#zuli talks

[oopsitszuli]

Everyone who’s sent in Miguel requests-

IM GONNA GIVE YOU THE BIGGEST SMOOCH FR FR

THEYRE SO GOOD 😭😭😭

[luminlunii]

Could you draw Zulie? I've always liked her suave vibes. Very mysterious and cool headed I think. 💜

(You probably know exactly who I'm talking about but I know she's a pretty minor character so as a refresher: she's the woman in Serafine's cult who takes off Mordecai's tie just before he gets that symbol carved on his chest.)

It's her! The woman, the myth, the legend herself!

Ko-fi | Patreon

[lovelyelbowleech]

Hi I found your series a few months ago and I’m absolutely obsessed. It’s probably the best fic I’ve ever read. I’ve already read it three times and I cannot put it down. Your writing is incredible! I absolutely adore the way you characterize Zuko. And all of your OCS are perfect.

Shen has to be one of my favorite characters and I cannot stop thinking about how the whole Zuli/Zuko reveal is going to go down. I think it’s so hilarious how he practically has all the pieces to make the connection, but never would on his own because who would guess that the random kid they adopted is actually the prince of the fire nation. My top theory is that Azula is going end up talking to/interrogating Shen and dropping that bomb on him. I know you probably wouldn’t want to give an exact answer, but I’m dying to know if that reveal is coming soon or if we’re still a long way off from Shen discovering the truth?

I also realized how many things Sokka still doesn’t know about Zuko. I can’t wait for him to find out about what actually went down with Zuko’s mother. Also the whole scar reveal and the fact that it’s so much worse than Sokka already knows. I really want to see how that conversation goes down when Zuko finally tells him about the 41st division.

There’s so much more I want to say but this will be way too long. Thank you so much for writing this fic! I can’t wait to read the rest

Haha yeah, the Zuli/Zuko thing seems so obvious to those with all the information, but for Shen he has no reason to put those things together and come up with an enemy prince. Although he is figuring out parts of it, so he is close, but might need a little help to make the final leap.

I'm not going to say when its going to happen, but I have that part pretty well planned (and the consequences as it is the trigger point for an unconnected chain of events too 😂)

Zuko and Sokka still have a way to go - a lot of themselves that they are still holding back. It's going to be interesting to have those slow reveals.

Thank you for this lovely ask! And I really hope you continue to enjoy the fic!

[moonfurthetemmie]

Untitled.MP4

Previous | First (with warnings)

Part 25

yoo we made it to the end

2.3

Peridot let out a long sigh. 

The videos were very short, but it felt like she’d been watching a two-hour horror movie. She was relieved to see that they’d survived and were making a recovery. 

Despite her and her organization’s mission to find and put an end to Obsidian and his reign of terror, she couldn’t find it in her to be glad about what he’d gone through. Certainly not his team, not after what Mercury had said about them all. They had suspected for a while that some of Obsidian’s team might’ve been being blackmailed into working for him, but the confirmation from Mercury was helpful.

She didn’t bother opening the folder of pictures; she’d review them with Grey and the others before they went to investigate.

And they would investigate; they needed to be absolutely sure that these videos were legitimate. But first, Peridot needed to gather a team for this. They’d need to find a place that could help them with the actual medical parts; somewhere that can keep an eye out for this disease elsewhere, and can provide a team of doctors for Mercury to collaborate with. 

And, of course, Peridot would put her own people on it. They had to do something. 

As she started drafting an email, a new one came in from the same address as the first. It was a message from Mercury and Zuli, along with their coordinates. Peridot was impressed that the pair of them knew how to get their multiversal coordinates; it was a lot harder than your earthly longitude and latitude. 

The message said,

Hi Peridot; it’s Mercury and Zuli again. 

Hopefully you’ve seen at least some of the videos we sent you before you read this, but we basically just want to give you a quick update. 

We’ve found a place to stay; though it’s really just a nice clearing we decided to set up camp in. Jasper and Paraiba were recovering well, so they put on the hazmat suits and went to find some camping supplies. We’ve got some tents set up, and once Paraiba recovers from that exertion, we’re going to get food. The surrounding area has some food we can scavenge, and Zuli thinks he’s up for hunting, but the scavenging definitely won’t be enough long-term. 

Mercury has a quarantine tent set up for the ones still in recovery–which is basically everyone. We’re hoping we’ll be able to get people in their own tents, but they’ll need to recover more before then. 

If you haven’t watched the videos yet, please do. They’re not pleasant, but you’ll at least know what the heck we’re talking about. 

Peridot quickly made note of the coordinates. Once she’d put a team together, she’d send a few of them out to check out those coordinates. Make sure it wasn’t a trap, scope out the situation to see if it was safe for Peridot to get directly involved…

She didn’t have to, she supposed, pausing in her typing. Even if Obsidian was just as bad off as Mercury and Zuli said, it would still be incredibly risky for her to go herself, especially if they all knew that she (or the team that came before her) were part of the resistance. Nevermind that Peridot was the leader.

Still…she couldn’t just leave things like this. If there was anything she could do to help, she’d make sure it got done.

[cowgremlin11]

Romeo and Juliet Vikdecai AU

So I'm seriously considering making a full Romeo and Juliet AU. I was having breakfast with my roommate and he helped me fit in a few gaps that were missing crucial characters, which then snowballed to me being bale to complete fitting in the character list.

I'm tempted to turn this into a large fic or (more realistically considering my schedule) a series of small comics. If I turned it into a fic: it would be very long. I'd either have each chapter be each scene, or 5 chapters revolved around each act (longer to write). It'd be true to the original play to the best of my abilities. If I turned it into a comic: It'd be quite scattered and all over the place.

I may do a mix of both? Write the fic and draw complementary scenes to post here. I'm mostly trying to think about my college schedule and everything I have to write for my creative writing courses. (Maybe I could talk to my short fiction prof about this!)

Here's what I have so far:

Missing characters: Zib, Wick, Lacy, Nina, Gracie, Zulie, Virgil, the pig farmers, rest of the band, Church, Kehoe, Ruby.

Not all of these missing characters need to be filled, and there's a few where I have an idea how to incorporate them (namely the band and Zulie, I have an idea that during the Act 1 Scene 5 party they could be there,) and there's a few that aren't relevant enough to truly be needed for this au (the pig farmers, Gracie, Church, Virgil.) In a perfect world I'd have a place for all of these characters and it would work out with no gaps, but this is a Romeo and Juliet Vikdecai AU. It was never meant to fit perfectly because obviously Tracy never wrote these characters with this sort of AU in mind..

Elaboration for why I cast other characters the way I did under the cut (LOTS OF WORDS):

Viktor as Romeo is... a little tricky. Same with Mordecai as Juliet.Obviously, they're not going to be changed fundamentally JUST to fit the au. I have the plan for Viktor to be more of a sad sack than a romantic, hence why Viktor's canon wife has been cast as the girl who rejected Romeo (also he's bisexual.) Viktor starts this AU in such a sad spot, but the hard part comes in when you remember that there is no war trauma. There is no PTSD. This is my biggest hurdle when writing most aus, not even just Vikdecai aus. (You should see the cowboy au!) Now Mordecai, I have a plan. He's very true to the Mordecai we see in canon, just without the Heller family (as they wouldn't exist here.) There's no Rose, no Esther, and no Mama Tzipporah. But when you think about it, that doesn't quite stop Mordecai from being the way he is! He's still this nerdy, rude, analytical twerp that Viktor grows attracted to. I am most excited to work out the party scene. Perhaps Mordecai catches Viktor's eye not because of his beauty, but because he's the 'brought a book to a club' trope. The other's can wait, why the hell is this guy reading at a party.

Atlas and Mitzi are the Montagues, because this idea revolves around Viktor being of the Montague house, but seeing how Mordecai is part of the Capulets in this AU, I felt the need for Atlas to be dead so it's more true to the canon story. It also saves me on writing Atlas, a character we don't know much about personality wise (we can only theorize and speculate.) Rocky as Mercutio WORKS TOO WELL. I know there are some people who would make this au with a RockyxMordecai focus (I hate that ship too much) BUT IT WOULDN'T WORK! ROCKY IS NO ROMEO, ROCKY IS A MERCUTIO. THE QUEEN MAB SPEECH PEOPLE! Freckle as Benvolio is just very funny to me, and very fitting with Rocky as Mercutio. I have ALWAYS read Benvolio as this nervous little guy following around Mercutio, and if I'm remembering this right Benvolio is good in a fight. This just works!!! Balthasar is Romeo's trusted friend, and the one who tells him of Juliet's "death." I didn't know where else to put Ivy, honestly, and this is the closest we'd get to 'Romeo's trusted friend.'

I don't know what to do about Lady Capulet? She's a very important character in the play, as she speaks with Juliet many times, but there is no canon character who would be Asa's wife, and I don't know if Asa even HAS a wife. Perhaps I could put Nina there, but that would be VERY awkward seeing how Rocky and Freckle are part of the other house. I may make an oc for that role? Someone stuck up and stiff to contrast Asa's dad vibes. THAT OR: since Juliet's gender swapped in this I could cut Lady Capulet altogether and have Asa be the one to come talk to Mordecai about the marriage and such. Might just do that... Mrs. Bapka as the nurse is an idea from my roommate that I love too much to not do. She wouldn't speak a word in english, obviously, and that can cause a lot of issues story-wise, but 1. who else would the nurse be, I'm struggling and 2. THE COMEDY OF IT ALL. And also-I like to think Mrs. Bapka does know Mordecai! He goes to visit Viktor and this tiny little grandma comes over without warning and they know each other! And she's a neutral party who could want the best for them both.

Dom as the Prince is purely because who else would go there, and the Prince is a character who keeps the peace. Almost like Dom is trying to keep the peace in St. Louis by putting an end to the criminal bootlegging? I think it's a good fit.

I think Serafine as Count Paris and Nico as Tybalt is the funniest option. I almost had those characters filled in as Wes and Fish (inspired by @melffen 's Beauty and the Beast fic having Wes be Gaston, and Count Paris is trying to marry Juliet, you can see where my thought process was) but then I realized,

Where do the savoys go

That doesn't QUITE fit the personalities I'm going for (works in the BatB au since Serafine's better as the witch! I loved the subtle casting of her as the with more than you'll ever know)

Wes and Fish as the two Capulet's who get into a fight at the start of the play is a much funnier outcome.

The Arbogasts as the clergy characters is too funny for me to not do. Originally I had the idea of Abelard as Friar Laurence, but I was hesitant due to 1. main couple is gay and 2. HELLFIRE, so I swapped him and Bobby when I remembered Friar John exists. Elsa is a good fit for the apothecary, since you know. Nurse. Quackenbush is a backup who's more like a stunt double just in case something goes wrong when writing her character.

Thank you for coming to my TEDtalk, if you have any ideas ANY AT ALL, please feel free to rb this with said ideas, or just come into my dms if you want to help me with this idea!

[eggman91]

“Personal leave “A Lackadaisy short story written by eggman91 with aid form his brother all rights goes to Tracy

slightly plot reasons the pilot event hasn’t happened here

edited I can write accents now

Mordecai simply sighs with mild annoyance. Savoys hadn’t come out to do today work and they hadn’t spoken to any say, for their congregation, most likely, which mean he had to go get the savoys he had go into their room again

But this time he was prepared for anything and he wouldn’t as he made his way up to their room he stand outside for their room he could hear some talking and violin music? Doesn’t not matter let get this over with. He knock on the door “it me open the door we have work to do and I advise, we get it done “ the talking and music stops

the door open it that girl who got the drop on him last time zulie was it ? “Hello mister heller the savoys are currently on.. personal leave”personal leave ? “ this is not Union job or whatever socialist talk let me in this is a organization we don’t have personal leave and I think the proper word your looking for”but before he could finish he hear Serafine “ oh let him in zulie dat a member of our congregation remember “ zulie look back him smile slightly pointing to his chest and then open the door fully as he walk in “ you two should come up with better excuses to…to “

as he look up sitting between Nico and Serafine was mister Roark or rocky looking comfortable as a snake was wrapped around his neck and with his violin happy even as he said something “ oh greeting and salutations to you cai long time no see “ Mordecai simply stare his mouth slightly dropping and then he he turn to the savory or one of them “ why have you let a member of our rivals into the hotel do you have any “ he stopped taking free her hand form rocky shoulders and stop smoking a cigar in raised her finger” perfectly good explanation”

Nico finished her sentence “ we like him hatchetman and he can play a good violin” Mordecai simply glared at the both of them” you let him in rival member of the organization just because you liked him? both savoys answered with a yes as rocky spoke up “ cheer up cai it a fine place full of- “he look around thinking “ really interesting people and he they like my music”

as Mordecai looked on Nico spoke up “ we find him near the bridge testing out something about hugsperiement and well “he smile as Serafine “ he a willing fellow and well we like his ideas “ …” what ideals? Miss savoy” Mordecai was getting more and more annoyed but rocky spoke up “ they like my Tie see Mordecai I told you people would like my R tie “ …….”what” was all Mordecai said as Serafine spoke “ it’s a cute idea” Nico “ I wouldn’t mind having a tie like that and it helps he cute “ Serafine “ indeed my brother nico very cute and the snake like him too“ rocky blushed” I called him banana”, as the snake around him got tighter as Mordecai simply walked out holding his hands not willing to deal with this he’s taking his personal leave now

[kiksniko]

KIKS YOUR OC DESIGNS ARW SO COOL TELL ME MORE ABOUT THEM (also I love how nova has staying still as a dislike cz me too)

AHJBCNS THANK YOUUU <333 nova loves being active you would have to physically tie them to a chair in order to make them stay put </3. i talked a lot about my ocs in the last ask buuuut i have more shit to say

i only shared nova and zuli coz those are the two characters i draw the most LMOVHSBKFSJ but there are 3 more main characters. Leo and Lucius Laika, the twin brothers with Major issues and Pen, who also has issues. this is their relationship diagram!

[nattherat96]

Scrapped Lackadaisy AU ideas:

Seven Deadly Sins AU:

Mordecai Heller as the sin of Pride

Mitzi May as the sin of Greed

Rocky Rickaby as the sin of Gluttony (he's a glutton for punishment and pancakes anyway)

Ivy Pepper as the sin of Lust

Calvin "Freckle" McMurray as the sin of Wrath (behavioral issues, repressed anger, etc.)

Viktor Vasko as the sin of Envy

Not to mention Dorian "Zib" Zibowski as the sin of Sloth.

Cinderella AU:

Horatio as Cinderella only for the sole reason that he has a beautiful singing voice and that he talks to rats. (He's a sweet cinnamon roll, ok?)

Rocky and Freckle as the stepbrothers in this AU.

Aunt Nina as the stepmother.

Mitzi May as the godmother.

Everything else is fair game in this AU. The glass slipper can be replaced by something else (like a shiny club pin, etc.)

Beauty and The Beast AU:

Ivy Pepper as Belle

Viktor Vasko as The Beast

Nicodeme Savoy as Gaston

Calvin "Freckle" McMurray as the Prince

Serafine Savoy as the witch

Additional Note: The magic rose can be replaced for a daisy (or any flower really).

Summoner AU: Either Serafine Savoy or Zulie scam you into summoning demons in their cult.

The demons: Rocky, Mordecai, Freckle or Ivy.

Rocky can only be summoned if you have pancake offerings, a violin or an orange tie with the letter R on it. (The pancake offerings are more effective.) The only way to ward him off is by placing bottles of whiskey (or any illicit spirit) for him to send it to his queen or place Cactus Friend to banish Rocky.

Mordecai can only be summoned if the place is symmetrical, clean and has clocks neatly adorned or ficus plants properly placed. He has very high standards since the intent to summon him is to dispatch a threat. He won't tolerate trifling matters like: (your feelings, your love life, anything remotely sentimental or disorganized.) If you summoned him for something trivial, he'll kill you without hesitation. The only way to ward him off is if you have a jar of mayonnaise opened. He hates the smell of mayonnaise and he'll disappear.

Freckle can be summoned if you need anything in the house that needs fixing (flooring, plumbing, gardening, etc.) He's mostly a domestic entity, probably categorized as a poltergeist. He's docile as long as he doesn't find a firearm around the house or the Rocky demon inhabiting it otherwise chaos would ensue and the results could be deadly.

Ivy can be summoned if there is jazz music playing or if there is a car that needs fixing. She is mostly drawn towards male summoners in this case. Even though categorized as a succubus, she is only interested in young males whose name start with the letter C. She may appear if Freckle is present and neutralize him.

Sleeping Beauty AU: (Or in this case, the Sleeping Sax Player)

Zib as the Sleeping Beauty

Rocky as the Dragon (see Dragon!Rocky)

Wick as the Prince

Hansel and Gretel AU:

Nicodeme Savoy as Hansel and

Serafine Savoy as Gretel.

Lackadaisy Groupchat AU

Yandere Cactus Friend simulator AU

Here are all the AUs that I scrapped. If there are any fanfic writers who like these ideas feel free to use them.

[cynda-queer]

Tag Game: Get To Know My Boy

Name: Z’Uzuoaka Tia - “Uzuoak’a” is an Ala Mhigan name that his parents gave to him and was written on the letter that they left with Zu’zu when they left him. The “Z” comes from the patriarch of his village, “Zuli Nunh.” Despite the fact that Zu’zu was born a Keeper of the Moon, his naming convention is a Seeker of the Sun name because the village he was raised in was a Seeker of the Sun village, so they got rid of the “‘a” in his name and added the “Z’” and the “Tia” suffix.

Nickname: “Zu’zu” is the name his childhood best friend, Z’rotar, gave to him because he couldn’t pronounce the full name (a lot of people couldn’t). When he left the Village of Orphans, he picked up the last name “Duhawl” and started going as “Zu’zu Duhawl” as his adventurer name. No one knows him by anything other than his adventurer name save the people he grew up with. The Scions occasionally call him just “Zu”. Other than that, the only “nicknames” he gets is when G’raha occasionally calls him pet names (his favorites are “my moon and my stars” and “my guiding light”)

Gender: nonbinary man

Star Sign: FFXIV kinda has its own star signs, he was born during the 4th Umbral Moon and his nameday assigned patron is Rhalgr, but his personal patron is Nymeia. In non-FFXIV terms, his star sign is Virgo.

Height: 6’ 0” (I don’t care that miqo’te don’t normally come in that height, I make the OC and I decide he’s six feet tall)

Orientation: Gay

Nationality/Ethnicity: He is Ala Mhigan, but was raised in Eorzea, specifically Thanalan in a place called the Village of Orphans. His parents were Ala Mhigan freedom fighters and when Garlemald invaded Ala Mhigo, they left to go fight and left Zu’zu in Thanalan because they knew they would probably die. He doesn’t find this out until he’s well into adulthood and returns to Ala Mhigo to help with the liberation and is told that “Uzuoak’a” is an old Ala Mhigan name and then is told he looks like his mother who died in the rebellion with his father and that they had a son. He spends a lot of the time after trying to connect with a background he doesn’t fully understand and people he never knew. Zu’zu has complicated feelings about it and flips between considering himself Ala Mhigan and not.

Favorite Fruit: Zu’zu loves apples and his favorite apples are from Norvrandt known as miracle apples. G’raha remembered Zu’zu liked apples from when they were working together on the Crystal Tower and brought him some in his early days on the First, claiming that they were his own favorites and he figured Zu’zu would like them. He apologized because they weren’t exactly the same and at the time Zu’zu had complained that they were too sour (which was saying something because his second favorite strain of apples are faerie apples from Coerthas), but he rapidly grew to enjoy them because that meant the Crystal Exarch would come and talk with him while they sat alone in either the Ocular or his room and shared apples. Zu’zu would sometimes go to the First specifically to pick some up and bring them back to share with G’raha when they’re alone. In the time recent after the Final Days and the incident with Meteion now that the Scions are separated, he sometimes will send them to New Sharlayan for G’raha as a care package.

Favorite Season: Winter, he loves the winters in Ishgard specifically because he loves snow and never grew up with it. When he’s traveling, he’ll bitch about it up and down, but when he’s in his comfortable little apartment with frosted windows, a million blankets, and coffee, he’s content as can be.

Favorite Flower: Elpis flowers are a new favorite of his, but his all time favorites are yellow carnations because they were always in a vase on the table in Haurchefant’s outpost in Coerthas. He often goes to Haurchefant’s grave when he can and brings some for him.

Favorite Scent: Cured wood or softened leather, they remind him a lot of growing up because he spent a lot of time with Z’aria, a bow maker. The Village of Orphans’ chief exports were parentless children and the best bows in Thanalan. Zu’zu often spent a lot of time skirting around Z’aria’s wares, breaking them until she chewed him out and started teaching him how to take care of them and use them. Zu’zu always repairs his own bow and related equipment, keeping alive the skills he grew up with and sometimes will turn to looking after his bow when he’s stressed and needs to calm down.

Coffee, Tea, or Hot Chocolate: Hot chocolate, but only made a certain way and, unfortunately, the only person who made it perfectly is now buried on a hill in Ishgard

Average Hours of Sleep: It ranges. Zu’zu either sleeps 10+ hours or sleeps for 3 for days and there is no in-between. When it’s particularly bad, the Scions will take turns sitting with him trying their various methods of sleep-including tricks. More often than not, Zu’zu will start playing one of his instruments and they end up asleep slumped on him. Most of the time with them laying on him, he tends to find sleep.

Dogs or Cats: …he’s a catboy. Is that cheating?

Dream Trip: Zu’zu is honestly on his dream trip right now touring Eorzea (and occasionally going to other places like Doma or Rhalgar’s Reach) from tavern to tavern playing as just an idle, nameless bard. That being said, Zu’zu would fuck up a Margaritaville.

Number of Blankets: When he’s on the road, Zu’zu sleeps with one blanket and, more or less, in a pile with the rest of his traveling companions. On his own in his apartment he sleeps with a metric fuckton of blankets unless G’raha is spending the night with him, then he’s sleeping with no blankets next to a large cocoon of containing one (1) single miqo’te.

Random Fact: Zu’zu’s travel kit is a harmonica, a violin, and sometimes a lute, but his instrument of choice is a piano.

Tagged by: @full---ofstarlight

Tagging: @keclan @evelynnsometimes @lenkagamine133 @fluffy-fern @dykedotexe (I don’t know who has OCs they want to talk about, but if you do, you should tell me about them) and literally anyone else who has a character that they want to gush about and do some soul searching for

[andrewmoocow]

Steven Universe Snake Eyes chapter 8: The Cosmos Quiver (originally published on October 16, 2023)

AN: And so, everything begins falling into place. Steven has some leftover drama to resolve with the Diamonds, Black Rutile's redemption arc is on the horizon, and there's a giant snake monster about to wreak havoc and destroy the cosmos. And I still need to finish my notes on the remaining few chapters on my phone! How can Steven save the universe now when there's a monster of pure, unadulterated destruction on the horizon? Is there a chance he could receive some unexpected help from someone who is also in need of help herself? Stay tuned, folks, for everything begins coming to a head here.

Synopsis: Tensions are high on Serpentes when Nosiop announces his plans for conquest, while Black Rutile ponders if he really needs her.

Cast:

Zach Callison as Steven

Noël Wells as Black Rutile

Estelle as Garnet

Michaela Dietz as Amethyst

Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl

Aurelio Voltaire as King Cobralan Jormagundr

Shirley Millner as Queen Constrictra Jormagundr

Cissy Jones as Princess Naja Jormagundr

Henry Rollins as Captain Boa

Jennifer Paz as Lapis, Laz, Zuli

Shelby Rabara as Peridot, Squaridot

Uzo Aduba as Bismuth

Kimberly Brooks as Jasper

Lauren Ash as White Topaz

Tom Scharpling as Greg

Grace Rolek as Connie

Ron Perlman as Inner Steven

Neil Flynn as Aescul

Alexia Khadime as Sardonyx

Billie Eilish as Turquoise

Sarah Stiles as Spinel

Nicole Sullivan as Sylvia Spectre

Kari Wahlgren as Envyrno, Pyrope

Wally Wingert as Rigby Starglow

Dominic Armato as Captain Gearfeet

JP Karliak as S-L1M3

Rob Paulsen as Monty the Moarchean

Steven Blum as Earthos, Deputy Edward

Beau Billingslea as Sheriff Spiegel

Britt Baron as Michelle Angelon

Julissa Aguirre as Lady Imagineer

Terrence C. Carson as The Decimator

Della Saba as Aquamarine

Charlyne Yi as Eyeball

Christine Pedi as Holly Blue Agate

Casey Lee Williams as Cat's Eye

Avi Roque as Cinnabar

Gina Torres as Andesine

Jinkx Monsoon as Emerald

Melissa Fahn as Demantoid

Halsey as Tanzanite

Hayley Kiyoko as Morganite

Jason Marsden as Prince Nosiop Jormagundr

Keith David as Pyth

Crispin Freeman as Mr. Manco

Sam Witwer as Torius Vosania

Featuring Ray Porter as Squamata

And Tim Curry as Velhallen Beo

--

Serpentes was in chaos. Just moments before halftime of the Contest of Champions ended and the competition could resume, Prince Nosiop abruptly stole his father's throne and claimed that he would now become ruler of Serpentes in place of Cobralan, for he believed that Cobralan was incapable of ruling. In addition, he proclaimed that there was an ancient evil Cobralan was hiding from the public for years, and Nosiop intended to fight it with an army of Gems to prove that the Slytherophidians were meant to conquer.

As the Slytherophidians were sent into a frenzy, Nosiop sat confidently on his new throne while Black Rutile stood by his side. "Ah, this is what it means to take command." Nosiop grinned with his fangs out. "Watching all these worthless insects scurry about while begging for someone to give them orders. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes, I agree very much, my friend." Black Rutile declared snidely when she felt someone tug on her cape, that someone being Aquamarine. "Oh, Aquamarine, fancy seeing you here. It feels like we haven't talked in a long while. What's up?"

"We have a question about that army of Gems that Nosiop mentioned." Eyeball said. "How are you going to acquire one, if I may ask? What, will we just make more Gems to serve us?"

"Ah yes, then I suppose it's time for a little history lesson." Black Rutile smirked as she played a holographic video of the Lapidarist's history lesson she spied on. "This is what is known as the Lapidarist. As the name should imply, this being is the mother of all Gems through her creation of what would eventually become the Great Diamond Authority. She possesses the power to create life, and I'm certain she also can reset all Gems to their base programming."

"Wait, what do you mean by base programming?" Holly Blue wondered alarmedly.

"This is going somewhere that I surely won't like." Cat's Eye added morosely.

"Oh, you're going to like what I have planned for her." Black Rutile declared. "Once I plead my case to the Lapidarist and she recognizes me as a poor unfortunate soul in pain and in need of help, she will answer my cries by wiping out all Gems across the universe and forcing them to return to the states from which they first originated, thus making them perfectly willing to follow my every command!"

"So, you're going to brainwash us all?!" Emerald shouted as she combed through the Rutile Rebels to confront Black Rutile. "You're simply plotting to erase everything about us, our personalities, our experiences, our lives, just to fulfill your selfish agenda?! I have done horrible things under both the Diamonds' and your command, but this is going too far!"

"Oh, come now, Emerald, you would probably do the same to make yourself more capable of getting rid of Lars." Black Rutile assured her advisor. "Really, you all should've expected that I'd do something this cruel and unusual towards others."

"Yes, like poofing us, for example?" Cinnabar, now fully reformed after being poofed earlier, declared as she and Cinnabar revealed themselves to Black Rutile. "All because we fancied ourselves better leaders than you?"

"Backstabbing two of your closest confidants was bad enough," Andesine added hotly. "but threatening to erase us all, who have pledged our lives to serve you and your goal of a brighter tomorrow for all Gems?"

"Now, everyone, I know this may seem a little rash, but I promise you all that this is for the greater good!" Black Rutile nervously said, lying through her teeth as she felt her subordinates would soon turn on her like everyone else did. "Please, you all have to listen to me!"

"We are done listening to you." Tanzanite declared fiercely. "White Topaz was right about you; you're a bad leader and a bad friend to all of us. You'd sooner throw one of us to the wolves to see if it was safe before running away at the first sight of danger than actually admit how flawed you are."

"I am not flawed!" Black Rutile shrieked angrily, tears forming in her eyes yet again. "Just please, somebody take my side for once!"

"I believe we all knew this was coming." Demantoid proclaimed harshly before turning to the other Rebels. "Come along, Rebels. Let us find somewhere else where we won't be abused."

"No, wait, please, come back!" Black Rutile yelled as she fruitlessly reached out to her now-former pawns. "You can't just leave me like this! You know the Crystal Gems wouldn't dare take you in!"

"We are well aware of that," Morganite replied coldly. "But at least they'd treat us better than you have."

"Honestly, why did I bother continuing to side with her?" Pyrope scoffed as the Rutile Rebels left their master in the dust for greener pastures, causing Black Rutile to tear up again.

"So, after all we've been through, this is how I'm treated?" Black Rutile groaned as she started crying and groveling on her knees. "What's even the point anymore?"

"To give people hope, dear Rutile," Nosiop said as he hugged his partner in crime. "So we can rip it away from them."

"Indeed, my girl." Pyth agreed with the insidious prince-turned-king. "Now come along. We'd like you to meet the rest of what we call the Serpent Society." As the two Slytherophidians led Black Rutile away from the Ouraborium, Nosiop gave Pyth a firm nod, to which Pyth replied with an evil smile.

--

Elsewhere in the stadium, Steven roamed the halls as he brooded to himself over what he had just learned from the Lapidarist and the Diamonds. Not only was White Diamond more like Pink Diamond than he realized, but the Diamonds were also hiding the fact that they did indeed commit genocide on a few planets that they had conquered. He needed time to process everything he learned, to the point where he barely realized that Nosiop had just announced his conquest of Serpentes.

"You see what sparing the Diamonds will lead you to?" Inner Steven coldly stated as Steven imagined the manifestation of his darker impulses walking alongside him. "You should've let me shatter White when I had the chance back on Homeworld. Then we wouldn't have had to suffer all of this!"

"You and I both know I would never take a life!" Steven shouted angrily at Inner Steven.

"Then what about Jasper?" Inner Steven retorted snidely.

"Okay, you raise a good point," Steven agreed. "but I'd never intentionally take a life."

"Even after my change of heart, I always found it annoying how you'd rather sit back like a coward because you think everyone deserves a second chance." Inner Steven stated. "Much like you, I never fully trusted the Diamonds and thought they would go back on their word to destroy us again at any moment. If that day ever comes, you must be ready for the worst possible scenario."

"Yes, it's true that I feel so utterly betrayed, but I don't think the Diamonds would ever go that far." Steven replied. "I just want to live my life where everyone isn't lying to me and keeping secrets that could destroy us all!"

"You know, on that note, heard the news lately?" Inner Steven added as he tapped his foot, and a voice rang out in Steven's mind-space.

"As of today, I shall now take my father's place as your ruler, for he is not fit to be a king or a Universal Lord. Let this be a wake-up call to you Slytherophidians, the Universal Lords, the Gem race, and the ignorant masses across the entire universe!" the voice of Prince Nosiop declared as a holographic image of him appeared before Steven. "I shall soon arrive with an entire army of loyal Gems at my side to face down an ancient foe my father has hidden from you for so long! We all must answer to the hand of fate, and fate has chosen me to conquer this world!"

"Who is that?" Steven asked his darker half in wonder at the prince before him.

"Prince Nosiop Jormagundr, son of Cobralan and self-proclaimed next in line to become king of Serpentes." Inner Steven revealed. "I'm sure you heard of him before. He and Black Rutile teamed up to conquer the planet and reboot the entire Gem race to turn into their slaves. Don't think you met him in person, though."

"So what, is he meant to be like the Slytherophidian equivalent to Black Rutile or something?" Steven asked.

"Close." Inner Steven answered. "I think he may share some qualities with you. But he's the answer to a very important question."

"What was the question?" Steven asked, not expecting a good answer.

"What if you were more like Pink Diamond growing up?" Inner Steven answered forebodingly. "Think of it. This boy clearly wanted to get everything he ever wanted even though he had everything handed to him on a silver platter, so he resorted to drastic measures when nobody paid attention to him. Remind you of anyone?"

"So what do I need to do?" Steven asked his inner self.

"It's quite simple, really." Inner Steven said with his figurative hands on Steven's shoulders. "You must stop history from repeating itself, or it will mean the universe's destruction and possibly beyond."

--

"What is the meaning of this?!" Cobralan roared as he slithered into the throne room upon hearing the news. "Nosiop, you better have a very good explanation of what you are doing because you are in big trouble, young man!"

"I see you've heard, my old friend." Pyth declared as he ominously snuck up behind Cobralan and grabbed him by the neck with a jagged knife in his scaly hands. "It seems your son will be getting his coronation early. But unfortunately, you won't live long enough to see him all grown up."

"Pyth, what is going on?" Cobralan asked his insidious advisor. "What is Nosiop doing? What are you doing? Answer me, blast you!"

"It's just a little something I've been working on for the past couple of years," Pyth revealed to his former king. "I notice that Nosiop wants to be seen for his great ideas, introduce him to Squamata, and then covertly guide him along as I use him to gain ultimate power." He slowly pressed the knife to Cobralan's throat. "Now then, tell me where Squamata's resting place is, and I promise you'll only come out of this with a few scars."

"I'll never tell you!" Cobralan yelled fiercely and tried spitting poison in Pyth's face, but the vizier barely reacted to the attack. "It's a secret that our family has kept for generations, and I refuse to give it up to the likes of you!"

"So that's the way it is, then." Pyth cruelly hissed as he prepared to stab the king in his throat with the knife. "Long live the king." However, his murder of the Slytherophidian king would have to wait as a loud crash was heard from above, followed by a hearty "OOOOO-HOHOHOHOHO!" that made him jump. "What was that?!"

"Good day, your majesty!" Sardonyx laughed as she smashed a hole in the throne room's ceiling to view Pyth's attempted assassination. "Am I interrupting anything?!"

"What is that thing?!" Pyth screamed in terror as Sardonyx reached into the throne room and grabbed Cobralan in her giant hand.

"Oh, pardon me for being so rude." Sardonyx giggled. "You may call me Sardonyx. I'm here with my lovely assistant, Turquoise, to rescue the fair king of Serpentes and put a stop to your dastardly schemes! Turquoise, please take care of Mr. Pyth, s'il vous plaît"

"Already on it," Turquoise replied as she conjured up some liquid metal that solidified into metallic restraints to keep Pyth imprisoned while the two fusions escaped. "Catch you on the flipside, Dorkus."

"Get back here, you two! Unhand me at once!" Pyth yelled furiously as he tried to escape his imprisonment. "Ugh, this is what happens when you've been spying on Gems for who knows how long. Eventually, they'll overpower you in every way imaginable. Now, can someone get me out of this thing?"

--

On the other side of the Ouraborium, the competitors of the Contest of Champions were trying their best to stay calm amid the chaos. Still, each had their own views about Nosiop's planned takeover of Serpentes.

"Yes, Chief, I'm already calling for backup." Sylvia Spectre said to her boss over her communication device. "Prince Nosiop will be brought to justice by sundown. What do you mean what will the king think?! Nosiop just stole his throne and said Cobralan was unfit to rule!"

"Hey Sylvie, can you talk a little faster so we can get out of here?" Envyrno complained impatiently while leaning back against the wall. "I wanna get the Abe Due Dumballa out of here and cause a little mischief already!"

"No, we cannot!" Sylvia declared sternly. "As an officer of the Coalition of Galaxies, it is my sworn duty to root out evil wherever it may lurk and bring them to justice, no matter the species. And that includes thugs like you, Envyrno."

"Oh geez, another busybody rule-follower." Envyrno groaned in dismay. "You should embrace your inner bad girl already. Let's go kill some horrible bosses together, get a purge going! Live a little! In fact, I know of this great place to hang out at a few star systems away. It's a new club that plays really great hardcore techno for a really hip young crowd."

"The answer is still no." Sylvia turned down Envyrno's offer. "Though that club does sound intriguing."

"Now you're speaking my language!" Envyrno gave a hearty chortle while putting a lava-covered arm around Sylvia's shoulder.

Meanwhile, Rigby Starglow stood up on a makeshift stage in the middle of the arena while tuning his guitar. "Good evening, folks, or whatever time it is on this planet. My name's Rigby Starglow. I'm the biggest rock star in the universe and today, I'm going to play you all a song to calm everybody down." He then began to strum on his guitar. "Breath, should I take a deep? Faith, should I take a leap?" Rigby started singing. "Taste, what a bittersweet. All my, all my life. Let me face, let me face, let me face my fears!"

Within the city of Alethinophidia, Captain Gearfeet was having the time of his life as he tipped over market stalls and broke into shops to engage in some looting. "Hee hee hee, this is the most fun I've had in ages!" he laughed happily while diving into a store window to steal its contents. "Come on, everybody, it's the end of the world. Let's get looting!"

"Stop right there, Gearfeet." Sheriff Spiegel declared as he pressed a laser pistol to the captain's nose. "We're gonna need you to hand over everything you stole so we can return them to their rightful owners."

"I dare you to try, copper." Gearfeet said as he protectively held onto his loot. "I'm not even sure who the original owners are anymore!"

"Everyone please, cease this conflict!" Michelle Angelon exclaimed as she flew down from above to get between the sheriff and the pirate. "I understand that you are on different sides of the law, but there are far more pressing matters at hand, my friends."

"Yeah, yeah, the giant space snake is a-coming, or whatever." Deputy Edward replied. "Man, haven't had a day this crazy since we fought those spice cultists back home, eh Sheriff?"

"You said it, Edward. I can still hear them now." Spiegel smirked. "He who controls the spice controls the universe!"

"Can we please get on with it?!" Gearfeet yelled. "I just wanna find a ship and go back to my crew already."

"You and us both, Captain." S-L1M3 said as he slithered to the four with Earthos, Lady Imagineer, Monty, and the Decimator behind him. "I just want to go home already. I didn't even get a chance to fight anybody!"

"I, for one, am still not satisfied with the hand I was dealt on this planet." The Decimator replied in his trademark deep, booming voice. "I demand the greatest fight these creatures could offer, yet time and again, I've been greeted with nothing but disappointment! Whatever this ancient foe Nosiop speaks of may be, it has got to give me a satisfactory challenge!"

"Whatever you say, big guy!" Monty said meekly before pulling out a photo of his wife and children back on his home planet. "Hold on, my family, I'll be home soon."

"That your fam there, Monty?" Earthos asked about the photo. "Not a bad lot, I'll say. Maybe I can visit sometime, be like the cool uncle to your kids."

"That would be so nice, Earthos." Monty replied sweetly before all the fighters gathered in Alethinophidia looked up at the sky to find that the clouds had changed. "Hey, what's that up there?"

"I believe it's a message." Lady Imagineer answered and began reading the message. "I think it says, 'Meet us at the castle at once. Signed, the Crystal Gems'."

"That just spells out B.U.T.T.," Monty said as he read the message in the sky himself. "How are you able to get all that?!"

"Call it a hunch." Imagineer smiled kindly in reply before she flew towards the castle. "Come on, everybody, follow me!"

--

"Hey, I think I can see people coming towards us!" Laz exclaimed as she, Lapis, and Zuli watched the Contest competitors race towards the castle. "Our message worked!"

"Good, but next time," Lapis said before turning to Zuli. "let's try and get straight to the point instead of just writing funny words in the sky. You're lucky this didn't end up like last time, Zuli!"

"Oh, come on, Lapis, you told me it was a good idea back in the day on Tritek!" Zuli tried shifting the blame to Lapis. "Those Gremlins didn't know what hit them!"

"Can you three please stop arguing and get back in here?!" Jasper bellowed for the three Lapides to come inside. "We need to think of a plan!"

The three terraformers hovered into the main hall of the castle, where the Crystal Gems have gathered the royal family of Serpentes, Captain Boa, Aescul, the Metals, the various contestants in the Contest of Champions, the Diamonds, Bialyoom and Meinerr, the Little Homeworld gems, the Universal Lords, and the Off-Colors together to form an alliance to save Serpentes and the universe.

"Good day to you all." Connie announced to the ragtag band of misfits. "As I'm sure you're all aware of what has been happening lately, about the announcement that Nosiop is plotting to conquer the planet with an army of Gems. Today, we have gathered you all to stop that for the good of everyone in the universe."

"I can't believe my son would do this to me." Cobralan muttered in shame and regret while looking down at his hands. "I've done so much for his happiness, and this is how he repays me? What have I done that would warrant such a reaction?"

"Do you want me to be honest with you or not?" Greg asked Cobralan.

"I'll take any answer at this point," Cobralan replied.

"To be frank, you're kind of a mediocre father," Greg admitted bluntly, much to Cobralan's shock. "What? You said you'd take any answer!"

"Don't fret, dear husband, I'm sure he's just joshing with you!" Constricta tried to cheer her husband up.

"No, I'm being serious!" Greg exclaimed. "I can definitely see you're a great & loving husband and a pretty darn good ruler to your people, but this whole contest has distanced you from your kids and their needs. I mean, Naja probably has serious self-doubt issues, and Nosiop speaks for himself."

"The human is right, father." Naja agreed with Greg. "Ever since you made me the Contest's master of ceremonies, I've had to deal with the fear of disappointing the masses, that I'd be unworthy of being a princess if I make just one mistake."

"Oh my dear, you'll never be a disappointment to me." Cobralan said as he comforted his daughter with a hug. "No matter what you do to impress the masses, you'll always be my little girl. Now, please, Naja, your mother and I urge you this one time. Please stand, stand by us."

"Okay, Father, I will," Naja replied with a sniffle. "And hopefully, we can bring Nosiop back to his senses too."

"So, what do we do now?" Amethyst asked. "The Lapidarist said we needed an ultimate fusion to stop this Squamata guy once and for all, but which one is it? Opal, Sugilite, Sardonyx, Alexandrite? Maybe even Malachite?"

"Hey, speaking of which, anybody seen Steven lately?" Pearl added. "I haven't seen him since the Lapidarist's history lesson, and I'm getting worried. Hopefully, he hasn't decided to leave Serpentes early."

"No way Steven would ever do that, not in a thousand different timelines I've examined." Garnet proclaimed. "He has to be here somewhere; we just need to know where."

"Probably still somewhere in the castle." Peridot answered. "Hopefully, he hasn't gone too far."

"I'll go search for him." Squaridot declared as she tried leaving the group, only to be stopped in her tracks when Peridot grabbed her stubby green arm.

"Oh no, you don't!" Peridot yelled. "I've known Steven longer; let me search for him!"

"No, I'll do it, you obnoxious nacho!" Squaridot argued with her triangular counterpart before the two hissed at each other and got into a slapfight.

"Spinel, you find Steven." Bismuth ordered Spinel, who gave a hearty salute and ran off.

"Hang on, Steve Summers, I'm coming for you!" Spinel yelled as she ran deeper into the castle.

"I hope Steven can find it in himself to forgive the Diamonds for lying to him." White Topaz said.

"Then again, he's just a very forgiving person in general." Aescul declared. "So this should be pretty easy for him."

--

"Finding this resting place is not easy at all!" Nosiop complained as he, Pyth, Black Rutile, and a few Slytherophidian soldiers ventured into the desert plains of Serpentes in search of Squamata's resting place. "We could've stabbed the location right out of Father, but then we had a couple of fusions ruining everything! No doubt the Crystal Gems are plotting against us as we speak!"

"Thank goodness you eventually got me out of those restraints, Black Rutile," Pyth said with a sinister smile at Black Rutile. "Now look alive. We got some friends on the other side on the horizon."

"Yes, that Serpent Society cult you told me about." Black Rutile replied. "Shouldn't there be more of us?"

"Unfortunately, most of our ranks have been lost to time, except for a few members still alive and kicking today," Pyth explained as a massive spaceship began descending upon Serpentes. Upon landing, its passengers revealed themselves to be a few faces that Black Rutile found familiar.

"Well well well, Torius Vosania." Black Rutile said upon recognizing the crime lord and estranged criminal brother of Batsputin Vosania. "Fancy meeting you here after you got brought to justice by those Pearls."

"Indeed, Black Rutile and I brought along a few new friends I met in prison." Torius declared as he revealed two more thugs by his side who had joined the brother of Batsputin in his revenge plot. One of them was Mr. Manco, the cybernetic menace of East Walleef from Sergione-29 who, much like Torius Vosania, also formed an alliance with Cinnabar in the past before the Black Pearl Brigade foiled his plans. However, the next villain was an even bigger shock to Black Rutile's core.

"No, that cannot be!" Black Rutile gasped in shock at the humanoid figure dressed in green armor with a foghat gray mask, blank red eyes, a purple cape, and a red V on his chest. "Velhallen Beo?! I thought Batsputin defeated you in the Battle of the Night! Were you in prison this whole time?"

"Indeed I was, Gem." Velhallen Beo replied with an arrogant sneer. "But now, thanks to Prince Nosiop, I can retake control of the Twilight Zone with the power of Squamata! Now tell us, where is he hiding?"

"Unfortunately, I was outsmarted by a few of the Crystal Gems before I could extort His Majesty for information," Pyth said regretfully. "Anyone else got any bright ideas?"

"Oh yes, I have one." Mr. Manco declared. "A rumor spread by a fellow prisoner named Titanius Anglesmith says that there is an ancient temple hidden beneath the surface of Serpentes, and only one may be sacrificed for the beast within to be unleashed."

"And I think we know just the sacrifice." Nosiop declared as all the members of the Serpent Society turned to Black Rutile with evil grins. "Black Rutile, would you care to help us unleash total death and destruction at the cost of your life?"

"What?! You can't just betray me like this when I've already been betrayed!" Black Rutile yelled in horror while Beo tried to grab her by the wrists. "Let go of me!"

"Don't try to fight it. You've been craving the sweet release of death, haven't you?" Beo hissed eagerly, stunning Black Rutile for a few moments before she regained her composure and tugged at Velhallen Beo's grip before tossing him over her head, causing the former Universal Lord to lose his grasp on the Gem terrorist. "What the?!"

"I have to warn Steven!" Black Rutile shouted the absolute last thing she ever wanted to say before making her escape.

"What are you waiting for, you nimrods?! After her!" Beo shouted when Nosiop put up a hand to block him.

"Leave her. She's going to bring Steven to us." Nosiop proclaimed. "Now then, anyone else care to be sacrificed? How about you, Maverick? Would you like to give up your life for my cause?"

"Uh, what?" Maverick muttered before Torius picked up the snake guard with his new and improved cybernetics and dragged him away. "I do not consent to this! I demand a two weeks' notice!"

--

Back at the Jormagundrs' castle, Steven was sitting on one of the castle battlements as he gazed up at the bright afternoon sun when he heard someone approaching him.

"Hey, Steven!" Spinel exclaimed while sitting down next to her best half-human friend. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"Yeah, it's about the Diamonds." Steven said softly. "I thought I learned all I could ever learn about them, but then they whip out this whole coverup and make me even more justified in my paranoia! If it turns out someone who loved you was hiding a huge secret this whole time, how would you react?"

"You mean the whole Pink Diamond thing?" Spinel replied with a blunt expression on her face. "Yeah, I'm not sure how to react, considering she died and didn't even tell me because I was standing in the middle of the garden for thousands of years! But the point is, you can't just hold it against the Diamonds for as long as you live, especially since we got a crazy prince about to kill us all!"

"I have every right to hold it against them!" Steven argued with Spinel. "I have every right to be so wary of them, considering that they're acting like they didn't scar me for life, brainwashed my friends, and nearly killed me just because I'm family!"

"Wow, never knew you could hold a grudge, Steven," Spinel muttered in shock. "But hey, it's not like things could get any worse from here on out, right?" Just then, the ground beneath the two began shaking, almost like an earthquake had struck Serpentes. "Me and my big mouth!"

The skies began turning darker than the blackest void as a massive snake creature with green scales, a yellow underbelly, and ginormous sharp fangs emerged from afar and released a mighty roar. "I have turned hundreds upon thousands of worlds to dust in the name of darkness and devastation until I was robbed of my glory." Squamata, the fearsome god of Serpentes, roared for all to hear across the universe. "I will stride across the bones of my enemies and bask in the glow of pure evil, for all of existence shall be mine to consume!"

It turns out that forgiving the Diamonds for their past atrocities would be the least of Steven's worries.

The worst has finally come.

--

Yeah, you and your big mouth, Spinel. At long last, Squamata has been unleashed and is free to destroy all that he sees! At least until an army of Gems can bring him down for good, but it won't be the army that Nosiop desires. Plus, it'll only be a matter of time before Squamata goes out of control and betrays the Serpent Society to pursue his goal of destroying everything he sees. How can the Crystal Gems possibly survive against a creature that only knows and revels in such levels of destruction and chaos? We'll just have to wait and see.

[oopsitszuli]

Would you guys mind if I wrote a Miguel O’Hara x reader fic?? I have total brain rot for him right now…

[lamilanomagazine]

Asti: "INVITO AL RAP", il Rap tra musica e poesia 2^ edizione

Asti: "INVITO AL RAP", il Rap tra musica e poesia 2^ edizione. Martedì 17 ottobre torna l'appuntamento con il rap a Teatro Alfieri. L'edizione 2023, promossa dall'Assessorato alla Cultura del Comune di Asti in collaborazione con l'Assessorato all'Istruzione, sarà dedicata agli studenti delle scuole secondarie di primo e secondo grado della città e consisterà in un talk durante il quale si discuterà di rap, del processo che porta alla formazione di una canzone e dell'importanza della metrica a cavallo tra poesia e letteratura classica. "Dopo il successo della prima edizione e dopo la serata estiva di AstiRap, torna l'appuntamento a Teatro con l'evento "Invito al Rap" che si conferma una scelta vincente – commentano il Sindaco Maurizio Rasero e l'Assessore alla Cultura Paride Candelaresi. La giornata di martedì, infatti, vede il Teatro già al completo, con l'adesione di un importante numero di classi". L'Assessore all'Istruzione Loretta Bologna, sottolinea il valore dell'iniziativa che "costituisce una valida occasione per gli studenti partecipanti di conoscere meglio il mondo della musica collegandolo alla poesia e alla letteratura, vivendo un'esperienza diversa che unisce la didattica alla creatività nella splendida cornice del teatro Alfieri". L'edizione di quest'anno, infatti, si concentrerà sul rapporto tra musica e poesia, proprio come indicato nel titolo. "Pariremo dall'analisi dell'aspetto linguistico del rap, inteso come poesia contemporanea - ha aggiunto Candelaresi - per poi affrontare il tema della formazione di un brano rap e dell'importanza che assumono metrica e musicalità". A condurre la mattinata, oltre all'Assessore Candelaresi ci sarà il rapper Luca Tomatis, che si occupa di Educativa Territoriale per i servizi sociali di Asti. Tra gli ospiti il Prof. Carlo Bavastro, docente del liceo classico Vittorio Alfieri di Asti, il famoso rapper Marco Zuli in arte Zuli e Rebirth, il giovane vincitore della prima edizione di AstiRap. Al termine dell'incontro seguirà un dibattito tra studenti ed esperti. L'appuntamento è a Teatro Alfieri martedì 17 ottobre alle ore 11.00.... #notizie #news #breakingnews #cronaca #politica #eventi #sport #moda Read the full article

[lovelyelbowleech]

during my re-read I couldn't help but laugh at the fact that if shen had asked literally any descriptors for the "dead prince" when talking to jee so much would have clicked in place for him 😩🙏🏽 go shen give us zero curiosity

Haha! Yeah, Shen trying to avoid talking about the Prince he thinks Zuli killed resulted in a bit of a missed opportunity for him to make some important discoveries 😂

Thanks for the ask!

[moonfurthetemmie]

Untitled.MP4

Previous | Next | First (with warnings)

Part 22

July 1, 20XX_TL_2

Mercury is sitting in front of the camera. Just behind him is Zuli and Jasper, the latter of which is in a hazmat suit. He looks tired, but relieved. As Mercury pulls his hand away from the camera, Jasper gives a small wave.

“So the manor is probably a lost cause,” Mercury starts. “We’re going to find some place to camp out that isn’t here, but first we’re sending everyone out in pairs, once they wake up and I can give them a little check-up, to get anything that they might want to try and salvage. After that, we’re burning the place down.”

“The mold and stuff has done too much structural damage,” Zuli explains. “It’s too risky to try and clean it up. But it’s worse to just leave it like this, even if we are leaving, so…”

“And there’s no food,” Jasper says. His voice is raspy. “Mercury and Zuli said they were living on some of the mushrooms, but the Colony was using those to sustain those of us who were infected. They were meant to help it keep us pumped full of spores, too. Zuli and Mercury are insanely lucky they managed to cook them enough to get rid of the infectious…bits.”

“Even without that, we’re more than happy to give them up,” Mercury says. “In light of the impending exodus, we’ve taken lots of pictures, and I’m preparing extra doses of the vaccine, just in case. One of them I’m going to carry on me, partially to see how long it takes for it to expire, and partially in case of an emergency. Science, and stuff.”

“You know what’s weird?” Jasper suddenly says, his voice quiet. “I think the…the telepathic mushroom thing that we would ‘talk’ to each other on is still there. I can still hear the others’ thoughts and stuff sometimes. Most of them are having nightmares, I think.”

The other two are silent. Jasper looks over at the new ‘wall’ in the office. 

“...I hope that’s not a bad sign,” Mercury mumbles. “The last thing we need is for this thing to come back because the psychic fungus phone network wasn’t destroyed when you got the cure.”

“I think it’s fine?” Jasper sounds unsure. “I certainly can’t hear the colony anymore. I think we are disconnected, at least somewhat. It’s like a…a closed network, I guess?”

Zuli visibly shudders. “That’s horrifying, thank you.”

Jasper looks apologetic. Before he can say anything, a voice comes from the walled-off area. A female voice, by the sounds of it. They sound tired and confused.

“Ugh…Where the hell-?”

The three perk up at the voice. 

“Paraiba’s up!”  Mercury begins gathering things. “Once I’ve given her the OK, you two can go get your stuff. I’ll see about setting up a sink or something in there with peroxide so you can clean off anything you find that you want to keep.”

Jasper nods. “Okay. I’ll keep an eye out for anything Jade might want, too; I don’t think he’ll be able to walk for a while.”

Zuli’s face falls. As Mercury gets up and moves off to the side, Zuli takes his spot at the table in front of the camera. Jasper watches Mercury as he goes.

“Right…So, while he’s doing that…” 

Zuli drags over a laptop from off-camera. “This is going to be the last video, but we want to send our location once we find a place to stay. We want to stay away from populated areas, and hopefully somewhere without a lot of wildlife that can get infected–just in case–but Mercury’s got a recipe or whatever for the vaccine, or cure, or whatever you want to call it, and we’re not going to keep it to ourselves. We know there’s more of this thing out there somewhere. There has to be.”

“Mercury wants to collaborate with other doctors to improve his thing, too,” Jasper says. “Something about not having time to do proper refinement?”

Zuli nods. Mercury, now in one of the hazmat suits, walks back to the new wall, and disappears behind it.  “He said we didn’t have much choice in our case, with our impending doom on the horizon, but if this thing is going to suddenly explode, he wants it to go through testing to make sure it’s 100% safe. Maybe even improve on it in other ways, though I have no idea how that would work.

“So, short version: Peridot, if you’re a person in a place to do something, please reach out to us. If not, see if you can find someone who is. A big health organization or something? I’m not really sure. Obsidian’s apparently been unresponsive for weeks now, so I doubt the fungus leaving his system is really going to get him up and doing his shit again. Even if that were the case, I’m hoping this experience has put the fear of god in him enough that he’ll let us coordinate to find and destroy the rest of this.”

“We’ll send our location, but we’re hoping to avoid meeting anyone in-person,” Jasper pipes up. “Mercury’s not sure if we’re still contagious or not, so anything we can do digitally or online would be best. But if someone does need to come to us, they should wear a hazmat suit or something, just in case. Hopefully it won’t be needed, but. Yeah.”

“I think that’s it, for the most part.” Zuli rubs his chin. “I mean, for the most part, everyone’s doing okay. Aside from Obsidian’s specific deal, the fact that he and Jade’s infections seem to have tried to take their bodies since it couldn’t take their minds, and Koroit, who’s been infected the longest, they’re all recovering pretty well. But Mercury says he’s not surprised Koroit’s case is the worst, since she was infected first. He’s worried about Jade and Obsidian–’worried’ used loosely in Obsidian’s case–but at this point we can’t do much besides wait for them to wake up.”

“I think Mercury said Obsidian’s mental health took the hardest hit,” Jasper muses. “Knowing him, I wouldn’t be surprised. He’s always been weird about control, and he hates the mere idea of seeming weak. And after a certain point, there wasn’t even a way for him to fight back. Probably took a heavy toll on his mind.”

He doesn’t sound particularly sympathetic, or apathetic. He sounds like he’s talking about a stranger who’s misfortune was on the news. Zuli looks just as disconnected from it as Jasper. He makes a vague humming sound of agreement before reaching towards the camera.

“Alright, then. That’s uh…That’s it. Mercury and I look forward to hearing from…whoever’s hands these land in finally. Peridot, someone else…whoever.”

The video ends.

[trustingofwinds]

for the ask game! 🫶🏼 : 13, 23, 34, 43

zulyyyy my love!! hello!! how are you? 🥺🖤

13. can we be friends?

ummmm WE ARE FRIENDS HELLO???? ARE WE NOT??? lmaooo no fr I do consider you a friend and I'd love to talk more!! <3 hehe

23. five words that describe you?

real hot girl shit bitch

34. when you hear “ peace ” what do you think of?

okay hear me out LMAO but my mind went to the meadow in twilight?? the one they lay in together 😭 that scene isn't "peace" to me but that meadow and places like it are definitely my peace <3

43. what do you remember from your childhood?

stealing my mom's leather hot girl boots and tying my shirts back into crop tops while watching The Spice Girls movie for the 373839th time >:) I've always been a girly indeed

hehe these were fun!! thank you so so much for the questions zuly <3

-♡- send me an ask from this list -♡-

[eggman91]

voodoo Mordecai au chapter 2

I was panicking trying desperately to write down what may be my last words to my family Mother Esther rose.. and my pencil broke no…I quickly look up about to ask for anyone if they has a pencil i…wait I look around the train cart was empty just me …this is a dream memory? I was about to get up as a old figure walk in tall and dress like one of the savoys congregation smoking a old pipe it take a seat where atlas did

“hello mista heller “ all he said as he lean on his cane “who are you what is this “this wasn’t a dream i don’t dream but he just sssshh me “ all will been know and learned the iwa got dat interest in you” oh…I’m having a savoy like dream..great I scowl annoyed “ oh what does mister maitre carrefour wants form me” great my mind has truly been mess with by the savorys im annoyed with this dream already ” oh I am him and not im kalfu he a aspect of me”he chuckles silghty as I just look at him my eyebrow raise “ what I…ok fine this is my subconscious talking to myself and why as one of the savoys swamp spirit i don’t why but let get this over with” I try to wake up

but i couldn’t “ oh sorry mista heller but you wake when we’re done I’m just here to offer a deal” great my subconscious is offering me a business deal “and that is” “ me and the chiefs need a…tiggerman like you a man to do our will our work and our stuff and I’m speaking on behalf of grandfather rattlesnake now kalfu or as you know it Maitre carrefour or me too said he got a claim on you because of that “he points his cane to my chest” but me and others disagree with that “…I look up

“and what do you mean by that ?” I ask interested in what he said even if it this isn’t real just a dream I told myself “ they was talking and they got dat zulie to chloroform you and they carved dat..dat isn’t a properly deal“ I joked a mirthless one as usual it was my dream I could joke “ oh they didn’t do proper business offer how unlike them” but the figure maitre caffour or whatever he just laugh slightly at my joke to my surprise this is my subconscious of course he laughs “ oh no dey didn’t but…hear my offer all businesslike now “ I look at him and listen the landscape outside the train was charging form farmlands plains to swamp deep swamp but if I heard his offer this savoylike dream will be over”agreeable speak your offer mister?” “Legba call me legba “

my eyebrow raise again but “ ok mister legba what your offer “the train was getting darker the lights going out “ power our power “ “Who’s power mister legba” he lean up taking out his pipe” everyone of us all the iwa form me the grand zombi oshun la flambo erzuli and ogo everyone” the train was gone so was the swamp it was just me and him sweating in a black void near a large fire “ I will entertain this dream why me why not the savorys or ”

I was curious to see what my subconscious has conjured for this “them savoys both good faithful fun maman eulalie taught them good but if we gave them dat power it go straight to there heads and it would cause trouble as much as kalfu like them we don’t need that trouble but you all serious all businesslike in your skills you be a good choice” …”and why would I take this offer what do I get from this “I was getting annoyed at lest my subconscious agree on me with the savoys but I was sick of this silly dream “we show you kill atlas “ before I could respond a spot in the void light up showing atlas in his car I look at it it was him looking at his pocketwatch and then the car rush to the side shooting the car speed up but hit a street lamp

the driver was dead and atlas stumble out and I watch as his shoot half his face blow off falling to the ground….” A shame isn’t it you got no leads on who did since Gracie was killed by the savoys a real shame “…I..look back up at him glareing at him but he could tell I was..interested “ we can tell but you going to have to do some stuff and you will have your revenge for us” “and who we mister legba “there was figures all around the edges of the light of the fire many of them but one slither out on mister legba a large snake cover in bones “ now we make a special offer we give our power my power to you for a week and if your still interested we give you everything “I look at him as the drums I hear at the warehouse came back loud and getting louder looking at him

“ shake my hand…shake a holy hand “ I reach and toke his hand and so the deal was made and I woke up up panting sweating great I have to change the sheets but that can come later I reach to grab my glasses but there weren’t there so I keep grabbing for them as someone hand me them I toke them and put them on “ thank you”….I look up..there was my shadow leaning on the wall…and so I scream