#the two jesters absolutely served

[hamletisgone]

I went to see a musical adaptation of a Shakespearean play at my local theatre and while I was sceptical at first, they won me over when the fight scene began with someone playing the darth vader theme on a kazoo.

[pealeii]

les mis us tour on november 21, 2024 !!

javert (nick rehberger) said “no 😒” so snootily

the valjean (nick cartell) was INCREDIBLE. his “FLIIIGHT” note in the prologue was an inSANE high belt. and he did it while twirling around?? like WOAH.

the bishop (randy jeter) said “my friend :) you left so early” so gently

the factory girl who fought fantine was genuinely great??? like when she said “sleeping around” she made a little gesture and got all up in her face about it

before fantine died, valjean and her hugged 🥺

the thernadiers were GREAT. we had a panel with the actor of marius (jake david smith) and thernadier (matt crowle) and thernadier said he had a newer take on the character that he described as more of a jester, and you could tell! he really leaned into the physicality. i liked it

when madame did the sign of the cross thernadier just like. flopped his hands vaguely around

stars was fucking incredible. like WHAT. such a stoic javert…and a RICH voice. absolutely gorgeous rendition

javert and gavroche had this little moment after javert cleared everyone away where they just looked at each other like “ok……..respect.”

KYLE ADAMS GRANTAIRE IS BETTER THAN I COULD EVER IMAGINE

during red&black grantaire kissed combeferre on the head and later sat on his lap. he was also just SO CUNTYY. he crossed his legs in the most CUNTY way and just traipsed around and messed around with people and SERVED

when grantaire said “let’s give them a a screwing they’ll never forget” he empasized screwing like “let’s give them a screwing 😏💅 they’ll never forget”

ALSO!!!!! his and gavroche’s friendship was amazing !!!! like they would hug all the time 🥺🥺🥺 they had so many little moments. after grantaire’s verse in drink with me gavroche came over and hugged him on the legss!!! 💔💔😫😫 and when gavroche died (holy shit) grantaire ran over and hugged him and tried to wake him like WTFFF 💥💥💥💥💔💔💔

OKAYYY OH MY GOSH eponine (mya rena hunter) was amazing!!!!!!!! her on my own gave me CHILLS WOAHAHAH SHE WAS INCREDIBLE!!

AND MARIUS AND COSETTE WERE SO SWEET <3333 THEYRE DYNAMIC WAS EVERYTHING. like the cosette (delaney guyer) was SO short it was adorable. also her voice was naturally high and i really enjoyed it

marius was great. when he said “marius pontmercy” in heart full of love he bowed to cosette so goofily 😂

ALSO A LITTLE FALL OF RAIN!!!!!!!!!!! WTF!!! It was done so intimately—marius and eponine were so close to each other in their own corner and the whole stage was dim except a spotlight on them, and they sang so softly to each other it was like you were leaning into this conversation between just the two of them it was 💔💔💔💔💔💔😭😭😭😭

also during that song at one point gavroche tried to come over but grantaire pulled him back

and bring him home holy shiT. he started so quiet and gentle, but then his voice just SOARED as he got into it. just WOAH.

also!! when valjean read marius’ letter he stopped at the “well” when marius is writing about how cosette loves him as well. so like “love me as…well 🤨” SOO funny. bc he’s always so *valjean* and serious yknow but that break was so good

JAVERT’S SOLILOQUY. HOLY SHIT. he did my FAV thing of screaming the first two lines which 10000/10💥💥💥💥💥💥 and when he jumped, the set just like UNRAVELED around him (like how he himself was unraveling!!!) and he stayed suspended in midair while being moved back

at the end when valjean dies, he had the same candlesticks that the bishop gave him set up!!

[utilitycaster]

You are right, popularity isn't that important but I'm glad anyway that f/f is the most popular in the CR fandom thanks to Imodna, because it's just nice for once!

You know what's funny is that I suppose I thought of Imodna in passing for this, but it wasn't a significant aspect of my consideration, nor was popularity, and it's depressing that you sent this question because it makes me fear we're stuck.

The ship I had in mind that I like is Dot/Cleo from Unend, which I think is really interesting and am frustrated that whenever it comes up in the Midst server the conversation just goes GOTH GF PINK GF GOTH GF PINK GF GOTH GF PINK GF with no discussion of who they are as people - how Cleo is canonically a nepo baby, but she actually is fantastic at her job of observation because she is warm and kind and genuinely interested in everything around her, and how Dot is hiding absolute terror and misery about everything but is also competent and helpful, and trying to shove them into aesthetic categories ignores all that.

The ship I had in mind I didn't like and which really set it off is that Neve/Bellara from DATV is pretty transparently an attempt to get Neve away from Lucanis, even though they'd both make each other miserable - ie, they're putting forth a Grumpy One Soft For Sunshine One ship to get rid of the women to make way for a ship that includes a man (regardless of what gender you're playing Rook, Lucanis is a man) and I realized that it was in many ways stunningly similar in tenor to Beau and Jester, or Vex and Keyleth, which were both ships that were popular among F/F shippers, and what does that say? I'm saddened by the fact that the ships I'm told by fandoms are beautiful and meaningful and at times harassed for saying aren't that great are, in the end, almost identical in structure to the ships people throw out to push the women of the story out of the way of an M/M or M/F ship. Like, doesn't that suck? Don't you want to do better? Isn't it pretty fucking miserable that any attempt to talk about treating female characters as complex and existing in canon in the work and actually being people with PREFERENCES and not some malleable nothing you can throw at anything to get the ship you want is met with passive aggression and petty popularity contests? Doesn't it make you furious, if you are a woman, that even in fiction - even in fantasy heroic fiction where women can save the world and break reality - everyone's first instinct towards female characters is to be like "lmao no you are not the person you say you are and want to be, you're the person I want you to be for my convenience"? Don't you want to stab the next person who decides that it's more important to climb to the top of the list on ao3 by sacrificing everything complex and thorny and difficult and interesting for a bigger number of fics that could be about literally any two people because there's nothing about the women they're about in them?

Like, really, what does it say that when I say "I feel like fandoms treat F/F as an afterthought and as between two entities that are less than people" multiple people decided the response was "ACTUALLY, some M/M ships are treated badly too? sounds like you hate women? here's a ship I know you openly think is bad and I'm going to send it?" I think of you, anon, in your passive-aggression here, the way I think of tradwifes. I'm not mad, I'm just sad you've gotten trapped in this mentality and this life of serving some goal that doesn't let women be people, and I hope you break free; but I must admit I'd do pretty much anything not to become like you.

[phanfictioncatalogue]

Completed Chaptered AO3 Fics (5) Masterlist

part one, part two, part three, part four

A Different Man (ao3) - RhenNuggs

Summary: Dan is struggling to find love, but it is easier said than done when all he has is a long list of horrible exes. He doesn’t know if he will ever find love. That is, until he gets invited to an unexpected party that may forever change the course of his life.

A Game of Life (ao3) - Koolhotsweetloveberries

Summary: Daniel Howell, an honorable member of the King's Knighthood, does not expect much from his time at court. All changes when the court jester, Philip Lester, enters.

Babylon (ao3) - ottertrashpalace

Summary: Just a little story about two boys realizing that they can make their own rules, and even if it's hard, they are worth it.

because we are fools (ao3) - queerofcups

Summary: He realizes it calmly at first, and then suddenly with more clarity. He’s in love with Phil.

But he absolutely cannot be in love with Phil.

Brick by Brick (ao3) - auroraphilealis (peachrayne), embarrassing_myself

Summary: No one said having an unmated Alpha and an unmated Omega living under the same roof was going to be easy, but add in a mess of feelings and desire, and things go from bad to worse. When Phil Lester asked his best friend, Dan Howell, to move in with him, he thought he could ignore his feelings and refrain from submitting, but with an oblivious Dan scenting him every other day, he decides he has to put a stop to it. Jealousy and misunderstandings collide to throw their lives into chaos, forcing both men to reconsider their relationship. Will they ever get their happy ending, or will prevalent sexism force them apart?

Burning Bibles (ao3) - cherryheartz

Summary: phil lester loved curly headed boys with tattoos on their arms and a joint made with torn bible pages between their soft lips.

and dan howell was exactly that.

Butterfly (ao3) - A_Million_Regrets

Summary: Phil Lester, a lonely writer, finds a dying boy with beautiful black wings on a cold, rainy night in a dingy alleyway. He recognizes the boy as one of the winged men hated by human society. They are considered to be wild, ferocious beasts, but Phil's sympathy forces him to help the boy.

What happens when the boy, considered to be a wild beast, gets too attached and follows him home with an innocent, dimpled smile?

Catch You on the Flipside (ao3) - Amorist (dead_on_the_inside)

Summary: Dan is holding himself together by the seams after running away from a religious cult. He has to ask himself why he keeps going, but deep down, he knows the answer already. It's the same answer it was long before his parents packed up and moved him to a thinly-veiled conversion camp in America—Phil.

Or, my excuse to write self-indulgent angst, because sometimes we need that.

Coffee by Chappell Roan (ao3) - danswideslit

Summary: someone on tumblr mentioned needing a dnp fic with the narrative from coffee and I felt inspired because I love that song a whole lot

Come along (ao3) - ottertrashpalace

Summary: In medieval England, a young knight rides north, sent to serve at the court of the quiet young Duke of Lancaster.

Deeper (ao3) - Scuddleduck

Summary: Inspired by the idea of "Pass Around Party Bottom Dan."

Don’t be scared (ao3) - danisnot3131

Summary: Before agreeing to go on Tour for Interactive Introvers, Dan is hit with the realization that he’s been in love with Phil for years.

I Fell For You (ao3) - TheWolfWithinMe

Summary: Dan's meant to be a good little Angel. Doing what Heaven wants. Following orders. Being the soldier they created.

But then he answers a prayer. From a certain blue-eyed boy so desperate for forgiveness that he's willing to die for it.

A fic about betrayal, freedom, friendship, love and that it's not 'where you're from' that matters but 'who you are.'

I try to picture me without you but I can't (ao3) - solarpower21

Summary: After Dan's tragic death, Phil starts having a bunch of strange dreams where he is still alive. But are they really just dreams?

Or: Phil's soul consciousness can't cope with Dan's death, so he starts hopping between different universes, trying to look for him.

Let Me Be Your Call Boy (ao3) - auroraphilealis (peachrayne), embarrassing_myself

Summary: After coming out as gay to his friends on his birthday, the last thing Dan is expecting is to be gifted a call boy as a present, let alone one that’s been paid for for the entire night. Allowing Phil to show him the ropes is his first mistake, paying him to come back every week is his second, and using him to convince his parents he really is gay is his third. As a successful lawyer, the money isn’t the problem - falling in love is.

life happens, coffee helps (and so do you) (ao3) - halfofacrackedbluesky

Summary: Dan makes friends with the barista at the local coffee shop.

Like a Bowl of Oranges (ao3) - cloej88

Summary: Dan has built a solid career for himself as a ghostwriter. He safely hides behind other people’s words, crafting their tales and pocketing the cash without any threat of notoriety. But lately he has been working on a book of his own, itching for a change.

Phil is an indie filmmaker who happened into some huge breaks over the last few years. He wants to use his influence to uplift queer stories for the screen, so he puts out an open call for story submissions. At his agent’s behest, Dan submits his story.

The writer!Dan and director!Phil friends/co-workers to lovers AU that we never knew we needed.

Live Incidentally (ao3) - yikesola

Summary: At thirty-two, Phil’s fine with this lot in life— manager for Printzoid, a flat he rents on his own in a relatively nice part of London, friends he sees at least twice a month for board game nights, an ex-fiancé he’s trying damn hard to get over, and a brother who means well even if Martyn doesn’t understand why Phil insists there’s a distinction between their father’s artwork being creative and Martyn’s music being creative and Phil’s novelty t-shirts being... not-creative.

A fic about adulthood and opening up.

Monochrome (ao3) - intoapuddle

Summary: When you build your life out of fear that your mental illness could worsen, it leaves little room for excitement. Luckily, Dan has found a space online where he feels comfortable.

My Sanctuary, You're Holy to Me (ao3) - skygremlin

Summary: Sister Daniel isn't very good at being a nun, but she's stuck living in a convent because she's got no other plans. The church needs a new priest for Sunday mass, and the responsibility falls on her to meet him for the first time. Will he see through her false devotion?

Sister Daniel/Father Philip convent au (Sister Daniel's origin story)

names of collision in the dark (ao3) - Anonymous

Summary: Of enemy kingdoms, Prince Dan and Prince Phil meet one fateful night, leading to a surprising friendship that evolves into something more. As the looming threat of a major battle grows stronger, both princes grapple with their roles and the burdens of leadership, all while their growing bond forces them to confront their own kingdoms’ expectations and the possibility of peace in the chaos.

(aka the dan and phil royal au fic they wrote for the gaming channel but taken seriously)

Nothing Like a Storybook (ao3) - Merrydith

Summary: University Of Manchester, 2009

Dan Howell is an aloof loner and Phil Lester a well-known weirdo. In theory they are worlds apart, but a chance post-party meeting under the Manchester moonlight sends their lives spiraling and soon they find they have a lot more in common than they thought.

Origins of the Phass Inflation Post (Dan and Phil in Greece) (ao3) - EverythingIsAsItWas

Summary: Dan and Phil rarely take vacations just for themselves, vacations in which they make no content, do not work, and simply enjoy each other's company. Going to Greece feels like the perfect opportunity for this, but Phil also thinks it's the perfect opportunity for a video... and Dan likes being a little shit.

Ready Player Two (ao3) - jonsaremembers

Summary: Their paths diverge for a time.

some killer queen you are (ao3) - possumdnp

Summary: Dan’s enjoyed taking a break from YouTube, but for some reason, he still feels like something is missing. Determined to fill the creative void in his life, he decides to try out something new: drag.

Someday (ao3) - philsdrill

Summary: “Everyone had a link with their soulmates, some could hear some of their partners thoughts, some had a tattoo that would appear with their partners name; for me, I knew when they got sick.” For a while Phil has thought that his soulmate might have an eating disorder and doesn’t expect to meet him in the restaurant where he works.

taking the veil (ao3) - buskingalbatross

Summary: Twenty-two year old YouTuber Phillippa Lester accompanies her Dad on his trip to fulfill a commission to create a piece of art for a family friend who is living a monastic life in an abbey in the south of England. Angry at her parents and lacking other plans, eighteen-year old Dan Howell tags along with her grandma on an annual, summertime trip of her own: a two week secluded religious retreat at the same abbey.

The Phat (ao3) - gaydreaming

Summary: When Dan and Phil find an abandoned cat on a late-night walk to Dominos, Dan insists that they aren't going to keep him. After all, they know nothing about taking care of a pet. Dan will have the self control to put his foot down when faced with both Phil's big eyes and the cat's, right? ...Right?

Time is on our side (ao3) - Mysticallykai

Summary: In 2010, AmazingPhil decided to make a video trying to time travel. He ends up meeting his boyfriend Dan in the year 2023 as well as himself, and he has a lot of questions.

voice on the wind (ao3) - CapriciousCrab

Summary: A life-changing injury leaves a desperate musician looking for a miracle. He finds it in the company of a Fae muse, but at what cost?

what, like it's hard? (ao3) - jonsaremembers

Summary: title, obviously, from legally blonde

You are Not Sleeping on The Goddamn Floor (ao3) - pepelovesme

Summary: Dan and Phil's 2009 meeting reimagined. Dan is curious, they talk sexuality. Smut ensues.

[grits-galraisedinthesouth]

Meghan, thy name is PATHETIC!

These two numpties truly think they have outsmarted the world. Normal people don't repeatedly attempt to fool the world into thinking they are "whip smart" or accomplished by regurgitating childhood and adolescent fantasies. Meghan and Harry are clearly mentally deficient individuals with massive amounts of resources to serve as global court jesters.

During a festival that had absolutely NOTHING to do with the Temu Royal Snowcation 🌨 ❄ Tour, these idiots dashed on the stage to CYA after MegaLiar's poor performance as the "FLUENT duchess" who couldn't be bothered to memorize the pronunciation of their host's proper title: /bee-seh-preh-see-dehn-teh/ but the whip smart MegaLiar referred to her new amiga as /v-ICE / 😬🤦‍♀��

Sparry who has a hot & heavy bromance with Argentinean polo player named Nacho pretended that he was too dumb to say a simple thank you and good night to the crowd. He enlisted the help of his soap actress wife (who snatched the mic) for the Spanish "translation" as if the croud was too dumb to translate the simple English phrase for themselves.

Who is going to tell these idiots that even if she is the bilingual Duchess (which she's not) it would NOT make her special. You'd think the woman could speak Mandarin. 🥴

How pathetic 🤑

MegaLiar's need to overwhelm the internet with a lie about her being bilingual is just another reminder that this woman is a 1 trick pony with 1 ADULT accomplishment: sex with a drug addled brained prince. Sex with a dumb prince. Truly Pathetic.

What is Meghan Markle so desperate to Cover Up for the past 20 years? She literally flunked out of the state department before she could even get her foot in the door, yet she is constantly pushing & promoting "Argentina." She was humiliated into "relocating" to Madrid until her graduation ceremonies. Makes me wonder whether or not those sugarbaby rumors are true?

If she worked in Argentina "early in her career," then why is Meg pictured on the set of General Hospital so she could gain the necessary credentials to work Hollyweird?

She's also pictured with another liar, her BFF Lindsay Roth Jordan, on the day they both graduated from Northwestern as "candidates for degrees in Communications."

The Daily Mail:

Newlywed and newly employed on Season 1 of Suits, and during promo for Season 2 she drops the lie about Argentina. Makes you wonder what else was happening in Argentina.

2011 and Just Married to Trevor Engleson. Finally she booked her 1st TV series, and she's visibly embarrassed by 1 innocent question. She opted to lie. She reached all the way back to ten (10)+ years ago instead of simply saying, "...5 years ago I was looking for work." What are you hiding Megsy?🤔

She couldn't believe the question, "...what was I doing five (5) years ago?" She was embarrassed by 34 episodes as Season 2 Deal or No Deal model # 24 (2006-2007) would have been 8ish years ago so tell the truth Meg.

July 12th 2013 Promotion for one of her blog affiliates "Birchbox" just prior to dumping Trevor. "If I wasn't acting I would most likely be working in politics have a career in politics. I had been working at the US Embassy in Argentina and was certain I'd get into a career in foreign service much like my character Rachel it was really tough for me to pass the foreign service exam, Rachel had trouble passing the LSATs, end up coming back to LA for a break and a friend of mine from college had given a manager a student film that I did, he called me the next day and was like you know what, I think you should be acting. So if you're constantly just on your A game and you're ready for when that moment arises that's when things can take off in a much bigger way. Success is reachable."

She wrote this for Birchbox: "USA's SUITS is one of our top summer TV shows—not least for its awesome female characters. While the guys of Pearson may rule the roost, it's the ladies who steal the show. Case in point: the whip-smart Rachel Zane, played by Meghan Markle. We sat down with Markle to find out about her foodie favorites, her background in Foreign Service, and the one beauty product..."

More lies on the red carpet

Mid Season 2 Promo at The Paley Center for Media Jan 14th 2013

"And I read that you were never originally going to go into acting!?"

Lies: "no I was gonna do politics...I grew up in LA so I grew up in this industry and obviously loved entertainment, my father's a lighting director I just always wanted to do something different and working in politics was exciting for me but I'm saying as we were driving up 2 blocks down the street is paper source. I used to teach gift wrapping classes there. I used to teach calligraphy classes there and so to be here tonight and to see that contrast happen in my life from an auditioning actress just trying to make it work to pilot after pilot to have one that's going into 3rd season with fans who are so supportive I mean I couldn't be more grateful. It's really amazing."

Almost 8 years later and she's on Craig Ferguson's show to promote Suits and still lying about her education and Argentina. Why?

I've always thought it was interesting that Meghan and Sparry were in Argentina around the same time, and of course Diana was there in 1995.

"On 23 November 1995, Diana, Princess of Wales arrived in Argentina to begin a historic, four-day visit to the South American country. While not an official state visit, the trip was undertaken by Diana in her newly-defined role as goodwill ambassador for Britain. The visit, which was the Princess of Wales' first international engagement since her controversial Panorama interview, was seen as an important step in the warming of relations between the UK and Argentina, the countries having fought one another in the Falklands War of 1982 and resumed diplomatic relations in 1990. The footage featured in this edit covers the full four days of Princess Diana's visit, including her famous meeting with Argentine president Carlos Menem, her visits to a number of charities and hospitals in Buenos Aires, whale-watching in Argentine Patagonia, and attending a charity gala banquet."

Prince Harry cuts short visit to Argentina.

Thursday, November 25th 2004 

Twenty year old Prince Harry flew back to London from Buenos Aires Thursday afternoon after the Argentine press revealed he had become a “head ache” for those responsible for his security.

Apparently the Prince was scheduled to return next week but Buckingham Palace decided to anticipate the date given the adverse press coverage he was receiving during his alleged "night incursions" to local pubs and discos.

Although British Airways desk said any information relating to Prince Harry was "confidential", from early hours the reinforcement of security measures in Ezeiza's airport was evident.

Local reports indicate Prince Harry boarded the plane in good humour.

The second son of the Prince of Wales arrived in Argentina November 12 and was staying in estancia "El Remanso" close to the town of Lobos in the province of Buenos Aires belonging to some British friends, where supposedly he was to take polo classes and rest before returning to England for Christmas and Sandhurst military academy next January.

However his sport activities in Argentina were known to be limited since the prince had an injured knee from a recent rugby match.

Mayor of Lobos, Gustavo Sobrero minimized the press versions about Prince Harry's behaviour, particularly last Wednesday early morning when shots were heard in a nearby farm which forced a quick security response in the area.

"This visit hasn't altered normal life in the area. Besides it is quiet common during the hunting season to hear shots", said Mr. Sobrero.

As to Prince Harry's alleged night escapades to town pubs Mr. Sobrero indicated that "as far as we are concerned we haven't been informed".

According to Buenos Aires daily "Página 12" on his return from town partying Prince Harry was in quite "bad condition" given his "uncontrolled consumption of alcohol".

[spending-life-pretending]

Hii amazing new mutual!

What is the realm of the elderlings series and should I read it?

Hi!! Omg what a question, new mutual. My gut instinct is to answer yes, yes absolutely, bc I love ROTE and I’m always willing to recommend it! However—it can also be kind of intimidating to get into, so here’s some more info to help u make a decision:

‘Realm of the Elderlings’ is the collective name for five different epic fantasy book series (all set in the titular realm) by Robin Hobb:

The Farseer Trilogy

The Liveship Traders Trilogy

The Tawny Man Trilogy

The Rain Wilds Chronicles (quartet)

The Fitz and the Fool Trilogy

There is some debate over the best reading order: Technically, according to most people, each series can stand on its own and be read individually. BUT the first, third, and fifth series focus on the same protagonist throughout different eras of his life. The second and fourth series are a duo. Essentially, only a few characters cross over into all five series, but 1, 3, and 5 focus on the same characters, and 2 and 4 focus on a lot of the same characters, if that makes sense.

Personally, I have been making my way through these in publication/chronological order (I’m on Rain Wilds rn), and that has worked really well for me. I love the main characters of series 1, 3, and 5, and getting to revisit them throughout their lives really makes them feel like real, growing people. I love the style of series 2 and 4, which are a lot more expansive and focus on ensembles of characters, and reading them feels satisfying, like watching a giant puzzle be put together as every plot piece clicks into place.

Some people skip around, reading series 1, 3, and 5 first and then going back to 2 and 4; some people don’t ever read 2 or 4; some people don’t ever read 1, 3, or 5; some people just read one series, feel satisfied, and never pick up another ROTE book again. All of these are totally fair! But I will recommend that The Farseer Trilogy is the logical place to start.

So here’s an actual description: Farseer, beginning with Assassin’s Apprentice, follows the life of FitzChivalry Farseer, the bastard son of the nation’s favorite prince. Upon learning of Fitz’s existence, his father abdicates from the line of succession, which leads to rising political tensions as Fitz’s two uncles now have to jockey for the throne. Meanwhile, Fitz is taken in by his father’s family but never formally recognized as royal, instead being trained to use his skills (and the magic he inherited) to serve the kingdom as an assassin and spy.

Here’s a less formal description: FitzChivalry Farseer is the dumbest boy alive and I love him so much. He’s a dog guy. He’s an unreliable narrator. His best friend is a genderfluid court jester with secrets, and their relationship will break your heart in the best way as it entangles both of them over the decades. There are dragons! There are wolves! There are scenes that will make you cry!! I get a lot out of these books, personally, as an asexual person; the importance of relationships outside of romantic/sexual contexts is shown. They deal a lot with family, and growing up, and the grief that comes as a side effect of living.

Plus, as a woman who has had to deal with a lot of bullshit fantasy misogyny in my reading, it was just refreshing to read such a sprawling, epic fantasy saga written by a woman. Hobb isn’t faultless; there are still some dated elements and tropes, but she tends to write her female characters with compassion and thoughtfulness, even when the narrative might be hard on them.

Ok. So. Hopefully that was helpful to you, and not just an overwhelming block of text and info! Even if you decide ROTE doesn’t sound like it’s for you or you try but can’t get into it, thanks for reaching out giving me the chance to spill my thoughts!! I do love these books so much, and infodumping about them is a great passion of mine 😊 I look forward to seeing u around on my dash

[elliethejellie]

Hi @shookethdev I was your Secret Skeleton!

Listen, I know it took me absolutely forever to get this out and I'm not going to make any excuses, life happens. But I hath finally gotten this up and ready for you and I truly hope you enjoy it!

The Halloween Masquerade Ball

"And it's going to be adults only, which I think will be good for the environment. I mean, there's going to be alcohol served, so it's only natural," you said, putting on the last finishing touches to your masquerade mask. 

Your best friend, Max, sat a few feet away from you at your desk, chuckling gently. "So are you going to try to dance with the boys?" they asked, giving you a silly wiggle of their eyebrows. You couldn't help the heat that climbed the back of your neck. 

"I don't know," you admitted sheepishly. It wasn't a lie - both Sun and Moon were allowed to roam the Pizzaplex for this rare special event. The three of you had been talking about it nonstop the entire day at work yesterday (the plex was closed today for setting up the event). Both of them seemed excited to be able to exist in the other parts of the plex - Moon happy that he could do so without working, and Sun excited to be able to do so at all. 

They had both been so confined to the daycare all the time. And this was the first adult-only event that FazCo was holding in almost a full year. The last event they held was for Christmas the year prior, before the boys had been separated. Plus, you were still fairly new to your job and didn't try to convince any of the higher ups to allow them to roam without working. So Moon had been out the entire time only to watch on and make sure the event went smoothly.

But since then, your relationship with the two jester animatronics had grown. You cared for them immensely and they hadn't exactly held back in letting you know just how keenly they returned those feelings. The moment they found out that there was going to be another event - this time for Halloween - they expressed their sadness in not being invited. That had angered you, and you brought yourself to one of your bosses with quite the earful. To your surprise, instead of getting fired, you were actually heard, and soon enough an email went out informing the staff that Sun and Moon would also be attending.

The event was going to be a masquerade ball. You hadn't had a lot of time to properly prepare for it as you had spent a lot of your time making sure Sun and Moon had their outfits carefully made and tailored just for them. It was a fun task but it left you with less than a week to hammer out your own outfit.

The base was a simple suit - dark blue jacket with a light blue undershirt and yellow bow tie. But with you being you, there were added bits of flair. It had a soft yellow waistcoat with little crescent buttons and midway through sewing together the suit jacket you decided to make it into a tailcoat with a gradient into a dark yellow. 

The mask was the last thing you prepared because you already knew what you were going to do for it. It was half yellow and half blue - sparkles of the opposite color speckled throughout. 

As you placed the last of the fine details on the mask, you smiled. You couldn't wait for the boys to see you. And you also couldn't wait to see them.

"Gosh, you're so in love with them," Max chuckled, tossing an eraser at you from the desk. It hit your shoulder and you mocked a scoff, cheeks blossoming into a light pink blush. 

"And so what if I am?" you responded, avoiding eye contact with them. Max got up from the desk and sat down with you on the floor. They placed a hand on your knee and leaned down to place themselves in your line of sight. They were smiling.

"Then dance with them," they said simply. You sucked in a breath and returned the smile. 

Tonight was going to be a good night.

*****

There was never a time that the Pizzaplex had been so full.

Adults packed almost every corner of the main floor - most with a drink in hand and a smile on their face. You couldn't even remember a time when you had seen so many adults without their children. Waltz music was playing from the same speakers that blasted the performance music during normal operating hours and a few people were out on the dance floor - clearly for a joke though, because nobody was waltzing yet.

As you shuffled through people, you kept your eyes out for Sun and Moon. You passed by a few women absolutely fawning over Roxanne's outfit (and of course, her eating the attention up), some men joking with Monty (who was also enjoying the spotlight), and even some adults enjoying a conversation with Chica and Freddy. Everyone seemed to be having an absolute blast.

Everyone except your beloved Sun and Moon.

You finally spotted them up on the second floor balcony, both standing with each other and not with anyone else.

It took you quite some time to make your way to one of the escalators. But finally you reached the second story and shuffled along over to them, a concerned look written across your face despite the mask covering half of it.

You couldn't help the way your heart fluttered as they both turned and smiled at you. You'd spent the past three weeks working on their outfits and yet it still took your breath away to see them in them now.

Sun had actually requested to wear a dress for the event. You remember how nervous he was to ask you - wringing his fingers together and avoiding your gaze. Nothing could compare to the way he lit up when you had assured him that it wasn't a problem at all and you were excited to work on a dress for him. As he stood in front of you now, smiling wide, you could see just how happy it made him.

It was a light blue, lace front ball gown with yellow stitched suns across the bottom. Halfway through making it, he asked if it could be big and puffy like a princess dress, so you had made sure to sew in a hoop skirt. It swayed when he moved, and the blue contrasted his yellow casing in a way that made him look like he truly fit in next to his counterpart. His mask was a beautiful soft yellow - the exact shade of yellow on one half of your own mask.

Moon had remained fairly easy-going as you tailored him a suit. It was dark blue - almost the same shade as your own. But he had yellow stars embroidered across the collar of his undershirt and his cuff links were a sun on one arm and a moon on the other arm. You'd made sure to sew him a different nightcap (his only request) that matched the suit's shade of blue and you think you did a pretty good job. And of course, his blue mask was the same shade of blue as the darker side of your own mask.

It was very obvious that your outfit was made to be an in-between of their two outfits - and as they smiled wide at you, it was also obvious that they loved that.

"Sunbite!" Sun exclaimed, rushing over to you and engulfing you in a hug. You chuckled and hugged him back while Moon waited patiently for you to be free. When the solar bot pulled away, he snatched up your hands and immediately rambled on about his night thus far. "You didn't tell me there would be so many people! And this is the atrium? It's even bigger than I imagined it to be! I was sure it would be close to the same size as the daycare, but there's so much more space! Did you know that the stage has holograms of the glamrocks on them? I remember one of the kids telling me about it but I didn't think it was actually-"

"Sunny!" you cut him off with a smile, unable to stop the giggle falling from your mouth. "I'm so glad you have so much to talk to me about, but I'd also like to say hi to Moon first." Sun's eyes widened and he immediately apologized, dropping your hands and stepping back. 

Moon chuckled again as you hugged him tightly. "How's it feel not having to work right now?" you asked him when you pulled away. He shrugged,reaching an arm back to scratch at his neck.

"I can't lie, it's definitely weird," he started. But then he glanced at Sun's childlike wonder at the crowd of people below and he smiled again. "But I'm enjoying it nonetheless."

"Well, why aren't you guys down there having fun?" you questioned, shifting your head to one side. Moon jutted his thumb at Sun.

"This bundle of nerves doesn't know how to talk to people, apparently."

Sun turned back towards Moon and swatted him on the arm. "Hey! I don't ever talk to anyone besides the daycare children! I don't know how to interact with everyone else," he whined, pouting slightly. 

You chuckled and reached forwards to grasp their hands, tugging them back in the direction of the escalators. "Come on you two, let's go dance!"

You ignored the way the two of them seemed taken aback by your sudden exclamation. You didn't risk getting yourself fired by convincing your boss to let them attend, just to have them avoid the event entirely. You were going to have fun with them and they were going to enjoy it!

As the escalator slowly brought the three of you down to the main floor, Sun started to fidget with his fingers. 

"S-Sunbite?" he asked quietly, tugging at your sleeve. You turned around to face him and smiled gently, urging him to continue. "I just- What if the glamrocks don't like me?"

"That's what you're worried about?" Moon asked. His tone was one of disbelief, but he still smiled at his yellow counterpart. 

"Sunnybun," you started, now grabbing both of his hands to stop his fidgeting. "You don't need to worry about that, okay? If any of them decide they don't like you, I will personally fist fight them myself," you joked, smiling wide at the solar bot before you. 

"You'd lose," was all he said in response, making you scoff and Moon chuckle madly. But then you were laughing, too, as three of you  finally stepped out onto the atrium floor.

Several heads turned to watch the seven foot animatronics behind you as you pushed through the crowd towards the main area that had been designated as a dance floor. DJ Music Man had been transferred to the main stage to host the music for this event, which Moon was excited about. He rushed ahead of you and Sun to go catch up with his friend, while you turned back to Sun and smiled. He smoothed out his dress and looked around at the crowd of people anxiously. You had to grab his hands again to get his attention.

"Have you ever danced with anyone before?" you asked him, pulling him forwards slightly to close the last bit of distance between the two of you and the dance floor. His eyes widened as he shook his head. 

"We would have little dance parties in the daycare sometimes, but even then I didn't ever join in," he admitted sheepishly. For a moment, you swore you saw an orange blush settle on his cheeks, but it could have just been the lighting playing tricks on your eyes. 

"Well, there's a first time for everything," you encouraged, lifting one of his hands above your head so you could twirl around beneath it. He seemed even more nervous now that the two of you were in such close proximity, but he smiled still and took your other hand in his while the two of you danced.

After a few minutes, it was obvious Sun was starting to loosen up a bit and enjoy himself. The two of you were giggling together as you danced around, ignoring any looks anyone might have been tossing your way. It was like the world around you faded out and the music was all you could hear. Sun had shifted from holding your hands to resting his hands on your waist, spinning you around in energetic twirls. 

"You know," he started, spinning you around under his arm again. "We should start hosting our own little dance parties after hours."

You couldn't help the way your cheeks heated up at the thought of only you and the two jester animatronics alone in the daycare and dancing together. It wasn't like you didn't spend a lot of time with them after hours, but something about the thought of dancing with them just made your heart flutter. 

At this point, several people joined the two of you on the dance floor, seemingly afraid to be the first ones before now. It made the atmosphere truly begin to feel like a ball - as long as you ignored all of the neon lights that still shone brightly around the atrium.

"Hey, Mr. Sun!" you heard a familiar, chipper voice call out from somewhere behind you. Sun's eyes immediately widened and you could see him metaphorically begin to curl back into himself. You turned around and looked up into the eyes of the infamous face of the company.

He wore a very simple tuxedo - which wasn't exactly off brand for him. His mask was the same bright blue as the lightning strike that donned all of his merch, surrounded by the bright red that also always seemed to compliment his color palette.

"Freddy!" you greeted happily, hugging the giant animatronic bear. He seemed pleased to see Sun, who was actively trying to hide behind your smaller frame. You couldn't help the giggle that was bubbling up in your chest. "Have you met Sunny yet?"

"I'm afraid I have not," Freddy responded, and you swore you heard Sun squeak behind you. 

"Well," you started, stepping aside to grab the solar bot's hand and tug him forwards. You absolutely adored him, but you were not going to let him chicken out of talking to the one animatronic he never shut up about. "Now you can! This is Sun, and let me tell you, he is a big fan of you."

You were absolutely sure of it this time - Sun's cheeks were a dark orange as he stared wide-eyed at Freddy. "It's very nice to meet you, Mr. Sun." Freddy stuck his hand out to shake Sun's. He reluctantly took it. "I saw the two of you dancing, and I wanted to compliment you, Mr. Sun. I have not seen another animatronic rival my dance moves in a while."

Even with the commotion of the event going on around you, Sun's fans could still be heard kicking on high. "M-My dance moves?" he clarified, pointing to himself.

"Why don't you two dance and get to know each other while I go make sure Moonie is doing okay?" you suggested. Sun blinked a few times as if just realizing that you were still here. 

"That sounds like a wonderful idea!" Freddy said. "But I must warn you, once I start dancing, it is difficult for me to stop. I am an absolute animal on the dance floor."

Sun chuckled nervously but nodded his head anyways. You took the opportunity to slip past them and make your way to the stage where Moon was leaning against the raised platform and chatting away with one of the mini Music Man animatronics.

You smiled as you approached them, waving at the mini animatronic and leaning against the platform next to the lunar bot. "Enjoying yourself?" you asked, nudging your elbow into his side gently. 

"I am, actually. It's nice not having to worry about security." The music bot made a series of high-pitched musical sounds you couldn't understand, but Moon chuckled immediately. "That's a good idea, Mini," he said with a wink at the small bot. You looked at him expectantly, wanting to know what was said, though he only took your hand in his and started walking back towards the dance floor.

"Wha- Moon, what're you doing?"

"Having fun, like you wanted," he responded simply. There was an air of mischief to his tone, but you quickly forgot about it as he stopped in the middle of the dance floor and turned to face you. He bowed his head and brought the back of your hand to his lips before meeting your embarrassed gaze with another smile. "May I have this dance?" he asked, and you felt the heat rise to your cheeks as you snatched your hand back from him.

"Yes, but what's with the formalities suddenly?" you questioned, avoiding his blue eyes and glancing around to see if anyone had noticed. Moon chuckled, placed his hands on your waist, and tugged you forwards until you were inches apart - which successfully made your blush deepen.

"Again," he started, pulling you to the side to begin dancing as a slower song started. "Having fun."

Dancing with Moon was proving to be a bit more difficult than dancing with Sun. The solar bot had let you lead and followed whatever you did with clumsy steps. But with Moon, he was leading, and it seemed like he really did want a formal dance, which you were proving rather obviously that you didn't know how to do.

"Eyes on me, Starlight," Moon mused, one of his hands abandoning your waist to hook under your chin and lift your head. You frowned.

"But then I'll step on your feet."

"Not if you just feel the music," he countered, tilting his head to the side. His grin was making your stomach flip flop and your heart flutter like mad - so you brought your bottom lip between your teeth and tried to focus on the movement of your feet in comparison to his.

After a few trips and stumbles, you actually began getting the hang of the basic steps of waltzing that Moon was leading you through. You were starting to have fun, giggling at the little bits of flair he was adding here and there. 

"When did you even learn how to dance like this?" you asked after he pulled you back up from a silly dip you did. 

"That's a secret," he said, smiling that same mischievous smile he had earlier. You found yourself looking back into his blue eyes, heart nervously fluttering in your chest. He seemed to enjoy how flustered he was making you - slowing down your dancing until you were merely swaying back and forth. "You know, staring is considered rude, Starlight," he mused.

Normally, you would scoff and say something about how he was the one that told you to keep your eyes on him. But for some reason, your voice caught in your throat and you could only watch on as he seemed to be leaning his face down closer to yours. The world around you faded away as Moon chuckled softly. He was mere inches from your face. All you had to do was lean forwards... Just a little bit- closer-

"You two should have seen the way Freddy dances!" Sun exclaimed suddenly, wrapping his arms around yours and Moon's shoulders and startling the two of you apart. Your face burned bright red behind your mask and Moon seemed to be fighting back a few choice words for his sunny counterpart.

"Yeah?" you asked, voice shaky as all hell. 

Sun practically had stars for pupils. "Yeah! It was so much fun! Starlight, why didn't you try to convince me to leave the daycare before this?" 

You looked back to Moon who gave you a lopsided smile, chuckling gently at Sun's enthusiastic interruption. "You're such a fangirl," he teased, shrugging Sun's arm from his shoulders. Sun gasped and playfully smacked him on the arm again. You felt your heart swell as you watched them, and you smiled.

"Come on, you two, there's still more to do besides dancing," you said, once more grasping their hands and tugging them away from the dance floor to participate in some of the games set up. Sun giggled and Moon chuckled as the three of you walked through the crowd.

The night had only really just begun, but you already felt like you'd had the time of your life.

[unlicensedmortician]

bad movies with j&j: divergent part three. the final part. thank god. i never have to watch these again.

- I WAS RIGHT ABT EVELYN BEING THE NEW DICTATOR

- how much time is supposed to have passed??? that’s at least 8 months of hair growth

- i wonder if they want to kill him

- not how trials work!

- four still looks like he’s in his late 30s

- jesus christ??? dude??

- oh ok he’s fine

- thank god for peter he’s the only thing that’s making these movies watchable. guy who’s the fucking worst but at least he’s entertaining

- rip tori u were the most iconic bitch here

- hm. that looks like some form of ecological crisis

- do love a good blood river

- “this hole looks radioactive” hole you say?

- also that’s not even a little bit how radioactivity works at all

- “this is fun i’m glad we did this” cryingggg thank u for ur commmentary peter

- “someone’s coming for us 🥰” wrong tone! you are being hunted

- how are you not hitting any of them they’re running in straight lines

- huh?????????? what’s going on?????

- the future is more color coding apparently

- i feel like im having a fever dream

- at the very least tris has a cunty little bob

- jester: oftentimes what a main character girlie really needs is a cunty little bob

- we’re the good guys :) welcome to eugenics city

- also how the shit do they know who these random teenagers from the isolated city tm are

- i bet she has absolutely zero body hair

- get GLOOPED

- fist the wall hole, tris

- ok i’m sure these tattoos are a cool completely fine thing

- oh! so they have aggressively overt eugenics! great!

- right ok. and none of you are unsettled by this

- oh this is terrifying. we’ve been surveying you your whole life and you didn’t know we existed until rn :) don’t worry about it :)

- oh so those are. barcodes.

- providence?? rhode island????

- haha this is terrifying. “i’ve observed every second of your life” WHAT

- she’s the ONLY ONE.

- yeah of course tris (cis straight white skinny neurotypical) is the only genetically pure person alive. what the fuck

- oh so u can get full access to people’s memories. that’s terrifying

- sure her mother might as well have been from outside

- the tattoos indicate how damaged they are that’s so cool and great. and that also determines how much access they have. awesome.

- there’s no way this guy is a good person

- when i say this surveillance technology is scarier than any horror concept i’m being serious

- really really interesting to have a black woman defending the status quo

- if they’re the good guys why is everyone else so afraid

- also like. why wouldn’t they take adults in also? what’s the cutoff point?

- “we’re here to help” while pointing a gun at a family. what. BRO YOU JUST FUCKING SHOT HER DAD?

- what the fuck they just wipe these kids’ memories ??

- the political messaging here is confusing at best

- this is the first time i’ve been anything more than completely neutral on four

- can i blame the current lack of media literacy on this franchise or

- tris. what the fuck

- who would win: guy who stuck by you through all the absolute batshit insanity of the last two movies and was like. decent through all of it. or old guy eugenicist who says he knew your mother. the answer will shock you!

- kinda ate with tris’ costuming evoking jeanine

- who media trained her

- “we’re not taking you to chicago” four is like. sure. this might as well happen. i guess. gonna make this ship crash now

- so were they gonna execute him? i’m confused

- “this ship is the only one that can fly through the camo wall” immediately crashes it

- wait lmao is this actually rhode island

- oh wow the eugenics guy is untrustworthy! who could have seen this coming

- “the factions work” they literally didn’t. that was. the point of the whole two other movies? are we forgetting those

- matthew and four should’ve been endgame thanks for coming to my ted talk

- thank you peter for always serving cunt

- yes girl completely wipe your ex husbands memory

- i don’t think anyone talked about tris’s terrible fucking tattoo enough

- yeah girl of course he’s wiping the memories of everyone in chicago

- she can do whatever she wants. she’s the protagonist

- peter cmon i liked you

- ok but like. the gas is still there? whatever

- i feel like this plot is not finished

- oh my god it’s not allegiant did so bad in box offices that they cancelled the fourth one. that’s hilarious. thank god.

[violent-backed-starling]

Critical Role Double Life AU

So this would be the player characters and Essek in the world of Double Life (Minecraft Series)

The Pairings (randomized)

Beau & Tary - Daddy Issues

Veth & Ashton - Alcoholics

Fearne & Pike - Hot Girl Shit

Essek & Jester - Everyone has a Crush on Them

Grog & Caleb - Brains and Brawn

Fjord & Dorian - Shy Charisma Boys

FCG & Bertrand - Old Ass Man & Older Ass Robot

Laudna & Mollymauk - Back from the Dead

Vax & Imogen - Loves a Marisha

Percy & Yasha - Oh, So you have White Hair and Trauma?

Scanlan & Caduceus - All or Nothing

Vex & Orym - Keepers of the Brain Cell

Chetney & Keyleth - Animorphs

So same rules as double life, each couple has 3 lives and they share hp, last pair standing wins!

Beau and Tary take a minute to get along, but eventually they work together okay after bonding over their shitty dads. They spend quite a bit of time with Percy and Yasha. I think they would set up a thoroughly trapped base. I think they build a mansion and winery for their base and make a load of potions. They have an enchanting table for sure. Beau is very much the up close and personal fighter whereas Tary is a little more distant. He sends tnt minecarts and squishes people with anvils.

Veth and Ashton are both suspicious of each other at first, but they still get shit done. They get on better as they spend more time, realizing that at least the other won't stab them in the back. They make a bunker for a base, and stock it with booze, bolts, and fireworks. Veth traps the shit out of it. They are a terrifying combo in battle with Ashton up front and center taking hits and destroying people with his hammer and Veth picking off people from a distance with her crossbow. Veth does still spend a bit of time with Caleb on the side though.

Fearne and Pike get on fairly easily. They are both iconic and get shit done. Fearne loves to spy on everyone else and comes home with drama. She is also an arsonist and we love that for her. Pikey is more restrained in her chaos, but she is still out there causing problems. She sets off more traps than she would like to admit, but miraculously survives most of them. She is a bit better in combat than Fearne is but, they are both very good at surviving fights, even if they don't get the most kills. I think they build up a bakery and hide a bunker underneath it. They also just have several lava traps and fire pits around their home to defend it.

Essek and Jester already know each other and get on well. Together they build a beautiful tower, like the one in Tangled. It has several secret entrances and passageways. Jester seems like the type of person to have an army of tamed wolves. So she absolutely does, they all have special collars and are all named. They are both distance fighters as well so their towers works well to keep them out of harms way whilst they shoot arrows and throw fire charges as well as splash potions. Essek is a fancy lad and I fully believe that he has loads on end crystals and obsidian that he uses as his main weapon. Jester somehow got her hands on a trident (she stole it) and is wreaking havoc with that from the tower. Jester also keeps several bees just because she wants to.

Grog and Caleb get on okay at first, Grog is pretty friendly for the most part, but Caleb is wary of him. I think their base is a tower, but this tower has a bunker at the bottom that serves as a quick restock point for Grog since he is out on the battlefield with his axe wrecking shit. Caleb stays up in the tower mostly, shooting his fire charges, flame arrows, and pouring lava down the sides on the tower. Grog is very excited about all the traps that Caleb cooks up and happily uses his supply of end crystals whenever he can. They work well together.

Fjord and Dorian get on well, but is takes a minute for them to actually trust each other. Their base is a ship sat in the sky floating on clouds. These two are quite versatile in battle. They are good at both ranged and close combat. Fjord has several puffer-fish that he uses in close combat as well as his sword. Dorian uses his axe when in close combat. When at a distance they use their tridents and arrows. Fjord can be impulsive at times, but overall these two are some of the more peaceful members on the group. They don't have many traps set up, but they do have several alliances. They are allied with Beau, Tary, Essek, Jester, Orym, Vex, Caduceus, and Scanlan.

FCG and Bertrand get on alright, not the closest, but they do alright together. They do have the most accessible base out of everyone. It isn't trapped at all, but they are mostly left alone, well, their base is. Bertrand is a tricksy guy and manages to rile up many of the other folks. They don't dislike him, but they don't trust him either. FCG on the other hand is pretty well-liked and trusted. They are not the best in combat, but they seem to come out of it alive. Bertrand does know his way around a sword and FCG has an affinity for his crossbow.

Laudna and Mollymauk get on like a house on fire. They have the cutest home on the server. It is a cottage with a patchwork tent attached to the side. It is cozy and colorful. They have matching friendship bracelets that they made for each other and everything. They of course spend time with Imogen and Vax as well as Yasha and Percy. They spend quite a bit of time together as they wander the land together. If you spot one the other is likely somewhere nearby. As they get closer they swap stories about walking up from death. Molly is their close combat expert whereas Laudna is their sniper. Molly goes around with his swords and Laudna shoots from from far away with a bow.

Vax and Imogen are wary of each other at first, but eventually get on pretty well by the end. They share a house atop a hill where they have a pretty good view of several other people. Imogen has a stable of horses as well. They often ride into battle together, striking fast and retreating before people know what hit them. They often visit Vex and Orym, Keyleth and Chetney, as well as Laudna and Molly. Imogen is more of a distance fighter, but Vax is good either close up or at a distance.

Percy and Yasha eventually grow to trust each other but it starts out a bit rocky as they are both quiet around people they don't know or trust at first. They have a nice castle. Yasha has a beautiful garden and Percy has trapped the land around the castle thoroughly and has made several escape passages. He is already paranoid enough coming into this. Together they build makeshift graves to those they have lost after spending a lot of time together. Percy also makes a load of snipers perches around the map. Yasha goes with him and hides little caches of stuff by each hidden perch so that they are always ready for a fight wherever they are. She also stashes some food in his perches so that he doesn't run out of food. He often helps sharpen her blade and makes her a bunch of little things to help in battle.

Scanlan and Caduceus get on well enough. They respect each other. Caduceus is pretty calm and lives in a small cabin by Scanlan's mansion. Cad keeps a small mushroom garden and makes a load of potions that he shares with most anyone. They don't have any true enemies as they are just kind of vibing. There is usually music playing at their base. Scanlan gets a load of fire charges and end crystals from people just by asking. This man has a silver tongue and he knows how to use it. They don't have many traps, but the ones they have are weird and effective. They have several animals just roaming around their base. Scanlan is ruthless once the get into battle and so is Caduceus, after all, death and violence are very much parts of nature. They are oddly terrifying because of how fast they switch from being welcoming to just killing.

Vex and Orym get on pretty well. They work together extraordinarily well together. They make plans and stick to them. They are another ranged and close combat duo. They share a regular keep, nothing super fancy but it is nice and functional. They have several traps as is to be expected. They know what they're doing. They are good at using terrain to their advantage. Vex perches with her bow and Orym slips through battles causing damage as needed and catching hits on his shield. Vex keeps a few potions on her at all times just in case. They are prepared but not overly so and adapt as needed. Orym respects Vex and she is just happy to have someone who will actually follow the plans she makes, but will make ideas on the fly by himself as needed. They compliment each other, especially in battle.

Keyleth and Chetney take a minute to warm up but they get there, eventually. They have a base that is a huge oak and their basement is a hollow surrounded by roots. They are a bit worried about how flammable their base is as the days pass, but they store most of their better stuff under the earth anyways. They are an absolutely terrifying combo in combat. Chetney is always a wild card and an absolute menace, whereas Keyleth is terrryfying in her raw power and switch from being her more socially awkward, charming self, into a lean, mean, killing machine. These two often talk about their lengthened life spans what that means for Keyleth on top of Chetney's experiences. He gives her a bit of confidence she didn't have before and his rough edges have been softened a bit. They trust each other in battle completely. Sure Chetney will spy on people, dig tunnels under others bases, and steal from people, but he is her ally and they work well together.

Randomized Death Order

Vex & Orym

FCG & Bertrand  

Percy & Yasha

Essek & Jester

Grog & Caleb

Fearne & Pike 

Grog & Caleb  

Fjord & Dorian  

Essek & Jester  

Chetney & Keyleth  

Beau & Tary

Vax & Imogen

Fjord & Dorian

FCG & Bertrand

Laudna & Mollymauk

Grog & Caleb

Vax & Imogen

Scanlan & Caduceus

Fearne & Pike

Scanlan & Caduceus

Laudna & Mollymauk

Chetney & Keyleth

Veth & Ashton

Vex & Orym

Chetney & Keyleth

Laudna & Mollymauk

Scanlan & Caduceus

Vax & Imogen

Fjord & Dorian

Beau & Tary

Veth & Ashton

Percy & Yasha

Essek & Jester

Fearne & Pike

FCG & Bertrand

Vex & Orym

Percy & Yasha

Veth & Ashton

Beau & Tary - Winners!

[asterrrrion]

Fun fact about the Harbingers :

As you probably know, their names are italian (which... weird for a russian organisation but oh well), but what's less talked about is that all of the Harbingers' names are commedia dell'arte characters. (Also, "fatui" isn't italian, it's latin, plural of fatuus, adjective meaning dumb foolish jerk basically).

For people who don't know about the commedia dell'arte, quick history lesson. La commedia dell'arte is an italian genre of theater that spread across Europe in the 16th century.

The representations were based on several characters (always the same with the same names) identified by their mask, who played a comedy with generally various levels of improvisation. The basic plot was kinda always the same : two people in love, the parents won't let them marry, cue dramatic comedy with ridiculous characters everywhere. It was popular, absolutely not noble.

The first harbinger, Pierro, is a sad clown in the commedia dell'arte. Literally, which ties back to his "jester" codename. He's dressed entirely in white with touches of black, and is naive but trustworthy, kind and sad because in love with Columbina who breaks his heart. The interesting thing about Pierro, though, is that he's an outcast, and was used by many philosophical movements : he was considered a disillusioned idealist and later a silent observer of the human condition. He's also a zanni, so a servant. Pedrolino, however, said to be Pierro's ancestor, is an incredibly smart troublemaker and manipulator, who survives by putting himself at the service of others.

Next is Il Dottore ! He's dressed all in black, with a white ruff and a big pretentious hat. He's a doctor, obviously, (and also his name literally means the doctor so maybe his codename being just the doctor in a different language is kinda dumb), but a bad one, and he doesn't actually know anything about medicine but is always pretending to. He uses a lot of pig latin to cover up his ignorance. His main interactions are with Pantalone, generally as a friend and mentor, sometimes as an opposant.

Third, Columbina, is a servant, often of the main female character. She has a patched ragged dress and heavy makeup around her eyes. She's basically the only one with braincells, as she's the one that has to put the two lovers together in the story. She's often shown to be a prostitute and a gossipy servant, always having something to say about the people around. Very down to earth character, also. Most of the times, she's in love with Arlechinno, or his best friend, and she's flirtatious and impudent. Basically the insolent, confident servant with common sense that helps her mistress.

Since we don't have the next in ranks, let's just do Pulcinella : characterized by his white clothes and his black mask with a long nose, he's one of the most well-known commedia dell'arte characters. He's an opportunist, a scheming bastard, always trying to rise in the societal order. He's also a thief, and very often perverted in the sexual sense. He's sometimes depicted as a noble, but more often as a servant. His only motivations are self-serving, and yet he always saves the main characters in the end. He's deemed as a savior despite also being a selfish asshole. He's also completely unable to shut up, but always manage to win. Those character traits and the fact that he's supposed to embody the spirit of the plebs is probably why his codename is The Rooster.

Arlecchino's codename suits her : a knave is a deceitful person, but used to mean a male or boy servant, which is exactly what Arlecchino is in the commedia dell'arte. Probably the most known one, his clothes are squares of different colours patched together, because he doesn't have the money to pay for clothes, and yet they look cool. He's a boyish reckless trickster, resourceful, agile and funny. He's in love with Columbina and often tries to make his master's plan fail (his master being the antagonist of the play) to help the lovers. Although, his mischievous nature and his physical abilities are apparently inherited from a devil character in older theater plays... His mask retains the colours from Hellequin, the demon he's based of from.

Il Capitano, whose codename also means the same thing as his name does, is one of the funniest commedia dell'arte characters. He's dressed in glorious clothes, all in red and gold, a feather attached to his hat and a big sword to his belt. He's a soldier, a decorated military man, and a total coward. His role in the plays is to come every time something suspicious is happening and then to run away when it looks like it could be dangerous. He's full of himself and is always telling everyone about how great he is. He doesn't have a lot of interactions with the others seeing as they hate him.

Now, Scaramouche's (pronounced Scaramoosh) name doesn't sound very italian, because it's not : it's the translation in french of Scaramuccia, the character's italian name. The meaning of the name is "small skirmisher", so a small front line soldier, which is also his codename in Chinese. But The Balladeer also makes sense: he's often depicted with a music instrument. He's dressed all in black, and his clothes are those of a noble, but he's been demoted as a servant in later plays. He's also an obnoxious scaredy cat who always end up being beaten, but he was once, under the name Pasquino, seen as an intriguing servant, a big liar and a smart character. He's also unreliable which... checks out.

Sandrone's (Sandrone with the first e of schedule for example) codename is Marionette (mahrionett), which means puppet in french. In the commedia dell'arte, she's a male peasant who's cunning and crude. His costume is made in something similar to velvet, and he's supposed to be the spokesperson of poor people that can't make ends meet and have to get tricky for that. He also has a family, a wife and a son. He first appeared as a puppet character in puppet theaters.

La Signora (pronounced as La Sinyora not as La Sig-nora) means "the lady" in italian, and she wears very big dresses and a lot of makeup. She's Pantalone's wife but cheats on him, and although she sometimes starts out as a courtesan she always end up in a rich guy's home. She's very tough and beautiful, and also very cold, calculating. Her motivation is the fulfillment of her physical need and she's very materialistic. She'll do what she needs to to have more dresses and jewels and sex. Following only this, her codename might mean fair as in beautiful.

Pantalone is always dressed in all reds with a long black coat. His name comes from his clothes, as he lived in a time where long pants weren't common (and also his pants are more stocking at this point, there's a moment when something is too tight to be called pants). He's a greedy old man, and is seen as an antagonist. He's usually a father or a husband getting cheated on, and he's very, very rich yet doesn't use his money. His only friend is Il Dottore. He's also perverted and part of the bourgeoisie (so not a noble but high part of society because rich). He's a strict dad and yet his kids always find a way to get things past him, and literally nobody except Il Dottore likes him.

Last but not least, our boy Tartaglia (which I BEG YOU to stop pronouncing Tartagulia that's the worst pronunciation ever. The right way to say his name is more of a Tartaya, the gli sound in Italian is between a y and an l). Codename : Childe, which a lot of people think is weird but is actually even weirder when you know his character is originally a middle to old aged man. He's also a family man (as in a father) and represents the lower working class. Tartaglia means Stutterer, because he's very clumsy and has a stutter that won't go away. He has a long sword and a big hat, but is always dressed mainly in green. He's friendly, and a dreamer always lost in thought.

I think that's it ! We can see that the harbingers took more than the name of their counterpart I think.

[isawken]

Aight answer me. What kind of jester fit would you want. Is it bicolor? Does it have the elf ears? Bells? How many and where? Layered or a onesie? How many tubes on the head piece if any?

bless you SO much for this question i've put a reasonable amount of thought into this (<- lying)

absolutely bicolor, i'm on that red and yellow type beat all the way down. if i had my true druthers i'd go for a more mottled harlequin diamond type thing but i'd be happy with the standard bicolor. hood with pointed ears. bells around the neck of the collar of the hood piece. bells on the wrists, but not the ankles. no more than 5 bells, quite small, on each piece. two piece suit. i was originally gonna say one piece bc it would allow for acrobatic stunts without having to worry about me dropping trou but if i'm gonna try to have an illicit affair with my royal sponsor (and you know i will) dropping trou could serve me well in that arena. also i would have one marotte that was a caricature of my face and another that was of my liege's and i'd make em kiss like a child playing with two barbie dolls

[meandmyechoes]

Kingohger ep30

rita centric again, dying already since a week ago.

here it comes~!

no i'm not nervous at all, because death is certain.

i rewatched ep16 as official asked but i'm very alert they urge people to watch live

btw the reminder video yesterday is so cute!!

oh Tosa is back!

Yes Jeramie you have my praise 😭

ohhh go go go pamper them

Arm! good one himeno-sama!

they just. she just KNOWS how to play Rita in her hand.

okay i get it this ep is just starting with two dates

Genki ka? a lil pause and so soft Taisei's delivery 😭

fluff time over in a minute

wait wait open visual wdym with the emblem you're not telling me it's jeramie's dad!

BUG YURI

lol relatable finishing the food too fast because you don't know how to social

Yuzuki straightening a bit before raising the moffun question. precious.

absolutely surreal to me. why is rita's voice coming out of yuzuki's face.

oh… that's the spell Rita said OH OH

my stream keeps breaking up *missed flashback*

Did the child actor grew a lot taller since last time??

new song…

but how did Karras kept the browness?

Yeah that's the part I felt on rewatch, Shiron and Rita totally understood what "Seal" means but no one in and out universe

Woah. She's already dead. That's convenient (no no no i want Rita to have living parents 😭)

Erica's anger act improved a lot since 14

hmmm i was sure Jester is Jeramie's Dad or parasiting his body at least

hmmm but Jeramie doesn't recognize this man (his dad IS in his flashback)

lmao Dugded can't count

AHHHHH NOOOOOO HE KILLED SHIRON TOO FUUUUUCKKK

HE DIDN'T GET TO SEE HIS WIFE ONE LAST TIME FUUUUUUCK FUUUUUUUCK KAMEJIM

FUUUUUUUCK HE SPENT TWO YEARS LOOKING FOR HER AND NOOOOOO

A player of life, what a nemsis for Himeno the doctor as well! (what thata about Takamina's mentor first rider work *cough* (ex-aid is what reignited my toku fever)

watashi ga yuruganai *sounds of heartbreak*

woah ok. I can take this. At least they didn't have Moffun speak and break the atmosphere

YANMA'S FOAM SWORD

老媽子？！

jaw dropped

😦😯

yeah i called this ep linked to Jeramie but like this is too much

Kingoh's female characters really is the best…

i'm so shocked i forget to record the first 3 minutes of Kasumi's live, again.

ah new kingoh episde, i feel alive again (heartbroken)

---- pre-essay ----

i just wanna say i'm exhausted (irl) and i'm exhausted from kingoh serving us nothing but despair and angst and apparently same for next week too. so even when i'm relieved we know what's coming up i really need a break when daigo shows up (break = waking up at noon to watch subs instead of live at 8).

I don't know what emotion should I bring to watching this episode. I approached it all clinical figuring out a flow but i just know i'll be wrong (good). I have no idea how the episode would end though - or that we'd even realize it has reach the endpoint (good thing for commercial breaks ig). Is Rita gonna be out of action for a bit? Or is it going to connect to Jeramie's background?

you see at this point i don't even care if himerita gets "canon" or who won in the end 🏵🦋 or 🦋👓 they are all canon to me. i'm just having a LOVELY time enjoying the relationships being developed naturally instead of feeling advertised. honestly i wouldn't mind if they turn the queer bait to cash like lupat pink/yellow i'm very willing to be deceived if more content this time.

[tsuki-sennin]

Two years have past since the end of the war with the Bugnarok Empire. Under the guidance of its new King, Jeremy Brasieri, the Bugnarok are now recognied by the other five kings as their own sovereign nation. However... centuries of pain cannot be undone so soon. Not when the world faces ever greater peril.

And... after that... Freaky Friday x 3.

Spoilers, I guess...

-Oh.

-He dead.

-Kamejim's an alien, huh?

-Ohhhhhhhh, that's a lot of bugs.

-Well, his majesty King Gira certainly looks older.

-Everybody seems to be resting on their laurels.

-Rita would be ashamed.

-"Oh... I see... Well, that's not the least bit surprising."

-What the hell happened to our worldwide government?

-"Please stop crying, it's not your fault! D:"

-The aliens are coming! We've been compromised!

-"I do, yeah!"

-Dugden Dujardin...

-"Right, here's the deal. You're all gonna hand your planet over to me.

-THEY THREW THEM IN JAIL?

-WHY THO

-RITA YOU RUN THE JAILS HOW-

-"Hey buddy, you lied to me, y'know?"

-Ohhhhhhhhh

-Holy shit

-This guy is just Bug-type Evolt.

-Oh my God.

-Y'know, I can't say I expected intergalactic genocide from this show.

-"Wow, you're right! I am mocking you."

-I have to say, the green screen halos add a lot to how surreal and terrifying he is.

-Hey, wait a fucking second, that's America on that earth model!

-All that with a flick.

-He nearly destroyed all of America.

-Racules you motherfucker

-Gira says "Up yours, Dugdump."

-Whoaaaaaaaa, who is that?

-J

-Jesters.

-Gorma...

-Man's got his own roster.

-Jimmy, of course, was here the whole time.

-I suppose God's sitting this one out.

-The Tyrant King returns.

-Ohsama Sentai! King-Ohger!

-Lovin' the new hair, Yanma.

-Kaguragi seems just about the same as he always is.

-Ran, on the other hand... Absolutely serving.

-Oh, short hair Rita. Love it.

-Rita's one gray eye...

-We are so back. ...even though really it hasn't been that long.

-"Freeze, stinkbug."

-Oh great, Jimmy slipped away.

-Oh

-Oh my god.

-What kind of fucking PC needs global power siphoning?

-HIMENO CAUSED A WILD FIRE

-KAGURAGI CREATED A FARM TANK

-RITA WOULDN'T FUCKING TAKE A VACATION

-Yes, kings are back, I saw last episode.

-Intergalactic clown bugs.

-We traded Dezzy for this jhkhkl

-Gorma's already come up with a perfect scheme~!

-Kaguragi's a flasher I see.

-Oh wait, no Himeno???

-Goddamn, Kaguragi's living it up.

-Yanma, you're in the middle of a tundra, why the hell did you take Rita's shoes off?

-There is literally no episode premise better for an ensemble cast like this than a Freaky Friday plot.

-Ohhhhh, I noticed that Rita covered Yanma's eye. It must be blind.

-The actors are absolutely nailing each other's mannerisms, holy crap.

-I'm glad Kaguragi and Jeremy are enjoying themselves :)

-Himeno's still absolutely serving in Kaguragi's body.

-"Yanma... please... hurry up, I need it."

-"Dude, c'mon, you're already making yourself home in my body, at least-"

-"GIVE!"

-My current theory as to why Rita covers their mouth so much is because they have an oral stim they view as particularly embarassing. I imagine it must've hurt a lot when Gira laughed so hard.

-It is so weird hearing Rita's voice speaking so casually.

-Apparently Ran's not built enough for Kaguragi's liking.

-"Oh, trust me, Mantis Lady! You gotta knead your dough and feel the burn to make a nice, extra crispy bread."

-Gorma Jumpscare.

-Gorma Rosalia...

-Ninpo! Body Swap Art!

-"Beat me, and you'll be heading right home."

-Ohgai Busou!

-Oh, right, just because the minds switch around doesn't mean the authorization does.

-Nin!

-Oh, Rita smiled, that's nice :)

-"Jeremy, you're thinking a little too generously..."

-And this is Gira saying this, so you know this is gonna be a geopolitical nightmare.

-Jesus Christ Himeno jkjhjkmnhl

-Well at least Kaguragi's employing a bit of aid.

-SEBAS WHAT

-"No fighting."

-C

-Cross-brained fox.

-"I'm arresting each and every last one of you bastards!"

-Yanma, Yanma, Yanma, Yanma!

-Aw, Jeremy :)

-Not the least bit surprising that Gira and Jeremy are taking this the best.

-"Whaaaaaaaat? Nooooo, nooooooo, I don't think the Bugnarok are responsible for this, nooooooo!"

-Huh

-I have to disagree Jeremy, that was insanely quick, considering.

-Heat stroked out.

-Having a bit of a wild day.

-"Suppose we've spent a bit too much money on healthcare..."

-There's a certain elegance in Kaguragi's interpretation of Kamakiri Ohger.

-That's a really cool way of tying the body swaps into the fight scene though, I won't lie.

-They mad.

-Bang!

-That's our Jeremy.

-We won! Technically!

-Now to remove the Ninja

-OH FUCK

-Ohhhhhhh, you're one tricky son of a bitch, aren't you Gorma?

-Oh man, shit's getting real now.

[popstarryl0]

POPSTAR DIARY #4

RYL0 @ Boiler Room x Subculture:

THAT'S A WRAP!

As far as 35mm photos go, this is all I got left.

I already made my big long posts about what went down & how I felt, so there's honestly not much more too it. All these pics are specifically from Day 2 of the event, and obviously I'm not in my typical Popstar uniform (metallic bikini, leather thong, and fishnets). Since Day 1 was filled with so many moving parts and was lowkey stressful as hell, I was determined to just have the most fun possible as a ✨fan✨ on the second night.

I still had to come fitted up though so I wore my Elena Fortune shorts, my new Collina Strada x Melissa sandals, and a massive hickey for that classic off-duty-niche-internet-micro-celebrity-low-effort look LOL. I very much felt like I was cosplaying as some kind of chronically online court jester, but it was still a serve idc.

Everyone I saw that night made me transcend to a different plane forreal, but overall EVERYONE I saw over the course of those two nights were absolutely amazing.

Artists I Saw at Boiler Room x Subculture

I wanted to see more, but between conflicting times and socializing out on the patio, this everyone I could squeeze in!

B4DFRI3ND (our song together literally just came out today!!!)

Death Tour

Midwxst

That Kid

Mood Killer

Antifa Battle Angel (we went to college together which will never not be funny to me)

Emotegi

Jedwill

Umru

Petal Supply

Frost Children

Fantasyluv

Ericdoa

Milkfish

Hikeii

[theprincessandherloyalprotector]

“He was very sweet,” I smile softer and then lean back as the dinner is served.

Daemon and Aemma fall into easy conversation as all of you eat, with Rhaenyra watching him nearly the entire time.

He’s so very happy to be home, and settles in quickly, thinking he’ll get to be there a while.

Until the greatest threats are resurgent once more and Daemon is shipped out along with ever soldier King’s Landing has to offer. Including the Velaryon fleets, and everyone else who has pledged their allegiance to the crown.

Daemon fearlessly leads the armies through fight after fight, his only goal being to end the war and get back home to you.

Days turn into weeks. Weeks turn into months. Months turn into a year. He manages to come home for Yule and spends every waking moment he can with you, only joining Rhaenyra for a visit whenever you’re absolutely too busy to see him. Which is rare.

And then a year turns into two years. Then three. He can never make it home for your birthday, which breaks his heart. How is it fair that he has to send you gifts by a raven or by shipment instead of giving them to you himself?

Sure, you have Yule together each year. But… he loses his birthday. Loses your birthday. None of it is fair. Every time he sees you, he notices how much you have grown since the last time. And each time he is home, he is different as well. His most recent visit was marked by reactions to loud noises and nightmares every other night. He’s quieter. Not as big a jester as he was before. A maturity has been honed in him as if it was forged at the blacksmith as roughly as his sword was. His youth? Gone. Sure, he has his moments and days where he’s happy and joking and playing around, but his exhaustion outweighs the rest some days.

This is now the fourth year he has been at war and the fighting has reached its worst yet. All of his men are dying. Starving. He’s starving. He’s lost more blood than he thought possible but he still pushes forward. His injuries grow by the week, and his body hurts terribly.

It doesn’t help that he’s now sitting in a cave during a rare calm moment, sobbing with his head in his hands. The enemy is recuperating and instead of doing so himself he’s experiencing the harsh snap of his very last straw. His mental stability? Gone. His will to keep going? Gone.

What’s the point? He won’t be able to come home this year. He won’t be able to see you. At all. Every year he’s managed a small visit but the war has officially gotten too bad.

Caraxes stays curled up outside the cave to look out, whining softly every few minutes as Daemon just continues to wail.

When his sadness dissipates into madness and a frightening numbing feeling, he spends ten minutes beating the shit out of some dead guy in the cave with him, until his knuckles are bloody.

And then, once he’s at the brink of exhaustion, he grabs his journal and starts to write you a letter. His hand shakes and fucks up his handwriting but he couldn’t care. It won’t get any better anyway. He continues to write even as he has to look at his writing through tear-blurred vision.

My darling wife,

The war has reached a new height of violence that I admit I’ve never seen before. My days are full of blood, sweat, death, and fear. I often fall asleep wondering if I will rise to see another day.

It pains me beyond explanation that I must stay. I cannot come home for Yule. Our forces are too depleted and victory too vital for the safety of the kingdom.

I am so sorry, Lilium. Please do not be angry with me. Please. If I had any say in the matter I would be home with you right now, far away from this wretched, hopeless wasteland. I am so sorry.

Please give everyone a hug for me. Please pray for me. I did not consider myself religious but I do not think I can hold up much longer in these conditions.

I hope to see you so soon. I miss you so very much. So much it aches. And it’s not just my injuries, it’s in my chest. My heart. My soul.

I am so sorry.

I love you with everything I have.

- Daemon

He sobs harder as he rolls to the paper and ties it tight with a small rope he found before forcing himself to his feet.

Caraxes studies Daemon and gently nudges him with his snout, whimpering again.

“W-We cannot go h-home, old boy,” Daemon sniffles. “Go… go lick your wounds if- if you need. I’ll tend to mine later.”

He limps out of the cave and delivers the letter to the boy who typically runs them for the soldiers before moving back to Caraxes.

When the letter arrives at King’s Landing, Dina slowly walks it down the hall, terrified for you to see what’s inside. Because… upon glancing at the outside of the letter and holding it…

Blood crusts the paper, staining it in dark puddles here and there. And it’s so dirty. If the letter has been through hell and back to get here, what has Daemon gone through?

“My Lady?” She asks quietly as she enters the chambers. “I… I have a letter…”

[akaanir-of-starfleet]

#lisbet is bastian's best friend #in many ways she serves the role of the court jester: the one person who can truly say anything to him no matter how outrageous #she will make fun of him and bust his balls and bring him back down to earth #and Bastian grumbles and protests and knows that he needs it and loves her for it #lisbet's ideas are usually completely bizarre but she always has a thought for how they could actually work #and her brainwaves have led to some of Bastian's most implausible accomplishments #there is a flinty vulnerability to her: #she refuses to change for anyone but that's not to say their judgemental reactions don't hurt #but now that she's the king of France's bestie no one can say shit to her anymore and she's having a lot more fun (via @pyrrhiccomedy)

#bastian is.....lowkey obsessed with her #she's his best friend and HAS been his best friend for a long time #he threw in with her when she threatened a group of fairy guards with a knife and tried to jump out a window #he covered her escape because he liked the absolute fucking guts that took #and when they reunited he asked her to come with him and she agreed #less of a 'leave your nets and follow me' and more of a 'I'll stick with this weird rich guy because I don't have anything else going on' #she talked so frankly to him right out the gate - absolutely unimpressed by The Second Son Of The Duke Of Burgundy but in on /bastian/ #there was actually frisson of attraction between the two of them at the start #something that felt like it COULD be something one day but not quite yet ... and then as time passed they got so close that #any kind of sexual connection was absolutely out of the question #a pair of 20-somethings who struggled to be vulnerable but could be with one another #as long as they were shoulder to shoulder and looking somewhere else #bastian would kill and die for her and he has cleared such a space in his garden for her #her potential is enormous and he has faith in the fire inside of her to spread and reach and become legendary #the alchemist and archer at his side #she stayed with him for so long at her own expense and he is so glad that she's found her footing at last #she's about to get married and has petitioned the sunflower king and answers to no one #bastian's greed and hunger for himself is almost matched by what he wants for her: everything she can close her burning mind around #(I love you lisbet I'm so proud) (via @wizzard890)

Lisbet - The Devil's Alchemist

The first attendant to the antichrist was his death-touched squire;

The second was his fairy wife.

Lisbet was the third.

Born a trapper's daughter, raised an iconoclast: she was proud and peculiar, literate and skeptical, blunt and awkward and unbending in the wind. The devil was nothing to her until proven otherwise. This witch-touched great lord was a man like any other. She spoke plainly, thought clearly, and with her bow and her dog and her knowledge of the wood, in the face of censure she could always walk away.

The antichrist knew that he would never find another Lisbet: a genius, a free thinker, a slow-growing but powerful tree. It took years for her roots to find purchase in the alien soil he had transplanted her to: years of self-doubt, uncertainty, unhappiness and frustration. But in his garden of thistles, thorns, and arrowroots, he made room for a great oak.

It grows more quickly now. The shade from its canopy begins to creep out across the world.

She has invented the cannon; guessed the nature of the Emperor-Wolf; wrapped the mantle of the alchemist around her shoulders; never knelt to anyone.

Her brain crackles with strange fire. Her hands grope out to find the levers of the world.