#v. shining in your light. ( pre canon )

[victoriousfidelity]

@emeraldxphoenix said: "Marry me."

The statement is made so abruptly that, for a moment, all Sigyn can do is stare at them - at this mercurial, magnificent person who has been her dearest friend and the love of her life for so long that she can barely remember a time when that wasn't the case.

There is no hiding the way her surprise turns to pure affection as she reaches for their hand, threading her fingers between theirs.

"Provided that was a sincere proposal," She starts, smiling. "Yes."

[penvisions]

return the favor {chapter 22}

Pairing: Post Outbreak! Joel Miller x Smuggler! Reader || M! OC x Pre Boston QZ! Reader (flashback scenes)

Summary: Memories often spring up at the worst of times, but as you continue to travel alone there's not much else to occupy your mind.

Word Count: 3.5k

Warnings: minor character death, m! oc death, canon typical violence, canon typical language, cursing, insult, sexual content, non con, allusions to non con sexual advances, allusions to p in v, unprotected p in v that results in pregnancy, kissing, pregnancy, symptoms of pregnancy, mentions of nausea but no vomiting, allusions to child loss, fighting, blood, reader gets injured, joel gets injured, guns, gun violence, self-depreciating internal monologue, if i left anything out pls lemme know!

A/N: trying something new with this chapter, i hope it reads well! thank you to everyone who participated in the poll for the next few chapters of this fic! this one is a little shorter, but the next one will be a doozy. my mind is a little overwhelmed with school and tutoring and four different WIPS

ao3 link || series masterlist || main masterlist || ko-fi

Joel was trying.

He was trying to tamp down the anxiety he knew would thrum in his veins the second the gates of Jackson closed behind him. Back out in the unknown and unpredictable landscape. Winter was granting him a passive day, no snow, no biting wind, cloud coverage clear for the sky to shine a light blue to crystal clear you would think it was a brisk summer day. But the pause in extreme weather aside from the near freezing temperature did nothing to quell the pulse beneath his skin.

He was alone, traveling with a teenager he had come to care about in a dangerous way.

The journey had been meant to be made with Tess, first. Strong-willed, no-nonsense saint of a woman for taking what he could offer her and not asking for anything in return. Just wanting to share space and renown within a controlled setting that allowed for them to execute their runs and make what passed for a decent living back in what was left of the quarantine zones. To share their bodies when human nature sparked connection in the oldest and most instinctual of ways. She had turned an eye to his abuse of the very same things they traded for food, for water, for supplies for their shabby apartment that had seen far better days before they stepped foot inside.

Then journey was then meant to be made with you. A surprise in the moments after her death. Skilled in many things and willing to help a man suddenly saddled with a teenager he had no clue how to interact with. But he had, once upon a time. The situation tasting of irony and self-destruction. Selfless to the point of disembarking on your own path in the wake of his own attempt at running when faced with something too real for the world. Maybe in the Before times, it would have worked out. Perhaps a meet cute as he delivered his brother to an urgent care for a drunken blunder, a work accident he himself fell victim to, or a begged visit for Sarah should she had fallen off her bike or taken a tumble in soccer practice. Maybe then it would have been given life, hopeful glances and lingering touches that would have turned into nervous dates. Nervous dates that would give way to regular familiarity and then heated nights beneath sheets of his bed.

But it had never should’ve blossomed in the now, in the after. And yet, it had tried.

Ellie was mad. She wasn’t trying.

Not the first day at least.

Speaking when spoken to, ire and hurt flaring uncomfortably in moments he could sense weren’t aimed at him. At least not completely. Aimed at you, for going back on your word. Something you wouldn’t have had to do if he hadn’t screwed up so monumentally by falling for you. He had been wrong in his accusations, throwing the proposition you made to him all those days ago back in your face. Like you had forced yourself on him, forced him into thinking of you that way, of wanting you that way. But it had been him, his decision to take you up on it in his grief. Wanting to feel something other than the gaping hole that seemed to eat up more and more of him as the years went by.

But instead of just taking his body in the ways he allowed you to, you had also begun to heal that black hole he was made up of. Slowly and so minimally at a time that he hadn’t noticed until it was too late.

He stopped and made the time to teach her how to shoot the rifle, hoping it would help to bring her out of her shell. And it worked, he silently thanked the universe, it worked. She was cracking jokes and quipping like normal. Mirth lighting up her eyes and questions flowing from her. And he indulged them, as best he could. Telling her of how he supported himself before the world fell apart. About how he always dreamed of singing and making music.

But just as everything seemed to be on the mend, it was broken once again.

With the crack of a wooden bat.

“A-Angelo?” You voice was as shaky as your reaching hands, fingers brushing against the man’s face only a few steps away. He was older, that much was certain. Only a year apart back then, back when the world functioned in an entirely different way. Only a year apart, but two decades of time separating you now, turned into completely different people. A wave of emotions at finding your family by pure chance and circumstance in the wilds of a state you had never been to before while on your way to look for them hit hard. You both surged forward and embraced, the man’s arms coming around you and tightening.

“I thought it was you, the hair,” He choked out, deep voice cracking. He was so broad, tall frame looming over you, developed fully into a man who had survived the worst of nature and humanity. Just as you had grown into a woman who took nothing of ill nature aimed at you, taking the things that had happened to you and using it as a foundation to be stronger.

“It’s me, I’m okay.” You gripped his shoulders tight, pushing him back a little to look him over.

“No injuries, no bites, you’re okay?”

“Yes, yes, I’m okay….We both are.”

That’s when your mind decided to remind you of the other voice you heard, the feminine one.

A young girl, no more than her teens and far too skinny was half concealed behind a tree trunk a few yards away. Her eyes were brown, honey brown and beautiful and they reminded you of so many people lost to space and time. They shown just as Taylor’s had done, once upon a time. Like you had both talked of wishing to see on a bright new, chubby face…

“Oh.” The phantom jolt of a kick felt through the skin of your aunt’s stomach so many years ago sprung to life in the palm of your hand. “Oh, Angelo. I’m-I’m so sorry.”

He detached from you, taking a few steps toward the girl, now in between you both equally. He held out a hand to her, his gloves tattered and stitching frayed in certain places.

“It’s okay, she’s okay. She’s family.”

“You’re so beautiful,” You gently coached her out, hoping nice words would help her to feel safe. “I’ve never met you, but I’ve waited a very long time to. You- you can call me by my name or Bean, if you’d like?”

“This is our cousin, from mom’s side. Do you remember her saying that we needed to go East?”

A small nod, wide eyes taking in the situation.

“It was to find her. She’s good, smart, she can help keep us alive.”

“You’ve been doing good on your own.” She didn’t move, not taking a step to back away and put distance between you nor toward you in a hesitant greeting. Her wide brown eyes were alert, telling of the things she’d experienced and been witness to. Of how cautious she was in the face of new people, a good thing to be but completely unwarranted in this particular case.

“Yes, but…Adela, we…we need help. This season, it’s harsh and we don’t know this land as well.”

“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, I know we’re practically strangers but we are related. I know that doesn’t mean much these days to some people, but it means a great deal to me. I will do everything in my power to protect you, just like your brother.”

Hours later, after a shared meal and an introduction of your gifted appaloosa, camp was made and secured. Adela was fast asleep, one of the blankets you had tucked underneath the saddle wrapped around her small frame inside her sleeping bag. Light snoring sounding from the bundle she made against the horse.

“We’re the only ones that made it.” Angelo said before you could even figure out how to ask after everyone. Outbreak day a rather taboo subject amongst those that survived it. For Joel, at least, for you it was easier to divulge but still not a light subject to talk about. You had been willing with Ellie, with Maria.  The first to quell her curious questions, to allow her another perspective on the events before her time that shaped the world into the one that she knew. The second to appeal to her, to connect with someone who felt comfortable.

“We didn’t know anything was going on for a while, you know how it is working in a ware. house all day. But when I got home that evening, apparently grandma had passed during the morning. Scared the hell out of everyone when she came sprinting into the living room and lunged at dad.”

“I…I can’t imagine, I’m so sorry. I know I had a missed call from the house that day, but I had been running late. And then, you know….”

“It’s okay,” One of his gloved hands reached out, taking the closest one of yours and squeezing. “We both made it, Adela made it. I love our family and cared so much for everyone, but this world is too harsh for them. It was always going to be us and that’s the only comfort I have in what happened.”

Silently agreeing, you squeezed his hand back. He was right, your grandparents had softened in their age, his parents and your father caring for them together. Soft in their endearment too, not suited for a life of constant unrest, of constant fear and paranoia. Of scrounging for food and basic supplies, having to defend what was yours by any means necessary.  

“I was traveling with a man from Boston QZ and a girl, we were trying to find her family out this way. The last lead would’ve taken us to the University of Eastern Colorado.” You admitted over dinner the next day, having taught Adela the basics of how to properly interact with a horse, how to climb up in the saddle. While she was tall, she was skinny. Alarmingly so, but Angelo assured you that he always made sure she had enough to eat. He was willing to go without to provide for her, to ensure her still growing body had as much as it needed, or close to it at least.

“We were just there,” He took a breath, savoring the smell of the coffee that you had brewed for him as you all settled around the fire for the night. Scraps of foil that had contained easy, portioned meals to through on the fire that Maria had provided you with. “Well, around there. We came across a group of people settled into an old lodge town. Not to far from the city actually.”

Something about the man’s tone had you delaying your questions until Adela had laid down to rest for the night, tired from the day of interaction. But she was warming up to you, a familiar comfortability between you both as you talked to her about her mother. She admitted quietly that Angelo wasn’t willing to talk about their parents, people she had never had the chance to meet. The chaos of Outbreak day and those following it too much for him to talk about.

“We-uh, we left the group pretty quickly.” The man cleared his throat, turning around to ensure that his little sister was indeed asleep and not feigning it in order to eavesdrop. “The leader, god – what was his name? It doesn’t matter, he was so nice at first. Preaching about how people need to stick together, that his flock chose him to lead them and look after them.”

Your heart sank to your stomach, religious fanatics always putting you on edge. The way they manipulated the words of the bible in order to further their own agenda. And the way Angelo described him as initially nice and welcoming. A ploy, a trap laid out to ensnare people.

“But the first morning there, he came to visit us in the small set up they provided us with. Asked Adela to go out on a walk with him while I was still asleep. She hadn’t wanted to go, but felt obligated. Like he was just going to give her a tour or somethin’ and it was harmless, ya know?”

The rush of blood in your ears was loud, but you strained against it, needing to hear the words coming from the man beside you.

“He- that motherfucker, he exposed himself to her. Said that if she wanted to stay and use their resources that she needed to earn her keep. She begged me to leave right that second, to gather our stuff and make a run for it. But I don’t her we needed to act like nothing happened, to wait until nightfall and take what we could. So we did….but if you said you were traveling with a girl…brown hair, short, scar in her eyebrow?”

“Yes.” You breathed out, body thrumming with fear. No….no…there was no way Ellie could’ve been taken by the same men. She wouldn’t willingly go with anyone, had been hesitant to even let you or Joel out of her sight for too long….That meant…Joel had to have been injured in order for them to steal her away from him.

“She was unconscious, they were…they were carrying her into the settlement.”

Your head shot up, drink spilling over your hands cupped around the thermos.

“No.” You stood, hands steady despite the flood of emotions raging around in your mind. “No, no, no. I know those people, without them I wouldn’t have made it back out this way. We traveled from the other coast.”

It was late, but you didn’t care. You were gathering everything you needed, your pack and half of the food supply.

Adela roused at the noise, springing up and reaching for your hands.

“No, please, don’t leave us. We’ve lost too much already.” Tears were in her wide eyes, tugging at your heart in more ways than one. You crouched down in front of her, clasping your gloved hands around her own. Giving her your undivided attention.

“Honey, please, listen to me. I’m- I – I don’t want to leave you two, but I have to. Please understand. The girl that you saw, that was…she’s important to me. And she needs my help. I’ll see you again, I promise. I swear to you, Adela, I will see you again. Behind the walls of Jackson, we can…we can have a life there.”

Standing, you pulled her into a tight embrace.

“I’ll tell you embarrassing stories about your brother from when we were little.”

Pulling the map from your pocket, you circled the spot for Jackson with a marker.

“Here, this map will get you back to a settlement. Jackson. It’s large, has walls, it works. Ask for Maria or Tommy, tell them my name and that I sent you. Tell them you’re my family, you are. Take this,” You moved to wrap your old coat you had draped over your lap over the small frame of the girl and push the map that would lead them back to Jackson in the man’s hands.

The man surged up and gripped you tight in a bear hug, his body wrapped completely around you like he would do ever since he had begun to tower over you as children.

“Please, be safe!”

“Seek refuge in Jackson. I’ll return there, I promise.” You urged as you mounted the horse, reigns tight in your hands.

You clicked your tongue and tugged hard, urging the horse forward. The sound of hooves beating on the frozen ground was the only sound in the quiet, frozen night.

The remains of the a few bodies were scattered about the derelict campus that had been the destination sought out by them. Joel and Ellie. Those you were searching for nowhere to be seen, only hints of them in the bullet casings, the torn-up dirt, a bat broken in half- the jagged ends of one piece soaked in a deep red stain of blood. Joel’s, if your cousin’s words and your spiraling thoughts were correct.

Internally cursing at the man for pulling it out, for not waiting for a better moment, for not thinking in the haze his mind must’ve been.

Just as you began to trace the trail of rather fat droplets, you heard the crunch of someone stepping on fallen leaves behind you. Before you could even turn around completely to face them, someone was wrapping their arms around your neck, cutting off your air.

Your last thought was of Angelo and Adela. Of Joel and Ellie.

‘It was hot. Sweltering. And your dress was too tight over your swollen middle. It was a small bump, barely visible from the front, more so from the side. You had thought you indulged in too much food one evening after a deer had been caught but the teasing jab soon delved into something more serious. Especially when the swelling hadn’t gone down in the following days and nausea became a morning ritual.

You had been ecstatic, a first for you. And exciting thing you had always wanted. A faint thought you hadn’t entertained even in a working world, a notion you hadn’t thought possible at all with the demise of the world. When you had told him, Taylor had shared in your excitement, immediately beginning to hoard everything he could loot from the nearby state park. Gathering everything you could use, whether it was to repurpose it or store it for the future.

You had found a pocket of happiness and security in the rubble of the world, hidden deep in the forests of Tennessee in the form of a man who welcomed you into his space when all you had wanted to do was run. Finding yourself injured and needing aid, he had offered it to you.

What had begun as a small stay to ensure you would heal okay, that your stitches were secure and wouldn’t pull. But the conversations that flowed from one to another over those first few days tied you to each other. Braiding together your futures in such a wonderful way. There was no way to know how badly the universe would fray the untethered strings.

The only consolation was that the nights were cooler, the evenings and mornings twinged with a chill that signaled the end of an unseasonable warm fall. But as time moved on, Taylor had pleaded with you to consider staying close to the cabin. You had agreed, the symptoms of your pregnancy making it hard to do much of anything for long. Hunting and patrolling far too much for you to handle at the moment.

You were tending to the horses when he appeared behind you, arms snaking around your shoulders. The tickling of his facial hair sprouting giggles from you. The horses snickered, sharing in your delight. After securing them back in the modest stable, large hands were wrapping around you and sweeping you off of your tired feet.

“C’mon, princessa, let’s go have a nap.”

“But I don’t wanna,” You whined, not wanting to waste the sunshine while it was still showing, winters notoriously gray and overcast in this part of the region. The looming mountains casting dark shadows over pockets of land. Thankfully the cabin wasn’t in one of those regions, hidden well by the tall trees and stained a dark green all along the roof to avoid searching eyes to those at a higher altitude.

“Who said we were gonna sleep, silly girl?” Taylor swooped down to kiss you fully on the lips. Stirring warmth in your core. With a deep laugh at the chasing of your lips after his, he carefully rushed up the stairs and through the front door. “I’m gonna devour you, you’re too good looking a snack to leave untouched.”

“Oh hush,” You curled your hands into the long hair he had tied into a bun at the back of his head. Taking the band from around it and causing the strands to cascade around his handsome face.

“Glowing and full of me, carrying our baby in your pretty little tummy. Good god, you’re constantly on my mind, princessa, you’re my entire world.”

“And you’re mine, mi amor.”

Bubbling giggles flowed through the cabin as he made his way up the stairs and through the small landing. Into the bedroom that you found happiness in the midst of the fallen world.’

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dividers by the lovely @saradika-graphics

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[wobinofylisse]

Gonna ask what your thoughts on Ophion are, so ya can rant about him

Haha, what if I stole your art for this ask @justlarkin ☺ Okay so it’s pretty obvious that I love this big dragon man and his arc as a character is really cool. So quick shout out to old Ophion for being thrown out of the story entirely because they probably don’t know how to write 2 Ophions at once and I kind of get that because having them both fight over you or ending up with one while the other is forced out just feels really wrong. Anyways since Ophion makes me :bighearteyes: this is gonna be essay length. I’ve sort of partitioned off each segment so if you want to jump around that’s fine.

Old Ophion

Young Ophion (personality)

Young Ophion (protagonist)

Date Quest

Ending Thoughts/Rating

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So old Ophion works as an interesting villain. He believes that through conquering the world he’ll be able to bring back his wife and like, considering Olympus and the large amount of people that live their.

That’s fair.

But after existing for eons he’s slowly forgotten his motives and all that remains in his mind is the end goal, no longer even aware of why but he still knows he has to. It’s a drive that’s so strong in his mind he’s willing to hurt others around him and even the reason he plots his coup of the Tycoons.

His memory of his wife has vanished so thoroughly that when the MC appears he doesn’t even recognize his wife’s soul. Something that is always one of the first things a character related to the exiles picks up on, even if only subconsciously.

When he summons young Ophion who literally paralyzes everyone in the room just by existing, his first thought when approaching you isn’t to follow the orders of his elder, something that he strongly believes in. His first thought is to embrace the wife that he’s missed for so long, even choosing to protect her over following his own beliefs of seniority and subsequently seeing just how far his older self has fallen.

It’s interesting to see that even though his sense of duty to claim the world remained, when he was confronted by his wife he neither recognized her or swayed from his duty to save her. It instills a sort of sadness in me that I’m not sure how to put into words.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Anyways that’s enough about old Ophion. Let’s talk about the present and how young Ophion is getting along with everyone. When young Ophion arrived in Tokyo (after his initial appearance) personality wise he wasn’t too dissimilar to his older counterpart. He was still relatively cold to others and he still held the general ruling class opinion that most of the tycoons hold. However over time he’s become warmer towards others and learns to let go of grudges. Even to the point that he’s aware of Aizen’s plan from the start in Valentine Jail but instead of putting a stop to it, he sets up a way to end it at any point if need be and let him go through with it. While initially unaware of Aizen’s feelings, after learning them he forgives Aizen and even goes pretty light on his punishment. His growth as a character is thanks to the protagonist and he’s constantly changing to become a better version of himself for them.

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Literally cannot have a long post about Ophion without going into his relationship with the protagonist. At the start he views the protagonist as his wife. Potentially as either her reincarnation or simply a vessel without her memories. Irregardless of the case, he chooses to devote himself heart and soul to them. He neither tries to change them to become more like his wife or even chases after them as he would truly do for his wife. Whether it was something he always knew or something that slowly made it’s way in. He knows that the protagonist isn’t really his wife, that they’re their own individual being separate from her regardless of her soul being present. Ophion while it may become difficult to tell with just how loud he is about his love for his wife. Understands that you are your own person. He understands that you may choose to love someone else but in his heart he truly believes that in the end you will choose him. He’s willing to wait as long as it takes for you to see it. Although he isn’t just going to stand around doing nothing till you decide to fall into his arms. While he won’t stop you from loving another, he will actively make his move. In his valentine quest he buys a section of Roppongi so that he can spell out your name in the lights of the city. It’s an impressive gesture but even so he feels that it not only wasn’t enough but he’s even worried that it wasn’t enough, that you would even make fun of him for it. However this gesture is his attempt to seduce you, not his wife, but you. The successor to her, one that shines so brilliantly he would do anything to prove his love. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Since it’s not officially translated I’ll just give a brief summary of his date but for the actual full thing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ2U3dlXnlc Are you gonna post this video every chance you get? Bitch I might! Ophion drives you to a helipad, takes you up into a helicopter, PROPOSES to you, leaps out of the helicopter mid-flight with you in his arms and then takes you home so he can preform his husbandly duties. THIS MAN. OPHION SAYS NO TO PRE-MARITAL SEX! KING SHIT!

Also quick end note here. He’s aware that you won’t live forever and eventually your time together will come to an end. But he will never stop following you and will search for your soul no matter where or what form it may take, just as he has for his late wife.

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Hnnnng How could I go through this entire thing without even mentioning that he’s hot too! He better button up those pants before he learns that I’ve got a serious case of the munchies! This man has shown that he canonically gets more powerful while naked and he is one of few characters that has been shown full frontal nudity in this game that’s rated T. This man’s slussy is OUT AND POPPING

10/10! no 100/10 This man deserves the world and the stars not only in this reality but any that we may find ourselves in. I don’t think they’ll ever be able to create a character that can take his place and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

[victoriousfidelity]

Sigyn's answering smile is open, and warm. "I am always happy to claim another sister. And between you and I - next time my sisters visit from Vanaheim, you may end up with one of them trying to follow you around like a shadow. She's been obsessed with adventures since she was little, and meeting Asgard's only female warrior will likely be the highlight of her trip."

At Sif's final comment, she laughs. "Oh, I've no doubt you can keep the majority of them in line without my help. My talents are better used keeping a certain trickster occupied, I think."

Sif can't help but agree with her. Even if she didn't get to know her blood family, it didn't matter. It didn't change anything about her and she wouldn't have it any other way. The Norns had still blessed her with the adoptive family she had now with Thor, Heimdall, The Warrior's Three and of course Sigyn. She'd even add Loki to that list...but never admit it, or let her guard down with him because of it.

"I know. And I wouldn't ask for anything different. Everyone here is my family, even if we are not united by blood. We choose to be this way...and that is all that matters." The warrior gives the princess a soft smile. "I also consider you a part of my family too-- a sister. Hopefully with the both of us around, it can help to keep the guys in line." She says, cracking a joke, something that was a rarity for her.

[victoriousfidelity]

To say that the palace is currently a rather hectic place would be a considerable understatement. The lead up to any sort of significant event comes with a certain amount of expected chaos, but this is far different to anything in recent memory. Thor's imminent coronation is all anyone can think about— well. Almost anyone. Because in Sigyn's case, at least, there is another thought which keeps making its way to the forefront of her mind:

She and Loki should be married by now.

The constant delays have been Odin's doing from the start, of course. Hel-bent on making the union as lucrative as possible - as though a marriage between a Prince of Asgard and Princess of Vanaheim is not already an auspicious enough match - and uncaring of the fact that the two of them simply want to be married to one another, the Allfather has done everything in his power to prolong the negotiations regarding their betrothal. And just when they had thought (naively, she now realises) that they were finally reaching the point where he would finally have to acquiesce, everything had been thrown into turmoil by his decision to abdicate. Imminently.

All talk of a wedding was then immediately put aside in favour of planning a coronation instead - something which Sigyn knows has only served to further cloud Loki's thoughts. His father's insistence on politicising their relationship was bad enough, but for it to now have been pushed aside entirely in favour of Thor finally succeeding Odin... It is as though events have been specifically orchestrated in order to make the situation as difficult for Loki as possible. Additionally, it has done nothing to change Sigyn's already treasonously low opinion of the Allfather.

So Sigyn has decided to take matters into her own hands.

The night before the coronation, she excuses herself from the court's anticipatory celebrations as early as possible. She doesn't tell Loki to follow her, but she doesn't need to; they are well-practiced at seeking out whatever peace and privacy they can, after all.

Upon retreating to his chambers a mere half hour later, he finds Sigyn waiting for him. She's near the window, still in the dress she'd worn for the feast, but now her hair is unpinned and falling about her shoulders, the low lamplight illuminating her wild curls in a way which almost makes them seem like liquid fire as she looks out at the city below. But when she hears the door open she turns her face from the window, gaze softening as it falls on her beloved. She reaches for him as he moves to stand with her, threading her fingers through his. And with absolutely no preamble, she begins to speak.

"I cannot give you a crown, Loki. But I can give you something which I hope will make tomorrow easier to bear."

Before Loki can respond, she's drawing on the connection between their Seiðr. Their magic made manifest, emerald and magenta strands twine together, coiling around their clasped hands. After a few seconds, the form they're taking becomes more clear: handfasting ribbons.

It's a spell learned from one of her sisters - Lofn, newly declared a Goddess of Marriage; explicitly, marriages which have been forbidden in some way. It had seemed apt to seek her advice in particular, given the obstacles which have been placed in their way.

"It is unlikely that anyone outside this room will recognise this," The words are soft, almost apologetic, as her eyes search his face in the hope that he understands what she means to do. "But I don't care. We have waited long enough, and I've never cared about the formalities, Loki; I've only ever cared about you. The ceremony we keep being denied isn't for us, not really. It's for everyone else. But this? This is for us. I don't need the eyes of the Nine, or even our families, on us. The Norns are more than capable of witnessing this. I have loved you for centuries, and I want to be able to call you my husband. I want to be your wife."

surprise starter for @emeraldxphoenix

[merrymjolnir]

my thoughts when i saw TFA

cool, disney is doing a cash-grab by remaking last hope

i mean i really like the new characters but,,,,

desert planet, droid with secret info, fascists with stormtroopers, the rebellion 2.0, big-ass death star

🤷‍♀️

i’m pretty sure rey and kylo will be a thing

i was much more impressed with TLJ

everyone got so pissed about the “subverting expectations” soundbyte that you just forgot that the second movie in a trilogy is always about failure?? the end of AotC is the beginning of the clone wars and also Anakin did his first genocide, and everyone’s fucked at the end of ESB

unfortunately, rose’s character was a #mistake who was only put in to try to make us stop shipping finn and poe

our boy poe finally gets screentime and tbh they kinda made him look like an ass

but honestly i loved everything else! rey had a real tough time getting a grip on herself to understand and connect with the force, loved that journey

get over yourselves about luke going into exile, yoda and obi-wan did literally the same thing

kylo clearly empathizes with rey’s feelings of abandonment with her family and her frustration, sees her as a kindred spirit

what were people expecting with snoke? if he lived to the next film, it would’ve been a RotJ remake

also i just genuinely thought the humor was better in this one

that fight scene against the guards was e v e r y t h i n g

i was so super hyped for rey to be a nobody! that’s who the original jedi were, randos from around the galaxy! not everybody has to be somebody! and what a great parallel to shmi skywalker, a nobody on a desert planet! rey the nobody, an amazing message

broken anakin lightsaber? oh heck yeah, bring on rey making herself a dual-ended staff saber

i left this movie super hyped, and my bet was that in the next movie rey would accidentally tap into the dark side in a moment of dire need (as hinted at on ach-too, how easily she went to the dark) and kylo would find himself drifting to the light

and then........ RoS happened

i was super down for the concept of palps being around as a force ghost or in an extremely vegetative state but like... really, that marionette thing? what

i mean i was really into the first 3rd but damn, some of those plot choices were just.... unforgivable

we had that beautiful moment and arc of kylo destroying the helmet and.... backpedalling on all of that, alright. a choice.

rey using force lightning?? aw yeah, i called that shit

okay but you had a whole subplot of messing with threepio’s memories and you didnt have him revert back to pre-getting memory wiped by organa? not even for a little bit?

fuck EVERYTHING about rey being palps’ granddaughter. fuck that so, so hard

i know that the sith have a bunch of sith planets everywhere from the olden days, but you really expect me to believe palps had a whole goddamn planet’s worth of acolytes/cult followers (that arena at the end was so full wtf!!) with the resources to build that whole fleet? a stretch.

how could you blatantly have the missed opportunity to have it be anakin’s force ghost instead of the ~~memory~~ of han talking to kylo. would have been so much more meaningful.

and yeah i know that leia got jedi training in the extended canon and legends but to bring in her lightsaber, which the audience has never seen before.... why not have rey recover luke’s green saber instead

speaking of which at the beginning of the film rey refers to anakin’s saber as “your brother’s” when talking to leia and that is mmmmmm not correct

i really thought the palps idea had potential but that was such an insane plotline

they even did hux dirty! like what the hell was that!

if they had used luke’s green saber instead of leia’s i would be more forgiving of the burying them in the sand on tatooine

“rey skywalker”

fuck that honestly, rey being a nobody or rey embracing being a nobody over palps’ granddaughter would have been such a more meaningful arc

we were robbed of rey having a yellow dual staff saber

relyo’s, anti’s we were all robbed

the one shining moment of this piss poor excuse for a film was artoo calling threeprio his best friend

[deborahdeshoftim5779]

The Marvel of Trelsi (Part V)

I’m back to continue unpacking the sheer beauty of the Trelsi friendship and relationship during the canonical movie series, using the following template:

11 Signs of a True Friendship

So far, I have demonstrated that Trelsi fit the bill when it comes to: 1)-a wholehearted acceptance of the other, and 2) sticking with each other through thick and thin. It would have been incredibly positive to see scenes where Troy returned this favour, as the introductory scene between Troy and Kelsi gives a clear blueprint as to how much he values Kelsi, her feelings and how quickly he sees her inherent worth.

Let’s continue with the list.

Question: What makes the Trelsi friendship and dynamic so friggin’ special? Why does it make me want to weep and write poetry?

3- “They are happy for your successes, and congratulate you when you reach a new goal.”

The best examples for this are demonstrated with Troy’s reaction to Kelsi’s growing confidence and success as a composer*. Of course, this is entirely thanks to his kindness and consideration of her in the first place, but he does not ever try to overshadow her success by claiming credit. There are smaller indications of this, such as him gesturing to her after HIS successful callback audition, after which she receives applause, or his surprised smile and applause after she wins the scholarship to Juilliard. Sadly, that is such a tiny scene, as is usually the case with Trelsi interaction. Another example is his thumbs up during the HSM III musical, a quick way of showing his approval of her work even though he (outrageously) had not been there to see the beginning. 

But by far the best example is when Kelsi stands up to Sharpay during HSM I, right before the callbacks. Previously, Ms Darbus had indicated, perhaps understandably, that Troy and Gabriella’s lateness would cost them their chance at an audition. I always considered Kelsi’s upset to be melodramatic until I began studying her character in earnest and realizing that it is so important to her that Troy gets his chance to perform, because of what it represents for her as a person. She is empowered by Troy, and his success is a symbol of that empowerment. So devoted is she to helping Troy succeed that she overcomes her intimidation and apprehension towards Sharpay for one glorious moment:

[S] “You REALLY don’t wanna do that.”

[K] “Oh yes: I really do!”

*mic drop*

Troy’s reaction pretty much says it all: he’s impressed, he’s astonished, he’s proud, he’s quietly suppressing his own amusement at this verbal slam-dunk. In fact, I see smugness written all over his face. Overall, the pride shines through, because it means that Kelsi has taken his advice and encouragement on board, and fully understands her own potential. This is a triumph for her character arc and for the film’s overall message, and a testament to how Troy has an undeniable positive effect upon those around him. 

The movies have a greater slant towards Troy’s success in each one, and Kelsi is instrumental towards him achieving that success. Not just because she writes the songs for him to perform, but because she is eager for him to participate, devoted to nurturing his talent and delighted when he finally accepts his love of performing and shines onstage. It’s no exaggeration to state that Kelsi is the main motivating force behind Troy’s success throughout each movie; it cannot  be Gabriella, since the latter shows no consistency or loyalty and is quite willing to throw away all of Kelsi’s hard work on a whim and without apology. However, in line with what the movie wants us to believe, it should be Gabriella, who shows reciprocal concern in building Troy up. Once again, the movie inadvertently gives to Kelsi a role that should have been fulfilled by Troy’s girlfriend. His success is her success. Once again, they are on a completely equal playing field; they share each other’s highs and lows. Kelsi’s insistence upon Troy’s participation in her musical ideas can definitely come across as over-zealousness, perhaps even have a “Number 1 Fan” vibe, but I believe that there is genuine commitment to Troy’s potential and future behind it. Kelsi does not do so for her own glorification; in fact, if you study the performance scenes in the movie series, she rarely ever takes centre stage. It is ONLY when Troy moves towards her (as he does each time) that she gets a few moments under the spotlight. And she appears to be content with this. Why? Because it’s all about him, and her irrepressible desire for his success. In each performance scene, her excitement, pride, admiration and delight for Troy’s superlative performance abilities are small but bright lights-- far more touching and meaningful than the romantic signalling between him and Gabriella. The thing is, you can take Gabriella out of the equation and you’d have Troy centre stage, still pouring his heart and soul into performing. But you cannot take Kelsi out of the equation, because she’s the steady rhythm behind him, motivating him to reach his potential. Such selfless devotion is never shown by Gabriella throughout the entire movie series. 

4- “You feel totally comfortable around them, and they probably know things about you that many others don’t.”

Here we come to a significant disadvantage of limiting Trelsi scenes throughout the movie canon; we simply don’t get to see Troy and Kelsi hanging out when they are not rehearsing/working on music/performing. This is a great shame, because from the little we do see, Troy and Kelsi are completely comfortable with each other. The fact that Kelsi thinks nothing of holding his hand on two occasions is a significant sign of this. On the two occasions, once in HSM II and HSM III, both include Kelsi leading Troy to the piano; in other words, leading him to what the two of them share in common on an emotional level, which is a passion for music and performing. It appears to be a silent message. And Troy trusts her completely, allowing Kelsi to teach him a song on the very night of the Lava Springs Talent Show, and in HSM III, allowing her to pick him back up when he’s missing Gabriella. It is not necessary for Kelsi to hold his hand at all, which is why it did strike me when watching HSM II and HSM III in the early days. Comparatively speaking, she (Kelsi) is not Gabriella. Furthermore, the two have known each other for less time than he has known Gabriella and, more importantly, his team-mates. Should Troy have reacted in surprise, perhaps? And yet he does not react at all. He lets her take the lead, and follows without question. Interestingly, these two times occur when Gabriella is absent, which gives the impression that in the wake of Gabriella’s absence, it is Kelsi who steps in as his source of comfort, understanding and encouragement. Given that Kelsi is the only one who holds his hand for these reasons, it lends to the notion that Troy shares some affection with her, which appears different to that which he shares with Gabriella. It is, interestingly, not a simple case of substitution. It’s something else with its own merits entirely. Troy accepts this. He values it. These observations led me to Trelsi after watching HSM III. 

And that’s what really underpins the Trelsi dynamic: unspoken understanding. At the end of the day, there is little dialogue between Troy and Kelsi, which still frustrates me. But in many cases, there doesn’t need to be. Troy and Kelsi only have to look at each other, or make a gesture to know that they are on the same wavelength. That when Kelsi takes Troy’s hand, it’s a sign of encouragement and a method of spurring Troy to action. He understands that without question. This certainly doesn’t happen between Troy and anyone else, particularly not Gabriella. But in theory, Gabriella should be the one to pick him up both emotionally and literally with one gesture, right? A better comparison would be Troy’s friendship with Chad, in which Chad is there as a chief source of support. But this support is volatile and inconsistent, largely dependent upon whether Troy is doing things that Chad wants, and fitting an image that Chad has created. When the two of them are discussing their respective futures, they are miles away from each other in philosophy: Chad believes in the predestined and Troy believes in uncertainty. However, Troy and Chad’s friendship has the advantage of longevity; it is Chad who knows far more about Troy than anyone else. But doesn’t it speak volumes when Kelsi, a girl whom Troy has known for a significantly shorter amount of time, is more attuned to him than his best friend since pre-school? Obviously, I have a Trelsi bias, but had the script showed more of Troy and Kelsi together, I can see Troy confiding in Kelsi, because he knows that there is no judgement with her; no predictable scoffing, as he gets from Chad, no condescending laughter, as he gets from Gabriella. We have to use a lot of imagination in this regard, but the canonical scenes don’t contradict speculation. 

5- “They meet you halfway- they don’t expect you to always be the one to reach out to them.”

This one may be more relevant when it comes to comparing Troy and Gabriella’s relationship to the potential of Troy and Kelsi’s relationship, but as I have already said, there is no imbalance in support when it comes to the latter two. On the contrary, the Wildcats rarely reach out to Troy when he is struggling, as I discussed in the last post. It is he who must accept his culpability and must also be the friend to Chad and co., regardless of how much he might have suffered or struggled, regardless of his side of the story. Such a massive imbalance displays itself in every movie. In HSM I, Chad reaches out to Troy after realizing that betraying his trust to sabotage his relationship with Gabriella was wrong. But what he says to Troy is striking: “We’ve just had another team meeting.” I assume that he means the Wildcats. But isn’t Troy part of that team? Shouldn’t they have had the team meeting WITH Troy, explaining their duplicitous actions? The fact that Troy was not even aware of this “team meeting” demonstrates the gulf between him and people alleged to be his friends and team-mates, as well as explaining why they don’t often reach out to him. 

6- “They make you feel happier and more alive, not drained and stressed.”

Again, I will discuss this in more detail with regards to Troyella, but it is clear that Troy and Kelsi sincerely value their friendship and the consequences of their interactions with each other, whether in a happy or sad time, are nearly always positive. In HSM III, the squee-worthy hug had Troy smiling all the way up to the piano, giving him the encouragement that he needs to carry on without Gabriella. Later on, when Kelsi tells him that things will be fine, he looks somewhat reassured, despite having messed up on dance moves and songs throughout rehearsal. Earlier in HSM I, Troy is truly liberated when rehearsing “Breaking Free”; Kelsi is entirely on the same wavelength throughout as well. There’s just no comparison when it comes to the Wildcats; sometimes they are Troy’s buddies. Other times, they are the reason he looks so indecisive, confused, pressured and isolated. Other times, they cut him down with staggering cruelty and no apology whatsoever. None of this volatility is represented in the Trelsi friendship. 

7- “They tell you the truth about things, even if you may not want to hear it.”

Now this one is slightly different. And again, this demonstrates why Troy and Kelsi should have had more scenes together. If so, we could have seen how the two of them dealt with significant crises that headed their way. The main crisis would be the increasingly negative effect of Gabriella’s presence on troy, and the resultant damage to Troy. It would be a huge test of Kelsi’s character as to whether she would have enough objectivity to point out these problems to him, or try and comfort him without facing these uncomfortable truths. Given her love for the image of Troyella as depicted through her song lyrics, the latter possibility is more likely, up to and until something major enough happens to change Kelsi’s mind. I will discuss this in more detail when looking at Trelsi romance and what the implications are. Suffice to say, Kelsi’s lack of objectivity towards Gabriella is a significant disadvantage to Troy, who needs to see that his relationship is destructive and unhealthy. 

And this works the other way around, too. Even though Gabriella quits each musical/show, I simply cannot see Troy admitting to Kelsi that this is her (Gabriella’s fault). And Kelsi deserves to see that. It is patently obvious that Gabriella’s repeated quitting always threatens putting her hard work to waste. But Troy never addresses this; instead, he is caught up trying to get Gabriella back, and taking the blame for his own reaction to her absence. This is why he apologizes to Kelsi for messing up during rehearsals in HSM III. Of course, he is not helped by the fact that Kelsi cannot see any fault in Gabriella, but he doesn’t help her either by pretending there is no link between the two events. I will look at this in more detail later (as I keep saying!), as neither of them are willing to move past the superficial image of Troyella. 

To be fair, Kelsi does not allow Troy to blame himself for Gabriella’s absence. And I do think, in other circumstances, they would provide the support each other needed, because they have a very strong inclination to support each other through thick and thin. One clear example of this is where the Wildcats are concerned. Kelsi’s decision to support Troy in HSM II sent a clear message of disapproval towards the Wildcats’ behaviour. On the other hand, Troy’s reaction was of hurt and confusion-- notably not anger towards their actions. So potentially, Kelsi seems capable of objectivity when it comes to their friends, as she has less of an emotional connection to them than to Troy. 

8- “They don’t blow things out of proportion when you make a mistake-- they forgive you.”

Trelsi win 11 times out of 10 on this one. The rehearsal example in HSM III works time and time again to illustrate this. Kelsi has no reason to remain patient with Troy, as his potential mistakes will reflect poorly upon her during the final show. And remember, judges from Juilliard will be in attendance, and she desperately wants that scholarship. (Don’t be fooled by Kelsi’s apparently modest and demure nature; underneath it all, she is ambitious). Instead, she tells him that “it will be fine”, which I always tend to consider weak encouragement, but which comforts Troy a great deal. Kelsi does not expect perfection from Troy, does not need him to be perfect, and never makes hypercritical comments towards him. This forms part of the unspoken understanding that they have; support when everyone else doesn’t understand. The only time that Kelsi did complain to Troy was, inexplicably, at the beginning of HSM II when it was apparently so outrageous that Fulton told them to work for cash. By the time she refuses to join in the infamous Silent Treatment however, it appears all is forgotten and forgiven. Had we seen more scenes between Troy and Kelsi, it is reasonable to assume that this would be shown time and time again between the two of them. Because of the wholehearted acceptance of each other, as was discussed in Point #1 they are not operating under some grand delusion of what a friendship will be like, but what it should actually be like. And Troy and Kelsi are on a journey together, where their success is dependent upon unconditional support. They expect pitfalls and setbacks. This reasoned approach to friendship makes it incredibly strong and means that they aren’t ever going to put each other down for being human. 

The Wildcats should take note. 

TO BE CONTINUED

(*FOOTNOTE-- Remember, out of all the cast members, Troy and Kelsi are the “Playmakers”. It’s their job to succeed and kick ass. Hence we have that lovely scene at the end of HSM I, where Troy awards Kelsi the game ball:[T] “Composer! Here’s your game ball. You deserve it, Playmaker.”Once again, whilst in the middle of celebrating his own victory, far more popular with the school, given how much people idolize the Wildcats, Troy takes the time out to congratulate Kelsi not just saying “well done/congratulations” but by reverting back to their esoteric language. Notably, he gives his own game ball away to someone considerably less well-known, and someone who knows nothing about sports (Kelsi twirling the ball in her hands afterwards is hilarious). This demonstrates that Kelsi’s success is more meaningful to Troy than his own; he’s heard the title “Playmaker” applied to himself so many times, and doesn’t need the Game Ball. Notably, he does not give it to Gabriella, with whom he is supposed to share this chemistry when performing. After all, she gave a good performance. He gives it to Kelsi, because once again, he senses that she needs it, and that she is the one who truly deserves it. This is because of how he quickly and deeply he connects to her music. But he wants to underscore his gratitude towards her for helping reveal this part of himself, and his pride in her achievements, so he uses the way that only she will understand by calling her “Playmaker.” Since the Playmaker is “the one who makes everyone else look good”, he’s basically saying that the success of his performance was down to HER. Not Gabriella. It’s a lovely, lovely compliment to give someone, made even more special by repeating the nickname affectionately and letting her get some applause from his team-mates. Once again, Troy goes out of his way to make kind/thoughtful gestures towards Kelsi and by her smile, we can see how much this means to her). 

[shervival21st-blog]

Making sense of the Nonsense: A Johnlock ( conspiracy ) meta

“Truth is rarely pure and never simple”                                                                                                                           ---Oscar Wilde

“Truth is a metaphor, willed into existence”                                                                                                                     ---Nietzsche

First of all can conspiracy be possible after all these shit happened? Of course,why not, especially when there is a fair chance that another episode may pop up someday sooner, then it’s obviously possible.

A Modern Nightmare:

One fine morning Gregor Samsa woke up and found that he had transformed into a despicable vermin overnight [source]. Sherlock season 4 is exactly the same thing, came out in a crisis time of human civilization and proved to be a modern nightmare. 

The whole series is full of inconsistencies and it is unlikely that 3 different directors will repeat the inconsistent things over and over, unless it is deliberate. It’s impossible to address all the inconsistencies in one meta ( I have an exam soon :( ). But let’s start from TST.

The infamous skull hell:

The skull hell is one of the most infamous inconsistencies in S4. The skull continued to glow and un-glow throughout the series.

 Does it have a possible explanation? Well then, it basically has. It may refer to a Hitchcockian shot. The milk scene from the movie Suspicion: 

“Suspicion” tells the story of a woman who suspects her husband is trying to kill her. There’s one scene in the film that really jumped out.

That’s the scene where Joan Fontaine’s character is in bed, fearing the worse and her husband, played by Cary Grant, brings her a glass of milk. The camera follows Cary Grant coming up the stairs and as he continues something strange stands out about the glass of milk. It’s bright and bold in the frame. Is he trying to poison her? That’s certainly what we thought when we first it.

That was Hitchcock’s intention, actually. He put a light in the glass to highlight it in the shot to get the audience to wonder what was going to happen next. It’s a simple, but ingenious, technique.

Read more:

http://www.tasteofcinema.com/2014/the-10-most-ingenious-techniques-used-by-alfred-hitchcock/#ixzz4WEQh2rpe

Ostalgie:

In TST, when Sherlock went to hacking genius ( is he Russian?) Craig for some help Craig tells him about “ostalgie” 

CRAIG’S HOUSE. Craig is sitting at his computer typing while Sherlock stands behind him. CRAIG: Have you heard of that thing, in Germany? SHERLOCK: You’re going to have to be more specific, Craig. CRAIG: ‘Ostalgie.’ People who miss the old days under the Communists. People are weird, aren’t they? SHERLOCK: Mm. (He narrows his eyes momentarily.) CRAIG: According to this, there’s quite a market for Cold War memorabilia – Thatcher, Reagan, Stalin. (He smiles.) Time’s a great leveller, innit? Thatcher’s like – I dunno – Napoleon now.

Then When Mary was wandering from one place to another to escape her consequences, we got a Thatcher era ( cold-war communism era/pre-1991 )  flight check of some sort, why it is? Ostalgie? Mark Gatiss hates conservatives, but is does not necessarily mean he is inclined to left. I don’t know. Anybody?

USSR, East Germany, West Germany, Quebec do not exist anymore.

Mary’s weird-ass redemption wank:

Mary was predicted to be dead by the end of Season 4, but so sooner in TST? And with a redemption wank saved for her? To save Sherlock in a physically impossible way? A sacrifice?

The whole Aquarium-scene is superficial and so wrong. There are so many theories floating around, One is the alibi theory:  John actually shot Mary, and Sherlock lied to Ella to hide John’s deed. Not impossible.

Read more on my Fragmented Perception meta and here is another beautiful theory by @shawleyleres Dreaming, Memory and Tidal Waves

OK lets move towards TLD

Apparently TLD is a better episode than the other two episodes of this particular season. But that does not mean this is devoid of weird facts. But when TST has seemingly trivial ones, the facts are bigger. I am not going to elaborate, but just discuss some points.

1. Faith Smith and her note, who actually took down the note? Culverton confessed that his own daughter wrote it and he provided Sherlock with that note. Is he reliable?

2. Was Eurus actually with Sherlock when she came disguised as Faith Smith?Or it’s a mere delusion?

3. Culverton did not seem to be that grand a villain like Moriarty or Magnussen. Of course he was nasty, but... also what's the point of secret doors and was he really judged or got pardon by bribing the authority.

4. Ghost Mary as John’s subconscious (seriously WTF) 

5. And many more...

TFP then.

Before going to TFP aka The Fake/Fucky Problem lets discuss some salient features of Eurus Holmes:

The psychiatrist/Faith avatar:

Umm  a visual parallel first.

oops. Arkham/Azkaban/Shutter Island/Sherrinford?, uhh. Eurus even disguised as a therapist as Harley.

The gunshot wank:

Well look at the picture, first is from the first scene of TLD, and last is Eurus’s hand. Spot the difference, Eurus’s hand is sleeveless but the hand in the first picture is  blue/black sleeved? Why is the difference, is the first hand is of John, before killing Mary? is it Sherlock’s hand?

Back to TFP, or the worst episode ever. It’s like the Limbo phase of the nightmare. Sherlock  always alludes to many movies, books, comics, TV series and makes many references to other media besides the original canon. In TST they went for Appointment in Samarra  by William Somerset Maugham [an unhappily married gay doctor/veteran/spy/storyteller], made a reference to Macbeth [ i.e. “By the pricking of my thumb”], In TLD we got references of George Orwell’s 1984 frequently[”Big brother is watching you” etc] and also a whole big dialogue from Henry V [ Shakespeare was gay or at least bisexual ]. They alluded to V for Vendetta,in TRF, and in TAB referred to Inception and a rather unknown but a radical intellectual movie La Haine [ full meta here ]. So they preferred rather intellectual/cult movies or stories/novels/dramas to make allusions.

But TFP seems more like a disjointed montage of horror movies/psychological thriller. No ACD, but a mix-up of Saw, The Shining, The Ring, Suicide Squad, Shutter Island, Exorcist, Silence of the Lamb and many other horror movies, directly adapted scenes from them and combined them with bad CGI effect.

I am not going to rant but TFP brought back some unpleasant childhood memories which were deeply buried in my id before.[ ”Books are well written or badly written, that is all”---Wilde, again]

So yes a psychological analysis is possible. @shawleyleres, @the-7-percent-solution, @jenna221b, @marcespot and many others have already started analyzing, I had to fight with my emotions after this cursed episode ( literally episode no. 13) and  after that I came to realize that this episode is FAKE.

So many points, so many parallels, this is our deepest limbo, or is it Sherlock’s, is it John’s?

First of all lets see which predictions made before or after the release of S4 apparently came true:

1. Sherlock has a secret sibling.

2. Sherrinford is a prison where Eurus is institutionalized.

3. There will be a game which will not end.

4, Sherlock will have to choose between Mycroft & John.

5. Mycroft’s umbrella is a secret weapon ( a crack theory )

But it was never predicted that this episode would turn out to be so bad and out of context.

An analysis:

Eurus gave a puzzle in her childhood which would supposed to be solve the redbeard problem, but it turns out that it was actually about a little girl lost!!!

Sherlock can’t sense there is no glass before Eurus’s cell!!!Sherlock ignoring Vatican Camios!!!

The whole Molly Hooper thing and she is talking to a lock screen!!!

3 Garridebs dangling!!!

The infamous snake-mating dance between Harley Quinn & Joker and Joker giving up his life happily to play posthumously!!!

 Background music:“I need a gangsta, to love me betta, than all the others do”!!!

John chained in a well and getting rescued with a rope!!!

Who was chained in the bottom of hell-fire and got out without any effort and made a palace as if chains did not exist? SATAN [Paradise Lost, Book I, same inconsistency]

[Laughs out Loud]. FAKE

Only explanation, NIGHTMARE

If it is Sherlock’s Nightmare:

This theory goes like this:

Eurus is Sherlock’s anima, he is in EMP, and probably in the tarmac hell still. Victor Trevor is John’s mirror, a childhood John. Sherlock somehow was indirectly responsible for Victor’s sad demise. He constructed a parallel universe, and disguised his memories in the shapes of complex metaphors. Especially when Sherlock was talking to Eurus at the end, comforting her, it sounded like he was telling this to himself: 

We're going to crash! I'm going to die! Argh! [HE GASPS FOR BREATH] I think it's time you told me your real name. I'm not allowed to tell my name to strangers. But I'm not a stranger, am I? I'm your brother. I'm here, Eurus. You're playing with me, Sherlock. We're playing the game. The game, yes, I get it now. The song was never a set of directions. I'm in the plane. I'm going to crash. And you're going to save me. Look how brilliant you are. Your mind has created the perfect metaphor. You're high above us, all alone in the sky, and you understand everything except how to land. Now, I'm just an idiot, but I'm on the ground. I can bring you home. No. No, no. It's too late now. No, it's not, it's not too late. Every time I close my eyes, I'm on the plane. I'm lost, lost in the sky and... no-one can hear me. Open your eyes. I'm here. You're not lost anymore. [SHE SOBS] Now, you... you just, you just went the wrong way last time, that's all. This time, get it right. Tell me how to save my friend. Argh! Eurus, help me save John Watson.

Well I am now referring to @shawleyleres‘s metas: X X X

By the way was Benedict referring to this whole Eurus-Sherlock conversation as a monologue? IDK. This theory does not convince me of John’s meeting with Eurus twice.

So, yes now move to another::

If it is John’s Nightmare:

According to this theory, John was having a nightmare after he was shot by Eurus; this theory explains the Bond air thing, the spinning John, the underestimated cowardice Mycroft, all the horror movie melange, the drone, dangling Garridebs( John’s actually in the Garridebs situation himself ), the  Victor-Trevor-as-John’s-mirror thing, the rope rescue,the fear of Adl0ck and Sher1o11y, the cheesy cuts at the end of the episode, but for me this theory does not explain the whole Sherlock-Eurus interaction at all.

On defense of this theory I can give you the excellent video meta by @marcespot and this meta

Ok, now let me tell you what do I think:

Can a shared nightmare be possible?

I really don’t think so, but really re watching TFP more and more makes us to think of TAB. @marcespot‘s theory seems quite convincing to me, also this post made by our senpai @inevitably-johnlocked but I really think Sherlock’s anima is Eurus. But I never think Sherlock’s still in tarmac hell, because many reasons...one of them is Porlock. I rather believe that TST is full of real, unreal, surreal, dream sequences, memories i.e. fragmented perceptions. I think TLD serves the purpose of both a third person narrative and the characters’ perspectives, but TLD have a semi-Senecan ghost device, a disguised psychiatrist/therapist, only Sherlock can see someone aka disguised Faith Smith and many other weird fact. One of which is the background TV-video of Culverton’s hospital which showed us jumping sheep, according to @tigressthetiger which signifies falling asleep:

Look even the dialogue is fitting.

Well I am not talking about a shared dream, but what if TFP is the mixture of both Sherlock & John’s two different dreams? Unlikely but umm. I don’t know how to pull off this kind of complex thing. Maybe S4 was really bad-writing ( except it is not )

Well then, when I rewatched TFP, it seemed to me John’s horror-dream, only John’s horror dream until this scene:

From the above scene it seemed to me the dream of nobody other than Sherlock.

The melodrama, the metaphors, all the signs make me convinced it’s Sherlock’s dream. Or self-conversation?

The whole nursery rhyme thing  recited by Eurus does not bring any solution to Red-beard’s murder case. Just because Eurus is evil? Why just why? No explanation. Also the only alive girl in Bond air, whose mirror was she?

Eurus served as both Sherlock’s and somehow John’s mirror, while Victor is clearly John’s childhood:

P.C. @jarlie86art

From John’s rescue by the rope it again seemed to be John’s nightmare ( Argh! background Mary’s voice-over, cheesy cuts, a platonic parentlock WTF)

Also what’s the point of the whole Musgrave false graves, the moor, children playing... a direct callback of a disturbing novel by Emily Bronte : Wuthering Heights, also of Bronte sisters’ childhood and disturbing/haunting memories.

CONFUSING!!!! because unlike TAB, TFP is not still confirmed as a dream by the writers. Also when in John’s perspective the horror movies are of mostly male point of views, Sherlock’s POV finds reference from Victorian/Gothic horror novels which are from female point of view!!! ( “Sherlock is actually a girl’s name”, “ East wind was basically me”, Sherlock has a demonic anima archetype etc) 

On author’s sublimity and ‘Insane wish fulfillment’:  

First of all TAB was a gay fever dream with powerful women characters and a male villain (i.e. Moriarty). TFP was exact opposite, queerbaiting, disturbing, misogynist, and a psycho female villain: Ebony Darkness Dementia Raven Way Eurus Holmes.  

Why this 180 degree turn? TAB had some of the excellent-most editing in TV history, TFP has none, we can even see the green screen in the graphics.

My intellect does not want to agree with the idea that TFP was simply bad writing, and the crew were smoking weeds all the time. It could be said if there were no previous seasons, especially if there was no TAB.

So, why did Mofftiss do so, Just to fuck up with us? Just to prove us wrong, since TAB was predicted by TJLC accurately? Or just to fake the show’s death? The actual Richenberg redux? I have no answer of these questions, umm perhaps I have. Why they have called TFP as insane wish-fulfillment? 

They have transformed all their childhood traumas, disturbing memories into one episode.

According to Freud and other psychologists sublimation is one of the highest coping mechanisms, authors tend to use literature as a vehicle of fulfilling unfulfilled wishes, desires and transform their traumas into arts.

I don’t know if you agree or disagree with this statement. But this is not the most impossible thing. Johnlock is not yet confirmed. The series can really comeback if and only if TFP is a confirmed, otherwise we are more intelligent than Mofftiss. #Give-Us-a-4th-Episode-Soonish

TL;DR: To quote @shawleyleres , S4 is not fake, 100% real in Sherlock’s or John’s Mind. 

Instead of having a specific cliffhanger, TFP itself is a massive cliffhanger 

Long live conspiracy,and long live TJLC

Transcript courtesy: http://arianedevere.livejournal.com/

I promise to elaborate the points I mentioned in another metas.

Tags under cut:

  @love-in-mind-palace     @shawleyleres @isitandwonder @tigressthetiger@loveinthemindpalace  @hudders-and-hiddles @waitedforgarridebs @ifyouarelookingforqueerbaiting @amaranthinelover @separating-my-porn-and-tjlc @artisticpanda23 @lijahlover @heimishtheidealhusband @astudyinqueerbaiting @atikiology @johnlockshire @bbcatemysoul @bbcromance @tjlcer @johnlockishell @grumpyjohn @graceebooks @jon-lox @heimishtheidealhusband @just-sort-of-happened @depth-of-loyalty-and-love @deducingbbcsherlock

@shag-me-senseless-watson    @wssh-watson @watsonshoneybee @sussexbound @vanetti @jenna221b @the-7-percent-solution @teapotsubtext@roadswewalk @isitandwonder

@inevitably-johnlocked      @loudest-subtext-in-tv @wellthengameover @skulls-and-tea

@marcespot          @johnnlocked   @multifandom-madnesss @joolabee  @ebaeschnbliah @ervagworld @escaroles @bimartin @green-violin-bow @glittersparkledust @yorkiepug

[shallurazine]

issue two announcements + a quick poll!

Hello, everyone! A very important post containing definitive details about issue two of stars aligned! 

We will be accepting multimedia work in issue two! This includes edits (gifsets, moodboards, etc), music (like covers, original songs), videos (using canon clips or graphics), cosplay, etc! We want to encourage whatever creative outlets you have and not be exclusive to writing and art.

Merchandise (like charms, stickers, etc) will be made available — as per the wishes of the creators in the zine. Last issue, we last minute threw in a bonus of postcards without ambition for other goodies, but this time, we have much more time to make this issue super special!

Most importantly, however, is that we want to ask you all to vote on two items:

whether or not we should continue with an open submission process or if we should switch to an application process

whether or not we should have a predetermined theme for the zine

There are pros and cons for each choice, and we hope that you help us make the ultimate decision for issue two. We want to allow you to make the most informed selection, and so we include more information below the read more, and as always, we encourage you to ask questions if there are any.

The link to vote is below, and this poll will be open until February 11, 2017 at 11:59 pm EST. We’ll inform you of the final decision shortly after.

>>>  v o t e    h e r e !  <<< by feb 11!

The two items on the voting form are discussed in more detail below:

re: open submission or application process

briefly, the definitions:

With an “open submission” process, we accept complete work from the first day that the submission period is open (February 15) to when the submission period is closed (May 14, 11:59 pm EST). 

With an “application” process, we will be accepting applications to be a part of the zine starting February 15 (you would only need to provide a profile of your work), closing applications on February 28, 11:59 pm EST, selecting creators on March 1, and then allowing the selected creators to work on their pieces until the deadline of May 14, 11:59 pm EST. 

note that in both processes, the timelines will be approximately the same:

if open submissions:

february 15 - submissions open may 14, 11:59 pm EST - submissions closed may 15 - content selection; creators notified may 21, 11:59 pm EST - final edits to selected content due may 30 - pre-order available; preview available

if using applications:

february 15 - application open feburary 28, 11:59 pm EST - application closed march 1 - creators selected; assignments given april 15 - progress note due may 14,11:59 pm EST - content due may 30 - pre-order available; preview available

brief write up:

The first issue of the zine was an open submission process, a decision that we made in part because of our short timeline (we wanted to publish an issue before season two was released) but mostly because we wanted to allow creators — regardless of how well-established their art/writing profile — the opportunity to be a part of the zine. We wanted to go into the selection process as without as much bias as possible, and thereby organized our submission process after how literary/art magazines typically run their processes. We had our doubts, but honestly, the open submission process was probably the best decision we made. We had a lot of submissions and a lot of good content — and we were able to shine light on talent from creators that might have not submitted if we were screening applications. Most of all, we loved how the open submission was inclusive and that whenever we blogged inspiration or memes during the submission process, we were engaging with the entire shallura fandom.

That being said, we know that the open submission process from issue one is a little unorthodox when it comes to how many fanzines are run, and many fanzines use an application process for plenty of reasons. An application process gives creators the courtesy to guarantee whether or not their work will make it into the zine (with selection of their application). Furthermore, it allows us, the admins, to control the content that goes into the zine. As the final zine content would not be created before we reach out to the selected creators, we would have a lot more say in what we expect would go into the zine. We also theoretically would be able to build more collaboration and community among the selected creators as we create the issue.

Both processes allow us, without doubt, to select for the quality and quantity of content. As we, the admins, are indifferent as to how much control/flexibility we have on the zine, it’s really up to you to choose. Ultimately, the way that we run the zine process will impact even the amount and type of communication that you see from us on this blog, and we urge you to make the choice you feel most comfortable with!

re: themes or nah

Fortunately, this is a much shorter paragraph. Basically last issue, we left the submissions up to whatever tickled the creators’ inspiration and then discussed between the two of us what theme we felt emanated from the entire collection of work in the issue. We wonder if you all prefer to continue exercising a wide range or if you would prefer to have a theme to narrow your creativity.

If you vote yes, we, the admins, will come up with a theme for you to work with. (lol, we’re sorta super chill and loose with this stuff though, haha.)

If you vote no, y’all can submit whatever (with the same policies of avoiding nsfw, gore, excessive violence, etc).

This decision applies regardless of whether the issue will be done via open submission process or application process. 

okay done.

Wow, thank you for reading all of this content (or at least scrolling through it). You’re a star. As always, please ask questions if you have any! And once more, because you made it this far:

>>>  v o t e    h e r e ! <<< by feb 11!

[zillowcondo]

The Overhead Compartment with Bob Ley

Shining a spotlight on celebrities and athletes who love to travel. Created and developed by Stacy Steponate Greenberg.

1979 was a momentous year in sports history. Magic Johnson beat Larry Bird in, perhaps, the most famous NCAA basketball game ever played. Number 2 Alabama beat Number 1 Penn State in the Sugar Bowl. The Steelers and Pirates won titles for the city of Pittsburgh. And, in tiny Bristol, Connecticut, a cable television network called ESPN was born. Decades later, the impact of ESPN on the culture has been enormous, and right at the center of it, from its very inception, has been the network’s signature anchor, Bob Ley. Now ESPN’s longest tenured employee, Ley has logged thousands of hours on the air and accumulated numerous awards, Emmys and accolades. Now, Ley’s highly viewed program Outside The Lines, which he has hosted since it launched in 1990, will be reinvented with its own dedicated studio, a new look and a permanent home on ESPN, airing M-F at 1 pm ET. The Overhead Compartment was fortunate to grab the remote control and share a few secrets with one of the most insightful journalists in the game.

OUTSIDE THE LINES starts MONDAY MAY 15th, 1 PM ET ON ESPN

The Overhead Compartment with Bob Ley begins now….

OC: You joined ESPN three days after the network launched in 1979. What was your expectation when you arrived?

BL: I was 24 and hoping this new operation would last for a bit. I had 18 hours to decide between my job offer from ESPN and another, slightly better opportunity at the time. At the time, it was not a no-brainer. It appears to have worked out OK.

OC: When, and why, did ESPN truly become the “worldwide leader in sports?”

BL: The ‘why’ is the easy part. We’ve always tried to respect the intelligence of our viewers, to – as the man who hired me, Chet Simmons once said – talk to sports fans the way you wanted to be spoken to. The ‘when’ is more of a moving target, but there’s a general consensus that in 1987 with our first NFL contract, we had – in only eight years – arrived, with greater things ahead of us.

OC: The sports broadcasting landscape is currently so crowded and so noisy. What place does “Outside The Lines” occupy in it?

BL: OTL stands on its 27 years of telling stories and asking questions that often you won’t see or hear otherwise. More light than heat, more knowledge than noise. But turning it up to 11 when we have to.

OC: Is there anyone you have never interviewed that you would like to?

BL: Pope Francis is a football fan, a card-carrying fan of the San Lorenzo Club in Argentina for which my friend Santi Solari once played. Would love to talk sports and society with The Holy Father. My colleague David Muir of ABC News actually did interview His Holiness, and had to spend weeks working on his Spanish to do so. That might be a bridge too far for me.

OC: How have you seen the world of sports change for the better?

BL: The ability for fans to access highlights, information, data, stories and learn about their games and the players has never been easier, or widespread. You can be plugged in from anywhere on Earth to watch, and – just as importantly – be part of the conversation about a game, or an issue.

OC: For the worse?

BL: The perversion of the FIFA World Cup selection process (the culmination of decades of privileged corruption in that organization), the conversion of the Olympics to some focus-grouped corporate outing, the luxury-boxing of our own domestic events…..all just seem to take us further from some ideal of better times. But what’s the common denominator in those factors? Yup, long green.

OC: What was the most dramatic sporting event you ever covered?

BL: World Cup Final, France v Brazil, Stade de France, St. Denis, July, 1998. France’s first World Cup championship – won at home – and, the pre-game drama over whether Ronaldo would play for Brazil.

OC: In which country did you find the fans the most passionate?

BL: Honduras. The fans love for Los Catrachos renders their goal celebrations so magnificent there is an actual physical quality to the sound in San Pedro Sula.

OC: What is your favorite city to visit for work?

BL: Paris.

OC: What do you do when you have down time in that city?

BL: Walk – with my Canon SLR – and explore off the main streets. The light, the historic architecture, the people – all make for a constantly changing landscape. And when you’re tired, there’s only a thousand places or so to stop for a leisurely three course, two hour lunch.

OC: What are three restaurants anywhere on earth that everyone needs to eat in if they can?

BL: Aprazível, in the hills above Rio; Brasserie Lipp, on the Blvd. St. German, Paris; Lobster Landing, Clinton, CT.

OC: First thing you do when arriving at a hotel in your room?

BL: Hang up suits, shirts, check to see I’ve got an iron and ironing board….even before making sure the wifi doesn’t suck.

OC: Complete the following sentence: I never leave home without:

BL: Thinking that Dorothy had it right.

Bob Ley, please use care upon departure as items may have shifted in The Overhead Compartment during our journey. Thanks for choosing us for your travel tips! Have a wonderful day!

The post The Overhead Compartment with Bob Ley appeared first on Pursuitist.

The Overhead Compartment with Bob Ley published first on http://ift.tt/2pewpEF

[victoriousfidelity]

Sigyn smiles, and raises her glass to the warrior. "You are much more proficient at giving rousing speeches than some of your comrades are, Lady Sif."

⠀ * @victoriousfidelity liked ! — lyric starter .

⠀ 〞 we are all brought forth out of darkness, into this world through blood and through pain — and deep in our bones, the old songs are waking : so sing them with voices of thunder and rain ! 〞

[victoriousfidelity]

@isbrilliant asked: "Why don't you just kill me?" 200 random dialogue prompts. | accepting.

The stranger had been found in one of the palace gardens and brought to the healing rooms to be examined. Sigyn had volunteered to be the one to do so out of pure curiosity; people don't exactly wander into Valaskjálf seemingly by chance on a regular basis.

The scans tell her that the woman is Midgardian, though there's a different sort of energy clinging to her that reads as something similar to the after-effects of travelling via the Bifröst. She's travelled between the Realms, then, that much is a certainty - but by what method?

She's pulled from her thoughts by the question, and her initial response is a gentle laugh. "Well for one thing, as a healer that's really the opposite of what I'm supposed to do. And besides - how would I find out how you managed to get here, if I did that?"

The Goddess meets the other woman's gaze, her expression gentle. "My name is Sigyn. Do you... Actually know where you are?"

[victoriousfidelity]

@unheald asked: "When can you sneak away?" prompts for a secret rendezvous with your lover. | accepting.

Hidden away in an alcove near the healing rooms, Sigyn smiled in spite of herself as Loki pressed close to her, the question whispered against her ear.

"Norns, you are so impatient - has it ever occurred to you that there are things other than you which require my attention?" Her admonishment was clearly unserious, and she then undermined it entirely by stealing a kiss.

"I'm supposed to be here until this evening," She admitted softly, staying close. He was a terrible influence on her, and she found that she didn't care in the slightest. "But perhaps we could find a compelling reason for me to be needed elsewhere...?"

[victoriousfidelity]

@emeraldxphoenix said: "Come back to bed." an assortment of dialogue prompts. | accepting.

It is, admittedly, early; the sun has barely risen, and the palace still quiet save for the attendants who are beginning to prepare for the day. But that doesn't stop Sigyn from shaking her head when she feels his fingers curl around her wrist, gently but insistently trying to urge her to lie back down.

"I have work to do." She replies, smiling fondly at him over her shoulder.

Her reasons for rising so early are twofold. The first - and the one she's currently using as her excuse - is that she's expected to be in the healing rooms well before most royals tend to make their first appearances of the day. The second reason is to try and avoid anyone seeing her leaving Loki's chambers.

Yes, the sneaking around is part of the appeal - especially for the trickster who is currently trying to coax her into abandoning her duties in favour of staying in his bed. But there's something wonderful in the secrecy, too; in having something for themselves which, for the moment, isn't subject to the gossiping opinions of Asgard's court. Sigyn would quite like to make the most of it while they can.

She acquiesces to Loki's coaxing just enough so that she can lean in and kiss him softly. "As I recall, though, you are at liberty to lounge around to your heart's content until this afternoon."

[victoriousfidelity]

She grins as her trickster pulls her down with them, stealing a more deliberate kiss than the one they taunted her with as she settles atop them, shifting her weight onto one elbow so that she can look down at them. She feels Loki's magic shielding them from view, and lifts her other hand to their face, fingertips gently tracing the sharp lines of their cheek and jaw.

"I do know that," She concedes softly, dipping her head to kiss them again. "But that mind of yours was so far away that I wanted to regain your attention, first."

She knows where Loki's thoughts were, of course. Their marriage - the one which is currently being held up by Odin's obsession with twisting it into a thing of political convenience; which makes sense, to a degree, given who they both are. But his outright refusal to acknowledge that Loki and Sigyn want to marry one another - that they are in love - is frustrating, to say the least.

"Try not to dwell on it, love." She sighs, her hand moving to brush a stray lock of hair out of their face. "Even he will not be able to stall this forever."

@victoriousfidelity said “Let me distract you.”

The god’s face lights up almost immediately, eyes bright as they consider just what that distraction might entail. Recent days have been long and frustrating, hours stained grey with infinite meetings and negotiations, and a distinct lack of Sigyn’s presence. Loki just wants to be married – everyone, in fact, is in favour of the match – but Odin insists on wringing every advantage from it that he possibly can. Which just leaves the two of them to wait, and feign indifference, and snatch moments like this whenever they can.

“You don’t have to ask, Sig.” They lean forward on the blanket, brushing their lips against hers teasingly, before hooking a finger into the fabric of her dress and pulling her with them as they lean back once more. “You know I’ll always welcome any distraction you offer.” Eyes flash emerald with a silent concealment spell, and then the god is lying back fully against soft fabric, hidden both by the nearby lilac bush and their magic, eager hands pulling Sigyn to lie on top of them.

[victoriousfidelity]

@othunderous said: "Tell me if I'm bothering you." 'tell me' rp meme. | accepting.

"You aren't bothering me." She assures him, a hint of a laugh at the edges of her tone. The idea of Thor actually worrying that he's disturbed her - when she's the guest in this Realm - is rather endearing.

Though, there's a glint of curiosity in her gaze, too, as it moves up from the book she's been leafing through settle on him. "Is there something you wished to speak with me about?"