more in the vein of The Princess Bride. The reason I like movie!Stardust so much, despite the adaptation changing many things (including the climax of the story) is because the process of moving from print to screen involves an awareness of the change in medium. A book, or a graphic novel, or both in this case, can rely on wordplay and whimsy and dense nonsensical playing around with language and prophecy, and a film that's not an arthouse experimental piece can't really do that, it has to have a satisfying narrative for the audience to watch. So movie!Stardust is aware of this, and leans hard into that preservation-of-vibes thing I mentioned while also drawing heavily from TPB, the archetypal and iconic self-aware romcom fantasy. Just as the original work was a meta examination of folklore and written stories, the adaptation is a meta examination of filmed stories. The lesson, then, is 'sometimes change is good, if the changes are made for a reason'.

If I'm talking about LotR or another Tolkien adaptation, I want an approach closer to LWW05. I want the gapfiller fanfic, I want the text to be treated as an authority to be contradicted only at great need. And Amazon's, uh. Not doing that.

#replies #anon replies #longpost #tolkien

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rocketmuse · 3 years ago

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I thought I'd share my playlist for the anniversary of the boathouse kiss. :)

Song translations, MANY thoughts, and timeline under the break.

Noise warning for song 19, Hinahanap-Hanap Kita. 4:23 to the end. Loud high pitched beeps.

YouTube music version to be made soon.

Translations for foreign songs:

Ewan [Dunno] — Apo Hiking Society — Filipino/Tagalog

Amour plastique [Plastic love] — Videoclub — French

Panalangin [Prayer] — Apo Hiking Society/Moonstar88 — Filipino/Tagalog

Hinahanap-Hanap Kita [I'm Looking For You] — Rivermaya — Filipino/Tagalog

This is a collaborative playlist made with my friend.

Thought Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy would be a good starter song. Something about the music. Represents a good start of Alec persuing Maurice, like, hey, I can be yours... Whatcha doin'?

I added Puppy Princess because of the chorus but I know some people don't like that song so... You can skip if you'd like. KISS MEEEEE KIISS ME WITH YIIR EYESSS CLOSED . ALL I WANT IS YOU YEAH YOU. TELL ME I'M NOT FUNNY TELL ME I'M LEGIIIIT

Ewan. OH MY GOD this song is so them. Alec cares for Maurice, and doesn't like not being taken seriously or being treated badly and brushed off.

"I don't know why you're like that, you're difficult to talk to and you're a snob" COME ON IS THAT NOT THEM — Just a smile from you, and I'll be in heaven. Please give me a response, anything but "No idea"... What a perfect representation of Alec's continuous persuit of Maurice, always talking, always trying...

I could go on with every lyric.

Edit: I just realised this song fits so well for Alec's letters and meeting at the museum. Must resist the urge to add the same exact track twice.

So about Touch Me... Some of the lyrics apply better in other versions. Spotify just has this version tho. Touch me, just like that.

All I've Ever Known. Maurice discovered so much that night about touch and sharing and being with someone. He wants to be with Alec. "All I've ever known is how to hold my own, but now I want to hold you too. [Hold you close, I don't wanna ever have to let you go. Hold you tight, I don't wanna to back to the lonely life.]" Alec opened up his eyes and he'll never be the same.

Can't Help Falling in Love With You. 'Did you ever dream you'd a friend, Alec? ... Someone to last your whole life...' 'Alec, you're a dear fellow and we've been very happy.'

I'd Like To Walk Around In Your Mind was added from Maurice's perspective. Perhaps it fits Alec too...

I think Love At First Sight has the double meaning of the literal title, as well as "wouldn't you like to kiss her" perhaps being... Something Maurice would hear.

I Don't Dance. Based on this post/edit. Please watch this video oh my God.

Pink in the Night. Alec yearns for Maurice in the boathouse. He hasn't come. He hears his heart breaking tonight.

Every lyric is perhaps pulled straight from Alec's brain, to be honest. I remember seeing a post with this song in other contexts with them too. So yes, a few meanings.

Amour plastique. Alec reminiscences on the night in the Russet room. Why hasn't he come?

In my mind, everything goes wild. I lose myself in your eyes. I drown myself in the vagueness of your loving gaze.

And at night I cry tears that stream down my cheeks. I think of you only when the days ends, only when my sad demons descend upon my mind, into the bottomless abyss.

Waiting in the boathouse at night, when the day ends.

I ring out in kisses all down your chest. Lost in the avalanche of my heart astray. Who are you? Where are you?

The moments of then repeat in his mind. Where is Maurice?

I suppose Hopelessly Devoted To You and I'm A Fool To Want You are self explanatory. Maurice should really come... Alec really toughed it out, 2 days he spent in the boathouse, really wanted to see Maurice, really knew they had something, and doesn't want to be treated like a dog. Generally, his 1st letter.

Moon Song. My friend said they added it as a general love song. — Why do you treat me like this? Why didn't you come to the boathouse? — Alec's 2nd letter as a whole. Plus bits of 1st.

And you pushed me in, and now my feet can't touch the bottom of you. ... So I will wait for the next time you want me, like a dog with a bird at your door.

Ewan would fit here tbh.

Panalangin. My only prayer in this lifetime: to be beside you, to be together with you, that's my prayer.

"I since cricket match do long to ... place both arms round you and share with you, the above now seems sweeter than words can say."

And this heart won't allow if you will be away from me, my love, please listen.

It also fits the end of museum.

I Want You. Maurice, can you come to the boathouse already? Alec has no power to teleport you there. I hold one card that I can't use.

I found you. I found the door, but when I stepped through, there was no floor. He found Maurice, bit he's not being here for Alec.

You're coming back And it's the end of the world We're starting over And I love you, darling And I am done, dear

Alec wishes this would happen. Also, he does come back later and they love again over, and "it is finished".

Credit for suggesting the next two songs goes to @beatle-capaldi!!! He also wrote was in quotations!

English Summer Rain

The Most Radical Thing To Do

Hinahanap-Hanap Kita. 1st letter, he's looking for Maurice. Thinking about them together.

In my thoughts and dreams, in every turn of destiny, I look for you. Also applies to that hotel/post-hotel feeling. I look for you, even if I try to forget you, saying goodbye, looking back...

Wildest Dreams. They think a lot of each other. They share once more. But they must say goodbye. Alec saw this coming. Maurice hopes that Alec will remember him like this.

I Hear a Symphony. Alec truly opened up Maurice's eyes. Maurice was meant to be with him. He helped Maurice, changed his life. But now Alec is leaving on ship... Or is he? The symphony leads into...

An orchestral sountrack. The Boathouse. Unfortunately the Maurice soundtrack is not on spotify. It's on my personal YouTube music version. I added it because it just captures the boathouse the only way the sountrack itself can.

The Word of Your Body (Reprise). MLM people have moment of romantic tension, which culminates in confessions of love. Just had to add it. "Haven't you heard the word of your body?" perfectly describes Alec gifting and showing Maurice the wonder of truest physical affection and love. He lets Maurice be okay with himself, and again, changes everything. Every lyric is perfect.

Also, sorry JBW, I like other versions more... Too bad Spotify is mean.

I See The Light. Yeah. Every lyric. Maurice is Rapunzel. Movie Blond too. Both the morning at Russet room and the museum. And the world has somehow shifted. All at once everything is different, now that I see you. "By now they were in love with each other consciously."...

Suddenly Seymour. Suddenly see more, yeah? Clive = ass and someone gives him affection for once, wow! Sidenote, I want to sing this with them and their accents... Suddenly SCUDDER...

Helpless. Musical theatre songs seem to be good retellings of their love story. It's why they belong in post boathouse. Summaries and retellings. They're also good at conveying love they'd feel for each other in general, all times ever. Like loving men, retelling a story.

I'll Cover You. Cute love song feat. gays. I like to imagine them dancing around, declaring their love and devotion for each other. Walking and dancing around like in the original scene, sometime post canon. In my own imagination, I thought of Alec as Angel and Maurice (Christopher) as Collins.

Video Games. They must love spending time together. I thought this to be Maurice POV. Only worth living if somebody is loving you I mean, come on.

It's you, it's you, it's all for you. Everything I do. I tell you all the time, heaven is a place on Earth with you.

Un sospiro. I headcanon that Maurice picks up the piano and plays for Alec. Perhaps he picked it up bc of/after Clive, but now can play it for someone who gives a shit.

Something about the melody reminds me of them. And then it gets more intense... A bit like the passions of love, showing up in sharing and touch and more, too.

Liebestraum. I mean, it means love dream/dream of love. I just had to. Also I just like Liszt.

Take Me Up With You, Dearie. This song is just so sweet... So soft... Edwardian to boot... I love how quintessentially 1909 it is. Discovered it in a YT video. The thought of them getting married makes me cry. This song in general makes me want to cry, it's so romantic, tender, and exudes my favourite era...

Let us float, float, float through the clouds, and just have a lot of fun. We'll go up, up, up as two and then come down as one.

Put Your Head on My Shoulder. We Belong Together. I always imagine Maurice and Alec slowdancing to songs that come on the radio together, when the 1950s hits... Alec probably rests his head on his shoulder as this plays and they dance...

I'm using a lot of ellipses, am I secretly Rupert Graves?

Welcome to the 70s and 80s. They love dancing together and being with each other. Now, Panalangin can be a happy song. My only prayer for this lifetime ... To be together with you. And this heart won't allow if you will be away from me.

Just the Two of Us. What a nice, vibey song. Great title, great scenario of them dancing to this...

Tiny Dancer. Your Song. MLM people in the 70s + Radio, being happy and in love with each other. — I just thought I should add some Elton. A different friend, and I, like him. Maurice sings to Alec, "And you can tell everybody this is your song." That I put down in words how wonderful life is with you in the world.

Electric Love. Fun fact: this song got me to share the playlist. Got me thinking about them and their anniversary again. The funky busy instrumental describes well their passionate love. The highs of electric LOOOOOOVE describe the intensity of them.

Alt text continued: themselves together under and the love. And the love. The song has its own tension and it perfectly pictures their own tension. So yeah, this is THEIR song quite literally.

Sorry if my music taste is perhaps basic. I just made it for when I hear songs that are Them.

Falling for Ya. Alec falls for Maurice. "I saw you when you first drove up, Mr Hall..." Something about Maurice, right? Plus really nice vintage vibes with the music. The bit about Into your arms and it's a secure sure sounds like Maurice. Awh, they're falling for *each other*...

Rainbow Connections. Gay and bi people. Marriage. Everything that Maurice and Alec went through to get here, where they were meant to be. Clive. Working for Clive. Leading up to now.

All the things that had to go right, all the things that had to go wrong, that lead us to the place where we were going all along.

On the YT version there's a soft/jazzy cover of Panalangin here. Because they're old and spending time together and being happy. What a throwback, a defined meaning in their lives over time.

Still Into You. After all these decades... Old and grown, together... True soulmates... Two men can defy the world... Maurice and Alec still roam the greenwood. Imagine Maurice meeting Alec's mom in this context. If only.

Postmodern Jukebox cover, because they are a quintessentially 20th century couple. They exude vintage.

Some piano playing for Alec. Soft, tender, romantic, emotional, true. Feels like nighttime. Feels like Maurice and Alec. And a throwback to the pre 1914 world as well. Claire de Lune feels like... A credits of life piece. Time spent in the early 1980s. Nocturne feels like that too, but more romantic. Smidge less nighttime. Ah yes, Gymnopédies. The truest credits feel of them all. None of these actually are credits for Maurice and Alec, but I struggle to find the word for this feeling. But yeah. These all have Them vibes to me. Piano of the time just does I suppose. Glad to be reminded of them at any time.

What a long playlist. Like going through almost their whole lives together. 1:52 hrs. Almost like a movie. Imagine that. A full movie of THEIR lives... But leaving to the imagination was a good thing. Led to this such action. Thank you E.M. Forster.

Timeline:

1. Pendersleigh

4. & 5. Russet Room. Night, then Morning

9. Cricket

10. Boathouse Nights

18. The Museum

20. The Hotel

21. After

23. The Boathouse

24. They Still Roam the Greenwood

I just like to imagine them dancing to songs on the radio, for decades to come...

#maurice 1987 #maurice 1914 #maurice #maurice hall #alec scudder #Spotify

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applesandbannas747 · 2 years ago

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Hi! I was hoping you could help me with something… I love fence and I’m all caught up but decided not to read the novels, striking distance and disarmes. Not a big fan of some things done

But now I’m trying to figure out like, where in the timeline they take place? And are they officially canon? So does that mean that we know things that are already going to happen, like Nick and Seiji not being together yet? Assuming these are set after where fence currently is, which they must be since everyone is already on the team. Anyway, asking because I’m kinda bummed about A) knowing we’ll still have to wait a long time in the comics for Nichoji and B) potentially getting comics that are just the comic version of the books

Thanks in advance for answering!! Not knowing has been driving me bonkers

Hey friend! I think you made the right call skipping the novels tbh

SO here's the thing! It's not really clear where the books land in terms of canonality or timeline anymore lmfao. Back before they came out, Pacat basically said that the novels are take it or leave it in terms of canon but that he saw them as canon. They also take place directly after Rivals and were presumed to bridge the time between it and the next comic volume. However, Disarmed and Rise have some similarities based on summary that seem strange to me, because what is the ever-loving point of doing the training camp trope twice in a row in such a small series?? On top of that, Haiden is together as of Disarmed, but it looks like that may not be the case in Rise. When asked in a live stream a couple months ago, Pacat said that Rise takes place before the novels, but at this point, I wonder if they're not just entirely different timelines because the logistics of having your once-every-two-years-update happen in a liminal space before a tie-in novel where we know nothing has changed by seems a really weird move. He's also declined to answer questions about how the novels fit in with comic canon since, and I know it gets asked pretty regularly because I see it pop up on the Q&As he does. So at this point, I'm genuinely unsure where the novels fall and maybe it's projection but I'm not sure Pacat knows either XD I seriously think he and SRB backed themselves into some corners with how they decided to do the novels and are now finding it doesn't fit how they'd planned.

At the very least, the comics are not complete comic translations of the books. Even though Rise is centering around the same trope Disarmed did (which still seems odd to me), it's different teams and not in France and not All About Haiden. And trust me, we're lucky Nichoji didn't happen in the novels and we get to have that authentically and completely in the comics.

I'm sorry I didn't have any real answers this time, but I'll definitely be keeping up with any news we have on it!

#jackshit #thanks for the ask!!💜#fence comic #disarmed negative #jacksalt #im sorry this got meaner about the novels than i intended but they just seem stupider the more we get on Rise gfwdsa

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sanchoyo · 3 years ago

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danny phantom season 2, ep 12-16 thoughts! these episodes, in comparison to the first 10 or so, felt way more laid back and low-stakes, which I appreciate sometimes. I didn't appreciate how lazy jack's halfa design was in masters of time, it made me so annoyed I redesigned it. ��🏻 u_u

see prev episode thoughts in this tag <3

-'picking a fight with me and my upgraded form!' 'you upgraded to a mullet?' DANNNNY. YOU CANT SAY THAT TO TECHNUS. YOUVE HAD A MULLET TWICE NOW ('fun' split danny, and evil future danny BOTH HAD THEM). I HAVE THE RECEIPTS.

-danny seeing technus hurting valerie and yelling I AM GOING TO BREAK YOU IN HALF. SAMEEEE <3

-axion labs is now a part of vladco. FUCK YOU VLAD. hes not even really IN this episode, but just thought I'd throw out a nice fuck you anyway.

-'capable of blasting a single person into space in (2) minutes!' tucker. that would kill someone. i mean yeah they might get to space, but theres NO WAY THEY WOULDNT CATCH FIRE, OR THEIR ORGANS WOULDNT LIQUIFY BECAUSE OF THE STRAIN. THEY'D PROBABLY PASS OUT BEFORE THEN, BUT. ...no, okay, I get why vlad bought this company. this is RIGHT up his alley.

-danny KNOWS VAL DIDNT DO THIS, THAT SOMEONE STOLE THE SUIT. AND SPENDING ALL NIGHT CHATTING WITH HER. <3 and val is a 9TH DEGREE BLACKBELT?? danny's mom is, too!! omg and she hunts ghosts, his parents would love her. and her fav fruit is kumquat bc its a funny word. im so with danny val is amazing. I love her and I Do Not Want To Hear It From Sam.

-I knew danny wanted to be an astronaut, but the bowling tidbit is like. yes give me more useless info abt these characters, I love tiny details that make them feel more human, and im glad hes got hobbies aside from ghost stuff, we dont really see a lot of that!!! (I mean, we knew 'fun' danny from when he split himself in half liked bowling, so obv it makes sense he LIKES it, but hes very GOOD at it. so proud of him, bowling king) val calling him neil armstrong and them teasing each other. LOVE THAT.

-technus you are my favorite grandpa for setting this up. SAM WHY ARE YOU BEING SO CREEPY BE HAPPY FOR YOUR FRIEND!!! STOP SPYING ON THEM!!! who actually cares if technus did 'set them up' together, theyre having fun and enjoy each others company!!! 'you think the universe wants you two to be together?' 'i dunno, but maybe /I/ do!' EXACTLY DANNY!!! SOO TRUE.

-and valerie being happy sam said she wants to try and be happy for them and make room at the lunch table for them. and hugging sam over it. VAL NEEDS MORE FRIENDS.

-VAL GOING AFTER TECHNUS IN HER SUIT WITH (1) MILK, AND (1) TREE BRANCH AND KEYS!!!. I LOVE YOUUUU BEST GIRL. her new suit kicks ass

-dannys like 'HEY IM AN ASTRONAUT :D' AW. ...HES IN SPACE... the fact he's actually intending to give her the ring. with SAMS NAME ON IT?? IM CRINGING DANNY NO. YOU CANT DO THAT...thank god he didnt. thank god valerie cut it off and said they can just stay friends for now. tbh, they both have a lot on their plates!! they obv both still like each other...it can be a future thing!! when she knows about phantom! youre 14 theres no need to rush. I just want her to have friends and be happy :(

-...danny struggles to do (1) pull up. SAME. but all the ghost fighting in phantom form REALLY doesnt carry over at ALL? that sucks

-sam being as fit as she is, is not just a goth. shes a goth jock.

-honey I Shrank Our Kid, One of his Enemies, and his Bully: the episode

-dash's crush on phantom is So Obvious. fitness buddies :) watching them interact always makes me laugh. also, phantom, with PANTS. 'how many costume changes you gonna go through, what is this, vegas??' DASSH DJKSFHASKDF

-MADDIE GOING AFTER THE MOUSE WITH A BROOM, WHAT THE FUCK. AAAH. JUST BUY SOME KIND OF MOUSE TRAP.

-danny likes lime and vinegar chips. which sound very good.

-'our boy finally has the physical prowess of a 60 year old president!' ...poor danny LMAO

-'what's wrong with beauty pageants' oh tucker you sweet naïve child. what ISNT wrong with them. who approved this for a high school?? (I mean, yes. unfortunately child pageants exist, but...) also danny and tucker once again treating the pretty girls like objects. I need to meet the grown man who wrote this, I just want to talk...

-prince aragon's dragon form reminds me of maleficent (color scheme wise) which is always a bonus. considering the episode is called beauty marked, I feel like the sleeping beauty references are deliberate

-sam with the fake fangs. once again her accessories never miss. hate the 'not like other girls, girls who get sucked into this kind of thing are all shallow and all want to be carbon copies' bs tho.

-sam trying to be the Worst Bride, being rude as shit. DORA IS GOING TO GET KILLED. DID YOU MISS THE PART WHERE SHE SAID THE PRINCE WILL HAVE HER HEAD IF YOU ARENT THE IDEAL BRIDE. YOU /KNOW/ DANNY WILL COME SAVE YOU. JUST ACT CHILL UNTIL THEN. even if you were doing fine to get him to take off the crown, consider maybe not letting his poor sister get punished also?? sure, she could also take off the crown and has dragon powers, but did you know that for sure?? dora didnt even really realize it until you guys talked!! (or at least, she was scared to stand up to him. you had no guarantee she would...) but. good for dora. ANOTHER friendly ghost to add to the List :)

-tucker is so under appreciated in his time. if he was doing a tech-based campaign today he'd have a better shot. people in 2004 had NO IDEA how much tech would be a part of our day-to-day lives...altho. tbh if you're going to be running for student council president, maybe you should..focus on things to actually improve the school? since he's going for a tech angle, he could say like, he would be running fundraisers for the schools computers to be upgraded, etc? we've already SEEN he can be good at money-making entrepreneur type stuff!!

-oh my god wait. this episode is JUST YUGIOH?????! A REBORN PHAROH USING A TEENAGER AS A VESSEL?? YESSSSSS

-tucker using his new minion to feed him grapes and carry him. AND LOCUSTS ONTO THE BULLIES. I love how when he's possessed, he gains winged eyeliner.

-this episode is giving me big 'plankton makes everyone in bikini bottom his slaves and build monuments of him from the spongebob movie' vibes. and the pharaoh has a traitor who works for him? VERY big yugioh vibes. aknadin confirmed

-I like that danny is still completely exhausted after using ghostly wail. (still patiently waiting on him to get duplication)

-LOVE the fenton's 80s outfits. I get hes 14 and embarrassed by everything they do because theyre his parents, but. cmon, this is one objectively cool thing theyve done. love 80s fashion.

-...was vlad just standing on that streetlight waiting for danny to come out? how'd he know they'd be coming out the back? how long has he been up there???

-oh, wait, his ecto-acne has flareups? that SUCKS. danny was...well I dont want to say he was LUCKY HE HALF-DIED, but he was lucky his was pretty instant (I'm assuming that had to do with the power/scale of the portals being different?) I remember in the ep we met him, vlad made a point of saying he was stuck in a hospital for a long time, so. that really actually sucks and I feel bad. not that it excuses anything he's done...but like. it does suck.

-vlad being so sure danny wouldnt help him he made it somehow contagious to his friends to make sure he'd get help? danny is a nice boy, he wouldve helped if it was anyone else. the only reason he wouldn't have is because of the shit vlad did to him, on purpose. vlad 100% dug his own grave by being the biggest asshole, so it is very hard to feel bad for him.

-clockwork is back!!! and making danny learn lessons The Hard Way. Uhhh, okay. I kind of get Danny’s logic, that time traveling this far back would prevent vlad from becoming a halfa also, ergo no arch nemesis or ectoacne to worry about. But the fact that was basically the first solution Danny came up with to solve this problem is actually so funny. It’s so extreme

-APPRICIATION FOR THESE 80S LESBIAN BG CHARACTERS.

-vlad telling maddie in the lab (in the 80s) he has something he's wanted to tell her 'for a long time'...how long have they known each other? I assumed they met in college, since jack always calls vlad his college buddy/roommate, so jack and vlad for sure met in college, but did vlad know maddie longer? thats surprising if so. Tho we don’t know what year of college they’re in so they could mean they met as freshmen and a few years have past…speaking of maddie shes crushing the 80s look.

-vlad blames jack, but. maybe dont stick your face 2 inches from the portal??! THIS FEELS LIKE LAB SAFETY BASICS. IF SOMETHING HAS POTENTIAL TO BE DANGEROUS, DONT GET NEAR IT. WITH YOUR FACE UNPROTECTED IN ANY WAY. (altho jack didnt really give a Big Warning besides screaming BONZAI. so. also that, but cmon.) also, they need gloves, goggles, and to pull all of their hair back tbh. but fuck lab safety, I guess!

-cryyyyinnng at how lazy they were with jack's ghost form design, its just plasmius' design on jack!!! you couldve given him his own design!!

-there. I did that in about 10 minutes and its somehow less lazy than what made it into the show. embarrassing! better yet, I think the episode would've been better if maddie would've gotten the ectoacne. or maybe its just me, wanting to see her design! anyway. I'm sure people have already done redesigns of them both as halfas. I have to go look after I finish this watch through. Also mildly frustrated jacks resentment and bitterness is basically also a copy paste of vlads backstory. They’re different characters, I really don’t think jack would stew in bitterness and jealousy the same way vlad would!! I also don’t think he’d give up after one time of trying to hunt ghosts and getting laughed at. Our canon timeline says different…I dunno, I get it was for laughs, but I’m annoyed because the POTENTIAL this plot has…

-did vlad really wear a stupid cheese hat to his wedding. ok actually that kinda rules. and the cheese door knocker. the dairy-only buffet table. vlad still got rich, just on being the New Dairy King. (Assuming that means he owns a lot of dairy businesses?) ok! this actually is great. hope maddie isn't lactose intolerant!

-'no matter how hard I tried, I could never get rid of my ghost half, the half I knew Maddie could never accept' ohh, ouch, what a horrible thing to say to her HALF GHOST SON. 'YOUR MOM WILL NEVER ACCEPT YOU' BASICALLY.

-maddie strapping danny to the table with a lazer pointed at him in a secret lab she keeps from vlad that she makes a point of saying is sound proof so he can scream all he wants...CHRIST. DANNYS POOR PYSCHE.

-also, not to feel bad for alternate vlad (because, he did lie to maddie saying jack blames her and never wants to see her again...) but. being married to a woman 20+ years and she immediately goes back to jack? if she didnt love vlad and feels like she had to hide shit from him, and says she wasted her best years with him, WHY MARRY HIM. it feels like leading him on!!! cannot believe im feeling bad for vlad, but. this alternate timeline vlad is significantly Less Horrible than Our Vlad. did she not think she'd get funding for her ghost stuff? (which, fair assumption since they're considered 'ghost fanatics/nuts in canon...but...) why did she think jack or vlad would be her ONLY OPTIONS? be like your sister. be single. Actually, this au could’ve been really interesting if after the accident, vlad lied to her and said jack never wanted to see her again, but she stays single. Imagine how much that would bug vlad… like, in her mind, it was never a competition it was jack or no one type situation…

-danny being like 'leave him ALONE' this jack is a HOMEWRECKER, DANNY. let them go to court and settle this at the least. ...or just throw vlad into the portal. (100% human, defenseless vlad) CHRIST, MADDIE THATS BRUTAL. THATS MURDER.

-danny seeing his mom immediately accepting him and his dad being half ghosts in this universe, if I was him this would be a great sign that his universe's maddie would also.

-*maddie voice* "clockwork will help!" *2 seconds later, with clockwork* "I will Not Help." TOUGH LOVE KING. YES LET DANNY SEE THE SODA HIMSELF AND DEVOLP BETTER OBSERVATION SKILLS.

-when clockwork ""reset time to the way it was"" just before danny "meddled"" ...did he really erase a whole alternate timeline? ...damn. because maddie and danny both called it an alternate timeline by name, it splitting when the college incident went different, so it wouldnt have really mattered if he reset it, right. like because danny's timeline is on a different stream? why didnt clockwork just. show danny a replay and not Reset That Timeline. wh...I wonder how many people that Erased From Existence. Anyway! once again stating clockwork is casually terrifying!

#danny phantom #dp thoughts #sanchoyorambles

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