#when i think the way the scene is framed makes it EXCEEDINGLY CLEAR THAT SHE LIVES IN ONE TIMELINE.

[rocketbirdie]

dont apologize for going insane im putting my rambles out there to also find insane people 🤝🤝🤝 but yeah i haven't played rebirth yet but seeing people complain on the basis of "it's not og" is ALWAYS crazy to me because it's SUPER clear, in both an in-universe and out-of-universe sense that it's like. Explicitly not OG. It's so explicitly about breaking the chains of og and that's super super interesting. remakeverse is like it's own beast and its very cool and it's also making me lose my mind because the "what if"'s are so beautiful but also [breaking down about the original timeline] THERE WAS SO MUCH LOVE THERE TOO AND IT DIDN'T CHANGE ANYTHING!!!! HEAD IN HANDS. anyway thats to say i agree with all of your thoughts thank u for the insane food

EXACTLYYYYY AAUUUGHHHH the mind-screw of it all..... the implications........

[abeautifulblog]

Ideas for Jaskier's music in the Warlord AU

i.e., what Jaskier gets up to as Geralt's one-man propaganda machine

(Most of these didn’t make it into For the Asking, but imagine they’re there in the background.)

Sir Swears-a-Lot

A song about Lambert that (ironically) does not have a single bad word in it. It does that thing—I don't know what you call it—where it sets up a rhyme and then yanks out the bad word at the last minute and substitutes something inoffensive that doesn't rhyme. (Making it very clear what was *supposed* to be there.)

He'll give you lip, he'll give you sass,

But when push comes to shove

He's there to save your sorry ........hide.

Or--

And when the battle's over

and All's been put aright

You try to say, “Sir, thank you!” and get--

“I ain't no f...flipping knight!”

(I expect he also rhymes “witching” with “bitching” at some point.)

Not really propaganda, except in the sense that it's humanizing witchers—the message being that Lambert is foul-mouthed and grumpy, but a genuinely Good Dude underneath it.

I expect this one is popular with kids, because it has the titillation of saying swears!! but they can't actually get in trouble for it.

*

My Lover is a Witcher

Does what it says on the tin—an incredibly raunchy song that frames itself as a woman extolling to her friend all the myriad benefits of fucking a witcher, including but not limited to:

Can't get you pregnant

Can't give you the clap

Isn't gonna make you marry him

Muscles for days

Incredible stamina

Huge dick

Decades of experience

Did I mention the stamina?

Because Jaskier is a bro and a true wingman and has turned his talents to helping witchers get laid on the Path. It works exceedingly well—too well, say the witchers who aren't trying to hook up but are now being plagued by hordes of extremely persistent admirers.

(Gweld: Jaskier. For the love of all that’s holy. Serrit has nearly stabbed four different women because they wouldn't stop hitting on me. You are a menace.)

Meanwhile everyone in Kaer Morhen is like, Buttercup, that is way more than I ever wanted to know about how Geralt fucks.

Jaskier: ...I didn't say I was writing from personal experience!

Geralt: [hides face]

Jaskier: I'm just saying it's very accurate.

*

Beneath the Linden Tree

An explicitly anti-war song. It's framed as a young woman singing to her sweetheart, who's been conscripted to fight against the Wolf; she's urging him to keep his head down and surrender the first chance he gets—that there's nothing cool or heroic about war, and everyone knows (hah) that the Wolf treats POWs honorably, so her lover will be safe there until the fighting is over.

I care not for the deeds of war,

I'd have you home with me

And feel your lips on mine again

Beneath the linden tree.

(The linden tree being a repeated motif in the song symbolizing home and love and peace. And you get 1 internet point if you can guess what song I was referencing when I made it a linden tree. ;D)

This is one that I think Jaskier would not claim authorship of—instead, Yen's agents seed it throughout neighboring territories to make it appear a grassroots movement rather than a top-down propaganda push.

As a propaganda song, it's notable in that it doesn't directly try to sing the praises of the Wolf—instead its message is, I don't care who sits on the throne, that has nothing to do with us, I just want you home safe. It's a subtle attempt to erode popular support for wars against the Wolf, by painting them as pointless and unnecessary, with a cost that falls disproportionately heavy on the common people.

(Because it wouldn't surprise me if the overtly pro-Wolf songs become a hanging offense in rival countries—so Jaskier has to come up with songs that push their message but slip the censors.)

Does it work? Hard to say, but Geralt likes it.

*

Miscellaneous educational songs—that a lot of his songs about the (mis)adventures of various witchers are doing double-duty, not only introducing that person to the public, but also packed with information about the identifying characteristics of whatever the monster-of-the-week was, and (if possible) telling the audience what is and isn't effective when it comes to protecting themselves from it.

He has a lot of these, there's practically a formula for them:

Monster appears in village. (Description of monster and what it does)

A local attempts to kill it, or drive it off, or sneak past it into the woods for a midnight rendezvous, or whatever, something that gets them killed or nearly-killed. (The cautionary tale.)

Witcher arrives on scene. (Heroic introduction. This is the part that the witcher's buddies will regale him with mercilessly from now until the end of time.)

Witcher tells the people what kind of monster they have (opportunity to give more information about it, if necessary) and tells them how to keep safe while he kills it (defensive measures).

HEROIC BATTLE! (Emphasize that you should not try this at home, kids.)

Village thanks witcher, witcher leaves. Whatever emotional hook Jaskier had used for the song (justice being done, rescuing someone, reuniting a pair of lovers, etc) gets resolved. The end.

Because the faster people can (correctly) identify a threat, the faster they can get a properly-equipped witcher out there to deal with it—and if protecting themselves in the mean time is as simple as “don't go out after dark” or “put salt on your doorsteps and windowsills,” the fewer people will get hurt while they're waiting for help to arrive.

These are the equivalent of catchy pop songs, not epics, and Jaskier makes sure to put the most salient information into the most ear-wormy part of the chorus, so if people remember nothing else, they'll remember that.

[creepy-spooghetti]

A Hapless Endearment [Creepypasta x F. Reader]

Chapter 11 - Anonymous

_____

Jack opens the door, stepping aside to allow a pale girl with medium-length blonde hair into the small house. She's clad in slightly ripped jeans, a pair of sneakers, a maroon tank top, and a black jacket. In her hand is a plastic bag that looks to have been taken from some kind of store, and what resides inside isn't completely clear, although judging by the shape of the objects Y\n assumes it to be shoes. Her violet-grey eyes land on Jack, then shift over to Y\n, who remains leaning against the wall and watching the scene warily in front of her. 

She nods in silent greeting before walking through the door frame and into the living room, being followed by yet another girl, this one much younger and, instead of gripping a bag, a brown, old-looking teddy bear is tightly clutched within her arms. Her eyes are a bright, piercing shade of green, her chocolate-brown hair cascades over her shoulders and down her back. She wears a multi-colored hoodie splashed with shades of pink, lemony yellow, blue, and purple, and the hood itself has cotton cat ears attached to the hem. She has on a pair of black leggings, a pink mini-skirt, and rose-colored tennis shoes.

Faint freckles are scattered along her cheeks and across the bridge of her nose, and her gaze travels from the floor and up to Y\n as she tilts her head shyly. There's a kid here, too? Y\n furrows her eyebrows and glances between the three people now standing ahead of her, two of which she's never seen before in her life. She assumes the teen to be who Jack called 'Wisteria', but who the younger one is she hasn't a clue. She never heard a kid being mentioned, so the news is a bit surprising to her. 

That's when she takes notice of the blood slowly trickling down the side of her head, hidden previously by her long locks of hair, and dripping down onto her hoodie, forever staining the brightly-shaded piece of clothing with quite a large blotch of crimson. The child doesn't appear to be in any pain, but how would that be? If she had just been bashed in the head by some blunt object, how would she be able to ignore it? Come to think of it, how would she even be standing right now? Shouldn't she be knocked cold? 

Y\n's heart rate increases from concern, and she's tempted to comment on it or even lunge forward, pull the girl toward her and get her away from the two teens standing in front of the doorway. They don't seem even remotely worried about it, either because they're the ones that gave her the damage, or they just haven't taken notice of it yet. "What is Sally doing here?" Jack questions, shoving his hands into the pocket of his black hoodie and taking up a casual-looking posture. He doesn't sound mad, just curious, and perhaps a little surprised. 

Wisteria shrugs, wrapping a hand around her hair and slinging it across one of her shoulders. "Because she wanted to come."

"You couldn't have just left her with Ben or somethin'?" She shoots him a mildly annoyed expression. 

"Are you stupid? That'd be a terrible idea." 

"You've done it before."

"And that's a mistake I will never make, again." After a moment, Jack murmurs a half-hearted "okay, fine" in agreement before shutting the door and propping his back against its solid wooden surface. Wisteria briefly motions toward Y\n with a raised eyebrow. "This the girl?"

"I have a name," Y\n says, narrowing her eyes at the blonde and unable to stop glimpsing down at who she presumes is 'Sally', stomach churning with unanswered questions. She gets an impatient glance in return.

"I don't care," she responds, crossing her arms. Sensing a brewing disagreement, Jack interjects before it can go any farther. 

"Yes, this is Y\n. And Y\n, this is Wisteria and Sally." The young brunette takes a small step forward, bringing her hand up and giving Y\n a timid wave as she clings tighter onto her stuffed animal. 

"Hi..." Her voice is soft, so soft in fact that Y\n has to strain her ears just to hear and understand the words that leave her mouth. She offers the ghost of a smile in response, mostly one of concern for Sally's well-being. Who did that to her? Surely she didn't hit herself straight in the head, and even if she had, then she couldn't have made that big of an injury. She's just a kid, after all, no older than eight or nine, there's no way she could manage that kind of strength. Then again, there do seem to be some pretty...unusual people here. Is she one of them?

Wisteria stares her down as if studying her appearance, waiting for her to do something, silently judging her. Wisteria seems to be the only normal-looking person that Y\n has come across so far, save for the odd color of her eyes, though that can easily be overlooked. She'll still use it against her if she has to, though. 

Y\n shuffles on her feet uncomfortably, meeting the slightly taller girl's gaze and refusing to break contact for fear of looking weak. She is not weak, and she doesn't want anyone to think that she is. Jack runs his fingers through his hair, standing to his full height once more, and steps toward Wisteria. "So, you brought the stuff?"

Without looking away from Y\n, she nods. "Yeah, I did." A barely-noticeable, sly smirk etches itself across her face as she uncrosses her arms. "Here. Catch." Before Y\n can even blink, the bag of shoes is being launched at her head, and she only just catches it before it can hit her in the eye and temporarily blind her. Huffing indignantly, she holds the plastic bag by its handle and places a hand on her hip, glaring at Wisteria and earning a haughty grin in return. 

"Thanks." Her voice comes out in a sarcastic drawl, contemplating on throwing the bag back at her and giving her a taste of her own medicine. Instead, she focuses her attention on the child standing right beside Wisteria, then down to the large gash on her temple, unable to quell the curiosity about the unexplained wound and the worry for her safety. "What happened to your head, Sally?" She tries to keep her tone mild as she bends down a bit so she'll be closer to her height, as to not further intimidate her. Sally looks down nervously, stepping to the side until she's hidden partially by the taller girl's legs and the lower part of her torso. 

"I...It's, uh..."

"None of your business," Wisteria snaps, suddenly becoming defensive and putting an arm in front of Sally protectively. Y\n takes a stride forward, boldness swarming inside of her chest. 

"I'm not gonna stand aside and let some kid bleed to death while you're not doing anything about it."

"Alright, alright." Jack puts his arms out in front of him and steps between the two girls, facing Y\n with a peaceful tone to his voice. "Y\n, Sally isn't in danger."

Her eyes widen and she points at the green-eyed child mostly obscured by the larger frames of both Jack and Wisteria in exasperation. "Do you not see her head? Somebody clearly split it wide open!"

"Yes. Yes, they did." She presses her lips together and scowls at Jack, not understanding why he's acting so mellow about an eight-year-old kid being injured. "But that was a long time ago."

"So then why is it still bleeding?"

"Because it doesn't stop. It can't." Raising a skeptical and, distinctly confused eyebrow, she stares at him, waiting for him to continue the rest of his explanation. "Look... she isn't normal, not by a long shot. Not anymore."

"She doesn't need to know all of this, Jack," the blonde spits from behind him, though he only turns his head back to face her for a moment to say his reply. 

"If she's going to be staying here, yes, she does." He shifts his attention back onto Y\n, ignoring the scoff of protest that erupts from behind him. "And what I mean by that, is... she's not human anymore. She's a ghost."

A ghost? He's talking about ghosts, of all things now? How crazy is everyone? She's never been a strong believer in ghosts or hauntings or anything like that but considering everything that's been happening to her as of late, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to start believing that things like ghosts do exist. But to be a ghost...you'd have to die. Does this mean that Sally died? Come to think of it, that wound does look pretty fatal... 

"But ghosts aren't real," she says quietly, mainly to reassure herself that things like what he says are only in movies, and books, and TV shows. But are they, really? There has to be some reason that Sally isn't hurt by that exceedingly large gash in her head. Could that be why? Because she's already dead?

"They are, Y\n. That's why she isn't in pain." He points down toward Sally. "Because she's not alive, anymore." Y\n stares at Jack incredulously, then over to Sally, trying to process the information in her head. A dead person walking around? Like a zombie? Except, one major difference between Sally and a zombie is that Sally isn't currently trying to eat her alive. At least she's a friendly ghost, right? 

She blinks, finding herself not completely in-touch with her surroundings. Next Jack will be telling her that there are aliens from another world about to invade Earth and that they need some time-traveling machine to stop them. It wouldn't be a big surprise, at least not at this point. Okay, so ghosts are apparently real. Yeah, that makes sense.

Though she really can't understand how such an idea works, she figures that dwelling on the matter won't do her any good. Just go with it, right? It'll make it easier on herself if she doesn't think about how bizarre this whole situation is. She just has to keep her mind on more plausible explanations, but like what? She hasn't any other theories for everything that's been taking place lately, what more does she have to go off of? The best idea she has is that this is all one massive hallucination, but even that's a far stretch of her imagination at this point. It all feels too real to be imagined. 

Wisteria scoffs, rolling her vivid periwinkle eyes and drawing Y\n out of her hysteria of scrambled thoughts. "See? She can't even handle the simple truth." She furrows her eyebrows at the shorter girl still standing on the other side of Jack. "I still think we just shoulda killed her—"

"Wisteria." Jack cuts her off, voice austere as he shifts around to better face her. "That wouldn't have been a smart move."

"And why not?" She places a hand on her hip audaciously. "She wouldn't be our problem." He sighs in reply, shaking his head in disagreement. 

"You know why she's here. It's better for all of us this way." Y\n stares at the two with a look of mild disbelief—like, hello? They do know that she's still right here in front of them, yeah? She can tell that Jack is trying to at least be subtle, but Wisteria on the other hand just acts like she doesn't care at all. Which is likely the case. "Y\n," He looks back at her, "are you ready to go?"

"I don't want to go." She eyes Wisteria, backing up farther into the wall behind her. "I'm not living in some stranger's house." At least she's been acquainted with Jack prior to all of this, and she's been talking with him for the past little while so she feels the most comfortable with him. What if this 'Brian' person is as obnoxious and appalling as Jeff? Or even more so? She really doesn't want to deal with someone like that, much less stay with them. 

"Brian isn't going to hurt you, he's one of the most mature people here." Jack tries to sound reassuring for the most part, though it hardly works. "And Wisteria won't do anything either, she's just taking you to him." Y\n crosses her arms in protest, choosing not to verbally respond and instead send a stink eye his way. 

"Don't be afraid..." A soft voice erupts from below her, and she glances down to meet the green eyes of Sally, who had somehow walked closer to her without Y\n even realizing it. Her facial expression melts into one of compassion as she once again looks at the open gash still bleeding on her head. If the little girl trusts them, shouldn't she? 

Absolutely not. To be fair though, if Sally really is a ghost then they couldn't hurt her, anyway, so she wouldn't have a reason to fear them. Can she really trust her when she says not to be afraid? She could be in on it all, for crying out loud. Although, maybe she should be a bit more compliant just to see what happens. Other than kidnapping her among some other, more mild things, they haven't hurt her. Jack is the only one that's really even communicated with her, and as much as she hates to admit it, he's been nothing but patient with her since she woke up here. He didn't even seem to hold anything against her at the fact that she kneed him in a place no boy wants to be hit.

Plus, he provided her with an explanation for everything that's been happening. No one else had done that. She brushes a strand of hair behind her ear and releases an inaudible sigh from in-between her lips before turning and strolling down the hallway, stopping once she gets into the room she originally woke up inside. The broken glass that had been previously in front of the doorway seems to have been cleaned up, and she's more than grateful. It would suck stepping on shattered glass, it's a wonder she was able to avoid it to start with. Sitting on the bed, she takes the pair of shoes and a couple of old-looking socks out of the plastic store-made bag before beginning to slide them over her feet. 

She tries not to bump her ankle, though her attempts prove futile when the top of the sock constricts around it, making a bolt of pain shoot up her leg. "I hate that stupid dog..." she mutters, remembering the very recent sensation of a canine's teeth clamping down on her ankle and refusing to let go until his owner told him to. She rubs at the bandages, trying to give the inflicted area some kind of relief before pulling the shoes up and slipping them, too, on her feet. She ties the laces, inwardly rejoicing at the fact that the shoes aren't high-tops, otherwise, it would bring her even more pain. 

From the living room, Y\n can hear faint talking from who she assumes to be Jack and Wisteria, one of the voices slightly hostile and the other calm and collected. Well, what now? Go with Wisteria, she guesses, although she really doesn't have another choice. It isn't like she can run away in the state that her foot is in—she would surely be caught before she made it ten feet if even that. Jack said that Brian, whoever that is, won't harm her. Is he telling the truth? Who even knows. He's lied before, how can she be so sure that he isn't doing it again?

She shifts her gaze up from her shoes to the brunette girl standing in the doorway, looking a little timid though offering an affable smile nonetheless. She bounces on her heels, teddy clutched to her chest, and speaks. "Hi..."

Y\n tilts her head curiously, sitting properly once again and staring at the young girl. "Hi..." Sally slowly makes her way inside the room, face displaying innocence and a friendly desire. 

"There aren't many girls here," she says, eyes averting down to the floor shyly. "You'll be the fourth, if you stay..." 

"Fourth, huh?" She folds her hands into her lap tentatively. "Who's the third?"

"That's Zero...but she isn't here right now. So it's just me, and Sissy...and you." That comment makes her eyebrows furrow in mild puzzlement.

"Wait, Wisteria's your...your sister?" Y\n can't see any resemblance between the two, not even their eyes are the same color. And their personalities definitely seem different, with one being brash and the other being quiet and timid. Then again, having just met them she can't be too harsh of a judge but first impressions are everything. Sally parts her lips a moment as if she's about to say something only to cut herself off. She twirls a strand of long, brown hair around her finger as she collects her thoughts while Y\n waits patiently. 

"Well...no. Not really, but...she treats me like her little sister."

Makes sense, she thinks, She did seem pretty protective of her. 

"You're staying, right?" She steps a little closer, biting her lip hopefully. "Bad people are after you. They're after all of us. This is the only place we're safe."

"Sally...I have a family to get back to. They need me. I...I don't think I can stay here, not—not for long, anyway." Her facial expression falls, and she dips her head forward in what Y\n recognizes as discouragement. 

"Oh..."

"You can...come with me, if you want?" She can tell that Sally seems perfectly happy here, but it doesn't quite sit well with her that she's still in a place with multiple people that could have, and likely did, do very bad and illegal things before. "My grandparents would be happy to give you a place to stay."

Sally flashes her a look of mild disbelief, green eyes widening slightly before she shakes her head. "I'm not leaving. This is my home."

"Are you sure?" She nods in response. 

"And...and I don't think you should leave, either. I think you'd like it here if you gave it a chance."

"Sally...I don't belong here." Her voice lowers as she speaks, looking down and into the young girl's wide eyes. "I have a family back home, important people that I need to go back to."

"We all had a family at some point." She lowers her gaze to the floor, her tone becoming sheepish. "But...that was a long time ago." Y\n tilts her head. She knew that the people living here had to have some kind of backstories, though she never gave it much thought. Just how tragic is everyone that lives here? What happened to them to turn them into these...sadistic-looking things that likely have a natural lust for blood? "And now all we have is each other. We're our own family."

Not sure what to say, Y\n shifts a little on the edge of the bed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and biting the inside of her cheek. 

"The monster wants something from all of us. It wants you, too." She nibbles at her bottom lip. "If you stayed with us, you'd be safe. It can't get you here." Taking a small step forward, she avoids eye-contact shyly and squeezes the stuffed bear tighter to her chest. "And you could be part of our family."

Y\n parts her lips to respond, though before she gets a chance, Wisteria peeks her head through the door, eyes landing on Sally then over to the girl still sat on the bed currently conversing with her. She meets her mild glare, expression hardening at the intense look being thrown her way. "Sally, c'mon. We're leaving." 

She glances behind toward the blonde standing in the doorframe, then back at Y\n, her face lighting up slightly as a friendly smile spreads across her cheeks. "Yeah! You're gonna meet Brian. Don't worry—he isn't so crabby once you get to know him."

"Yes, he is," Wisteria says, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow. Sally shakes her head, taking Y\n's hand somewhat hesitantly and beginning to drag her toward the door. Y\n complies reluctantly, walking slowly behind the small-framed brunette. 

"Not to me! He's only like that to you cause you're annoying." She scoffs and turns, disappearing from sight and heading outside. Sally glimpses up at Y\n as they begin to stride down the hallway. "He's nice, don't worry. He's just wary around new people."

Sounds like this 'Brian' dude isn't going to be too easy to get along with. Not that she's intending to try and 'get along' with anyone here, though it would be in her best interest to not make the people residing in this area hate her. As far as she's heard, they're not aiming to cause her any harm, but better safe than sorry, right? The last thing she'd want is to make one of them mad, especially the one with a smile carved in his face and an intimidating knife in the pocket of his hoodie. 

They soon step into the living room, Sally momentarily releasing her hold on Y\n's hand as she swiftly catches up with Wisteria, who is walking off the porch and glancing around, as if checking the surroundings for possible dangers. Y\n slows her pace when she gets in front of Jack, meeting his oozing, soulless pits attentively. "There are no more dogs, right?"

He curtly shakes his head. "Brian isn't big on dogs. Smile's the only one here." He shoves his hands into his pockets, noticing the look of disdain on her features and attempting to bring her a sense of reassurance. "I'll be over in a couple of days to check on your bite. Until then, medicate and dress it each night before you go to bed. He should have plenty of resources to work with."

"That's comforting," she mutters, briefly averting her eyes down to her bandaged ankle, partly hidden by her shoes but still in clear sight if one were to look closely enough. 

"I know you don't want to be here. I get it. But if you want your grandparents to be safe, you'll have to stay put, or get out and get them killed and possibly yourself, too." His voice has a solemn sound to it, his deep tone contributing to the daunting factor.

"Y\n, come one!" Sally calls from outside, drawing Y\n's attention and making her release a defeated huff. 

"I'll see you, I guess," she says quietly, gaze falling to the ground before following the two girls, Sally taking hold of her hand once again when she steps onto the ground. The very same ground that she had run across just an hour prior in a rushed attempt to escape, and could have succeeded had it not been for Jeff and his stupid dog. Merely thinking about the series of unfortunate events, she's unable to stop from glancing down at the bandaged area in which Smile chomped down upon in order to catch and bring her back here, where exactly 'here' is, she still hasn't figured out. In the middle of a forest, obviously, but in the middle of what forest? Where is she at? What state, what area is she in?

Wisteria takes a sharp turn left, beginning to stroll in-between the tall trees, some skinny and some quite large, and Sally follows suit, dragging behind a nervous and mildly resistant Y\n by her hand. After a moment, she hears a soft click from the house, signifying that Jack closed the door and is likely in the process of forgetting about her and her miserable situation. 

Figures. "So...do you not like dogs?" The question takes Y\n a little off-guard, and she meets the curious eyes of the curly-haired girl walking in front of her, still clinging to her hand gently.

"Um...well, I never really minded them, but...that was before one of them John Cena'd me earlier so now, I'm not so sure." She shrugs, and Sally grows a knowing look on her face. 

"Are you talking about Smile?"

"Yes. Yes, I'm talking about Smile." She inwardly winces as her left foot lands inside of a shallow hole, stumbling slightly and having to take a moment to gather her bearings. She hopes that they don't have to walk too much farther before they come upon Brian's house, not that she's looking forward to meeting another freak, but because if she has to stand on her leg all day then it's going to be throbbing very badly. 

"Smile's usually a really sweet dog. He may just not like you."

"Yeah, cause his owner is a huge jerk."

"You mean Jeff? Yeah, he's kinda mean." 

What a shocker. 

"A couple days ago he replaced the sugar with salt and it tasted terrible on my Rice Krispies." She makes a moderately disgusted face, scrunching up her nose and reliving the memory. Y\n furrows her eyebrows.

"Did he?"

"Yeah. Wisteria made him leave and threw my Barbie doll at his head..." The image of Jeff having some kid's Barbie being yeeted at his face and hitting him in the eye or some other important area almost has her smiling bitterly, eyes shifting down to her ankle once more and reminding her how much pain he just recently caused her, unnecessarily. 

"What was...Jeff, doing at your house?" 

"He was over to return something that he borrowed before," Wisteria suddenly speaks from ahead of them, not looking back and continuing to walk through the expansion of woods. "There's no way I'd allow him to come otherwise. And for the record, that Barbie doll was a piece of trash anyway. I was just putting it in the garbage where it belonged."

Y\n snorts quietly at that comment, not expecting the sudden insult toward someone who isn't even currently present though definitely not disagreeing. Through her brief encounter with the blue-eyed male, he did not seem like a favorable person by any standards, and as much as she'd hate to admit it, he is frightening and she wouldn't want to cross him. He's a big dude and there's no way she'd stand a chance against him, especially not with her leg the way it is.

"Well...we're here." Y\n looks up and sees yet another house, this one also shrouded with plants and vines likely to obscure its appearance from anyone who may stumble across it, assuming they actually didn't get caught by the psychopaths that live here and made it out alive, oblivious to their existence. It isn't very big, the paint is chipped and faded, and there's a barbed-wire fence surrounding the outside of it. 

Sally grins up at Y\n excitedly. "Welcome to Brian's house!"

[bloodraven55]

“But Bumbleby was rushed/forced to pander to the gays—”

There are a number of glaring flaws in this argument, most of all the fact that no straight relationship is ever called “forced” or “pandering” even if people don’t like it, let alone “rushed” when it’s only on the verge of officially happening seven seasons into the show, but I want to break down all of the many levels on which it’s wrong in order to hopefully kill it once and for all.

“It came out of nowhere—”

Jaune was crushing on Weiss the second he saw her, Sun was crushing on Blake the moment he saw her, Pyrrha developed feelings for Jaune in just one Volume and showed some interest from the moment she saw him, and Blake goes from being consistently annoyed at Sun throughout Volumes 1 and 2 to suddenly having a crush on him in Volume 3.

If Bumbleby supposedly “came out of nowhere,” then so did W/hite Knight, A/rkos, and B/lacksun. But no one ever has an issue with the speed at which those characters started having romantic interest in each other. And I’m not even saying they should—they’re all very valid ships and whether they came out of nowhere or not isn’t the point of this—but there’s a clear double standard applied to same sex ships as opposed to heterosexual ships here and it invalidates this point right out of the gate.

“It was rushed—”

Blake and Yang are only just now close to becoming an official couple after more than six whole Volumes of knowing each other. There is no possible universe where this would qualify as “rushed.” Again, W/hite Knight and B/lacksun albeit both one-sided at least to begin with both became obvious things within literal episodes of the characters meeting, and Jaune and Pyrrha were showing blatant romantic interest in each other by Volume 2 before kissing in Volume 3.

In the last case you can argue that it went at a faster pace because Pyrrha was going to die, but that doesn't change the fact that no one complained that it went too quickly—or about the other two ships I mentioned which were both initially based solely on one (1) instance of a guy showing interest in a girl—and yet people say it’s too soon for Blake and Yang to get together when they’ve had over twice as long for their relationship to develop.

“The shippers forced it into the show—”

I don’t think I even need to add any more here when the words of CRWBY speak for themselves.

“Toxic shippers think everything is gay—”

I mean, I’m gay and I only truly ship a handful of the possible same sex pairings in the show—certainly far from the majority of them—and I also ship a number of straight ships, but go off I guess.

I already made a post on this here, but it’s insanely dismissive and ridiculous for heterosexual people i.e. the ones who usually use this “argument” to assume that they know better than actual LGBT+ people what is or isn’t good LGBT+ representation, and for them to assume that just because they missed build up that it therefore isn’t there.

I can’t take someone seriously when they go into a discussion determined to believe that they’re already right and don’t listen to a word you say to prove otherwise, especially when they’re debating on a topic which doesn’t directly affect them and which they don’t have the same level of firsthand knowledge of.

“The wasps only care about Blake and Yang getting in each other’s pants—”

Actually, it’s the people who are most aggressively against Blake and Yang being a couple that tend to reduce their relationship to being entirely about sex even though they haven’t had a single remotely sexual interaction in the show, but if this were true then surely Bumbleby shippers would be very unhappy with the show because Blake and Yang have still not “got in each other’s pants,” or “swapped clit juice” as I once saw someone tastefully describe it?

But that isn’t right. Because in general us Bee shippers are currently exceedingly happy with everything that’s happening in the show to do with Blake and Yang’s relationship. So how can that be if all we care about is whether they fuck or not?

The answer is of course that we don’t only care about whether they fuck or not—in fact most of us couldn’t care less whether it’s ever so much as hinted that they have sex, both because the show almost certainly won’t ever go there and because that isn’t our priority—we’re just enjoying watching them fall in love.

Honestly this argument is one of the most lazy because one look at RWBY will tell you that none of the romances are at all sexual thus far so any shippers who truly only care about that aspect wouldn’t stick around very long when they’ll just end up disappointed. And of course the way that these people inherently view same sex relationships as sexual is homophobic and disgusting too.

“CRWBY rushed it to give the rabid shippers what they want—”

Like the last two points, this is a “criticism” that I’ve only ever seen levelled at same sex ships and never straight ships, so it’s yet another example of double standards and hypocrisy, but that’s only the start of what’s wrong with it.

The most galling thing about this is that these people insist that all LGBT+ people because as I’ve already mentioned that is always the group which statements like this are aimed at just want to see two characters of the same gender make out as soon as possible, which is simply not true.

No one would ever claim that straight people just want to see a man and a woman get it on as soon as possible and dismiss the worth of a straight relationship because of it. So it’s ridiculous to try and force that logic onto shippers of same sex ships, who are primarily LGBT+ people themselves.

If anything, we care even more about the quality of our ships—how healthy they are, whether they’re well built up or not, etc.—because we hardly have any to begin with in comparison. If one straight ship is rushed or poorly written, then there are plenty of well-handled ones to choose from instead, but the same isn’t the case for same sex ships.

We want to be represented well, which means that we want healthy relationships with plenty of development where the characters actually have chemistry and complement each other. We might still support rushed or badly-written same sex ships sometimes because it’s still representation which we are overall sorely lacking, but we don’t want them.

“But they ship baited with Blake and Sun—”

First off, straight ships can’t be baited the same way that same sex ships can. It’s simply not a comparable situation. But of course B/lacksun shippers are entitled to feel disappointed that their ship didn’t become canon. That’s utterly valid and understandable. However, that doesn’t mean that the writers or the show in any way misled viewers regarding what was happening.

“But Sun winked at Blake—”

And Yang also winked at Blake in Volume 2 while asking her to the dance, just like Sun winked at Blake in Volume 1 and then asked Blake to the dance. And Blake turned Sun down when he asked initially, specifically told him that they were only “technically” going together when she ran into him outside, and told him definitively that she had chosen to give her first dance to Yang.

“But Blake blushed at Sun—”

And now she’s also blushed at Yang, in a far more intimate scene at that. Next point.

“But Sun met Blake’s parents—”

And? Simply meeting someone’s parents doesn’t on any level automatically imply romance. Ghira didn’t even like Sun, and while a lot of people like to claim that Kali “ships it” which would be extremely flimsy evidence to base the canonicity of a ship on anyway, she’s someone who would do the same with anyone Blake brought home so it means nothing. If Blake had actually chosen to take Sun home with her herself then this would be a valid point, but she didn’t, so it has no weight whatsoever overall.

“But Blake kissed Sun on the cheek—”

And I kiss my mother on the cheek the exact same way every time I say goodbye to her. If you think that type of kiss on the cheek has to be romantic then quite frankly I’m not sure what world you’re living in. If the camera had been close up, if there had been any shots at all of their reactions, any blushing or lingering looks, a more private setting— literally anything to give it some actual weight and make it feel significant, then this might mean something, but it’s framed as a totally platonic goodbye with zero romantic coding.

And that’s without even mentioning the fact that right after that moment Sun flat out states that his time with Blake was “never about [romance],” which sort of kills the idea that anything about that scene was supposed to be taken as romantic. There was no reason to include that line except to make it clear to the audience that Sun and Blake parted ways as friends who now have no intention of ever becoming anything more.

Seriously, if they wanted us to think that there was still something there, then Blake would have been shown to be thinking about or missing Sun even one since they separated, but he hasn’t been brought up for even a second. If they wanted to set up a continuation of anything romantic for them when the group reach Vacuo, say, then they would have started doing it by now.

Plus the reverse argument that Blake and Sun have never hugged or held hands—both of which Blake and Yang have done multiple times—works just as well, perhaps even better since handholding is a well-established romantic cue in the show already thanks to A/rkos, R/enora, and O/zma and Salem.

“But why was Sun even there in Volumes 4 and 5 then—”

Because Blake needed a friend who she could exposition to about her thought processes and personal problems so that the audience could understand what she was going through, and she wasn’t as likely to open up to her parents about that stuff right away when she was convinced they’d hate her for leaving.

Sun was there to support Blake as she developed and to tell her that running away hurt the very people she was trying to protect. That was his narrative role in that arc. There was nothing to indicate that a romance was being built in those more than twenty episodes they spent together and if it was going to happen that would have been the time to do it.

On the other hand Blake and Yang’s shared arc together is built on the fact that Blake’s romantic ex, who Blake had already directly contrasted with Yang and whose Semblance was already a foil to Yang’s, maimed Yang specifically because Blake loves her. The basis of that arc has romantic weight, which is what makes the difference here. Though the scene at the end of Volume 3 where Adam takes Yang’s arm isn’t romantic in and of itself, I should clarify, it just has romantic significance in that it makes it clear that Blake and Yang’s feelings go beyond mere friendship.

In short, the summary of this whole section pretty much boils down to: two characters spending time together doesn't inherently equal romantic development, and it isn’t in any way “baiting” if those two characters don’t then get together.

The characters’ feelings follow a fairly logical progression over the course of the show, with Blake showing interest in both Sun and Yang in V1-V3, then ceasing to show interest in Sun after that as their relationship becomes totally platonic by Volume 5/the beginning of Volume 6 at the very latest, while the events of the Fall of Beacon only solidified how strong her feelings for Yang were and once she reunites with Yang their relationship begins to head towards romance.

It’s a pretty realistic depiction of how human feelings work, and a far less messy situation than in a lot of other shows where there isn’t the same massive level of hatred and vitriol towards the “victorious” pairing, because this was never even really presented as a love triangle or rivalry.

To conclude, I just want to list some of the contradictions that I’ve seen within the arguments made against Bumbleby, because I think it’s very telling that the people who are against it can’t even settle on one coherent narrative on why it’s bad.

“Bumbleby has no development, but also the show focusses too much on Bumbleby.”

“Monty wouldn’t have wanted Bumbleby—it goes against his vision—even though I didn’t know him and have no idea what his vision actually was, and he explicitly stated that he wanted LGBT+ characters in the show who might already be in the main cast and that he wanted Blake and Yang to have a shared arc together, as well as being responsible for the set up of that arc with Blake and Yang being introduced as Beauty and the Beast while Adam canonically represents Gaston.”

“The Bumbleby shippers have so much influence that they forced the writers to make the ship canon, but they’re also just a vocal minority who don’t matter.”

“Blake and Yang hardly interact—they’re barely even friends—but they also interact too much and it’s making Bumbleby take over the show.”

“Arryn is a victim of the toxic wasps who harrassed her and sent her death threats for saying that the song Bmblb doesn't automatically make the ship canon, which there is zero evidence of,  but Arryn is also an unprofessional cunt for expressing her support of Bumbleby.”

“None of Blake and Yang’s scenes together are romantic so Bumbleby is forced, but even when they have undeniably romantic interactions I’ll ignore them or deny that they mean anything so I can still pretend it has no build up.”

“Bumbleby is bad because Team RWBY are a sisterhood, but all of the other straight relationships within teams—even those who’ve flat out called each other ”family”—are fine, and I’ll just pretend that there aren’t other definitions of the word sisterhood which have nothing to do with actual sisters and are the ones that actually apply in this case.”

“Blake and Yang’s relationship could be seen as romantic or platonic, but I personally think they’re just friends so Bumbleby is bad and came out of nowhere.”

I’ve seen all of these countless times with my own two eyes and it’s absolutely hilarious to be honest. Anyway that’s it. I have yet to see a single logical argument as to why Bumbleby is bad that isn’t made in bad faith, fallacious, or just doesn’t hold up when you actually look at the show. It’s about to be canon, and at this point to be honest anyone who doesn't like that can simply accept it or go and watch something else that will pander to their specific tastes instead.

[supergay-supergirl]

6x02 Recap: A Few Good Women

Setup

Kara is trapped in the Phantom Zone.

Lex is mortal and in jail. It's currently the day of his trial.

Alex tells Kelly offscreen that Kara is Supergirl.

Plot

There are pretty much three separate storylines in this episode, so I'll go through them one by one.

Jailbreak:

J'onn, M'gann, Alex, Brainy, and Nia find a vampiric alien from the planet Transilvane named Silas and ask for his help breaking into the Phantom Zone.

Silas succeeds in building a portal, but the Super Friends realize that because all the worlds combined in Crisis, the Phantom Zone is now made up of a range of vibrating frequencies that are impossible to search effectively.

Due to their hesitance, some Phantoms get out.

Dreamer, J'onn, and M'gann send the Phantoms back by combining their psychic forces.

At the end of the episode, Silas collapses and a Phantom comes out of his mouth. We realize the Super Friends didn't send all the Phantoms back.

The Phantom Zone:

In the Phantom Zone, Kara is attacked by Phantoms. She wakes up in a cave to find that her father, Zor-El, is alive and saved her.

Zor-El warns her that if she continues to resist the Phantoms, they will continue to torture her with her greatest fears and worst memories. Kara, being Kara, gives a badass hope speech and keeps trying anyway.

Kara and Zor-El realize that the Phantoms can create portals to get from place to place. They decide to capture a Phantom.

Lex's Trial:

Andrea asks Lena to speak on the record against Lex, but she refuses.

Eve Teschmacher testifies against Lex. It all seems to be going well. Unfortunately, Lex sucks.

Lex twists Eve's testimony against her by saying that as his spurned lover, she had the motive and means to commit these crimes and frame him. Her testimony is thrown out.

Lena makes a dramatic entrance into the courthouse and testifies against Lex. She provokes him into going off into a rage and essentially confessing to everything.

Unfortunately, the jury is exceedingly sexist and acquits Lex of all his crimes. Somehow.

Fallout

Lex is officially a free man.

However, Lillian sells Lena all her shares of Luthor Corp so that when Lex returns, Lena will retain control.

M'gann convinces J'onn to take things slow and steady, without letting his emotions get the best of him.

Alex, on the other hand, is not in a great place emotionally. She's desperate to get her sister back at all costs.

With Brainy's help, Nia is training to be able to divine Kara's location once they get to the Phantom Zone.

Nia seems to be moving up in CatCo too, as Andrea assigns her to cover Lex's trial alongside William.

Fun stuff, predictions and opinions under the cut.

Fun Stuff

Lex's cross-examination of Lena at the trial parallels the famous courtroom scene in A Few Good Men, the movie this episode's title is based on. In A Few Good Men, the scene culminates with Daniel Kaffee asking, "Did you order the code red?" and Col. Jessep responding, "You're goddamn right I did!" In A Few Good Women, Lena asks, "So you think you can just take credit for my work?" and Lex responds, "You're damn right I can!"

Silas canonically has a husband, leading to a lovely 100% gay scene between Alex, Kelly, and Silas. The gays are winning.

The captions and Netflix episode titles spell Eve's surname "Tessmacher," but it's usually spelled "Teschmacher," so... I don't know what's up there.

Predictions

I think next episode, Kara and the Super Friends are going to make contact and almost break Kara out, but fail.

Lillian has been on Lena's side all through episodes 1 and 2. I don't think Lillian will ever fully join the Super Friends, but I can see her helping them out sometimes and definitely continuing to support Lena.

Now that we know both of Kara's parents are alive, Kara and Zor-El might go to Argo City permanently at the end of the series.

Opinions

I was pleasantly surprised by this episode! It hit a lot of the right places emotionally, and it built on character development from season 5 in a surprisingly well-put-together way. I was specifically impressed with Lena's bold decision to put herself on the line—against Lex, may I add—for the greater good. Lena taking accountability for her actions and choosing to do the right thing has been building for a long time now, so it's nice to see that arc come to a head. Eve's testimony also felt like a culmination of her turmoil over the last two seasons, and it was powerfully delivered!

The one confusion I had was how Lex got cleared of all charges with so much evidence against him. I guess they wanted to keep him as the main villain, which... I'm torn on. On the one hand, he's a good villain and Jon Cryer absolutely brings it, but on the other hand, I'm kind of tired of him by now? Some new blood would be nice. Maybe some delegate villains like Lillian had in season 2.

I was also surprised that they didn't include Alex telling Kelly about Kara's secret identity, but I kind of get it. Kelly's 1) already working closely with the DEO / Supergirl and 2) super understanding, so the scene wouldn't showcase any sort of change or progress. Still, it's weird that they didn't even mention it.

I think Kara's character is going exactly where it's been leading: still a paragon of hope, still unwilling to back down, but far more grounded in herself and in reality. Supergirl, but adult Supergirl. I loved her (short) hope speech to Zor-El. I didn't think she was going to get a major storyline in the Phantom Zone, so that's exciting!

Also: *chanting* Rojascorp. Rojascorp. Rojascorp. They had vibes, y'all.

Rating: 8.5/10 Purple Line: "The House of El is meant for more than that." Final Word: They're doing it right!

You can find all my recaps here.

[amwritingmeta]

hey! i was just wondering if you think spn will actually make destiel canon by the finale? it seems like in interviews they're trying to let us down gently w/a cas death (which possibly makes it seem like cas's ending might be related to his empty deal?) + all the parallels between saileen and deancas, and it looks like dabb and co (while not rly bringing arcs into conclusion and generally making a mess of spn) are fighting to make it canon, i was wondering what ur take on it was, esp after ep09

Oh, my dear, my heart is swelling with love for those two right now. I just watched the show through from 12x19-15x13 and I swear, that moment they share in 15x12, clinking those glasses and sharing all those smiles was like balm. It’s not even five minutes of screen time, and still it was like, okay, yes, good, thank you for the room to breathe. :D

It seems to be that Cas hearing Dean’s prayer has ushered in some much earned peace between them. They’re shown to be on the same page and taking each other’s side unquestionably. Dean trusting Cas’ judgment regarding Jack without pause. And that’s a good word for it: there’s trust between them, mutual respect, understanding. It’s so lovely, isn’t it?

So, there’s this line that’s sort of stuck with me. Actually, there are two things that have stuck with me (apart from all the gorgeous symbology baked into every episode) and it’s that the word “complete” has been mentioned twice.

Once in reference to Mary in Heaven, and once by Amara in reference to God.

Then we have a line that’s recurred twice: I had to die to get what I want.

The fact that its spoken verbatim twice made my antennas perk up a bit. It may mean nothing, as some things in this narrative sometimes do mean nothing, but it’s still interesting to take these things into account: that we’re searching for completion and that sometimes, in order to get what you want, you have to die.

So. Will Cas die?

I don’t think so. I don’t think so for many reasons that I’ve laid out here (I just posted this) (it was like you read my mind that this was coming today), but foremost because I cannot see how him dying does anything for his character arc, or for his joint journey with Dean.

You know, dark!Kaia (Kaia’s Shadow) going back to the Bad Place (Kaia’s unconscious) and accepting the ending waiting there, releasing our!Kaia back to the world where she belongs, makes me think, more than ever, that the integration of the main character’s Shadows are a necessity. 

The Empty, way I see it, is representative of Cas’ Shadow, his unconscious, all the repressed and suppressed emotions of guilt, shame and doubt that has kept his self-worth down until Jack came on the scene. 

And this is just my reading of this situation, but I’m not sure I can see Cas defeating the Empty in the Empty, if you know what I mean? The last time Cas intruded, the Empty made him suffer greatly. I don’t think Cas holds any sway there, nor should he. 

To me, the weapon our conscious has against our unconscious ruling our decisions, is our ability to grow aware of our own impulses, our own thought patterns, and making choices to break away from them.

I think Cas can only beat the Empty through making a choice and, well, for a long time I’ve felt that choice should be to become human, because by making a final choice of who he is and who he wants to be, he brings himself into awareness, integrating his Shadow in the process, and narratively nullifying the Empty’s hold on him, since humans don’t go to the Empty when they die: they go to Heaven. 

But that’s wishing and hoping and speculation, of course.

Here’s where the Destiel question comes in though.

Do I believe they’ll make it canon?

Personally, I can’t think of anything more a part of our story than the love story between those two, but I know what you mean. You mean a representative, tangible, clear, statement type of making it canon. Textualising it, so that there’s no room for doubt whatsoever. No more arguments, no more queer baiting complaints, just Destiel in plain sight. Undeniable. 

I do and I don’t.

Watching these last few seasons through again made me realise what a different feel to them this last season has, because the emotional stakes for Dean and Cas have everything to do with what they mean to each other. Yeah?

Dean taking his anger out on Cas and it pushing Cas into a turning point where he chose to leave, to move on, which was a moment of clear independence a statement of his sense of self-worth, and it in turn pushing Dean into a turning point where he faced a side to himself that he’s needed to name since forever, admitting to not having any control of himself, which is something he has to acknowledge if he’s to move into trusting himself fully, all of this has been gosh darn breathtaking to get to witness.

And having them land back in this ease, where they work together seamlessly as a team, being kept together more than not, the framing of them, all of this makes me feel like they could give us canon Destiel. I’m not going to say they absolutely won’t. 

I believe the writers want it. I believe the actors want it. But, again, that’s just what I take from the narrative itself, because the subtext is stronger than ever this final season. 

Especially with Sam and Eileen being reunited.

Because it’s been that clear parallel you mentioned, but it’s been that clear parallel to those of us who see it. The echoes of the Saileen romance that trace through the Destiel progression won’t be as resounding to those that don’t.

And because of that, at this point, I also feel quite reserved with my belief that Destiel could become canon. Because there’s so much, but there’s also nothing. There’s so much for us to enjoy, there’s so much evidence they keep throwing at us that the writers support this reading of their story, but still, there’s nothing, really, to let on that they’re building towards these two men, at some point, declaring their love for each other.

There has been zero textual foreshadowing of that.

There have been throw away moments, like the cop flirting with Dean, for example, but he frowned at that, and then got sincerely flirted with by a woman, so that deescalated that very quickly. 

There was Dean at first rejecting Garth’s compliment of “You smell SO good”, becoming uncomfortable, to then, by the end of the ep, tell Garth he didn’t smell half-bad either.

And there was that amazing moment with Cas calling out Sam being “sexually intimate” with Ruby and Dean repeating the words as if he can’t believe Cas even knows how to pronounce them.

So, there’s... you know, stuff?

But it’s not foreshadowing if it can be overlooked by the wider audience.

That said.

This show isn’t about this love story of ours. The fact that it’s so downplayed could mean that what we’ll get is something textual, but extremely subtle. I mean, for me, lingering eye-contact and a shared smile in a context that makes us understand they’re choosing each other would be enough.

If, by canon, you mean do I think we’ll get them kissing, then the answer is I want to believe that we might get that, because they could build towards that on the foundation of ease and trust that they’ve put down over the last few episodes and they could build it effectively, but I just don’t know if the studio (who own the characters) is onboard. 

My hope is that they are, because the topic of healthy representation is so hot right now, and the question of the longevity of Supernatural to the younger generations (you know, you young ones who are proving exceedingly more open-minded and looking for something beyond the superficial brothers-hunting-monsters aspect of the show) would bank on the show opening itself up to the possibilities of solid representation already seeded throughout its run.

But Dean has flirted with more women than men this season. You know? I mean, he hasn’t flirted with any men. So. 

Look, I’m not going to say I don’t think we’ll get it, because I don’t know. 

I watched S15 yesterday and finished it today and suddenly I feel this wave of hope that it actually might happen, because they’ve already changed how Dean and Cas interact, they’ve given them so many scenes with just the two of them, and we have Sam clearly meant to end up with Eileen, and doesn’t Dean and Cas deserve that same happiness? That same sense of completion? That internal peace of loving unconditionally and being loved in return?

Sam and Eileen could be foreshadowing. These writers are subtle and they could be gleefully rubbing their hands together at the thought of springing textual Destiel on the GA, you know? The green light from the studio might make them diabolical. *sadism* And I love that thought.

Because that’s been the point of the love story for me, this slow, slow build to the moment when Dean and Cas have reached a point in their progression when what they’ll have together is a healthy, balanced, loving relationship because they’ve both let go of the past and are looking to the future.

But I won’t expect textual Destiel. If we do get it, I’m going to treasure it as a big cherry on top of an already perfectly inviting and exquisite pie.

What I do believe, more than ever, that we’re getting, though, is closure. Even if it’s only at the subtextual level, I believe that those of us who read the subtext will have Destiel verified beyond a shadow of a doubt. And yes, I will be quite surprised and disappointed if we don’t get that. Because of how these first 13 episodes have been shaped and how strong the subtext is in them.

I believe we’ll end on a hopeful note.

And wouldn’t that just be gratifyingly phenomenal?

(it really would) (honestly I just need to know that they are happy and alive and together and well and finding peace and carrying on) (you know?) (thank you and amen) :)

xx

[charliejrogers]

I’m Thinking of Ending Things (Or, What Many Will Think About Midway Through This Movie)

You may be expecting a long review for this movie. I mean, let’s be honest, I dissected the shit out of Birds of Prey, to the point that it was almost inappropriate for the kind of movie it was. But this movie? The arthouse classic-to-be from the much-revered Charlie Kaufman (both writer and director here), I’m Thinking of Ending Things? A movie filled to the brim with symbolism and which refuses to commut itself to any one point of view or plane or reality? This guy’s gonna write about it for fucking eternity.

Well, no. It won’t be the case. Why? Because I don’t think I really got it. Sure, I could try to wax poetic about my thoughts on aging, time, whether there’s meaning in relationships, meaning to our lives (all themes the film raises and which serve as its central core) But it would just kinda sound bullshit coming from me.

So, yeah, this isn’t much of a plot movie. It starts with a young woman (Jessie Buckley) waiting in the street of a snowy quiet country town’s downtown for her boyfriend, Jake, (Jesse Plemons) of one month (or longer?) so that the two can join Jake’s parents for dinner. Despite taking this proverbial big step in her relationship, she’s wondering (evoking the film’s title) whether she should end things. Or is that really what the title is about. Like everything in this movie, every piece of dialogue every character, every suggestion of a chronology, things are laden with a second meaning. Part of your enjoyment from the film will derive from whether or not you enjoy being strung along for 135 minutes without ever really understanding what’s going on, what’s really being said, who these characters really are, or when/where the hell are we in the world?

Despite those tantalizing and exciting questions, I’m here to warn you now, nothing big or exciting happens in this film, at least by conventional movie standards. We watch the couple drive to the Jake’s parents’ house and that takes about 25 minutes of film time. We’re in the house with his parents for probably about 45 minutes. Then the drive home takes another 20-25 minutes. The scenes about driving are just that: two people in a car talking to one another without much event. It’s like the car ride scenes from your favorite buddy/road trip movie but with all the fun adventures taken out. Instead what we get are long, confusing conversations more akin to Matthew McConaughey’s time spent in a car on True Detective.

But one thing becomes exceedingly clear when we finally get to Jake’s parents’ house: the film’s banal settings (a country road, a farmhouse, a rural high school) belie a truth about the film. It is not set in our reality. Jake and the woman’s conversation on the car ride is full of reflections on the nature of time, aging, depression, and life. Jake is a slightly insufferable intellectual. He’s the kind of guy who says he doesn’t know a whole lot about musical theater and then proceed to list 15-20 musicals of various fame and obscurity. The whole scene feels as quirky and just-shy of overwritten, i.e. par for the course of a pretentious art house film such as this. But the mannerisms of Jake’s parents are more than can be attributed to a quirky film. His mother is a jealous, possessive neurotic played by Toni Collette in a way only she could and a twitchy, and his father is a lecherous rival obsessed with his girlfriend played by David Thewlis (a favorite actor of mine). And throughout the meal, the confident, know-it-all we knew from the drive regresses into the behavior of a weak, embarrassed child. These are caricatures taken word from word from a textbook on Freudian psychology more than they are believable humans. The film admits and confirms the Freudian aping rather explicitly.

But just when you think you understand what the film’s up to, it switches course. After dinner, the woman starts to explore their house and starts a journey through time (but, again, with none of the excitement that sentence would normally imply.) It’s my second favorite sequence in the film (the first being an interpretive dance that occurs towards the film’s end… yes, it’s THAT kind of film). It’s filmed and framed in the trappings of a horror movie, but there’s no jump scares or horrible truth to be found. It’s how I imagine someone would adapt the tone of the superb video game Gone Home (yes, I’m one of THOSE people). But yeah, there’s no horrible truth… except if you consider the inevitability of human decay and disease to be a terrible truth. Every room the woman stumbles upon finds Jake’s parents appear to be a different age and health than when she first got to the house, ranging from a mother decked out in 50s/60s apparel to old, feeble gentleman. From there the movie continues to refuse to stay in one place and becomes odder and odder. It’s then I realized to think of this movie of a totally abstract piece of art, like the dream sequences of The Sopranos or Buffy.

So what do I think is going on? Obviously spoilers for here on out. Despite getting the majority of the screen time, this is NOT a movie about the young woman. At the very beginning of the film we are introduced, briefly, to an older, portly gentleman in his late 70s, looking out a window. The film cuts back to that exact same room and window 30 seconds later, but in the old man’s place is Jesse Plemons’ Jake. From that I take it to mean the two are the same person, with Plemons representing the older Jake younger self (or imagined younger self). Alongside the main plot, we occasionally get images and short scenes of the older Jake, a janitor at a rural high school who lives alone. The intellect (or perhaps false sense of intellect) of his younger self is clearly not meeting its potential. He is mocked by students for his age and fragility. What I think we’re watching is this older Jake trying to make sense of what it means to be old and who is currently on the verge of suicide unable to see its meaning. Although I compared the film to a dream sequence, I don’t think it’s fair to reduce the whole thing to Jake’s dream. More I feel like we are seeing a manifestation of Jake’s subconscious thoughts on screen play out.

Who is the young woman then? I’m not sure. I doubt she represents any actual woman – she’s given a variety of names. She almost plays the part of our (and his) guide into Jake’s subconscious like Virgil to Dante, but she’s more than a void. I think she represents what Jake would want in a woman in his life, a confident woman who can see through Jake’s faults (but notably sees them and sees them clearly). She’s not overtly sexual like the women at the ice cream who clearly make Jake uncomfortable. But yet, it’s telling that even in his deepest, most private thoughts that I think we’re seeing, he cannot imagine that even his ideal woman would want to be with him.

We get lots of reasons for why Jake thinks things are like this. Clearly he holds resentment for his parents, even if he feels like it’s cliché to do so. But time is his true nemesis. For me the most telling scenes for my understanding of the movie comes at the end with the interpretive dance, which shows Jake and the young woman (or, at least, stand-ins for those two) engage in a beautiful display of courtship, love, and marriage, only for the young Jake stand-in to be violently by a representation of the older janitor Jake. Clearly Jake thinks of his current self as something wholly distinct from his younger self, and that the creature he is now, a creature created by time, has destroyed who he once was. Like many of us (or as many of us think), he peaked in high school, the last place where people gave him awards for being who he is. This detail adds a sadness to the fact that he works as a janitor at one now. And it is notable that the film’s journey ends there, at a high school, where inexplicably he is being awarded a lifetime achievement award. Achievement in what? It’s unclear. What is clear that the person receiving the award is not the janitor Jake, but the younger Jake (Jesse Plemons) with old-age make-up on. With his dying breath he is able to see the self he loves, his younger self, grow up and live the life he wanted. There’s no sense at all of his present circumstances or person. Then we cut to a shot of janitor Jake’s truck buried in snow, presumably (on my interpretation) with janitor Jake frozen inside, dead.

So ultimately whether or not you like this movie depends on your tolerance for head-up-its-butt dialogue about the grand questions of life combined with its purposefully obtuse presentation. As one of the biggest douchebags I know, I liked it, but didn’t fall head over heels for it. The only other associated Kaufmann production I’ve seen is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, but from what I understand, this movie is Kaufmann at its Kaufmann-iest. I have a great respect for the planning and thought behind every second of the film and I can honestly say I was never not entertained. I loved the film’s mood and atmosphere and that I was always on my toes. It’s a movie that truly has gotten better as I’ve continued to think about it over the last three days. But still, I don’t think I always understood what was going on and it’s a little too obtuse/abstract for it to be an all-time classic. I respect that for some people this may be their favorite movie of all time, and for others it may be a crock of shit. I’m somewhere in the middle, and cautiously recommend this film to those of you who are open to some abstract art in film. If you are, definitely try it out, you won’t forget it. If you are not open to it, skip it; you will have no qualms about endings things early.

***1/4 (Three and one-fourth stars out of four)

[felineevil]

TCM time, under the cut if you don't wanna see me ramble about my favourite chainsaw welding cannibal. Tldr i saw a silley article that i thought missed the point of Leatherface as more sympathetic slasher and i sat down and wrote for an hour because i’m like that i guess.

While many slashers fall under almost supernatural levels of inhuman and unstoppable, it is not true for the whole genre- there are characters with motives and reasoning, even if we may not understand them ourselves, because of course we do not operate under the rules and universe of horror movies.

I think it's not hard to place Leatherface under this category, both given subtext and the actual content of the movies.

For full clarity i am pulling only from texas chainsaw 1 for the most part, and at the end i'll chat a little about 2- i'm not particularly motivated to watch more than these two, so to me they are where my enjoyment of TCM is, so if my rambling is undone by later movies additions...so be it!

I don't have to be right, i just like writing about stuff!

Yippee!

In the original movie we meet Leatherface for the first time, a man who's big in every sense of the word and an intimidating figure indeed- a common trait for slashers.

But the first time we meet him is not him chasing down unsuspecting people, nor bursting through walls with a monstrous menace, it is a quiet scene at first.

Our first victims find his home and, when not receiving a response from the man inside, they enter- the first we hear of Leatherface is agitated, stressed pig-like noises, hardly an invitation to enter ones house, they sound very clearly like a noise to tell someone to not come in.

This isn't a sound to lure people, i think it'd be quite unsettling to most- it certainly wouldn't make me want to enter a house, i'd be getting the hell out of there in case there was some sort of angry hog.

But our victims enter anyway and, in ways very clearly meant to be the ways of dealing with meat, are dispatched.

There does not seem to be any glee in the act, it seems like work- everyday, normalcy.

This IS meat, the same as the cows down at the killing sheds- to Leatherface at least.

If you've been in the meat business along with your family all your life, and have never been taught that there's anything wrong with applying this approach to ALL meat, this seems logical

Later on we find another victim approaching the house and we hear Leatherface again, this time it's not an agitated sound- it's the light jangle of a bracelet, previously worn by one of the first victims, Pam, and a soft giggle.

We hear this big, powerful man gently making his new bracelet rattle and tittering with an innocent glee to himself- he likes this trinket, it makes him happy.

Of course any moment of reprise is broken as our next victim enters and is quickly dispatched, and what do we see next?

Panic.

We see panic, fear, Leatherface looks around after the third kill with a terrified sense of "how many more are there?" This is not a celebration of a kill well done, he checks the windows in a state and then sits, hitting his palms against his head in clear distress- he's afraid of this situation, he doesn't seem to know what to do.

These people, to him, are intruders in his home- a threat to him and his family.

We of course don't see this group of teens as a threat, they're framed as the innocent victims to us- but consider how sympathetic you'd feel to people wandering into your home while you were alone.

It is clear Leatherface decides he needs to find anyone left, perhaps he thinks he's being deliberately sought after by them, that they're after him and his family- or perhaps it's just what he's been taught to do, make sure there's nobody left to tell.

Another thing we can take from this moment of panic is that it is not hard to understand his reaction as comparable to something experienced by neurodivergent people- when panicked i tend to hit my hands against my legs and bite my tongue repeatedly, to calm myself down.

I flap my hands when excited, tap the back of my teeth with my tongue when nervous- stimming.

So it would not be unreasonable to consider Leatherface some form of neurodivergent, or something like that, and if i remember correctly Gunnar did mention at some point studying people who were to add to Leatherface's characterisation.

The next kill scene we see is the most frenzied, and the first full chainsaw kill- it is not hard to presume this is Leatherface in his most dangerous state, he's now fighting back, perhaps he thinks for his life of his family's.

This does not seem to be his default state, it is more brutal and aggressive than we've seen him before- it's also messier, he's not dispatching cleanly and quickly now, this feels like an embodiment of his fight response kicking in full force.

When i think about being afraid, i know my response is flight- and when i reach my panic limit i'll run and run and get myself as far away from anything that is frightening me as possible, even if it is irrational and illogical to do so, even if it means aggravating or upsetting people around me.

The reverse or opposite of this response is fight, and it is quite easy to see Leatherface in the absolute end state of that at this point- fighting as hard and as frantically as he can, pure instinct mode.

This is possibly the most frightening state i can think of seeing anyone in, never mind a tall, strong masked man with a chainsaw!

See, this is the important thing about Leatherface, throughout this movie we do not see a man motivated by bloodlust or the love of killing, we see a man motivated through terror- a mirror of the survival instinct of the final girl of many a horror movie, in texas chainsaw fear is not reserved only for our survivor, but instead permeates every inch of this movie and it's plot.

Texas chainsaw IS about fear, it is an object of panic, of terror, of desolate desperation- and Leatherface is himself an embodiment of that, both causing it and being caused BY it.

Many slashers are born evil and given no leeway into thoughts of wether they could have been steered in a different direction, but Leatherface is in many ways more tragic- given better circumstances and different situations he would not be a killer, it is quite clearly mentioned that the family has only turned to such ways of living because of pressure from economic collapse and desperation.

Leatherface is not a face of the devil nor an object of evil, he is a vulnerable man who has been shaped by circumstance and manipulation into doing terrible, terrible things- killing is his normality, just as all of us grow into our lives he has grown into his.

It is easy to be desensitised and become used to all manner of things if they are framed as normal and fine to us, it's not hard to see how if given a different start Leatherface might not have turned out this way.

It is easy to see glimpses of good in him, during the last house scenes- once he's calmed down and in his safe place- we see a very different side to him.

First comes Drayton's fury, berating Leatherface who, despite easily outmatching his brother, cowers and shies away like a frightened child- his high voice frantic as he tries  to explain that he's been good, that he's done good.

It is hard to match the cowering man with the one who ran through the night with a blaring chainsaw just moments ago, blood spattering him and his deadly weapon- and yet here he is, tending to the kitchen almost like a house wife.

He's subservient and does whatever is asked of him, no real sign of violent urges like one might expect.

Later as Drayton talks to Sally we see Leatherface enter the room holding food for the table, he stops for a moment to look at Sally- but it's almost curious now, rather than aggressive, eventually being shooed away and cowering once more from his older brother.

Later we see him in his 'pretty lady' mask, a mask he adorns with makeup himself, fussing over his grandpa and helping to feed him, care for him- gentleness shown towards his family member here that again, seems the polar opposite of his behaviour before.

While his advances towards Sally could be considered sexually menacing, i personally think it's more curious again- he seems to like the notion of 'pretty' whatever that means to him, wether he likes to look pretty or just like pretty things i don't know, but his interest is more towards her hair, gently playing with it for a moment.

It is not until the time for the killing blow comes that the violence returns, with Leatherface attempting to help his grandpa strike Sally down- and as this fails and she escapes we switch back to see him as we did before, hunting her down.

Now, all of this is not to say that Leatherface does not commit terrible, gruesome violence nor to excuse that- it is simply to look with a different gaze upon a character outside of what the tropes of horror movies expect of us.

It is clear that the sympathetic feelings towards Leatherface are not completely accidental either, as come the second movie we meet him again- a comical, kinder telling of the character with much more humanity given to him.

We see him show moral feelings, ones that conflict with his family's desires, and we see him capable of deciding to show mercy- he shows clear emotional responses and connections to other people through Stretch, and we are shown he's not some thoughtless monster at all.

It leads us to wonder if one (admittedly excellent and exceedingly brave) lady could get him to stand down just by talking to him, surely he can't be all bad- for all it's goofy silley nature TCM2 introduces an interesting telling of Leatherface that i think can compliment some of the sympathies towards him from the first.

Even more so he's a man ruled by his family, and when away from them he is more vulnerable and easy to persuade- Stretch quite easily manages to get him to drop his weapon and instead turn the other cheek when she's trapped in the Sawyer lair, with Leatherface dancing around with her (much to her dismay) and not harming her physically at all, though the upset caused by having a dead friends face slapped over your own probably is going to cause it's own set of troubles.

But is this what we expect from pure evil?

By Stretch's final capture by the Sawyer's we see Leatherface almost completely torn, smacking his head against a lamp as he tried to choose between letting her live snd his families wishes- he's experiencing a moral conflict, can pure evil do that?

Again we can see that if given different circumstances Leatherface could've been a good man, and if you think that reading takes away any of the frightening nature of the first movie and you wish to call me silly or chastise me for '"woobifying" Leatherface- i propose that this does in fact make the movie all the more tragic and frightening.

I don't believe true evil exists in real life, but i know fear does, and i think tragedy brought on by preventable events and terror is all the more frightening than killing just for killings sakes- a pure evil unstoppable force is fantasy, a fairy tale told to scare children, but the idea of being trapped in a situation with someone terrified enough to take your life frightens me more..

So wether you want or need Leatherface to be a sympathetic, well loved character for you, or a horrifying cold killer, i don't think this reading into his character should take away from either of those ideas of him- i think without trying to understand the reasoning of why the events of the first movie happen we could miss some of the real horror of the movie.

Anyways, this has been me rambling- i hope i was at least somewhat understandable, i just love texas chainsaw massacre and i love Leatherface and i like to talk, even if i'm not great at it.

[smokeybrand]

Say That You Love Me

This sh*t with Johnny Depp and Amber Heard is f*cking insane, man. I don’t normally go in for this type of stuff because i think celebrity drama is stupid but this mess is real f*cked up. Usually, it’s a mutual thing where both parties are assholes but, in my entire life, i have never heard of Depp being this monster Heard wants us to think he is. I cannot say the same about Heard, herself. When they announced their marriage, i knew it was going to go bad. Depp left his entire family to be with Heard. He committed to a chick half his age, which is never a good thing, probably because of some mid-life crisis. Heard saw dollar signs. Depp owns an island. He was worth near half a billion dollars way back when. He’s f*cking Johnny Depp. Dude was come up for her. She’s also bat shit insane.

I remember, years ago, reading an article about how she’s from Texas and in Texas, they punch their dudes. You had to be a real man to be with her. I thought, back then, red flag. That b*tch is a special kind of crazy. Turns out, i was real right. Now, personally, i’ve never been directly involved in out right nuts but i have been manic-adjacent and even then, no bueno. That sh*t is A LOT and, to her credit, Heard was right; You have to be a special kind of person to deal with that stress. Depp was not. His soul is far too kind. He’s too nice of a person to even know where to begin with that level of insanity. He met a young, vibrant, probably incredibly kinky, chick on the set of a movie. She filled a growing void or perception in his life which was confused for love and not what it really was; Lust. He mostly likely ignored the signs and rushed into this marriage, just like she wanted. And then, a month in, he lost a f*cking finger.

That whole incident, the way she’s framed it, is absolutely insane. Johnny smashed bottles all over. He dragged her through the broken glass. He tried to rape her. She locked herself in the room until he left. None of that is a thing. You know how i know, outside of the fact that Amber Heard is a textbook abuser and will lie about entire scenarios to eschew and semblance of responsibility? Because she secretly recorded the entire aftermath of the incident and submitted it to the courts! I don’t know id this was given to the Sun suit or if it was submitted to the defamation case but, wither way, what the f*ck, b*tch?? This tape is MAD damning, man! It starts with Johnny yelling sh*t at her as he’s being escorted out of the premises by his security. it goes into his head of security, literally searching for the tip of Johnny’s finger. Heard’s own personal physician shows up, horrified by the fresh crime scene, and the two of them banter about how much sedative to give Heard to get her to go down because this sh*t is, apparently, a common f*cking occurrence. Not to this extent but the fighting and the mania, for sure. You can hear Heard in the background, spinning sh*t, trying to make is seem like Depp did this all, trying to play the victim. You can hear Depp’s head of Security not buying into sh*t. He even, at one point, insinuates that maybe this is a bad reaction to her doing coke and mixing it with her actual meds. Not two minutes later, guess who comes back down stairs talking about she found two bags of coke? It ain’t the cat who’s in the hospital waiting on the hand surgeon.

Am i saying that Depp is one hundred percent clear of blame in this? No, probably not. Johnny had a reputation for being pretty hard partying a long time ago, like, when he was Heard’s age. But Depp is not Heard’s age. He’s, like, fifty-something years old. Dude is on the back end of his life. He’s not about partying every night. he’s not about getting faced every night. It might seem that way but when you’re significant other is cutting your f*cking fingers off f a month into your marriage, i’d stay sloshed, too. No, If i were a betting man, i would skew toward odds that Depp was never the instigator in any of this. I would be comfortable betting my car on Depp neerr laying a finger on Heard. There’s literal testimony and recorded evidence where Heard calls him a coward for doing just that! Avoiding physical conflict and running away. SHe called him a coward for literally NOT punching her lights out after she did her best to clock him out, and leaving the situation, which appears to be his modus operandi. Depp always - ALWAYS - left! Heard literally complains about that sh*t on tape, that he always ran away from the escalating conflicts! Several times, man!! That doesn’t sound like a wife-beater and rapist to me. That sounds like a guy who cares for someone enough to leave a situation before it escalates and the other party won’t let that happen.

Amber Heard is out of her f*cking mind, man. She is legitimately nuts and this newest tape makes that exceedingly clear. I don’t know if it’s a medical condition or some sort of personality disorder or if she just has wild anger management issues or if this sh*t is drug fueled or whatever but she needs help. I mean, this is textbook abuse. Not even going to get into the last leak where she basically says no one will believe Johnny because she’s dainty, tiny, pretty, Amber Herd and he’s big, bad, Johnny Depp. Not even going to get into the documented abuse claims from her other exes and staff members. Not even going to get into that whole Washington case where she assaults an ex in front of the f*cking cops, then accuses them of patriarchy and bigotry because of her then lesbian partnership, even though one of the arresting officers WAS lesbian, herself. Nah, Amber Heard is nuts, man, and she needs help. She needs to be saved from herself because this sh*t is getting cartoonishly absurd and Amber just keeps shooting herself in the foot with all of this “leaked” evidence

Gosh, she sure is pretty, though.

[angstymarshmallow]

Contrast (Beckett x MC)

[A little note: That Beckett scene still has me thinking and kind of inspired. While inspiration is here, here’s something light and fluffy that I wrote quickly with some early flirtation and light development].

[Words Counted: 1950]

The library is exceedingly quiet as Octavia pushes past its double doors. There’s a few floating books that require her attention and with a swift spell, she tickles their spine and tucks them under her arm. She settles in a spot near the back, although for the most part – it seems deserted, except for the short few she noticed on her way in.

She thinks its because it’s fall and most people are preparing to visit their relatives back home. It’s only a seldom few still finishing projects for the end of the semester and Octavia lets out a frustrated sigh as she stares meekly at hers’.

This is what she gets for starting her assignment last minute – truthfully, she can’t blame anyone but herself. 

Still, anything is better than staring at the list of spells she has to understand perfectly for her project to work. And after awhile, her mind wanders – past the notes spread hazardly in front of her, and even past the walls of the very library.

And before she knows it, her thoughts drift as they often do when she’s by herself. She uses her pen to trace idle sketches – small circles at first before they take shape. Before she realizes it, she can make out his familiar hair, framed around his face and studious bright eyes that gaze back at her. 

Beckett. 

Her hand freezes and she blinks down at the half drawing of him.

Ugh. Get him out of your head Brimstone, he doesn’t belong there - she tells herself sharply. But she can’t help it, she’s always been weak for people with pretty eyes. She traces idle hearts around his face until she hears a distinct clear of a throat.

The voice is so oddly familiar, so strangely close that she immediately glances up – not bothering to cover up her sketches before she meets the face of Beckett, in the flesh staring at her with half-curiosity reflecting inside his eyes.

“….Octavia?”

“Tavi,” she corrects automatically and then remembers the incriminating paper beneath her fingers. As his eyes drop to her hands, she hastily crushes the paper between her fingers – praying to the universe he hasn’t noticed. 

“Uh, h-hey Beckett.” Geez Tavi, be cool be cool. She’s going to have to scold herself later when she has the chance but right now, she refuses to make eye contact with him until he sits in front of her.

“What are you doing in the library?” He inclines his head at her, “to be honest out of everyone, I hadn’t expected seeing you here.”

She tries and fails to ignore the flicker of irritation at his words. She isn’t a bad student. She just has trouble following the rules sometimes. She tucks a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. “…I may have decided to finish an assignment last minute…” she trails off, noticing the quirk of his eyebrows and the eyeful of disapproval that comes along with it. “But in my defense,” she rambles on quickly, “our professor did say we have until the end of the semester.”

He sighs, “and naturally you decided to wait until the last possible moment.”

She grins at him. “Naturally.”

“I can’t even say I’m surprised,” he shakes his head; his bright eyes reflecting his disappointment. 

“Hey,” Octavia points a finger at him. “We can’t all be like you,” she rolls her eyes. “Mr. Studious, mr. can-do-it-all.”

His mouth twitches into a smile despite her teasing tone. “And yet, I keep hoping I’ll rub off on you.” He teases back then freezes at the same time she does. “Uh-I mean,” his cheeks grow red and Octavia smirks as she glances up at him. “That is to say…you know, I thought I could influence you to be better.”

“I am doing better.” Her smirk softens into a smile, “I mean – I’m here aren’t I?” She throws out her hands to gesture behind her. “At my old school, I don’t think I was ever this invested in finishing something on time.”

He regains his composure, smiling a little at the wonder in her own tone. “Maybe all you needed was a change.”

She holds his eye when she answers. “Maybe,” she doesn’t realize at first that she’s leaning forward, “or maybe it’s just the people.” She adds softly.

She thinks there’s a moment that his eyes widen in surprise, and he opens his mouth to answer but nothing comes out. Then he suddenly stands straighter and clears his throat without looking directly at her.

Octavia bites her lower lip to stop herself from grinning. She likes flustering him, she thinks a lot of people don’t get that chance and she relishes it every time he glances away and blushes. Her mouth opens, intent on teasing him again – until his eyes drop to her notes and the balled up paper in front of them.

“Do you need help with your project or –” His hands drift to the paper and before she can stop him, he picks it up curiously. “How many ideas have you tossed out already?”

“Lots,” she carefully answers, stretching her hand out for the piece of paper. “Give that back.” 

“No way,” he says shaking his head, unaware of her sudden change in mood. “Perhaps all you need is another pair of eyes, and it wouldn’t do any good if you asked anyone other than me –”

“Beckett,” she doesn’t stop her voice from going sharp. “Give that back.”

Beckett stops and suddenly he’s the one smirking at her as though he’s realized he’s onto something. “If this isn’t your project then what is it -?”

“Harrigton, I’m warning you.” Her voice has surrendered all pretense. She reaches over – nearly falling over the table in her desperate attempt to retrieve the piece of paper.

“Now you’ve gone and gotten me curious.” He playfully twists out of her outreached palms again before getting to his feet.

Her chest seizes in panic. Please don’t – “Beckett, wait –” Usually, nothing gets her embarrassed but the thought of him seeing it makes her think her heart will spring from her chest. She nearly trips over her own two feet and his eyes flash with concern until he swiftly realizes she’s okay.

He sidesteps her again. His hands quickly unfurl the sheet of paper and Octavia suddenly wants nothing better than the floor to open up and swallow her whole.

For a moment, he doesn’t say anything. He simply stares at it in his hand as though not quite believing what he sees himself. Then his cheeks grow red, and Beckett can’t meet her gaze as he hands the paper back to her. “You’re quite good at drawing.” He comments off-handily.

She snatches it out of his hand, a little mortified at his words. Oh god. “Uh, thanks.” She holds her breath for a moment, tucking the paper into her sleeve. This is it. This is where he’ll finally have the upper hand. He’ll tease her endlessly about it, and she’ll never leave it down. And she’ll die alone - with only her familiar to keep her company.

Then he turns to her and her pulse jumps when she meets his eyes, feeling the weight of his stare. “I quite like it.” 

“You do?” Her throat goes suddenly dry and all the witty and snappy comebacks she can think of dissolves from the intensity in his eyes. He isn’t just Beckett, the boy that sometimes intimidates her with his strong opinions and knowledge. He isn’t quite the boy who irritates her either, instead he’s simply just a guy and they’re just two people suddenly very close to each other. 

“I do.” He repeats, his voice sounding huskier – not quite the Beckett she recognizes by the change of his tone. Maybe she’s had him pegged wrong this entire time.

Octavia grins, her familiar confidence taking root as she tilts her chin up to hold his stare. “You know, since you do like it. Maybe I could sketch you sometime.” She doesn’t need to say the word alone, but the word bursts forward into her mind, like a sudden rush of water that floods the rest of her thoughts empty.  And she can’t help but think by the sudden flash in his eyes that he’s thought of it too. 

Beckett seems to snap out of it at first, mumbling something so low that she doesn’t catch it before stepping aside. Instantly she feels a stab of disappointment. She shrugs it off though, she doesn’t know what came over her anyway. As fun as it is to tease Beckett, she doesn’t think anything will come of it. He’s too buttoned up and well – she’s anything but that.

“I – you - Octavia - your project,” he scrambles to get back to his seat, not quite meeting her gaze until she follows his lead.

She sits in front of him just as he regains his composure. 

He gestures to her books, picks up one at random and all too quickly, he’s the Beckett she remembers. His shoulders straighten, his brow creases and his eyes are all but rooted to the sight in front of him. He quirks an eyebrow at the long list of things she still needs to get done.  “I think you should be far more concerned about passing this semester,” he says brusquely, “than meeting up with other students.”

“Alright, fine Harrington. You win.” Octavia heaves a prolonged sigh. “I guess I should be thanking you for the help anyway.” Most people are already gone for the holidays and she’s begrudgingly grateful for his help.

She flickers her wrist to draw one of her books to her hand, and out of the corner of her eyes, she swears she spots a tiny hint of a smile poking from his lips. 

“Then let’s get started.”

-

[plush-anon]

scooby doo guess who? not much really review

currently taking advantage of boomerang’s scoobiversary freebies to watch scooby doo guess who

my impression so far? the animation is weeeeeeeiiiiird. some scenes i would swear to gods on being straight up traced from older hanna barbera scooby shows, like a la 70s era - some scooby shots have that same perspective, angle, etc that you only saw used in the HB Scoobies, which is just strange to see in a modern production - even the WNSD? crew never had scooby faces this close to past animations

shots of the gang also experience this. A lot of the distance shots of them could honestly be taken from the 70s, given the lack of details in their faces, the strange framing proportions - only with cleaner line work and brighter colors (which oddly enough make it look WORSE)

also some of the facial animations in the close-ups just look... off. like the words don’t quite fit their face? In fact, a lot of the character design feels really, REALLY off, and I have no idea how to articulate it.

actually wait, I think I have it - it’s the linework. Some of the lines are really clearly defined in thick black while the rest is either the same color/sliver off-color as the main drawing or really thin - and it keeps changing from shot to shot. It’s literally like someone keeps tracing different old shots of the gang and the pen used changes with each new picture. on the one hand, it makes it look a LOT more like a cleaned-up Hanna Barbera cartoon. but on the other hand? yikes. At least Be Cool SD had their own designs and were consistent. this is just... awkward to watch, imo.

even the backgrounds feel like they’re trying to recapture the HB designs - the ones which were kinda painted looking in some shots, a little rough? but with the colors (both background and animated pieces) and linework being as vivid and clear as they are in some scenes, the clash is really apparent when the characters are on screen (also the characters are doing the HB thing where they will just... randomly teleport from one action to a different one and different positions).

combined with reused sound effects from the old shows (the Sherlock Holmes one reused the laughing sound effects from the green phantoms) was Warner Bros literally trying to re-make the Hanna Barbera stuff - down to almost traced-looking art and animation? it doesn’t work as well tho, bc the animation is pretty smooth - again, oddly a point against it, bc of how much it clashes. 

the Hanna Barbera stuff worked bc everything kinda fit each other - the character animation, the backgrounds, the color pallettes, everything felt like it was part of the same design. here, it feels like a trace and repaint that is jarringly different, as we see on display in the show’s opening. they capture the design elements, ramp up the neon and very bright vivid colors, and clean up the linework to something that mimics HB Scooby, but feels off because of the cleaned up quality.

As far as the humor? It’s honestly very hit and miss. Some stuff lands, some stuff feels like I’ve seen it in other things (monster designs from other shows, primarily WNSD? so far; running gags that were lifted straight from 70s era episodes and not in an homage kinda way, but ‘literally exact same gag but with different monster’, like the Wanda Sykes ep using the werewolf barber gag) - it’s very, VERY mishmash, and I can’t tell if they wanted to straight up remake the New Scooby Doo Movies (they did the guest stars) but with prettier colors and better animation, or if they were just THAT lazy in making this (which is also a possibility - they’re working on the new SCOOB movie, but still want Scooby in the public eye, so producing a quick show like this would not be too far off for WB, if they wanna bring back older ideas of Scooby)

It’s actually pretty jarring at times to see the gang pull out modern tech (ESPECIALLY in the Funky Phantom ep) - bc they rely so much on the HB style and formula for this particular show, it’s exceedingly out of place to see smart phones and tablets. WNSD, SDMI, BCSD, and even PNSD evade this by having their own unique animation style, way of approaching humor, etc, so they can update and still feel relatively smooth about it. this tho? since they do pull so heavily on HB for style and animation and setting, modern stuff really is strange to pull up. 

honestly, this all reminds me of that one Bat-Mite driven episode of Batman: Brave & the Bold crossing over with Scooby Doo. That one had more updated animation and smoother backgrounds, but still looked near identical to the original NSDM show, and matched it for tone. Kinda wondering what the game here was, but eh, who knows. 

(although I am VERY PEEVED at Daphne’s design - everyone else seems okay proportions-wise, but she sometimes has a waist the samE SIZE AS FRED’S WRIST, and hips twice the size of her head. I just... what even, WB). 

Credit where credit is due tho, the gang at least feels like a group of friends, and work well together as expected with the older shows. They also show that they care about each other, and do go to help each other if a plan goes wrong with Shag & Scoob in bait mode, or if someone gets knocked over/hurt. they don’t interact much on a personal level outside of mysteries, but they have the same dynamic from the 70s, so that’s good (again in the Wanda Sykes episode, Scooby affirms how much he loves Shaggy as his human, the gang worry about each other getting hurt or leap after to help each other out - it’s sweet)

The guest stars have also been kinda hit or miss - personal faves so far are Sherlock Holmes and Wanda Sykes. The funky Phantom ep was kind of obnoxious, and the others have been pretty forgettable so far, with the Ricky Gervais one being just... awkward. So very, very... VERY awkward. 

Minor fun fact: Shaggy confirmed to have read Sherlock Holmes mysteries enough to know which piece of dialogue Sherlock quotes is from which story. it’s great :D

that episode also remains the best bc it contains the line ‘YES, remember: Sherlock Holmes posted your bail!’ which he actually did. the gang gets arrested, and Sherlock Holmes bails them out. 

overall, it’s not a terrible showing for Scooby Doo - in fact some of the classic gags play out pretty well (the running back and forth gag, disguise tricks, etc). it’s just kind of meh bc of how oddly put together it is. 

I’m working on watching more before the freebie time limit expires, so I’ll post a little bit more when I do.  

[meowmingaiah]

a jar of happiness in a nutshell, sis (a film review)

Amélie, an isolated woman, hears about Princess Diana’s accident lead her to a memorabilia box that would change her isolated life forever. “Le Fabuleux Destin d’ Amélie”, a 2001 French-romantic comedy film by Jean-Pierre Junet, revolves around a woman named, Amélie Poulain, born in Montmarte and a waitress at The Two Windmills— who grew up as an introvert but an imaginative and creative one, for ever since her childhood, she was only surrounded by her peculiar parents, her only friend— a goldfish, which was thrown away by her mother leaving her alone by herself. One night, as Lady Di, the Princess of Wales, died in a car accident, dropped a perfume-stopper rolled upon a wall tile and found a memorabilia box that impelled her to find its owner. From then on, as Amélie felt sudden contentment, she started fixing people’s messy lives— to sprinkle happiness and joy upon them. However, as she met Nico Quincampoix, a quirky guy who collects peoples’ torn and discarded pieces of photo booth pictures at Gare de l’Est ticket hall and was enchanted by him, Amélie began to feel anxious about her happiness as she struggles alone in her life. Le Fabuleux Destin d’ Amélie shall be watched for it was able to uniquely portray that patterns of life and innate human nature of inevitably craving for dreams, pleasure, love, and happiness to feel alive. 

First of all, this film was something to be enjoyed and reflected on because of its fanciful narrative elements which are the following points; (1) the plot was well-devised that can provide the viewers to be enticed on the flow of its narrative. Starting from presenting Amélie’s childhood background or Amélie as a child [e.g. the physical environment, norms, habits, etc.] going to the core and connecting it to the protagonist’s conflict— which is “Man vs. Self” , that was deeply presented as she grew up by seeing how Amélie struggles in socializing and forming connections with people around her causing to resort on dreaming and trying to orchestrate events on the lives of the other characters but hesitant or unconscious of reciprocating it to herself. Moreover, it gives amusing scenes on how Amélie’s curiosity directed the happenings on the film. Also, (2) the use of an omniscient third point of view, an all-knowing one, as if Amélie’s journey was being watched by someone made the story more appealing. By the means of an omniscient narrator, it emphasized that an audience is expected to see a drastic change that would happen in the protagonist’s life— for at some point, it tells clichés in the story but not in an annoying way, [e.g. “Finally, on the night of August 30, 1997, comes the event that will change her life forever.”] leading a viewer to be more intrusive and intrigue by observing each step of Amélie. It also made the film wittier as someone was narrating each characters’ fetishes or quirks— giving the viewer such hints about their secrets or individualities that indeed, pleasure is innate to humans— and with those, it can actually raise a comparison between the other characters vs. Amélie by highlighting the differences of the general pleasures vs. hers. Another point, (3) the symbolisms which showcased significance on the development of its whimsical story are the following; (a) the treasure box or the childhood memorabilia of Dominic Bretodeau, who was a father longing for his childhood memories and his child, was the starting point of everything— it was the most influential thing in Amélie’s life because it is where she was able to suddenly feel a complete harmony within herself causing the events to flow naturally, (b) the painting of Raymond Dufayel, one of her neighbors whom described as The Glass Man, pertaining to Amelie as the girl with the glass water whom Dufayel can’t capture for he feels she’s an outsider, this symbolizes that Amélie, is an art on process— that is still needed to be released from her isolated realm making it more substantial and interesting to await for Amélie’s change, (c) her habit of skimming stones on the river, the movement itself, portrays sequence that once perfectly thrown can create continuous momentum and (d) the photo album of Nino Quincampoix, if it wasn’t because of this, she wouldn’t have the chance to fall in love with somebody as what Gina, Amélie’s fellow waitress said, [“Love is a great beautician”] and nothing would make a difference in her life. Thus, those components made the narrative well-composed, valuable and effective for people like seeing someone changing for good.

Second, its cinematography. It was tremendously apparent that this film’s cinematography used a lot of extreme close up shots using center and rule-of-thirds framing, to accent the significance of character’s facial expressions [wincing, smiling, crying, etc.], bodily movements in almost every scenarios creating a comedic and serious vibe and effectively presenting emotions [e.g. pleased, ecstatic, disgusted, awe, grief] of the characters for the details— not just details but extreme ones of their expressions were indeed, accentuated. One of the best scenes of extreme close-up in this film was the opening remarks, where it showed frames of portraying Amelie’s childhood giving the viewer a glimpse of the protagonist’s isolation for it was clear that she was just only enjoying her own company as well as, the innocence of youth. Some techniques that leading to this kind of shot was starting from a wide-angle shot then suddenly zooming in or tilting the frame as it introduces characters, complimenting a deeper analysis on their personalities and characteristics [e.g. fetishes, likes, dislikes, habits, etc.] Furthermore, it was also used for the objects that serve as clues or hints on Amélie’s complex schemes of dwelling into people’s lives— which is really interesting. Another example, the use of panning and combining it with center framing was also recognizable for the sequence of events in one scenario giving the effect of continuous movement of happenings [e.g. young Amélie taking a photo shifted to another character to make it look like it is just really happening naturally and portraying what’s on the environment] it gives a sense of involvement for the viewer which helps to build the intensity of events. The shaky camera technique— which is a unique way of portraying captured moments and how rapidly things are happening. This can be observed on some montage on the films [e.g. Amélie going to the train station and the last scene, where Nico and Amelie were riding in a motorcycle]. This kind of technique is something fresh on my eyes, it’s not a conventional type, as what is written on the former part which makes it unique. Also, Bruno Delbonnel’s color grading was astonishingly aesthetic. If someone would not notice how aesthetically pleasing Le Fabuleux Destin d’ Amélie is, then that someone is probably blind. At the utmost, it is the most critical part of the film that made everything wholesome. The combination and manipulation of vibrant and deeply saturated hues of red, green and yellow set the atmosphere of the film creating a French-vibe, what that context feels like, a dreamy, imaginative, whimsical, fanciful as if you were involved in the love-story of Amélie and Nico, the color grading was immensely, extraordinarily and exceedingly remarkable— setting the mood and the atmosphere throughout the film. The strong visual look of this film was everything, any viewers cannot deny it. The cinematography was meticulously planned and well-executed, I am almost out of words.  

Third, to associate different scenes and to maintain its continuous state, this film is edited with the use of creative combinations of transitions. I think the transitions played the role of escalating the sequence of events— (a) how Hervé Schneid, the editor, used whip transitions to exemplify the change of season and time while focusing on one subject, (b) the cut-aways where Amélie got her revenged to the neighbor that fooled her, where there was an exchange of contrasting emotions— where it is obvious that Amélie was having fun messing with her neighbor while the latter was tremendously disappointed with what was happening, the transition made the scene really hilarious, (c) the used of match cuts especially on the scenes when Amélie was counting people who were having orgasms as well as, the scene where Georgette, the resident hypochondriac and Joseph, Gina’s rejected lover was having sex in the toilet room and how it wittingly conveyed the vibrations that the both characters felt while doing the action, I felt that, (d) the cross-cuts that was used to get inside the head of Amélie as she thinks about the pattern of possible actions of Nico making that scene feels extra saddening, and (e) how Amélie’s happiness was conveyed by the means of fast forwarding and jump cuts while riding the motorcycle with Nico, it was so good to feel the happiness of our dear protagonist. However, I think some standard cuts in the film were not consistent for some looks like unfinished and it made the motion looked not so natural— like it became a void to represent different scenes making the transition look odd and not effective.  

Overall, Le Fabuleux Destin d’ Amelie, is indeed, a must be watched film for it expounded the following; for the narrative it serves— (1) a well-written plot, (2) the wittingly use of omniscient point of view, and (3) mind-blowing symbolisms, for the cinematography presented— (1) detailed subjects with the use of extreme close-ups while combining it with other angles to create connection of juxtaposed effect, (2) panning which imitates continuous movement and (3) aesthetically pleasing color grading, for the editing— how it used creative combinations of transitions, (1) match cuts, (2) cut-away, (3) cross-cut, etc. indeed, this film deserves its recognition for it would let the viewers to take chances, to take risks, to live our lives in pursuit of happiness. Thus proving that humans are inevitably craving for dreams, pleasure, love, and life to feel alive. 

[8147]

reading hamlet for the first time (act 5: the finale)

masterlist

none of you told me it was going to be this painful . none of you.

a5s1

“Ophelia’s dead.” “Enter CLOWNS!”

Like im sure this has a different meaning in EMA but im gonna make fun of it because it’s fucking hilarious. (future (present? (now past once more (?))) antares coming back to say i did look at nfs and yeah theyre gravediggers)

“First Clown: What is he that builds stronger than either the mason, the shipwright, or the carpenter? Second Clown: The gallows-maker; for that frame outlives a thousand tenants.” damn not even just this one quote but these are some depressing clowns

hamlet and horatio!

okay there’s something about all of hamlet’s skull talk that makes me uneasy. like, not even the topic, just something in the words and how earnestly and (pardon my pun) gravely hamlet’s speaking about this. and it’s almost a mournful tune, too. it’s a huge difference from his “we’ll all be eaten by the same worms” speech to the point that it’s almost haunting.

“HAMLET: I will speak to this fellow.” C O N F R O N T

“HAMLET: I think it be thine, indeed; for thou liest in't.” (incomprehensible scribbling)

HAMLET, NOT IN ENGLAND: oh yeah lol he was sent to england huh u know why lmao

wait. did the. did the pirate situation get resolved. before act V.

I mean i think hamlet mentioned something about three years but the pirates are so fucking glossed over like what the fuck

“First Clown: 'Twill, a not be seen in him there; there the men are as mad as he.” HOLY SHIT ROAST THEM JFC

“HAMLET: Let me see. (Takes the skull)” THIS IS THE SKULL SCENE! I fucking KNEW it was bullshit that holding the skull was in the to be/not to be speech. I saw it being presented as such like once or twice while reading and I KNEW IT

hm okay so hamlet picks up this guys skull, of someone he used to know, and sure maybe i could ignore the “those lips i have kissed” but then he goes on to mention alexander the great and i mean come on

but jesus like i feel like im not doing justice to the stuff hamlet’s saying. just, the gravity of it all. Its kinda hitting home a bit hard bc like ive had a crippling fear of what happens after death and being forgotten etc since i was like in fourth grade and this is @ing that phobia

like, with that julius ceasar thing. “O that that earth which kept the world in awe / should patch a wall to expel the winter flaw,” it’s so strange. like, every fucking human who has lived, whether they be emperors, murderers, inventors, peasants, or philanthropists- as long as they weren’t blind, they’ve all looked at the same sky. like. It doesnt matter what the fuck you did or didn’t. It’s wild.

“First Priest: No more be done: We should profane the service of the dead To sing a requiem and such rest to her As to peace-parted souls.” hey i get that there are cultural taboos around suicide but like this guy’s a dick it isnt even clear if it was suicide, like, she was so fucking crazy she might not have even known she was, y’know, in a lake or w/e

laertes, dude, my guy. maybe jumping into a grave is cosmic foreshadowing for something you don’t want to happen to you. js.

“HAMLET: [Advancing] What is he whose grief Bears such an emphasis? whose phrase of sorrow Conjures the wandering stars, and makes them stand Like wonder-wounded hearers? This is I, Hamlet the Dane. (Leaps into the grave)” hamlet is NOT one to be out-extra’d (posting-antares here to say, wait, ‘whose phrase of sorrow conjures the stars? is this my aesthetic-speeches-summon-ghosts theory? probably not, but i havent mentioned it for a while)

“LAERTES: The devil take thy soul! (Grappling with him)” IN A FUCKING GRAVE. THEY ARE FIGHTING. IN A GRAVE.

all because hamlet doesn’t want to be out-extra’d. my god.

“QUEEN GERTRUDE: This is mere madness: And thus awhile the fit will work on him; Anon, as patient as the female dove, When that her golden couplets are disclosed, His silence will sit drooping.” Ah yes gertie just talk about the distraught and angry madman as if he isn’t there. that’ll diffuse the situation.

You know what? We still haven’t discussed the pirates.

a5s2

“HAMLET: So much for this, sir: now shall you see the other; You do remember all the circumstance?” If this isn’t gonna be about the pirates im gonna. scream.

“HAMLET: My fears forgetting manners, to unseal Their grand commission; where I found, Horatio,-- O royal knavery!--an exact command, Larded with many several sorts of reasons Importing Denmark's health and England's too, With, ho! such bugs and goblins in my life, That, on the supervise, no leisure bated, No, not to stay the grinding of the axe, My head should be struck off.” god, though. imagine that. being exiled to another country by the person who killed your father, only to find out that they were going to have you killed, anyways. that’s fucking terrifying. jesus christ.

Damn this idea that pretty handwriting is ~beneath~ nobles confuses me so fucking much. I got called haughty once just because my main handwriting is cursive. I mean, they were right, but their evidence was circumstantial at best.

“HAMLET: That, on the view and knowing of these contents, Without debatement further, more or less, He should the bearers put to sudden death, Not shriving-time allow'd.” Hamlet’s Revenge. 

but also, what the fuck, dude. two wrongs dont make a right.

damn i kinda lost myself while reading but it really doesn’t sound like hamlet’s insane anymore. Like he’s… tempered himself. he doesn’t feel insane, just solemn.

“OSRIC: Your lordship is right welcome back to Denmark. HAMLET: I humbly thank you, sir. Dost know this water-fly?” goddamn ROAST HIM HAMLET (also what a fucking mood)

Osric put on your fucking ha--

The wind is

The wind is northerly

“HAMLET: No, believe me, 'tis very cold; the wind is northerly.” I remember someone saying that this is important

Okay here: “HAMLET: I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw.”

oh no

Osric just wear ur fucking hat u doof

“OSRIC: Exceedingly, my lord; it is very sultry,--as 'twere,--I cannot tell how. But, my lord, his majesty bade me signify to you that he has laid a great wager on your head: sir, this is the matter,-- HAMLET: I beseech you, remember-- (HAMLET moves him to put on his hat)” excuse me a WAGER

but alas all hamlet cares about is osric’s fucking hat

“HAMLET: What's his weapon? OSRIC: Rapier and dagger. HAMLET: That's two of his weapons: but, well.” hamlet u sarcastic little shit i love you

I mean so is horatio. I love him too.

This stuff with the competition is. not gonna end well. not at well.

“HAMLET: I do not think so: since he went into France, I have been in continual practise: I shall win at the odds. But thou wouldst not think how ill all's here about my heart: but it is no matter.”

hamlet no. listen to your heart or whatever. jesus christ don’t do it.

“HORATIO: Nay, good my lord,--” HAMLET LISTEN TO HORATIO

Ohhh hamlet

okay reading what laertes said, you know what? i’m giving laertes one last chance. please do not prove me a fool, laertes. 

everything is giving me mad anxiety. e v e r y t h i n g.

claud’s speech is insanely sketchy

“KING CLAUDIUS: [Aside] It is the poison'd cup: it is too late.” One, so that’s why it was sketchy. Two, the POISONED CUP?

IT’S TOO LATE?

Gertie’s. Dead.

Shit, shit, shit

“LAERTES: [Aside] And yet 'tis almost 'gainst my conscience.” YES! SO PLEASE! STOP FIGHTING!

“LAERTES wounds HAMLET; then in scuffling, they change rapiers, and HAMLET wounds LAERTES.” Oh no oh no oh jeez eheu they’re hurting each other, shit, fuck,

“LAERTES: ...woodcock…”

“KING CLAUDIUS: She swounds to see them bleed. QUEEN GERTRUDE: No, no, the drink, the drink,--O my dear Hamlet,-- The drink, the drink! I am poison'd. (Dies)” one, i love how claud is desperatley trying to stick to the plan, its almost adorable in a childish sort of way. two, oh god. ohhh god. gertie. 

Oh no. 

this is the bloodbath. THIS IS THE BLOODBATH.

BODY COUNT: 1

“HAMLET: The point!--envenom'd too! Then, venom, to thy work. (Stabs KING CLAUDIUS)” ...

BODY COUNT: 2

wait and hamlet’s on death row, as with laertes. Oh no.

“LAERTES: He is justly served; It is a poison temper'd by himself. Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet: Mine and my father's death come not upon thee, Nor thine on me. (Dies)’ oh my god already??? I haven’t even really accepted king claud’s death?? jesus christ??

My friend just sorta nudged me and asked if i was alright and i. I’m not. i’m in shock. goddamn. what?

BODY COUNT: 3

goodness thats three in like less than thirty seconds JESUS CHRIST

“HAMLET: Heaven make thee free of it! I follow thee.I am dead, Horatio.” that’s chilling. just, the poignancy. that’s so fucking spectral. i’m not okay.

“HORATIO: Never believe it: I am more an antique Roman than a Dane: Here's yet some liquor left.” No no no on no nononon NO NO oh my god are you going to-

“HAMLET: As thou'rt a man, Give me the cup: let go; by heaven, I'll have't. … If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart Absent thee from felicity awhile, And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain, To tell my story.” hey i’m crying in study hall. i’m actually crying. what the fuck. I don’t cry unless i’m thinking about that one pair of 18th century shoes with the really good photo quality (transcribing-antares here. I fucking love those shoes. I’m looking at them right now and they’re so fucking beautiful. they look how velvet feels, which is odd, bc they're apparently silk. I don’t care they’re just so fucking lovely)

F O R T I N B R A S?

“HAMLET: O, I die, Horatio; The potent poison quite o'er-crows my spirit.” I’ve identified my emotion. Dread. pure, unadulterated Dread.

for all of you that’ve listened to the penumbra podcast: do you remember the concierge, right before final resting place, saying “you do realize you can just like, leave, and everything will be hunky dory and you won’t have to deal with the emotional consequences this episode will bring you” because i’m seriously considering doing that right now.

“HAMLET: The rest is silence. (Dies)” shit. (posting-antares here to say that i forgot to do the body count but honestly im crying while formating because of this goddamn fucking 400 year old play)

“HORATIO: Now cracks a noble heart. Good night sweet prince…” oh god. horatio.

“Good night sweet prince…”

(yet again tis transcribing-antares here to say that im fucking sobbing right now, the shoes are no match for this, and ‘goodnight sweet prince’ is actually never going to leave my head.) (editing-antares here to say im fucking crying again god fucking damn it) (posting-antares back again saying that this fucking line. this line. my god.)

“HORATIO: What is it ye would see? If aught of woe or wonder, cease your search.” oh, horatio. god. that isn’t something said without tears staining your skin and a bitter tone hard-won, not that its possession is a victory.

oh my god. this can’t. no. this can’t end like this. What. no. people must have rioted. No. no!!

i typically hate it but i would GLADLY accept a deus ex machina right about now!!

okay my friend just took my phone away from me and shut it off because i kept on trying to scroll past the end

jesus christ

okay so i’m not going to be okay for like, several eternities, so im going to play the sims until i. until i die, probably. my god.

masterlist

[bloodraven55]

The Linguistics of Bumbleby III

Alright, we’re on the home stretch, y’all. This is the third and final part and it includes V4-V6 because it didn’t seem worth splitting them into two separate parts. That does mean this one is slightly longer, though, just so you know 😅

PART THE THIRD

Here we have Volumes 4 and 5, a.k.a. the conversations that Blake and Yang have with other people about each other.

One, Blake and Sun's talk in V4C11. This one's fairly simple. Blake says that she loves her team like she never thought she could love anybody, and that she thinks about them every day. Her voice only cracks when she says Yang's name, indicating that though she means all of them Yang is the person she misses the most. 

Two, the initial RWY conversation and Yang and Weiss' talk afterwards. Yang claims not to want Blake around, but then admits that she "needed [Blake] there for [her]." This contrast between want and need highlights that although she’s conflicted Yang would still rather Blake were there if she had the choice. Then Weiss explains why she believes Blake left, giving Yang greater perspective on why Blake did what she did. But this is all fairly straightforward, the noteworthy part is...

Three, Sun's "[...] and I can promise Yang would say the same" and Weiss' "[...] and I'm willing to bet Blake feels the same way." More clear parallels; a friend of theirs reminds Blake and Yang that the other person does care about them despite the literal and metaphorical distance between the two of them. Most striking, however, is that there is no precedent for Sun bringing up Yang here. Immediately before he says that he makes the very romantically charged declaration of "I would do it all again if it meant protecting you"... and then instead of following up on it he kills his own romantic moment by referencing Yang. Combined with the fact that he is flagrantly conflating his own (widely accepted to be romantic) feelings for Blake with Yang's feelings for Blake, this scene is meant to tell the viewer that Sun has realised that Yang has those feelings for Blake, and he wants Blake to be aware of Yang's feelings too so that she can fix her relationship with Yang.

The summary of this third part can be mostly boiled down to: Blake and Yang both pine for each other and are angsty about the idea that the other one doesn't return their feelings, and Sun and Weiss become best wingman and wingwoman respectively.

PART THE FOURTH

Okay, we're near the end now, I promise. The last scenes I want to cover are from Volume 6. This section might not go quite as deep with the analysis since a lot of things became much more obvious by this point, but hopefully this part will still be fun with a few interesting observations nonetheless.

One, the conversation on the train in V6C1. Not too much to go over here. Yang is awkward. Blake is awkward. It's a whole mess of awkwardness. But there are two things I would like to briefly touch on.

First, the way Yang says "Blake, you don't have to do that." This line could have been delivered in an angry or bitter tone to show Yang's lingering doubts about Blake rejoining the team, but it isn't. Instead it sounds almost sad, and a little uncomfortable. What the viewer is supposed to take from this line in particular isn't so much that Yang is still mad at Blake for leaving, but that Yang doesn't want Blake bending over backwards and doing things for her to try and make it up to her.

Second, "I'm fine... we're gonna be fine." Yang initially frames her answer only in terms of herself, but then shifts to referring to both her and Blake. It's not just their individual wellbeing she's talking about, it's the state of their relationship. This is an olive branch, if you will, letting Blake know that even if she's hurt she does still want to see if they can fix their bond.

Two, "Good to see you're not rusty." This comment serves two purposes: 1) it shows that Blake and Yang's dynamic hasn't been irrevocably damaged as they're still able to share the playful banter they did before, and 2) it establishes that Yang's still casually flirting a little.

Three, each of them calling out the other's name first in V6C2. In a moment of panic and fear, Blake and Yang are each other's first thought. Take from that what you will, but it emphasises how much they care about each other even after everything that happened during/following the Fall of Beacon. So far all of these moments are telling the audience that there is something to be repaired here; Blake and Yang's connection is presented as weakened, but far from broken.

Four, the barn scene in V6C5. Oh boy, oh boy. First there's Yang answering Blake's "Are you okay?" with "I don't know", which is not at all the same "I'll be fine [...]" she gave Weiss in V5C6 and "I'm totally fine, I'm great" she failed to convince Ruby or Weiss with in V5C8. Even just earlier in V6 when it's in front of the others she tells Blake "[they're] gonna be fine", but when it's just the two of them she admits that none of those answers were true where she didn't with anyone else. Combine that with the fact that Blake starts opening up about what her relationship with Adam was like later in this scene when before she didn't even tell Sun he was more than someone she worked with and only vaguely described what he was like to the rest of the team after Yang's fight with Mercury, and it's pretty obvious that both of them only really feel comfortable discussing their most intimate feelings with each other. Lastly, also compare the sharp "We're fine" Yang gives Blake here to the reassuring "We're gonna be fine" in C1; while this scene demonstrates the strength of Blake and Yang's bond, it is also its lowest point. From here it can either snap completely, or be mended to become stronger than ever, which is what we get starting with...

Five, V6C10 a.k.a. the gayest scene in RWBY so far. This exchange is just as awkward as the one in the first episode, but for somewhat different reasons. It's flirtatious and lovestruck - there isn't really any other way to describe it. Blake is shy and almost bashful; she teases that "stealth isn't exactly [Yang's forté]" then panics and immediately backtracks with "I mean, you're great, and I'll hurry back." It's all totally unnecessary to reach the objective of the conversation (which is just to convey that Blake is going to disable the tower alone) and it can't be reasonably interpreted as anything other than romantic. The most striking part for me, however, is Yang's "Go." It's one tiny word, yet it serves perfectly to make it clear to the audience that by now Yang trusts Blake not to leave again, and not only that but she trusts Blake to leave and then come back. This interaction is needed in order to move their reconciliation forwards so that they are a united front when...

Six, Adam happens. If subtlety was set on fire and thrown out the window never to be seen again before, then now its remains have also been trampled on by a raging bull just for good measure.

Adam is exceedingly open about the fact that he sees Yang as a rival for Blake's love, and hates the fact that Blake has, as he perceives it, chosen Yang over him. He tries to manipulate Yang by arguing that Blake "made a promise to [him] once that she'd always be at [his] side", but when Yang instantly sees through him he resorts to asking Blake if he "just wasn't good enough for [her]" to which she very rightly replies that "it was so much more than that." Adam's jealousy reaches its most undeniable, though, when it culminates in him screaming "What does she even see in you?!" at Yang. It's a phrase that is never used except in the context of romantic interest, and it removes any remaining doubt that this isn't a personal conflict for Adam. It could make sense for him to hate Yang because she's a human, but he never brings that up and instead repeatedly highlights himself that it's her connection with Blake that he despises.

The other part worthy of note here is Blake's "[...] we're protecting each other" speech, which serves as a direct counterpoint to her earlier declaration to Yang of "I'll protect you", and completes their V6 trajectory from the start with Blake's guilt putting them on an uneven footing to this moment in which she recognises that they need to stand as equals instead. (And I'd like to clarify that this issue was never about Blake seeing Yang as weak--heck, her word for her is "strength"--it was about her feeling like she owed Yang something in truth for the loss of her arm to Adam and needing to let go of that unhealthy mindset.)

Seven, the aftermath of the Adam confrontation. It's only a couple of lines of dialogue, but it says an awful lot. The fact that Blake's first instinct is to reassure Yang that she won't leave again or go back on her word when Yang is already holding her demonstrated just how deep Adam's manipulation ran, and Yang's response is equally significant. She could say "It's okay" or "I forgive you", or something else that would validate Blake's guilt in the process of absolving it, but she doesn't. She says "I know you won't", which is infinitely more powerful because it demonstrates that she isn't just offering Blake forgiveness, she's also making it clear that there was nothing to forgive in the first place since Blake's actions were well-meaning and a result of past abuse.

Eight, and last but very very far from least, "we were there for each other." This is the conclusion of this whole arc in Yang and Blake's relationship. This line emphasises that they are closer than ever before, and that they're finally back in a healthy place from which they can move forward.

The summary of this fourth part can mostly be boiled down to: yeah, they’re in love.

Well, there we are, guys. We have reached the end. Sincere congratulations to anyone who stuck around this long, because this got very very long, but I hope it was worth it 😊

[aion-rsa]

Nobody is an Action Movie That Questions ‘Toxic Masculinity’

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Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk) is (as his film title suggests) a Nobody. He’s a schlub who gets up for the same soul-deadening routine each day: he drinking his coffee, forgets to take the garbage out, and sits at his boring desk job. He then comes home to kids who barely tolerate him and a wife who literally makes a barrier of pillows between them in their bed. When he fails to protect their house against a home invasion–even though he clearly could have–the sense of disappointment from his family is palpable.

But the incident awakens something long dormant in Hutch: a set of skills and a primal anger that served him well in a former life and career defined by violence. Hutch has to give that repressed rage an outlet, which unfortunately brings him into the sights of a deadly Russian crime boss, even as it reawakens his soul and reconnects him with his wife and family.

Directed by Ilya Naishuller (who helmed the equally explosive Hardcore Henry in 2015), Nobody also stars Christopher Lloyd, RZA, and Connie Nielsen as Hutch’s wife Becca, a successful career woman on her own terms, and who probably no longer needs her seemingly insubstantial husband all that much. Yet what Becca does or doesn’t know about Hutch’s past is one of the more intriguing questions that this action-packed film raises.

The Danish-born Nielsen’s first major English-language role was in 1997’s The Devil’s Advocate, and since then she’s appeared in films like Rushmore, Gladiator, One Hour Photo, The Ice Harvest and many more. A new audience embraced her more recently thanks to the role of Queen Hippolyta, the mother of Diana of Themyscira in Wonder Woman, Justice League, Wonder Woman 1984, and the just-released Zack Snyder’s Justice League, which sees her role beefed up considerably from the 2017 theatrical version.

Meanwhile, she and the great Odenkirk play off each other exceedingly well in Nobody, a fact that came up during our Zoom chat with the actress.

Den of Geek: Right at the beginning of this film, there’s a home invasion and Bob’s character, Hutch, doesn’t do anything to protect his family. Did that feel very relatable, this idea that your spouse may not have your back in a situation like that?

Connie Nielsen: I loved that scene. I loved how in the aftermath of that scene you had the neighbor literally representing toxic masculinity: “Oh if it was me, I would have taken him out.” And then you have the kid, our child, our teenage boy, so impressionable, and totally buying into this idea of masculinity: “Yeah. We could have taken him, Dad. We could have taken him.” And it’s just like that’s exactly what we’re trying to say to everybody. Stop putting that stuff on men to be that guy, stop saying that a guy has to be all of these different things because it’s not healthy.

What you then have is basically–you start a film about action movies and about action, and about those tropes within an action movie, but then it actually starts questioning what the idea of masculinity behind all of that is. I just loved the irony of that and that importance of that too, because it does make it so relatable.

How does the relationship between Hutch and Becca play into that?

One of the things I said from the beginning was, “Let’s not make Hutch feel intimidated by his wife. Let’s instead underline the fact that he’s the one who’s depressed. He is not threatened by her success. It’s that he feels like he is nobody. He feels that he has no importance. Everybody’s going to be fine if he just freaking wasn’t there, she would be able to continue taking care of the kids and the money and everything else.” It’s this feeling that he has, that he doesn’t matter, and that he’s not important.

And that is such a brilliant way of framing the midlife crisis of this guy, and also the crisis of the relationship where the power balance is out of whack and they can’t reach each other, they can’t figure out how to be a team until they’re forced to become a team.

It’s also rare in the action genre that the relationship is also age appropriate. There’s not this 25-year gap between the husband and wife.

That has always been a pet peeve of mine, even when I was a kid in this business. When I’m watching a movie and I’m seeing a girl who’s 24 playing the mother of four kids. I’m like, “What?” It’s just so dumb. There are so many women out there who get really offended as they watch these kinds of movies. So it’s just also dumb of producers and directors to cast without being age appropriate, because women get mad, they get irritated.

What other little details do you think you contributed or discussed with the director in terms of just making these characters more vivid on the set?

First of all, one of the things that was most important was when we were talking about my character’s success, that it was believable within the context, and that we didn’t make it a takedown of successful women–if it was problematic, it was not her problem, but his problem. I think that also we really talked about making her behavior understandable. There’s a second home invasion where it becomes pretty hard for her to not pose questions, so how do we play that? For me, the most important thing was to come up with a balanced behavior that also posed questions in hindsight as to, well, who is she really, what’s her background story, how is she dealing with all this, and is there something else there?

It’s a little ambiguous how much she knows about Hutch’s past. She’s never overly shocked by anything that Hutch does when the full scope of his character comes out. And that goes back to the idea that you sometimes really don’t know the person you’re married to.

That also goes for the moviegoers, they may not really know who the character of Becca is either. That’s part of what we also had a lot of fun talking about on set–what are the things that you don’t know about her?

What kind of set did Ilya run? Was there an openness for ideas and improvisational type of things?

I think so. I think especially when we were doing scenes that were about the emotional relationship, it was just really about making it come alive and truthful, that it was profound and that was meaningful emotionally, that we didn’t make it a small moment, but a big moment.

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This is the first time you ever worked with Bob.

Yeah. It is, and we never met before.

What is that like when you have to meet and immediately create a relationship between these two characters?

It’s odd, it’s so bizarre and strange. The first day on set when we were doing hair and makeup tests and so on, I was taken to this hangar and there’s box of sand on the floor with a green backdrop and a photographer in front of it. And it’s, “Oh, we’re about to do your family pictures,” and then, “Oh, and this is Bob.” Then you basically sit down and you just immediately move into pictures of our honeymoon and all of these different vacations that we’ve had back in the days when we were happy. I basically just met this man. It’s awkward, but that’s also acting, right? You’re just bringing your own experience and leaning into it as if you know this person.

Did you see the director’s previous film, Hardcore Henry?

I did not see Hardcore Henry, but it was very clear from the beginning that Ilya has this particularly cool way of marrying both music and action and image. So I just felt very comfortable that our producers believed that he was going to bring that same thing to Nobody.

When you look at the way action is done in movies today, on one hand you have the stylized stuff that we see in this movie, and then there’s the way Patty Jenkins shoots the Wonder Woman films, which has this majestic painterly quality. Does this seem like an interesting time for the genre?

I think so. I think that it has just changed so vastly from back in the day with films like Rambo. I think that a lot of these movies used to have a very jingoistic quality to them, and that instead, action has mutated. I think maybe that Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and China brought progress to the genre and really updated it and brought in fantasy elements that were really exciting. Superhero movies have definitely updated those concepts as well. So I do think that action movies continue to evolve. The John Wick trilogy is just such a great example of something that just evolved into this whole world, this John Wick world, which was so cool.

What are your thoughts on Zack Snyder’s Justice League arriving? Did you do any additional shooting for it?

I did my work with Zack on set. I did not have to go back for any reshoots. When Zack was going to start the project back up, he had the courtesy and the kindness to call everybody and ask if we were willing to support him in this. I think every single person immediately just said, “Of course.” I know that we’re all super excited that he’s bringing this vision forward to everybody. And I know that he does not consider this as another Justice League, he considers this a standalone movie in its own right.

Are you signed for Wonder Woman 3?

I know that there’s a storyline that involves the Amazons, that’s really all I can say.

Nobody arrives in theaters on Friday, March 26.

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The post Nobody is an Action Movie That Questions ‘Toxic Masculinity’ appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[daxicab]

Chapters: 22/63 Fandom: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Rating: Mature (18+) Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Reno (Compilation of FFVII)/Original Female Character(s) Characters: Original Character(s) - Character, Reno, Tifa Lockhart, Cloud Strife, Rude, Elena, Denzel, Tseng, Zack Fair, Rufus Shinra, Aerith Gainsborough, Genesis Rhapsodos Additional Tags: Additional Warnings In Author's Note

Season 1 is finished with 22 Chapters! 

Chapter 1 is below. Reader-insert version can be found here.

There is an empty desk in front of Alexis. There is the noise of high schoolers chatting, but it sounds like her head is in a fishbowl. Everyone's faces are blurry as Alexis looks around, then her focus returns to the desk in front of hers. It takes a while for her to remember that a boy sits there. He is usually late for class, explaining why it remains empty. As if on queue, the door swings open, and a young man walks in. Alexis is not sure when the teacher started teaching, but she goes quiet as the kid enters. Tilting her head, Alexis can vaguely make out his face. He pulls the black beanie further down his head, covering his hair entirely. There is an injury on his eye, or at least there was until she looks at him again. The classroom is eerily silent, but Alexis is sure people are moving their mouths. The chair in front of her desk slides out. Looking up at the boy, his eyes make contact with hers. They are such a beautiful color, though Alexis is not sure why she thinks that. She cannot precisely tell what color they are.

Suddenly the school bell rings, and Alexis finds herself in front of her locker. Groaning, she realizes vaguely what is happening. It is another dream of her past, something that is frequently occurring now. Annoyed, Alexis lets the dream carry on though she knows she will wake up in confusion with no answers to a lot of questions. Alexis packs her school bag for the weekend and head outside, the trip being much shorter than it really was in reality. Going towards the bike rack, she unlocks the bike and decides to walk it to the sidewalk. Everything begins to have a sense of deja vu, and Alexis somewhat remembers this day. After leaving the school grounds, a car drives by. It almost drowns out the cry of pain followed by the sound of metal being struck against something. Moving towards the sound and peaking around the building corner, Alexis sees a member of the football team pick up the kid that was late by his shirt collar. There is no feeling of fear, but she remembers the horror of seeing the blood drip from the young man's lip, the eye already turning red.

"Trying to hide from us, slum rat? Shouldn't be trying to cover up that hair either. Only an idiot would color it that way to get attention," the boy that grips her classmate by the collar. When he doesn't get a response, he throws him on the ground and kicks Alexis's classmate in the ribs.

Before his lackeys join in, she finds herself shouting, "Stop!"

The gang turns on Alexis, all of them grinning. All of these boys look the same, their faces existing, yet she cannot discern any features. As she backs up, her back hits the wall, and suddenly she is cornered. They yell at her, calling her names that she cannot remember, but she remembers the fear. As soon as the boy raises his hand to slap her, he stops. Alexis remembers a shout, and she hears it, but again everything is muddled. Behind the bullies, she sees her classmate standing up, face covered in scratches. Suddenly he is taller, a darker face, and carrying a weapon like a pipe. He clubs one of the kids–no an adult now in the head. Alexis shakes her head, knowing that this was not the memory and try to focus back on the dream. As soon as her focus returns on the three bullies and her classmate, back to normal, Alexis hears someone clear their throat, and she looks behind her–the wall suddenly is gone. Lane, dressed as a Turk, stands behind her and causes the bullies to scatter. As soon as he approaches, Alexis is dragged away, and she turns to look at who or what is pulling her and stares into two split red eyes.

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

Bolting upright, Alexis looks around and slams her hand down on the alarm. Taking deep breaths, she slowly calms herself. Groaning, she throws herself back down, head bouncing lightly on the pillows. The dreams are already becoming fleeting memories. By the end of the day, she is only going to remember bits and pieces. Running a hand through her hair, she stares at the time and rolls out of bed. The bathroom is so far away, but Alexis shuffles towards it. Deciding a hot shower should help finish calming the nerves, she steps into the shower and lets the water pour on her head, massaging her scalp.

After the shower, she gets her wait-staff clothes on and fixes her hair up. When entering the living room, she notices that Lane is missing. Saying a small prayer for him, she walks outside, hoping he is simply on another search for answers. Tilting her head, she stares at the gloomy sky, made even darker with Midgar's remains blocking the real horizon. Another rainy day. After a little sigh, Alexis walks to her small car and gets in.

The drive to work seems to get busier and busier as the years go by. Edge reminds her of the rise and fall of Shinra Electric Power Company. Some WRO soldiers pass by her, and she notices their presence has increased as well. Seemingly privately funded, the organization rose from Shinra's ashes almost quite literally. The funding seemed to be timely and generous as well.

As if someone is trying to make amends, she thinks with a smirk. Though it was never released on who funds WRO, only a few people still have that sort of money. The flames of the rumor spread even faster as Shinra employees quickly joined WRO.

Upon reaching the bar, Alexis gets out of the car only to feel the light touch of rain. Then the skies open up.

"Crap," she says, running into the building. It was not fast enough as her clothes are soaked, making her both exceedingly uncomfortable and cold.

"Aw, come here," the bar owner says and drags her down a hallway. The woman gives Alexis a sympathetic smile that reaches her red eyes, then speaks, "Change into the spare uniform and take some time to get yourself together. Once you feel better, you can get to work. Okay? Take your time."

She gives her a small pat on the head and rushes out, her long black hair framing her turn. Looking down at the clean uniform, Alexis lets out a heavy sigh. Hopefully, this is not the start of a really horrible day.

The end of the world did not change anyone. People are still as rude and mean as ever. You'd think you'd be a little more grateful after surviving like how many crises? I lost count.

Unfortunately, she is right in her assumption about the day, the spare uniform does not last long. A small child decides the white front needs to be red like his fruit punch. Of course, the parents only give a half-hearted apology, do not chastise the child, or pay much attention to him. The next customer that Alexis serves is already intoxicated and demands more wine. She denies him the request and insists on buying something to eat instead, hoping to help the man sober up and maybe save his liver. However, this causes him to make a scene that involves her. The insults, plus the embarrassment from the entire diner staring at Alexis, brings a knot in her throat, and she prays no tears to start forming. The owner, Tifa, promptly handles the guest, but the damage is done, and waiting on the tables is now that much more awkward. It is a long nine-hour shift, especially when she realizes it has only been two hours into it. By the fourth hour, Alexis decides that once she gets home, she will plop down on the couch and gorge on whatever ice cream remains in the fridge. Maybe indulge and watch a horror movie. A sigh leaves her mouth as she silently hopes Lane is home. Perhaps the two can finally play this mysterious "Monopoly" game he mentioned last time he was home.

It does not help that her dream keeps popping up. Well, really, it is only the last image from the dream–the two snake-like eyes. It makes her shudder. Alexis feels as if there is a shadow watching her from her peripherals. However, every time she looks, there is nothing there. Tifa catches Alexis, making a worried face several times throughout the night. Towards the end of the night, Tifa finally asks, "Are you okay?"

"Yes, ma'am," Alexis answers, several times, not wanting this caring woman to worry about her more than she probably already is. Alexis is sure once she gets home, she will be much, much better.

At the end of the night, the tips are low, and business is hindered by the rain. After helping Tifa clean up and saying goodnight to her, Alexis walks outside and immediately groans. It is still raining, making her rush to the car and almost slip on the way there. With no defense against the rain, Alexis is once again soaked to the bone. In the car, she decides to wait it out a little, hoping the massive rainband will pass soon. Once it lightens up, she pulls out and drives home. Unfortunately, the reprieve is a fluke, and the rain pours down with a vengeance. Slowing down, Alexis put the wipers on the fastest speed, but the visibility is no more than five feet. It is going to be a nerve-wracking drive home, but the storm might not worsen. Alexis decides to look for a safe place to pull over before someone gets hurt.

As soon as the thought leaves her head, someone steps backward in front of her car. Alexis tries to slam on the brakes to no avail. Even at a low speed, the vehicle hydroplanes directly towards the pedestrian. They look at her right before the impact, and Alexis notices the familiar face. She lets out a scream as soon as the car hits the man. SHIT!

The man rolls over the hood, his shoulder ramming into the windshield, cracking it slightly. When the car does come to a stop, he slides off the hood. Gripping the steering wheel so hard, her knuckles are white, and she tries to calm down. The adrenaline is coursing through her, but Alexis remains frozen in the seat. Swallowing hard, she gets out and makes her way to the front of the car. Kneeling down, she recognizes the black suit, and her blood runs cold when she looks at the owner's face. The hair is dark due to blood and the rain, but the familiar pair of red marks give him away.

"Oh, gods. Oh no. Oh fuck," Alexis says in terror. I just killed a Turk. Not only a Turk but RENO of the Turks. No criminal record until now. Now I'm a murderer, a Turk-killer! I don't even hate Shinra enough to kill them! They were patrons of Tifa's bar, and now they are going to hunt me down and kill me. This is it. Life is over.

Stress overwhelms Alexis, and she begins to cry. It muffles the sound of footsteps, and Alexis jumps when someone speaks.

"Holy shit, you just saved my life," the man says, gripping his shoulder. He tries to hide the gun behind his back, but Alexis notices it. He gives her a friendly smile and walks closer. "Just walk away, lady, and no one will know you killed the Turk bastard."

Neither of them notices the pair of eyes staring the criminal. The man walks closer. "Thanks, again, I'll take the car and get out of here. You better start running now."

A metal ball pegs the man in the chest. A current of electricity runs through him, making him twitch violently before falling over. Covering her mouth, she looks away from the convulsing body on the ground. Alexis notices the Turk grinning while still lying on the street. "Gotcha, asshole…" he says weakly before passing out.

Staring at Reno, Alexis finds herself breathing heavily because now there are two bodies are lying near her. One dead, one probably not dead, but at the same time, is no longer moving. Squatting down, she places a hand on his chest and feels it slowly rise and fall. When she pulls her hand away, she gags when it is covered in blood. That is when she realizes how injured the man is. Staring at the other guy, Alexis groans and decides to drag Reno into the car. Someone else can deal with the random dead man on the side of the road.

Getting a full-grown man into her car is much easier said than done. Alexis ends up dropping him in the back seats causing him to groan in pain, and she panics. Hurriedly, Alexis slams the door shut and gets in the driver's seat before he sees her. The problem is, Alexis does not want to go to the hospital. Even if the Turks are not the most well-liked group of people, they have been helping out more with the public than they were five years ago. Alexis will more than likely have to explain to many people why she is covered in Turk blood, with a Turk body in the back of her not Turk car, while she also does not work for Rufus Shinra and his Turks. Shaking her head, the only reasonable place to go is home, where she has materia and medical supplies. When he wakes up, he can take himself to the hospital after explaining that everything was a total accident.

"Or he dies in my room because this is a stupid idea, he could have internal bleeding," Alexis says to herself. Still, the hospital is a bit of a drive away, and with today's track record, she does not want to risk it. At least if he dies in her room surrounded by medical supplies, it might be obvious she tried to save him. Right.

Alexis also hopes that Lane is not home and does not come back tonight, after all.

As she reaches the apartment complex, she gets the Turk out of the car, hitting his head on the frame. He groans, and Alexis flinches when his eyes weakly glare at her. Surprisingly he does not fight her as she walks him into the complex and into the elevator to her floor. Getting him into her apartment is harder as the Turk goes unconscious in the elevator, forcing her to drag him to the door. Once inside, Alexis catches her breath, then drags him to her bedroom. There is no way she is getting him onto the bed without a lot of effort. So, she gently lays him on the floor and places a pillow under his head. The bloodstains are more visible on his skin and clothes, even after the rain washed some of it away. Looking him over, her eyes land on the two red tattoos, and she absentmindedly runs a finger over one of them, causing his cheek to twitch. Shaking her head, Alexis opens his shirt up to see the bruises from the collision and figures there has to be a broken rib. Suddenly he starts shivering, and she realizes just how cold it is. Jumping up, she rushes to the linen closet and pulls out heavy blankets. Hurrying back to him, she lays them over his body, then runs to the bathroom. Digging through the medicine cabinet, Alexis gathers various medical supplies and a cure materia.

"Okay, Cure can't repair all the major damage or wake him up, but it should take care of some of the injuries and lessen the serious ones," she says to herself. "Sorry, Reno. I don't have enough power to use it a lot…can maybe get off a Cura without passing out."

Nodding, she steps out of the bathroom and feels the cold metal press against her throat, a static shock zapping her throat, and she freezes in place.